Micah and our Family

Sorry it took me so long to do this, but I guess I didn't realize anyone was actually reading this particular blog anymore since Micah arrived!

Micah was born on September 10th, 2009 at 11:54 pm.  I had a practically perfect (and fast!) labor that resulted in an absolutely incredible baby boy.

So, I'm closing down this blog now.  Follow our family's story at The Arena Update!

The Countdown

Nine days to go until my due date and there is NOTHING happening in there. No contractions, no back pain that might be labor, nada. Zero. Zilch. Bupkiss. For some reason, I never even considered how I might feel if I had to wait for this baby to come down to the wire or even (Heaven forbid!!) overdue. After being induced 12 days early with Isaiah and half-expecting the same to happen this time around, I am finding myself in uncharted waters here. I don't like it! I really don't like going to bed every night and wondering if I'm going to wake up with wet sheets or in terrible pain. What's worse is when I get up in the morning and nothing happened! Does that make sense or sound crazy? Evan certainly doesn't mind....every day the baby stays comfortably in utero is one more day he gets of basically uninterrupted basement work time. I'm ok with that too, but it's the uncertainty and the feeling that I don't know what to expect that is driving me up a wall. I am a planner by nature, after all.

I have another checkup at the doc today at noon, so maybe I'll find out something new today. Doubtful, but I can hope right??

The Waiting Game

Here I am on Saturday, 12 days before my due date and I managed to make it through our big work day on the basement without either A: Going into labor or B: Being induced into labor. Both were seeming like viable options as the week progressed, but with the carpet getting installed in the morning and a lot of work on tap for the rest of the day, Even just kept pleading with me to "make it though Friday!" Done and done, honey. I had to go to the doctor three times this week to keep tabs on my blood pressure, protein levels, and the baby's heartbeat. I did two NSTs and in the end, I was given the green light to stay pregnant over the weekend. With Isaiah, I was induced at 38 weeks, 2 days which is exactly where I am at today so this kid has officially stayed in the oven longer than his brother. At this point, I am not hoping he stays put until at least Tuesday because my doctor will be out of town for the holiday and I really would rather not do the whole "giving birth" thing without her. That, and I just think it would be a horribly ironic coincidence to have a baby on Labor Day.

Ouch!

My advice to women pregnant for the first time: Buy a jar of TUCKS before your third trimester. You will need them BEFORE you deliver!

Ouch.

Still Pregnant

I went to the doctor this morning to follow up on my elevated blood pressure from Monday and things did not start off well. My blood pressure had stayed about the same and I did have protein in my urine. Super. I could just hear the words "induction" floating around in my head! I had blood drawn and my doc is running all the tests to "leave no leaf unturned" as far as checking for the symptoms of preeclampsia and then I did a non-stress test (NST), just like I had with Isaiah. The baby's heartrate wasn't incredibly variable, but it wasn't bad enough that we needed to be concerned. So, here's what we're left with. I need to weigh myself every day to watch out for a sudden weight gain and I need to watch out for headaches. Both are signs of preeclampsia. I'm probably going to be calling it quits a week early at work since I'm supposed to really "watch it" until the baby comes. I have to go back in to the doctor on Monday and then again on Wednesday - twice a week until it's baby time. Overall though, the good news is that I can stay pregnant a while longer yet! Woohoo!

Deja Vu

I went in to see the doctor this morning for my routine 36 week check up. (FYI - I am officially at 36 weeks, 4 days) After chit chatting with the nurse about my Kindle (we like to talk books), I was quickly transported into a major flash of deja vu when she took my blood pressure. Just like when I went in at 38 weeks with Isaiah, my blood pressure had spiked. I have been a pretty consistant 102-106 over 70s for my entire pregnancy, but this morning I was 118 over 85. The last time this happened, I was hooked up to an NST machine and two days later I had a baby! So, they took a urine sample to test for protein and Dr. Baker asked me to come back in on Wednesday to check on things. As for the rest of the check-up, I am actually measuring small this time around, so we pretty sure we're cooking up a small baby in there. I'm ok with that! I only gained 3 pounds in the past 4 weeks so I avoided a scolding, and the baby's head is down and in the "ready for launch" position! I'll know more about what to expect after I go back in on Wednesday, but there is definitely a nagging part in the back of my brain that is screaming "Please not yet!!! We're not ready yet!!!!" Realistically though....I'm thinking we've got some time.

