Baby Bump: 33 weeks

I can't believe we'll be meeting our third baby girl in 7 weeks or less! Time is flying and we're busy making some final preparations for this life changing event. From what I remember, I feel about the same as I did with Anna and Charlotte at this point in pregnancy; extremely blessed to have this experience, but "over" being pregnant, and especially over being pregnant in the summer. I've heard from a couple of people just this past week that they can tell I'm having a girl because of the way I'm carrying and looking at the comparison pictures I'd have to say that I agree and think I've carried about the same with each girl; and I love the photo assistants I have this go-round : ) 

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 4 3/4 pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe, and approximately  18  inches long; I'm having ultrasounds every visit and have had two in the last months; baby girl is measuring right on track and is estimated at about 50% for weight and height.

Movement: This baby girl is a just like her sisters, active mostly in the afternoon and evening and as soon as I sit or lay down with some really big belly-moving kicks and acrobatics.

Sleep:  Hit or miss, probably pregnancy average. 

Cravings:  Depends on the day and although I'm trying to stay active and stay within a reasonable weight gain, I'm at the point where I'm definitely indulging in foods I won't be post partum. Fried chicken and ice cream anyone? 

Symptoms: A lot more achy and a lot more swelling in my ankles and feet. In the evenings you can find me sporting compression knee highs (Mike sells these and has many samples to share) laying with my feet elevated and a fan cooling me. I'm HOT all the time and have given up on more than minimal makeup and can count on one hand the number of times I haven't worn my hair in a ponytail in the last few months. 

Best Moment This Week:  I've been able to get Mike and the girls over fast enough to feel some of the bigger kicking sessions and Anna loves to read about each week with me and ask how the baby is doing and growing almost daily : ) 

Maternity moments: the clothing

(Catching up via phone while Mike is out of town)

Me: So, I'm laying in bed with a tank top dotted in bacon grease splatters because we had breakfast for dinner and I didn't have time to change while monitoring "no pants I don't want to sit on the potty" Charlotte.

Mike: Man, you're not going to be able to give any of your maternity clothing away, you keep spilling on everything.

Me: #1 - you need to watch it buddy, those are fighting words to a pregnant lady, we can't help the spillage! #2 - there was no plan to give any away because I already have plans to burn them ALL in a bonfire as soon as this baby is born.

Needless to say, I am SO over maternity clothing. I'm wearing mostly dresses lately because the thought of capris or shorts makes my skin want to crawl. And, I'm cherishing the time I can wear dresses before my year of transformer-style bras and no-dress-wearing starts along with nursing. I will say that maternity wear has gotten cuter over the years, but it's still nothing any woman actually wants to wear when she's in the throws of feeling like a literal whale.

PS - I do have a fairly robust selection of maternity clothing covering most seasons, mostly in size Medium, if you know anyone that could use them; free of charge along with a good riddance from me : )

Baby Bump: 27 Weeks

Here I am again, behind on documenting much related to this pregnancy, such is life with it's #3 : ) As far as pregnancies go, I feel like I'm pretty average in hindsight (which is always 20/20, ha), but in my personal medical-mystery style, something always seems to pop up and I usually don't feel "normal" and "average" when in the throws of it. With Anna and Charlotte I was borderline pre-eclamptic with both toward the end, which got me extra visits, ultrasounds, and plenty of non-stress tests; and with Charlotte, an induction. This time around I've been tracking protein in my urine since my first check-up and am now seeing a nephrologist in addition to my OB and oncologist. I have extremely elevated levels of protein, and they don't know why and can't test or biopsy, but my kidney and liver function are holding their own for now, so all we can do is monitor and plan to biopsy about 6 weeks post-partum (if needed). I'm doing my best to keep my blood pressure in check and monitor swelling, but man do I feel like a hot, sweaty mess most days. My maternity wardrobe had to expand to include summer selections and I'm pretty much living in dresses and shorts and my goal on the weekend is to spend as much time at the pool as possible.

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 2 pounds, about the size of a head of cauliflower, and approximately  14 1/2  inches long; I haven’t had an ultrasound since 20 weeks, so these are just estimates based on the fact that I’m measuring right on track both belly-wise and with weight-gain. 

Movement: This baby girl is a just like her sisters, active mostly in the afternoon and evening and I'm starting to feel bigger kicks and have been able to get Mike and Anna over in time to feel as well. 

Sleep:  I'd say pregnancy average. Summer heat is hard to adjust to, especially when pregnant, and I'm more restless in the middle of the night earlier in this pregnancy because of it. 

Cravings:  Nothing super specific and it depends on the day and what has popped into my head. I'm trying to watch weight gain and stay more active this pregnancy, but am definitely enjoying some indulgences and often times justify because it's a swap for the glass of wine I'm not enjoying :  ) 

Symptoms: Fatigue, swelling in my ankles and feet, and an umbilical hernia that hurts like the dickens.  An occasional headache that lingers, and a couple of migraines, but nothing like what I had with Charlotte. 

Best Moment This Week: Surviving hot days at Disney World and Sea World and rewarding myself with dips in the pool the days in between : ) 

Charlotte obviously wasn't as excited to pose with me as Anna : ) 

No pictures with Charlotte at 27 weeks and the one at 26 weeks with her is horrendous

Charlotte Arrives!

You may remember from reading here that I was scheduled to be induced on Monday, March 4, which meant we expected to meet our little girl on Tuesday, March 5.  Well ... the best laid plans, as they say.  Due to a very busy L&D department, we were rescheduled for Tuesday morning and thanks to a very stubborn little girl, didn't meet our Charlotte Rose until Wednesday, March 6.  They also say that everything happens for a reason, and I truly believe that’s the case here.  Because of our “delay,” Charlotte shares a birthday with my maternal grandmother, Anna’s namesake, and I can't think of a more appropriate way to remember such a special woman. 

The labor process was loooooong ... starting at 9am on Tuesday and ending at 2:20pm on Wednesday.  I guess it’s a compliment that both of my girls enjoyed their tenure in the womb so much that they didn't want to leave?  I was given Cytotec for about 10 hours in hopes that it would both help me dilate and start mild contractions.  When that yielded minimal results, we moved to Pitocin and eventually manually broke my water.  All of that combine with walking the halls, some precarious positioning by my nurse, and the fact that Charlotte finally read her eviction notice, led to us meeting our newest angel on a snowy afternoon in March.  I saw a total of five nurses, two OBs (I outlasted the 24 hour shift of the OB that scheduled me and wound up delivering with the same OB that delivered Anna), and felt like I may never leave that labor room. 

