HIP HIP HOORAYYYY!!!

Happy Happy Joy Joy! Do a little dance!!! On this, Reagan's 8 week birthday, she slept through the night!!! 10 pm to 5:15 am! WOO HOOO! I'm trying to remember the exact combination of events that got us here.... bottle of breastmilk at 7 pm, formula at 8:30, swaddled in a blanket, lying in a boppy to prevent reflux, new moon, Jupiter aligned with Mars, humidity at 90%, room temperature 70.5 degrees Farenheit.... so we can reproduce this phenomena. I am so happy and well-rested. This was SUPPOSED to be the day my maternity leave ended and I return to work, but my boss was very kind to me when I panicked and I have an additional 5 days. I love my job, but I wonder how I'm going to handle life back at work. Baby sleeping through the night will definitely help with my ability to cope, that I know. What a good, sweet baby Reagan is. We couldn't have asked for better when we placed our order... Thank You Lord!!!

Milestone

Notable milestone this week - Reagan has started smiling! It's not entirely consistent, but it's appearing more and more and is SOOOO CUTE. Like she didn't have us wrapped around her little finger before. We're hopeless now!

Like Father Like Son

If you've read the boys' blog, you saw that every time Quinn holds Reagan, he wants it memorialized on film. Less than one hour after the last photo shoot with her brother, I hear "Wifey! Get the camera!" Not a four year old this time, but the BIG boy. Reagan is like having a celebrity in the house - everyone wants their picture taken with her! Shoot - if I wasn't always the one behind the camera, and didn't have baby-weight to lose, I'd want MY picture taken with her, too :). Pretty cute. There's just something about Daddy's with their little girls....

A Date With Mommy and Daddy

With her brothers safely tucked away at grandma and grandpa's house, Reagan journeyed to the "big city" two hours away with Mom and Dad yesterday. This was the first time the three of us were alone, save a quick trip to Walmart while Quinn and Colby were in Sunday school last week. It was such a calm, quiet time! Reagan was so alert - I've never seen her awake that long. She snacked continually on a bottle, but was wide awake, looking around, taking in her new environment, and smiling at strangers (she has yet to smile at ME!). For close to three hours. It's amazing how she comes out of her shell when there aren't two rambunctious little boys trying to "pet" her constantly. The evening was the same, as soon as we got home and her brothers were in bed. Wide awake, kicking, looking around, flailing arms. 7:00. 8:00. 9:00. 10:00. OK, little girl. It's been fun, but aren't you getting sleepy? 11:00. 11:30..... snacking the entire time on a bottle, and definitely NOT wanting to go to bed. In NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. It took all my creativity, but I finally got her to sleep - swaddled in a blanket, lying in a boppy, being fed the bottle while IN her crib (so as not to wake her when she fell asleep eating). I was anticipating a good night's sleep, after so much wakefulness, and I wasn't disappointed. She slept almost 6 hours. Not record time, but certainly better than it's been. It may take some doing, but I am determined to that both of us are going to sleep through the night sometime in the not too distant future. Maternity leave is almost over!

One Month Well-baby check up.

Another milestone - Reagan broke 7 pounds! She's now six weeks, one day old, and weighs 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Additional stats: 20 inches long, head circumference 15 inches. We have continued, sustained growth!! This puts her in the 5th percentile for both height and weight, but at least she's on the chart and following the growth curve. You go girl!

Blessing

In the midst of hustle and bustle that is the Christmas season with a young family, I sometimes forget to just sit and enjoy my little girl. She is still such a mystery to me. I don't know her every little expression and mannerism like I do the boys. I can't anticipate how she will react (although lately, it seems like her primary reaction to ANYTHING is sleep!). I look at her, and she still seems somewhat a stranger to me. I can't believe she's here, and that she's going to be "sticking around" as part of the family, and not just a visitor. I still sometimes stumble over her name - "Reagan" doesn't come so readily to my lips as "the baby". I wonder what she'll look like when she grows up (and WAKES up... she looks so different with her eyes open as opposed to eyes closed!). I wonder what her little personality will be like. I wonder what the future holds for her, and how she will fit into our family. The boys already love her intensely. They're so incredibly proud of their little sister. It makes me smile. Here's to getting to know you, my daughter Reagan. We're so blessed to have you in our lives. I hope we take the time to realize that!

No schedule whatsoever

The boys, when babies, were trained to be on a rigorous schedule by the nurses on the NICU. By the time they came home a month later, they ate every four hours on the dot, and at night took 15 minutes to eat and went right back to sleep. By two to three months of age, they were sleeping through the night. Reagan did not have the "advantage" of such a boot camp. There's no such thing as a schedule, especially at night. So last night, feedings were at 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm, 3:15 TO 5:15 am, then again at 7:00 am and now 8:15 am. (Just a note - the husband was up at 6 am, and boys by 6:45, which means mom was essentially up since 3:15 without going back to sleep). Reagan did get one stretch of sleep in there, for which I am grateful, but if only I could feed her and she would go BACK to sleep, I'd be even MORE grateful. If I try to nurse, she gets tired out after half and hour and falls asleep, and then is hungry again an hour later. If I DON'T nurse, it means an extra visit to my good friend the breast pump. Either way a time consuming process. I'm fine with time-consuming during the day, but at night, I'm rather protective of my sleep (HA). I think I need a better plan. Gary Ezzo and Babywise - here I come. Time to schedulize, for my sanity's sake. Now that I think about it, the only real schedule I see appearing is that she consistently wants to eat during the three busiest times of day - when I'm trying to get the boys out the door for school, when they come BACK from school, and when I'm trying to fix dinner.

For the record...

For the record... the trend was a fluke. Little girl slept not at all last night.

Sleep...

8 hours Thursday night, 6 hours Friday night, 6 hours Saturday night.... There may be a trend forming here, and I LIKE it!!!!

OH Happy Night

Joy of joys!
Perhaps to make up for the sleepless night the other night, my daughter today slept from 8:30 pm to 4:15 am. Do the math... that's ALMOST 8 hours!!! Which means MOM slept ALMOST 8 hours!!! Well, not quite, since I went to bed at 9:30, but still.... substantial, sequential hours of sleep. Yeah!!!!! Will this be a trend? I can only hope.

Late Night Gal

Reagan may be showing a stubborn streak that the rest of us don't have (yeah right!). She has been using these teeny-tiny two ounce bottles for feeding since birth. Her appetite has increased such that I was having to fill them up twice per "episode", so I decided to switch bottles. First tried the Playtex brand with the more "natural shaped" nipple, but NOTHING DOING. Decided then to keep the same standard nipples, just put them on a full-sized bottle. HOW would she know the difference? She ate almost nothing yesterday, taking 2-3 HOURS per feeding, and then last night (this morning), was up from 1:30-5:30 am. She'd cry like she was starving, I'd give her the bottle, she'd fall asleep. I'd take the bottle out, she'd start screaming again. For the first time in her life, that scream had some volume! We'd try "going straight to the source" and nursing, she'd also fall asleep. UGH. Doesn't help mommy's mood at all that, after Reagan JUST fell asleep (albeit with me holding her) the boys come tromping into the room a little after 6 am. AND WOKE HER UP. ARGH! Anyways. During the mad rush to get the boys ready for school, Reagan begins crying like she's starving AGAIN. I get out the teensy tiny bottle (same nipple), put her in her bouncy seat, prop the bottle against a pillow, and.... viola. Guzzles it down in 30 seconds. We're on our second teensy tiny bottle now. HOW does she know? And WHEN can mom fall back to sleep???????

