Au Naturel, Part 2

We get to the doctor's office and I literally run in.  I bypass the front desk, the waiting room, and everyone in between to find my sister.  She has the NST hooked up and I immediately have a contraction.  She says that was a "good one" and I want to hit her because no contraction should ever be classified as a "good one".  After looking everywhere, she couldn't find any doctors or any nurse practitioners to check my cervix but the office manager, my doctor's wife, had seen me and said to take me on over to the hospital (right across the way).

After the bumpiest ride of my life, I get to the hospital and am quickly reminded how lucky I am that my sister works in the capacity that she does.  I bypass registration and go straight to Labor and Delivery.  They immediately get me into a room and I get undressed.

The first nurse checks me and tells me "she doesn't feel my cervix" but wants to get another opinion.  At this point I thought she meant I was still like 1-2 cm dilated and I was not happy.  A second nurse comes in and agrees, adding that she feels a bulging bag of water.  I look up at Megan, my sister, to ask what that means.  She says, "Um, like you're a 10 and you're going to have this baby soon!"

All I could think was, "NO EPIDURAL?"  I began to cry, saying that I couldn't do this.

Megan said, "Yes you can!" and that was just the motivation I needed.  I knew I could, I just also knew I would have never chosen this method.  One of the nurses asked me if I'd like an epidural and I said "YES".  She never answered and I'm sure that's because the only thing she could have replied with would have been, "nanny-nanny, boo-boo, you don't get one!"  I'm sure it was the bitty.  As a matter of fact, she said that she wasn't even going to do an I.V. because there was just no time.  Now that didn't bother this needle-a-phob too much.  I was going to get to have a baby with no needles?  Fantastic.  Of course they took blood right about that same time.  So much for my needle-free birth.

As I was still waiting for the doctor (and Wes for that matter) I look over and see my mom facing the wall.  I ask one of the nurses to ask her to leave.  My sister overhears and asks my mom to wait outside.  I later apologized to my mom and she said she understood and that mothers shouldn't watch their daughters give birth - she and I are a little ore sensitive and emotional than others though.

My doctor finally arrives and begins suiting up.  Each contraction is getting more intense but I know I just have to keep my eye on the prize.  I had 2 nurses that couldn't have been more different.  One was younger and a great coach, supporter, teacher.  The other was older, told me I was doing everything wrong, and was not a good encourager.  The younger girl doesn't even have any children but she could teach the old bitty a thing or two about catching more bees with honey than vinegar!

The doc checks me and says the baby is facing the wrong way and that's why I've been having so much back labor.  He breaks my water and then tries to flip the baby.  He wasn't successful and said he'd do it once I started pushing (He later told me it was probably a good thing that he was turned around or I probably would have delivered the baby in the car on the way to the hospital!).  Once my water was broken I was told to push when I felt the urge.

For a while, all I could think about was how that big baby was going to come out of me and how was I going to live to tell about it.  I reassured myself that plenty had done it before me and I wouldn't be the last either.  Several pushes later one of the nurses asked me if I had had a lot of heartburn.  I said no.  She said, "Well wait until you see this hair!"

A few more pushes and I heard the most beautiful cry.  Next I saw the most beautiful face and knew all my hard work was worth it.  Suddenly the pain disappeared and all I could feel was sheer joy and love.  My reward was to get to hold him immediately on my chest, cheese and all.  My doctor handed me the scissors and said I got to cut the umbilical cord.

Where was Wes you ask?  Well he didn't make it in time to see any of the delivery.  He had Colin and they had to park on the roof of the parking garage.  Unlike my doctor, who had literally thrown his car in park in the emergency lane, with his flashers on, Wes doesn't break any rules.  There would be no way he'd park anywhere like a fire lane, a handicap space, make up a space, etc.  Gotta love his honesty.  He got there about 1 minute after Sawyer was born.  He felt bad, I know.  And now that just adds to our story!

So that's it.  I labor alone at home, get to my doctor's office about 8:20 the next morning, get wheeled to the hospital about 8:30, start pushing about 8:45, and have the baby at 9:06.  All in a mornings work.  Now that's the way to do it!  I'm not sure I'd advise anyone cutting it quite as close as I did but it all worked out in the end.  I never would have thought I'd be able to pull off an au naturel delivery but I'm super proud that I did and have little to no recovery because of it.

For those of you who have stuck with this incredibly long post, here's your reward - another picture.  I thought I'd post one with Wes since he got dogged a bit in this story.  There's nothing sweeter than seeing such a wonderful daddy getting to hold his son for the first time!

Au Naturel, Part 1

As promised, here's the birth story of precious little Sawyer.  It's a good thing he's so handsome because there were definitely some questionable moments on that fateful Tuesday morning.  Back to the story...

