End of one journey....the beginning of the next

Olivia is one month old today! So in honor of that, I want to close out this baby-in-waiting blog with the story of the day she was born. It's probably going to be a long one so here goes....

I will confess, the last week leading up until her birth was very stressful. God had answered my prayers with Carter's birth and things happened almost exactly like I wanted them to. So I just figured, things would go as planned this time too. I had also really wanted to have a natural childbirth this time and had been preparing myself for that. But I knew if I had to get induced, the possibilities of that would be slim. I didn't tell many people about my desire to give birth without an epidural because if I couldn't go through with it, I didn't want to feel like a failure.

I have already blogged about how stressful it was the week she was born between being told I could come for my induction, to being told I would have to wait a few more days, to stressing out about my mom not being here for long after Olivia was born. I was a hormonal wreck! But then finally, Saturday morning at 5:15 we were on our way to the hospital. It was dar, cold, and raining and I was nervous the whole drive there.

Once we got there, I was a little more calm. The nurse said Dr. R wouldn't be there until around 8:00 so it was just more of the waiting game. When she checked me, I was dilated to 3-4 cm and was 70% effaced. Theo slept on the couch and I tried to will myself into labor so I wouldn't have to actually be induced. That didn't really work. :) Dr. R. finally came a little after 8 a.m. and I asked her if she would just break my water and see what happens before starting the pitocin. She obliged. So at about 8:20, she broke my water. At that point, I was still 4 cm and about 80% effaced. I was expecting that part to be painful for some reason but it wasn't.

It was a good hour before I started having any contractions and when I did start to, they were pretty mild and about 4 minutes apart. I thought, ok, I can do this without an epidural. Then they started getting stronger and stronger and closer together. I was able to walk around in the room without being attached to the monitors and that seemed to help. I remember Theo massaging my back which was killing me from having sat in the bed for so long in the same position.

At 11:15, the nurse checked me again because I felt like I had been having stronger contractions. But no change really. I was about 4-5 cm and 80% effaced. She said she didn't think I needed the pitocin and to hold out for the epidural. Around lunch time, while I was in the bathroom, we heard a knock on the door. I assumed it was my nurse or Dr. R but was so excited when I saw my mom walk in the room. She said my best friend Meredith had driven in to watch Carter to my mom could be here with me for a little while. I was so happy! She was there with us while we had Carter and I was so thankful for that.

At 12:30, Dr. R checked me again and I thought for sure I had made some progress because I was hurting really, REALLY bad! I knew at that point I wouldn't need the pitocin but that my labor would probably be longer than it had been with Carter. I told Theo that if I had had some cervical changes and was making progress, I would still hold off on the epidural. But I was still the same and had only dilated 1 cm in about 4 hours, forget that, I want the epidural. Sure enough, I was still at 5 cm. I was hurting so bad that I couldn't imagine going for much longer without any pain relief. So I said, I'm ready for the epidural now.

At 12:45 the anesthesiologist came in. He looked young but he was friendly enough. He asked if Theo was the dad. I said yes of course. They were getting everything set up and Theo got to stay in the room with me. That was nice. I wasn't nervous about getting the epidural though. All I wanted was to stop hurting and to able to relax a little. I made a comment about "my husband something or another" and the anesthesiologist asked if we were married. I said "No, I'm married but he's just my baby's daddy!" And the doc said that I had made it seem that way and we all laughed. It was so funny! I was thinking DUH, of course this is my husband. But I guess you never know these days!

By 1:15, the epidural was in and I was immediately much more relaxed. I could still feel pressure and I wasn't completely numb (which is normal) but the pain was gone.

At 1:40, I was dilated to 9 cm and had bloddy show. I couldn't believe I had progressed that fast, but that is exactly what happened with Carter. Ten minutes later, I had the strongest urge to push, as if she were about to come out. But I didn't want to get the nurse just yet. My contractions were coming relaly close together. Finally, at 2:00, I said, please go get the nurse. She checked me and said I was complete. She called Dr. R. and said "We're about to have a baby!". I pushed a couple of times before Dr. R. came in. Man, it hurt! Dr. R was awesome though. She did a couple of things that prevented me from having an episotomy. I remember feeling like my face was about to explode as I was pushing. I remember the nurse, who was a little drill-instructor-like telling me to push, push harder, push her to the ceiling. That helped me so much though. My mom is holding one foot and the video camera (all filming was done tastefully, nothing I wouldn't show other people) and Theo is holding my other foot. I guess they didn't have stirrups on those beds or if they did, didn't want to use them. And then finally after 18 minutes of pushing, Olivia Gabrielle Elizabeth was born!


I remember Dr. R telling me to look down and see her and hold her but it took me a few minutes to register what she was saying. I was so relived to finally have given birth and when I held her, I just cried. I will never forget hearing my mom cry too and how exciting this must be for her too to watch her daughter have a daughter. I remember Theo got to cut the cord and when he clamped the scissors down, I said "Oww!" Dr. R laughed and said in her 18 years, she had never had anyone say that. I just wanted to play a joke on Theo. Olivia cried right away. The nursery nurse put her on the scale and she weighed 7#s 11 ounces. I couldn't believe how much bigger she was than Carter! I thought she would be because of how uncomfortable I had been. We all held her and passed her around and made lots of phone calls. What an amazing day!

After my bleeding was under control, we were sent to the postpartum wing and the nursery nurse had requested the "suite" for us. It was a huge room, mainly used for when hospital employees give birth and I was so lucky to have it. It had a queen sized bed, a dining room table with four chairs, a full sized couch. It was great. The nurses from that day were awesome! About 28 hours after she was born, we were on our way home. I couldn't wait to get back home to Carter. I didn't want to stay in the hospital one more minute even though it was a great hospital and we had a wonderful experience. I was just anxious to get our new life started.

When we got home, mom and Carter had made some signs for outside and hung balloons on the window. When Carter saw us, he started screaming excitedly and saying "Olivia is home!". What a sweetheart.

So now a month later, things are good. We are adjusting to life as a family of four. I miss being in Louisiana though close to that part of our family. But thankfully, I have a wonderful and very helpful husband who makes things so much better. And I have a God who is able to meet all my needs and who has brought me the greatest blessings in life. Happy one month birthday Olivia! We love you more than life itself.

Until next time.........

Update Part 2

I just got a call from the L&D charge nurse and she said they should have a bed available around 1:00 this afternoon. The only drawback is that my OB is not on call this evening so it will be one of her partners delivering the baby. Oh well! At this point, I'm ready to have her and don't care who delivers her as long as they are an OB. So we'll see. I'm trying hard not to get my hopes up just yet. They are supposed to call me back and let me know for sure when to come in. So if you don't hear from me again, I'm on my way to the hospital and will update more when I can.

