General update

I know I've been kind of...gone...lately. I'm still here! It's just that my computer is often being used by a certain 2 year old who is obsessed with watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes on YouTube. And because I have two kids now. And because we have this new bedtime thing going on (read below). And because I'd have to type one-handed a lot.

Without further ado, here we go...

Ben
He's doing great. He's a sleeper! He sleeps like a rock, too. Colin can be chasing Rocket all over the house yelling and bumping into Ben's swing and it doesn't wake him up in the least. He's awake for a few hours in the morning, but other than that he pretty much sleeps all day long, with an hour or so of wakefulness here and there. We do have to wake him up and make sure we change and feed him every 2 hours during the day so he knows the difference between daytime and night time, but he's doing pretty well at night. There's a rare occasion when he wants to be awake for awhile at night, but he's getting better at that. He wakes up about 2-3 times to eat and get his diaper changed and he can usually fall back asleep. He's sleeping in the Pack n Play next to our bed now. We're hoping to transition him to his crib by next weekend, although I'm going to miss not getting out of bed all night long since I've been nursing him in bed.
He smiles at us and he's so easygoing. He'll let anyone hold him, he doesn't mind car rides, he's only fussy when he's hungry or gassy (sometimes when he's tired), he nurses well, he lets us change his diaper without getting too angry, he doesn't cry when he gets a bath, he's tolerant of Colin's loving...I could go on and on...Colin
Love him to pieces, but good gravy he is a challenge sometimes. He's so tenacious. Bed time has (always) been a struggle. We had a bed time set at about 8:00, but then he'd be in his room (and out of his room) playing and making a racket and whining and making request after request after request and just not settling down. So we decided to make his bed time later. So now it's more like 9:00 which is WAY late in my opinion, but he generally falls asleep faster. Sometimes he even says good night to us and walks into his bedroom no problem and goes to sleep.

Long story short, we're learning to ignore whining and learning to stand our ground. Last night he asked for me for at least 30 minutes---could have been an hour--and no matter how desperately I wanted to answer his pleas "Mama I waaaant you." "Mama bum way wiff me pwease." "Mama buva me up." I stayed tough and didn't answer them. Breaks my heart, but I've been playing his game too long.

The good news is he is starting to entertain himself in the morning while we sleep longer. I get up, turn the Disney channel on, and go back to bed, and he's content for an hour and a half or so. That's awesome.

Despite his tantrums, he is polite. He says "no thank you" and shares with us all the time. He "saves me a spot" on the couch, he runs to give us hugs and kisses before we leave, and he's so much fun.

Kevin
He's pleasantly surprised at Ben's sleeping skills and still trying to throw Colin off his throne. Or at least learn how stay calm and manage through. He did something super sweet for me yesterday. He used his Christmas money to buy me a gift certificate to the salon/spa I go to :) I'd be just as thrilled if he bought himself some new t-shirts (for real. I would be so happy). But hey--now I have to spend this gift certificate and I'm thinking I need some highlights.

Me
I'm healing up great! That whole process is a lot quicker this time around. I'm wearing my largest sized non-maternity jeans today! I almost feel ready to start running again (slowly, of course!) but I'll wait until my 6 week appointment when I get the go ahead.

Pediatrician appointment

I took Ben in for his 2 week appointment waaaay back on Dec. 22. He was 2 days shy of being 2 weeks old. These were his stats:

Weight: 10 lbs, 0 oz (up 2ish lbs in 12 days) 87 %ile
*Today's weight is an estimated 12 lbs, which was Colin's weight at 2 MONTHS*
Height: 21 1/4 in (no change in 12 days) 76 %ile

I changed clinics and pediatricians. I just wasn't satisfied with the well baby checks Colin had at the family practice clinic near us. Since they're all family practice doctors, none of them are pediatricians. I was frustrated with the lack of specialized knowledge and support I received.

Upon HUGE recommendation by many co-workers and friends who also see him, I changed to Dr. C. He was the on-call pediatrician when Colin was born, so I'd met him before. He's so fabulous. He really took his time with Ben and I.

The clinic is much more kid-friendly too. The wait was super short. I had only circled the answers to the five development questions when we were called back. The clinic near us doesn't have toys in the exam rooms (granted, we can always bring our own but I often forget and "new" toys are always more interesting than owned toys anyway). The new clinic does. Colin has never been patient during appointments, so I'm hoping this will help him out, as well as Ben.

