Natural Childbirth is Over Rated!!

This is going to be super long, and probably full of TMI, so sorry. I went to my doctor's appointment on Wednesday morning not expecting anything to have changed. We just took Xander with us so that we didn't have to inconvenience anyone for no reason. He checked me and I was dilated 2 cm. He let me decide what I wanted to do, so I said that I wanted to be induced. We headed over to the lab to get some blood work done first. There was another pregnant lady who got there just before us, so she got her stuff done first and then got the last available room. We had to wait in the waiting room for a room for about and hour and a half. I got all set up and then Grandma and Grandpa Lindsay came and got Xander. The doctor came and inserted the medication to get my contractions going and get everything nice and soft. He did this at about 11:30. It started to work immediately. They just felt like cramps, so I was doing good. A little while later the doctor came and stripped my membranes. I then went and walked the halls to help get things moving even more. I had to take my IV drip with me because I was getting Pitocin and antibiotics. I felt pretty stupid roaming the halls of the hospital in my robe and pushing along my fluids. Especially because there were several people from my ward there giving a blessing. Brandon came with me at first, but then he went back to the room to play Solitaire. They have old pictures and stories framed all over the walls about the settling of the valley. I took my mind off of the contractions by looking at the pictures and trying to get name ideas. A few hours later he checked me and I was at a 3.5 and they wanted me to wait until I was 4.5 before getting the epidural because they didn't want my labor to slow down. So, I roamed the halls for another hour and then was able to get my epidural. The anesthesiologist had only worked there for three weeks and they didn't have the type of instrument that he was used to, so he had to make do. The epidural ended up only working on my right side. That doesn't mean that I only felt half the pain, it meant that I felt both sides of the pain on the left side. I tried laying on my left side to get it to spread, but the baby didn't like that and his heart rate fell. They were pretty busy, so he had to go to the OR for a few hours, so he couldn't help fix it right then. The doctor came and stripped my membranes again. He barely got in there and my water broke. They had to place an internal monitor on the baby because he kept moving around and losing the heartbeat. It was a little screw that they put into the baby's head to make sure he's okay. I can't even tell where they put it in. The contractions were coming pretty hard and fast now, about 1-2 minutes apart. I was not at all prepared for a failed epidural, so I had no idea how to manage the pain. By the time I got to 8 cm, I was ready to be done. Brandon and the nurse helped me focus and breath through the pain. I finally got the hang of it and I even slept through a few contractions. I was 9 cm when the anesthesiologist came back in and gave me another shot of medicine. They had me lay on my left side so that it would spread to that side. When I got to 10 cm I was good and numb. This was not a good thing because I was too numb to push. So, I had to wait about an hour for the epidural to wear off. This was an hour of pure bliss. Brandon enjoyed it, too, because I wasn't squeezing the guts out of his hand and he could follow the basketball game better. All of the sudden my epidural wore off and I started pushing. I was making slow progress and was really starting to swell. By then, the pain was unbearable and I was so tired that I couldn't push very effectively. The baby's heart rate was doing good and it was even going up each time I pushed, which is a good sign. Then all of the sudden they had me stop pushing and they rolled me onto my side. I didn't know this until after, but his heart rate started to drop and he was struggling. I was struggling as well and I wasn't brave or quiet about my discomfort. The doctor asked the nurse for a vacuum, but she got the wrong one, so she went and got another one. It still wasn't the right one, but he tried it anyway. It kept slipping off, so he threw it, and yelled at the nurse telling her to find the one he wanted. She finally go the right one and he was able to be suctioned out at 11:01 pm. I tore a little, but it could have been a lot worse. It took the baby a few minutes before he cried, and that was kind of scary. I found out later that his head was over 4 cm above average and that was why I was having a hard time getting him out. I also found out that the doctor had a crew with a bed ready outside the door to take me to the OR for and emergency C-Section. I was so relieved that he was there and safe, and that he latched on immediately. I can't believe that some women would go through natural childbirth voluntarily, because it was a nightmare for me.