Another Weight Check

My computer's been on the blink, so this is a little bit of a dated entry, but we returned for another weight check with the doctor on Monday. On her three week birthday, Reagan cracked 6 pounds! WOOHOO! She's now a hefty 6 pounds 1 ounce. We return in one week. She is eating so much better, and feels so much more like a "firmly established" baby, that I think the parents can relax a little:)

MD Appointment

We have weight gain! For the first time since entering the world two weeks ago, Little Girl Reagan has GAINED weight! WOOOHOO! She is now a whopping 5.3 pounds, for a weight gain of .15 over the past week. We'll take it. We'll check in with the doctor again next Monday, but over the past few days, Reagan has eaten much better, and been more alert. Given that her official due date isn't until next week, I think she's doing pretty good :).

Belated report

Forgot to report on Thursday's weigh-in. Still 5 pounds, 1 ounce. Stable, but not gaining. And now diarrhea has hit, so... back to the doctor's office on Monday for another visit. Let's hope little girl gets "established" soon.

Life on the Battlefield

It's not easy being small, fragile and defenseless in this household with two "bull in a china shop" older brothers. We have thus designated Reagan's garden-themed room as the "Green Zone", where little boys are rarely allowed, and hopefully unable to injure their sister while she's in her crib. She needs a safe place. Heck - I need a safe place when little boys are on a rampage.

More pictures

While the boys and grandma were swimming this morning, Reagan and I did a little pool-side photo-shoot... I think she looks a little oriental while sleeping. HMMMMMM.

Just because she's cute....

Not a whole lot to say. She's just cute. But I'm biased.

The weigh-in

Down another few ounces, to 5 pounds, 1 ounce per doctor's scale. We're force feeding her every waking moment now. Next weigh in in two days....

appetite

It can take up to two hours for a single feeding with Reagan. By then, of course, we're supposed to feed her again. Our children seem not to have inherited my appetite.

Precious

Rob and I have had conversations in the past regarding the word "precious". Few people can say the word "precious" without sounding saccharine and phony. It's just the nature of the word. Rob's Aunt Dorothy, however, can say that word and sound sincere, because she is one of the most sincerely sweet people on the planet. Rob, when looking at his daughter last night, said "I'm gonna have to say it! Reagan is the P-word!" She is. Sincerely. Totally, completely, utterly, precious.

4 day old check up

We took Reagan in for her doctor's appointment today. Current weight 5 pounds, 2 ounces. 19 inches long. Still slightly yellow, but the doctor told us not to worry about it unless she turned really orange. Was also told to "be mean" as far as the nursing goes, and stop supplementing. I'm a little hesitant, given her consistent weight loss, but... starting at the first stable weight, that's IT. No more bottle. We can do it!!!

A Memo

Note to Reagan
From: The Management
Re: What sleep means

Dear Little Girl
Now that you're home, just wanted to define a few things. SLEEP is when you shut your eyes and lie quietly for more than two minutes at a time, so that other members of the household (ie, the mommy) may also sleep. It is NOT to be done, for example, during EATING, which is characterized ideally by a state of alertness, in order to complete said feeding. The two are separate entities. Eat = awake. After Eat = sleep.

Just needed to clarify, as the whole "falling asleep while eating" and then waking up the second mommy puts you down in the crib and crying until you are held again, is not making for a restful evening for the management.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue.

The Mommy

Happy Birthday

Contractions started at 9:00 pm last night, water broke at 11:00, to the hospital by 12:30, in the operating room by 2:00, baby by 2:30 am!!!! More pictures to follow, when I'm out of the hospital on Wednesday.

37 weeks

Vegetable of the week - a stalk of Swiss chard. HA. Whatever. So far, the last 3 days have been the best three days for several weeks! No nausea or stomach symptoms, I have some energy back, my respiratory cold is getting much better. I am trying to get the house "in order", so that I don't feel overwhelmed and chaotic once back from the hospital. Cleaned the fridge, mopped all the floors, vacuumed, wiped down some cabinets, did 6 loads of laundry yesterday. Not that you'd know it, based on the status of the house today. That's the bad thing. When living with very MESSY little boys, all of that work is invisible and extremely temporary. At least Rob has promised to help me clean the basement and fish tank later today. And really, who am I kidding? I WILL come home to a messy house. It's just the cold hard truth at this stage in our lives. But wouldn't it be nice to feel completely "in control" at the START of a newborn's arrival? Because chaos is the one thing I fear more than anything once she arrives. I was so anal with the boys - documented every ounce they ate, every diaper they soiled in a little folder, stuck with a strict schedule, and did nothing but care for two little babies and a house for the first year of their lives. Now, I can't even imagine what life is going to be like after she's here. I think I spend so much time living life and getting ready for her, that I don't stop to think about a real BABY here, in two weeks or less, with 10 little fingers and toes, and sweet smelling hair, and small little baby breaths, to cuddle wtih. Baby's are such a blessing, and this baby especially is such a GIFT, I hope I don't ever take her for granted.

Halloween

I think maybe it was the cardiac medication (that I was taking to stop contractions) that was making me sick to my stomach, because today, a day and a half after stopping it - I felt really good! No stomach symptoms at all, had decent energy (until after the halloween party, that is -- see main blog) and felt better than I have in WEEKS. Thank goodness!!! I felt like a real, living breathing, partiicpating human being for much of the day, and the thought actually crossed my mind that "this pregnancy thing's not so bad!" I had energy enough to keep up with the kids at work - did a little hopping, jumping, football throwing, up and down off the floor, the whole she-bang. Keeping up with my OWN children is a little more strenuous task, but... it'd be that way whether I was pregnant or not. So, just for the record, in case you are all as enthralled and absorbed with my pregnancy as much as I am - today was a GOOD DAY over all. It's nice to have one every now and again. Maybe we WILL make it for Grandma Betty's arrival.

Ultrasound

Had an ultrasound this morning. Heart rate: 124 bpm. Estimated weight: 5 pounds, 12 oz. Estimated gestational age: 35 weeks. ( Her head pulled that average up - little legs and abdomen at 34 weeks, but head at 37 weeks :). Maybe she'll be very brainy. ) Those ultrasound techs are pretty tight-lipped about what they're seeing, but from my perspective, everything looked just fine. Her head was so far down that we couldn't see her face, unfortunately, and she's so crammed in there that we could barely make out a distinct body part. So no real pictures to post, as there were none that were so cute we just had to take them. Oh well. We'll be seeing her live and in person soon!

Rob made it home by driving through the night last night. Arrived at 4 am. I was having a very rough night, and he thought that maybe it was "time". No baby today, just continued stomach flu, respiratory cold, and general uterine irritability. Rob asks me "how will we know it's time to go to the hospital?" That's been my question as well. I figure if the contractions get closer and stronger - it's worth the trip in at this point. Otherwise, I'll stay home and deal. They were steady at 4-5 minutes, but didn't progress beyond that all last night. Enough to keep me awake, but not enough for a trip to the hospital. And they quieted down by this morning. So no baby yet, but hubby is safe at home, and we're BOTH ready to be done with my pregnancy!!!!!

