The one where I pushed out a winter melon....part 3

Around 6:00 the nurse came in to check my progress, 5 cm.  I was a bit disappointed I hadn't moved along any more than that.  They also informed me that baby girl wasn't handling the contractions as well as she had been and her heart rate was dropping more frequently than they would like.  Great.  I was already on my side, so they had me switch positions to see if it would help, but it didn't.  Dr. N came by and told me to help relieve some of the pressure off baby they were going to put some fluid back in.  I didn't even know this was possible, but figured Dr. knows best and if it was better for baby than let's do it.  So they placed an internal monitor and got the fluid flowing.  Baby responded great and her heart rate remained stable even with the contractions.  Guess she just wanted her swimming pool back!

Shortly after all that excitement my dad arrived.  It was nice to have another distraction to get me through the home stretch.  We chatted and made guesses on when baby would arrive.  I was hopeful she would make an appearance before midnight and placed my bet around 10:00 PM.  Everyone else was sure it would be earlier.  Adam and my dad had fun watching my contractions literally jump off the monitor.  At one point the nurse even came in to turn down the pitocin because my uterus was apparently working overtime.  I was glad for epidurals and not feeling a thing, though I did mention to my nurse that I was starting to feel some pressure with each contraction.  She decided not to check me since it hadn't even been an hour since she last checked plus she was leaving for the day and figured it would be best to let the new nurse check when she did her rounds.  I was really bummed to see her go but she joked that on the plus side her leaving meant I would likely have this baby within the hour since that's how it usually goes when she spends a whole day with a patient, always missing the grand finale.  At the time this seemed very unlikely, little did we know she was pretty much right on with her guess.

Around 7 when my new nurse came by for her regular checks I told her the pressure was becoming pretty intense with each contraction.  She decided to go ahead and check my progress and much to my surprise said no wonder I was feeling pressure, I was complete and baby was RIGHT there.  She joked to keep my legs crossed and not push because she wasn't prepared to deliver that baby herself today and Dr. N was still finishing up with a C-section.  I can't say I was totally surprised, with Jamie I went from 5-10 cm in about an hour as well.  Guess those off the charts contractions weren't for nothing!  Thankfully I didn't have any urge to push like you hear so many women do because I hung out there for about another 30 minutes waiting for the Dr. to arrive.  In the meantime my room became like grand central station as they got the room ready for baby's arrival.  The warming lamp and bassinet were on stand by.  They started breaking down my bed and bringing out the stirrups and the giant light came down from the ceiling just in time for the Dr. to walk in.  It was baby time!

Adam assumed his position on my left side, my nurse on the right.  The two of them joked who would cut the cord, Adam wanted nothing to do with that and I didn't want him hitting the floor so the task got delegated to the nurse.  I had previously told my dad he was welcome to stay if he wanted so he stayed off to the side, ready to meet his granddaughter.  They got my legs in the stir-ups, which is no easy task when you can't feel them, and gave me a quick refresher course on how and when to push.  At this point I was mentally prepared for the marathon that could be ahead remembering how with Jamie it took exactly one hour to get him out.  I glanced at the clock and saw 8:15 and hoped by 9:00 we'd have a baby.  Dr. N told me my contraction was starting and to pull myself up and start to push.  Everyone counted to 10 and though I felt like I wasn't doing anything, they assured me I was doing great.  When we got to 10 I laid back to catch my breath, but they quickly told me no, it's time to go again so I pulled myself forward and began to push.  I don't think they even made it to 5 and the Dr. was telling me to look down.  I figured she maybe wanted me to see the baby's head or be able to see how far I'd progressed, but I no sooner looked down and there she was, holding a baby.  My baby.  Our baby.  In barely 2 pushes, arriving at 8:19 PM, here she was. She immediately let out a hearty cry, music to my ears.  I looked at Adam and then at my dad with tears in my eyes.  I had done it.  Our baby girl was actually here.


Welcome to the world Brooke Savannah.

The one where I pushed out a winter melon....part 2

The nurse wheeled me over to my room, which she said happened to be the largest, most deluxe room on the floor.  Lucky me!  She handed me a gown and told me to change and get comfy, room 3600 was going to be my home for awhile.  So I put on my oh so sexy hospital gown and took one last long look at my bump in the mirror knowing it would be gone before too long.  Adam and I quickly went over the rest of the things we needed and off he went.  I sat there on the bed and for the first time really processed what was about to happen and started to cry.  Was I ready for this?  What if this was my last pregnancy, did I enjoy it enough?  What if it's too early and the induction is a bust, I don't want to labor all day and end up with a c-section.  And most importantly I finally, for the first time in 9 months, cried because I'm having a baby and my mom isn't here.  It didn't last long, I knew soon enough a slew of people would be in and out to get things rolling, they didn't need to deal with an emotional pregnant lady on top of it all, but it felt good to let out.

At noon, after being pricked and poked and basically treated like a pin cushion to get more blood work and my IV started, the on call Dr. came in to break my water.  I was sad my OB wouldn't be there for the delivery but quickly came to love Dr. N and knew I was in good hands.  With the pitocin flowing and my water now broke I waited for the fun to start.  At this point I was having contractions, or so the nurse said, but I wasn't really feeling much, not that I was complaining.  I was excited to find out that I was already 1 1/2 cm dilated, which might not seem like much, but with Jamie I never dilated at all before I was induced, so even a tiny bit let me know my body was already getting with the program.  Only 8 1/2 cm to go!