My actual due date was Monday, July 12th.  I had an appointment that morning and was hooked up to the NST monitor to make sure we were getting good movements.  All was well on that front.  Then I went for an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and again, everything was just fine.  We briefly talked about induction and I was told to call on Wednesday if I wanted to schedule for Thursday or Friday.  My sister looked at me and told me there was no way I could wait until Wednesday and expect to get on his schedule the next day.  So after much debate back and forth between Thursday and Friday, Wes and I ultimately decided Thursday would be the big day.

Off I go to work.  I joked with everyone that I was still there and as I left for the day, I said I would see them all tomorrow.  Fast forward to Monday night around 9:30pm.  I had my first contraction.  I didn't think anything of it.  If anything, I was excited because my sister had been asking me for weeks whether or not I had experienced any yet and I always had to reply "no".  As a side note, I never experienced the first contraction with Colin until I was induced so I really didn't know what I was waiting to feel.  So I continued to have sporadic contractions about every 30-45 minutes for the next couple of hours.  I kept hoping in my mind that I didn't go into labor in the middle of the night because I didn't want to have to wake my mom, my sister, or my doctor.  Then I began to wonder if any of them would even hear the phone ring if I did call.  I think I must have drifted off to sleep dreaming of all the possibilities because I don't think I woke up again until 1ish.  I recall getting up like every 30 minutes to go to the bathroom but that wasn't that far off track from any other night.  Every time I woke up it seemed I was having another contraction but they weren't bad enough for me to want to do anything about them.

About 4:30am I woke up and tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position.  I began talking to myself again (apparently I do this a lot) and told myself that I would wait until 5am and then go make Colin's lunch for school that day.  I had forgotten to make it the night before and I guess I didn't think anyone was competent enough to make it in my absence.  

So at 5am, I trek downstairs and realize standing up actually felt better and eased some of the discomfort.  Now would be a good time to mention that I felt every contraction primarily in my back and then it would round around to the front - I later learned this was because he was facing the wrong way.  I make Colin's lunch and decide to spend the next hour on the couch watching the morning news.  Did you know they tell the weather about a dozen times over the course of an hour?  Maybe it was just a slow news day but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to recite the forecast for July 13th for the rest of my life!  

I decide to try to tough it out on the couch until 6am, at which time I decide to go back upstairs to bed.  I prop my pillows up and again begin talking to myself.  I convince myself that I'll wait until 6:30 to wake Wes up to tell him about my contractions.  Yes, you read that right, he knew nothing of what was happening up until this point.  I figured if I really was in labor a) there was nothing he could do and b) we would both be sleep deprived in a matter of hours and so I thought I'd let at least one of us sleep through it.  

At almost 6:30 on the dot, I had another contraction.  This one was a little more intense and he woke to me breathing through it.  He asked if that was me having a contraction or if it was "him"?  I said it's a contraction and he asked if I thought today might be the day.  I said I didn't know and he rolled back over and went to sleep.  Apparently that wasn't how I should have answered that question!  I laid there a little longer and then decided to get up to get ready.  

I was pretty sure I wasn't going in to work, at least right away, but I wanted to at least be presentable in case I did end up going to the hospital or perhaps work later.  I washed my hair, put my makeup on, and dried my hair, all while Wes was still in bed.  I think I finally came out and told him I was pretty sure we were going to have this baby today.  That got him out of bed but Wes doesn't exactly move stealthily - EVER!  Actually while I was getting ready, the contractions had slowed down and I thought maybe I would go to work and just see how the day went.  I came out and took Colin downstairs to fix his breakfast.  I'm pretty sure this was the point where I knew there was no turning back.  

I called my sister at 7:30am and she didn't answer.  She called back in a matter of minutes and I told her I was having contractions.  She asked how far apart they were and I said they were sporadic and some were 2-3 minutes and some were more like 5.  She told me to come on into her office and they'd check me and hook me up to the NST again to monitor the contractions.  I then called my mom and told her that I needed her to come on.  

Unlike Wes, my mom is fast.  I swear I no more than got back upstairs and she was already here, wet hair and all.  She immediately took over tending to Colin, who was a tad nervous at the way Mommy was acting, but being a very good boy nonetheless.  I went to try to light a fire under Wes and pack some kind of bag for myself.  He casually asks me if there's anything else I can think of for the bag and I mutter something about not caring and hurry up.  Finally I had had enough and right in the middle of a contraction yelled for him to HURRY UP!  He knew I meant business after that.

He calls down to my mom and asks if she will take me on to the doctor and he'll stay behind and get his bag packed and finish getting Colin ready for school.  Mom says, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do."  So she pulls her car up in our driveway and I attempt to get in.  I had a little difficulty actually sitting down but I finally managed (my sister said later this was probably because it was Sawyer's head!).  I could tell she was a nervous wreck but I didn't have time to worry about that.  I had a couple of contractions on the way but was talking lucidly to her (I think) in between.  I was trying to calm her down as much as I was myself.

To be continued...

Introducing...

Sawyer Chase

7 lbs, 9oz

20 1/2 inches 

July 13, 2010

9:06 a.m.