Weekly Prenatal Visit

The medicine is doing it's job and keeping things relatively quiet. Yeah! At my doctor's visit, all was well. She told me that I could stop the medication any time I choose (I choose after my husband comes home). I'm measuring small - at 33 weeks when I'm 36 weeks along, and I about fell off the table when the doctor told me what a "small belly" I have. SERIOUSLY???? I can barely fit behind the steering wheel of my car! I'm guessing that the baby has so much room from her big brothers stretching the "dwelling" during their stay in there, that she is able to lie flat and completely sideways instead of pooching out, and that explains everything. Anyways, it gets me another ultrasound - so, stay tuned for more pictures on Thursday! Down three pounds from last week, which confirms the "big wool sweater" theory of weight gain from last visit. Thank goodness. So, we're truckin' right along! Three weeks at the MOST to go!

36 weeks

Yeah! We made it to full-term! Little girl can now officially be born locally if she decides to come at any point between now and the 17th of November! WOOHOO. I'm still taking the medicine for an additional week, just to ensure that my husband is present for his daughter's birth (he's currently out of town on business), but otherwise it's all systems go! I spent alot of time on my feet yesterday trick-or-treating with the boys, and was having contractions throughout, but SUPRISINGLY they stopped once I got home! Of course, my sacroiliac joint was WAYYYY out of whack, causing a 2" leg length discrepancy and severe back pain - but it was nothing a few mobilizations from my well-trained husband couldn't at least partially fix (eventually). Today's new complaint - you knew I'd have one - is the stomach flu. YUCK. Luckily, Rob took the boys to church in the morning, and my in-laws are watching them this afternoon, leaving me to rest in peace and discomfort alone most of the day. I would absolutely hate to have two 4 year olds with the stomach flu in the house while 36 week pregnant and my husband out of town. I've been very careful not to breathe on them. I'm feeling somewhat better this afternoon, so hopefully it's just a 24 hour bug, and we can all resume normal life tomorrow. We need to get this family well before bringing a newborn into the house.

Renewed Hope

I have new hope. I took it basically easy all day long yesterday. Paid bills, folded laundry, played scrabble on-line, typed some things up, went through baby clothes, and crocheted a hat for little Reagan. Crock-pot for dinner, so over-all very little "up on feet" activity. And guess what? QUIET UTERUS! Most all day! That's the first full day without significant irritation in what... a week? Wow.... maybe this baby will hold out for Rob to get home next week. My husband said "see what happens when you're a good girl?" By gum, we might just make it!

Another Prenatal Visit

Saw the doctor again yesterday. I am gaining weight like NOBODY's business, prompting the doctor to ask if I am swelling or retaining water. Some, I think, but NOT 4 pounds worth! Then it occurred to me - I was wearing a heavy, very large (pregnancy sized) wool sweater. "It's the sweater! It's the sweater!" I told her. The weather is turning cold now.... I'd come to other visits in tee-shirts and shorts... now pants, turtlenecks and wool sweaters! She bought it, at least this time:). Baby, on the other hand, is measuring small (go figure - I feel enormous), so she scheduled another ultrasound for next week. I told her fine by me! I love getting a glimpse of my little girl! Makes her seem more real. The contractions are persistent and annoying, I am on the cardiac med around the clock now to slow them down. Last night from 1-4 am I thought "This is IT! They are 2 minutes apart and strong! It's the real thing!" Then I fell asleep, and when I woke at 6 am this morning, there wasn't a baby lying in my bed, so I'm assuming it WASN'T the real thing. I am pretty much useless at this point. If I try ANYTHING active, my uterus goes into spasm. I had a great morning yesterday, so went in to work, just for an open house, where I was only sitting. Came home, rested, went to the boys' preschool parent meeting (where I also sat the entire time), and by about 7:30 or so.... bammo. 1-4 minutes apart. It makes me nervous for when Rob is out of town next week. We've had MANY loooooonnnnggg discussions about how I do NOT want to be alone (or with anyone besides HIM) for this baby's birth. He promises me, if I go into labor, he will do all that is humanly possible to get home. The preschool, by some miracle, offers free respite care for special circumstances, and the boys' teacher put in a request for someone to come play with the boys after school until bedtime every day next week until Rob comes home, just to make sure I rest and keep the baby internal! WOW. She said they'd even cook the boys dinner. That is amazing to me. And a big relief. I've cut waaaayyyy back at work, and am an extremely unreliable employee at the moment. I feel guilty about that, but, what to do? After next week, if the baby wants to come, then fine. But until then, she's got to stay put, and it seems like that's getting to be a more and more challenging task. The doctor seemed highly skeptical that we'd make it that long. She said "Monica, one of these times, one of us on call is just going to say 'enough already' and do the C-section.' Yes. Let's just hope that happens when Rob's around. Oh, and the doctor's other official guess.... 5 pounds 4 ounces. We'll see how close she is when we have the ultrasound next week.

Short little Trip

Spent the afternoon at the hospital rather than at work. Contractions just would not stop, despite medication. The doctor doesn't seem all that concerned at this point, and says to stop the medication alogether after next week. The only reason, according to her, that we're even bothering to slow things down is that we live in a small town whose pediatricians like to work on babies 36 weeks and older, rather than 35 weeks. The contractions got as close as 30-60 seconds apart for about a half an hour or so, and spaced to about 3-5 minutes apart with a double dose of medication by the time she sent me home. My question is.... if ONE minute apart and really strong isn't real labor, HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHEN IT'S THE REAL THING?????? If 3-5 minutes apart is "go ahead and go home", then I'm clueless as to when it's appropriate to go IN to the hospital. Especially since I'm supposed to have a C-section, and a "team" needs to be assembled before delivery -- I would just like to know how to tell when I need to go to the hospital, and when I should just stay home and "hack" these contractions that don't appear to be causing any dilation. My clue used to be "if they get stronger and closer together", but apparently, that doesn't seem to be it, either. So, really, I guess when the baby starts coming out on her own, I'll know it's the real thing, tell her politely to stop because the hospital doesn't allow her to be born by that route, and then procede to check myself in for surgery. Do I sound crabby? Yes. Crabby.

35 Weeks

Little girl is supposed to be well over 5 pounds now, and essentially fully developed organ-wise. From here on out, it's just a matter of getting bigger and fatter. I feel ready to explode, and can't imagine an additional month of growing at this rate. This is the first time I have been pregnant this long! Grocery shopping in Walmart was exhausting this morning. Coming up here, ostensibly to pick up the boys' room, exhausted me so that I am now "resting" at the computer, trying to get the energy to pick my carcas up again and do some housework. I am getting regular 6-12 minute contractions virtually every night, so my medication is becoming part of the evening routine, to calm things down before bed. Once she hits 36 weeks, and I can deliver locally instead of 2 hours away (where there's a NICU) -- I'm not taking the medicine anymore. If she wants to come at that point, then by gum... you just come, little girl! It would be nice to wait for Grandma Betty, but I'm not about to hold things off for another month just because of a visit:). I think I just cursed myself into this baby waiting until the very last second to come. At least she CAN'T be overdue, with a scheduled C-section in the works....

I am feeling more and more ready for her arrival, even though there's LOTS I'd like to get done first. Having the nursery at least basically ready is a huge relief. I need to bone up on my baby-rearing reading, as I think I've forgotten alot in the past four years. She'll train me quick, I'm sure. The boys were such EASY babies (not that they haven't made up for it since), that I'm a little nervous about this one. At church today there was a little 4 month old girl wearing the same outfit that my mom sent for Reagan. She smiled at Rob and I the entire service, and we both just said "WEIRD. We're going to have one of those soon!" Crazy crazy crazy.