Adam returned with all our bags and assured me Jamie had been picked up from school and was in good hands for the rest of the night.  I was a bit sad we didn't get one last good bye in before he officially became a big brother, but figured this way was probably best.  He'd be so distracted hanging out with our friends for the day he likely wouldn't even notice I was gone and I wouldn't be a blubbering idiot telling him good bye!  By now all the extra fluids were kicking in and the potty breaks picking up.  Who knew a small task such as going to the bathroom would now be a huge ordeal.  Each time we would have to unhook both monitors, take off the blood pressure cuff and then wheel my IV with me into the bathroom.  Not to mention every time I got up I left a trail of "water" behind me.  Seriously, how much fluid do those babies have in there?!  I kept telling Adam this is why you should be married when you have a baby, so your husband is legally bound to you after witnessing the grossness that is the "miracle" of life.

The next few hours passed without much incident.  My contractions were coming more regularly and getting stronger but definitely still manageable.  The worst part was baby girl seemed to prefer when I was on my right side which was NOT comfortable for me.  Each contraction was in my lower back and constantly being on my side was causing my hips to hurt as well.  Getting up to go to the bathroom, though a giant pain, did at least give me the chance to stretch.  I also found sitting up with my feet over the side of the bed was far more comfortable than laying on my side so I tried to stay up at long as I could.  Around 4:00 my nurse came in to tell me she was leaving for the day and introduced me to my new nurse.  They both noticed I was having to stop and breath through my contractions now and asked if I was ready for an epidural.  I was nervous of getting it too soon and risking stalling out my labor, so decided to wait, but told them I would likely be ready within the hour.  Well no sooner had I said this and sent them on their way the contractions really started to pick up.  They were now coming every 2 minute and lasting 45-60 seconds.  Each one getting stronger and we had now gone from "manageable" to "OMG I can barely breath through these anymore" and am now starting to mumble obscenities to myself to get through the pain.  I still wasn't quite ready to admit defeat.  After all I had just told the nurse I was fine, I can handle this.  Well by 4:30 I decided this was crazy and I had had enough and hit the nurse call button.  She came in and said she would check me first to see where we were.  4 cm.  Alleluia.  That was good enough for me, bring on the drugs!  Within 20 minutes she had everything set up just in time for my new best friend Tim, the nurse anesthetist, to work his magic.  Within no time my legs were feeling heavy and tingly and I was watching the contractions spike on the monitor without feeling a thing.  It was amazing and I was finally able to get some rest.

To be continued......

The one where I pushed out a winter melon....part 1

Oh man, where to begin.  I feel like this birth story really started 2 weeks before the big day, so let's start there.  Up until 35 weeks every Dr's appointment went off without a hitch.  In fact at 34 weeks my Dr said, "Well, your measurements are perfect, baby's heartbeat is perfect and your blood pressure is perfect, see you next week!"  I like when they use the word perfect, it makes my mama heart happy, so I went on my merry way.  Well the following week things weren't quite so "perfect," my blood pressure was running a bit higher than my norm.  Not high enough to warrant immediate concern, but high enough to put me on watch.  I left not too worried, figuring it was just a fluke, perhaps I was running around a bit too much that day, surely next week it will be back in my usual range.  It seemed like such a blip on the radar I didn't even mention it to Adam hoping next week all would be back to normal. I put my faith in that and went about my life.

Another 7 days comes and goes and I head to the Dr for my 36 week check up.  I tried not to be nervous, but it's like as soon as they put that cuff on I can feel my blood pressure rise from nerves alone.  Sure enough, exact same as last week, high but not officially in the "high range."  My Dr. still seemed relatively unconcerned since I was showing no other signs that anything was wrong, but she did say with borderline high blood pressure she didn't want me going past my due date, so let's talk about an induction date.  It was set for December 3rd barring any other issues or surprises.  I left my appt with mixed feelings.  A bit deflated I was looking at another induction.  A bit excited that I had an official end date in sight, and four days earlier than expected!  But mostly, a bit concerned about my blood pressure.  I made a rookie mistake and started googling things about pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension and got myself even more worked up.  I tried to remain calm and convinced myself if my OB isn't concerned, then I won't be.  I shoved my worries to the back of my mind started my last full week of work.

I felt good all week considering I was 37+ weeks pregnant which definitely helped keep my mind at ease.  Thursday things started to change a bit.  It was a long day, I left the house for work at 6:45am and worked a busy morning.  We had a staff meeting in the afternoon which was a nice break from the usual hustle and bustle of treating patients, but during the meeting I started getting a headache.  I never get headaches so it struck me as a bit odd.  I chalked it up to being stuck in a hot, crowded staff room but in the back of my mind knew headaches can be a high blood pressure red flag.  After our meeting my co workers treated me to dinner and a baby shower.  It was a nice evening celebrating baby girl, and thankfully I got in a good meal, because little did I know it would be my last for over 24 hours.  By the time I got home just after 8:00pm I was beat.  When I went to take off my shoes I immediately noticed how big and swollen my feet were, up until today I hadn't had any swelling and now I was toting around two giant monster feet.  Great.  Another big red flag.  By this point I was really starting to worry things were going south fast, my only consolation was knowing I had a Dr's appt at 9:00 the next morning.  I told Adam all my new symptoms and joked that I had a feeling if my BP was high again tomorrow we might be having a baby.  Sure I knew it was a possibility, but deep down I honestly didn't think it would happen, I tend to worry myself over nothing, surely that was the case again.  No way was I having a baby tomorrow.  So I took my hobbit feet and tried to get some sleep.  Easier said than done.  Between my nerves and this off and on sharp pain under my right rib it was hard to get comfortable.  I later found out this rib pain is yet one more blood pressure red flag, good thing I didn't google it at the time or I really wouldn't have gotten any sleep.