There will be more details to come related to the birth story, his demeanor, and his luscious locks of hair!  I promise you won't want to miss them.  In the meantime, enjoy the baby toupee on that handsome little guy.  I'll also announce the winner of the contest soon.  I know 1 person guessed the date right but I'm not sure on the other details.  I'm off to smell that wonderful baby smell and touch that super soft skin (!

Today, or not today?

That is the question.  Well I'm sorry to report to 90% of you but Little Boy Blue did not make his appearance this weekend.  There are only 4 of you still in the running for the correct delivery date but I must admit I'm not too surprised - that he hasn't come, not that you were wrong.  Since I had to be induced with Colin and even that was a week later, I just think my children like to bake a little longer.  I actually think it's so tight in there that they are stuck and just can't find their way out.

I did find out at my last appointment that I am 1-2 cm dilated, thinning, and he's head down.  I'm pretty sure they tell any pregnant woman that she's at least 1 cm just to give them hope, so I wasn't too excited with that report.  My sister was pulling for 4-5 cm but she didn't get them.  I go back again tomorrow to get checked again.  At that point we will also set the date for the induction.  Wes and I both have a feeling Thursday or Friday will be the day but we shall see.

I also found out that he's now measuring 6 lbs 14oz but she admitted a) it's hard to get an accurate reading from someone of my stature and b) his femur measurement was the one of the holy trinity that was making him small.  So my child is going to have stubby legs, that doesn't mean he's a midget.  We soon will see.

Until next time, I'll still be here blogging away!

One Week From Today...

Is my actual due date!  Holy moly!  Where has the last 9 (really 10) months gone?  There's this little critter named Colin that has done a pretty good job keeping my mind off the baby growing inside my belly and focused on him instead - that's probably not a bad thing.

I'm starting to have sort of mixed feelings regarding the finale of this whole process.  You see, more than likely this is our last child.  That in itself is bittersweet to me.  While I'm ready to not have to experience morning (all day) sickness, a bulging waistline, unflattering clothes, swelling feet, and general discomfort of toting an extra 20-30 pounds, it all seems so trivial when you think of the miracle that transpires from it all in the end.  There will be no more kicks or jabs, no more Wes putting his hand on my belly to feel the baby move or getting down and talking to my belly.  No more looks and comments from random strangers telling me I look great or congratulations.  There will be no more first time ultrasounds to see that precious little heartbeat or the subsequent one to determine the sex.  I won't get to smell that baby fresh smell, hold that tiny being while thanking God for yet another miracle, or seeing that precious face for the first time.  There will be no more anxiety as to when the baby will come, where I will be, or how I will handle it.  I won't get another 8-week hiatus from work to get to snuggle, comfort, and nourish a little one.  No, all of these things are about to come to an end.

I now know why women keep having children.  The precious moments just don't last long enough.  Sure we enjoy and celebrate every day we're with Colin but there's something special and innocent with a newborn babe.  Sometimes I wish I was cut out for more but I honestly believe 2 is all I'm meant to have.  And I'm at peace with that.  I will miss the high points but I can always live vicariously through friends - and then I get to give the babies back when they cry (:

Childbirth is an amazing feat that God has bestowed upon women.  I am forever thankful that I have been blessed with 2 miracles, for whom I will cherish always.  My boys are so special to me!

Now on to some fun, less serious talk.  Does anyone want to play a guessing game?  That sounds eerily familiar like it might be from Sesame Street - please disregard the reference if it is!  Okay, so I thought it would be fun to have you guys guess my actual delivery date, weight, and height.  I have my last regular appointment on Wednesday, so I'll know then if an induction date is scheduled then.  So to be fair, everyone give me your best guess before Wednesday morning.  There will be a little prize for the person that comes the closest to all 3 things (I'll do some type of averaging).  To give you some background, with Colin I was 5 days over my initial due date, he weighed 8lbs 15oz and I think he was 20 or 21 inches long.  Good luck and may the best guesser win!!

"Pete's" New Digs

It's been a while since I asked for your help/advice on a wall color for Little Boy Blue's room.  The majority said khaki and while that's what I intended to go with, that's not what I got.  I told you I wasn't good at picking out paint colors!  I was afraid I'd pick something too dark, so instead I end up picking something too light.  It turned out to be more in the white/cream family but at least it's neutral and not pink, as it was before.

The bare walls meant I needed to add lots of pops of color to avoid a hospital-like setting.  Here are a few pictures of the semi-finished product.  I still need to add some things to the walls but I plan to use some of his birth pictures for that.

This is the artwork I made to liven up this wall.  You can also see the reflection of the blue bedding on the twin bed.  Nothing like going from an all pink room to an all blue one!  Boys, boys everywhere!