After I got back to my room it was nice to be able to walk around and not still be numb from the epidural. Brandon went home to sleep because we knew we would both sleep better that way. They were concerned about how much I was still bleeding the next day, so they gave me some pill to get my uterus to clamp down. About 10 minutes after taking it, my body went into teeth chattering shakes. I couldn't get control and my palms started to itch as well. Add this to the cramping, and I was kind of scared. Brandon went and got the nurse and she got me a warm blanket and that helped a little. I guess I had a bad reaction to the medication and none of the nurses had ever seen that happen. They still made me keep taking the stuff, but I never had a reaction quite like that first one. I was supposed to go home that night, but they decided to make me stay just to keep an eye on me. So, we headed home on Friday morning. I really hope that I get amnesia soon, because I don't know how excited I am about doing that again. I am very grateful that I am blessed to have given birth to two healthy boys. Even though I had a bad experience, it was still amazing and I wouldn't trade the outcome for anything in the world!

If all is going according to plan, this week your baby is locked and loaded -- head down in the birth canal, waiting to make his grand entrance into the world. Even though he's fully formed, his immune system is still immature. He's going to use the rest of his womb time wisely, taking in important antibodies from the placenta. He'll continue to gain weight until he is born, and his tiny little nails will keep on growing -- some babies are born already in need of a mani/pedi! His skull bones haven't fused yet, which is best considering the cramped space he'll have to squeeze through before all is said and done!

Still Waiting

Cassie came up this morning to watch Xander while we went to my Dr.'s appointment. The baby hasn't dropped yet, so he's not putting any pressure on me to dilate and I am at 0 centimeters, 0% effaced, and his head is just bobbing around in there. He didn't want to induce me at this point because then I still have a 50% chance of needing a C-Section. So, he sent us home disappointed. I'm upset because Cassie came up to watch Xander and then just turned around and went home. I got myself so worked up and stressed out about having the baby today that I was up all night and felt sick all morning. I guess I need to go for some serious walks and just let things happen like they are supposed to. I have another appointment next week and he will check my progress and then decide what to do from there. He said that the baby is big, but too big at this point, so I don't need to worry about that. At least I lost a pound this week, so he's not getting too out of control in there. If anyone has any ideas for me, let me know. I'm sorry to anyone that we inconvenienced.

Your little starlet is making final preparations for her curtain call this week. She’s shed her downy lanugo and the vernix caseosa that has coated her for the past few months is starting to slough off. There isn’t much room at all for this wee Rockette to perfect her high kicks, but you’ll still feel those dance moves from time to time. And that’s about all she’s doing this week, besides continuing to plump up a bit, creating those oh-so-kissable cheeks that we all love!

To Our Second Born:

We have been waiting for a long time for you to join our family. I have no doubt that you have been waiting for a long time as well while I became the mom that you needed me to be. You will be leaving all of your comforts soon to join our family, and we couldn't be more excited/nervous to meet you. You have a wonderful father who will accept you for who you are and love you no matter what. You have a mother who will try her hardest to make sure that you grow up to be a righteous man and in the meantime will smother you with kisses and lotion. You have a big brother who will be kind to you and can't wait to play with you. We're excited to see what role you will play in our family, but know that you are already loved. Please bare with us as we try to figure out how to handle two sons, we're new at this. We love you! Love, Mom and Dad

To Our Firstborn:

In a few days we will hopefully be bringing home your little brother and your new role as "big brother" will begin. Our lives have been so blessed since you arrived in our arms 3 years and nine months ago. We had no idea what we were doing, but so far we've made it through. I can't wait to see if your little brother will share your button nose, stubby toes, and lively green/brown eyes. We love every bit of you! You are smart, and your love and gift for books, letters, numbers, and puzzles amazes me. I love that you prefer trains over sports. It makes me smile that you love funny sounding words and repeating them all day long just to make yourself laugh, SWAP. You are kind and compassionate. You pick up on others feelings so easily as if you know exactly how they feel. You are so good to play by yourself when I need a break and I know that this will help your imagination to grow even more. You don't like to perform and sing songs, but I will catch you throughout the day singing your own made up songs, today it was about cheesy potatoes. Thank you for always being willing to give hugs and kisses and to say "I love you" when I really need to hear it. I know that you will be a great big brother because you love to help me and you love babies. I can't wait to see you and your brother reunited again and I hope you know that we love you very much!
Love, Mom and Dad

39 Weeks, Almost

Whoa! That's a lot of belly to haul around if I do say so myself. All day at church people kept staring at my belly when I would walk by. As I walked into Relief Society one lady looked at me and laughed. She said it was because of the look on my face, but I'm not convinced. Xander was sitting on my lap tonight while we read books and the baby kicked him. He couldn't stop laughing about it. It was really cute. I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be about having this baby. I just try not to think about the details too much because it overwhelms me. The main thing I'm worried about is ending up having a C-Section, that scares me to death. I'm pretty nervous about nursing again because it was so hard with Xander, so hopefully this baby will be better at it.