But, of course, it was all worth it!  I pushed for about 30 minutes (versus the 3 hours with Anna) and had a much better epidural this time around;  I could feel enough to wiggle my toes and the pressure of contractions, it was actually really neat to feel the urge to push and to know that I was doing it right.  As soon as she’d been given a quick once-over by the OB and nurse, Charlotte was handed to me and stayed on my chest for over an hour.  The nurses assessed her APGAR scores as I held her, and within 10 minutes of birth she was nursing ... she also peed on me twice during her first hour of life, but I was so happy in that moment that I didn't care one bit.  It was amazingly serene and almost seemed too quiet this time around; we didn't have any family at the hospital, so Mike quickly sent text messages to our parents with the news.  Because the newborn nurse hadn't yet taken her from me, we didn't even have weight or length information, but knew she was 100% T-totally perfect. 

This recovery has been much harder than I remember with Anna; probably because with Anna I didn't have an “Anna” : )  Without getting into too much graphic detail, I've had a higher level of pain and don’t feel as I though I recovered nearly as quickly; I've also felt much more hormonal and utterly exhausted at times.  It doesn't help that one, or all, of us has been dealing with a cold for what feels like the last three months; I *really* wish we’d purchased stock in the Kleenex company right about now!  But, I feel better each day, we’re all adjusting and new routines are slowly finding their way into our lives.

At the end of the day, the memories of an uncomfortable pregnancy, a long labor, a more difficult recovery, the lack of sleep, the craziness of hormones, and working to find new routines are completely overshadowed by the fact that I’m now the mother to two of the sweetest and most perfect little girls in the world.  I’m SO grateful that God chose me to be their Mother and can’t wait for all of the adventures that lie ahead!

Love at first sight!

 

For those of you that stuck around to the end ... we had family pictures taken in our home over the weekend, for a sneak peek, click here.  

Baby Bump: 39 weeks

I'm officially 39 weeks pregnant today, a week "more pregnant" than I was with Anna.  I'm still being watched for pre-eclampsia and had a non stress test, blood work and check-up the past two Fridays.  As of last Friday everything looked good as far as the baby's heart rate and swelling were concerned, but my blood pressure was elevated and a few counts were still "off" according to the labs.  After discussing with my doctor, we decided it was best to schedule an induction for this week to ensure the baby continued to stay safe ... sooooo, I have an appointment at the hospital for 4pm tomorrow, Monday, to start the process, but we'll likely not meet our little girl until Tuesday.

I was off work last week and can honestly say that we feel as ready as we're going to be to make our family of three into a family of four.  I've cooked and cleaned and done laundry, painted trim and even saw a movie.  We've had tons of fun with Anna, our bags are packed, and lists are made.  All this said, the one thing I know I'll never be prepared for is for my heart to double in size.  I've gotten fairly emotional over the past week just thinking of the joy this baby will bring to our lives and I can't even begin to fathom what it will feel like to fall in love all over again.  I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited and counting down the hours.  If we're friends on Facebook, you'll probably see that announcement first, but I'll be sure to post additional details here as soon as we're home and settled ... I may even get crazy and attempt to post a few pictures via my Blogger app : )

No comparison this week ... last pregnancy picture!  

The moment my heart first melted upon meeting Anna ... can't wait to do it all over again!

Baby bump: 37 weeks

I'm a little behind in getting this post up, I'm closer to 38 weeks than 37 at this point, but better late than never.  I had a routine check-up last week where it was noted that my blood pressure had started to rise, same as it did with Anna (although a little later in this pregnancy).  Because of this they ran blood work that came back showing some elevated and lowered functions across the board and I'm officially on pre-eclampsia watch, again, same as I was with Anna.  I have a check up tomorrow and will also undergo a non-stress-test to ensure this baby girl is safe and sound. The good news is that I'm full-term and it's totally safe to induce me should they feel it's necessary.  I'll make a note that the last few weeks have been mirror images of my first pregnancy ... elevated levels, pre-eclampsia watch, a NST on the last day of my 37th week of pregnancy ... you may recall after that last appointment I was told to go home, rest of the weekend and return on Monday ... and then my water broke around midnight that evening.  It will be interesting to see if we continue down the same path this time, or if I actually get to enjoy a few days of my two-week pre-maternity leave.  Feel free to leave your prediction(s) as a comment.

How Far Along: 37 weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 6 1/2 pounds and approximately 19-20 inches long.  I'll note that Anna was exactly average weight at birth, 7lbs even, and they expect this baby to be the same, at this point the baby is gaining about 1/2 lb a week putting her around 7lbs this weekend.  

Movement:   I can definitely tell there's less room in the oven for this little girl to move around, I feel much bigger kicks and can tell she's gotten stronger; because of this I feel her activity more often and fairly regularly thorughout the day.  Over the last two weeks she's also gotten hiccups several times : )

Sleep:  Still a challenge, but it's good practice for what's to come!

Cravings:    Ethnic foods:  Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, Italian ... and still ice cream because I swear it helps with my acid reflux overnight if eaten right before bedtime : )

Symptoms:    I'm starting to feel a lot more pressure and can tell labor will be coming sooner rather than later.  Sometimes I'm fairly certain this baby is attempting to karate chop her way out of the womb; I've got constant pressure on most of my internal organs, most specifically my bladder and lungs ... meaning lots of winded trips to the restroom : )

Best Moment This Week:  Being able to share movements with Mike and Anna and being able to decipher what they are feeling (a hand vs a foot, etc).  We'd never really held Anna's hand to my belly during kicks until this last week and now I'm fairly certain she thinks I'm harboring an alien baby.  She looked at me as though I had four heads when she felt the kicks and actually scooted away from me on the couch.  