Little Boy Blue

Even though I look the same, feel the same, and weigh the same as I did with Colin, somehow Little Boy Blue is still a midget.  He started measuring small (10th percentile) at my 34 week ultrasound and the trend has continued.  My doctor tried to assure me there was nothing to worry about but making me come in weekly for a NST (stress test for the baby) and every other week ultrasound is not a good way to put a patient at ease.  The further stressed that I needed to be sure I felt the baby moving at least 10 times a day.  Yeah, no problem there!  I tried not to worry but admittedly, it was on my mind a lot.

At least I thought it was on my mind a lot, until this week.  I went in for an ultrasound to measure again and the tech informed me that "Dr. XXX was not going to be happy with that."  Oh great, thanks!  Turns out he was now measuring in the 9th percentile and they begin to worry/take action with any measurement under 10%.  So off I go across the way to the high-risk doctors for an ultrasound.  Wes wasn't with me so my sister (you may recall she works in my OB's office) volunteered to go with me.  Thank goodness she did because after sitting in the waiting room for nearly an hour, I fear I would have either worried myself into a tither or been bored out of my mind!  The ultrasound room was like the Ritz Carlton compared to the one in my doctor's office.  To make a long story slightly shorter, it was worth the wait because they measured Little Boy Blue in the 33rd percentile - almost an entire pound more than the tech in my regular doctor's office.  The high-risk doctor comes in with the tech to read the ultrasound and assured me he looked just fine and didn't need to see me back unless I just wanted to come back.  He was super nice and that really helped ease my fears.

After I breathed a sigh of relief (and nearly 3 hours later), I was on my merry way.  I still have to go back weekly for the NST testing but that's okay because I get to see the little guy's activity - on paper anyways.  Now if I could just find a way to curb my excessive thinking and worrying about his movement, I'd be convinced I could make it until July 12th!  This morning I must have woken up 10 times trying to get him to move.  I felt a few flutters as I was getting ready but I was worried that wasn't enough.  Finally once I got to work he began to jump and scurry about.  I have to also remember that he's running out of room in there and his movements aren't as big as they were just a mere week ago.  I hope and pray I'll be able to get back to normal and ease up on the worrying.

On a much lighter note, the ultrasound done in my doctor's office did reveal a wee bit about this little critter.  She showed me his profile in 3D and we saw what we initially thought was his hand by his face. This came as no surprise to me as both he and Colin have done this the entire time in utero.  Turns out it wasn't so much his hand, it was his foot!  I joked that he was going to come out sucking his toe instead of his thumb.  So after seeing the feet at his face - flexible little guy - she traced down to find his hand.  Oh it was on his wenis!  She got a great picture of it and now I'll have some great bribery when he's about 16.  I tried to copy the ultrasound pics for you to see but our scanner is not conducive to photos.  I'll just leave it to your imagination instead.  Oh and the super fancy ultrasound revealed several tufts of hair on his head.  I asked her if she could go ahead and tell me the color but she could not.  I guess it's best to leave at least one thing to surprise!

I'm off to eat some lard covered donuts with butter sauce.  Gotta fatten this kid up some how!

Pregnancy Update - 34 weeks

And so it begins, the final countdown (queue music).  Part of me feels like this has been a very quick 34 weeks but then the part of my brain that actually still works recalls every minute of those 34 weeks.  Either way, it's really hard to believe we only have a mere 6 weeks before Little Boy Blue makes his grand appearance.  I heard a baby cry last week and I actually stopped dead in my tracks and said to myself that I wasn't ready for that.  I guess you're never really ready, you just adjust.  Yes, let the adjustments begin.

The belly is large and in charge.  I had a random worker in my office touch (molest) my belly last week.  I was taken aback but quickly realized it was an education lesson for him.  He had clearly never been around a very pregnant lady and I was happy to oblige.  He couldn't believe how tight my stomach was and thought I could "pop" at any minute.  Yes sir, there's a reason it feels tight - it is!  There's only so much space this little body has to share with his current occupant.

Other than the obvious, things are progressing along just fine.  We get to take a sneak peak at Baby Boy tomorrow.  The whole fam (Wes and Colin) are tagging along.  At that point I'll also get a better sense of my actual due date since that has been a moving target thus far.

We have decided on a name but in our typical secretive style, we won't be sharing until after his birth.  It's just easier that way in terms of comments, opinions, duplication, and our own crazy superstitions.

He's very active and kicks.  A lot.  I've come to the conclusion he has very sharp elbows and knees, which he inherited from his dad.  The kicks and movements seem a little more intense this time around and I'm not sure if that's true of all subsequent babies or just this one.  He has the hiccups a lot which has always made me giggle.  He likes to hear Colin's voice and responds almost every time he hears him up close (same is true of Wes' voice).

His nursery is painted.  I'm not pleased with the color.  As a general rule, if the guy at the paint store advises you the color you've picked out is "in the white family", chances are he's not talking about Betty White and you better take heed to his not-so-subtle-hint.  The color is more in the light cream family, which looks divine up against white trim!  Wrong.  Well at least the little tyke won't have to stare at pink walls.  This is at least manageable until I'm able to change it.  The curtains look good though and luckily that's where my eye goes when I enter the room.  The bedding is all complete and looks, well, blue.  Decorating the walls is my last obstacle and I'm still in the thinking stage.  I'll post pictures of the finished product when it's all done.