Anyway, Dr. C. said since Ben had gained 2 lbs already, he's "thriving" and not to let anyone tell me he's eating too much. A breastfed baby can not be overfed. He even noted the use of the Snappi on the prefold Ben was wearing and said how cool they are. In fact, the way he just carried on, I do believe he has seen a cloth diaper recently :)

So...healthy boy, great new pediatrician. This mama left feeling very fulfilled. Finally.

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 has come and gone. Since Colin is spending the afternoon at Grandma F.'s house, I plan on taking the tree down this afternoon. Normally I keep it up until at least New Years, but Colin thinks a few of my favorite ornaments are toys (like my airplane that signifies the year I went skydiving), and I'm ready to pack them up again before they get lost or broken. Here's a rundown of the jolly times we had this year.

On Friday, I "tortured" Colin by making him see Santa. He was all fine and dandy until the red rope opened up and he was in touching distance of St. Nick. Then he clung to me like white on rice and wouldn't. let. me. go. I pried him off, sat him down, snapped this picture, and scooped him back up.
Needless to say, he'd rather look at Santa from afar. And I elected not to spend $25 on 2 5x7s of my crying child. In the future, we will participate in less commercialized Santa events (i.e. Breakfast with Santa that we missed this year) where Colin can warm up to the old man before he has to make eye contact with him.

Since Colin (well, aside from Ben) is the only grandchild on both sides of our family, he gets spoiled every year. This year, he insisted that the presents under the tree were his birthday presents :) I told them it wasn't his birthday, it was Jesus' birthday. By the end of the weekend, he understood they were Christmas presents.

On Christmas Eve, we went to Kevin's parents' house. Among the gifts, Kevin, Ben, and I got some gift cards. Colin got a semi truck, a dump truck, movies, a Memory game, etc. etc. etc. etc.
On Christmas morning, Colin woke up and discovered Santa had been to our house. He opened up his presents from us (Colin the Crane for his train set, his own Camelbak water bottle, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse puzzle) and from Santa (fire truck floor puzzle, stocking stuffers).

Then we headed out on the 2 hour drive to my parents' house. Colin (and Ben) slept the whole way there, despite it being just 8:30 in the morning. When we got there, the 8 of us (our family, my mom, dad, brother, and Mandy) opened presents and stockings. Among the many gifts, I got a pair of new snow pants to replace mine from the mid-'90s and cash. Kevin got some snow pants too, a brownie pan, and again--cash. Colin got some parts for his train set, a bow and arrow complete with binoculars and battery operated moving deer, a remote control truck, puzzles, etc. etc. etc. etc.
"Unda Dotty" teaching Colin how to use his bow.My dad's family arrived and the family festivities began. There was good food. There was TONS of appetizers/cookies/fudge/etc. There was a game called "What's Yours Like?" There were more presents (for Colin and Ben). Then everyone left and we hung out for awhile.

On Monday morning, Steph stopped by to visit. We left my parents' house at about 12:30 and Colin was asleep within 3 minutes of starting the drive. Kevin and I stopped at Inta Juice to grab our beloved smoothies and we drove home, exhausted after a long holiday weekend.

We truly got spoiled again this year. Since we are in gazelle-intense debt pay-off mode, we didn't spoil others as fairly in return. We just couldn't fit any more in our budget. This makes me feel really a) cheap and b) bad. But we know that in just 1 or 2 more Christmases, we'll be able to spoil our family as much as they spoil us.

Ben's Birth Story (Part 2)

(This post contains actual photos from his birth. You will not see any of my girly parts. For those of you with weak stomachs, although there is nothing gross, the pictures are small. For those more curious, you can click on them to make them large)

At about 3:40, I felt a pop and said, "I think my water just broke." Midwife said, "Oh yes it did! Nice, clear fluid, so that's good!" And all of a sudden, the contractions got intense. I could no longer calmly breathe through contractions. I had to keep my eyes shut and make the sounds my body told me to make. I asked Midwife, "What's happening?" and she said, "Your baby's coming down and it's coming down fast." That gave me a bit of comfort to know that soon it would be over. I didn't feel like pushing yet, but I felt a lot of pressure. Midwife said whenever I felt I wanted to push, I could.

(With Colin, when I had dilated to 10 and Midwife said I could push whenever I was ready, I started pushing almost right away. Emotionally I was ready to meet my baby. But physically, my body was not ready to push yet. I never really felt the urge to push.)