Friday morning started out like any other Friday.  Adam got up and off to work, telling me he was meeting me at my appt today just in case there was any news.  Jamie came into our room asking for breakfast and the iPad, so I rolled myself out of bed, no easy task at nearly 38 weeks pregnant.  The headache and rib pain were gone, but I was still rocking some serious swollen feet.  I decided to pack my hospital bag, you know, just in case.  Got myself and Jamie ready for the day and snapped what would become my final bump picture.  As you can tell by my face, I was over being pregnant and not feeling so hot, nor was I pleased to discover I was officially wider than the bathroom door.  Pregnant girl problems.  I loaded Jamie into the car, dropped him off at school and headed off to my appt.  I wasn't even scheduled to see my OB, it was merely a BP check so hopefully I would be in and out quick.  I met Adam in the lobby and we headed upstairs.  When the nurse took me back I told her about my new symptoms, she then took my blood pressure and all I heard her say was "166."  I didn't even hear the bottom number, but I knew 140 was the target "high" threshold and I had been in the high 130s the previous two weeks, so this was not good.  The nurse went to consult with one of the doctors in the office and then promptly returned and said they wanted me to head over to Labor and Delivery for some monitoring and lab work and we'd go from there.  I can't really say I was shocked, but it really started to hit me that this could be it, so Adam and I walked over to L&D.

When we got there they took me back to triage and got me hooked up to a BP cuff and monitor for baby.  Over the next 30 minutes I watched as my BP readings bounced all over the place even hitting 190/100 at one point.  Well that's just great.  Thankfully baby seemed unaffected by it all.  They did some blood work to check for other signs of pre-eclampsia and while we waited for the results Adam and I started calling the family and getting our plan set for Jamie just in case we were staying for the long haul.  Shortly after we alerted the media the nurse came in to let us know all my lab work came back normal which was great, but with my BP being so high, since I was past 37 weeks, there was no sense putting me or baby at risk so they were going to admit me and start to induce.  Today.  I was having a baby today!

.....to be continued.....

Bump Day ~ 38 Weeks

 (Originally written 11.23.14)

How far along? 38 weeks and surprise!  We have an outside baby!!  Baby girl decided to join us at 37 weeks, 5 days. But for posterity sake I'm going to do one last survey for my last 5 pregnant days.

Weight gain/loss:  Based on my last Dr's appt, the total damage done was 34 pounds.

Maternity Clothes? Ironically the day I gave birth, I was sitting in the waiting room at my OB office and proudly announced to my husband that I wasn't wearing anything maternity.  An impressive feat at nearly 38 weeks.

Sleep: Not too shabby, as long as I'm on my right side baby girl doesn't protest too much.  Now getting out of bed, or rolling over is a different story.  I feel like a turtle stuck on their back.

Stretch marks:  Nada.

Best moment this week: Thursday night all my work friends threw a baby shower for me!  It was my only one this go around and so much fun to celebrate baby girl!

Movement: She's still a mover and a shaker!

Food cravings: Cereal.  I ate a late night bowl several nights this week, it was awesome.

Gender: Team pink!

Labor Signs: Maybe a few cramps here and there, but nothing major.

What I Miss: Being able to tie my shoes.  Or even put shoes on without it being a huge battle.

What I'm looking forward to:  Thanksgiving!  My favorite holiday of the year!

Weekly Wisdom: When you've had high blood pressure and then suddenly your feet swell to twice their natural size, don't be surprised when you immediately get shipped to Labor and Delivery.

Milestones: Made it through my last full week of work!

Big Brother: Excited as ever, I pulled out his Big Brother book and we read it every night. 

Welcome to the World Brooke Savannah

So I'm a little late on our announcement.

2 weeks to be exact.

Without further adieu, I announce to you Brooke Savannah.

On November 21 at 8:19 PM we welcomed our sweet baby girl into the world!

She weighed in at a whopping 6 lbs 0.4 ounces and was 18 1/4 inches long.

She's just perfect and we're settling in as a family of FOUR!

Today was actually her due date, hard to think I could still be pregnant!  I'm much happier with an outside baby for my 40 week picture than and inside baby!

Birth story is coming, I finally finished it only to realize that the last half I spent two days writing didn't save.  Yay.  The joys of computers.

Bump Day ~ 37 Weeks

How far along? 37 weeks!  Baby is the size of a winter melon.  Not to be confused with a watermelon, because that's how I read it at first.

Weight gain/loss:  Whatever.  I keep telling myself that I still weigh less now then I did when I started my pregnancy with Jamie and am no where near what I weighed when I delivered him.  So there's that.

Maternity Clothes? Yes.  Our sudden cold snap is proving to be interesting in the coat dept.  I refuse to buy anything at this point though so I'm making do.  I did treat myself to some new {non maternity} PJ's to wear in the hospital in a vein attempt to feel pretty and  I picked up two {non maternity} tops that will work now, but will be good to have post baby.