When I am no longer pregnant, I am going to sleep on my stomach and JUMP and do somersaults, just because I CAN. I will lean over to pick things up off the floor with ease. I will stand up to put my pants on, and I will have a margarita. THIS IS MY PLAN.

We're getting ready for you, baby!!

Crib - check
Dresser - check
Mattress, Bumper, Quilt - check
7 pairs of shoes - check check check check check check check

One baby.... still missing :)

Surprise package from Grandma!

Grandma Betty sent a surprise package from her and Aunt Kelli today!!! Oh, the pink! Oh, the purple! Oh the adorable polka-dotted shoes!!!!! Hard to believe there will be a baby to fill those clothes soon!!!

34 Weeks

A little comparison.... Here's this baby at 34 weeks:

.... and here' s Quinn and Colby at 34 weeks.

The baby's supposed to be well over 4 3/4 pounds now (the weight of the average cantaloupe), and over 18 inches long. Fatigue is still the order of the day, and I have to seriously consider if walking over to the phone to answer it is worth the effort now. I keep trying to do "everything I'd normally do", but I seem to definitely pay for it afterwards.... I did have to take medicine to stop the contractions from coming 4 minutes apart last night. BUT --- there IS medicine that does the trick, so I am very fortunate. Hiking in the woods yesterday with four young children wasn't probably the smartest thing a person could do when 8 months pregnant (see entry under Essentially Aho), but DANG IT - it was a beautiful day, and I didn't want to miss it!!! I have far too vivid memories of 9 months of winter to sit inside. So for now, all is well but easily irritated, and I am TRYING to be good, but obviously not all that hard...

33 Weeks

Had another prenatal visit today, and the doctor guessed the baby was about 4 pounds. She is currently stretched out sideways, and today I can feel her literally resting on top of my pelvic bones, straight out from side to side. I feel the top of her head on my right pelvis, and her little feet poking out above my left pelvis. Weird. That was the big "change" of the week - I feel body parts now, not just miscellaneous squishiness in my belly. HUGE growth spurt for both of us -- 4 pounds since last visit!!! I feel every ounce of it. I knew that would be the result of stepping on the official scale. Gravity just seems to pull on me more and more lately :). My belly now requires two pillows at night instead of just one - making for a grand total of 5 pillows required per sleeping session - two under the belly, one between the legs, one behind the back, and - oh yeah - one under the head. It has been such a PRODUCTION positioning to go to sleep lately. And there's six more weeks to go! Oh no!

Contractions have been under control, thankfully, and I am still considered a "normal pregnancy" (my doctor showed me the billing code and said "SEE! Still a normal pregnancy!" YEAH!) All is well, just uncomfortable, large and... typical!

More Photos of our little girl

Her little baby face, hiding behind her arm


I suppose the bright side about going into pre-term labor is that it necessitates another ultrasound. It's been 12 weeks since we got to see her last, and I've been so curious about what she looks like! Not that these ultrasound pictures help all THAT much, but at least I feel like we get to catch a glimpse. The whole family was there for this ultrasound, and I have to say that - despite the hype and the anticipation - the boys were THOROUGHLY uninterested in seeing their sister. Maybe because she didn't look like much more than static to them. They kept wanting the ultrasound screen to play cartoons. Oh well. Colby did ask to see her heart repeatedly. Don't know why, but the ultrasound tech was more than happy to point it out to him. She will be real enough to all of us in the very near future!!! Now that she's so much bigger, it's hard to see more than one or two body parts at a time. And she had her arm in front of her face for most of the procedure. Maybe she's just camera shy.

Doing crunches in-utero: nose to knee!

Baby Quilt Done

So, here's Reagan's new baby quilt, compliments of Renata! I love it!!!! Thanks so much Renata!!

32 Weeks

OK - the people comparing babies to vegetables have much more sophisticated diets than I do. Today's veggie is a large jicama. I have absolutely no idea what that is, but apparently it must weight 3.75 pounds or so, because that's what the baby is supposed to weigh. My "sources" say I'm to be gaining a pound a week, but according to the doctor that's supposed to level off now, so... who to believe? I'm choosing my doctor, because I hope she's right. The BABY is supposed to be gaining a half pound a week these days, and I have plenty of "extra" for her to draw on. I felt good yesterday, very calm "uterus wise", and was able to go to a birthday party where I did nothing but sit. So far today, all is calm as well. These are good things! Our little girl is becoming a very vigorous exerciser (must take after her dad), and I feel her flip-flopping regularly. I had a dream about platform diving last night, and I wonder if it's because I felt that that's what this child was doing inside me! Half pike, double twist... with a kick!

7 weeks to stay quiet. We'll do our best. I'm pretty sure we'll make it til November. Just how "fun" it will be in the meantime is the big question!

De Ja Vu....

Spent Friday ALLL DAY at Portage Hospital Resort and Spa, lounging in an oh-so-comfortable hospital bed, receiving acupuncture (also called "IV pokes" and "shots") to relieve the stress of pregnancy, (also known as "pre-term labor"). Talk about the ultimate in relaxation. Even a tube attached to me so that I didn't have to get up to use the restroom. THAT'S pampering. Caught up on 6 months worth of People Magazine, so now can recite who is dating who, who has the cutest baby, and which are the best and worst dressed stars of summer. These are things that I just don't get to spend time finding out when working and raising small children. The contractions stopped after the third "line of defense", for which I am grateful, as the fourth line of defense was a trip to a hopsital with a NICU 2 hours away. NOT in my agenda at the moment. I am now officially to "take it easy" for the remainder of the pregnancy, although not on official bed rest - a fact for which I am also truly thankful. The doctor was explicit that this means NO housework (I should've gotten that in writing), and cutting my work hours by half (that part IS in writing). It also means no more volunteering in the pre-school classroom. Unfortunately, I signed up for LOTS of volunteer time in October, because I knew once the baby was born my time would be limited. Anyone want to fill-in on the bus? I'm on a new cardiac med to keep contractions at bay, and so far today (apart from a stint of 3- minute spaced contractions last night from 2-4 am) all is well. The doctor said we HAVE to make it at least another 4 weeks, to avoid a NICU stay, and my mom said that we HAVE to make it another 7 weeks so that she doesn't miss the birth of yet another grandchild. Such pressure to stay in the womb! The baby, by all accounts, is doing very well -- except for frequent hiccups, which caused last night's contractions. If only I could slip her a paper bag to blow into, maybe we could keep things calm!

Here we go again...

I volunteered today in the boys' preschool classroom. An hour and a half on the bus, buckling in small squirmy children, 3.5 hours bending over small tables, and sitting on miniature chairs, and another hour on the bus delivering the children back home. The result? Contractions 3-5 minutes apart for at least the last 10 hours. Great. Here we go again. I called the doctor's office, but refused to come in to get monitored, as I was just checked over by my physician YESTERDAY, but I really want these uncomfortable things to let up a little so I can rest. They called in a prescription for the same medication I was on for 3 months last pregnancy. So far, 2.5 hours later, it has slowed the contractions to 7 minutes apart, but not gotten rid of them. I just doubled the dose. Let's hope they go aways sometime during the night. I have 8 weeks to go, and things are too early to be "moving along" in this manner already....