This is how I feel, and embarrassed to say act, right now. Just watch until the opening credits.

38 Weeks

I had another doctor's appointment today. Brandon took off from work to come with me, mostly because all of the ladies at work told him that he should. The doctor did another ultrasound to measure the baby. He weighs an estimated 8+ lbs. He wants to get him here before he gets any bigger, but he doesn't want to risk lung underdevelopment by starting me sooner than we have to. I have another appointment next week and if I don't go into labor by then, then he will induce me at that appointment. He didn't check to see if I'm dilated because I'm not having any real contractions, so I hope that I'm progressing on my own. The Scouts are doing highway cleanup tomorrow, so maybe that will help.
This baby is thoroughly searching my insides for a way out. Most of the time he tries to get out the side and it makes my stomach look like I ate an oblong watermelon. He also really likes to push down, which really hurts and it feels like he's about to break my water.
My Braxton Hicks are getting worse, but I still don't think they are real contractions. On Monday evening they were coming every three minutes and getting more uncomfortable, but they stopped before they turned into real contractions. He starts moving as soon as I lie down, which prevents me from getting any sleep at all. I think it goes without saying that I am super grumpy and irritable. Xander has been really good to watch cartoons while I sleep-in in the mornings.
I thought that I might get through this pregnancy without stretch marks because he has been using all of the ones that Xander made for me. Well, they have started to appear. They are not totally new, just little extentions to the old ones. Thankfully they are just little dots right now and they don't itch.
My feet are looking pretty sad because I can't bend over to reach them. I asked Brandon to paint them for me, but he refused. He would have done it if we were dating and not married for the last 6.5 years.
I have lost my appetite lately. Nothing sounds good to eat, except Texas Sheet Cake, of course.
I never go anywhere, and no one ever comes here, so I rarely do my hair and make-up. I have started to do it every day this week, just in case I go into labor. I've got my cameras charged and packed and my hospital bag is mostly packed and ready to go. I need to get Xander a bag packed, even though I have no idea where he will go when the baby comes. I'm sure he would love to be in the room with us, but that would stress me out too much.

Your baby is growing full-steam ahead, accumulating fat and gaining about an ounce every day, but she is about as long as she will get for now.

She is practicing breathing as her lungs continue to develop, as well as urinating and storing up meconium -- a dark substance composed of bile, mucus and epithelial cells -- that will become her first bowel movement. But even though her grip is getting firmer in utero, you still have years until she grasps the whole potty-training thing... At least you have time to prepare!

37 Weeks

I went and saw the family doctor today. He was really nice and made sure that all of my medical history was reviewed and that all of my questions were answered. He explained, in great detail, how a spinal epidural works. I'd rather just know that it does work, and not how. He didn't check my progress because I haven't felt any painful contractions. I finally gained a few pounds this week, which makes me fell a little better that he is actually growing. my blood pressure is good and there was no sugar in my urine, so that's good. I had him look at Xander's finger that is still infected while we were there. He wrote him an antibiotic prescription and asked if he was allergic to any antibiotics. I said I didn't know because he has never been on antibiotics. He couldn't believe that he is three and a half and never been on antibiotics. I guess being pro-germ and never going anywhere has made him pretty hardy when it comes to diseases.