Sleep: I don't want to jinx it, but sleep is good.  I think I'm just so exhausted by the time my head hits the pillow my body just gives in to sweet, sweet uninterrupted slumber.

Stretch marks:  Still nothing new, dare a say I may make it out of this without any new stripes.

Best moment this week: We have an official end date in sight!!  Unfortunately it comes at the price of two weeks in a row with borderline high blood pressure.  My OB said I'm still in the "grey" area and haven't officially crossed the threshold to being labeled with pregnancy induced hypertension, but I'm close enough she doesn't want me going past my due date.  So as long as my BP doesn't get any worse and baby girl doesn't make any surprise appearances on her own, we are set for a Dec 3rd induction, just a few days shy of my Dec 7 due date.  It's weird, I've only lost 4 days, but all of a sudden it seems so much closer!  I think because it's a guarantee where as before I had pretty much come to terms I was going to be late again.  Only 16 days to go!!

Movement: Definitely slowing down as she runs out of room, but she still manages to get plenty of good dance moves in there,

Food cravings: Nothing in particular, I've been digging the clementines though, which is a nice change of pace from the usual sugar high.

Gender: Sugar and spice!

Labor Signs: I've had a few braxton hicks contractions and she's definitely sitting low these days based on the way I waddle.

What I Miss: Being able to sit on the floor and play with Jamie.  Or heck, just sit on the floor period.

What I'm looking forward to:  Getting through this week, my last FULL work week!!  Next week is short because of Thanksgiving and the following week is short because it's baby time!!

Weekly Wisdom: When your doctor tells you not to worry, don't start googling or you will convince yourself you are dying.

Milestones: We are officially considered {early} full term!  We also finished washing and setting up all the baby stuff.  It's weird having a swing in the house again.  We bought the last few things we needed and the nursery is pretty much done.  If she showed up today we'd be ready!  Oh!  And her Christmas stocking is on the way!

Big Brother:  He seriously may be more excited for his sister to arrive than anyone else.  He talks about her all the time and wants to be a part of everything we've been doing to get ready.  I can't wait to watch him become a big brother, it gets me all pregnancy sappy just thinking about it.

Bump Day ~ 36 Weeks

How far along? 36 weeks!  Baby is the size of a honeydew melon.

Weight gain/loss: Up.  Again.  I've reached the point where it is what it is and as long as I'm not treating everyday like an all you can eat buffet, I've come to terms with it.

Maternity Clothes? With Jamie I remember being so over maternity clothes by this poing and counting down until I could wear "real" pants again.  This time?  Elastic pants for life!

Sleep: I can still sometimes go all night without a bathroom break.  I'm not sure if I should be grateful for this or be concerned I'm not drinking enough water.  Either way sleep is good.  No real complaints here!

Stretch marks:  Nothing new.

Best moment this week: I woke up on Monday and felt human again.  The stomach bug is officially gone and the exhaustion went with it!  Praise the lord!!

Movement: Yes, and sometimes, not gonna lie, it's kind of uncomfortable, baby girl is definitely running out of room in there!

Food cravings: Appetite returned in full force this week!  As did the sweet tooth.

Gender: Sweet baby girl!

Labor Signs: Nope.  Had an internal exam at my OB appt Friday, not surprisingly I was not dilated but we did confirm baby is head down!  I also suspect she dropped some this week because my symptoms have flip flopped, more hip/lower back pain but I feel like I can breath better and I'm having less heartburn.  So let's hope all these things are a sign she's starting to get ready for her BIG debut!

What I Miss: Being able to get out of bed or off the couch without giving myself a pep talk first.

What I'm looking forward to:  The holiday season!  Usually I'm all "Respect the Turkey!" and while I'm not putting up the tree just yet, I'm starting to get the itch for all things Christmas.  This year is going to be extra magical and I'm anxious to get it started!

Weekly Wisdom: Washing a dark pink onesie with the rest of the baby laundry will in fact turn everything a nice shade of pale pink.  Sigh.

Milestones: Had my pre-admissions meeting at the hospital this week!  Also washed all the nursery linens and put the crib in order.  Hung the monogram.  Washed all the newborn clothes.  Installed the infant seat bases in the cars and washed the seat cover.  Nesting and baby prep is in full force!!

Big Brother:  Poor buddy has been battling a cold all week.  I guess better now than later when we have to worry about preschool germs and a newborn!

Bump Day ~ 35 weeks

How far along? 35 weeks! Baby is the size of a coconut.

Weight gain/loss: Well according to my scale, thanks to the stomach virus of 2014, I lost 3 pounds, according to my Dr's scale I gained almost 4.  I'm sorry but I call BS on that.  All I did for 5 days was go to the bathroom and eat applesauce.  It will be interesting to see what their stupid scale tells me this week.

Maternity Clothes? Yes.  I don't see this changing anytime soon. Though I still get by with a handful of non maternity tops that I saved from my fat girl days.

Sleep: After this week, if I could sleep 22 hours of the day I would.  Unfortunately work got in the way, but you can bet as soon as I stumbled in the door I hit the bed and didn't leave until my alarm went off.  I am hoping I get a little energy back, I can't handle 5 more weeks of this exhaustion.

Stretch marks:  Nothing new.

Best moment this week: I'm not going to sugar coat it, there was nothing great about this week.  I'm just glad I survived.  A stomach virus is never fun, but being 8 month pregnant AND having a stomach bug?  Downright torture.

