40 Weeks - "The Baby Files"

How far along? 40 weeks. Today is my C-Section.

Maternity clothes?Yep.

The belly progress:

Sleep: I am more exhausted than I have ever been in my life. It's hard to get to sleep, but once I do I can get some rest until I have to pee the first time.

Cravings: My sweet tooth is bad lately! I made a chocolate chip cookie pie that was fantastic. Also I really wanted Cracker Barrel this weekend (I settled for Geno's).

Best moment this month: I discovered this month that everyone just wants to know if we're having a boy or a girl. :) The suspense is killing everyone! It's totally. AWESOME! (Sorry, folks, but it is!!)

Movement: Baby is hurting me a bit this late in the game. Loads of pressure, and still an abundance of hiccups. I kind of feel like he/she is trying to pry my hips apart, and that feeling makes it hard to sleep.

Gender: My facebook poll last week was almost entirely "boy" predictions. I am happy with whichever gender I get! :)

Labor Signs: Lots of discomfort and pressure. One or two contractions here and there. Not much really.

What I miss: Being able to move around with ease and without pain. Also - I already miss Nora! Going through a week in the hospital without her will be hard, even though I am certain that I will enjoy it. ;)

Weekly Wisdom: I hope to write a blog on the subject of this topic when I get home. Until then, I am just happy that my brain is functioning - I feel like I am on overload!

What Stereotype I Embody: "Hangin' in there."

What I Bought This Week: Not a whole lot. I have been sitting around and relaxing as much as I can.

What I Checked off my To-Do List: Random odds and ends. Caught up on laundry, wrote out instructions for Nora ... I am ready to go!

We are excited and ready for this day. Baby post to come soon. :)

Until next time . . .

39 Weeks

Well, it looks like I will be going to my due date! After my appointment Monday the doctor doesn't think I will go early. Fine with me - I just have another week to tough it out, try to get in some last-minute relaxing, and prepare myself.

We did have a conversation about baby's size, and the doc thinks this child is large too. My personal guess is the high side of eight pounds. We also talked about how this c-section will go, and that they hope to have me going home the Thursday after surgery.

I've been feeling sick to my stomach off and on, but no significant contractions. This baby is sitting LOW, and I have some pain and pressure. I have been sitting around a lot, trying to rest as much as I can - specifically because I'm not sleeping well and it makes me really tired all day long. Last night I was too hot to sleep, the night before I had to pee repeatedly, some nights I have odd dreams, and sometimes I just can't get comfortable. This was definitely not an issue while I was pregnant with Nora! I guess this time around my body is preparing me in advance for the lack of sleep.

The porch is still not done - the weather has been keeping workers away this week - and honestly I am angry about it, but also done being concerned with it. I have to have a baby sometime in the next week and I just can't deal with my damn porch right now. Worrying about it when nothing can be done does nothing but raise my blood pressure, which has always been really good despite my swelling! So I am going to try and forget about it. "Try" being the operative word. I think they are still planning to come Wednesday if it's dry enough, so we'll see about that.

This week Nora has been acting up. She knows something big is going to happen, and despite all the preparing I have done for her, she is nervous. I can see it in her behavior and it KILLS me. This week I am going to muster up some energy to take her out to eat and have a little "Mommy-Nora Night". I am hoping that will make her feel a little less anxious. I think she just needs to know that I am here for her right now.

I tried to shave my legs and give myself a pedicure this morning. HA! - That was funny. I was able to do a crappy job at the former, and do none of the latter. "Mommy-Nora Night" will include a pedicure I guess!

Next post should be either a porch update or baby post! Until next time . . .

More Porch Progress/38 Week Update

Under two weeks left and my porch just started getting poured yesterday. We don't like to push our luck around here, but at least it's getting done now.

Here are a few photos from the first pour:

Looking good, just needs a sidewalk and patio! Please join me in praying that this gets completed soon.

I am 38 weeks along as of yesterday. I went to my doctor appointment and was dilated 2 cm. I didn't think too much of it (let's face it, it's only 2 cm!) But when I left the doctor says "see you next week - if not before!" Yikes!

I feel "low and ready to go". :) This child has definitely dropped and I can tell because he/she gets the hiccups a lot! It makes me laugh because earlier in this pregnancy I could see the hiccups up by my belly button, and they have migrated downward so I can feel them just above my bladder (but my belly sticks out too much to see them anymore.) It's nice to know that things are moving along, but I am starting to get nervous about my water breaking in public, or it breaking before the porch is done. I would be happy to go in on my scheduled date this time around because it should be done by then, but there is just no predicting what will happen. Baby will come when he/she is ready ... or when my c-section happens. :)

So that's what's going on! Until next time . . .

