Homecoming

Caleb has been a huge football fan this year! Maybe it has something to do with going to a game every Friday night (and sometimes Thursdays, too), and seeing so many people he knows, or getting a little bag of popcorn just for him, or getting to yell, "Go Leopards!" For these reasons and more, he loves it. Homecoming was even better, because it included a parade!

Waiting for the parade to start.

Here it comes!

The band!

Firetruck with the mascot!

Wave to everyone!

Our family at the game. See James?

Throwing a football. He got one almost every game.

Caleb and his friend Logan, who is sporting his first real haircut (he just turned one).

Giving a kiss to his buddy.

One of Caleb's many Grandmas (or great grandmas!) from the church.

From 38 Weeks to a Family of Four!

Wow, how do I catch this blog up?

Four days after my last post, at 38 1/2 weeks, little James Elliot was born! I knew (and hoped) that James was coming soon, but didn't realize it would be that soon!

We've had all kinds of family and friends here to help, and now life has finally settled back to normal...though it's definitely a new normal! We'll be figuring out exactly what "normal" looks like for a family of four in the days to come!

My time on the computer has been reduced to snippets between feeding a newborn and dealing with a toddler, so here are the basics, and hopefully I can flesh it out more a little bit later!

James Elliot Norvell
Born August 31, 2010 at 11:15am
5lbs, 12oz
19 inches long

I went into labor on Monday and still managed to go to Bunko that night! My mom made it to the house by 10pm, our friend Debbie showed up at 4am to watch Caleb, and we headed to the hospital at 5am on Tuesday morning. Labor was WAY different than the first time. I knew it would be different, but I didn't realize HOW different. Contractions were completely manageable all the way to the point of pushing. And then pushing? Wow, that was a trip. Doing it naturally is insane. Not because of the pain, but because of the power. I had no idea I could push so hard, and it's now no wonder to me that Caleb needed vacuum extraction, because there's no way I was pushing that hard when he was born.

Anyway, after a whole 15 minutes of pushing, our little five-pounder was born!

It wasn't too many minutes later that we knew something was different about James. His features were different, and we now have a confirmed diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Thankfully (and perhaps miraculously), he was born perfectly healthy, with none of the heart or lung problems common to Down babies. We were able to go home within only 24 hours of James' birth!

A common question these days: How is Caleb doing?

Well...I think he's doing okay. I attributed any unusual activity to the terrible twos, but this past weekend Jon and I have realized that Caleb is definitely dealing with the arrival of his new brother. So far, he has not directed any animosity towards James, and only shows constant love and affection for him, showering him with kisses and hugs and offerings of milk from Caleb's sippy cup or perhaps a Cheerio. However, in other parts of Caleb's life (mainly naptimes), there has been a change. In the attempt to be in control of something, Caleb has mutinied naps and in the last couple of days become quite irrational and frustrated during the times he should be taking a nap. It turns out he's also been coming down with a cold or sinus infection of some sort, which hasn't helped matters. But all in all, Caleb is doing well and I think he will adjust in time.

So that's the quick update...haha! I just can't do anything quickly, can I? Here are the pics of the first couple of days...more to come later!

Dr. Appt: 38 Weeks

The stats:
Weight: gained 2 lbs (35.5 total)
BP: 112/80
James' heart rate: good


And the big news: 1cm dilated and 50% effaced!


Woohoo! I didn't make it that far for another two weeks last time. It doesn't mean we're headed to the hospital by any stretch, but at least this ol' reproductive system of mine is remembering what it's supposed to be doing.


Our discussion was pretty short with Dr. W. My only question was if there was anything we hadn't discussed regarding the birth plan that she might still need to know from me. She said she wasn't worried and felt she had a pretty good idea of what I wanted. She said we'd have time as things came up for me to express my wishes. She reiterated that her only requests are that I wear the hospital gown and have a hep lock in case of the need for an IV.