Movement: This poor kid gets hiccups all.the.time.  At least twice a day, sometimes more.  She also likes to play punch the bladder, fun times.

Food cravings: Nothing.  I have had zero interest in food and zero appetite.  Even now that the stomach bug has moved on through, most food just sounds unappetizing.  Or it gives me heartburn so I don't want to eat it anyway.

Gender: Team pink!

Labor Signs: Nope.  Not a one.

What I Miss: Feeling like a normal human being.

What I'm looking forward to:  Getting my appetite back, we have "Fakesgiving" this weekend and I want to enjoy my turkey dinner and pie!

Weekly Wisdom: When your husband claims he feels worse than you, resist the urge to punch him in the face, you might need him later to make a late night CVS run.

Milestones: 35/35!  35 weeks down, 35 days to go!

Big Brother:  Is starting to get impatient on when exactly this baby is actually going to be here.  Me too buddy, me too.

Bump Day ~ 34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks, baby is the size of a butternut squash!

Weight gain/loss: No clue.  Let's keep it that way.

Maternity Clothes? Had to bust out the ole tank/maxi skirt combo again today.  You know, because it's normal to be 85 degrees at the end of October.  Over it.

Sleep: Lately I've been tossing and turning a lot.  The overnight potty breaks are also becoming more and more.

Stretch marks:  I actually looked the other day, as much as I can that is, and honestly didn't see anything.

Best moment this week: I felt a little less exhausted this week and little more human.  I'll take whatever energy bursts I can!

Movement: Still tons.  And as much as I do like it, I'd be lying if I didn't say some of the big movements are getting a little uncomfortable.  I felt hiccups pretty low yesterday though, so hopefully she's head down now for the long haul!

Food cravings: Macaroni and cheese.  And peas.  Not like all mixed together, but at the same time.  I had it twice in the past week.

Gender: Team pink!

Labor Signs: Had a few cramps here and there, maybe I was over doing it at work.....maybe it's those Braxton Hicks contractions people talk about?

What I Miss: Fall!  Please come back!!  I did not sign up for another third trimester in the sweltering heat!!

What I'm looking forward to: Pulling all the baby gear out of the basement.  Starting to get the nesting itch but feel like it's a bit soon to set up already.  Two more weeks and it's go time!

Weekly Wisdom:  Don't down an entire bottle of water right before bed and then be surprised when you have to get up like 4 times to pee.

Milestones: Started hanging new things in the nursery, can't wait for the monogram to arrive for above the crib!

Big Brother:  So my belly button pops out when I laugh really hard and Jamie got to witness this strange phenomenon first hand.  One night the two of us laid in his bed and laughed for a good 10 minutes watching my belly act like a human turkey timer.

Bump Day ~ 33 Weeks

How far along? 33 weeks, baby is the size of a durian fruit??  Cause that's helpful.  Let's just go with baby is getting huge, because lately, that's how I feel.

Weight gain/loss: Up 1.6 lbs since my last appt 2 week ago.  I guess that's not horrible.

Maternity Clothes? I tried to make a button down shirt work today, I only got two buttons done and the 2nd was a major stretch over the ever expanding boulders on my chest.  I rocked it anyways, with a tank underneath of course.

Sleep: Ok.  Had a bit of insomnia and was up tossing and turning at 4am, of course on one of the days I could have actually slept it.  Figures.

Stretch marks:  No news is good news.

Best moment this week: Hearing my doctor tell me that me and baby are both just perfect.  Like I didn't already know.  ;)  Worst moment: Getting my flu shot.  Last appt I had to get the Tdap vaccine.  The time before that my Rogham shot and all my glucose bloodwork.  I look forward to not being treated like a pin cushion every time I walk through those doors.

Movement: Yes, yes and yes!  I remember thinking Jamie was an active baby, well he's got nothing on his sister.  Girlfriend is like a ninja warrior in there all day, everyday.  She even woke me up once this week with her acrobatics.

Food cravings: Chocolate milk shake.  And it was delicious.

Gender: Baby girl!

Labor Signs: Nope, but she sits so low sometimes I legit feel like I need to cross my legs when I sneeze or cough for fear she may just drop right out.

What I Miss: That cushy desk job I had when I was pregnant with Jamie where I sat around and surfed the internet all day.  Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but man the days are long and it's far more physically demanding than I ever realized before being 100 months pregnant.  Whew.  This week it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I can just feel myself moving slower and by lunch I am ready for a nap.

What I'm looking forward to: Only working 3 days this week!  My poor pregnant body is craving the extra day of rest!

Weekly Wisdom:  Anytime you're taking family pictures and a crazy 4 year old boy is involved, don't expect it to happen without any bribing, or without sprouting any new grey hairs.

Milestones: Officially under 50 days!!  Non pregnancy related?  The Kansas City Royals have made it into the World Series for the first time in 29 years!

Big Brother:  Tonight he hugged my belly and told me how much he loves his baby sister.  I sure hope that sticks around once she arrives.

Bump Day ~ 32 Weeks

How far along? 32 weeks, baby is the size of a squash.

Weight gain/loss: Not sure, but I ate the kitchen every night I came home from work, so I imagine it's not pretty.  I will say I'm starting to reach that point where I get full pretty fast, so hopefully that will help keep the gain at bay.

Maternity Clothes? I still have several non maternity tops that work just fine, but pants are all maternity all the time.