And for those of you that are more visually inclined, a picture of me at 32/33 weeks.  I had to chop my head off because I was making some crazy eyes and I didn't want to scare you away!

Thank you

I just wanted to thank you for your words of wisdom.  As someone said, I don't think Colin will understand the term "quiet time" (considering he can't grasp how to "be quiet") but I think that's the direction we are going in.  We've basically been doing that for the last week or so but yesterday I just reached my breaking point with the screaming.  It's probably a good thing I'm not a stay-at-home mother because I think I would have lost more than my patience by now.  I truly admire those of you who can do it - you're in a league of your own!!

I also think having both Wes and I at home was part of the problem, at least this weekend.  So today to repay us, he takes a great nap for my mom!  At least my mom was able to get a break and get a few things done.  Colin was able to recharge his batteries and was a much better boy because of it.  He was proud to tell me he had taken a nap and then decided that "he was going to start taking night-nights again."  Fingers (and toes) crossed!

On a random note, I received a nice compliment today from a stranger.  I was taking a stroll at lunch today to enjoy some sunshine for a change when I came upon a guy who was using a blower to blow away his shrub clippings.  He stopped his blower when he saw me and said, "Now that's what I like to see."  I wasn't sure what to expect next but I was thinking something along the lines of an exercising pregnant woman.  No, he proceeded to say, "That glow."  I smiled and paused to try to determine what, if anything to say.  I finally said, "Well thank you but I'm not so sure about that."  He quickly quipped, "Oh YOU've got it!"  Um, thanks?  And then I picked up the pace and walked as quickly as I could back to my office.

As much as I've complained over the unnecessary comments, questions, and observations while pregnant, it's nice to receive an unsolicited compliment every now and then too.  Even if it is from a potentially creepy lawn guy who may have been harmless but I've grown quite skeptical in my old(er) age.

My Sweet Little Boy

I wanted to expound upon Colin's growing relationship with "Pete."  Every day I'm convinced he understands more about what's happening and has been nothing but accepting and super sweet.  Every morning I put him on the sink to comb his hair (since I'm the only one who can do it for some reason) and he lifts up my shirt, pulls down the belly band of my pants, and softly touches "Pete."  Sometimes he rubs him, sometimes he talks to him, but daily he acknowledges him.  I've recently learned he thinks my belly button is his gateway to the baby's ear.  Whenever he talks to him, he speaks directly into my belly button.  I'd like to think that was good logic but I somehow doubt logic is a factor at all!

(I apologize for the picture quality but that's what happens when you shoot directly into the sunlight.  Lesson learned!)

Last week he asked if he could show the baby where the toys were.  I said of course and smiled that he was already considering sharing and was okay with that.  I just hope he feels the same when it's actually time to share.  He loves to tell us he loves us, he misses us, and loves hugs and kisses.  He's very gentle with other kids and you can tell he's just itching to be everyone's friend.  I would love to take credit for all of that but some things I think they are just born with.

Don't get me wrong though, he still is a wild child who is into everything.  He is still the same sweet boy who starts talking the minute he wakes up and doesn't stop until he goes to bed (and even after that).  He's the one who will repeat himself over and over until you respond.  Maybe mommy and daddy will get a break and Colin will share some of his conversation with "Pete" once he gets here.  I'm sure Pete will want to soak up all of Colin that he can.  As wild and active as he is, he's still such a sweet child.  One day this week he was giving me his typical hug good-bye and put his head a little lower to give the baby a hug too.  Those sweet and tender moments make the wild child moments disappear...at least momentarily!

While we're on the subject of babies, I was directed today to a very inspirational and uplifting post.  This one will take some time but it is a tear-jerker with a happy ending.  If you feel so inclined, take a moment and read Adrienne's amazing journey becoming a mother.

Preggo Update and the Winner!

After getting out the calendar to determine what week this is, I'm happy to report I'm in my 29th week of this journey.  In some ways I'm glad that I'm not counting weeks this time but then it forces you to answer in months when someone asks how much longer you have.  Somehow 2 1/2 months sounds a lot longer than 10 weeks.  Either way, it is what it is and I'm feeling great so I can't complain.

I did have a rough spell several weeks ago and I've since determined it was the transition from butterfly kicks to hardcore soccer kicks.  As you can imagine, that takes a toll on your body and requires a little adjustment.  Somehow I had already forgotten this and many other details from the first go-round.  So the big stomach moving kicks are here to stay for a while.  I an tell you it's no less freaky to see your stomach jet in out uncontrollably the second time.  He's a mover and a shaker, just like Colin was.  I'm sure that means he will be just as active as his older brother!  Someone told me today it's the non-active boys you have to worry about.  Was that supposed to help?