I'm pretty grateful this week that I have a strict diet to follow. Last Thursday we had a busy day, so I didn't eat very well. By the end of the day I was really feeling horrible. I was nauseous, had a headache, and the worst heartburn of my life. I'm pretty thankful that the doctor put me on this diet because I can't imagine feeling like that for months, because I never would have thought to cut sugar out of my diet. I have been super hormonal latley, especially since they added a Pediatric Surgeon to "Grey's Anatomy". I hate how the littlest things make me burst into tears, and it's only going to get worse. I have been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this week. I used to just get them when I walked a lot or went up and down stairs. I now get them pretty often all day long. They don't necessarily hurt, but they are uncomfortable and make it hard to relax and breath. Maybe this means that the real thing is going to start soon, I'm not ready!

We still haven't decided on a name, but I appreciate everyone voting on our poll. I read this article today on Yahoo. It talked about the most popular names for 2008. Here are a few of the stats:
Barack and Miley move up, but the classics still rule. Emma is the top baby name for girls, Jacob for boys. Emma's surge to the top in 2008 ended Emily's 12-year reign as the No. 1 baby name for girls, the Social Security Administration announced Friday.

Jacob held onto the boy's crown for the 10th straight year.

Barack may have been the man of the year in 2008 as Obama won the White House, but the president still trails the king. Barack moved up a record 10,126 places to No. 2,409. Elvis is still in the building, though he slipped from 673 to 713.
Emma debuted in the top 10 in 2002, the same year that Jennifer Aniston's character on "Friends" gave the name to her TV show baby. In the latest lineup, Emma was followed by Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava.
Miley, as in popular teen singer Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127. But her stage name, Hannah — as in Hannah Montana — fell from No. 9 to No. 17.
The top five boys names remained unchanged from 2007. Jacob was followed by Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel. Alexander joined the top 10 at No. 6 while Andrew dropped out.
New girl names in the national top 1,000 included Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).
Debuting among the boys were Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764), Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Thank goodness we are not Democrats, because I'm sure Brandon would be pushing for Barack, and it just does not go with Buck.

Your little athlete is full term -- he has opted to stay and mature instead of bolting for the big leagues. He’s still tiny though; at only 6.5 lbs, he's no linebacker. But he’ll bulk up quickly! Expect him to gain about a half an ounce each day until he is born. Even though he’s still growing, he has probably already settled into the position he’ll be in at birth. And he’s also producing the cortisone that will help him to breathe once he enters our world; even though he’s full term, he’s still doing some every important work!

36 Weeks

On Monday I went and got my glucose tested. I had to wait two hours in between the draws, which my doctor failed to tell me. Luckily Xander was really good. I had an appointment today with my doctor. They were doing an ultrasound today, so Brandon took half a day off and came with us. We got there and waited half an hour. Finally the nurse came out and said that they have a new system and she didn't know I was there and they weren't quite ready for me yet. So we waited another 20 minutes and then were taken back. We waited another 20 minutes in the room for the doctor and were finally able to be seen. Both Brandon and I were pretty annoyed. He now sees why they frustrate me so much. He made sure he was still head down and measured me. I didn't gain any weight this time, which doesn't make sense because I am definitely getting bigger. My test results came back good, so my sugars are under control. We did the ultrasound and all his measurements said that he was in the 6 lb. range, which is normal for my gestation. So, he is not going to start me in two weeks. I'm a little disappointed, but I think it will be good to just go on my own when the baby is ready instead of smoking him out. Next week I am going to see the Family Practitioner that my doctor recommended in case he's not there when I go into labor. He will check me next week and I can get to know him. There are no Pediatricians in the area, so he would do that as well. The week after that I will meet with my doctor again and he will check to see if I'm ready to be induced or not.

Xander thought that he needed to pose in this picture with me, and yes it is snowing outside!


We got the crib set up last night and started painting Xander's bed tonight. We just have to finish Xander's bed and then we will be able to put the crib mattress in the crib and we will be all set, except for the absence of a baby.

I have not been sleeping at all lately. As soon as I lie down, he goes crazy and I can't fall asleep. When I finally do fall asleep, I keep waking up to roll over, which is no easy task. My hips are so stiff and sore in the morning that I can barely get out of bed. So, I am pretty miserable to try and live with these days.

It’s week 36 and it seems as though Baby has developed in the merest blink of an eye -- and this week, that’s what he’s doing: blinking! He’s practicing, just as he has been practicing swallowing and breathing.

Your little genius is also well on his way to achieving that telethon-worthy goal of 100 billion neurons as his brain continues its rapid development.

