Not Quite 39 Weeks

Well very differently from her brother - our Little Miss decided to come early!!  I went into labor at 38weeks 6days.  So this is a picture right as we left for the hospital and not quite a 39 week photo.  The birth story is long and crazy - but not nearly as long and crazy as the AFTER story.  Lets suffice it to say that it includes the ice storm of the decade, power outages, and earthquakes.  UNBELIEVABLE!

Our little miss M entered the world via C-section (sad face) but happy and healthy and screaming (until she saw her daddy and she stopped immediately and looked right at him.  Can you think of a quicker way to wrap him around her little finger?)

She was smaller than her brother at 7lb 7oz and 20.25in long.  She is long and slender and dainty.  She looks like her brother but has her own girlie look to her (and almost no eyelashes and eyebrows - very different from little e's eyelashes that came half way down his cheeks).

There is a lot more to tell - but this is just a quick update to let you know she's here!!

Moving on up... 36,37,38 weeks

Well newly acquired back pain has joined the list of side effects in the last few weeks (underneath my left shoulder blade - ouch!!). Its affecting my sleep quite a bit (which just means more naps for me when e is napping and less keeping the house clean).  But we have also managed to get ALOT done in Little Miss's room and our 'to-do' list in there is almost completely crossed off.
Maybe if I remember to take some pics we can do a full tour of that room soon.
In the meantime - here is my growing belly with our sweet girl (who has no name still)!

36 weeks 

36 weeks

37 weeks

37 weeks

These were taken during our 'snow day' - so much fun!  Another whole post but basically a dusting of snow means no school and no work (we don't have plows and salt people!) so we got to spend a fun day at home playing and it just happened to fall on my 37 week - so daddy got to take some 'real' pictures of the belly.

38 weeks

38 weeks

I am getting to the point with my wardrobe that there really are only certain things that 'fit' - and the fickle weather is not helping me in this department.  Snow one day and 65 the next (well a few days later - but STILL!)  Just hoping the crazy weather doesn't lead to colds or flus or other maladies before labor!
We have a Dr appt this Friday - fingers crossed that mommy gaining only one pound in the last month has helped keep Little Miss's weight down too and Dr doesn't think she is 'too big'.  Mommy is gearing up for a 'big fight' to be able to have enough weeks for her to come on her own that we get a real shot at a successful VBAC.  Prayers and good thoughts are welcome!
Since we are getting closer to having the house 'ready' maybe I will have time to download more pics from the camera and do some other posts this week.  We shall see!

35 Weeks

This post is brought to you in part by the iPhone and how it makes my life simpler enough to remember to take and load photos that I can quickly share.
Week 35 has been a little better.  I'm not sure if she is (finally) moving down and there is less pressure pushing up acid or I'm eating better or what else - but I finally have had a LITTLE bit of relief from acid reflux.  Not waking up with it every single night.  I also have a tiny bit of my energy back thanks to iron supplements.

Had I mentioned the eye twitching?  lol - That started weeks (months) ago and I'm now guessing it was either entirely stress related (or possibly iron related).  As soon as the hallway was cleared of flooring and cribs the twitching stopped.  Stress I think.  (but coincided with the iron supplements as well - so who knows?) Oh you didn't know the crib was up?!?  Eric has the floors done, is working on the trim and I'm now frantically making sheets, working on curtains, decorations etc so the room can be 'done'.
(sneak peak!)

I am feeling pretty good.  I am not as big as last time (by about 4 lbs at this point) and eating most meals at home has made a huge difference in the amount of swelling (I have VERY little this time vs. last time).  I am still getting to the point that I'm pretty ready to be done being pregnant - but I am NOT ready to have a baby at home (for about a million reasons - the biggest being the state of the house/nursery/my mind).

Little e decided to throw another loop in the mix today when he wanted to go pee-pee on the potty and wear big boy undies like his daddy! Say wha?!?  He has been talking about it for a little while now and he has gone a few times at night right before his bath but nothing consistent.  Usually when I ask him during the day he doesn't want to go or try.  Well not anymore!  Today he decided was the day and we have had undies on since breakfast when he told me he had to go and said he wanted 'race car undies' if he went.  We have had a few accidents and a few successes.  We will see what happens.