So I waited, and things in my body got more and more intense. Midwife checked me and said I was 9 3/4 dilated, and to get onto my knees in the tub. Sometime after that is when Leah walked in.
(We had discussed the possibility of her coming to photograph Ben's birth. She'd love to do more birth photography but with the unpredictability of it, it's hard to schedule :) So we said, "if it works, it works, if it doesn't, it doesn't." I texted her to let her know we were going in. She had a photo session scheduled, but her client/friend was understanding and let her come shoot me instead :) It all worked out for the best for all parties involved.)

I continued to moan through the intense contractions, and eventually felt the urge to push.

I will explain the "urge to push" this way: It's like when you have to vomit. And you're kneeling on the floor in front of the toilet and you're thinking, "Oh God, Oh God, it's coming, it's coming. It's going to feel horrible and I'm not going to like it and---BBBLLELEEECCHHH!" That's what the urge to push feels like. You can't stop it.

Ben's head finally came out, but the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around his neck. Midwife told me to put one foot on the edge of the tub and push while standing up.
Ben's shoulders got stuck, but soon enough, out he came at 4:03 pm. I looked behind me to see what we had. (by the way...Readers, meet Midwife. She's the one in the middle holding Ben).
I was surprised (but not disappointed in the least) to see that we had a little boy. Midwife said he was "sleepy" and apologized for not letting me hold him right away like we discussed.
Ben's cord was cut and he was handed over to the nurses and the OB (who was there watching her first water birth) to get some oxygen.

Meanwhile, back in the tub, I was relieved it was over and happy to have another little boy.
Kevin snatched up the baby (who, at this point, was still unnamed)And then Amy handed him to me. I was so excited to hold my little bundle of love.
Falling in love
I just really love Kevin's big smile and that he's rubbing his hands together (which I've learned means he's happy).
Then Midwife and Amy asked if he had a name. Truthfully, we hadn't decided on one. We were banking on my gut thinking it was a girl and we wouldn't have to worry about it. But all of a sudden, we had to make a decision. What should we name you, sweet little boy? We had to decide if you looked like a Benjamin, an Eli, an Elijah, a William or something we hadn't thought of yet.
After seeing his face, we quickly decided he was a Benjamin and not any of the others. So Benjamin it was. Midwife said, "Benjamin is a good name. It means "son of the right hand."" (I guess that makes Colin son of the left hand? ;)
After a few more minutes of comparing his features to Colin's and lots of snuggles, Ben was footprinted,
measured,
and weighed. Midwife guessed his weight to be at least 8 lbs. I said no way (as if I know), and she said his cheeks are those of an 8 lb-er. She was right. 8 lbs, 6 oz.
Content.
3/4 of a family.
After I had recovered for about an hour and a half, and the birth tub had been emptied and cleaned, Amy asked if I wanted to take a bath with Ben in the tub. Knowing how cool the opportunity was, I of course said yes. Amy filled the tub back up, and together, she and I scrubbed the ink off his feet and the vernix out of his hair and skin creases. It was a great bonding experience, and I'll never forget that kind gesture she made for us.

Mr. Ben, we are so lucky to have you in our family. We hope you like us just as much as we like you :) Be prepared for lots of snuggles from your mama and lots of fun and play with your Daddy and big brother.

Welcome to the world, little man!

Ben's Birth Story (Part 1)

On Saturday, December 10, I woke up at about 7:00. I had contractions all morning long, but they were anywhere between 8 and 12 minutes apart. I spent my morning cleaning the house. You see, on Thursday night I'd had the same contractions, went to bed, and they went away. I was determined not to let these ones go away! I asked Kevin to download the Contraction Master app on his iPhone so I didn't have to write times down or track them on the Contraction Master website on my laptop. I carried the iPhone around with me as I cleaned.

At 12:00, Colin laid down for his nap and I sat on the couch watching TV with Kevin timing and breathing through the contractions. Colin woke up at 2:00 and after a quick post-nap snuggle, the Contraction Master app's hospital alert sprung up. My contractions had gone from an average of 8 minutes apart and medium-strong to an average of 4 minutes apart and strong in a matter of minutes.

I called the hospital and said that I was in labor and thought it was time for me to come in. The nurse asked me how dilated I was at my last appointment. I told her I was 2 cm the day before, then I told her to call my midwife and start filling the tub with water (Midwife told me to tell them this when I called in). The nurse had the nerve to ask, "She wants me to fill the tub even though you were only a 2 yesterday?" I replied, "Yes. That's what Midwife told me to tell you. I went fast last time."

Next we called our neighbor who had volunteered to watch Colin at the drop of a hat. I had called her that morning to give her a heads up that she might be needed. She hustled over while Kevin and I got ready to leave. We left the house at about 2:30.