I asked again about the procedure once the baby is born, and we confirmed that yes, James will be placed on a towel on my stomach right after he's born. The nurses will do their Apgar scoring from afar while we get to hold our newborn! The umbilical cord will be cut when it stops pulsating (meaning it's pumped all the necessary blood into the baby), and then the nurses will take James for weighing, measuring, eye goo and shots. They'll hand him back to us, and then he's ours! I suppose at some point he'll go off for a bath, but I remember that being quite awhile after the fact with Caleb. So this is when I'll get the chance to nurse for the first time, and then the family will all be banging on the door to see the new baby. Hooray!


And then James will cry and I'll understand the true meaning of sleep-deprivation for the next two months...but I'm not thinking about that part!


Back to our appointment.... Dr. W said that if we hit 41 weeks like we did with Caleb, we'll do a non-stress test on James. If he's A-okay, then we'll just keep waiting. She said she didn't see any reason to induce except for the baby being in distress.

After we finished discussing with Dr. W, I was trying to form in my mind how to thank her for her openness to a natural birth and letting things happen on their own, when she beat me to the punch and thanked me for the same thing! She said most women are ready to induce before their due date and just get it done, and she said it was refreshing for someone to be willing to let nature take its course. I hadn't really expected that!


So that was our appointment. As patient as I want to be (and know I need to be), I get excited knowing that we'll have James soon!

Dr. Appt: 37 Weeks

Stats:
Weight gain: .5 pound (33.5 total)
BP: 124/80
James's heart rate: good
Uterus measurement: 35 cm

The uterus has gone from 36 to 34 to 35 in the last three weeks, so Dr. W says he's just sort of floating up and down a little, but his head is firmly engaged where it should be, so that's good!

Questions we discussed:

• Sleep aids: High protein snack before bed, sleepytime tea, warm bath, heating pad on back. If at some point the early stages of labor begin but go very slowly (like they did with Caleb--two days of contractions for nothing), she'll prescribe Ambien, which she assures me will give me good sleep when I need it, but I will be awake and ready to go by the time contractions get serious.
• Nursing mechanics: I had some difficulty nursing Caleb for the first few months, so we discussed some ways to avoid that, but it sounds like it just might happen again. Dr. W said that wearing "shells" and other devices before the baby is born really doesn't help change anything, and using the shields during nursing are really my best bet.
• Tearing vs. epesiotomy: We brought this up again because when Dr. W asked me last time, I didn't really ask her opinion about it, and I wanted to know. She said that in fact the two heal just about the same way, so she didn't have a preference. There was one type of tearing that could cause some problems, but she said she could foresee if that was to happen and could avoid it with a small epesiotomy.
• Any recommendations for preparing for the Big Day? Dr. W didn't have any prep ideas, but she did say to bring a robe, slippers, and my own sanitary napkins, as most women don't like the huge ones the hospital provides.

We also talked about a couple of random things:

• Baby's equilibrium: The baby does not get dizzy in the womb because he doesn't have any muscle tone. Without muscle tone, he doesn't have the feeling of falling or being up or down.
• Placenta history: Dr. Apgar (the lady who developed the Apgar score) felt that there was too much intermingling of blood between the mother and baby, so she was the one who started cutting the cord immediately upon birth, instead of waiting until the placenta had been delivered. Doctors no longer believe Apgar's reasoning, but the tradition still remains. Dr. W will most likely allow me to hold the baby on my chest for the final stage of labor. Once the placenta is delivered, she'll let Jon cut the cord if he wants to.

Does anyone else think that "placenta" is just a grossie word? Couldn't they have named it something else? Or perhaps the object itself would mar any name. It is weird, though, how that whole part of labor is pretty much ignored by everyone...even the nuts and granola home birth people pan away at that point in the video.

In other news, James is officially full-term! If he were born today, his lungs would be developed enough to make it in the world. We made it! Whew!

We have been very blessed by two baby showers--one at our church and one by mail--so we've gotten our final baby needs put together. Our carseat is being shipped (yep, that's what you do when you live in the sticks) and should get here this next week. I've packed a bag for myself and James. Now I just need to get a "labor bag" together, though hopefully I can do most of my laboring at home this time!