31 Week prenatal Visit

Prenatal visits increase to every other week after this one. I have gained 1 pound over the past month, for a total of 12 pounds per official record (and, as you all know, quite a bit more than that by unofficial record). The doctor always seems so surprised when I mention how much I gained in those first 7 weeks. I think the twin pregnancy just REALLY wreaked havoc with my hormones (TWO doses of girl-baby-produced estrogen in the system). Thank goodness the following 24 weeks have slowed that weight gain down considerably. If I average a pound a month from here on out, with 2 months left... I can handle that. To celebrate, I ate some chocolate :). Blood pressure good, sugar good, no swelling, not anemic... another short, uneventful visit. My doctor did do a fibro-dingin0-thingy-mabob test, as I've been having alot of contractions - at times 9-10 minutes apart for several hours. This seems to be very much activity related; once it happened while I was cleaning house, and the other time it happened while at work. Both times eventually stopped with a glass of water and time supine. I think the contractions are pretty harmless - they don't appear to be causing any dilation or anything, just uncomfortable and annoying. I can hack uncomfortable and annoying, as long as I know I'm not giving birth while playing on a swing with a two year old at work. Otherwise, feeling pregnant, but standard pregnant, with all the typical complaints (tired all the time, hard to bend over, pelvis feeling like it has become two separate entities). I feel those are all GOOD things, though, because it means that things are "normal", and "normal" is exactly where I want to be at this point!

Thanks, Mom.

I was talking to my mom today about the boys' first day of school.
"They're just growing up so fast!" I said.
She replied "Oh, honey, you're not that fat. Just very very pregnant."
UHHHHH. "I said FAST not FAT."
But thank you very much.

31 Weeks

This is baby Reagan's crib quilt, made lovingly (and incredibly fast) by my friend Renata!! For some reason, it's making it very real to me that our little girl will be here in 8 weeks! That's not long!!! And there's so much left to do! She's about 16 inches now, and 3.3 pounds (the equivalent of 4 navel oranges). This week, the boys and I read a book about what to "expect" with a new baby sister. It was a surprisingly accurate book... it talked about how mommy's belly grew bigger and bigger, and mommy had to sleep in the afternoon's like the little boy character, and then grandma came to visit and picked the boy up from school to take him to the hospital to meet his baby sister! That is precisely our "plan", if all goes according to "plan".

This past week, Colby and I also picked out a "birthday cake" for Reagan. IF I am organized enough, I would like to freeze a bday cake ahead of time for the boys to bring to the hospital when she's born, so #1)they understand what birthdays are really all about, and #2)it builds the excitement a little. We'll see how good I am about that. Now that the boys will be starting school, I am planning to use my mornings for "preparations". I've got the nursery to finish, a crib and dresser to build, baby clothes to wash and go through, and baby "equipment" to locate from the basement and clean up. That should take me 8 weeks or so:).

Next prenatal visit - Wednesday!

30 Weeks

We're into single digits in terms of weeks left now!!! 9 weeks, 1 day until delivery!! I have a feeling that will go VERY quickly. She's supposed to be close to 3 pounds now (same as a head of cabbage), and almost 16 inches long. Colby was 17 inches and 4 pounds at birth, so that gives me a good basis for comparison. I have been REALLY tired lately, and having several Braxton Hicks contractions every day. Sleeping has been very sporadic. Maybe that's good practice for me for once our baby arrives, but I AM getting tired of people telling me how "wiped out" I look first thing in the morning. I know. Not looking fabulous and perky these days :). Working on the floor is getting more and more difficult. I do it, but it's extremely awkward!

from the mouths of babes

I was working with a little 7 year old boy the other day, when a ball we were playing with rolled under the table. I asked him to go get it, because it was so hard for me to bend over.
"Why is it hard for you to bend over?" he asked.
"Because I have a baby in my belly."
"YOU DO?????? My grandma SAID you were getting fat!"

I laughed the rest of the day.

29 Weeks

Vegetable comparison this week... a butternut squash. Little girl is about 2 1/2 pounds and 15 inches long. Quinn and Colby were only two inches taller than that when they were born, so ... wow! We're getting close! Well, maybe not SO close, given that we have 10 weeks left until B-day. I've been getting braxton hicks contractions a few times a day lately, so things are "gearing up". And I have been TIRED (note the all capital letters. I MEAN it). It doesn't take much. I get breathless getting up to answer the phone! Still able to work my full 12 hour shifts, though, so pretty proud about that. I mentioned to a friend today that I was "almost done", and she just smiled and said "ooooohhhh no. It's just BEGINNING." Does this mean the worst is yet to come??? Shaving six weeks off of full term last pregnancy, and spending ALL of that supine in bed makes me realize that I have not FULLY experienced all that the third trimester can and will be. As of this moment, I am scheduled to work my last 12 hour shift 3 days before I deliver. Will I make it? It's already hard getting up and down off the floor, but I manage in a waddling, penguin sort of way. I have had a very short temper lately, and an easily-pushed "cry" button. Songs, images, thoughts... I cry at the drop of a hat. Embarassing hormones.

I repaired the nursery this weekend after Quinn and Colby so helpfully tried to redecorate it. The crib has arrived (we'll wait to set it up), and the dresser is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. I am 3/4 of the way done crocheting the baby blanket, and have purchased all the sundry "girly" things to decorate the nursery walls with. The crib quilt is currently in process of being custom-made by a friend. The fact that there will be a new baby soon STILL doesn't seem real, though. It's more that I have a large stomach tumor that I insist on preparing a room for. She will make herself known and real all too soon, however, I have no doubt. Sometimes I wonder how, since I struggle on a daily basis with TWO children, will I ever handle THREE???? But we are adaptable creatures, we mothers, and this baby is soooooo wanted and longed for, I am sure we will manage somehow.

Another First

First Braxton Hicks contraction (well, that I've noticed) at 6:30 am today!

Meeting the cousin

Today, at a picnic at Grandma LaVerne's and Grandpa Al's in honor of Labor Day, my 3-year old niece Becky decided she wanted to meet baby Reagan. She lifted my shirt, looked my belly button straight in the eye, gave me a pat and said "Hello Baby!" I asked her if the baby said hello back, but she said no. I'll have to teach our little girl better manners once she decides to leave the womb.

28 weeks

Vegetable of the week, a Chinese cabbage (WHAT????). Baby is now about 14.5 inches, and 2 1/4 pounds. Those stats don't bring up the image of a cabbage to me, but... whatever. Apparently the baby has eyelashes now, and her eyes are fully formed and working. Wonder what she sees in there?!?! My sources say women typically gain about 11 pounds this trimester. UGH. I've done enough growing, thank you very much. All further baby growth can occur by living off the excess from my thighs and rear end. I'll send a memo to the child and instruct her to do that. I keep wondering, if she weighs only 2 pounds, how come I am so much bigger??????? Not that I'm helping the situation at all with my daily chocolate eating.

27 week doctor's appointment

Saw the doctor again today. Up one pound over the last four weeks, for a total of 11 pounds "officially" gained. Seems ALOT more than that from this end! The doctor scared me a little, as she listened to the heartbeat and pronounced "Yup. Definitely a boy!" WHAT??? "The heartbeat is slow, so must be a boy." I told her that the ultrasound said GIRL... I had just painted the nursery, and not 1/2 an hour before bought lots of PINK things to decorate the walls. It had better be a girl. She told me she was historically wrong about these things :). Let's hope. Otherwise our little boy will have a very cute "garden themed" nursery in green and pink. Scheduled the C-section, so official birthday will be November 17th!! Good thing Rob's not a hunter, as that's two days after the opening of firearm season. And for all of you who keep asking for a "baby bump" pic... against my better judgement... here it is, in all it's glory! 27 weeks and 2 days.....