Sleep: I had two labor dreams this week, I don't remember much about the one, but in the other they were scheduling me for a c-section for no reason, just because.  Needless to say I was pissed.  Hopefully it's not some weird premonition, major abdominal surgery scares me far more than pushing a watermelon out of my lady parts.

Stretch marks:  No news here.

Best moment this week: Watching my bump move at night while baby girl does some dance moves in there.  I could seriously watch it for hours.

Movement: Based on the belly show that happens nightly, I'd say yes.  Also felt hiccups several times this week!

Food cravings: I had some really good hot and sour soup from a chinese place that I've been thinking about since.  Also?  A BLT.  From Subway of all places.  Haven't fulfilled that one yet, but it's on my list.

Gender: Sugar, spice and everything nice.

Labor Signs: Nope.

What I Miss: Being able to stand for more than a few minutes without lower back pain and my right leg going numb.  Took a lot longer to show up this time around so I guess I'll be grateful for that.

What I'm looking forward to: December.  I'm starting to really feel pregnant, the waddling, the aches and pains, all the fun of third trimester.  Let's hope these next 8ish weeks go quickly.

Weekly Wisdom:  If the forecast even hints at rain, carry an umbrella with you, otherwise you'll be forced to run/waddle all the way to your car in a torrential downpour and then have to sit in your car soaking wet for your entire 60 minute commute home.

Milestones: Scheduled my pre-admission appointment
and hospital tour for November!

Big Brother:  Between the "joys" of living with a four year old, coupled with the fact that pregnancy has left me with zero patience, I feel like there's a lot of yelling in our house.  Whoever said four would be better than three was a big fat liar.

Bump Day ~ 31 Weeks

How far along? 31 weeks, baby is the size of a pineapple.

Weight gain/loss: No gain since my last Dr. appt!  Pardon me while I happy dance in the corner.

Maternity Clothes? Yes.  Elastic waist pants for life!

Sleep: Pretty good still, waking up with sore hips sometimes, but otherwise no complaints.

Stretch marks:  Nada.

Best moment this week: I got a little nesting urge this weekend and finally went through the nursery.  Officially took Jamie's name off the wall which was both bittersweet and super exciting all at the same time.  Also ordered some new decor for over the changing table and picked out a monogram decal to put over the crib.  Can't wait to put it all together!

Movement: Yep!  Can't really tell how she's laying in there, I feel kicks and punches all over the place.

Food cravings: Nothing new here.  Still sweets all the time.  I sure hope that goes away once she's here if I ever hope to see my waistline again.

Gender: Pretty pretty princess!

Labor Signs: Nope.

What I Miss: Being able to put my own boots on.  It was quite the sight watching me try though.

What I'm looking forward to:  A quiet weekend at home.  I can't tell you the last time we didn't have somewhere to go or big plans.  I want to sit on the couch and do nothing for 2 days.

Weekly Wisdom:  If you have even the slightest urge to go pee before bed, don't ignore it, just go, otherwise you'll wake up once you've finally fallen asleep in desperate need of a potty stop.

Milestones: First load of baby laundry is down and the diaper prepping has begun!  Also, I go to the doctor every 2 weeks now!

Big Brother:  He's asked a few times lately how the baby gets out of mommy's tummy.  Not quite ready for that talk yet, thankfully he's easily distracted with shiny objects.

Bump Day ~ 30 Weeks

How far along? 30 weeks, baby is the size of a cucumber.

Weight gain/loss: Not much new to report here.  My weekly update informed me that from now until delivery I can expect to gain 1 pound per week, I'd be ok not packing on 10 more pounds.

Maternity Clothes? Several people kept suggesting leggings to get through the home stretch, so I ordered a pair.  It's been too hot to wear them, but after trying them on I can definitely see the appeal.  I think I may finally be inducted into the "legging as pants" club as soon as this fall heat wave moves on out. 

Sleep: I took a nap for this first time in forever the other day.  It was awesome.

Stretch marks: Still just itchy.

Best moment this week: Finding a daycare that I both love and isn't going to cost an arm and a leg!  Biggest downer?  No openings until March/April.  Two months AFTER I plan on returning to work.  Womp. Womp. So now the search continues for some temporary care until they have a spot.

Movement: All the time!  Probably the part I'll miss most once she's on the outside.

Food cravings: Fruity pebbles cereal.  If I could stop cooking and just eat that for dinner every night, I would.

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: No.  I do notice more cramps if I haven't had enough water for the day, but other wise it's smooth sailing in there.

What I Miss: Not having to mentally prepare myself to pick something up off the floor if I've dropped it.

What I'm looking forward to:  Enjoying these last 10 weeks, I have a feeling they may fly by!

Weekly Wisdom: If you're going to sit outside at night, wear bug spray or you will be covered in bug bites from head to toe.

Milestones: Filling out my pre-registration packet for the hospital.  Shit just got real.

Big Brother:  Jamie came up and sat in my lap the other night saying he wanted to feel his baby sister move.  I still don't think he actually feels anything because patience isn't exactly his strong suit, but it was still the sweetest thing ever. 

Bump Day ~ 29 Weeks

How far along? 29 weeks, baby is the size of an acorn squash.

Weight gain/loss: I really tried to reign in the crap food eating this week and actually lost a few pounds.  I'm really trying not to let it get out of hand in the last 10 weeks like I did with Jamie.

Maternity Clothes? It's been hot again.  So the shorts have been back out.  I told Adam I may just live in maternity shorts forever.