There are a few more things on my "need to do" list, but if they don't happen, it's okay. Jon and I are getting more excited about holding our new tiny baby boy. We aren't as nervous as we were last time. We have a better idea of how stinking hard it is in the beginning, but we also have a very real reminder every day of how wonderful being a parent is, and we can't wait for James to join the family!

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!

Dr. Appt: 35 Weeks

Today was another doctor's appointment. I'll start going every week from here on out! It's getting exciting!

Here are the stats:
Weight gain: None this week. Holding steady at 30 pounds.
Blood pressure: 120/74
Baby's heart rate: 140 (The dr. checked it this time, so she actually gave me a number)
Uterus: Didn't take a measurement today

Though the Dr. didn't measure my uterus, she did check it out and confirm that James is in the head-down position! Hooray! She said it's very unlikely that he will move from that position, so that's good news! Babycenter says that James is about 18 inches long and 5.25 pounds. From here on out he'll just be packin' on the weight with not much more growth lengthwise.

I had a Strep test today, which is just a simple swab test of the vaginal area. If the test comes back positive, that means that James could contract strep as he passes through the birth canal, so they would put me on an antibiotic before delivery to avoid that.

My eczema is doing okay. The steroid cream is keeping the inflammation down for the most part, and the itching has become fairly minimal. My skin is starting to peel on the palms of my hands, but it's still minor right now, and hopefully it will stay that way! Dr. W said that if the eczema sticks around longer than 6 weeks after James is born, she'll send me to a dermatologist to make sure there's nothing more we can do.

We discussed labor options again today. I recently watched a documentary about hospital births vs. home births. It was very one-sided (leaning toward midwifery), but it showed me something I hadn't realized before: the Pitocin used to induce my labor with Caleb was probably what put him in distress, which resulted in a very harried (and hurried) delivery. Pitocin causes contractions to be stronger and longer, which is very hard on the baby. For some reason I hadn't put those two things together. So anyway, at today's appointment, I reiterated my desire to not be induced, and to avoid Pitocin if at all possible (many drs will prescribe pitocin to women whose labor began naturally but isn't progressing "fast enough" or whose contractions are erratic to regulate them a little more). Dr. W asked if that included using it after delivery (it's used to help the uterus contract back down and stop the flow of blood), and I said I thought that would be fine, since James would already be out.

Dr. W also asked me about the episiotomy, if I would rather the cut or to tear naturally. I had to pause about this one, because it sounds so much more in control to have a surgical cut. However, I know of several cases (including my own) where a cut has led to further tearing, excessive blood loss, or other complications. And recent studies seem to be indicating that a tear is actually faster to heal. So, I told her I'd rather the tear. Yikes! I'll have to do a little more research on the topic and make sure I'm certain about that decision.

My desire is the same as it was when I was pregnant with Caleb: I would like to stay at home as long as possible, and have as natural a birth as possible. That, of course, did not happen with Caleb, since we were induced and I checked into the hospital with barely a contraction in my belly. And it really seems that it was necessary to be induced (though I just spoke with a friend who self-induced with castor oil for all three of her kids, which worked like a charm and still allowed a natural delivery...wonder if I should have tried that). But Dr. W seems very fine with the fact that I want a natural delivery, and just emphasized that I need to be very clear about it to the hospital staff.

Perhaps because of our discussion about induction and Caleb's late arrival, Dr. W gave me a handout about "natural methods for induction" and suggested I start them at 37 weeks...starting slow and ramping up to 40 weeks. The handout included things like intercourse and using a breast pump. Well I gotta tell ya, I hadn't expected that! So I probably won't be keeping you apprised of that kind of stuff, but I thought it was interesting/funny that my dr. would pass on that helpful bit of information.

I won't get cervical exams until starting at 38 weeks, which somehow seems like a long way away! Not that I'm expecting anything, but it would be nice to know if there was any progress, and now I have to wait 3 weeks to find out. Oh, well! It'll all happen soon enough, I know!