27 Weeks

Baby hasn't moved much over the last few days - maybe she's going through a growth spurt and needs her rest :). She weighs the same as a cauliflower and is 14 1/2 inches long. Big step this week - I painted her room, a pale pale green. Further decorating will ensue, but not for the time being. We're trying to decide how to transition one child OUT of that room for naps so that we can transition another child INTO the room for good. Tricky business. We need major brainstorming. I think if we pair a boy and a baby up in one room at first, the baby won't laugh at him as much his twin brother does, and actual sleep might occur. We'll see.

26 weeks

End of the 2nd trimester - Hello 3rd trimester! These vegetable analogies make me laugh -- now the baby is the size of an "English Hothouse Cucumber". Whatever!!! Almost 2 pounds, 14 inches long, and making breathing movements. Her hearing has developed even more -- she should be able to hear my voice, AND whomever I am talking to. Bet she's wondering about some of the conversations I've been having with her brothers lately..... ( "No Colby, you can't poop in your pants. You've got to use the toilet, or they're not going to let you in school!!!" ) Thankfully, she doesn't inherently know English. I have been very fatigued over the past week. Don't know if that's due to pregnancy, or staying up late to watch the Olympics!
Belly DEFINITIVELY larger than the rest of me. Trying not to waddle yet, but it takes conscious effort at times. Bravely, I donned a swimsuit in public over the past weekend, and people were polite enough not to make "whale" references, although my father in law did not-so-subtly ask me to move to the rear of the boat so that the "weight was in the back". I have refused to step on the scale in recent weeks, because I really DON'T want to know. I never did have food cravings when I was pregnant with the boys, and I can't say that I have CRAVINGS now, per se.... but I do feel entitled to daily amounts of chocolate and/or ice cream, which I know is not a good thing.

Interesting little tidbit -- at this point in my last pregnancy, I had been on bedrest an entire month, and hospitalized twice for a total of 6 days. THIS pregnancy, I went to the beach. Much better.

25 weeks

Vegetable comparison of the week -- a rutabaga! Baby is now 13 inches or so, and about a pound and a half. I have FELT the growth spurt over the past week. Last Thursday evening I just could NOT get comfortable in bed, despite pillows galore. I have since accomodated to the increased size, thankfully. This begins the period when baby girl starts putting on her baby fat, and filling out. Her hair is in now. We'll see if she's a brunette like the rest of the family is (or at least, the rest of the family WOULD BE if God hadn't invented hair color!). It's getting harder and harder to find decent pictures of developing babies on the internet. After wasting way too much time looking for a picture today, I have decided to punt, and leave it up to your imagination. She now looks like...well, a little baby. That's what my sources say, and I'm believing them. The 25 weekers in the NICU that we saw when the boys were born looked like miniature, skinny, babies and so I'm assuming you can all imagine that on your own:). Not looking for a picture gives me more time to do things like... I don't know... do the dishes, and clean out my computer closet. WHOOOPPEEE!!! Luckily, I am still able to do those types of things, instead of being stuck in bed and taking repeated vacations to the hospital!

24 Weeks

We're moving right along here! Baby is now the size of an ear of corn, and most likely weighs over a pound! We have reached an age of "viability", which is another milestone. Not that we would want it, but IF the baby were born at this point, she would have a 43% chance of survival. That goes up to 75% next week, and 83% the week after that. That is good news. I think this baby is going to "stick"!!! I feel her move now often, and Quinn and Colby ask repeatedly to touch my belly to feel her. I think they are really going to like having a baby sister. They already talk about her constantly. Of course, she's pretty low-maintenance at this point, living in my belly. We'll see if they stay that excited once she's "outside" and crying :)

Pre-Natal Visit

Uneventful, short, easy. These are words that never described the last pregnancy's prenatal visits, but this time... there's just not a whole lot to say. 10 minutes long, mainly just to chit-chat. I've gained 4 pounds over the last 5 weeks, measuring at 22 weeks, so a little small (surprise!) even though weight-wise, I am very close to what I weighed when I DELIVERED the twins. UGH!!!! I tell myself that 3 months of bedrest last time deteriorated my muscle mass considerably, and muscle is heavy (all of which is true, but, still.....). Another 4 weeks until the next visit, and all is well!

23 Weeks

23 weeks and it finally happened... I can finally feel our little girl moving! What a comforting feeling that is. While we were on vacation, she kicked me hard and woke me up at 5:30 one morning. I've been feeling her ever since. She's finally bigger than that darn ol' placenta! My sources state that I'm in the stage where I'm gaining about a pound a week. I thought that started at conception.... I feel HUGE! But then I see people farther along than me, and I realize that, yes, I have a looonnnng way to go yet. I will be huger. Comparative fruit of the week... a large mango. She's supposed to be about 11 inches and over a pound! Her proportions are fully "baby-like", she just needs to gain fat. I have some to spare for her.... check behind you in your mama's rear-end, little girl! Her sense of movement and hearing is finely developed, so now I need to watch what I say at all times, and not just when 4-year-old ears are around :). Next pre-natal visit... tomorrow!

22 Weeks

I hear the baby's sweat glands develop this week, and they would certainly be put to good use here in south-central Indiana! It is hot and MUGGGGGGGYYYYY. Our little girl is now likened to a spaghetti squash in size. I feel her move on rare occasions now.... maybe once every other day or so, if I'm sitting just right. Soon she'll be bigger than that darn ol' placenta that keeps blocking her kicks. Next prenatal visit -- when I get home from vacation.

Minor Little Scare

So, I'm at work today, and I start getting crampy and achy. It doesn't go away. I am at about the same point in the pregnancy where I went into pre-term labor with the boys, so this has me very worried. And I am leaving on vacation at 7am tomorrow morning, going to Who-Knows-Where Indiana, with Who-Knows-What kind of medical facilities nearby. Additional nervousness. I call the doctor's office. OF COURSE my doctor is gone for the day. These things always happen late Friday afternoon. The nurse suggests I go check myself into the OB department for monitoring, and, sure enough.... the baby is fine, no contractions. The culprit? My bladder. According to the on-call doc. I can handle bladder issues. It's those contraction thingys that I don't like. So all is well, and I'm going on vacation tomorrow!

21 Weeks

This is another "milestone week" in that the youngest babies ever born to survive happened at 21 weeks! Amazing. So, since I couldn't find ANY pictures on the internet of a 21-weeker in the womb, I'm posting a 21 week old baby OUT of the womb. I think there's only been two to survive at this age - one boy and one girl. But still. Amazing. Our baby is now the length of a carrot, according to my sources. In my experience, carrots come in all sizes (baby carrots to humongo-size) so this, to me, is not a good vegetable for reference. Oh well. She's growing, and that's what's important. I know this, because I am growing. Large.

Thanks alot

Yesterday, my father-in-law noted how much bigger I am this time around, as compared to the twins' pregnancy. THANKS. Rob, ever his father's son, had no idea why I would even remotely take offense to that observation. "It's just a fact. " THANKS again.