No room at the inn

Or hospital in this case. I woke up at 4 a.m. to call the labor unit (or birthing center as it's known at this fancy place) and I was told there were no beds and there were 3 women sitting at home also waiting to come in. I should call back at 8:00. The women was sweet and told me not to worry. I thought sure, you're not 3 days over your due date and running out of time to have your mom here to help. So I didn't sleep much after that. Theo was asleep downstairs and so I marched down there and told him that he might as well turn off his alarm because we weren't going anywhere. Then I started crying. I was so frustrated. So I called again at 7:45 and was told the same thing. I asked her what happens if I go into labor on my own and she said they would "figure something out" and that right now "for the safety of me and my baby, it wouldn't be safe to come in right now". What does that mean? So I marched back upstairs where Theo was and started crying again. He let me just lay on his shoulder and get all of my sobbing out while Carter is standing at the foot of the bed crying and saying "Mommy, be happy! Don't cry. I will cheer you up". What a sweet boy. He doesn't like to see me upset. I tried to explain to him that it wasn't his fault and that I was sad because baby sister wasn't here yet. So I'm sitting here at the kitchen table, it's 8:40 a.m. I thought by this point, I would be well on my way to having a baby but that is not the case. I know I'm probably blowing things all out of proportion but I am so frustrated. I feel like I'm on a roller coaster and just when I thought I was going to get off, I have to go for another loop around the track. I didn't think it would be such an ordeal to have a baby for crying out loud!

Update

Had my doctor's appointment this morning. I am still only dilated 3 cm. She tried to get me admitted but the labor unit was full with scheduled c-sections and inductions so I wasn't able to go today. The plan as it stands now and is contingent upon the hospital having a bed available for me is to go in at 5 a.m. and be induced. She anticipates I will have the baby by lunch since I had such a quick labor with Carter. So that is that. I was quite emotional about it all this morning but after going for a long walk and chatting with God, I have a peace about just waiting it out. Even though I truly did not want to get induced, I feel God is teaching me that I am not in control and to trust His plans. Other than that, not much else to say. I hope I don't oversleep in the morning and hopefully by this time tomorrow, we will be parents again!

9*9*09

No news is NOT good news in this case. It's after 3 a.m. and I have been up for over an hour. I can't sleep. My mind is off in a million different directions. I keep willing myself to go into labor but so far that hasn't worked. Maybe I should have just taken the castor oil and been done with it. My OB appointment is in 6 hours and I'm not sure what to expect really. I am nervous about having to get induced. I think it's fear of the unknown. It's funny because I have heard women tell me they were nervous to go into labor on their own and would have rather been induced. And I'm the opposite I suppose. I truly thought Olivia would have been here on her own by now. I will admit that I'm a little disappointed that she is not but it's out of my control and I'm trying to trust God's timing.

Since I am already dilated and effaced some, I'm hoping and praying I won't have to have IV pitocin. I'm hoping she can either break my water and get things started or give me cytotec to thin out my cervix. I guess I'll have a better idea after my appointment. I'm hoping we can just go straight to the hospital and not have to come home and go through more waiting. I'm tired of waiting at this point. I just want Olivia to be here and for us to bring her home and start a new chapter of our lives as a family. I will try and blog more when I can...I think the hospital has wireless internet so I may be able to post pictures on my other blog. We'll see :) I'm hoping in 24 hours from now, we'll have a daughter!

Holdin' out

Mom will be here in 22 hours! It looks like Olivia (and God) listened to my prayers about wanting mom to be here when I go into full blown labor. I have been so much more relaxed today knowing that after tomorrow, I won't be so worried about who is taking care of Carter. My new friend from the neighborhood, Christine, offered from the get go to watch him. And I know he would be fine but he hasn't spent the night away from home in over a year and my mind would be much more at ease if I knew he was home with Omaw.

Today, I can't stop staring at Carter. I'm crying just thinking about it as I type that how any minute now, our lives are going to be so different and that it won't be just him and me anymore. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful to be having another baby. We always knew we wanted more children and I am so excited to be having a daughter. But for three years, it's just been the three of us. It's definitely bittersweet for me. I have spent almost every waking moment with Carter since I stopped working and I love watching him grow up. He blows my mind by how smart he is. He has an incredible imagination. He is so bright and such a sweet tenderhearted child (most of the time). Frequently he tells me he loves me or that he wants to love on me and hold me. Lately, he keeps asking me "Mommy, will you take care of me?" How could I not take care of you my precious son? After all, isn't that what being a mom (or dad) is all about?

I worry about not giving him the attention he needs after Olivia comes home. I worry that I'll be so consumed with caring for her that his needs won't get met. I worry that he'll think that he's not important to me. I just want to still be as good of a mother to him after having Olivia as I believe I am right now.

I love Carter so much that it hurts my heart sometimes. Even before I ever laid my eyes on his sweet little face, I loved him. When I was pregnant with him, I wrote a song for him. I'll try and post the words soon. I can't right now because I would like to stop crying. And since the day I first held him in my arms, my life has never been the same. I am not the same. I now know of a love that I had never known before. And watching Theo hold him for the first time made me fall in love with Theo so much more. Holding this miracle that the two of us created together with God was such a life changing moment for me. I know that holding Olivia for the first time will bring back those same feelings. I belive in my heart I will love her as much as I love him and with the same intensity. I don't know how not to fall in love with my babies.

I will admit that the beginning of this pregnancy was different. I didn't feel as connected to her as I did with Carter. I believe now that it was because I was so preoccupied with taking care of Carter that I didn't have every waking moment to focus on the life growing inside of me. I knew I loved her and that I wanted her but it was definitely different. After the 20 week ultrasound and shock of thinking she might not be born completely healthy, I had a much stronger connection to her. I have felt waves of guilt the past several weeks when I start to complain about how bad I feel and how I haven't enjoyed being pregnant as much this time. I don't want Olivia, God, Theo, or anyone else to think that I don't want her because I have never wanted anything more that to be mom. And after we had the third ultrasound and I saw her adorable little scrunched up face, I fell in love with her. It's not the same love I have for Theo. I can't say I love my babies more than my husband or husband more than my babies because they are different kinds of love. But I do love my children so much.....so much more than I love myself. I would do anything in the world for them. Even though there are hard days, I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I thank God daily for allowing me to be a mom. I'm so honored he entrusted the lives of Carter and Olivia to me and Theo. I can't imagine my life any differently. I owe all that I have to God.