Other notes:  Our bags are packed, I have several freezer meals prepared and most of the baby-related items have been moved from storage to the nursery or guest bedroom.  That said, I'd love to have a few days to rest and relax at home with my first love before welcoming this baby, but I also know I have very little say in this timing : )

Baby bump: 35/35

Today marks the start of my 35th week of pregnancy and I'm copying from a friend's post who noted that at 35 weeks you're a mere 35 days from your due date.  It's crazy how fast time is flying!  We're feeling pretty good about being prepared; we're washing newborn clothing, thinking about packing bags and have our back-ups identified in the event that I go into labor in the middle of the night.  I have less than three weeks of work left, but have almost everything transitioned in case I go early (I know this shocks my readers).  And, for now we're trying to enjoy the last few weeks as a family of three, while mentally preparing for life as a family of four.

How Far Along: 35 weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 5 ½ pounds, weighing as much as a honeydew melon, and approximately 18-20 inches long, at this point the baby won't grow much longer, but will keep packing on the pounds.  

Movement: This little girl is still head down, butt to the left, feet to the right, just like her sister was toward the end; I constantly have a foot lodged in one of my right ribs, feel punches around my belly button and I think she's using my bladder as a punching bag.  Still more of an afternoon and evening mover and shaker, preferring to sleep-in.  

Sleep:  I'm tired!  I go to bed early, but tend to wake up from midnight to 2am and have some quality time on the couch with my DVR or the iPad.  I'm thankful to have a husband that lets me relax in the evenings and on the weekends, I've even taken a couple of naps over the past few weeks.  

Cravings:  Ice cream in the evenings to replace a glass of wine or beer that my husband is enjoying : )  And, I'm currently doing a "tour of lunches" with my co-worker who loves food as much I do, we've got several places to squeeze in over the next 2 1/2 weeks.  

Symptoms:   Here's what I miss from life before/after pregnancy:  being able to walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, not having to pre-treat every single shirt because I can't get close enough to the table not to spill, and not feeling like I'm carrying a sack of potatoes in a Baby Bjorn when I get up from sitting for any length of time.  

Best Moment This Week:  Pulling out the bin of newborn clothing to wash and remembering just how tiny a new baby is ... it brought back a flood of memories and emotions from those first few weeks with Anna.  I can't wait to do it all over again, as crazy as it may be, as tired as I know I'll be, and as overwhelmed as I may initially feel.  

Baby Bump: 33 weeks

I've gotten a little behind in documenting this pregnancy, but better late than never to catch up, right?  I can't believe I'm six-ish weeks away from meeting this little girl, four-ish if she's like her big sister who arrived two weeks early. I saw my OB last week and everything looks great, I'm measuring right on track, my stats are perfect, and the baby is head-down and likely to stay that way until I deliver.  I pulled the "checklist" below from a blogger I read here and there and thought it would keep me on track so that when I'm bored in my 80s I can look back and  remember what it was like being pregnant with #2.

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Size of Baby: Approximately 4 ½ pounds, weighing as much as a pineapple, and approximately 17 inches long; we haven’t had an ultra-sound since 20 weeks, so these are just estimates based on the fact that I’m measuring right on track both belly-wise and weight-gain-wise. 

Movement: This baby girl is a just like her sister, a big afternoon and evening kicker.  I remember with Anna I was worried this would mean she would be a night owl, but we've lucked out with a great sleeper and hope the same rubs off with this little one.  She’s head down, and I didn't need my OB to confirm this last week, the constant pressure on my bladder and rib/lung kicks confirmed well before he did : )  Often times I’ll lay down to go to sleep only to be woken up by a really big kick or punch. 

Sleep:  Yeah, not so much.  I’m tired at the end of the day, but wake up 2-3 hours after I fall asleep wide awake and I usually spend a couple hours each night on the couch catching up on recorded shows or late-night infomercials.  Good practice for what’s ahead, ha.  It’s hard to get comfortable these days and the 3-4 trips to the bathroom each night don’t help. 

Cravings:  Nothing super specific ... just enjoying a few restaurants and foods I know I won’t be as apt to partake in when I’m trying to lose the baby weight.  

Symptoms: Fatigue at the end of the day, trouble sleeping, congestion, heartburn, the constant need to run to the restroom, and waddling.  Luckily (knock on wood), I haven’t had a migraine in weeks; I saw a neurologist a few months ago and he suggested a daily magnesium supplement; that’s either been helping or I grew out of that phase of this pregnancy.  I'm also not nearly as swollen as I was with Anna at this point, meaning my shoes and rings all still fit comfortably, hopefully this keeps up, with my other stats remaining in good shape, and there's no preeclampsia risk this time around.  

Best Moment This Week: Anna snuggling up with me after dinner and a few minutes later patting my belly and saying “Hi Baby!!” and then leaning over to give me a hug.  Priceless!

Sugar and spice and everything nice

We took the plunge and found out the gender of our sweet baby #2 ... it's a GIRL!

Although I'd said the decision would be Mike's given that the ultrasound appointment fell on his birthday, he's a wise man and made sure it was we were both on board : )  We went back and forth countless times, but ultimately decided we'd see how the other half live this time around.  Buuuuut, what I didn't want was  this special moment to be shared with my pants pulled down to my hips in a doctor's office, with basically a stranger in the room.  So we asked the ultrasound tech if she's write the gender on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope and luckily she was happy to oblige.  The appointment was at 11am and we both had to finish-up our workdays before going back home and picking Anna up from school.  I love to hate surprises, I love them, but am always trying to figure it out, so I thought I'd be resisting the temptation to peak all afternoon.  Luckily I had work to get done, birthday presents to wrap, and a birthday meal to partially prepare before Mike arrived home, not to mention the guilt factor. 

All we wanted to hear was that the baby was healthy and growing on schedule; and that's exactly what the doctor confirmed.  The icing on the cake was finding out the gender.  Neither of us had any premonition as to if we'd be seeing more pink or maybe blue this time around, but I was leaning toward another girl given that I'd head headaches (not migraines, though) with Anna and otherwise the pregnancies were very similar to date.  As we opened the envelope we both confirmed we'd be happy either way, but needless to say, we're thrilled!  The tech had even included a picture with "proof."  Given that our two girls will be less than two years apart, we're even more excited.  Anna is such a sweet, caring, and gentle-natured soul I know she'll be a great big sister regardless. 

So, bring on the estrogen, I'm stocking the wine cellar for the teenage years and we're increasing the monthly transfers to savings seeing as how we now have two wedding to pay for one of these days ... or therapy for Mike after living most of a lifetime with three women : )

The envelope, two possible signs and the ultrasound pictures that didn't reveal the gender.