Yeah - so thats how crazy life is in a nutshell at 35 weeks here.  Nine months pregnant with nowhere to put a baby, house a mess, no bags packed (yet) trying to potty train a two year old - no wonder my eye is twitching!

Weeks 31-34

Weeks 31-34 are a blur because there was so much going on in the short period between Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as afterward with New Years and a BOWL GAME!!  But I'll try to recap as best I can.  I didn't take any true 'belly' shots until this week (34) again - but I have pictures of me each week so hopefully that will suffice.

Week 31
Was seriously a blur! Last minute shopping, wrapping, house cleaning.  BLUR!  We also planned a last minute trip to TN to have Christmas with my family since the actual holiday fell on a Wednesday (sooo inconvenient!)

Eric and I in TN at "Christmas"

Week 32
Fell on Christmas Day this year.  We did take a family photo at a friends house Christmas Eve (and even one side view - so you can kinda see the tummy).

We had a CRAZY Christmas Eve from being in Ninety-Six and visiting with Eric's family to a get together at a friends house here in town to the new 8pm contemporary service at church.  Little e didn't make it through church this time b/c he was concerned about why there was no drummer and it started very slow with no music.  But he had a GREAT Christmas day (really I will do a whole post for that) and we enjoyed being together as a family of 3 at home!


Week 33
Then fell on New Year's Day.  I again have a pic from the night before.  We 'celebrated' with little e before he went to bed and he did MUCH better than last year.  Last year he was terrified of the hats and noisemakers - this year he loved wearing them and making noise and even blowing on them.  Too cute!

I left the Thursday after 33 weeks and headed to MIAMI for our bowl game!  This was the first time ever in my life that Ohio State played Clemson and I wasn't going to miss it.  Soo glad I could convince my Dad to go with me.  We had a GREAT time (again - a whole other post) but here is a fun one of us from the game.

Week 34
Has been about our first 'sane' week back in our routine at home.  We (and by we I mean Eric) is working on the floors in Little Miss's room - finally - (something he started over the weekend while I was gone in Miami) (YAY!!!).  Again - another whole post can be made about the progress here - but just exciting to mention we have started working on it at all!!

34 weeks front

34 weeks side

These last shots are phone shots - BUT I have a new phone (soooo exciting after FOUR years!!) and having them taken this way will likely ensure they get to the computer and this blog much faster than the real camera.

Lets see - overall through these four weeks I have felt TIRED.  I mean like take a nap almost every other day when little e does TIRED.  I don't think I was quite that tired last time - but I also wasn't chasing a two year old (and I'm two years older myself).  I hear having a girl 'takes more out of you' so Little Miss can share bit of the blame too.  But likely it has a lot to do with my iron levels.  The agony that is acid reflux continues.  I take Zantac every 12 hours (like on the nose) and sometimes am watching the clock just WAITING to be able to take it again.  Its awful.

Thursday of week 33 we went to the Doctor and in addition to a sonogram (she is perfect and gorgeous btw - wanna see?!?)

Anyway - in addition to a sonogram I asked about my ice crunching obsession and being so tired.  Lo and behold, my bloodwork did show low iron so I've added back in my prenatal (which I thought was causing some of my acid reflux) and an iron supplement (slowly).  So I feel a bit better - but I have to tell you I still LOVE crunching ice.

Back on topic - the sonogram was to tell us if she is measuring on time (or big) which weighs in to the possibility of a successful VBAC.  Her head was big (35 weeks - ahh big head like her daddy :) ) but everything else measured 33 weeks.  They did estimate her weight at 5 lbs 5 oz (which seems big), although they can be off by a pound or more with those estimates.  She is head down and wrapping around from right to left (butt on top right, feet down my left side).  Which does explain some of the 'rolling' I'm feeling because I can feel her down low and on each side.  Thats hands down low, bottom on right and feet on left.  The doctor made no comments yet about VBAC or not, but I think he is going to keep a close eye on her weight and position and my progress before we make any decisions.

I have had some contractions this week (including one today that hurt!)  Its a pretty new feeling.  I don't remember having a contraction that hurt with little e until after my water broke.  Hoping that means she has plans of trying to come on her own (not yet - but before they make me have another C-section).  

Alright - well I guess that wraps up the last months pregnancy updates in a nutshell.  Hopefully as life returns to 'normal' I can keep up a little better.