Wes and I have both started referring to the baby as "Pete" since that's what Colin so fondly calls him.  We're seriously going to have a hard habit to break once the baby is actually born.  We have a name in mind but a) we're not 100% sure and b) that's the one little secret we like to keep to ourselves.  It saves some looks, comments, and opinions that just aren't necessary.  By waiting, it's a done deal and nothing anyone can say can change it.

I'm having serious shopping withdrawals.  Just today I went in Target and looked through the "regular" women's section in hopes of finding an extra long shirt or one with a forgiving waistline.  I left empty handed.  Gasp!  Leaving Target empty handed is unheard of, right?!  I can't even find shoes I like.  Oh bother.

For what it's worth, I have a feeling that Pete will be arriving before July 12th.  I'm sure I'll be proven terribly wrong but a girl can hope.  Somehow I don't picture this one to have red hair but who knows.  I think he'll be the same whopper size that Colin was and hopefully no more!  Our family loves us some big babies!  I'll take him any way, any time I can get him!!

(Sorry no picture this time.  I promise to do better next time.)

In other news, the winner of the Yoplait Nourish Your Inner Goddess winner is Sweet Southern Prep!  Please respond to my email to claim your prize!!

Little Boy Blue

A few weeks ago I posted a progress report for both me and Little Boy Blue. I failed to attach any images because I forgot they had given me a cd with the pictures from the ultrasound. Well here I am over a month later to share the pics with you. I could blame it on a lot of things but at the top of the list is forgetfulness (that won't go away). Here he is in all his glory. I believe he would have been about 18-19 weeks at this point and he weighed like 9oz.

Now for the scary alien-like 3-D image. I'm not particularly a fan of these but she did it before I could protest. I'll admit it is pretty amazing to get to see an image like this.

And while we're on the topic, I wanted to share a post from another blogger who provides a lot of humor to many of my thoughts and feelings regarding pregnancy. Here's the link if you're feeling the need for a laugh. This is her first pregnancy but I've reassured her most of her observations apply no matter what number you're on.

Now for my updates.

- I'm getting really large but some days I feel bigger than others.

- My belly button has popped but to be fair it never went back in after Colin.

- Bending over is becoming increasingly more difficult. Take for instance today when I was taking a walk and some nice guy decided to let me cross in front of his truck. I go to wave in appreciation and knock my cellphone out of my other hand. So here I am in the middle of a fairly busy street, having to bend over to get my cellphone. I was just praying I wouldn't have to pick up a million pieces but my hair was in my face and it took me a while to determine that it was, in fact, still in one piece. I literally picked it up and ran across the street.

- We still don't have a definite name but we've marked a lot off the list. It goes something like this. I make a suggestion to Wes and he quickly says no. I've basically given up and am just waiting on him to tell me the final verdict.

- Colin is still convinced the baby's name will be Pete. He asked when Pete would be here and seemed very perplexed when I told him that wasn't going to be his name. I told him he could call him that and that seemed to appease him for the moment.

- The little guy is moving and kicking at more frequent intervals and with more force. This must be a growing stage for both he and I (of course I can't remember) because I've been feeling a lot of stretching.

Those are the only things that come to mind right now. Oh and his room has made no progress. What's the hurry, July is still a long ways away, right?!

Pregnancy Progress Report

Well I'm a little over 21 weeks today - yes, I did just have to get the calender out and figure that out but more on that later. Here are a few notes about this pregnancy thus far:

• I think I'm about the same size as I was with Colin at this time. I'm carrying Little Boy Blue the exact same as I carried Colin.


• I accomplished my own personal goal of making it through February without switching to maternity pants! I'm not sure why I set such a goal for myself but I found myself saying, "just one more day" like every day. Maternity pants are actually quite comfy but I guess my mind knew I'd be in them for a while so I might as well delay the inevitable as long as possible. Oh and don't get me wrong, not all of these pants have been fully buttoned - thank goodness for belts and long shirts (:


• My nausea is nearly a thing of the past, although I do have flare ups from time to time (last night, for example). I still don't feel exactly right but then again I am carrying a foreign object in my belly and that's not exactly normal. I have a strange taste in my mouth nearly every day that is only cured by eating. That doesn't make for a very good diet plan.


• The first trimester energy zapping days are over, thankfully. I still don't have a ton of energy but I manage. Colin gets heavier by the minute and yet I still have to lug his 33 pound body up and down the stairs on a daily basis. He understands some things but why mommy can't carry him isn't one of them.