We arrived at the hospital at 3:00. The nurse I suspect was the same that answered the phone started talking about getting the penicillin (for GBS) ready. I told her that I thought I should get checked before anyone considered hooking me up to an IV. I didn't think I had enough time to get a dose of the antibiotics. I changed into my hospital gown and got hooked up to the monitors. The nice nurse (Amy) checked me. I was 7-8 cm. I do believe I said, "That's what I'm talking about!" and from then on, the snotty nurse left me alone. She checked with Midwife about skipping the penicillin and Midwife said it was okay.

Midwife arrived at about 3:15. She said she was so glad to see me and I told her the same :) The tub was finishing getting filled, and Midwife asked me if I was ready to get into the tub. I told her I was, so I got in. With Colin's labor, the water was so hot I had to have ice water washcloths put on my forehead. This time the water was much more comfortable. I labored through some contractions, drank some apple juice, and chatted with Midwife. She said if my water hadn't broken by 4:00 we'd get me out of the tub so I could use the bathroom, and talk about breaking my water.

Luckily I never had to tell her I didn't want her to break my water.

To be continued...

Chiropractor

Ben and I went to the chiropractor on Monday to get our bodies all straightened out from the trauma of child birth :)

Ben did great! He didn't have any big kinks or areas of concern.

I'd been having some pelvic pain, especially when I lie down or sit for a long time. My hips were also hurting after lying on my side for extended periods at night. Dr. S. said my pelvis was looser than he'd like to see at 1.5 weeks after giving birth, but said it would tighten up soon. As for my hips, I wonder if it's not because of the tendonitis in my hip flexors.

After our adjustment, I got the luxury of sitting in the massage chairs. Taking a little rest in the chairs is encouraged so your spine can rest after it gets adjusted, but as a family, we skip this part. Colin is with us and we're in a hurry to get home. So having a 20 minute chair massage was awesome.

I've noticed that my pelvis doesn't hurt as much now. I'm ready for my hips to go back to normal though :) I should be saying Ben is what is waking me up at night, but in reality, it's the hips.

How we're doing

One word: Great!

Ben sleeps, eats, and poops just as he's supposed to. He even gives us a few longer stretches at night. How long, I don't know because I don't look at the clock. He nurses every 3-4 hrs when he's sleeping and every hour when he's awake (usually once when he wakes up and once right before he passes out again).

I will admit, we're doing a lot of things very differently this time around. With Colin, we put him in his crib from day one. I sat in the uncomfortable rocking chair to nurse him, and I snoozed while doing so. This resulted in a sore neck and not a lot of sleep. This time, we're going the co-sleeping route for the time being. We're getting more sleep and it's so lovely. We do have a pack-n-play next to our bed, but so far Ben hasn't slept in it for more than a few minutes. We're hoping that will change in the next week or so.

My milk has come in full force, with the same "enthusiasm" as with Colin. My body is slowly adjusting, but at times it is painful and worrisome. In the back of my mind, I'm constantly thinking "mastitis, mastitis, mastitis."

We've been using cloth diapers since our first day home. It's going well, but we've already decided to forgo the newborn prefolds for the next size up because Ben soaks a newborn size without a problem.

We have been out and about a little. My mom and I took the boys to Kohls last week, and treated Colin to a trip to an indoor playground as well. I took the boys to a co-worker's house last Friday so I could get a little friend time in. Colin and I went to Walmart by ourselves last night to stock up on essentials. I got a haircut today and nursed Ben under the cape.

Colin goes to daycare 3 days a week from about 8ish to 2ish. It's a godsend, especially since it's winter. I'm not sure how I'd do with him home all day every day during the winter. I'd go crazy for sure.

I should take advantage of my sleeping baby and at-daycare toddler and take a nap. Another update with pictures will come soon.

Brothas from the same motha and fatha

Here's a side-by-side-comparison of Colin and Ben. They both have a skinny baby and chunky baby look, so I included both:
They have the same face for now :) Their ears are complete opposite--Colin had my elf ears (which have de-pointed with time), while Ben has very rounded ears. Time will tell more of their little differences and similarities.

Ben pictures

Colin was super happy to finally be holding his baby!

Snowflake is here!

Benjamin Lynn (Lynn is Kev's grandpa's name, as well as Kev's middle name)
Date: 12.10.11 (Grandpa J's birthday!)
Time: 4:03 pm
Weight: 8 lbs 6 oz (2 lbs 2 oz bigger than Colin was)
Length: 21 1/4 inches
Head circumference: 14 in

He looks a lot like Colin did...just a chunkier version!