Big Boy Bed

Because we have the birth of a new baby boy rising fast on the horizon (6 weeks!!), we've started getting Caleb ready for the transition. We're planning on keeping the boys in the same room, with James in the crib and Caleb in a toddler bed. James will be in a bassinet either in our room or the guest room until he's sleeping through the night, so that gives us a little time, but we decided to go ahead and start getting Caleb used to a toddler bed.

We found a metal frame toddler bed with mattress (used, but barely) for a great deal, and only had to put a new coat of paint on the frame to make all things new. At first it wasn't the clean contemporary bed I had envisioned, but then I realized that the room is pretty vintage-y already, and the bed fits perfectly in it.

(We've since moved the bed so one long side is along the wall)

Caleb loves it, too! The first day it went in his room, he wanted to sleep in it. He was done with the crib! I had planned on a little slower approach, but oh well! In the toddler bed Caleb went. He only had a couple of days to try it out before we went on vacation, then home a week, then gone another week, and now home again. So we're still in the trial and error stage!

(Caleb loves to wrap up in his blanket!)

Trying out his bed for the first time...the tear on his cheek? He'd already managed to roll off and had a little cry about it!

Naptimes have been hardest, since it's daylight and all his toys are just so visible! He's learned to play quietly...and then scoot back to the bed as soon as we open the door! Stinker. Today I left a toy with him in the bed, and he was asleep within 15 minutes, which is a record so far! However, he was asleep on the floor...evidently he was tired of rolling out, though last night I don't think he rolled out at all. We've padded the floor with lots of blankets, and I guess Caleb thought they were more comfy than his bed. Though when he woke up from his nap, it was sort of in an interrupted way, like he needed to sleep longer. He crawled back into his bed, but by that time he was awake.

Tonight I left the same toy in his bed, and I could hear him playing with it for the next 30-45 minutes, so it didn't work quite as well, but at least he wasn't in and out of his bed for an hour, which has been our frustration so far.

So we're definitely still adjusting. But I know Caleb is getting more used to it and understanding the rules better every day. He's even learning not to roll around quite so much! I know he'll have this whole toddler bed thing down pat by the time James shares a room with him.

Dr. Appt: 32 1/2 Weeks

So here we are, charging through this third trimester. Our 32-week appointment got bumped back a little, so we're almost to 33 weeks.

Here are the stats:
Weight: Gained 5 pounds in 2.5 weeks. Woohoo for goin' home to Momma's cookin! Total weight gain of 30 pounds.
Uterus: Measured in at 31 cm, a gain of 3 cm in the last 2.5 weeks
Blood pressure: 112/70
Baby's heart rate: just right

Today's visit was short and sweet. I didn't really have any questions but one, and it wasn't even baby-related. I've found out that my primary care physician won't see me while I'm pregnant; in essence, my OB becomes my PCP during those 9 months. So, my question was about my hands, which had gotten all itchy and bumpy over the last few weeks. At first it was nothing, just a little spot on my thumb, but then my skin started to dry and crack, and then the bumpiness and itchiness spread to my palm and then to my other hand. I'd kind of freaked out, thinking I had some sort of athlete's foot fungus on my hands, and I was a walking disease.

But the good ol' internet assured me that what I had was a sort of eczema, called dishydrotic eczema. As with anything, the internet was pretty broad in causes and treatments, so I spent the last few days using hydrocortizone cream and taking Benadryl--both prego-approved--which at least helped the itching, though it still spread to my fingers and threatens to show up on the soles of my feet, as well.

When I showed Dr. W my hands, she immediately confirmed my diagnosis. She commented that this type of eczema is one of only two dermatological issues that arise with pregnancy (the second--and more common--being acne). She said it was purely hormonal and would probably not go away until after the baby is born, or maybe even only after I stop nursing, but until then she prescribed a stronger steroid cream.

So it turns out that my non-pregnancy-related issue was really pregnancy-related after all. I still feel a little like a walking disease, but at least it's not contagious, and the worst of it on my thumb is healing up. Hopefully the cream will keep the rest in check. I just have to endure itchiness for the next...oh...year or so. I'm really looking forward to that.

