Baby update

Well, being how I am trying to take it easy today, I have planted my rear here for a longer duration than normal. So I thought while reading my Weekly pregnancy update, I would update you all about how my pregnancy is going.

How far along? 29 weeks today! :) They say 9/10 chances baby would live outside of me now. Phew... Let's keep her baking a little longer though!

Mommy's weight gain: 16 pounds and holding. Thank God for the fresh fruit cravings!

Baby's size: They books say approx. 3 pounds. Addi is 15 inches long too. :)

Cravings: The fresh fruit is the main thing. I was wanting some corn dogs this afternoon, I settled for Chicken nuggets instead!

Labor Signs: Still having BH, infrequently. No big deal to me right now. No other signs.

Maternity clothes: never did get new pants while in Omaha. :( the shirts I have been wearing to work are wearing out on me. There is holes in the underarms now. Arg.. I might just have to go buy another scrub top or two to get me by for 2 more months.

Sleep: Hips are feeling better, just my shoulders and ears hurt laying on my side. In addition to already having bad snoring issues, now I have a cold. Poor Ryan.

Milestone: Well finding out that we have a little girl is probably the biggest milestone. However, I am a little skeptical and hope that I don't feel disappointed if she really is actually a he. That would be the biggest milestone.

The worst part of the week: My tachycardia yesterday. So far, I feel great today. Lets pray it remains that way!!!

ER visit, and a cold

Whine and complain! Please let me....

Went to the ER yesterday for a rapid heart rate. I had just finished eating lunch and went back to work down to OBV and it hit me. I had one of the girls check my BP. 126/76, but my heartrate was 136. I was feeling diaphoretic, and lightheaded, and my chest was pounding. It lasted over an hour. Then I decided I can't get it to go down, and called to leave work, and then went to the ER. Got a bolus, lots of tests done and after my bolus I felt much better, heart rate went down to 96-100 resting and 110's with activity. I felt much better. Test came back fine--a little hyponatremic (low sodium), but not bad. I had been very well hydrated that day in my own opinion, I had drank almost 1 liter of water (Maybe too hydrated? Doesn't seem possible). No caffeine either..... I am just getting tired of hearing the same old thing. Why does this keep happening? I guess I should just be thankful that I didn't need a BP medication to bring it down. So I am going to try again to eat smaller meals more frequently to hopefully curb this response that my body keeps doing once I eat.

Today, I feel tired and my ear hurts. I can barely hear anything out of it. Once Luke is down for a nap I believe I will do the same. I am happy that I got to be on call today!!! I feel yucky, and would rather not have this yucky feeling at work.

Ryan is liking Addalei again. However I am not liking the middle names again, so if any of you have an idea, please share it!! I would love to hear your ideas. I am thinking more and more out there with the middle name, but I do think it should be shorter? Not definite.
I like:

Sage
Elle
Aven
Jean

Open too many ideas.

Oh I forgot if I mentioned on the last post I made that when I got home from from my appointment that Ryan was unable to go to, he had a little present fro me and Addalei? He had bought a sweet little pink sleeper with a bunny and flowers on it. The feet and arms have little ruffles on them too. It is cute. Such a sweet daddy. He also keeps saying to my when I leave to go somewhere, take care of Daddy's Little Girl. Aww... Melts my heart!
Well have a great day!
Cindy

Sugar and Spice

And Everything nice, thats what MY little girl is made of!!!

It's a girl!!!

Not absolute. But he is fairly certain. I went and bought 4 more outfits and a package of purple onesies and some adorable hair clippies to celebrate my news!! I am so excited! I will say though, that I feel vaguely guilty about finding out.

I want to post more, but I have to work a crazy schedule this week: three on, one day off and then 2 on. I am far from thrilled about it, so I need to spend more time with my guys and soaking the news of my little girl in. Woo hoo!!

Later!!

OB appt.

I will update later just thought I would buzz by and let you all know that my 28 week appt. is today at 230. I will see a nurse practitioner, although they were very sweet at my 12 week appointment, I don't know if I can sweet talk them into sneaking me back for another ultrasound. I am even going to brave the storm and suggest a 4-D US.... Hmm. I hope I will be wearing my lucky pants today. I will need it! Hopefully I will have some pics and news, and not a tearful selfish post about not getting what I want. Wait and see...

Oh and Ryan informed me last night that he doesn't really care for the names we have picked out.... So back to the drawing board.