He was born in the water just an hour after we arrived at the hospital. He's doing so great--nursing and sleeping like he was born to do it. :)

More details...and pictures...to come!

Midwife appointment

BP: Good
Baby's HB: ?
Belly measurement: ?
Cervix: 2 cm
Effacement: ?
Station: ?
Cankles: Disappeared at the beginning of the week, but now they're back after being on my feet all day, every day this week (except for Monday when I was home sick on the couch).

Lots of question marks up there. I didn't really ask numbers today. Not sure why. I walked away from my appointment thinking, "Wait, what's going on in there?"

I've had a few contractions, but nothing even close to being birth center call worthy.

It was reassuring to hear Midwife say that I don't need to schedule an appointment for next week though. Let's hope not.

40 weeks

40 weeks Snowflake vs. 40 weeks--oh wait--nope.


How far along? 40 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +36 lbs (uh...chocolate is tasty!)
Size: Pumpkin, or 20 inches and 7.5 lbs.
Baby Development: Baby is developmentally ready to come out. What more can you say? Now we wait for the physically ready part :)
Best moments this week: Hanging out with work friends last Friday.
Movement: Slower, and more like nudges than jabs and kicks.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up, sleeping on my back, not sweating in my sleep.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good. Except last night. I woke up at 3:45 and kept wondering, "am I going to go into labor? When am I going to go into labor?" Needless to say, I didn't sleep the rest of the night.
Belly button?: Flat, and slightly out
What are you looking forward to this week?: Isn't it obvious? Having a baby!! I'm getting very uncomfortable at the end of the work day. It's not fun getting ready for a sub every single afternoon.

Colinese

Today I treat you to the latest edition of Colinese. It's getting easier to understand what he's saying. Here are some common phrases we hear these days:

I wanna wats Mittey Mouse Bubhouse. = I want to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse--his newest obsession
Deers! = Cheers (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse related)
Boopa Deers! = Super cheers (see above)
Buva me up. = Cover me up.
Me not! = I'm not!
Banno = piano
Mama I wan a witto nat = Mama, I want a little snack.
I wan ammo dotohs/dinka wata. = I want animal crackers/drink of water
Mama mating buppa. = Mama making supper.
Oh ummy! = Oh yummy!
Mama, you mate doon {oo making the sound like in good} buppa = Mama, you make good supper (<3)
Nuffing! = Nothing. Usually in response to, "Colin, what are you doing!?"
Dangoh. = Jingle (his stuffed animal husky pup)
Bissmiss whites! = Christmas lights
Bossy = Frosty (the snowman)
Woo doff = Rudolph (the red nosed reindeer)
What you want? = What do you want? He says this when he's playing kitchen and wants to know what we want him to make us to eat.
Doe-on = corn
Bo-ak = fork
Mife = knife
Dewwee = jelly
Bip = dip
It has no daywuh on it = It has no trailer on it (referring to tractors, trucks, etc. Kid loves things that pull other things).
Dide = slide
No pants = snow pants
Boop = poop or scoop
I wuff Mama/Daddy = I love Mama, I love Daddy
Woddet = Rocket
Mama dit he-ah, Daddy dit he-ah, Dowin dit he-ah, Woddet dit he-ah, Baby dit he-ah = Him telling us where we're sitting.

Typing it out makes it look like he talks baby talk. But you really can understand most of what he says. At least I think so... :)

And the stories he tells. He always rehashes the story of when I cut my finger while cutting bread with a bread knife, and how I cried and said "OWIE!" He's a bit overly dramatic in his retelling though ;)

Stomach virus. Oh joy.

You know that post I wrote on Saturday? Well, Colin was kind enough to share his stomach virus with me. So here I am at home taking it easy and hoping it doesn't last too long. I'm trying to keep fluids down (semi-successfully) and keeping an eye on Snowflake's movements.

When I said I didn't want to go into work today, this is not what I had in mind.

No news is...

boring, isn't it?

I'm in a lot of pain today. Hopefully that means that Snowflake is making steady progress downward. I went to Walmart and Kwik Trip for my Saturday supply/grocery run. I put my cankles in the air for awhile. We set up the Christmas tree.

I also made Colin's bed (this is hard to do when 39w2d pregnant) after his all night puke fest last night . He couldn't even keep a sip of water down. Kevin and I jumped out of bed at least a dozen times to catch puke in a bucket and clean up messes. We went through 2 sets of sheets and 2 pairs of pajamas. This afternoon he watched Rudolph 2.5 times, Frosty 1 time, and an episode of Curious George. It's 3:30 and he finally ate something today--a half of a banana. He's asking to go outside now, which is obviously a good sign. Too bad he can't go out though. Because the snow has just started to fall.