In other, much more interesting, news, I've been belated in our baby name announcement! After much deliberation, we have chosen:

James Elliot Norvell

James (Jim) Elliot was a missionary in Ecuador and died serving the Lord there. Maybe Jon will write more about the meaning behind the name sometime. As for the James/Jim question, I'm sticking with James for now, though Jon's going with Jim. We're all for solidarity!

Even More Past Posts

Whew, I think I might have finally caught up on photos of Caleb up through March! My mom said the other day that I don't take pictures of Caleb, but I think now she'll know that I do...I just don't get around to sharing them! So here are some final posts from March:

Trip to Nana's and Granddad's

All in a Day's Play

All in a Day's Play Pt. 2 (there was a wardrobe change, but these two posts were pics from the same day)

Another post from the past!

Here's another post from March, about putting our irises in.

As a side note, despite planting the irises so late, they all greened up and leafed out, and a few even bloomed! Some of these irises had never been planted before, but had been forgotten in a bag in the garage for over a year! I'm telling you, irises are the flower for me!

A post from the past

I've realized that I have several folders of photos that have never made it to the blog. In an attempt to fix that, I've posted up the first of several blogs (hopefully).

This is our trip to the Crater of Diamonds State Park back on March 18. It's hard to look at all the outdoor photos and think it's anything but hot and humid and yucky, but you'll notice we're all wearing pants, and I've even got a sweatshirt on! It was really beautiful weather, cool enough for long sleeves in the shade. Enjoy!

Caleb at 19 Months

Caleb is such a joy to Jon and I. He astounds us with his ability to learn, his love, his humor, and so much more every day. He has grown and changed so much since his first birthday. Though he is still a baby in many ways (as the youngest kid in his Sunday School class this is starkly evident), he has grown into a little boy! And this post is all about the things I love about Caleb at 19 months. If you're a big Caleb fan, well read on. If you just stop by for the general baby-related posts, this may not be for you!