I thought I'd be able to get an adorable picture with Anna holding up the sign ... I forgot I was dealing with a 17-month old ... I glued the print out to a piece of card stock and it was peeling a little, so she thought it was a sticker and spent 10 minutes trying to pull it apart : )

It's a GIRL!!!

.......

So, sorry, Danielle, my loyal reader and commenter (and only reader to take a guess at the gender), you were wrong ... again ... maybe the third time will be the charm if we get crazy and sign up for this rodeo again : )

Baby Bump: 18 weeks

Fun fact:  this post about week 16 of my pregnancy with Anna is by far and away the most read post on my blog, by a LONG shot.  I even took it down for a couple of months because it creeped me out knowing that so many people were viewing what I'd (poorly) written so long ago.  I've put it back up now that I'm starting pregnancy posts again and it'll be interesting to see if any of these garner as much attention.  With Anna I posted every four weeks, starting with week 16, so I decided to do the same, starting with week 18 this time around.

So, here we are, week 18, a mere week and a half from the halfway mark ... holy cow, how did this happen?  I remember seeing the words "pregnant" staring up at me, followed by what felt like the longest five weeks of my life until our first OB visit and ultrasound.  And then *BAM* we're here; to say this pregnancy is flying by is an understatement. 

So far I've had a fairly uneventful pregnancy, which is exactly what I'm looking for.  I had killer allergies this summer that really kicked up once I found out I was pregnant, but those seem to have subsided for the most part.  I had very little nausea, same with Anna, and felt well through the first trimester.  Then came the second trimester, and it brought migraines; bad, textbook migraines (the bright lights, the complete aura, numbness in my hands, and a killer headache that follows for 3-4 hours), eight migraines in three weeks to be exact.  It's uncommon for migraines to start in a patient during pregnancy, it's generally more common to see them subside in patients that regularly dealt with migraines prior to pregnancy.  But, I like to be different.  So, I'm seeing a neurologist in a few weeks, but I doubt they will be able to do or prescribe anything that will stop the headaches completely.  In the meantime, work has slowed down a bit, I'm working to manage my stress better, am slowing down and being more realistic with my goals, and am making a point to exercise regularly.  I've only had one headache in the past week, which is a major improvement, and gives me hope that the worst has passed. 

The gender reveal date is October 23, but we're not sure if we'll find out of keep it a surprise.  I'm really, really, really tempted this time, but also loved the surprise factor with Anna.  The date of our appointment is also Mike's 34th birthday, so I'm inclined to let it be his choice as part of his birthday present.  Regardless of what we do or don't find out, the nursery will remain the stay the same and Anna will move into a larger guest bedroom, which I can't wait to outfit in pink.  Since there's a chance we'll find out the gender in less than two weeks, if you'd like to guess / predict whether we're having a boy or a girl, feel free to leave a comment to this post. The winners gets bragging rights for life!

So, now onto the real fun ... bump pictures!  I definitely feel as though I "popped" sooner this time around, and the picture below is proof.

18 weeks - 5 1/2 inches and rougly the size of a bell pepper
(photo courtesy of BabyCenter)

Twice as nice

We pardon your regularly scheduled Anna programming to bring you news that on or around March 10 our little star will be sharing the spotlight ... that's right, Anna is going to be a big sister!  We couldn't be happier and think it will be twice as nice with two under two, and (approximately) twenty-two months apart!

Someone once said that the best things in life are surprises and I wholeheartedly believe that's the case, and it happens to hold true with this news; for someone that was told before starting chemo that there was a slim chance I'd be able to have children of my own, we'll take it anyway we can get it : ) I'm 15 weeks and so far have had a fairly textbook pregnancy, knock on wood.  That said, with a toddler underfoot, things are a bit different, as I know all you Moms of 2+ can agree.  Although I've been able to squeeze in a few weekend naps and did hit the hay a little earlier during the first trimester, long gone are the days of lounging and daydreaming about that little bun baking in your oven.  I dealt with some fairly bad allergies over the summer, which were complicated by the pregnancy hormones, and had a touch of nausea (mine comes in the afternoon), here and there, but nothing to complain about.  I'm starting to show (still in the questionable, maybe she's had a few too many donuts phase) and revealed my news at work this, so maternity pants are right around the corner. 

Because we loved being surprised with Anna's gender, we don't plan to reveal with this pregnancy either.  Don't worry about lack of pregnancy projects, though, I'll get to spend my time decorating Anna's big-girl room since the nursery will remain mostly untouched.

In the event that your jaw is still on the floor, I'll leave you to digest this news and gaze at Baby Kelly 2 (BK squared as Mike and I affectionately refer to him/her) and Anna's first photo shoot as a big sister.   And, yes, we did reveal the news to our parents by letting Anna wear the pictured shirt, we couldn't make it easy after Round 1 : )

Nine week photo shoot, we'll see him/her again in about 5 weeks

Being a big sister sounds cool, but these elephants are pretty neat too!

Woo hoo!

Anna Arrives ... Part III ... Outtakes

Part II of the narrative was pretty serious ... labor, forceps, screaming ... and I can tell you that almost 4 weeks later I barely remember the labor at all.  In between all of the stressful parts there were some funny moments I want to remember ... Enjoy!

Bon Appetit ... I was only allowed ice chips and a couple of popsicles during the 18-hour labor ... a great diet plan if you ask me.  For Saturday's lunch my Mom brought Mike back a huge bowl of Mac 'n' Cheese from the Au Ban Pain in the lobby.

Me:  How was your lunch?  Was the Mac 'n' Cheese as good as I remember?

Mike:  Ehhhh, it was OK.

Me:  Just OK?!  Was it better than frozen water?  Because let me tell you, the ice chips I'm getting on an all-you-can-eat-buffet basis are just DELICIOUS!

It's all about the adjectives ... Mike was a wonderful, wonderful support during labor, but toward the end I started to get a little snarky ...

Me:  (Contraction)

Mike:  It's over, you did really well with that one!

Me:  WELL?!?!  That's all you have is the word WELL?!?!  That's like saying "you did mediocre at handling that contraction which seemed to feel like someone was spooning your uterus out with a dull spoon."  Think about using words like WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC or AWESOME.