If snowflake were born on a snowy day, that'd be about perfect right?

Fast forward to 8 pm: I went back to Walmart tonight and walked the aisles for an hour. I had quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions and a few pains, but nothing major. I did get a few looks while doing laps though :)

Appointment

Notice: Not a midwife appointment. She was in a delivery. Quite sad, but at least it just reminds me that when it's my turn, she'll be there for me too!

So I saw a doctor. Stats:
Baby's HB: 148 bpm
Belly: 39 weeks
BP: good
Cervix: 1 cm dilated, 50% effaced
Station: still high
Cankles: OMG, the cankles. The doctor asked me if I was sure I didn't twist it. I think I'd know if I did, thankyouverymuch.

She said it's unlikely Snowflake will be born this weekend. Depressing.

Perhaps I can prove her wrong. There's snow coming tomorrow. Crazier things have happened.

And the difference between a doctor and a midwife regarding being GBS+:
Midwife: "Don't worry about it....It's your right to deny the antibiotic...If you don't have time for it, it will be okay...If your labor is fast again, the chances of baby getting sick are very low..."
Doctor: "Be your own advocate. Tell those nurses you're GBS+ so you can get that antibiotic."

::shakes head:: Oh Doctor, how little you know about me. Give me back my Midwife, please.

39 weeks

39 weeks Snowflake vs. 39 weeks Colin
How far along? 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: +33 lbs
Size: Mini watermelon, or 20 inches and over 7 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth...The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath." (From babycenter.com)
Best moments this week: When I left work today, I felt at ease knowing I'd done pretty much everything I wanted to get done before I leave.
Movement: Slower, and more like nudges than jabs and kicks.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up, sleeping on my back.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good. I got rid of that pesky body pillow and I'm a much happier person :)
Belly button?: Flat, and slightly out
What are you looking forward to this week?: Isn't it obvious? Having a baby!! I'm getting very uncomfortable at the end of the work day. Today I made a stack of copies from a tall stool I parked in front of the copy machine.

Tomorrow afternoon and evening I'm going to recreate then night before Colin was born. I am going to leave school telling myself it was my last day and I'm done. I have a midwife appointment, then I'm going to my co-worker's house (different one than last time). I'm going to eat a brownie, drink an orange pop, and bounce on her exercise ball. Then I'm going to go home and eat some pizza. Then that night I will wake up with contractions. :) Things will be a little different since I'm bringing Colin along to my friend's house and I won't be staying out until 8:30 like I did last time. But it will be close enough!

So with that, wish me luck that it really happens. A 12-3-11 birthday sounds pretty fun.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

I packed tonight. But I don't feel like I have a lot in that suitcase of mine. I'm trying to think of other things I need.

I'm not packing things "to do" because I don't think I'll have much time to watch a movie or play cards while in labor.

I have my grippy slipper socks.
I have my comfortable pants I may not end up wearing at all.
I have my "coming home" outfit.
I have my toiletries (except my brush which hopefully I'll remember when it's time to go!).
I have my nursing pads (I didn't bring them last time and I needed them).
My phone and camera are charging.
The Boppy is sitting on top of the bag.
My pump is accessible to Kevin if he needs to bring it to the hospital.
What else do I need to bring?

The baby's bag is full of clothing options--boy, girl, neutral, sleepers, shirt/pants. I have the fleece snowsuit and the blanket.

My going-to-the-hospital outfit is laid out next to the bed.

Although I'm still holding out hope for one last chiropractor appointment tomorrow, I guess you could say I'm ready.

Handmade with Love

I've been busy the last few weeks learning how to knit hats :) It's super fun and fast!

This one is for Snowflake's first photo shoot:This is a fleece diaper cover. My mom helped me with this one, but it was super easy. At first it was made just for practical purposes, but I may also end up using it for Snowflake's photo shoot since it matches the hat.
A knitted hat for Colin. I made him one that was "toddler sized" that was too small for his head, so I had to make another that was "child sized."
A big brother shirt for Colin. My mom helped with this one too :)
Hmmm...what else can I make in the next few days? I'd love to make a cocoon for pictures too.
Photo Credit: http://kristineldridge.com/blog/?p=3637

But I'm not sure if I will get the itch to actually do it or not.