Well that was weird!

I had to leave work early Friday night because I was having fairly strong contractions every 6-8 minutes! It was freaking me out how regular they were, so I started writing down the times and it continued for a good 2 hours. I called the hospital and they recommended sitting down for a while and drinking a ton of water, so I got someone to come in for me and that's what I did. It took about an hour or so of resting on the couch for them to go away, but they did. I am really hoping this isn't any kind of indication that the baby plans on showing up early. I am so not ready!

The Home Stretch

On Thursday I will officially be considered "full term," which means basicaly nothing except that if labor were to start, my doctor would not try to stop or prolong it. So, I guess it is safe to say that we are in the home stretch of this pregnancy! My due date is one month from today and I still feel like I need much more time. I did get the car seat dug out of storage and after lengthy search, managed to find all the components it needed. Now we just need to get the bases installed in the cars. I keep telling myself to get started on packing the hospital bag, making & freezing meals, and all the other things I did to prepare myself last time around, but I haven't done any of it yet. I do have the baby's changing table all stocked with diapers and clothes, but it's living out in the dining room right now while we continue the push to get the basement done. (The carpet guy is coming out to measure tomorrow, by the way!!!)

How am I feeling? Oh.....ok, I guess. The books and articles say the baby is putting on about an ounce of weight every day now and I can verify that while this may not sound like a lot, it adds up quickly! It seriously does feel like he gets bigger every day and there are some evenings (especially after I have been working at the restaurant) where I really don't want to move because it is so uncomfortable. Overall though, I am doing great. I have had zero complications this pregnancy, once again. I am so grateful to have easy pregnancies. There are so many women who have to deal with so much just to bring a life into the world and I am so thankful to have been blessed with normal pregnancies (KNOCK ON WOOD!!!). So, I guess for now we just continue the waiting game. Evan is working his tail off downstairs trying to get the drywall finished while I wait paitently with my carpet samples and list of paint until I get the green light to go ahead and get them purchased and in the rooms. It's exciting to see it starting to come together, but it is going to be so stressful when everything is culminating at once! Stay tuned!

33 Weeks

Despite the fact that I am measuring 1 cm behind schedule, I still feel like I am just shy of the size of a barn. My back and hips concur with this assessment.
In other news, it would appear that I have hit some kind of pregnancy induced psychotic meltdown phase because I have spent the last week fluctuating between bouts of hysterical crying, depression, anxiety, sassiness (I struggled to hold my tongue with stupid customers at work), extreme fatigue, and lack of appetite. You can even ask my husband....I've been a basketcase this last week! I feel like I have absolutely no grip on my emotions right now and that's only a part of it. Less than 7 weeks to go. Just gotta keep telling myself that this is the home stretch. I can make it!!

Looking good!

I had a routine prenatal checkup yesterday and everything is looking A-OK. I didn't get hollered at about my weight, which is good because I really didn't want to have to launch into the sob story I had prepared in case it was brought up. It's a sensitive issue....can you tell? Anyway, Baby's hearbeat was hovering right aroud 140 beats per minute and I'm actually measuring a bit small this time around. With Isaiah, I had to go get an additional ultrasound because I was measuring about 4 cm ahead of where I should be, but this one is about 1 cm behind! Small baby perhaps? I'm holding out hope that this one is going to be much easier as far as labor and delivery are concerned, but I am terrified about going into labor itself. Since I didn't get to do it on my own last time, I have no clue how to recognize labor and what to do when it happens. Yeah....little nervous about that. I'm just praying my water doesn't break in public. Or in bed. Or in the shower so I don't notice.

The Comma Pillow

I had to break down and start sleeping with "the pillow" again. Nope, it's not just any pillow. It's my Boppy pillow that I bought when I was pregnant with Isaiah and my sleeping starting to really suck because I was so uncomfortable. It's shaped like a comma and, for some reason, I completely forgot how to use it! For over a week, I was sleeping with the little end of the comma between my legs and the big end up by my belly. Well, this was not helping at all and I had always chucked the pillow to the floor before morning ever rolled around. I finally complained to Evan one night that the pillow wasn't working and that I guess I just had to resolve myself to 10 more weeks of terrible sleep. He suggested I was using it wrong....that perhaps the big, chunky end was supposed to go between my legs and the little end of the comma was to go under the belly. I thought this sounded ridiculous, but I decided to give it a try. What did I have to lose?