More changes

This is going to be a short post just to update on my doctor's appointment (hopefully the last one until I'm 6 weeks postpartum!) I'm dilated 2-3 cms and effaced 60%! Yea! I'm hoping no more big changes until the weekend. But it is funny to think that when I was 3 cm with Carter, I was already in full blown labor, hurting like a son of a gun and begging for an epidural! Mayben this time won't be so bad. We'll see. The next post may hopefully be I'm on my way to the hospital or we have already had our precious baby girl. You may not hear from me again until then!! Exciting!

39 Weeks

Wow, it is exciting and scary to see the baby countdown say I only have 6 days left. SIX DAYS! Oh my goodness! I'm ready though. I made it through Carter's party and Theo's last 3-11 shift for a while. I'll be really really ready though when my mom steps off the airplane Saturday! I'm prayijng for no flight delays! I have been having more and stronger contractions but nothing that is regular. Last Wednesday night though I thought I might be in labor. I think I was just paranoid and anxious because Theo was working the late shift. I am really excited about my doctor's appointment tomorrow because I am certain things are happening down there! I go back and forth thinking I'll have her before her due date and then other times I think I'll end up having to be induced. But either way, in a week or so, she'll be here. That is so exciting! I can't believe we are starting over again. I bought a package of disposable diapers just to get us through the first few days so I don't have to worry about washing the cloth ones every day. It felt so strange to be buying diapers again! Carter asked if they were for him. Thankfully, NO! Anyway, not much else to report.

I bought some nursing bras yesterday and my mom sent me one. I need some nursing tank tops but the ones I looked at this weekend at Motherhood were a little more than what I wanted to pay. I will probably just order some online. I guess I need to drag the breastpump out and dust it off. I hope it still works. I don't plan on pumping for a while but I should at least see if it still works. It was a hand-me-down from my sis-in-law who also got it from another family member so it's quite old by now! Oh well, as long as it works, I don't care. I'm hoping that by the time Theo's parents come for Thanksgiving, she will be sleeping through the night (Olivia, not Theo's mom!) and maybe, just maybe, we can have a night away. That would be so great. Our alone time is virtually nonexsistent these days. I can't even sit in the bed with Theo in the mornings without Carter crying telling me not to "spend with daddy" (aka spend time with daddy) and to "come downstairs". He is so jealous of the time I try and spend with Theo. I told Carter this morning that he is in for quite a rude awakening when Olivia gets here. If he's jealous of 15 minutes I try to spend with Theo just talking, he is really gonna have a fit when I'm nursing around the clock and can't do anything with him!

I'll post the results of my doctor's appointment tomorrow if I get the chance. Pray for more changes but not too many before Saturday!

Changes

So finally, something is happening "down there"! I didn't want to post about my cervical dilation on facebook so I am putting on my blog! By now, I'm sure you all are okay with too much information :) I am dilated to 1 cm (after having a tightly closed cervix for the past four weeks) and I'm effaced around 30%! Yea. I prayed this morning for some encouragment that something would be changing and it was. I do think I'm having contractions......I feel like this is confirmed by the fact that I'm dilated a little. The contractions aren't very regular or too painful but sometimes they do stop me in my tracks. I lost a pound this past week but I think it was a scale error because the last week it said I had gained 4 pounds is 1 week. I've been eating junk food some but not that MUCH! I truly think I have gained about 23 pounds so far give or take a pound. My blood pressure is still really good. My back pain hasn't been quite as bad over the past 48 hours. Olivia hasn't been quite as active and when I told Dr. R. that, she said "I bet you are getting ready to go into labor." I don't know if baby's being less active is a sign of impending labor or not. I can't remember how much Carter was moving at this point. She is still kicking and squirming but she's probably running out of room and is not moving near as much as she was. But all is well, her heartbeat is still nice and strong. So, time will tell.

I asked Dr. R. about the castor oil and she didn't seem too excited about that option. She said if it got past my due date, we would discuss other options for helping me go into labor (besides pitocin!). Either way, since my mom is coming on the 5th and leaving the 13th, if I haven't gone into labor by the 10th, I will most likely be induced. I think Dr. R was okay with that plan b/c she understands I don't have any family here and it would be so much easier if I could have Olivia while mom was here. So again, either way, if I haven't gone into labor on my own, she will be here in TWO WEEKS! I started feeling a littel nervous about that today! But I'm really just excited and ready to meet her :)

Brotherly Love

38 weeks

Yeah, I'm feeling every bit of 38 weeks too. I definitely think she has dropped because I can overall breathe a little easier, I can eat more without feeling like I'm going to throw up, and I am having some awful back pain. The back pain seems to come when I am most tired (when I'm about to lay down with Carter for nap and at night). It's only on the right side but I have to contort my body into some strange positions just to get comfortable. My feet have been getting swollen too when I stand up for too long. And this moring, I woke up and my right eye is swollen. I told Theo my whole right side of my body is out of whack right now. Carter and I stayed home all day yesterday because I am just too tired. I'm going to attempt to take him out today so we both don't get cabin fever but we'll see. Right now, laying on the couch all day sounds like a better idea.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I am hoping I am having some cervical changes by now. I think I'm having a few contractions, but honestly I can't tell. I never really experience "early labor" with Carter. It was like once my water broke, all my contractions were equally strong and painful. There was no gradual progressions from what I can remember. I'm hoping this time will be a litle different but right now, I just want to have her! More women than not that I have talked to recently have told me how much they did not enjoy being pregnant so I'm trying not to feel mommy guilt about feeling the same way. Anyway, other than that, not much else is going on. I'm pretty much prepared for her to come home but I don't have any wipes or disposable diapers right now. We are using cloth but I may hold off on that for the first couple of weeks when I know I'll be out of my mind. I guess that's why I don't have any pampers. With Carter, I had a closet full of diapers before he ever came home and man we went through those things fast! I'm hoping Theo will install the carseat this week just in case. I'm so "whatever" this time around. And it's not that I'm not excited or want to be prepared, I'm just not near as OCD about it all this time. I guess that's good since I don't have the energy to be obsessive right now. I'll try and post tomorrow after my appointment.

She's So Beautiful!