And proving he's more than just all brains, he's quite the looker. He’s finally plump enough to be officially out of raisin stage -- he even has little dimples on his elbows!

35 Weeks

Please take some time to participate in the new poll on the side. We still can't agree on a name and we need your help. I just want to see what everyone thinks, but I won't necessarily follow your opinions. Maybe this will help us to realize that we do have a favorite. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any other suggestions, but be serious.
I've been thinking a lot about what this unborn child of ours will look like. You have your first child and you think that he/she are the most beautiful child ever created (until their hair falls out and they develop big open eczema wounds all over their face). You then get pregnant with your second child and you can't imagine them looking any different than your first. There is just no other option, they will be the clone of your first born child. However much sense this makes to my hormonal brain, I know that it will not be like this. Siblings never look alike when they are babies. Take my family for instance: there are six of us and none of us looked anything alike when we were born. I was the only one out of six who was born with black hair. Brandon's family is the same, they each had their own look as babies. So, it's been hard for me to imagine what baby Frank will look like, and I'm dieing to know! I'm training myself right now not to compare this baby to Xander. He will have his own look and personality and that's just the way it is. The interesting thing is, my sisters and I didn't look alike as babies, but people still get us mixed up as adults.
Baby Frank's movement patterns have changed over the last few days. He used to go crazy whenever I ate, sat, or lied down. But lately he has been kind of lazy. I called the doctor to see what I should do and she told me to count the movements per hour. I did that and called the nurse back and she said that my numbers sounded fine. They might do a stress test at my next appointment to make sure, but I shouldn't worry.
This week I washed all of our baby bedding and it's ready to be put in the crib. The only problem is, our crib hardware is in Shelley, we hope, because we can't find it. So, the crib parts are just sitting in Xander's room ready to be put together. We got Xander some new cute bedding for his twin bed, which unfortunately is in Shelley as well. It's a good thing we had planned on going this Saturday, because we need to pick up quite a few things. I also got the car seat washed and adjusted the straps to fit a newborn. I can't believe that babies are that small when they are born!

The little chickie in your belly is a little more than 5 lbs now, and closer to hatching everyday.

Her lungs are developed (the better to crow with, my dear) but if she is born now, she will need the help of an incubator to keep her little 20" beach-hat sized body going.

Over the next few weeks, your tiny chirper is going to be increasing her baby fat -- because what songbird wants to spend her first few days confined to a cramped incubator? So, settle down in your nest, preen a little and take it easy.

34 Weeks

I'm a little freaked out because Melissa had her baby yesterday. I bet you are wondering why that would freak me out. It's because I am now at the top of my Baby Bump list, yikes! I guess I'm next in line.
I went to my check-up today, and I was surprised that my doctor was actually there! The only thing that happened that kind of annoyed me is when the nurse took me back to the room, she hadn't cleaned it up yet, so I had to wait while she did that. The Easter weekend kind of screwed me over, so I ended up gaining 3 lbs. in 2 weeks. I just need the snow to melt so that I can get outside and be more active. My doctor looked over my glucose test and said that everything was okay. My levels were still borderline, so he drilled into me that I needed to follow my ADA diet religiously. From here on out is when I can't let my sugar get out of control. I guess it's time for Brandon to hide the Easter candy so that I can't indulge. At my next appointment in two weeks he will do an ultrasound to make sure that the baby is not getting too big. If he is getting too big then he will induce me at 38 weeks. The reason for this is it reduces the risk of having problems getting the baby out with no complications and makes it less likely that I will need a C-Section. He is head down, so that's a big relief. I asked him about what he would recommend about where to deliver. He said that he would rather that I deliver in Afton, especially if I'm going to be induced. He said that they have a brand new awesome OR if I need a C-Section and he lives at the hospital from Wednesday morning until Thursday night, so he would for sure be there if I was induced. I still don't know what to do!
Brandon has now decided that he better think about getting the crib set up. We didn't want to buy a new mattress for the crib, so we are moving Xander from the toddler bed to a lower bunk bed. We got some bunk beds from our old neighbors, they just need to be sanded and either painted or refinished. I'm excited to get some new bedding for him. I think I found one that I'm going to get, and it matches the quilt that my mom is making for baby Frank.
I've had to quit wearing my wedding ring, but I can still wear my bands. It's not that big of a deal because I only wear my ring when I go somewhere, but when I'm out and about my hands have started swell. My feet have started to swell as well and my shoes feel tight. I guess I'll just have to spend some more time on the couch with my feet elevated, darn it!
I've really been into this show lately. It's called "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant". I don't understand the women in this show at all. I can understand how you cannot know for a few months, but to go full term and have no idea that there is life growing inside of you is crazy. I really don't understand the women in this series who have had previous babies, or the ones who didn't know that they were pregnant with twins. These women have a serious case of denial which I think is brought on by not wanting to quit drinking or smoking, not wanting to pay for prenatal care, and expecting to get free stuff for their stupidity.