I hate it when he's right. How could I have completely forgotten how to use the stinking pillow? It made a world of difference and it really does help to have that pillow wedged around me while I sleep. In my defense, how could I have thought this? Look at the picture - I tried it the exact way it's pictured. I guess it figures that I would need to use it all backwards. Leave it to me to be difficult!

In other news, the baby continues to move around like CRAZY and grow like a weed. Our next prenatal checkup is next week Monday, but I don't anticipate any problems. I'm starting to get periodic heartburn and swelling in my ankles and fingers plus tingling in my toes is starting to become an issue. More than anything, I just feel BIG already. Not a comforting fact when one considers how much BIGGER I am actually going to get. Oh well!

2 Months to Go

About 2 more months before this baby is predicted to arrive, huh? That's it? That's all the time I have left before my life is going to double in the craziness factor? I was just starting to get the hang of this whole "parent to a toddler" thing. We've got the big boy bed going, I've been able to scrapbook a couple times a week, and I'm actually semi-comfortable going out in public. But soon, it's going to be a whole new ball of wax. Back to the world of engorged breasts, 10-12 daily diaper changes, 2 am feedings, pumping, gas bubbles, hemorrhoids, sleeplessness, and non-showering. Oh, and that's just the baby! Add in everything that concerns Isaiah and you've got a world o' hurt coming. Don't get me wrong....I am thrilled to have another on the way. I love being a Mommy and I can't wait to experience that joy all over again. I remember the amount of work it was when Isaiah was a newborn and I'm not going to lie and say "I'm sure I can handle it" because I'm pretty convinced that I'm going to find myself suddenly highly unqualified to be the mother of two young boys. But, like everything else with parenting, we learn as we go and just try to survive.

Like I keep telling myself when things get difficult: "This is only temporary."

I'm a Hippo!!

I feel like a hippo.

That's it.....I just wanted to say that!

Braxton Hicks

Believe it or not, I have started to have contractions every now and again. Granted, they are only the "practice contractions" that are completely normal at this point in the pregnancy, but it is kind of weird to just be walking down the aisle in Target or something and suddenly feel your belly tighten up like a rubber band. At least I know that my body is getting ready, right?

The baby's room is still an absolute disaster area. I have the crib moved in there now that Isaiah is officially in the big boy bed and I have managed to get it all set up with his bedding, but that is about the extent of the development the room has taken toward becoming a nursery. The guest bed is still propped up against the wall, the computer is in there, and a whole bunch of stuff that will eventually end up in either the playroom or the baby's room is piled in there because we have nowhere else to go with it for the time being. I'm just dying for the basement to get to the point where I can start moving stuff down there. That won't be until after the drywall is up and the flooring is down, so I'm looking at late August at the earliest. It's going to be a pretty close finish!! The good news is that the baby won't really need a whole room to himself when he first arrives and we'll be able to get by with using the changing table in Isaiah's room, a boucy chair, and the Pack n Play for a few weeks. One way or the other, I am holding out hope that the basement will be at least some level of "done" by the end of September. I'll only be on maternity leave for 2 months so it will really cut into the time I can help once I go back to work.

All in all, everything is progressing well! We're prepared for what to expect due to the baby's kidney condition and he looks to be otherwise perfectly healthy and normal. I'm trying to resist the urge to buy a whole bunch of cute baby stuff because I already have quite a bit, but there will be plenty of the utilitarian stuff that we still need - diapers, wipes, diaper cream, formula, bottle liners, breast pads, breastmilk bags......the list goes on and on. I know I don't get a shower for baby #2, but who do I talk to about getting a quick hose-down? :-) Just kidding.

27 Weeks!

Less than 3 months to go until my due date and I figured it was about time to take another belly photo. Oh, the difference 6 weeks can make! I already feel HUGE, so it's going to be pretty scary over the next couple months when I get even bigger and the weather gets even hotter. Can't wait! Oh yeah....and I cut my hair.