Great Weekend and Note to My Friend

Hello,

I had a wonderful weekend. Ryan and I headed down to Omaha. It was a very nice get-away for me and my hubby. Totally relaxing and fun. We went to the casino and I lost some and Ryan lost a bunch--and then recovered it! :) Ate at some fun place. We got some FUN shopping done. The best part-- I got to see Sarah, and meet little Jackson!!!

After meeting Jackson and buying some fun baby clothes, I am starting to feel that nesting thing coming on strong. I want to get the room ready, but I don't have a room to move Luke too yet. so it will all have to wait. But I am getting really excited.

I decided to post some pics of my specific clothes I have bought new for the baby. I still have quite a few used girl items that were given to me, and of course all of Luke's things for a boy. But I needed a few extras. Hee hee. It made me feel better. I actually have a nice selection of things.

I have quite an assortment of little girls things, and almost everything that I have ever bought was on clearance/sale. My mom bought that cute shirt and blue skort. Way too cute!





It obvious that I have a thing for fruity flavored clothes!! Hee hee

This has the cherries on the front (see above this one) and on the little bottom. Too cute!



Some big girl clothes, most of which I paid 1 dollar or less for. I Love the polka-dot shirt!!

We do have some boy clothes also, just not as many new ones. I have boxes of clothes to go through if this is a boy! Note: the cute pumpkin hat that I picked up for 25 cents. Great buy, I also got the cute girls white hat for the same price. Steal!



The bottom on this one is also adorable. I purchased a similar outfit for Jackson at toys-r-us, and then realized its a carters outfit too. So when I was at carters store the next day and saw this number I had to get it. It was on sale too. They had great Memorial Day sales; we got over 10 things and spent 40 bucks! I would really like to saw that my hubby was the one that found the pricier items that we purchased ;) I love Carters. Most of the outfits are carters whether I brought directly from there store or from department stores. I would just dress my child in Carters clothes if they had a store nearby!!!

This little number is the coming home/hospital picture outfit for my little girl. I have had this outfit since before Luke was born, in case he was a little girl. I absolutely adore it! It is two separate pieces but I had to have a sweater over it, because Luke was to be born in the early spring, and so yeah. The sweater. They are adorable pieces alone, or together. I took the liberty to show it off a little.


I love the purple in it. Way too cute!



Here is the same dress with little truck tracks on it. Big Brothers! I don't have a coming home outfit for if its a boy yet. Because I haven't found the perfect one yet. But trust me you will see it one way or another!


Daddy picked out this cute little vibrating chick for the baby. It is too adorable. It chirps too. I have been holding on my belly. The baby squirms after I play it. :)

Maybe I should include this next long bit into a post of its own, but oh well, they correlate, and you can take a break if your eyes are bugging out.

I was given the privilege to meet Jackson, one of my bestest friends ever, Sarah's new little guy. I meet him Saturday. Just slightly over 12 hours after he was born. Jackson is such a cutie pie. He was six weeks early and my is he a cutie. I was actually with Sarah when she held Jackson for the very first time. Sigh... I knew I was going to need my Kleenexes to write this all out. I can't stop crying. It was beautiful. (I know that holding Luke for the first time was beyond awesome.) I just felt this bond between Sarah and Jackson emit from them. It was magnetizing.

Being a nurse and studying about all aspects of life/medical/emotional needs. I thought I had the basics covered for what a NICU mother/baby bond would be like. I even knew what it was like to have a baby myself. However, nothing could prepare me for the whole tornado of emotions I went through just watching Sarah and Jackson. Not even brushing on the tip of the iceberg what Sarah must have been feeling.

Sarah had pre-eclampsia and needed to deliver him early. The emergency of taking Jackson to make sure he was well, would have been heart-wrenching. Seeing your baby for a few moments and not being able to see him for hours after would have been horrible. I can't imagine it. Not knowing what he is going through. Not being able to take that time to count each toe and finger, and see all the faces of your loved ones as he is shown to everyone. That would have been hard. Sarah was strong though, and knowing that your little one needs that extra care right then, would have been enough to allow him to leave your side. My heart leaps out for Sarah with that thought. I don't think I would have been that strong.

It was great to see Sarah, she was a glowing Mama. However, she was very tired too. I remember the day of and after Luke was born, not wanting to sleep for fear of missing something, and desperately needing rest. Then I was able to go with her and her Mama and sister to see Jackson.

I stood quietly outside Jackson's room, as the nurse and Sarah discussed the care and needs of little Jackson prior to Sarah finally holding him. I thought to myself, If I was in Sarah's shoes I would be blanking out by now. Wanting to have the nurse be done so I could hold my baby, but coming back to realize that this is necessary information on how I can help my little one the best.