About Caleb

1. When he pulls up onto something he shouldn't (an unstable stool, for example), he says, "Teefoo..." meaning "careful," which is what I'm always telling him!
2. He loves to color (and I love to watch him; it's fascinating to see how his mind works) and understands he should only color on paper, and only on his table in his room. So now, he scrounges paper from all over the house and dutifully carries it into his room to color on. Coupons, brochures, maybe important, usually not...but definitely not his pre-approved coloring pages! Stinker.
3. We have a tickle monster in our house! Caleb will attack anyone and everyone with wiggly fingers and "teetoo! teetoo!" ("tickle, tickle") and lots of giggles. He's even tickled his grandma on webcam!
4. Caleb has started showing empathy for his stuffed animals, giving hugs and kisses and setting them up in his booster seat for snack time (even buckling them in). Of course, snack time involves one bite for his puppy and one bite for him!
5. "What is your name?" "....Tabob." "Good job! Can you say 'Norvell'?" "....Niffle." That's my son. Tabob Niffle.
6. In the last little while, Caleb has discovered his running legs. It's more talk than action, with his legs pumping fast and a declaration of "Run! Run!" as he speeds by.
7. Caleb loves people. He remembers names (Todder=Tyler, Duck=Bro. Doug, Neen=Miss Eileen, Nitty=Miss Nicki, Aden=Adrienne, Abby, Tammy, Betty, and more, including many pet's names) and is so excited to see all his friends. He greets everyone with a good, long, squeezey hug and many times a kiss. The other day we ran into Miss Eileen (the church secretary) at Wal-Mart, and he insisted on giving her a big hug. When he did, he said, "Pieces, pieces." I told Eileen, "Well I don't know what that means!" She said, "Oh, every time he hugs me in the office I tell him I could hug him to pieces!" I couldn't believe that he remembered that and associated it only with her.
8. The truth is that Caleb is not really potty-trained. I'm not sure what he is! He will "hold it" for long periods of time (even when he's in a diaper), and will wait until I put him on his potty to go. But only very rarely has he told me he actually needs to go potty. If I am on top of things, we can go several days without accidents. However, if I lose track of time or forget, then Caleb will have an accident.
9. Though we've tried, I don't think Caleb understands the concept of being a brother, yet. He will give my tummy kisses sometimes, but it just hasn't clicked that we're going to have a baby in the house in two months.
10. Things Caleb loves to eat: cherry tomatoes, strawberries (calls them "boobies" which makes me laugh), grapes, cheese, pretzels, and pickles. He's still a varied eater, and will try many things--today he even tried cole slaw! But he can be finicky in that one day he'll refuse a food he ate the day before. But we can generally find him something he will eat. We are growing cherry tomatoes in our garden. One day I had picked a bowl-full of them and set the bowl within Caleb's reach without realizing it. I had turned away, and turned back to Caleb handing me a tomato stem. I took it, trying to figure out where he got it, and then watched him nonchalantly pop a fresh-from-the-garden tomato into his mouth and walk off.
11. Caleb's sleep habits: We are officially down to one nap. It seemed like a rocky transition, but in retrospect it went fairly well. His one nap occurs from about 11am-1pm, right across the lunch hour, so I'm trying to push it back further into the afternoon. Some days it works, but it usually means he's more tired and cranky than hungry at lunch time. He's sleeping a solid 11 hours at night.
12. Caleb's favorite playtime activities: coloring, playing with stickers, and blocks. He also loves to read. We've just moved up from his regular books (which he knew very well) to the Little Golden Books of my childhood. They're a little above his level, but he still likes them. We've also started attempting some crafts, mostly with construction paper and a glue stick. Maybe I'll get more adventurous at some point. And this boy LOVES his movies. He's the kid in Sunday School who knows how to work the DVD player and stands 6 inches from the screen through the whole show. At home, he would look at me innocently and expectantly, "Movies? ....Movies? ....Barney? ....Thomas? ....Movies? ...Mouse? ....Barney? ....Barney?" We use movies at home as a chance for him to sit still for a few minutes on the potty, and when I'm cooking something in the oven that is unsafe (broiling or lots of opening the door to baste or hot oil popping from the skillet). So they're not on all day, but he is like me: easily addicted to TV!
13. Caleb's personality: Gentle, sweet, funny, smart, needs time to adjust, a cuddler, helper, growing independence, happy, and a pretty clean kid. He likes to wipe his hands and eating area with a napkin, and will often put away what he's playing with before moving on to the next activity, even without my bidding.
14. Changes in the last few months: Caleb has become more expressive. When he was younger, his expression was mostly through his nose, crinkling it up when he was upset. Now he raises and furrows his eyebrows, shapes his mouth into a dramatic "O" when he's surprised, and gives a cheesy smile when the camera comes out. He is also more strong-willed, with a quick and high-pitched "NO!" whenever something is not quite going his way. However, he is no longer throwing to-the-floor tantrums, and can be settled and redirected fairly easily. He has figured out ways to ask us for things, taking my fingers and pulling me in the right direction. "Tummer tummer" is his plea to "come here, come here." Then he adds a "please" to make sure we really come. He'll pat the floor with a direction to sit, and if we're in his way, he pushes through with a "beep beep!"
15. I love Caleb's little language. If the act of bringing out the video camera didn't halt any and all cuteness that Caleb was doing at the moment, I'd get a video of Caleb saying his many words. He has yet to really make sentences, only a few pieced-together bits that mean something, like "Hon-ry...eat!" to tell me he's hungry. And lately he's added an initial syllable to many of his words. "Milk" has become "Muh-milk." Frog is fuh-frog, Shoe is shoe-shoe, etc. It seems like a step back in communication, and I don't know where it came from, but I'm sure it'll go away eventually, just like someday his "boobies" will be "berries" and his "bapples" have already become "apples."

Caleb is a sweet, sweet boy. We love him very much and are blessed to be his parents. Sometimes I think he's so great because of the great parents we are, but I know that's definitely not true! We make many mistakes every day. And there are frustrations with Caleb every day, but the good far outweighs the bad. After we lay Caleb down to sleep at night and the house goes from toddler hubbub to stillness, Jon and I smile at each other, very content with our little boy.

Belly Pics, 29 Weeks

Just thought I'd let you see the 29-week belly!