Working towards a grand finale ... Toward the end of the 2 1/2 hour pushing session my nurse and Mike were doing anything they could think of to keep me motivated and encourage me to continue pushes that were particularly productive.  At one point I took matters into my own hands ... I'm not particularly proud that I resorted to "yelling" at my baby, but at the time it seemed there was no other option : )

Nurse Anne:  OK, here's another one coming on, get ready ...

Me:  (deep breath in) OK BABY, TIME TO GET OUT!!  (push for 1, 2 ... 8)

Me:  (deep breath in) GET OUT!! (push for 1, 2 ... 8)

Me:  (deep breath in) GET OUT!! (push for 1, 2 ... 8)

Nurse Anne:  Those were your best pushes yet ... can you keep that up for the next round?

Anna Arrives … Part II … This will all be worth it, right?!?!

We arrived at the hospital around 1:30am and since I was pre-registered and my doctor had alerted them to my arrival the check-in process was a breeze. For those of you wondering how I made it to the hospital with my water leaking, I'll leave you with the following: a pair of Mike's boxer briefs, a washcloth and a towel. Sorry, that's probably too graphic for some of my readers, but it's the question my friends have asked me most often and I can't help but think someone reading may be in the same situation one day.

Anyway, I was checked into a labor room and the nurse came in to assess my situation. AKA making sure my water had actually broken and that I was in fact going into labor.

Anne was a 25 year L&D veteran and very politely asked "Would you say you passed at least one cup of fluid?"

"Ummmm, I'm pretty sure I passed at least a gallon of fluid and it's still coming out."

"OK then, you're having a baby!"

On the way to the hospital I started to have what I thought were contractions, but they were kind of mild, so I wasn't sure. After some background questions, I was hooked to a fetal heart monitor as well as a monitor that tracked my contractions. Low and behold, I was contracting! Nothing major, but I could feel they were getting stronger and coming about every 5 minutes. The machines were behind my right shoulder and easily visible to Mike and my Mom. Nurse Anne wisely pointed out to both of them that they'd be able to see the contractions coming a few seconds before I felt them and noted "you don't want to be the person that alerts her to them." : )

Upon an initial exam I was deemed to still be only 1cm dilated … we needed to get to 10cm. After discussing my situation with the doctor they decided to let me labor on my own overnight and would check me in the morning. "Get some rest" Anne told me. Easy enough, I thought … until I realized that having contractions every four to five minutes was a little interruptive of good REM sleep.

My Mom, who had followed us to the hospital, went back to our house to get some rest, relatively assured by the Nurse that a baby overnight was highly unlikely. Mike settled into his roll-out bed and I tried my best to get comfortable. I think we both "slept" for an hour and a half and I did find a way to cat-nap between contractions. Pretty sure that was also in preparation for having a baby … if there are 4 minutes that you can sleep, you do just that, ha.

Around 7am shift change Anne came in to see how things were going. Because of the risk of infection after your water breaks I was not being internally checked as often as patients with their fluid in tact. She said the doctor was going to come in shortly and he'd check me then and assess if we needed to push induction drugs. At that point I was getting pretty uncomfortable, but still handling the contractions with breathing techniques we'd learned in our birthing class.

Shift change led to a new nurse, conveniently also named Anne. She came in a few times to let me know the doctor was assisting with a few deliveries and was going to be delayed. Around 10am she checked me, I was 2 1/2cm dilated and I'm pretty sure she gave me the 1/2 just to be kind. She suggested we get up and walk the halls to see if that would get things going. So, walk we did. In the XL robe I'd purchased to use during the last trimester, the slippers I'd purchased to accommodate my swollen feet and what felt like an adult diaper to catch the fluid that was still leaking. We made it a few laps before a combination of fatigue and contraction strength forced us to retire back to the room.

The contractions were getting stronger and at this point my Mom had returned. I asked her to go to the gift shop to see if they had any stress balls I could use during contractions. Breathing was fine, but I needed something to SQUEEZE the heck out of … and I preferred Mike not have broken hands when our child came into the world. He'd need those to change diapers after all. She returned with this … and I will be forever grateful. Such a small material item, but I will forever hold a soft spot in my heart for this little apple.

The exact timing from this point forward gets a little hairy. After the walk I reported that contractions were getting stronger and nurse Anne has spoken to the doctor about starting pitocin, I think this was around 11am or Noon. I was told that I could ask to be checked anytime I wanted, but again, they wouldn't be checking me on a regular basis. In the meantime, we'd discussed pain medication options. The doctor preferred I get to 4cm before getting an epidural and if I wished I could be administered Nubain before then. Nubain was something I was told would "take the edge off" and possibly allow me to get some rest.

The contractions got much stronger and I was getting tired. Mind you I'd had nothing to eat since dinner the night before and was going on about an hour of sleep. My goal was to get to 4cm so that I could go straight to the epidural as it seemed silly to dose up twice. The best laid plans … As the contractions were getting more unbearable I winced out a request to be checked and almost cried when Anne told me I was 3cm. I'd had pitocin running at a steady and heavy drip for a few hours now, was going through what I surely thought was my uterus hemorrhaging, had been in labor for over 12 hours and was 3 measly centimeters? At that point I eeked out a request for the Nubain.

The drug came quickly, but sadly the promise of taking the edge off did not follow. I felt a little light headed and relaxed, but the contractions still carried the same weight. I was not a happy camper.

Around this time my doctor came in. I was tired. I was in pain. I was three freaking centimetres with no end in sight. I am a goal oriented person. I needed a time frame to know how long this would go on. I asked the doctor as much … "So, is there a chance it'll be midnight and I'll still be in labor? When do we explore other options?" Luckily he responded with what I needed to hear "Oh, no, you'll have this baby by the evening, I guarantee that."

I muddled through for a bit longer and for the first time was vocal during a contraction. A mix between crying and screaming and enough that my nurse heard me in the hallway and came into the room. She summons the doctor, immediately able to tell a difference in my demeanor and upon checking me I'm pretty sure that rays of light shined into the room and the gloomy skies cleared when he said "she's 5cm, let's get that epidural."

My anaesthesiologist was named Bill and although he was waaaaayyyy too chatty and a little annoying, if Baby Kelly had been a boy, there's a strong chance Bill would have moved to the top of the list. That epidural was amazing! At this point I will caveat my story by saying that my nurse, the doctor and the anaesthesiologist all told me that going through labor with a ruptured sack is much more painful than starting with one in tact … and they'd pushed a crazy amount of pitocin through me, y body just chose not to respond accordingly. I'm not saying that my contractions or labor were any worse than anyone else's, but those words made me feel better at the time and the fact that I was crying for medication.