What a joyful day this has been. We had an ultrasound of Olivia this morning...just so my new OB can take a look at things. The tech estimates that right now she weighs around six pounds. So I guess she will weigh very close to what Carter weighed (6 pounds and 7 ounces). I thought for sure she was bigger or at least longer! Everything looks great and we even got some 4D pictures of her sweet precious face. We have never had a 4D ultrasound before and it was truly amazing. It was such a blessing because our last ultrasound tech did not give us any good pictures although Olivia was doing all kinds of cute things (like holding her feet up by her mouth or pictures of her adorable profile) When I saw her, I just teared up. I told Theo that every moment of pain or discomfort or uncertainty is so worth it to know that in a few days, I'll be holding my daughter. Even as I type this, I am just crying because I am overwhelmed by how blessed we are. After our last ultrasound being overshadowed by something being wrong with her, today was such a joy. I am so thankful to God for everything He has given us. I am going to cherish these last three weeks I have with her growing inside of me but am so excited about getting to meet her face to face. In other good news, when the ultrasound tech asked us what her name was, Theo said "Olivia"! I was so excited. I guess that means he has finally agreed to her name....with still three weeks to spare. :) I can't decide if she looks like Carter or not. Without a 4D picture of him, it's hard to compare. Carter thinks she's cute too. When we got home and I put her pictures of her on the refrigerator, he said "Awwww, mommy she's so cute!" I hope he still thinks that in three weeks. He has been so sweet lately. Even this morning, he laid his head on my belly and said "I wanna love on baby sister". I'm praying it will last. :)

The Second Time Around

I have had this idea for a post floating in my head for a while now. I'm just surprised at myself how differently things have been this time. This is not a post about how much more uncomfortable I am so don't worry :) It's just being an "experienced" mom now has made this pregnancy and how I have responded to it very different. For starters.....

The first time, I read every single word of What to Expect When You're Expecting and any other pregnancy related book I could get my hands on. This time, I have read maybe two chapters out of all my books and figure I know everything there is to know.

The first time, I took 3 pregnancy tests just to make sure the test remained positive. This time, I only took one test....I just knew I was pregnant based on the way I felt.

The first time, Theo and I enjoyed taking lamaze classes. This time, we are much too busy chasing Carter around to hire a sitter weekly to attend birthing classes.

The first time, I was so excited about registering for baby things and constantdly updated my registry based on new things I thought I would need. This time, when my mom suggested registering so my family would know what to get me, I declined the offer thinking that it was going to be too much work carrying Carter around Baby Depot!

The first time, I had beautiful maternity pictures made and had them proudly displayed in our home. This time, although I wanted to have maternity photos made, I ran out of time and figured baby girl would understand. Besides, my belly is just not quite the same :)

The first time, I obsessed over the way I wanted my labor and delivery experiecne to be (i.e. not being induced, not having a c-section, etc). This time, induction at this point sounds GREAT and I'm learning God's timing and ways are perfect and not stress out about it too much.

The first time, I weighed myself constantly because I didn't want to gain too much weight. This time, I don't care and only check my weight at my doctor's appointments.

The first time, I was embarrassed to bare my pregnant belly on the beach while in Florida for fear of what people think. This time, I thought to heck with it....I'm not spending money on a maternity bathing suit so people will just have to deal with it.

The first time, I had Carter's room set up long before his due date. This time, although I would like to have Olivia's room all done, right now her crib is still in Carter's room and her bedding is laying on top of the pack and play.

The first time, I couldn't really relax at home with Carter because I was constantly worrying about keeping up with grad school. This time, I will not be worrying about school and will cherish every moment (well, most of them at least) being a stay at home mom to my two kids.

The first time, I fell in love with my baby as soon as I knew I was pregnant. This time, I did too and can't wait to meet her. God is so good and I'm blessed beyond measure.

36 weeks

I had my routine 36 week appointment this morning. My group B strep cultures came back negative. Yeah! That just means I won't have to have antibiotics at the time of delivery (unless something else pops up). I have gained about 21 pounds so far although I feel more like I've gained 81 pounds. I had received a letter from our insurance about being approved for all these different tests. So I asked Dr. R if she was planning on ordering any of them. One was a fetal echo....I thought maybe she wanted one since the baby had a echogenic intracardiac focus of the heart on her 20 week ultrasound (fancy word for bright spot on the heart that showed up on the ultrasound). She said she didn't think that was necessary since the quad screen came back normal. But she said she wouldn't mind seeing the baby (I'm assuming since she had not ultrasounded me before). So we will have an ultrasound and routine doctor's appointment next Tuesday. I'm excited about getting the see baby girl again! Our last ultrasound was so overshadowed by the fact that something could be wrong that I didn't get to enjoy it as much. I'm most curious to see how big she is. I feel like she is going to be bigger than Carter for sure.

I can not wait for her to be here. I won't ramble on and on about how truly uncomfortable I am......again. But I am ready to not be pregnant. I am ready to have her, hold her, nurse her, dress her in all of her little girly girl clothes. I am thankful that the end result of the pregnancy is going to be a beautiful baby girl but I will admit.....I haven't enjoyed being pregnant as much as I did the first time. Only because of how ughhhh I feel. Please don't get me wrong...it's TOTALLY worth it and there are thousands of women who will never have the chance to experience this. I AM grateful for the miracle of life God has given me. But this is my blog/journal and I'm just being honest. We still plan on having a third baby but at this point...maybe not quite as soon as I had originally planned.

So I'll post the results of my ultrasound next week. I can't believe in less than one month, she'll be here. I really don't want to be induced since I wasn't with Carter so if I get desparate enough...I may try the castor oil again. :) Maybe that's not what caused my water to break, but maybe it was. I'll be willing to try it again to avoid being induced. But if I have to be induced....I will. I really need to have her while my mom is here otherwise we won't have anyone to keep Carter. Here is me at 36 weeks:

35 Weeks

So it's been a little while since I made a post on this blog but I have been a little busy :). I am 35 weeks now and feeling about 45 weeks. I don't know if the altitude is making it hard for me to breathe or if it's because I look like I swallowed a watermelon. I have been surprised by how physically uncomfortable I am this time. Everything hurts. I mean everything....places that didn't hurt until after Carter was born already hurt. When my mom was here she got me a gift certificate for a massage and it was fabulous! I could get one everyday for the next five weeks if I could afford it.

I met my new OB last week. She is great but when I walked into the office, I felt like I was at LSU. And maybe that means I'm a snob but I have always gone to "private" clinics before and this was a huge shock for me. But since I'm so close to the end and didn't know where else to go, I decided to stay. I'm glad I did because Dr. R is going to be great. And as long as she takes good care of me and our baby, that is really all that matters. I go back tomorrow for my group B strep cultures. I'll be going on a weekly basis from here on out. The office is almost a half hour away from our houses and the hospital is even farther than that which is a little bit of a pain but oh well.