I look a little perturbed in the second picture, but I really needed to blink and my eyes were starting to water and I'd been smiling for awhile while Jon zoomed or focused or did something that seemed to take way too long, even though it really didn't. But it shows my belly better than the other pic, so there ya go. :)

Do you see this? This girl holding my newborn a year-and-a-half ago? This is Leanna. My best friend since 8th grade. This picture was taken 4 days after Caleb was born. My family had gone home, and I was pretty sure that the times I was being the best mother was when Caleb was in someone else's arms. I was very insecure about what to do with this tiny thing. He demanded so much and so little at the same time. We were still figuring each other out, and I was very much the newbie.

You realize that, right? That the whole "Newbie" part of the blog name refers to Jon and I?

Yeah, even I didn't realize that for awhile.

Well today--18 months after that picture was taken--Leanna is having a son of her own. I hardly slept last night thinking about Leanna and praying for her. I told her if I had to get up and pee in the night (and what prego doesn't?), I would be sure and pray for her. It turns out that she got prayers from me just about the time her water broke! I know, it's like we've been friends for so long, I just knew. Crazy, right?

Leanna was so confident with Caleb, and has loved him so much (and so well) through his little life, that I know she'll be a great mom. She was confident enough to hold Caleb when I didn't feel I could do it. I know there will be times that she'll feel that same insecurity about her own newborn, and I'm praying that there will be someone there (since I can't be) to hold him for her when she needs it. I'm so proud of her, and can't wait to hear when little O'Baby is born!

27 Weeks

It's been 27 weeks and I had an appointment on Wednesday. Here are the stats:

Weight: Total gain of 22 pounds
Blood pressure: Holding steady at 120/70
Uterus: Finally a concrete measurement at 27cm (she hadn't actually measured before)
Baby's heart rate: "good" was all I could get out of the nurse. Hmph. Doesn't she know I like numbers?

All of these things are "perfect" according to my doctor. "Perfect" is her favorite word. The nurse takes my blood pressure and listens to the baby's heart beat, so the first thing the doctor does when she comes in is have me lay back so she can measure my uterus. Every time I lay down, her eyes brighten and she smiles a beaming smile. "This looks just perfect. This is great!" Seriously, I feel like I've given her a great gift or something. Because I really have control over what my uterus looks like....

I got my Rhogam shot at this appointment. Because I'm Rh- and Jon's Rh+, I will have to get a Rhogam shot during every pregnancy, and after the delivery of every baby that is not negative. So that was this appointment. Bad news for me: unlike last pregnancy, the doctor does not provide the shot in the office. I have to pick it up at the pharmacy and take it to the doctor's office myself. Inconvenient, yes, but the really bad news is that prescription insurance doesn't cover it. Considering I have a high risk of miscarriage if I do not take the shot, this makes NO SENSE whatsoever. The nurse advised I check with my medical coverage and see if they would cover at least some of it.

I also had my glucose test, and the nurse did an awesome job taking the vials of blood she needed. Probably the best experience ever for me. I won't hear back from them about the test results unless I need to have further testing, so I'm going to assume everything's fine.

Questions I had:
Have I gained too much weight? Dr. W says I'm right where I should be (to quote: "perfect"). It's definitely more weight than I gained with Caleb, but who knows. I'm trying not to worry about it, but sometimes I still do.

Will I need to be monitored through the entire labor? Yes. But the good news is that the monitors are wireless. With Caleb, the monitors were attached to a printout machine with about a 10-ft cord, and I was confined to that area (bed or near the bed) except to go to the restroom or take a brief walk in the hallway. Because of the induction last time, the nurses wanted to monitor me constantly. Evidently this hospital requires constant monitoring of everyone, but at least I can move around some more. Dr. W said it was very important that I move as much as possible, and they would take the monitors off if they interfered.

Will there be a birthing ball available? Yes, as well as a large shower with a seat. Because of being hooked to the monitors last time, I didn't take advantage of the shower, and it intrigues me. I'm wondering if it'll be helpful or not.