Pregnancy, labor and delivery are a maternal marathon, to say the least. But don’t think you’re the only one doing the work. This week the tiny athlete inside you is gearing up for “go” and settling into position for labor.

His little organs are fully developed, but he hasn’t reached Carl Lewis condition -- his lungs aren’t ready for the real world yet. He’ll have to cool his heels in the starting blocks for a little longer, which is a good thing if the nursery still isn’t ready!

33 Weeks

There's not much to talk about this week, except that I am still pregnant. I think that the reason this pregnancy has seemed so long is because I'm cooped up here is Wyoming with nothing to take my mind off of being uncomfortable. My diet is going pretty good. I have my moments of weakness, especially when there are Muddy Buddies in the house. I know if I have overdone it because I usually feel like crap afterward. I still have no energy and I have to take lots of breaks and rests during the day. I hung Xander's shirts in his closet and rearranged the rest of his clothes in the dresser to make room for baby Frank's stuff. I got all of his newborn and 0-3 month size clothes put in the dresser and I love to go in and just look at them, especially the new stuff. We are going to Logan this weekend and we have to pick up a lot of stuff. So, I'm making my list, one of my favorite things to do. I haven't decided if I'm going to buy baby lotion or Eucerine. Xander's skin started to get bad when he was about 3 months old, and every time I'd put baby lotion on him he would scream, but he smelled good.

Over the next few weeks, your little one seems more like a mini sumo-in-training, as he’s going to gain more than half of his total birth weight in that short time. Even though the level of your amniotic fluid is at its maximum, at 18" long, your little guy is seriously running out of room -- especially considering that when he's in the fetal position, he's roughly the size of a soccer ball!.

Due to the cramped space, he’s still in that familiar fetal position, and you are definitely going to feel it every time he decides to stretch those long limbs! His bones are steadily hardening -- except for the skull, which has to remain soft for the journey down the birth canal.

Daily fetal kick counts are still important, and you should be experiencing the same amount of movement, so be sure to track the action and call your doctor if there are any significant changes.

32 Weeks

I had a doctor's appointment today. I had to go get some blood work done before my appointment so that they could check my glucose levels again. My appointment was at 9:00 in the morning, so I had to go to the lab pretty early so that they could have my results at my appointment. We only have one running vehicle, so I had to drop Brandon off at work at 7:00. I got up at 5:20 because my phone kept beeping. We got ready and armed with plenty of snacks, and headed to Afton. I got to the lab at about 7:40 and they didn't take me back until 8:10. I then had to eat breakfast and then wait an hour and get my blood drawn again. While I was waiting, I walked over the doctor's office to tell them I would be late for my appointment. The nurse that scheduled my appointment came out and told me that my doctor was on vacation for Spring Break. Are you freakin' kidding me? What is wrong with these people? I was pretty upset, but what could I do? She said that she would see if one of the family doctors could see me real quick, which meant that I wouldn't be able to hear my test results. The doctor couldn't see me, so I saw an intern that was doing her rounds. She was really nice, but I had a lot of questions that only my doctor could have answered. The only good thing about my appointment was that I only gained 1 lb. again, go me! She kind of felt around my belly to see what position he was in. Her best guess was that he is head down with his butt in my ribs and his back on my right side. I figured this was where he was because I am so lopsided. I didn't have much time at my "appointment" because I had to be back to the lab. I ended up waiting about 20 minutes past the time I was supposed to be seen for them to draw my blood. If we are still living here when we have another baby, I am not going anywhere near SVMC!!

