First Comes Love...

Well, here we are on the evening of your due date.  I'm sitting on a birth ball as I type, swaying my hips in time with the constant contractions I've been getting for about an hour now.  I'm not really in labor yet, and I'm sure I'd be jinxing myself to call this early labor, but I can assure you, you are doing your best to make progress and join us very soon! I went to my 40 week appointment today and you are head down again (yay, and thank you!) and I'm about 2.5-3cm dilated, so that was all good news.  I'm so excited to meet you soon and am so ready.  Like I've mentioned, I had a huge to-do list that I've pretty much completed, so I'm feeling very comfortable and settled at this point. These bigger Braxton Hicks contractions began on our way up to Bellingham a week and a half ago and have been pretty consistent most days.  I was sure while shopping with Grandma last Monday afternoon that I was going into labor walking from Nordstrom to ...

We are cruising right along, baby boy! Lately I've been going to store where little boy outfits catch my eye and fill my heart.  I can't wait to hold you in my arms and cuddle you.  You already strike me as the cuddling, loving type- I hope I'm right  :) This month is a BUSY one with the August Birthdays (Abigail, mine, and Dad's), but next month will be all about you and George!  We've had such a hot summer, so I'm really looking forward to some Fall weather; a time of snuggling up and getting to know you. While you were in a transverse position last month, you are head down now, so that's one less thing to worry about.  There was however a little glitch in your heart rate at your last appointment, so I was hooked up for a NST to make sure everything was fine.   Usually I have a small cup of coffee in the morning with breakfast, but on the morning of your appointment I had slept in, eaten a quick breakfast with my coffee before leaving, th...

Boy oh boy have we been busy! Somehow I expected summer to be a laid back time for all of us, but between our growing family, appointments, summer camp, and various summer outings, these weeks are flying. Things are going well, though.  I had a doc appointment yesterday and you sound great!  You have however been moving around a bunch and yesterday you were tucked in breech (not technically considered breech at 32 weeks, but you're a mover!)  However, I'm pretty sure you're back to vertex today; I don't feel like I have a head coming out one side of my abdomen, and a butt poking through the other side anymore  :) Also, Braxton Hicks have started pretty regularly now, but mainly when you seem to be laying sideways, so it's probably something to do with the big movements. Sleep is still a premium.  I borrowed a friends pregnancy pillow (I never used one before) and while I thought it was helping, last night I ditched it for the standard pillow under my le...

Another month, and more growing bump! Wednesday I turned 28 weeks, which puts us in the 3rd trimester and the thought of being on the home stretch has me so excited to meet you! I have yet to go through your brother's clothes, take out any baby stuff to examine or fix, or even start shopping for the new car seat we need (the one I used with Abigail and George molded in our new shed...Grrr).  But it doesn't discount how excited I am to hold you in my arms  (in what I hope will be) a mere 12 weeks! The fatigue has not gone away, but I haven't been sleeping great (lots of achey hips at night; a lovely side effect of subsequent pregnancies) so that may be a big contributor.  I just ordered a 2" memory foam topper and I hope between that and massage therapy, I am able to get some relief. Massage therapy...oh, the things us Moms have to endure  ;) In pregnancy related news, I was reading the blog yesterday and realized I had posted about the end of my 2nd Trime...

Hi Bun,  Welcome to your first Month of Bump post! To think you will be here in 14 short weeks blows my mind (I'm late writing this).  Each pregnancy moves along faster than the last, and needless to say, yours has been a flash before my eyes.  Every two week appointments start this week (usually not until next month, but since I need a shot of Rhogam at 28 weeks, we're starting early) I'm feeling great but have been tired.  Usually my desire for naps subsides around 16 weeks, but at 25, going on 26 weeks, I find myself tired most days and in need of a nap or extra sleep at night.   Old age, I guess  ;) However, I still have opportunities to feel young when out and about without your siblings.  Other Moms will often give me that enjoy-this-time-before-that-bump-becomes-a-baby look or sweetly ask, "is this your first?"  Each time I try to contain my giddiness as I say, "nope, it's my third!" I'm feeling older, but I must loo...

So here we are, the day after your due date, and I'm still pregnant.  You seem to be taking after your sister, which is fine so long as this "sleeping-in" indicates you'll be as good of an Earthly sleeper as she is :) We've had so much fun anticipating your arrival this past month! We hired our doula,  Brenda Bancroft  and have loved getting to know her.  I've been keeping active with lots of long walks, hauling toddlers, laundry, groceries, car seats, and what-not all around God's great earth, going to acupuncture each week, drinking lots of labor tea, and taking time to simply relax and enjoy these last few magical weeks. I am so ready for you to be here (!), but I will surely miss our pregnancy. Since you'll be sleeping downstairs , I organized three drawers for you in our room: one with girl clothes, one with boy clothes, and one with lots of cute yellow / white outfits.  Lucky for us, you have two boy cousins and Auntie Anne was generous ...