Yesterday I did some serious nesting after my parents left. It was like therapy for me. Her room is still not set up b/c we don't have furniture for Carter yet so he's still using the crib. We set up the pack and play, washed all her bedding, hung up all her clothes, gathered all of her adorable cloth diapers, washed the covers to the boucy chair, swing, carseat, and boppy. Wow, I can't believe we are about to start all over again! I'm trying not to focus on the sleepless nights, postpartum discomforts, sore, leaking boobs, nursing around the clock, diaper changes every one to two hours, possibly a jealous big brother, and the hormonal wreck I will be (even more so than now which is scary!). I know she is so worth it and we will fall into a routine just like I did with Carter. This time will be easier in some ways because I won't have the stress of grad school to deal with, but harder in other ways with taking care of Carter and baby sister and not having family close by. But I trust God and know he had baby girl picked out for us since the beginning of time. And I'm still thinking about baby #3 so as long as I haven't given up on that plan, I'm in good shape. Now six weeks from now, I may be ready to say "Two kids is enough" but I feel in my heart we are supposed to have at least three. Anyway, now I'm just rambling.....I'll try and post tomorrow after my OB appointment if anything eventful happens.

32 weeks

This is my 31 week belly with Carter: I think I'm a little bigger this time around.



I had my routine 32 week appointment this morning. Everything is going along great. Nothing has really changed other than my weight! I gained 5 pounds in the past two weeks but I hadn't gained any weight at the last visit so I guess it's more like 5 pounds over 4 weeks. :) That didn't stop me from going to Sonic for a chocolate milkshake. Yuuuuummmmmy! Dr. B said her heartrate is good and that she is head down and will most likely stay head down until she's born. So I guess it's her little feet that I feel under my ribs all the time. I'm getting bigger and bigger everyday. My belly button is not really a belly button anymore. When I poke around it, it turns into an outie belly button! I can't wait to meet her! Hopefully we will have decided on a name by the time we get to Colorado...Theo promised me that anyway :) We'll see.

31 weeks

Wow, I'm in the single digits in terms of weeks left to go! I'm ready...well, not officially because I don't want the baby to come before she's due but I am ready to meet her. I'm pretty uncomfortable these days. I don't remember having this much trouble catching my breath when I was pregnant with Carter but this time, I huff and puff constantly. Our AC is not working right now which makes it doubly more uncomfortable.

My sweet friend Katie, who is also pregnant (due a few weeks after me) came over last week. She is having another boy so she brought me a lot of girl stuff that she had bought when she was pregnant with her first baby and didn't find out the baby's gender. There is some really cute stuff! She also made baby girl an adorable burp cloth. She loves to embroider things and is incredibly talented. I will miss her and her family when we move. Carter and her little boy have been playing together a lot lately and I know he will miss his little friend when we move too.

Other than that, things are going as expected. I am now going to the doctor every two weeks. My last appointment with my doctor here will be July 14th and then I'll get to meet my new Colorado doctor. At my last visit (this past Tuesday), I've only gained 13 pounds but I don't know if that's true. I feel SOOOOO much bigger than that. I'll try and post a belly picture soon. I feel like my skin is being stretched to the max and I still have two more months to go!

Shower of Blessings

On Father's Day, we had a combined baby shower for us and father's day lunch. I wasn't sure if I would be having a baby shower this time around since we didn't really need anything other than girl stuff. But man, I'm glad I got to have another shower :)



Mom and Dad to be (again)



Let me say, I have a great group of women in my family. The "older" generation (my mom, aunts, and grandmother) are so talented. Each one of them can do/make something that is homemade. I treasure those gifts so much.



My mom went all out of course and bought baby's cloth diapers, lots of nursery decor, even more baby clothes, and some homemade things too.





My aunt Laney made the baby a fleece outfit that has a hole for the carseat snap too. She embroidered it herself and it says "Baby, it's cold outside". Baby girl will definitely get a lot of use out of it in the mountains.


My other aunt knitted a beautiful purple blanket and grandmother crocheted one. Carter still uses his homemade blankets given to us years ago.





My sister in law, Kayla, had a beautiful dress made for me (courtesy of a friend of hers) and matching accessories. My sister in law, Catie, gave me lots of adorable baby clothes. My brother gave me a beautiful newborn outfit with matching booties (the tiniest I have ever seen!)







We also had some yummy food....wraps for lunch, homemade peach ice cream and casino cakes. Carter of course loved those.....just like his mommy!




So once I got everything home, spread it all in Carter's room and tried not to cry, I packed it up so it would be ready to move in just four short weeks. I can't wait to get her room all set up. I know I've probably said this already but she is going to have the absolute cutest room ever!!

I finished my first sewing project. I had posted a picture of the front of the outfit on my other blog but thought it might be more appropriate on this blog. With a lot of help (or coaching as my mom said), I finished it yesterday! I will post a picture of it hopefully when Carter is napping. I'm so thrilled! I have always wanted to learn how to sew. My grandma would be so proud of me :)

Self Portraits: 28 1/2 weeks

I passed!

Today I had my 28 week appointment and my glucose screening test for gestational diabetes. I passed! Yeah. But just in case I hadn't and would not be able to eat junk food for 12 more weeks, I had two brownies and a rather large piece of Theo's strawberry cake last night :)

I have gained 13 pounds so far (3 of those were probably from the brownies and cake!) I will now go for appointments every two weeks instead of four. Carter behaved himself rather well today while at the doctor. So I guess I'll just keep taking him with me until it's time to start checking my cervix! There are just certain things a boy should not see his momma do (or have done to her).

My family is hosting a baby shower for us Sunday in conjunction with Father's Day lunch! I'm so excited. I love baby showers....especially my own.

I'm doing some serious nesting and trying to get baby girl's room all set up without actually setting it up since the packers will be here in one month! I'm finding all sorts of things that go so perfectly with her bedding. She is going to have the cutest nursery ever! Carter's was really cute but hers is going to be fabulous.

Other than that, not much new to report. I'm getting bigger by the day (by the minute it seems at times) and waiting to meet our precious daughter. Theo and I are still trying to decide on a name but I don't think she'll officially have one until we are in the hospital delivering her!

It's here!

No, not the baby. Obviously way too early for that but also, I wouldn't refer to her as "it":) I'm talking about her bedding! In case you forgot, this is the one I chose. It was initially my favorite and I couldn't resist it.

I have been checking the UPS website everyday to see where it is and when Carter and I got home last night, there was a huge box on the door step from the circle store (Target). I must say it is too cute! Mom, Carter and I are headed out in a little bit to look at some baskets I found at Michael's that I think may match perfectly! Sooooo exciting :)

Yesterday, I also ordered a sling. I plan to wear her as opposed to pushing her in the stroller a lot more than I did with Carter. I ordered it from hotslings.



I'm also doing to cloth diaper thing this time too. I'll be honest, it's not so much for environmental reasons (which is a plus) as it is for monetary reason. Cloth diapers are a hefty expense upfront but in the long run, they pay off. These are the ones I am going with



from bum genius.