October 15th, Pregnancy and Infant Loss and Remembrance Day

Rhodes Family Farm, Year Two!

Since I am so far along into my third trimester, and I never know from day to day how much energy I will have or if this baby will show up early or not, we have to "go with the flow" a lot this month. That definitely includes trips to the nearest pumpkin patch at the very last minute. :)

We went to Rhodes Family Farm (a 15 minute drive from our house) last year and we were highly impressed. We definitely had to make a repeat trip! For 6 bucks per person, it's a lot of good country fun. We always end up getting our money's worth of entertainment! :) Anyway, here are a few photos from this year's trip (with Nana-Banana):

Nora jumping on their inflatable jumper. (Side note: This thing is amazing. It seriously looks like a tarp and a shop vac are creating this. Nora could spend all day here alone.)

Our little girl on the tire swing.

Going down the slide.

Going down the slide the right way. :)

Wondering where she learned that??!! :)

They are so goofy!

Going to pick pumpkins.

"Nelping" Nana pick out some pumpkins.

Nora and our pumpkins.

We love this place!

Until next time . . .

Benny's Baptism

My nephew Benny is two months old now! ALREADY! It's hard to believe he's that big that fast. He's such a cute little man, and my sister and her husband are great parents already. Anyway, this past weekend he was baptized into his church, and I represented him as his Godmother. I didn't get many photos of the event, but my stepmother did, so here's what she had:

Dad, Mom, and Benny

Parents and Godparents

Me, Benny, and Nora (with her sucker that she got for sitting through church, and her cow watch which she decided to carry around that entire day)

Godfather Brent, Billy's brother

After the service we ate at Rachel and Billy's house. It was a fun and special time. Congratulations to Benny on your baptism!

Until next time . . .

37 Week Update - "The Baby Files"

How far along? 37 weeks.

Maternity clothes?Yes. They cover me better than they did with Nora's pregnancy but I am "all belly" this time.

The belly progress:
Here is a side-by-side of me at 36 weeks with Nora, and 37 weeks now.

What the first picture does not show you is my feet - they were SO swollen from about week 25-30 on until the end. Daily people looked at them and went "Ohhhhh Leah, your poor feet!!" This time around they waited to swell badly until week 36, and they actually went down in swelling here in week 37! How lucky am I??

Here is a side-by-side from me two weeks ago to now:

I am shocked at what a difference there is!

Sleep: My sleep has not improved. However, I have been fortunate that the people around me have allowed me to get a lot of rest. Most of the time I feel pretty good!

Cravings: This week I ate badly! Luckily one of my cravings has been black beans, because others have been E.L. Fudge Double Stuffed cookies, and Gooey Butter Cake.

Best moment this month: We picked out a boy's name and a girl's name!

Movement: Movement is definitely different now that I have dropped.

Gender: We still have no idea. Lots of "boy" predictions. I am entirely unsure! I refer to baby sometimes as "he", sometimes as "she". I have accepted that I will find out in 19 days.

Labor Signs: A few mild contractions. LOTS of pressure in my lower belly. This baby likes my bladder a lot.

What I miss: Sitting on the floor. I feel like the worst playmate ever for Nora lately.

Weekly Wisdom: I am thankful.

What Stereotype I Embody: I didn't cry a whole lot this week, so that's good! I am the "momma who is impatient to deliver" at the moment. :)

What I Bought This Week: No need to buy anything else for the baby really. I stocked up on toiletries and bought some Tastefully Simple stuff. Getting us some stamps and thank you cards later this week.

What I Checked off my To-Do List: I seriously thought Cory and I would never agree on names. We "duked it out" and it only took an hour to come to an agreement. :)

My doctor appointment on Monday was uneventful. Not dilated at all yet. I had my Group B Strep Test, and I go back on Monday the 15th to be checked again. I feel like baby has dropped a bit and that things are generally "moving south", so we'll see what happens. There will likely be no baby this weekend though. ;)

Until next time . . .