Sleep: No complaints.  I'm enjoying the minimal overnight potty breaks while they last, most nights I don't even get up once!

Stretch marks: I tried to dig out my old Palmer's spray oil and couldn't find it.  Need to get something soon though, the itchy bump is getting crazy.

Best moment this week: Passed my glucose test!  Guess I don't have to quit the sugar!

Movement: Still lots during the day!  I'm trying to decided how she's laying in there, but can't quite tell by the kicks.

Food cravings: Still sweets.  All the sweets.  All the time.  I'm trying to find a slightly healthier alternative to curb the craving, coming up empty handed.

Gender: Team pink!

Labor Signs: Nada.  Kind of thought I'd have felt a Braxton Hicks contraction or two by now, but nope, not a thing.  She's cozy in there!

What I Miss: Being able to squeeze through tight spaces without taking out half the room or unintentionally molesting people with my bump.

What I'm looking forward to:  Sprucing up the nursery a bit.  Or at the very least taking all the miscellaneous crap out so she has somewhere to sleep.

Weekly Wisdom: If you want to guarantee a buffet of brownies and cookies at your tailgate, invite the pregnant girl.

Milestones: First unofficial home football game with baby girl!

Big Brother:  He asks all the time when his baby sister is coming, I think he's getting tired of waiting. Or wondering if we've made this whole baby thing up.

Bump Day ~ 28 Weeks

How far along? 28 weeks, baby is the size of an eggplant.

Weight gain/loss: Can I plead the fifth?

Maternity Clothes? It was actually cool this weekend and I got to bust out the maternity jeans!  I've never been so grateful for cool weather.....and elastic waist pants.

Sleep: Still great!  I'm noticing how tired I'm feeling by the end of the day though.  Some nights I could (and do) fall asleep by 8.

Stretch marks: I feel like the bump has been at a standstill for a few weeks now, so no new battle wounds to report.

Best moment this week: Turning off the A/C this week and opening up the windows!  Kind of early to be having such cool weather, but I will take it!!

Movement: I can feel her when I'm standing up, I don't ever remember that with Jamie.  Usually I had to be sitting or laying down, but this little ninja gets her kicks in whenever she can!

Food cravings: Candy corn pumpkins.  Also?  Honeycrisp apples and caramel dip.  Doesn't get more fall {or sweet} than that!

Gender: Based on all the pink and ruffles that's currently taken over our house, hopefully still a girl!  I had a dream that I had another ultrasound and the tech told me it was a boy.  Better not be any crazy delivery day surprises!

Labor Signs: Other than a few cramps here and there, not a thing.  Adam thinks I'll be going late and have to be induced again.  I agree on the past due part, hopefully not the latter.

What I Miss: Not having a 50 minute one way commute.  Most days I don't mind it, but lately I'm so tired by the time I get in the car I wish I could close my eyes and put it on auto pilot! 

What I'm looking forward to:  Is it too soon to say an outside baby?  I definitely haven't reached the point of being completely over this pregnancy, but I am getting anxious to meet this little girl!

Weekly Wisdom: Going to Dr's appointments without a preschooler in tow will always be more pleasant and result in lower blood pressure, even when you have to do your glucose test and get a shot in the butt.

Milestones: Third Trimester!

Big Brother:  Some days I get a little nostalgic thinking about how much his little world is going to be rocked.  I know have a sibling will be great in the long run, but the transition to two and having to split my time with him for the first time ever is kind of scary.

Bump Day ~ 27 Weeks

How far along? 27 weeks, baby is the size of a rutabaga!  Which honestly doesn't mean a thing to me.  What the heck is a rutabaga?

Weight gain/loss: I find out for sure on Tuesday. I'm tempted to get on the scale backwards.

Maternity Clothes?  Same ole, same ole.

Sleep: Had a few killer bouts of heartburn this week that kept me up.  Let's hope the old wives tale is true and this means baby girl is sprouting a head full of hair in there!

Stretch marks: Nothing new.  Belly button is getting flatter.

Best moment this week: Going to a HUGE sunflower field just outside of town.  For years I've wondered why I live in Kansas, the sunflower state, and never see any!  So when I discovered this field so close to home I was dying to go.  It was worth the wait.  I was in Sunflower heaven!

Movement: She moves so much during the day when I'm at work!  So different than her brother who didn't wake up until I got home.

Food cravings: Besides my wicked sweet tooth?  I ate a bowl of cereal for dinner twice this week.

Gender: Sugar and spice!

Labor Signs: Twice over the weekend I got some killer cramps when walking, think it was mainly due to not drinking enough water.

What I Miss:  Being able to climb to the top of a football stadium without feeling like I'm going to die.

What I'm looking forward to:  Third tri next week!

Weekly Wisdom: If you already have heartburn, eating Mexican is probably not going to help.

Milestones: Bought a few things that weren't clothes. Shocking I know.  Some sheets and a few new girly diapers.  I also registered at Target for the free swag and registry discount.  We aren't having any showers or sprinkles or whatever people call them for second babies, but it's nice having one compiled list of what we need.  Also made it feel real.  We're going to have an actual little baby in this house again!

Big Brother:  He's been SUPER clingy to me lately.  I mean, he's always been a mama's boy, but lately it's been epic.  I think he's starting to sense the big changes ahead.

Bump Day ~ 26 Weeks

How far along? 26 weeks, baby is the size of a head of lettuce!