I labored under the epidural for about an hour and even got some rest. Around 3:30pm the doctor checked me again and I was pronounced to be FULLY DILATED and ready to push!! At this point the Nubain was wearing off and I was TIRED. Luckily it took a few minutes for everything to get set up and I was able to cat-nap while Mike made the appropriate calls and checked-in with what was now a full team of family assembled in the waiting room. WE WERE HAVING A BABY!

Around 4pm we started pushing. Deep breath in, push for a count of 8, repeat 2 more times. Mike and Nurse Anne were awesome. Because of the epidural it was hard for me to tell if I was pushing correctly, but they assured me I was doing a good job. The time estimates for this part of labor vary; the estimate I've heard is that most women push for 30 minutes up to 3 hours. Of course I was hoping I'd be at the short end of the spectrum. Of course I was not.

I kept pushing and my team kept telling me I was doing wonderfully, but there was no real progress. I pushed for about 2 hours … and finally, around 6;15pm, we determined that this baby needed a little prodding, literally. At that point things moved very quickly. The special care nursery team was assembled, another nurse was brought in, the doctor set up his station and the anaesthesiologist was brought in to make sure I was still properly medicated.

The next 20-30 minutes were a blur of excitement and medical teams running like clockwork. Mike and Nurse Anne were still by my side. I still pushed during contractions, I felt pressure, but no pain. I knew that forceps were being used and I knew that a third degree episiotomy was being performed.

At this point it was all worth it.

At 6:53pm our little Anna Elizabeth was born. I looked over and was in shock at how perfect and tiny our baby was. If you'll recall, Mike and I both thought we were having a boy and as we looked at our little one, we both thought to ourselves "those privates look funny for a boy" as the doctor exclaimed, "It's a girl!"

Mike cut the cord and she was placed on my chest for a few minutes before being taken to the warmer for her initial tests and a quick cleaning.  To say it was love at first sight is an understatement.  I was tired, I was sore, I was hungry, but most of all I was in LOVE with our 7lb, 19.5inch angel.  And now I'm going to get a box of tissues to dry my eyes ... being a Mom is totally amazing and I'd go through all of this again in a heartbeat!

(After the fact we were told that little Anna's umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck two times, and although she was fine through the delivery, this is why she was "stuck" in the birth canal ... poor little girl!) 

A *wee bit* of a banana-head after a long delivery and forceps ... her head is perfect now : )

One of my favorites ... instant love!

Napping after a LONG day!

** Part Three will be much, much shorter and will include some funny outtakes from the day, so stay tuned.**

Anna Arrives ... Part I ... Friday the 13th

** Fair warning, this is a long post ... hence why I'm breaking it up into multiple pieces ... read as much or as little as you wish and I promise I won't get super-graphic ... that said, for your expectant mothers reading, I'm happy to go into the details I deem important for your upcoming labor as you wish : ) **

Let's start at the beginning.  Well, the beginning of our little Anna's birth story at least. 

Friday the 13th. 

I honestly hadn't even realized it was Friday the 13th until earlier in the week when I'd called to book an appointment to have our carpets cleaned (of course after Tuesday's appointment, I had that pushed to Thursday ... heaven forbid we have dirty carpets when our little one arrived, ha).  In talking to a few close friends and letting them know there was a chance for induction that day a few asked "are you OK if Baby Kelly is born on Friday the 13th?"  At that point I would have been fine if Baby Kelly was born on the Moon ... I was at a pretty uncomfortable point and just waned a healthy baby to arrive sometime in the near future. 

Thursday was one of two official days of maternity leave before my due date (my firm gives us two weeks) and I intended to use it as best I could.  I cleaned up the house a bit, blogged, treated myself to a manicure / pedicure, bought a few last minute nursery items, made a Target run and napped.  Mike mowed the grass after work and then we went out for dinner at our favorite little Mexican place.  Nothing like shrimp fajitas to celebrate what could have been our last night as DINKS ("dual income, no kids" as the financial world thinks of us).

Almost 38 weeks and before our "last dinner"

Friday morning went to the OB's office together and after the usual weight, urine and BP checks we were shown to a room and I was set up for a Non-Stress Test (NST).  I sat with a monitor strapped to my humongous belly and pretended I was answering the Daily Double on Jeopardy each time I felt a kick.  Unfortunately, Baby Kelly wasn't a morning person and never had been.  Over 20 minutes and even stimulated with some juice, I only felt 4 kicks, 3 clustered together.  They assured me it was fine and the heart rate was steady, so no concerns.  The doctor came in, went over my stats and checked me (1 cm dilated).  Although my stats were still elevated, they hadn't gotten any worse and we decided the best place for Baby Kelly was in the womb for the time being.  I was to return on Monday for another NST. And, in the meantime I was to rest and take it easy ... sounded like something I could manage. 

Mike and I went to lunch after my appointment and then he went to work.   I headed for a few errands and a nap and then really settled into the fact that I'd likely have a few days to enjoy my pre-baby maternity leave.  I thought up grand plans.  I was going to make one freezer dish each day over the weekend ... Saturday was a nice bolognese sauce for pasta, Sunday was butternut squash soup and Monday was minestrone soup ... I even made a detailed grocery list for Mike.  I was going to watch a few chick flicks and episodes of Glee.  And nap. 

Because I wasn't being induced, my Mother and future SIL were coming to stay with us overnight.  They were going wedding dress shopping the next day in Cincinnati and decided to avoid and early morning drive and visit with us that evening.  They arrived after dinnertime and we had fun catching up.  I was pretty uncomfortable and remember getting up and just standing a few times while we were chatting and watching TV.  A few minutes before we all went up to bed my Mom (who I could tell had been a *wee bit* disappointed when I called earlier that day with the news of no induction) said, "Wouldn't it be exciting if you went into labor tonight while I'm up here?!?!"  I just laughed it off and scolded her for potentially jinxing us. 

Little did I know. 