Getting Ready For Baby - This Time Around

Getting ready for baby this time around is different. Unlike last time, this time I am a seasoned-momma, and I am more than used to taking care of kids of all ages in my home. Nonetheless, here are a few things I am doing to get ready that I didn't do before:

1.) Making and buying freezer meals. I am making cooked chicken and beef (in the crockpot) to freeze in portions, and making two of eight different freezer meals. I am making them this weekend and I am allowing myself to use them before baby comes if needed. I am a tired preggo momma of a preschooler, my husband is working overtime, and sometimes you just need help. Hang the rules, and use the darn freezer meals if you need to. ;) Also I hope to make a trip to Trader Joe's soon and pick up some other foods that I can keep on hand for quick lunches or dinners. Last time I just bought a lot of random frozen or heat-and-eat foods, and it wasn't what I wanted to eat most of the time. This time I am ensuring healthy food for my family by making it in advance.

I am also using the "Cornerstone Cooking method. Have you seen this cookbook? Uh, yeah - it's awesome!! Especially for me - I am not a "leftovers lover". This cookbook has rocked my little world so far - especially when I made the mashed potatoes that I was pretty sure wouldn't turn out and they DID. AND they were good! Plus - there are 6 black bean recipes, and one of them takes practically no time at all!! Gotta love that. ;)

2.) Preparing Nora to be a big sister. I obviously didn't have to do this before, and I have put a lot of thought into this. Nora and I are filling out a "big sibling book", and she also got to help design and make things for the nursery. She talks to the baby in my belly so much that it is now responding to her voice. Also, "the baby" got her a really cool big sister gift - a real, kid-friendly digital camera. So Nora is going to be our "official photographer" for baby. :) She will also get to go pick out a sibling gift for the baby, make the baby a welcome-home sign, and be momma's special big-girl helper. I am also scouring resale shops, dollar stores, and clearance toys to make a "big sister box" filled with special toys for times when I need her to occupy herself for a bit. I am also making her a little necklace to wear to school on the day baby comes. She is so excited about baby and I feel like I have prepared her well so far - just today she told me: "I can't WAIT for my baby to come!" What a special girl she is. :) She will make a great Big Sister!

3.) Stocking up on "easy" stuff. I am stocking up on key items that we will need to make my life easier: paper plates, disposable utensils and cups, canned/bottled drinks, laundry detergent, toiletries, toilet paper, etc. This will help with doing less dishes, making less trips to the store, and just overall convenience.

4.) Getting our home visitor/guest-ready. After a baby comes you get lots of visitors and guests! I happen to be having this baby at the beginning of cold and flu season as well. So I am stocking up on soap, hand sanitizer, disposable hand towels, Lysol wipes, and antibacterial Kleenex. Also, I am keeping our guest room ready-to-go downstairs so that guests will be comfortable. I have sheets ready to be swapped out, towels clean, and a guest basket. This should help particularly with my mom and Cory's mom, who will be staying here occasionally to help me clean and to take care of Nora.

5.) Calling in the reinforcements. My husband is at a period of his life where he needs to work overtime a LOT, plus our front porch will hopefully get poured next week (if we can get a break in the rain). Cory is over-worked and basically exempt from housework for the time being since all his free time goes to being a daddy and a husband. So that means that this super-tired swollen momma is in charge of cleaning the entire house on my own (HA!), and on top of all of that I am also occasionally feeling guilty for not giving Nora the attention she deserves - especially right before the baby comes. It's time for reinforcements!! - Enter Nana and Mimi!! I have asked my mother-in-law to come help me deep clean the house on the weekends this next month, and my mom has been so crucial in helping me with Nora during the week. Plus they are taking care of Nora during my hospital stay, and making sure she gets to trick-or-treat. I seriously don't know what I would do without these two women in my life, but I am very thankful that I have them to call on when I need the help. And I definitely do!

Anything else you can think of that I should be doing? I think we are ready to go!

Until next time . . .

Porch progress!

24 days left until my due date. No labor signs yet, but I am about to start taking bets on which will come first - the porch or the baby? :)

BUT - it has been started at least. This past week the excavators came and moved dirt and started the retaining wall. They also poured some rock for the concrete foundation.

Then today, RAIN. AGAIN. I am starting to feel silly for praying for rain all summer, when now all I am doing is praying for a week without it!! (And if you would like to join me in that prayer, PLEASE DO.)

Anyway, here are the photos from the newest phase of excavation:

Leveling our front yard!!

Where the front patio will be.

Where the porch will be.

The transition between porch and patio.

It's coming along! Hopefully it comes along fast enough. :) So far, it's looking good!

Until next time . . .