Update: Ultrasound

I had an ultrasound on Friday to follow up on a couple issues that I previously wrote about. One was a cyst that had appeared in the baby's brain on the 20 week ultrasound. The good news is that the cyst was gone at my checkup on Friday, so I was very relieved about that. However, the problem with the kidneys that had presented itself earlier did not go away. The fancy name for it is fetal pyelectasis and you can read more about it by clicking HERE. It is not a serious condition by any means, but the baby will need some special care once he has arrived come September. Evan and I are both grateful that our baby is 99% perfect and healthy and we look forward to meeting him in only a couple months! We still have so much to do to get ready for his arrival. Hard to believe my due date is only 3 months away!

Checkups and Follow-ups

I had a routine prenatal checkup last week and everything was A-OK. Baby's heartrate was 152 beats per minute and my fundal height (the measurement of my uterus) was exactly on track with where it should be. I am purposely not looking at the scale when Kari weighs me at each visit, so don't even ask how much weight I've gained so far. I really don't want to know. Maybe I'll ask for a final number come September so I can record it in the baby book, but maybe not. I was still hanging on to about 20 leftover pounds from Isaiah when I got pregnant, so I am not exactly looking forward to what that scale will be saying by my birthday. Yikes.

As for follow-ups: I have another ultrasound coming up on June 12th. At our 20 week ultrasound at the beginning of May, Dr. Schad noticed a couple things that warranted some follow up. First, the baby's kidneys were two different sizes when they should be about the same. This can mean nothing or it could also suggest some kind of blockage to the bladder. He said it is fairly common and should go away within 6-8 weeks, so we'll be checking on that on the 12th. Also, he found a cyst in the baby's brain. I know.....that sounds scary. I about swallowed my tongue when he first said it too. I assured me, however, that this too is a fairly common thing that develops in fetuses and that it too should go away on its own within 6-8 weeks. The cyst is NOT a tumor or anything like that. So, we'll be checking to make sure that it has disappeared at the next ultrasound. I will be sure to share the results once it's done!

Apart from that, I thankfully have little to report! When it comes to pregnancy, no news is good news at this point. As long as things stay relatively uneventful, I know things are progressing as they should be. I do have days every now and again where I can literally feel my belly stretching out as I go about my day. It's weird and uncomfortable, but at least I know my little guy is growing. He still moves around a LOT and is capable of some very strong kicks. Maybe he's already trying to play with his big brother!

I see you!

Hard to believe, but I am already far enough along that I can see my little guy kicking me through my tummy! I noticed it a couple night ago when I was relaxing on the couch and he was being particularly active. I stared at the location where he was moving for a bit and sure enough, POP! My belly bounced out a that spot! Hopefully when Evan returns he'll be able to catch his first kick too.

Another prenatal checkup ahead for me tomorrow. I don't anticipated any problems!

Kicking around

This baby is certainly a MOVER! He kicks a lot and I have already felt them on the outside of my belly! I'll have to check my journal from last time, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't feeling movement on the outside just yet. I guess this one is a strong little bugger.

Still waiting for Isaiah's big boy furniture to come in so I can get it all assembled and start the transition for the office into the baby's room. I have purchased his new bedding and I think it will look really good. It's got a couple shades of blue combined with brown in a star motif! It should look nice with the wall color we already have in the office - we really didn't want to paint again!

21 Weeks!

Whew!  About 4 months to go....this pregnancy is half over already!  Hard to believe I am this far along already.  I was just talking to Evan today on our way to our Mother's Day dinner at HuHot (yum-o!) about how this pregnancy has gone so much faster than the last one.  I realize it's because I am otherwise occupied with a certain toddler, but it still amazes me.  I remember that the wait until the 20 week ultrasound in July of 2007 was just agonizing and seemed to take forever.  This time, I couldn't believe it was already here!  We still have a LOT to do in just 4 months, the biggest being getting the basement ready so we can move the office down there and the baby into the office.  Evan and his dad did get some new walls and some recessed lighting put up this weekend though, so there is some actual progress taking place.  Woohoo!