Mike and I laid down to sleep around 11pm.  We had been keeping the cats out of our room at night (for a few reasons, including the fact that we planned on keeping Baby Kelly in the room with us after birth), but somehow Milo had snuck in and neither of us had the energy to kick him out.  So, we settled in, Milo in my nook, and chatted for a few minutes before drifting off to sleep to a rerun of How I Met Your Mother on TV. 

About an hour later, right at midnight, I woke up with a strong urge to use the restroom ... not uncommon at all ... but this felt different, like I had to get to the toilet RIGHT THEN.  I scared the crap out of Milo as I got up in record speed (well, for a pregnant woman) and then realized as I stood up that my underwear were already a little wet.  I knew I hadn't peed my pants and I remember thinking "no way could this be my water breaking.  NO. FREAKING. WAY.  I JUST came to terms with the fact that I'm NOT having a baby this weekend"  As I stood there for a split second, fluid started to leak onto the floor (we have hard wood upstairs, thank goodness) and I knew the universe was answering with "YES WAY." 

I yelled at Mike to wake up as I ran to the toilet.  He was dazed and at first didn't understand why I was so frantic; after all this was sure to be one of about twelve trips to the restroom I'd make that night if history repeated itself.  As I got to the toilet there was a HUGE gush.  Yup, my water had broken and I yelled out as such  (you may remember from reading here that my ultrasound a week prior revealed I had A LOT of fluid).  For some reason I thought the initial gush was all there would be and after a few minutes got up to share the news with my Mom and call my doctor.  Of course I dribbled all the way there and the way back (again, thank goodness we have hard wood) and was still in shock.  Mike brought me my phone and I called the OB's office. 

And, within a matter of minutes we were grabbing bags, checking a few last minute items and making our way to the hospital.

Maybe Baby??

I had another OB appointment yesterday and my blood pressure was high, again.  My platelets were better per the bloodwork from last week, but my  feet, ankles and calves are still swollen.  Sooooo, I go back on Friday (as in two days) and if my blood pressure is still high, there's a strong chance they will induce me, meaning we'd likely meet Baby Kelly this weekend!  The good news is the baby looked great and is doing well, but my BP isn't providing the most ideal environment.  Obviously I want whatever is best for the baby, and if that means giving up the two weeks I'm allotted before my official due date by my work maternity leave program, that's A-OK with me.  I've actually been pretty good about taking it easy these last couple of weeks, which has been like a bit of a vacation in and of itself. 

So, I'm done with work and just wrapping a few things up around the house and trying to get a little rest in while I can.  The nursery is ready, bassinet assembled, car seat being installed tonight and excitement / anticipation are all an all time high.  For those of you whom I have a phone number for, you're likely on the text list for when our little one arrives.  Otherwise look for pictures on here once we are home and settled. 

And, since it's probably too late to take bets on the arrival date and time, if you haven't already shared your thought on the gender, comment away!  Mike and I still think it's a boy, but we'll see ...

** Update, 5/13/11 **

Saw the OB today and my levels are still elevated, but haven't risen any higher than earlier this week.  The baby looked really good after evaluation during a Non-Stress Test, so no induction this weekend.  I'm still on pre-eclampsia watch and go back Monday for another NST, labs and check-up.  I'm back to 1cm dilated and 50% efaced.  Until then, doctors orders are to "take it easy" ... I think I can handle that : )

Our little cherub at 37 1/2 weeks
He/she was moving his hand around during the scan,
you can see fingers in the bottom picture

Family Tradition

I look just like my Mom.  We have the same feet (fingers for toes), the same albino mole on our forehead and as I grow older I notice we have the same mannerisms.  Throughout the pregnancy I've wondered who our baby would favor ... there's no question the child will have dark hair, but I was hoping he/she would take Mike's skin coloring and perhaps my blue eyes.

When Mike's Mom saw the 3D ultrasound she immediately sent me Mike's hospital mug shot.  If there was any doubt who this child will reassemble, there isn't anymore ... definitely Daddy's boy or girl ... and I can't complain since I think he's rather easy on the eyes : )

Baby Kelly at 36 1/2 weeks

Baby Michael

Mike doesn't see the resemblance at all, but I think it's because he's too caught up in thinking he looks like an Eskimo ... side note, did you guys know that Eskimo is no longer PC, apparently  now they are "Alaskan Friends" ... anywho, I see it from the nose down and his parents and my Mom agree.  Of course this coming from someone who until Tuesday thought 3D ultrasound pictures were creepy ... I guess that all changes when it's your little one your gazing upon : )

Baby Bump: 36 weeks ... it's the final countdown!

This is (most likely) the month that I'll become a mother ... C-R-A-Z-Y!  All is going well for the most part, but now the fun is really beginning : )  At my last exam there was a slight concern over an elevated blood pressure, low platelet count and swelling in my legs and feet.  Not enough to do anything that day, but enough to push me into realizing that this baby could come sooner rather than later.  Although the doctor told me to take it easy, I read that as "get your crap together in case you are induced or put on bedrest next week" ... such is the life of someone with OCD, ha. 

So, we spent the weekend making duplicate registry returns and stocking up on any of the basics we didn't yet have.  I washed all of Baby Kelly's clothing and blankets (and, yes, I am in LOVE with everything being so small) and we organized all of our loot in the nursery.  Oh, and I napped!  3 1/2 hours on Saturday and 2 1/2 hours on Sunday.  I'm not sure when the nesting is going to happen if I keep napping my free time away ... A friend noted that I live my life as a "nester," so we're probably good to go, ha. 

At today's appointment they did a BPP and Baby Kelly passed with flying colors.  He/she weighs in at a whopping 6 lbs, 15 oz and is a mover and a shaker.  The moving and shaking is mostly due to the fact that apparently I have provided more than enough amniotic fluid in the womb (more is better than less) and he/she has a literal swimming pool to perfect movements.  The excess fluid is also why the shots we got of the face were so clear and un-squished ... oh, and perfectly adorable : )  I was also warned to literally watch out if my water is to break on my own, ha ... maybe now is the time to look into an adult mattress pad?

Look at those cheeks!!

At one point we got a wink, but didn't capture on the pictures

I think this might be Mike's nose, but it's hard to tell

Today's appointment and seeing our little melon made it so much more REAL and I'd be lying if I said I'd thought of anything else since we left.  With the good comes the not-so-good ... my blood pressure was higher again, my platelets are still low and my legs and feet are still retaining a tad too much water, but again, not enough to warrant action.  I'm 1cm dilated and having contractions here and there, mostly due to the pressure of the baby and excess fluid.  The same tests and bloodwork will be run next week and in the meantime I'm to take it easy, elevate when I can ... and anxiously wait for our little one to arrive! 