• There are days I have to remind myself that I'm pregnant. The second, and subsequent children, really get the short end of the stick in many ways. Having already gone through all the newness of pregnancy and the different milestones, I already know what to expect and it takes some of the fun and excitement out of it. Thankfully, it also takes a considerable amount of the worrying and uncertainty away too. I haven't read a single book this time, subscribed to a single website, or kept up with how far along I am in days/weeks. I haven't been obsessed with a baby registry, reading reviews of every gadget, or making sure we have everything we need for his nursery, life, etc. I have no doubt the same nervousness will overcome me the day we arrive at the hospital but there will be some solace in knowing what's to come. I'm hoping this time around I won't be as excitable when he cries but I've recently discovered (don't know why it took me so long) that I'm not one of those that can tune crying out - I can't tune anything out, much less a crying baby/child. Hopefully though I'll be better equipped mentally with what to do and not worry about people judging me that I'm doing something wrong. I just pray this little guy doesn't have colic or spit-up as bad as Colin did. If he does though, we know what to expect and hopefully that will make it a tinge easier.


• Wes is especially great to me when I'm pregnant. I remember now how caring and sweet he was with the first one and now he's just as great this time around. He lets me rest frequently and tries to explain to Colin that mommy can't play as much or as hard right now. He will literally drop everything to go get me something that I'm hungry for. He helps a ton with Colin and has been doing a great job trying to get him ready for Little Boy Blue. He's eager to rub my back, massage my feet, or whatever else he thinks might help me. I think he feels kind of helpless during this phase and so he's just trying to do whatever he can to make it easier/better for me. I'm so lucky!!

I realized I hadn't posted any baby bump pictures. I'm sure you are all just dying to see my rapidly expanding belly, so here ya go! I apologize for the blurriness but you get the idea.

The Verdict is In...

It's a BOY!!

It seems the majority thought girl but this little guy had other plans. He wasn't real cooperative this morning since he was perfectly content in the breech position but he did show his stuff long enough for the technician to get a peek. I'm still terrible at deciphering those images. All I could make out was the spine that looked like a fish and a big old noggin. Since he wouldn't budge, we get to have another sneak peak next time to get a closer look at the 4 chambers of his heart.

Wes was sort of quiet during the process and I thought maybe there might be a little disappointment but he later assured me he was just trying to keep Colin from tearing the place apart. He went on to tell Colin all the responsibilities of being a big brother - everything from showing him how to do things, playing with him, and most importantly sticking up for him and protecting him. I thought that was super sweet and I think Colin will fit the role just great. He has such a caring heart that I know he won't let anyone or anything hurt his little brother!

So the transformation of the pink bedroom will soon begin. It does make me a touch sad because that's one of the first bedrooms I redid when we moved in to this house 9 years ago. I love the colors, the bedding, and the window treatments but I guess 9 years is a long time to get to enjoy it. I'll have to post some before pictures so you can all appreciate the pink. Colin and I took a tour of one of the big boy beds and talked about how one of those would be moving in his room soon so that the baby could have the crib. He seemed perfectly happy with that and eagerly told Daddy about it. Let's hope the excitement is still there when the move actually takes place.

Wes and I joked that we'd be saving a lot of money with this one but that he'd never have anything new. There's a chance he'll be a different size though and then he'll get to have some new duds. I know me though, I won't be able to pass up the super cute baby clothes!

Now the naming fun can begin. We agreed to not think about it (too much) until we found out the gender. Now that we know, the wheels have already started spinning. I'll warn you, that's the one little secret we keep to ourselves until the baby arrives. You never know, he may come out and not fit that name at all. We don't want to commit to anything too quickly either! We both agreed early on that boy's names were easier than girl's names, so ask me in a couple of weeks if I still feel that way!

We're super excited and we got some great 3D pictures too. I don't think we got any of those with Colin and I didn't ask for them today. I've always thought they were a bit spooky but she didn't ask, so I gladly laid back and enjoyed the show. It's amazing to me how formed and baby-like they are at only 9oz. What an amazing blessing!

Thanks to all of your well wishes and guesses but I'm sorry to report none of you correctly guessed boy. This pregnancy just goes to show you that you can have 2 completely different pregnancies, yet end up with the same gender both times.

"The first woman a boy falls in love with is his mom." - Anonymous

Happy Valentine's Day

Even though I'm not a huge fan of the Hallmark-inspired holiday, I'll still gladly take any and all the love anyone throws my way. My 2 valentines were very good to me today and treated me to a yummy brunch at Azur and allowed me to take a good 2-hour nap (heaven). Wes got me a gift certificate for a prenatal massage and I'm already dreaming of the relaxation. I'm trying to wait until the perfect time but it might just have to be sooner, rather than later.

The best gift of all comes tomorrow when we get to take a look at peapod! We'll find out if baby is a he or a she and we'll be happy either way. Colin has pretty much claimed the baby as "his baby" and also determined it's going to be a girl. Wes thinks so too, so it sounds like I'm going to have 2 confused people tomorrow if we see a little something else (: I just pray for a healthy baby and a healthy pregnancy. So far so good! Anyone want to guess the gender? Now's your last chance. I'll post the results tomorrow!

I hope everyone felt the love today on Valentine's Day!