Midwife appointment

BP: 100/60
Baby's HB: 130s
Belly measurement: 38 cm
Cervix: 1 cm dilated

Midwife asked me when I was having the baby and I said somewhere between next Wednesday and Saturday. Although I would love to fit in my last chiropractor appointment, which is on Thursday.

38 weeks

Happy Thanksgiving!
38 weeks Snowflake vs. 38 weeks Colin
How far along? 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Holding steady at +32 lbs
Size: Leek, or over 19.5 inches and 6.8 lbs.
Baby Development: "She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb." (From babycenter.com)
Best moments this week: I signed up a piano student for my January session, and potentially 1-3 more (a set of triplets!). I'd really like to get another group of 5 started. We went out to dinner at Famous Dave's last night, using a gift card. It was our last dinner out as a family of 3. I also really enjoyed that chiropractor appointment.
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it. I feel a little foot or knee or something pushing out all the time. I like to play with the foot/knee and move it around :)
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, orange juice, not feeling like I have to pee every time I stand up.
Stretch marks?: None that I can see.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good as long as I keep my body pillow doubled up between my legs and I don't have to get up to attend to Colin's requests (water, potty) in the middle of the night.
Belly button?: Flat
What are you looking forward to this week?: The long weekend, spending some time getting ready for Snowflake, and my midwife appointment tomorrow. I'm anxious to see if there has been any progress.

Please remember to make a guess in the poll. If I have any say in Snowflake's arrival, you only have about a week left!

I {was} a hurtin' unit

Since about Friday I've had horrible pain in my upper pubic bone. Snowflake must be dropping and putting lots of extra pressure on things down there. It hurt so bad I had a hard time getting up out of bed, out of a chair, and walking. When I slept, I had my body pillow folded in half between my legs just to give the bone some relief. Up until last Friday, I was hop, skipping, and jumping around.

If you've ever broken/bruised your tailbone, it's like that but in the front. Not cool.

Luckily I had a chiropractor appointment this evening. Dr. S. is a miracle worker. He asked me how things were going, and where I was hurting. I told him about my pubic bone, thinking he couldn't actually do anything about it since it's not my spine, but he said he could fix it! So after an awesomely long and thorough adjustment, he used his little tool to loosen up the round ligaments attached to my pubic bone. Apparently they were all twisted up or something. And now? Relief.

I'm just hoping it lasts until either:
a) baby moves and doesn't put pressure in that area anymore or
b) next Thursday, which is our next appointment

I heart my chiropractor.

Midwife appointment

BP: Good
Baby's HR: 144 bpm
Belly measurement: 37 cm
Official (office scale) weight: Same as last week.
Cervix: I decided not to get checked.

Midwife said not to worry about the GBS being positive. Hopefully my labor will be quick again, and the less time the baby spends down there, the less chance s/he will contract it. They can always test the baby for it after birth and treat it then. She seemed not to be worried about it at all, so I won't be either.

She asked me if I've packed my bags yet. I said no. She said to tell her when I have so she can be ready.

37 weeks

37 weeks Snowflake vs. 37 weeks Colin
How far along? 37 weeks (Hellooooo full term!)
Total weight gain/loss: +32 lbs. (honestly, I don't think I've been subtracting right for awhile. My weight has been the same for a few weeks now).
Size: Swiss chard, or just over 19 inches and 6 1/3 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb...Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz." (From babycenter.com)
Best moment this week: My long term sub came on Tues and Wed this week, so that's off the checklist of to-dos. She feels comfortable with everything, and is ready whenever she needs to be!
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it. I feel a little foot or knee or something pushing out all the time. I've noticed most of the poking movements are on my right side now instead of both sides. Maybe that means Snowflake is all bundled up in there now instead of straddling my stomach.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not feeling like my pelvis bone is going to bust, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat,
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good as long as I keep my body pillow doubled up between my legs and I don't have to get up to attend to Colin's requests (water, potty) in the middle of the night.
Belly button?: Flat
What are you looking forward to this week?: My Midwife appointment tomorrow. I don't think I'm going to have her check me unless she thinks I've dropped. I might also nest around home and school.

Speaking of midwife, my stinkin' Group B Strep test came back positive again. Ugh. I'll chat with Midwife tomorrow to see what my options are. I don't mind getting the penicillin IV, I just don't know if it's in Snowflake's time schedule this time around. And I hated wearing the IV (with nothing attached to it) in the tub because the tape lost its stickiness in the water and got in the way.

In case you're wondering, I have not packed a bag yet. I may throw a few things in for Snowflake this weekend, because that's super fun, but I'm not quite ready to "be ready."

Midwife appointment

36 week check up! From here on out, I have weekly appointments. Holy furballs.