Up next, a post on my Lexington baby shower that was truly a page out of Southern Living magazine ...

A spoonful of sugar ... (and, hello my name is Jen and I'm addicted to Peanut Butter)

In lieu of our monthly Junior League Provisional meeting this week, our group of 20 to 30-something young professionals with a desire to better Cincinnati through volunteerism were asked to serve as a focus group for Kroger.  They need us to taste test .... wait for it .... ice cream.  Say hello to the dream of a pregnant woman.  They held a similar event a few months ago for appetizer foods, but due to work travel I wasn't able to attend.  Don't worry though, as soon as I heard about this event my calendar was cleared. 

We were instructed to eat dinner before arriving, so I inhaled a granola bar before leaving work.  I even thought ahead enough to bring a change of clothing ... I mean, who wants to be taste-testing with slacks and heels on ... jeans and flip flops are so much more conducive to letting the taste buds do their work : )

In addition to an appetizer station (cheese, crackers and fruit in case of brain freezes) and a beverage station (wine, soda and water) there were three tasting tables with about seven varieties of ice cream each.  We were asked to sample and rate a minimum of four per table.  Being the over achiever I am, I went 7 for 7 at the first table.  And, I fell in love.  My all-time favorite of the night was Triple Peanut Butter; peanut butter ice cream, swirled with peanut butter and chocked full of pieces of Reese Cups.  I seriously almost died and went to heaven.  I may or may not have sampled three small scoop cups of that variety.  The Double Vanilla and Tiramisu varieties were my other faves, also from the first table.  I only sampled 4 or 5 at each of the other two tables and nothing really struck my fancy quite much.  I guess it was love at first bite ...

So, moral of the story is that I LOVE focus groups.  Especially ones that give me a meeting credit, involve ice cream and visiting with friends I've come to love over the past 9 months.  I also realized I may have a problem with peanut butter.  The amount we've gone through in this house over the past 9 months is a bit scary ... better enjoy it while I have a reason to be tipping the scale : )

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find this delectible delight in the grocery store ...

Baby Bump: 34 weeks ... less than 6 weeks to go!!

I had been trying to do a formal post related to the pregnancy every four weeks, but week 32 came and went and here we are, less 6 weeks away!!  It's crazy to hear myself say "eight months" when asked how far along I am ... and even more crazy when I see myself in the weekly photo we're taking.  I remember wanting to have a "real bump" (versus a blob) early on and now I've got that and sooooo much more. 

I am seeing my OB every two-weeks now and things couldn't be going better.  I'm measuring to the centimeter (bump-wise) and to the pound (weight-wise) at each visit, with all other stats normal.  A co-worker commented "that doesn't surprise me at all that you're doing it to the percent correctly" ... and, although I'm glad everything is on target, it's not really by any planning of my own ... for once in my life.  I've been trying to exercise when I can, mostly walks around the neighborhoods, well, more like waddling, and watching my sodium intake. 

No matter how hard I try I still have a bit of swelling from my knee down most days.  My OB says it's something you just can't help past a certain point and other than exercise, fluid intake and a low-sodium diet, it's just another joy of pregnancy.  The good news is, it will go away after the birth ... the better news is, I should deliver before it gets too hot and miserable.  (Mental Note:  Plan on a spring baby again next time, ha)  I had a reprieve from heartburn for a few weeks, but it's back with a vengeance now.  Mike and all of his brothers had a ton of hair, so I'm hopeful this baby will follow suit.  I'm also having a lot of trouble sleeping lately ... between getting up to use the restroom 4-6 times a night and just not being able to get comfy, I find myself tossing and turning for hours on end ... good practice, I suppose for the nights ahead. 

Speaking of my walks ... I have had a hard time finding reasonably priced maternity workout shirts.  I bought a Champion shirt at Target a few months ago, two sizes larger than I normally wear, but have since pretty much outgrown it ... last weekend I saw the same shirts were on sale and surprised even myself when I looked over at Mike and said "... sweet ... they have an XXL in the color I want."  I've endured the maternity clothing, but I won't say that I'm in love with them like some women I know.  Other than being sick of the rotation and starting to outgrow some of it, I'm just ready to have my regular clothing, with buttons and zippers and normal sizes, back.  That said, the grass is always greener, I may miss it when I'm having trouble fitting into my regular clothing ... : )

The last few weeks have been spent with final preparations ... we were showered with lovely gifts in Pittsburgh two weekends ago and can't wait to visit with family and friends this coming weekend in Lexington.  After we do a final inventory we'll be making final purchases in the weeks that follow.  Hello diaper sticker-shock : )

I went through my "checklist" this past week ...  I formally called our Leave Center (last day at work is May 13!!), ordered my breastpump (my firm pays for all but $100 of a Medela Freestyle), pre-registered at our Hospital, have our Pediatrician lined up and have Baby Kelly enrolled in daycare (tentatively starting the week of October 3).  I feel VERY fortunate that I have such a great leave plan at work ... I get two weeks prior to my due date, 12 weeks after and the ability to use all of my 22 days of vacation after that; so in grand total, I have 18 weeks of paid time off.  In addition, I can take unpaid leave as I desire and my boss is totally supportive of whatever decision I make; I really couldn't ask for more in that regard. 

OK, now for some bumpage shots ... if you're even still reading, ha.  I have had several people tell me that the pictures don't do me justice and I agree, I don't really think I look *that* big in person ... I guess most of my readers will be able to tell this weekend and the others will just have to take my word for it : )

Finally, a word on the gender ... I have really flip-flopped on this one ... I had several dreams early on that it was a boy and my Mom says I'm carrying like she did with my brother (she carried a lot lower with me ... but, I was 5 weeks early ...).  That said, I have a friend that only dreamed she was having a boy, but wound up with a girl, and, a lot of random folks have told me lately they think it's a girl.  Any thoughts from my six readers?  A week or two before I'm due I'll ask for comments predicting the gender and date of birth with a small prize attached for the winner, but I'm just curious for now.  Either way, I can't wait to hear the "It's a _____" announcement in just a few short weeks!!