Our Little Girl

Well, the prophecy was right. It's a GIRL! She's got all of her major parts - all fingers, toes, and major organs accounted for! She's a mover and a shaker, which is why the 3-D ultrasound looks like an alien. Rob was a little scared when he saw that picture. "Does she REALLY look like that?" No. I don't think so. Heart rate - 147 bpm. Weight - 10 ounces. Height - 12 cm crown to rump, not counting legs which were folded up near her head half the time. She flip-flopped several times during the "visitation". And kicked me repeatedly - of which I felt nothing. I asked the ultrasound tech why that was, and she said that my placenta was anterior, and the baby was really kicking THAT more than me. OOOOOOHHHHHH. So THAT'S why I haven't felt her.

Tiny baby feet -- see them? Her legs are crossed, so the left foot is on top, right foot on bottom (a little blurry), toes pointed towards the left of the picture.

There she is, smiling for the camera, arms up over her head. Colby used to sleep like that. She's already taking after her big brother!

The creature from the Black Lagoon

The boys were pretty excited to see a picture of the baby in Mommy's belly. At least, excited for approximately 30 seconds before Colby asked "Can I have a ball? Get it, MOM!" But Quinn, at dinner, noted that babies LOVE to eat mushrooms, so he generously gave me all of his. In other pregnancy-related news, I have been a TOTAL klutz lately, and sprained my ankle today while at work. Yesterday, I spilled orange juice all over the fridge, dropped chocolate milk all over the kitchen floor, hit my hand really hard on the coffee table. Today, I was running with a little boy outside when I twisted my ankle and fell to the ground. I've been limping around, looking ridiculous. I cancelled my last two kids at work, as I knew I would NOT be able to keep up with them. STUPID.

20 Weeks

TAAAAADAAAAAAA! HALF WAY! I have to admit, this first half went pretty quickly. When I have little boys to chase around rather than stewing and dreaming about HAVING little boys (as I did in the first pregnancy), things do seem to go quicker. Baby weighs about 10.5 ounces now on average, and is the size of... insert fruit of the week here.... a banana! Bananas are starting to seem baby-sized, right? And, note to my husband -- I just read on babycenter.com that it is the increased ESTROGEN produced during pregnancy that makes me snore. So, we get to blame THAT on the baby, too! Isn't life wonderful???? Newsflash for tomorrow's blog.... pictures of OUR baby, not miscellaneous babies I find on the internet.

A prophecy?

OK. I'm going to make a guess here, and I could very well be proven wrong (likely to be proven wrong, but just in case I'm RIGHT, it'll be dated and documented here). I had an experience 2 years ago that was rather freaky, and at the time I thought it applied to what was happening THEN, but it occurred to me as I was sleeping last night that maybe it applies to NOW. So here's what happened.... don't think I'm insane.
I was working with a little autistic boy two years ago, doing our physical therapy (sit ups, I believe) in the back hallway at work. He looks at me funny, and says out of the blue "Monica, who's going to be my therapist when you're taking care of the baby?" Weird. "What baby?" I asked. "The baby. You're having a baby". No, I told him. I definitely WASN'T. Biologically, things had recently occurred (if you know what I mean) that told me I definitely was NOT having a baby. "Yes you are, and it's a girl. Monica Jr. She'll be born in November". I tried desperately to convince him I was NOT having a baby, but he was having none of it, and was very insistent. He kept saying that Monica Jr. looked like me, and SEE! There she was, waving at him! He was concerned as to who would be his therapist when I was at home with the baby, and it was very upsetting to him. Well, that incident stuck with me the rest of the day, and later that night. He was just so SURE, it was weird. So, early next morning, I took a pregnancy test, and YUP. Pregnant. Crazy. So I assumed we were having a girl, just like Matthew said, and hoped he was just being silly about the November thing. In October I miscarried. Matthew hadn't brought up the baby thing at all since that initial time, but his first visit after my miscarriage he just looked at me, and asked matter-of-factly "where's the baby? Is she born?" I told him no, that the baby was in heaven. "Hmmm. " he said. "She was supposed to be born in November". And he never mentioned anything even remotely unusual ever again, and eventually moved away with his family. Well, that pregnancy turned out to be a molar pregnancy -- neither girl nor boy because it was just kind of an empty gestational sac. So it occurred to me, that if God was talking through this little autistic boy, maybe he was meaning THIS baby (I know, it's a stretch). THIS baby is due in November. Will it be a girl???? Monica Jr.? HMMMMM. So, even though by the "timing method of sex-selection" that both my sisters swear by, this baby is bound to be a boy -- I'm going on record as guessing it's a GIRL. Because Matthew said we'd have a girl born in November. Time will tell if I'm being silly or not :) Thanks for bearing with me. See, I can say crazy things like this, because I can always blame it on the pregnancy if I'm whacky.

19 Weeks

This is what I know about the baby's development this week.... s/he is now the size of a "large heirloom tomato". WHAT is an heirloom tomato??? Translated into non-vegetable terms, that's 6 inches, I guess, and 8.5 ounces. Sensory systems are developing big time right now, and I am taking Omega-3 supplements to help that process optimize! With two children already experiencing "under-reactive" systems, I don't need a third :). Ultrasound a week from tomorrow, and I am beside myself with anticipation. Not being able to see this baby all the time like I did the boys makes this whole pregnancy thing seem "less real" than the last. I've yet to see a picture of more than a blob, and I can't WAIT to actually get to SEE our baby!!

18 week Prenatal visit

Prenatal visits are so much less.... dramatic.... than they were with the last pregnancy :). There's no rushing upstairs to have an emergent fetal stress test, no grave warnings to stay in bed, no concerned looks, no prescriptions or IV's. Just "yup, everything's fine, see you in 4 weeks!" and 10 minutes later, I'm outta there! The heart is beating (I have no idea the rate, as she didn't tell me, but it sounded faster than mine, which I take is a good thing), and the baby IS moving, even though I can't feel it. With the doppler, I can HEAR it, and it is reassuring. Quinn was with me, as he "won" the argument as to who would go with mom to the hospital. I'm guessing he was re-thinking the merits of that win... hang out with mom for 45 minutes in a doctor's waiting room, and then watch her give blood at the lab, OR stay home with grandma, eating cookies and watching cartoons. HMMMMMM. C-Section tenatively scheduled for November 17th, 18th, or 19th, depending on availability of the doctor and OR. That is, unless the baby decides to come early, but, given that there's one instead of two, that shouldn't be such an issue. I asked the dr. about my weight gain, and she assured me I was "right on track" given her official records -- only gained 7 pounds according to her. I said "Yeah, but you weren't keeping track those first 7 weeks, and MAN! Were they DOOZEYS!" At least the past 11 weeks the rate of weight gain has slowed down as compared to the first several.

18 Weeks

A definite growth spurt this week -- I have gained 3 pounds, and my belly now sticks out farther than ALL the rest of me. I met up with an old coworker this past week who is 31 weeks pregnant, and I am bigger than her (of course, she said she never "shows" much with any of her pregnancies). The baby is now the size of a bell pepper. It makes me laugh how the "experts" always compare the baby's size to fruits and vegetables... s/he went from a raisin to a kumquat to a plum to an avacado to a bell pepper! My next prenatal visit is Tuesday, and I am anxious to schedule another ultrasound. I don't feel the baby moving hardly at all, and I need some reassurance!

Fatigue

I think the baby is going through a growth spurt. I suddenly look VERY big. The prize for first person to recognize I was pregnant and not just chubby goes to... Fr. Larry! "Are you expecting?" He'd better hope I said yes!! Tonight, at 7:00, the boys and I curled up on the couch to watch 101 Dalmations as a Saturday night treat. I fell asleep, and didn't wake up until 9:30. The boys, on their second run-through of the movie, were wide awake, and were kind enough to say "go back to sleep, Mommy". Uh, yeah.