So that is the latest in all things baby girl. Time is flying! Only a little more than 12 weeks and she'll be here. Wow! I'm doing some major nesting right now even though she doesn't have a room to nest in and won't until the end of July. So until then, I'm collecting things to fill the room with eventually! Fun times!

Week 27

Time is flying by so fast now. I can't believe I only have 13 more weeks to go. It seems like this pregnancy is going by faster than my first pregnancy. I think I have gained more weight to but that is probably in part of all of the eating out I did while in Florida.

Over the weekend, I spent the day with my mom. I was trying to get her feel baby girl move. My mom felt her and said she was having hiccups. I guess I didn't realize it but that is definitely what it was. A little repetitive jump. Carter had those ALL the time! I would see my belly poke out barely over and over with him and it seems baby sister is following in her big brother's footsteps.

I finally ordered her bedding, I went with the bubblegum. I think I will be very happy with it. I obviously won't get to set her nursery up until the very end once we're settled in Colorado but I'm at least getting the stuff I want ordered. She will use Carter's furniture since it has the crib, changing table, dresser and rocker. And Carter will get a big boy bed once we move.

I am having a family shower on Father's Day and really can't think of anything I need. I kept everything we had from Carter. She will need a bassinet/cradle but I haven't got around to picking one out yet. I truly do have everything else except girl clothes (which I do have, but could always use more).

My next appointment is one week from Tuesday. Then I will have to start going every two weeks. I imagine I'll make an appointment with my new doctor in Colorado quickly after we get there. If you want to see where I'll be having baby girl, click here.

Week 26

I took a blogging hiatus last week while out of town. The only new belly pics I have to show are from the beach. They are a little more revealing than what I usually post but I wanted you all to see how big I'm getting :)



I decided this time, I was going to be proud of my pregnant belly and not worry about wearing a maternity bathing suit. It was so hot down there that I'm glad I wore a bikini. Most of the pregnant women I saw down there were wearing bikinis too so I didn't feel so bad.

I don't have much new to report. I did find a doctor in Colorado who is willing to take me that late in my pregnancy so that is a huge relief to me. My next OB appt here is in a couple of weeks and I have to have the gestational diabetes test done then. Hopefully, that will all come back fine. I don't know what I'd do if I had to say goodbye to Ben and Jerry. It's funny though but this pregnancy, I have eaten more fruit than I probably have in my whole life. I still can't manage to squeeze in as many veggies as I'd like but I'm definitely getting plenty of fruit. I don't even want to know how much weight I've gained after having been out of town for almost two weeks and eating out every day. Ugh, I feel so blah right now and am in desperate need of a good home cooked meal! Fortunately, I'm going out to mom's later this week for my birthday meal! Yea, finally some good home cooking!

Week 24

I don't have too much new to report. I have a regular appointment tomorrow. I have no idea how much weight I have gained because I haven't been keeping up with it lately. I think I'm a little scared to find out since my new found love affair with Ben and Jerry's has taken over my body!

After watching the film of Carter's birth today, I am getting really excited about bringing home our daughter. Not that I haven't been excited but it was so neat to watch all we went through giving birth and then bringing home Carter. I love the age that Carter is now (most of the time!) but I didn't realize how much I missed the newborn period until I watched Carter on film as a newborn and little infant.

I pray I will cherish every moment with all of our children, even the bad ones and difficult ones. I will never get the time back so I want to make the most of every moment we have as a family. Being a stay-at-home mom has really shown me where my priorities are. I'm so blessed to be able to stay home with Carter and our baby girl and witness their lives change before my very eyes. I don't want to blink for fear of missing something.

My New Love Affair

Shhhh, don't tell anyone. I'm in love with Ben and Jerry!



Let's hope this love affair ends with baby girl being born. Otherwise, I'll weigh 200 pounds by Christmas! On that note, I better do my yoga today while Carter is napping!

Baby Bedding

Ok, well I thought I had decided which bedding we would get for baby girl roly poly.



But then last Friday, at JCPenney's, I saw this:


They are obviously both very similar and made by the same company, Banana Fish. But which one do you like best? Please let me know. Thanks!

Week 23

The feeling that time is really flying by hit me yesterday! The first half of my pregnancy didn't seem to go by particulary fast but now, especially now that I'm feeling better, things are speeding up quickly! I am enjoying more and more everyday being pregnant. Although I can't wait to meet our beautiful daughter, I am not wishing away the days of being pregnant.

Little blueberry now has a new nickname since we are still undecided on what her actual name will be....roly poly! I'm telling you, this girl tumbles around like crazy! This morning during church, I promise I thought she was doing a handstand. I couldn't help but jerk and grab Theo's arm, praying people around me didn't notice and think I was possessed :)

According to Baby Center , this is what roly poly is up to these days...
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Life on the Inside

As I have previously posted, I absolutely love feeling baby girl move around inside of my womb. In the past couple of weeks, Theo has really been able to feel her move too. I feel like it's such a bonding experience for all three of us. I wish Carter had the patience to lay his hand on my belly for a few minutes but he's not too that point yet!

It's such a comfort to know that God is forming this baby's parts according to his will. It's such a blessing to know God ordained her life from the beginning of time. It's such a miracle to be able to create another life.

I daydream about her all the time. It's different this time because I know she's a she. With Carter, I always wondered if he was a boy or girl so my daydreams were always a little vague. And now that I know what it's like to be a mom, give birth, breastfeed, raise a toddler, my daydreams are much more specific this time. I of course picture our beautiful daughter in my arms and then later as she's a little older and can wear all of the adorable clothes I have gotten for her.

This time, I'm a lot less nervous about everything. I am anxious about finding a doctor who will take me so close to delivery. I'm anxious about having our new house ready in time for her to come home. I'm not anxious about giving birth. I'm not anxious about whether I have to get induced or not, or if I have to have a c-section. I'm not anxious about recovering after birth. I'm not anxious about waking up all hours of the night. I'm not as anxious about breastfeeding. God blessed me so much with Carter. I know I was a bit idealistic with him but I really did pray not to have to be induced or have a c-section. I prayed that I would experience my water breaking in the middle of the night and us frantically trying to get to the hospital. I know that may sound silly, but that is what I thought childbirth would be like and I wanted that experience for myself. And you know what? God answered my prayers. So this time around, I'm not wishing or hoping for anything other than a safe and on-time delivery and a healthy beautiful daughter.

Random photo

I know this is a funny picture but today as Carter and I were going for a walk, I figured I better take a picture of my newly painted toenails since I don't know how much longer I'll be seeing my feet. In fact, in order to get most of my feet in the picture, I had to bend over! Goodbye pretty pink toenails. I'll see you in October.