BP: Good
Belly measurement: Right on track
Baby's heartrate: 128-130 bpm
Baby's position: head down, legs wrapped around my stomach.
Cervix: Closed and getting soft

Midwife says she's in denial about how close I am to the end. Me too. I can't believe in just a few weeks we'll have a baby to snuggle and love on (even if it is in the wee hours). Plus also? This is going to sound kinda...weird...but only those who are patients of Midwife know this. I'm going to miss seeing her so often. ::sniff::

Midwife also asked me how I was feeling about being almost done. I told her I was just going through a list of all the stuff I have to do before the baby comes. She said that usually for second time moms, after all of the "to dos" are done that's when it all happens. I told her I had a lot to do so it won't be happenin' for awhile!

Next weekend I'll start packing up the hospital bag and all that good stuff. Until then, I have to focus on getting my classroom and my sub ready! I feel so disorganized, but slowly I'm making some progress.

And the countdown begins...

36 weeks

36 weeks Snowflake vs. 36 weeks Colin

How far along? 36 weeks (wait, when did that happen?!)
Total weight gain/loss: +29 lbs.
Size: Crenshaw melon, or 18.5 inches and almost 6 lbs.
Baby Development: "Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day...She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement." (From babycenter.com)
Best moment this week: I went for a walk with Colin in the dark and he looked up into the sky and asked, "Mom, what is dat?" They were the stars. We're usually inside when it's dark and although I'm sure he had seen them before, he's now at the age where he notices things like that and asks about them.
Movement: All the time. Stretching, yoga, booty shakes, you name it.
Food cravings: None
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good.
Belly button?: More flat than out.
What are you looking forward to this week?: My Midwife appointment tomorrow. Yay for cervix checks and Group B Strep tests! (Speaking of which, cross all your crossables I test negative this time). And we're going down to Roch this weekend for the last time before Christmas.

Colin's birth stats

Woohoo! Thanks for guessing in the polls on the right. The number of girl guesses is quite interesting! Maybe we'll all be in for a surprise!

I thought I should refresh your memory about Colin's birth stats to "help you out" a little.
He was born 4 days before his due date.
He was born at 5:16 a.m.
He was 6 lbs 4 oz.
He was 20 inches.
He was a boy. ;)

So for those of you who were holding out on guessing, maybe that will help you.

Halloween

A little late, but that's okay :) These aren't the best pictures, but you get the idea.
Colin was a puppy for Halloween. Here he is on the step saying cheese.
His first door. We were at the next door neighbor's house. He rang the doorbell and ran. Kid's already a pro at ding dong ditch. We made him stay and after he found out he got candy, he didn't run away at the other doors. ;) He went to just a handful of houses of neighbors he knows, and then later went to his Grandma and Grandpa's house.Here's what our front step looked like on Halloween. The mum is courtesy of my mum. Pumpkins courtesy of Kevin's mum. And, of course, Colin's super cute carving all lit up.
And a video of Colin in his costume. This is after he was done trick or treating in the neighborhood and just before he went to Grandma's house.

35 weeks

35 weeks Snowflake vs. 35 weeks Colin
How far along? 35 weeks = 35 days left to go!
Total weight gain/loss: +29 lbs.
Size: Honeydew, or 18 inches and 5.25 lbs.

Baby Development: "Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight." (From babycenter.com)

Best moment this week: Browsing the cloth diaper store with my mom and friends and seeing/holding baby Mason. I also washed some prefolds and baby blankets. That was pretty exciting.
Movement: Lots and lots of movement these days. Mostly in the form of stretching.
Food cravings: None really.
Food aversions: Nothing anymore. Although I can't eat too many sweets or I feel like throwing up.
What I miss: Not having round ligament pain, not snissing, alcohol, a more flexible wardrobe, deli meat, being able to walk at the end of the day
Stretch marks?: None. I do believe my linea nigra has appeared, but it's pretty light.
Maternity clothes?: I wear maternity pants and a mix of maternity/non-maternity shirts.
Sleep?: Sweaty, but good.
Belly button?: More flat than out.
What are you looking forward to this week?: My chiropractor appointment on Tuesday will be heavenly and much needed :) I have really started to slow down this week. There must be a wall at 35 weeks. Some nights I just need to crash on the couch and ignore the dishes and the laundry and all that boring stuff.

Check out my new polls to the right. Take a guess and win bragging rights :) Last time around, my cousin Kelly won the expectnet poll. December 10 is not the real due date. It's a little bit after the real due date. I'm ridiculous like that.