When can I first feed my baby? What happens right after delivery is up to me. I have the option of holding my baby before the cord is even cut: the nurses would lay a towel over me, put the baby on top, then a towel on top of him. They would rub him down a little while I got to hold him.* He wouldn't nurse at this point, though. Whether I hold him before the cord is cut or not, the dr. always waits for the cord to quit pumping blood (which I read is a reaction it has when it hits the air...a water-birthed baby's cord won't stop until the baby is brought up from under the water...just a little trivia for ya). Anyway, I like this approach. Dr. K (my doctor with Caleb) had the policy of immediately cutting the cord unless the baby was a little listless, and then she would allow that last bit of blood to get pumped into the baby for an extra boost.

So back to the nursing question, Dr. W said I really needed to let my pediatrician know what I wanted, and while he wouldn't be there, he would send his instructions to the nurses. So I can choose to try to nurse before the baby gets his shots or his eye goop. The advantage to this is that the baby doesn't have all these different hands poking and prodding him, and he's not got stuff in his eyes to keep him from opening them (if you ever saw our first photos of Caleb, his eyes and eyelids are all shiny because of putting the eye goop in immediately). So waiting allows the baby a little extra measure of calm to try nursing for the first time before getting jostled around by the nurses. On the other hand, Caleb did fine with it. He didn't really nurse, but he was quiet and willing to try. So I guess I find out from the nurses if it's a big nuisance for them to have to wait to do all that. If it's not, I think I'd like them to wait while we try to nurse.

I don't remember any other questions, except that we got to talking about how most of Dr. W's responses lean to the more natural methods, and I found out that she trained under a physician who performed not only the basic medical births, but also births using natural methods: water births, etc. And while Dr. W was a fan of those things, she cautioned that she would always have a birth at a hospital instead of at home, just in case of an emergency. While I see some really great advantages to home births, I also have a much greater sense of peace knowing that we're where we need to be if something were to happen.

And that's it on my side of the tummy. How about little Newbie2?

Well, he's up to 2 pounds now! That means he's doubled in weight in the last month--no wonder I've been tired! As with every update lately, he is our little jitterbug, doin' a dance all the time inside Mama's belly. Today when I laid down for a nap, I felt a definite bump up by my ribcage. Whether it was a head or rear end, we couldn't tell, but Jon gave it a little kiss anyway. We love our little boy!

*Funny note: It was at this point in the discussion with my doctor that I started beaming. "I'm going to have a little baby! And I get to hold him! This is real!!" Wow, what a cool thought. However, it was also at this point in my relaying the discussion to Jon that he got very disinterested in what I was saying. I even stopped to ask if he wanted to talk about it later. "No," he said. "I just got really sick feeling all of the sudden." The day of labor and delivery was really hard on Jon last time, and he's not looking forward to it at all! It was pretty rotten for me, too, but I can't help but forget it and remember the sweet moments with my newborn!

Random Outdoor Fun

Some random outdoor fun pics from last Saturday, the same day as the slip-n-slide. This was the last day of potty-training boot camp, so pardon the undies.

Sitting down for a picnic

Getting a ride with Daddy

Being the alpha male to the Scottie who lives behind us. He's saying, "Hush! Hush!" which is what I do when the dog barks (which is always). The dog is usually indoors, but when he comes out he's very territorial.

For once, Caleb is pretty quiet, so it doesn't really work like it does when I do it.

Hush, puppy!

Caleb enjoying a snack of grapes. I love the top of his head!

Slip-n-Slide Water Fun

Daddy, I want to play in the water....

All right, son. But we're going to do it the way your daddy did it when he was a boy. With a slip-n-slide!

I see, Daddy. This is neat!

Hook 'er up, Daddy!

I'm goin' in!

Oh, so THAT's why it's called a SLIP-n-slide.

I don't think I liked that very much.

Look Daddy, I turned the water WAY up on my own!! Now you can get wet, too!

It does make it a little harder to get through, though.

I'm a splashin' machine!

Hi Mama. Whatcha doin' still dry?

You need a hug!

(At which point Mama got a very cold, very wet hug, and decided to put the camera away for the rest of water playtime.)