Just knowing the all too fragile state Jackson was in/could potentially be in, scared me. I was afraid he would bust if we whispered too loud. But, you could obviously see how strong and healthy he was. This little dude did not require any oxygen needs. That rocks! He was still closely monitored by numerous cords and electrodes, and was receiving IV fluids. All the cords are so cumbersome. I deal with cords and tubes on the babes I care for on my floor, but this seemed so much more vital too me on Jackson. I stared in awe at the numbers and the little heart rhythm scrolling across the screen. I thought so many questions to myself. I can't even imagine all the questions Sarah would have had.

Sarah, had magnesium still infusing, and although I have never experienced it, I do know that many of its side effects are not fun at all. Sarah must have been feeling all this exhaustion from labor and lack of sleep, and overwhelming excitement that all mothers have. However, on top of that too-- weariness, pain and excessive heat brought on by the mag. She sat holding Jackson, in that wonderful soothing bliss all mothers know. Taking all of her little one in, as if she were breathing his spirit in. Familiarizing herself with every grasp, wiggle, and grunt he made. Seeing her soothe him when he was fussing was endearing. When Sarah leaned forward to kiss her little one, it was very surreal. She barely brushed him with her lips. I think that is when it really hit me the most. He is so little, and fragile. I couldn't know what Sarah was thinking then, but I know when Luke was born, it took me 2 weeks before I really felt comfortable to kiss him.

Was it the whole theory that nurses don't kiss babies/patients? I think that was part of it. There was part of me that also felt that he wasn't truly mine, I did not have the right to kiss him. He would be taken away from me, so I better not do too much or get too close. This also plays into the part of, what if I lose him? What if he were to die/or get really sick? I don't want to hurt him, or be too attached. Really odd thoughts, but that's how I felt with Luke, so maybe this is how Sarah felt kind of.

When I left that night, Sarah was back to her room and Jackson was in his own room all snuggly warm and ever so handsome. I thought to myself, I have been a witness to such a momentous thing here, and have thought about hardly anything else since then. I feel truly blessed to be a part of that moment.

Sarah, thank you. I hope this post means as much to you as the experience you gave me. I just wanted to give you a glimpse in to how thankful for that moment I was. I feel totally undeserving to have been a part of it. I will cherish it with all of my heart! I am so proud of you for dealing with all you did in your pregnancy, and doing all you could to allow Jackson more time to grow. You are an amazing Mama! Jackson is a lucky little Graham cracker! I can't wait to see him when he is a big strong boy, in which, I will be showering him with kisses!! Sorry Jackson, Auntie Cindy will be after you!

I will say that though Jackson is the cutest little bug around, and I am getting ants in my pants for my little bug to show up. I think I will be okay if he/she bakes for a few more months first!!

Oh and I think you all deserve a pic of my little man too... Thanks for joining me with this LONG post. :)

Happy Memorial Day!

Lazy Days

I had yesterday and today off. It is so nice. This weekend was crazy. I am hoping Wed. and Thu. are nicer days.
Yesterday we planted some berry plants: service berry, gooseberry, raspberry, blueberry and grapes. I don't think most of them will bear any fruit this year, but I think that would be so neat if they did a little. I mowed the lawn and just bummed around the house mostly yesterday. It is 1000 am and Luke is still sleeping. I am shocked! Of course my other child decided to wake Mommy up at 730. Drat. I would have loved to sleep in. Oh well got some laundry started and and a few things tidied up before Luke gets up.

I thought I would post a few things about the baby and such.

How far along? 27 weeks and 6 days

Mommy's weight? Man I wish it were less. I think as punishment for kinda gloating about my low progress (in that area) so far, I got kicked in the gut and food forced down my mouth.... I gained another 7 pounds in 2 weeks. 17 pounds total. Eeck! So I am going to blame 1 pound on the baby, and the other 6 pounds I am going to keep them tucked back and try not to exceed 25 lbs now. I have been choosing fruits of empty sweets. However the brownies that I ate, they don't count right? Cutting back of indulging on the cravings, and making healthier choices. I have stayed the same weight the last 3 days, so that's alright. I am not going to restrict my baby from growing. Don't worry. Knowing me, I will probably gain 40 pounds this pregnancy... Sigh.

Baby is how big? 14 1/2 inches long and about 2 pounds, according to parents connect.

Cravings? Fruit. Its better anyway, and Fruit flavored teas. Yummy.