Fashionable bump

I honestly enjoy being pregnant, nausea and all. I remember dreaming of being pregnant when I was younger and fearing it both for the obvious pain during labor and the torturous 9 months. It seems everyone is quick to tell you the negative aspects of pregnancy and seldom share the sheer joy of the experience. I know it's not a bed of roses for every mother but I suppose I've been lucky because I look back on my first experience very fondly.

One aspect that this penny-pincher didn't like then and still doesn't like now is maternity clothes. Don't get me wrong, the fashionistas out there have paved the way for many more favorable options but for a practicalist (I realize that's not a word), buying a bunch of clothes that you'll only wear for a couple months is just nonsensical. This doesn't mean that I don't check the various maternity sites frequently but it's hard for me to break down and actually buy something. I'm cheap, yes I know. I'm beginning to enter the transition stage where my regular clothes are getting tighter but I'm trying to stay out of my maternity clothes for as long as I can. As I sit with my pants cutting off the circulation, I find myself looking...a lot.

Here are some of the temptations I've seen lately:

How cute would this be for a wedding or special occasion?!

Perhaps I'm longing for warmer weather with this one but I love Lily and the colors she uses.

Thankfully, there's Old Navy and Target for us cheapskates. Even with those I wait for sales (: I guess I might be waiting a while for a sale on these summer things since it's only January!

The baby, through Colin's eyes

Wes and I told Colin fairly soon after we found out I was pregnant that he was going to be a big brother. I should have expected his nonchalant response but there was a little part of me that hoped he'd prove me wrong and jump up and down with excitement. No, he just looked at me, said, "oh" and moved on to the next topic, which I'm sure was either food or books.

Since then I've used him to tell my mom, dad, and some friends that Mommy had a baby in her belly. I thought it was a cute way to spread the news and it didn't involve me getting all nervous and sweaty. He often gets asked if he wants a brother and sister and his reply has always been, "both." Hmm, not so much this time around but I guess that's what we get for asking.

Wes and I have both tried to actively talk about the baby to Colin and I've certainly used it multiple times to try to encourage him to a) sleep in a big boy bed, b) use the big boy potty, and most recently c) eat like a big boy. I'm not too proud to use a little psychological bribery to get the end result I want. None of them have worked thus far but this relentless, nagging mother hasn't given up the good fight yet.

Now for some funnies courtesy of Colin. I overheard him one night ask Wes if he had a baby in his belly. Then he wanted to know if he, Colin, had a baby in his belly. Wes explained to him that only mommies have babies. He was quiet for moment while he took that in but that seemed to appease him.

Tonight Wes asked him what he thought we should name his brother or sister and he first reassured us he wanted 2 and then decided "super babies" would be an appropriate name (that's a Dora reference). He also asked if he could show the baby his room. I think he's starting to get the hint that this is real and there really is a baby coming to live with us. I'm anxious to see and hear what he says once my belly really starts getting big. Note: it's already big, just not REALLY big yet!

I've waited and waited...

...but it's finally time to share a secret with you, my lovely blog readers. I've been keeping something from you all for over 3 months now. What is it? Let's think back over some of the subtle hints I've been leaving. I told you at the beginning of December that I was taking a brief break from the blog for a while - there was a reason for it. As I mentioned in my last post, I've also taken a recipe hiatus - yep, there was a reason for that too. You see, that little trip Wes and I took back in November had a little more significance than just our Christmas gift to one another, it was a chance for me to reveal my little secret with Wes.

As we dined at the very special Alinea, I gave Wes a card. Not just any card, an invitation. He took it very suspiciously and kept asking what it was. He opened it and it said "You're Invited" on the front. He looked curiously at me. The inside was like a typical invitation with the "who, when, where, time" details. It read something like this:

Where: Central Baptist Hospital

When: July 10, 2010

Time: TBA

For a moment, he sat paralyzed. He said, "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes!" I said.

He apologized for not saying anything but said he was shocked and surprised. I completely understood and our server broke the silence by asking something about our dinner. There was a permanent smile on both of our faces the rest of the night. Our dinner would have been special without the news but it was made even sweeter with the news of our newest peapod!

I had kept this a secret for about 5 days and those were the longest 5 days of my life! I wanted to do something special to deliver the news though. It was worth it to see the look on his face and then share in the excitement over a super special dinner.

Oh and to decipher the hints, the break was because I was super exhausted all the time and typically went to bed by 8:30! The recipe hiatus was because I was (and still am) nauseous pretty much all day. I have no trouble eating but preparing the food isn't always fun. I'm glad to report that both of those issues have subsided substantially in the last couple of days.

More stories to come about how Colin is handling all of this and the pregnancy itself. By the way, my due date is still in question but it's either July 6th or 12th. We find out the gender next month!

Phew, it feels much better to get that off my chest and share my secret with all of you. I apologize to those of you who are reading the news here for the first time and that I haven't had a chance to tell you in person. I've tried to contact some of you but everyone is busy and I hope you'll accept my apologies for not telling you in person.