Alright Little One, we need to talk! Things have been going great.  You've been treating me well, getting good grades at your doctor appointments, and being a fun, easy pregnancy, but we had a hiccup on Monday that we need to discuss. You flipped breech. Not cool. While driving home late Saturday night I felt a huge movement (this was big enough for me to start Googling "early labor signs"), and come Monday morning, Dr. Koala thought you may have flipped.  Low and behold she got the ultrasound out to confirm, and it was true; you're full breech. I can't say I'm surprised (I'm really not exaggerating when I say you move all the time! ) but I'm hoping you flip back before our next appointment this coming Monday.  I think you may have turned back as I was driving out of the parking lot after our appointment, but I can't tell for sure.  I can however confirm that you've moved around about 110 times since the appointment, so who's to ...

Hi Baby, Summer is here, and it's a hot one!  I can't say it's any worse being pregnant in the heat; I'm sure everyone with no A/C feels miserable at times.  When people ask "how are you holding up in the heat" , my first thought is usually, " the same as you!" but to be polite I entertain them with a good long eye roll and an  "oh, you know... just another joy of pregnancy" type response.  It seems to be what people are looking for  :) You continue to be very active; moving around so much as I try to sleep and eagerly waking up in the morning, ready to start the day.  It feels like you're crawling which is unlike the kicks and body rolls I remember last time.  I think you'll be an active one, and even if you are a chill kid, you will still go down as my most active pregnancy to date! Naming you while not knowing if you are a boy or girl continues to be a challenge.  There's something strange about making such a concrete...

Hi Baby! We're sailing into our third trimester and I've been feeling pretty good. I've been seeing lots of little babies and it's making me so excited to meet you soon! When Abigail was born, I remember thinking how sad it was that future kids wouldn't get the same one-on-one time that I had with her, and while that time is special, I think it's even more special that you will be welcomed into a pre-existing family with a big sister who I know will adore you. You will have a companion to play with, an older sibling to look up to, and a sister who loves you unconditionally ( along with your parents! ) and this makes me so happy. September will be here before I know it! I love you, little one. 25 weeks 26 weeks 27 weeks 28 weeks ( 25-28 weeks pregnant with Abigail)

Hi Baby, Welcome to your first Month of Bumps installment! We're more than half way there (24 weeks) and the idea that you'll be here sooner than we think is starting to settle in (it's exciting!)  This month you had some down time (easy on the kicking for about a week), and while I know this is normal, it worries even second time Mommas.  But thankfully you're back in high speed, kicking away each day, waking me up each morning, and reminding me of your beautiful presence. Waiting to find out your gender has been a different experience for me, but has helped me bond with you in different ways than I did with Abigail.  In the beginning I felt like you were a girl, but I'm starting to think you're a boy. I posted a picture of you, me, and Abigail on Facebook (I'm sure you'll have no idea what that is by the time you read this), and everyone thinks you're a boy.  I'm sure that persuaded me, but at least for this month that's my vote too...

Dear Abigail,  Are you ready?  Tomorrow is your due date!  I have been having lots of labor signs the last few days, so either you're playing a trick on us, or I'm just too excited (probably the latter...)  You have been such a fun and amazing baby to carry around the last 40 weeks and while I can't wait to meet you face to face, I will surely miss your kicks, hiccups, karate chops, and late night dance parties. This last month you went to your first 4th of July party on Lake Union (you didn't seem to mind the noise of the fireworks at all), and came with us on our first Anniversary trip to Alderbrook.  You also got to taste our wedding cake this weekend too!.... but it made you a little sick...may have been the extra piece I thought we deserved  ;) We have your 40 week doctor's appointment on Thursday, and since the doctor doesn't want us going past 2 weeks, we're going to talk about an induction date if need be (I think you should surprise us all an...

Dear Abigail, Today you are 36 weeks...I seriously cannot believe it...where has the time gone?!  Dad and I are so excited for your arrival, and I think you are as well!  In the last week, you've been doing a lot of stretching, which means it's probably getting tight for you (and a bit uncomfortable for me), so after next week, feel free to come whenever you're ready! In the last month we've done lots of exciting things together.  We went to your second baby shower (there were a total of 3 thrown for you!), went on a few weekend trips, finished setting up your nursery, and now just waiting for your arrival.  We had a doctor's appointment last week and got to see you again!  They say you're 5 1/4 lbs now...that's fine by me  :)  It was so fun to see you during the ultrasound; you had your little wrist on your forehead in a very dramatic way- Dad's nervous you may be taking after me...we shall see  ;) Summer will be so much fun with...