Labor signs? Remember I said work was crazy, well I did not sit down for about 6 hours on Saturday and was starting to get a contraction about every 5-7 minutes. The last of them were fairly hard ones, and I decided no more, I am taking a break I don't care who has to go pee, or needs another cup of coffee. They stopped almost immediately, once I ate lunch and drank a bunch of water, I felt much better.

Maternity clothes? Pants are awful, All of them are tight after about an hour. Tops I got a few more color variations of the striped shirts I am really liking right now.Hopefully I will find a few new pants/shorts when I am in Omaha.

Sleep? Still the same, sore on my hips, shoulders, and ears from sleeping on my sides. Tossing and turning and not sleeping. Preparation for sleepless nights with my baby.

Milestone? Another appointment next week sometime. The last of the monthly and on to the twice a month visits. That seems so strange to me. Possibly another US also. I am very much okay with not finding out now though. I was just hoping for a few baby pics for the baby book.

I have kind of relaxed about the whole breastfeeding thing. I was getting so paranoid, and I realize that all that stress was not going to help. So I am just going to wait it out.

I am getting super excited about Ryan and my trip to Omaha!!

Stay cool in the Heat today!!!

Daddy's Little Baby

Well Ryan felt the baby move a week or so ago, but last night was fun too. I have been seeing my belly jump with the baby's movement and have been trying to get Ryan to notice them. He is way too impatient to watch for long. Luckily the baby gave him a big kick/move right before he gave up. He looked at me and said "that was you hiccuping wasn't it?" Um, no honey that was the baby. "Really, that was huge! I swore that was you!" He then proceeded to get really close to my belly so he could see me and and talking to my belly. It was cute.

I am stealing my dear friend Sarah's idea about thing to post about the baby and such.


How Far Along: 26 weeks and 1 day.

How much weight have you gained: About 10 pounds. More than I should be. I have 3 months of rapid baby growth, so most of the weight is just me. Argh. I am trying to limit it to 15 pounds. I did decent with Luke, I ended up gaining 22 all together. We'll see how this one goes.

How big is Baby: The baby sites say about 1.6 pounds, and is 14 inches long.

Cravings: Anything ice cream related, cheese, pickles, fresh fruit ( glad about that one, because I have not been eating too healthy lately), peanut butter. None of this all together mind you. I did however try a peanut butter cheese sandwich, which was disgusting.

Labor signs: Not as frequent lately. Thank goodness. I am starting to have more inner thigh aches??? I still get a few contractions here and there, no biggie though. :)

Maternity Clothes: I got this really cute pink and white striped hooded shirt from Shopko that I adore. It hugs the good and smooths out the bad. I look REALLY pregnant, but it's a good thing!

Sleep: Now that's a topic I could rant on and on about. My hips and shoulder hurt so much anymore, I turn on one side and once that side hurts, I switch. The problem is my opposite side hasn't recovered yet by the time I turn back on it. Frequent trips to the bathroom, and the muscle/ligaments in the lower pelvic region just give me the sharpest pain ever when I go to get out of bed. Which makes a bathroom trips more aggravating than just the fact of doing so multiple times. I have to do this ugly awkward roll out of bed. Not a pretty sight I am sure! :)

Milestone: Ryan seeing and feeling the baby move. Too precious.


I am still fretting the Breastfeeding issue. I know there is nothing I can do about it, yet. I have been looking up multiple breast pumps, The Medela is my choice even if it is $$$, we got to have a good one. the great thing is, at the home care equipment here in town I get a discount for being an employee. Awesome, and first I probably will just rent, to make sure this all goes well, and then, if I get a new one, they deduct the amount that that I paid for renting one price off the new one from the amount. Awesome huh!?

I am not sure who all reads my blog but I have something fun planned and am not allowed to share all the details here, due to that fact. However, I would really like to share with you whats up my sleeve. I will be happy to inform most of you, if you ask. But please refrain from asking other members of my family, because they might be the person I am trying to keep it secret from. * Wink wink*

Anyways.... Have a great day!!!!

Love
Cindy

The girls.

I'm obsessed. With breastfeeding. I have it constantly on my brain. I want so bad to try harder/have better luck this time. I want to help the situation out now.... but there is nothing I can do. I just keep reading things over and over. I am going to get myself all stressed out about it, and not have any luck. Argh. I must calm down, I just wish I could be given the green light or red light signal to tell me one way or another. I hated doing 1 1/2 hour breast feedings with a following pumping session only to be feeding my son mostly formula and less than an ounce of breastmilk. I am definitely focused to do more, and more educated on things to try to help. I will post more on all my thoughts and much more exciting topics than the girls later.