22 weeks

The time is really starting to fly by now. I can't believe I'm over the halfway mark. I am loving feeling my baby girl move/kick/swim around! Last night, I know I spent a good 15 minutes just staring at my belly watching her body parts make my belly jump. She must have loved all the food I ate at Omaw's house yesterday!

Things are somewhat different this pregnancy. I am more uncomfortable at this stage of my pregnancy then I was with Carter. I don't remember feeling out of breath and feeling stretched apart across my ribs this early before. I don't think I'm that much bigger judging by my belly pics with Carter (ok, maybe a little bigger but I think my new camera adds 10 pounds!) but I definitely feel a lot bigger. I think for sure my boobs are bigger :) I don't expect that to last post-breastfeeding though! I told my friend Georgette this morning that I haven't enjoyed being pregnant as much as I did the first time. But I guess the more accurate thing to say is I do enjoy being pregnant, especially knowing the outcome will be our precious daughter but the novelty is obviously not there this time. I do however, LOVE feeling her move. I will never get tired of that, no matter how many kids we have.

I also don't plan on getting back on birth control pills....ever. I know that is a drastic statement to make and Theo and I have been discussing our "options" but I don't think we're done having kids yet so it's not much of an issue at this point. Since I wasn't able to breastfeed Carter as long as I originally wanted to and because my milk supply was terribly low even from the start, I'm for sure not getting on any type of hormonal birth control until I'm done breastfeeding. I'm not sure if that contributed to my low milk supply, but I want to eliminate all potential factors. Also, my not being in full-time graduate school doing clinicals a couple of days a week will also help I'm sure. I think the main reason I didn't have enough food for little man was because of the pure stress of trying to do it all and the pressure I put on myself to be a perfect mom. I have definitely let some of that go! I will have enough stress to deal with this time (remember, we’re moving across the country about 5 weeks before my due date) so I’m not going to add any more stress by trying to be perfect. I feel God has blessed me with my mothering abilities, they are a gift from God, and although I’m far from perfect, I’m doing a pretty good job if I do say so myself. Just don’t tell anyone we let Carter pee in the front yard this weekend! Shhhh…..





Carter's belly pic. What do you think? Am I bigger now? Uh, yeah, I think I am after looking at these photos!!

Dinner is served

I really am one of those pickles and ice cream kinds of pregnant women, although not that I ate them at the same time :) Yuck! Ironically, I spent the better half of the afternoon researching healthy eating, pregnancy fitness, organic food and organic baby food. But then like a freight train, a craving hit me around 8:00 last night. I said to Theo "I think I need to run an errand." He replied, "This late?" I in turn said "Yes, to dairy queen". He then offered to go for me but not before we spent 30 minutes looking at the DQ menu online and figuring all of the calories/fat in their various food items. Don't ask me why we did this but we ended up getting a huge kick out of it and laughing at the amount of calories they are able to cram into their foods.

So instead of a real dinner, this is what I had to eat last night:



Afterwards, I was in a sugar induced coma for the remainder of the evening. Now, today, I'm off to grocery shop for healthier foods for me/baby girl and Carter. Oh yeah, and Theo too but he already eats way more healthy than we do. I am pregnant though afterall so that must make it okay to eat 1000 calories of ice cream for dinner, right?

She Said WHAT?

So the other night, Theo and I were flipping through the channels and saw a program on discovery health about women who gave birth who never knew they were pregnant. Well as a former NICU nurse, this is definitely something I had seen before but these moms I dealt with were usually drug addicts and not all there. So I wanted to see what these women on the show were like. All of them looked fairly normal, not like drug addicts at all but I couldn't believe what they were saying.

The first girl was young when she gave birth at 30 weeks. She swore she only gained a few pounds and never knew she was pregnant. WHAT??? After having been pregnant twice now, how in the world could you not know you were pregant? Even if you had what you thought was a period every month or even periodically, how do you explain the swollen breasts, constant need to urinate, and the BABY moving around inside of you. And this chick was tiny. She only weighed 99 pounds before getting pregnant and was 110 pounds at delivery. They showed pictures of her two months before the baby was born and she didn't look really pregnant. But I still don't understand how you could feel your baby kicking and swimming around, which they do a lot by 30 weeks, and not think "Hmmmm, this is different. I wonder what I'm feeling". I mean sheesh!

Anyway, I was so appalled by these stories that I thought I'd share with you. Oh, and FYI, the second woman was a little overweight but had already have a couple of kids. How then do you not recognize being pregnant? Oh well, thankfully I am well aware of my baby growing inside of me. No surprise births for me! :)

Braxton Hicks already?

I really think I'm already having Braxton Hicks contractions. I remember being in Dallas the first time I had them with Carter. I had gone on a girlfriends weekend getaway and we were walking through the mall when I told my friend Kim "My belly keeps getting really tight". She told me I was probably having Braxton Hicks. I said, "No way, I'm only 26 weeks". I later found out that women have contractions from very early on but the uterus is not big enough to feel them early on. Well, I guess I got a big ol' womb because these contractions have been coming pretty frequently tonight. I also notice they are stronger when I have a full bladder. It's a little uncomfortable but NOTHING like the real contractions. I have never felt pain like that before. :) But fortunately, I was only in labor with Carter for 5 hours. Who knows, if this baby comes quicker, I may be having a home birth in the bath tub. Just kidding! I am not one of those kind of moms. I want my epidural and nurses to wait on me. But mostly, I want the drugs. Theo and I took lamaze classes the first time. I would have liked to tried a natural childbirth with Carter but once my water broke, the pain just wouldn't let up. Who knows, I may get brave and try it with this baby but I doubt it. I want to be comfortable. Anyone who knows me knows how much I value my comfort!

Week 21

I can't believe I'm over the halfway point. I feel hugely pregnant. I am already uncomfortable, can't breathe/move after large meals and am going to the bathroom every 30 minutes. But this is all so worth it because I know the outcome is our precious baby GIRL! I still can't get over the fact we're having a daughter. Theo is thinking of investing in a shotgun for her teenage years (Just kidding! Well, sort of)

Here is what is going on with little princess this week:
How your baby's growing:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

God is so good

As I'm sitting in church this morning and feeling baby girl move and swim around, I am reminded of just how good God is. I just weep everytime I think about how he has kept my babies safe. Both pregnancies I have gone through a trying time and had to wait on a single lab test to determine our child's outcome. Even if our daughter was going to be born with Down's syndrome, I still proclaim that God is good. He knows every moment of my children's lives and determined their course before the beginning of time. Even though I don't deserve his faithfulness, he still continues to poor out his blessings over me, and especially my children. I am no longer worried or anxious about our daughter's health. I have a peace that passes all understanding and it ONLY comes from my heavenly Father. Thank you Lord for being so good to me.

Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

In which I blog about clothes

I have an obsession. I have been dealing with it since Theo and I got married. I am addicted to baby girl clothes. If you look in Carter's closet, you'll see proof of that. I have been buying baby clothes since we got married. It is like I always knew I would have a daughter. Well, now that this face has been confirmed, the obsession has gotten worse. MUCH worse. Just ask my husband, who happens to be paying for this obsession. I wanted to show you some pictures of what baby girl has aquired over the past week. The pink and brown outfits/layette are from Aunt Meredith. The rest are dresses that I have found on sale over the past couple of days. She won't be able to wear them for a while but that's okay. Anyone who knows me knows I like to plan things ahead!








_____________________________________________________
I mentioned in an earlier post that my Aunt Laney has always made me some maternity clothes since she is quite the seamstress. This is one outfit. I don't know if you can tell by the picture but the belt around the blouse matches the pants! I wore it today and got some "That is so cute" comments! Thanks Aunt Laney!

Big Announcements and the roller coaster ride with it

So as you all know, we went in for our high risk ultrasound last Tuesday. The reason for the high risk US was because of Carter's heart defect. We also were able to find out little blue berry's gender and surprise....


IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!

I just started crying when the tech told us that. I guess I always assumed we'd have a daughter (as evidenced by all of my pink blog backgrounds and obsession with girl baby clothes)! But lately, I wasn't so sure. I came to the point where I truly felt I would be as excited with another boy and I would a girl. But I am thrilled to be having a daughter! I know how close I am to my mom and want that same relationship with my daughter. I would post the US pics but the tech did not really give us good ones and the pics we have don't do our precious daughter justice. At one point, we could see her hands and feet up by her mouth. She is quite the flexible one. She didn't get that from me.

We also had some other news during the ultrasound. Theo and I had decided not to share this with anyone until we knew the outcome of things. The doctor told us our daughter had a "bright spot" on her heart and something with her feet called "sandal gap deformity". I wasn't too worried about it honestly until he said those are markers for Down's syndrome. I won't go into all the details but I had chosen previously not to have the quad screen (the blood test that checks for risks of Down's and a couple of other things). So after this visit, I did go ahead and get the quad screen and praise God, it was normal. Let me tell you, I can't begin to tell you how hard this experience was for me and Theo. I prayed and cried like never before. But God is faithful and answers prayer. I would still proclaim this even if the outcome had been different. Needless to say, I was on a roller coaster last week. But I'm done riding for now and am so excited to meet our daughter in 20 more weeks! Now I'm off to surf the net for baby clothes!

Week 18

One more week until the ultrasound!! Can you tell I'm excited. Well little blueberry has grown into a bell pepper. He or she is really moving a lot! It's so neat to feel the baby. I'll be happy when daddy and Carter can feel baby move too. After having a really disturbing dream this weekend, I am praying harder than before for the health and well-being of this baby. I know this baby's life is in God's hand and He is forming all of his or her parts perfectly and in exact accordance to His will. Thank you Lord for that.

From womb news....check out In news from the womb, check out Baby Center.

How our baby's growing:
Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound (let's hope not!!)

This was my 18 week pregnant belly with Carter. A little smaller, huh?

Week 17

Not much has changed in the past week. I am rapidly expanding. And my weight on the scale proves it! I am passed my pre-pregnancy weight. No more regular clothes for this prego. Also, my mom and Aunt Laney made me some maternity clothes! They are too cute! My aunt is quite the seamstress. I can't wait to wear them. And when I do, I'll take pictures and post them. Two more weeks until we find out if Carter is having a baby brother or sister! I am soooo excited.

In news from the womb, check out Baby Center. ....baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

OB appt/Ultrasound date

Had a routine appt yesterday. Everything is going well. I have gained 1 pound according to their scale. I also got my level 2 ultrasound scheduled. This was challenging since Theo and I are both going out of town during two separate times. But praise the Lord, I'm scheduled for the ultrasound April 14th, which is the day Carter and I leave to go visit Aunty Meredith! I'm so excited. This is several days than I had originally expected to go. Other than that, not much new. I'm definitely feeling little baby move. I haven't been sick in a few weeks so I'm much more excited about being pregnant now!

Week 16

Gosh, it's hard to believe I'm already 4 months pregnant. But when I glance down at my enlarging belly, it's not too hard to believe! Things are going along just fine. I'm feeling tired but well. I'm still below my pre-pregnancy weight so that will help in the long run prevent me from gaining a whole lotta weight. I am feeling the baby move. It's mostly little flutters but in the mornings, the baby is usually balled up on one side of my belly and when I put my hand over the spot, I can feel something moving. It's neat. I have a routine doctor's appt Wednesday and then 4 more weeks until we find out the baby's gender! I'm telling you...I can't wait!

Here is what's going on this week: Check it out at Baby Center .

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Week 15

Short and sweet post. I'm posting Sunday instead of tomorrow because Carter and I will be on the road tomorrow visiting our friends. More to come when we get back from our trip in a few days. Here is what is going on with Baby P this week...little blueberry is now an apple! :)

How your baby's growing:
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-15-weeks_1104.bc

Week 14

I'm officially in my second trimester now! Praise the Lord. God is good. I'm feeling good, getting big, crusin right along. Here is what is going on with little baby this week:

(www.babycenter.com)
This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Maternity Clothes

Ahhhh, let me tell you how much more comfortable I am now that I've crossed over into wearing my maternity clothes again. I can actually breathe, walk and talk at the same time. I am much bigger much faster this pregnancy. I can hardly believe it. I am already getting shortwinded, especially after a big meal. I feel HUGE! I'm hoping this rapid growth phase won't keep up for another 26 weeks or I might just look like an elephant before it's all said and done with! I wil admit that in the back of my mind, I keep thinking "Was the ultrasound tech sure there weren't two in there?"

My sweet mom brought over a ton of new maternity clothes she bought for me courtesy of ebay! She had already provided most of my maternity wardrobe from before. We went to Dallas one weekend while I was pregnant with Carter and went on a shopping spree. My aunt Laney was still living in Dallas at the time so we stayed with her. It was such a fun trip and I won't ever forget it! This time, I got the shopping trip without the trip. Thanks mom for all you do!

As I was trying to get all of my maternity clothes hung up and organized in my closet over the weekend, Carter decided he wanted to help. So he put on a couple of my tank top shirts except one he was wearing like pants.