17 Weeks and Counting

I am now at the half way point to when Quinn and Colby were born... 34 weeks. The baby now is approximately 5 inches long, and weighs about as much as a turnip (how do "experts" know such things?) Reportedly, the baby's sweat glands are developing this week as well. Not that we need them here. It's so cold, we've got a fire in the woodstove. I'm beginning to look pregnant, and not just "over-indulged", and have broken out the maternity clothes in earnest. Life is much more comfortable now! Now that my baby-bump is starting to show, Rob and I feel more comfortable trying to discuss baby names. No luck just yet, but we discussed LOTS of names we agreed we didn't like. That's got to be worth something!

Stretching?

I was physically woken up in the middle of last night by my belly itching. I thought, in my slumber-induced stupor, "Wow! The baby must really be growing, and my skin is stretching so much it's itching!" I walked, with eyes closed, to the bathroom, where I put on some lotion to ease the itch, and went back to sleep. This morning I woke up to itching again. I looked at my belly, and it's FULL of bug-bites. Over 30, at least. Oh. So nothing to do with baby-growth, and everything to do with spring in the Upper Peninsula. The bites are ONLY on my belly. Obviously, some bug went to the most prominent, easily-accessible place to eat his dinner.

16 weeks

It's close enough to 4 months that I'm calling it that, because it makes me feel justified in having as big a belly as I already do :)

Pregnancy Brain

Pregnancy brain has hit with a vengeance. At work on Monday, I was in the middle of a meeting when I found I had to get something out of my car. I was looking in my purse for my car keys while walking towards the door. I saw "outside" out of the corner of my eye, assumed the door was open, and walked right through. Right through a window. OOOOWWWW. After seeing stars for close to a minute, checking my nose in the bathroom mirror for blood, and making light of the situation to the rest of the meeting go-ers (yes, of course it was witnessed), I walked THROUGH THE DOOR out to my car. I now have a swollen, bruised nose. So the next day, I was picking up a screaming 3 year old to put him in bed for a nap, when he decides, for the first time EVER, to hit me. In the nose. OOOOOOWWWWW again. There was harsh punishment, I assure you. This, if you remember, is on top of a cold. So now, every 30 seconds when I blow my nose, I get mini "ow ow ow ow"s. STUPID. Unable to take anything for the excessive snot production, and now not able to take anything for swelling and pain. At first, the nose injury was threatening to give me two black eyes, but thankfully that didn't spread as much as I feared it would. I'm looking and feeling LOVELY at the moment.

15 Weeks

When you count by weeks, this pregnancy thing seems to go by fast! My weight's been steady, the cold is letting up, I've had some miscellaneous aches and pains which are remnants of loose ligaments from the LAST pregnancy, but, overall, things are going remarkably well. I still don't look "pregnant" yet (at least not with clothes on), just very "puffy"... I imagine how many people must be saying "wow, that Monica Aho has REALLY let herself go!". Not yet wearing maternity clothes, but I have gone up a pant size, and can no longer wear any form-fitting top without looking ridiculously over-ripe. Haven't felt the baby move much at all the last week, so I don't know if it was just in a really good position when I felt it before, or if the "feeling" was something else. Still early, so not worried about that yet... I understand that the baby now has adult taste buds, and can savor the same meals that I eat. Interesting!

A Complaint

May I just say that having a cold while pregnant SUCKS. Just when I thought nausea was under control, my throat gets sore and stops working so I'm swallowing air and phlegm (sorry for the graphic - but I'm not feeling well). Fever, aches... muscle aches, joint aches, head aches, ear aches, itchy eyes, congestion. And there is no way to self-medicate without risk to the baby. Well, at least, I'm hoping there's nothing wrong with cough drops, because without them, I'd be in a worse mood than I already am. My friend Rene says there is nothing worse than a "pregnancy cold", and I have to agree. I've been mega-dosing Vitamin C and was extremely lazy today, taking a 2 hour nap with the children, so let's hope it goes away QUICKLY.

p.s. I'll blame my crabbiness on the cold and pregnancy, too. Isn't wonderful to have excuses????

14 weeks

Went to the doctor's today, and we were able to hear the little "beep beep beep" of the heart. What a beautiful sound! She also said "my, what an active baby!" Figures. Everything is going well. I haven't gained any weight this month.... thank GOODNESS after my initial splurge. I understand that the baby is the size of a lemon now, and can make facial expressions and suck it's thumb. I so wished for an ultrasound... but I guess with typical, uneventful pregnancies (how nice that I'm in that category this time) we don't need weekly ultrasounds :). Next time I see the baby will be at 20 weeks.

13 weeks

Apparently, the baby is about 2.9 inches now. S/he sure is a feisty little thing for being less than 3 inches. I've been feeling movement daily... very vigrous little movements. Seems to be our lot in life, active children :). I'm thankful for any and all healthy and active children.

Yes, it is movement

Yes, definite movement! It seems rather early to me, but it's been consistent over the past several days, and it's always in the same spot on my left side -- fluttering!!! It's making the pregnancy seem real - as it's been purely "intellectual" up to now :)

Movement?

I think maybe, just maybe, I felt the baby move for the first time last night. I was lying on my stomach and felt definite "butterflies". Could've been the remnants of dinner, but... felt different than that. HMMMMMMM......

12 Weeks and counting

The nausea is definitely letting up, THANK GOODNESS! Wow... that was right on time. For some reason 12 weeks seems like one of those "landmark" milestones. Not sure if the 2nd trimester starts today, or AFTER this week, but in my head 12 weeks puts me in the "firmly established pregnancy" realm, and that makes me feel good.

Feeling human

The nausea is letting up... wow! Only one upchuck in the last 3 days, and I actually went 5 hours here at work without a snack! Hello 2nd Trimester! Welcome to our lives!

11 weeks

Almost out of the 1st trimester, and I think I will breathe a little easier. The more time passes, the more I believe that this baby is going to "stick"... Nausea still hasn't let up. Carbs and fruits are my best friends at the moment. I've read the baby is the size of a plum at this point. Given the recent ultrasounds I've seen, it LOOKS like a plum as well. Maybe I've been eating a few too MANY fruits :).

First "Official" Prenatal Visit

Today was our first non-emergent, non-crisis pre-natal visit. The doctor couldn't hear the heartbeat with the little microphone thing-y, so we had ANOTHER ultrasound (I believe that's #6 if you're counting), and I was able to see our little blob once again. Very reassuring. Weight gain = pre-pregnancy + 17!!!! RIDICULOUS. If I stop eating, I get nauseous. So I eat, graze, nibble.... constantly. UGH. Time to slow that down a bit, I'd say. I get winded going up stairs now. Double UGH. Donated several vials of blood to the hospital vampire, all that usual stuff. Then the doctor gave me a picture of the baby we lost (I had asked for one, but they wouldn't initially give it to me), which of course made me cry, but I am so glad I have it. I posted it on the entry where we announced we were having twins, if you'd like to see.... two little round peanuts. Just so I know that s/he WAS there....

10 Weeks

We're a quarter of the way done with this gestation thing! Baby is with me in Montana, and causing me to eat eat eat eat eat. Like blackmail.... give me food, or I will make you throw up, Mama!!! So I sit here at my sister's house, and do very little but eat eat eat eat eat, because that is what this baby apparently wants me to do :).