Weight gain/loss: I stepped on the scale at home then pretended I didn't.

Maternity Clothes?  Picked up a few items for fall/3rd Tri during all the great Labor Day sales.  Now I just need some cooler weather.  For now I'll continue to live in tanks and maxi skirts.

Sleep: No huge complaints.

Stretch marks: There's definitely some growing going on based on the itchy bump, but I'm hoping not to gain any new battle scars.

Best moment this week: Spending one final summer weekend at the lake!

Movement: She's a mover and a shaker in there!

Food cravings: Still sweets.  Seriously, some days, ok...most days, it's the only thing that sounds good.  I keep buying all my usual healthy food choices, but every time I open the fridge and see them, it just sounds gross.

Gender: Baby Sister!

Labor Signs: Nope.

What I Miss:  Beer.  Labor day weekend on the boat and kicking off football season on Saturday just wasn't the same without a nice cold one.

What I'm looking forward to: Finishing up the nursery.  It's currently the catch all room where all crap goes to die.  It's also become our over flow closet.  So some rearranging is in order!  Other than that there's really not much to do.  All the major stuff is staying, furniture, bedding, etc, but I figured I'd take big Brother's name off the wall and add a few new little things to make the space special just for her.

Weekly Wisdom: If your unborn child already has more clothes than you do, stop opening all the sale emails.  And for the love of god, delete the zulily app off your phone.

Milestones: Under 100 days to go!!  I remember being in the 250s, so this seems HUGE!

Big Brother:  One time he shouted "Boo!" and she moved, so now he thinks it's funny to try and scare the baby again.  He likes to pat, hug and kiss the bump a lot too.  It's pretty sweet how much he loves his sister, let's just hope he doesn't want to send her back when she actually arrives!

Bump Day ~ 25 Weeks

How far along? 25 weeks, baby is the size of a head of cauliflower!

Weight gain/loss: No news is good news at this point.

Maternity Clothes?  I feel like I'm at a bit of a stale mate wardrobe wise.  I refuse to buy anything new with fall around the corner, but I'm sick of the same rotation over and over and over again.

Sleep: Not great.  Not horrible.  Waking up at 5:30 for no apparent reason on a Sunday sucks though.  Not to mention how draining this face melting heat wave has been.

Stretch marks: Nada.

Best moment this week: We have a name!  And I sorta love it.  And maybe ordered a monogrammed gown/hat set for the hospital.....and got some free personalized thank you notes during a shutterfly sale.  Ironically, I looked back in the archives and realized we chose/announced Jamie's name this same week!  This go around we've decided not to share, at least not on social media.  So unless you're family or I know you in real life, you'll be waiting another 15 weeks to find out!

Movement: Noticing some kicks above the belly button!

Food cravings: Gimme all the chocolate!

Gender: Team pink!

Labor Signs: Yeah, no.

What I Miss:  Brushing my teeth without gagging.  With Jamie this passed around 14 weeks when the nausea left.  Not this time!  Baby girl apparently has something against oral hygiene.

What I'm looking forward to:  Fall.  We really lucked out with a mild summer, but the past week has been hell with no relief in sight.  I'm ready for cool, crisp mornings/nights!

Weekly Wisdom: If you wake up at 5:00AM on a Sunday, don't look at your phone.  Then you'll be tempted to catch up on the world and will never go back to sleep.

Milestones: Picked a name!

Big Brother:  I've tried to get him to feel kicks, but they're too sporadic and not quite strong enough for an impatient 4 year old.  He will put his hand on my belly and then immediately say he felt one, even when I know the baby hasn't even moved.  It's sweet none the less so I don't dash his hopes and dreams, but I can't wait to see his reaction when he really feels one!

Bump Day ~ 24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks, baby is a cantaloupe! That seems big!

Weight gain/loss: Ignorance is bliss for 3 more weeks.

Maternity Clothes?  I tried to put on a pair of snug fitting workout type pants the other day, the result was laughable.  I think I need to find a fold over style yoga pant from here on out.

Sleep: I've been waking up more at night, tossing and turning a bit more.  I'm hoping it's the heat wave we've had and not pregnancy insomnia kicking in.

Stretch marks: Nothing new, the belly button is getting more shallow though.

Best moment this week: Adam finally felt her move!

Movement: Some days she's a rocking and a rolling.  Some days she's pretty quiet.

Food cravings: Taco Bell.  Random.  I ate it.  I think I'm good now for another few years.

Gender: Sugar and Spice!

Labor Signs: Nope.

What I Miss:  Had a few sips of beer over the weekend.  Contemplated having a glass, figured it was no difference than a glass of wine which lots of women will indulge in occasionally, but decided against it.

What I'm looking forward to:  The old belly rounding out.  I don't know why my babies like to give me this weird flat bump, but it's not really a great look.  I blame the long torso, too much room to spread up, no need to move out.

Weekly Wisdom: Stay off Zulily.  All baby clothes look cute at 5 AM when you can't sleep and one touch ordering is far too easy!

Milestones: Viability day!  So baby officially has a chance of surviving if born at this point.  I vote we let her keep baking.

Big Brother:  Said goodbye to the only daycare/school he's ever known this week.  He couldn't have cared less, he was so excited about starting at his new school to really comprehend what it really meant to leave.  I on the other hand was a blubbering mess.  These women have been my village for almost 4 years, it was bittersweet saying goodbye.