I thought that I was off the hook with melasma, but then I noticed this lovely brown patch below my eye. It's kind of hard to see, but trust me, it's there and noticeable to me. While we were in Arizona my feet actually started to swell. It must have been due to the heat, being on my feet a lot, and the change in elevation. It's gone now and hopefully won't return.

This diet is kicking my butt! I've never been a huge meat eater and I rarely eat eggs, so I feel like I don't have very many choices. I never have any energy and I am very short tempered. I'm trying really hard to be a good mom for Xander, especially because we still can't go outside because of the huge amounts of snow. I have to have rests after everything I do and I can't function without a nap every day. I enjoy being pregnant because I realize what a great blessing it is, but I'm about ready to be done being pregnant.
My heartburn has changed and now it is more like acid reflux. I finally got some liquid medicine and it helps quite a bit. I just half to remember to take it every night or I'm miserable. Xander loves giving baby Frank hugs and kisses. He tries to feel him kick, but he can't hold still long enough to actually feel anything.

At this point, your little spud is about 18.5” and still growing. But there’s no couch potato here! Your basketball-sized baby is extremely active and all five senses are fully developed -- she is keeping very busy.

Her toenails and fingernails are fully formed, as are her eyelashes and the hair on her head, which can range from Sinead O'Connor peach fuzz to a full-on Diana Ross 'do. If you deliver now, your sweet potato faces excellent odds of survival, but the longer she bakes the sweeter she gets!

31 Weeks

I met with the dietitian last week before we left for Arizona. My life for the next nine weeks is pretty much going to be miserable. I can eat anything I want, but only about two bites of it. I am carb counting and it is miserable. Here is the amount of carbs that I can eat in a day:

Breakfast: 30 g
Snack: 15 g
Lunch: 30-60 g
Snack: 15 g
Dinner: 30-60 g
Snack: 15 g

Proteins don't count, so I can eat as much raw vegetables, eggs, meat, nuts, and cheese as I want, yumm-o. Just to give you an idea of what that means, here are some possibilities of acceptable food:

Breakfast: 1 piece of toast, 1 cup milk, endless bacon and eggs
Snack: 1 small apple, peanut butter
Lunch: 1 meat sandwich, 1 cup milk, carrot sticks,
Snack: 6 crackers, cheese
Dinner: 1 small baked potatoes, grilled chicken, small salad, 1 cup milk
Snack: 1/2 banana

Everything must be eaten in small quantities and I'm always hungry. I can technically eat sugar free products like pudding and diet pop, but they have chemicals in them that they don't want you to have when you're pregnant. I get my glucose tested every few weeks and if it is too high, then I will have to test my blood sugar daily and go on medication. Brandon is being very supportive of this new diet and he is trying to eat the same things as me. The dietitian told me that if I ever think of cheating to remember that I will have to have a C-Section because the baby will be too big. That's motivation enough for me! This diet was really hard for me keep up on while we were in Arizona, but I did my best.
I wanted to get a good tan while we were in Arizona, but I was too scared of flaring up with melasma to let that happen. Melasma is a darkening of the skin, especially when you're pregnant. I got a little bit below my eyes when I was pregnant with Xander. Both of my sisters get it pretty bad when they are pregnant, so I didn't want to risk it. It's also called pregnancy mask and it looks like a splotchy brown patch of skin. Click here to see pictures and learn more about melasma:
http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_melasma.html

I took this picture in the reflection of the truck at the lake in Arizona. I love how I look like a mutant! I will try and get a more realistic picture up for the next post.

Quarterbacks are fired for it. Pentagon officials have to offer public apologies. Your sister did it on your Mom’s birthday. Dropping the ball is rarely a good thing, unless you are little boy, in your 31st week in utero. This week, your peewee Peyton’s testes are making their grand entrance onto the field. He’s also practicing finding the wide receiver as he is finally able to track objects with his eyes. When he's all scrunched up, he's about the size of a volleyball. Even with his head-to-toe measurement of 17", he has a way to go before he can scope out the blitz!

30 Weeks

I think I am in trouble with this baby. He is so active! He is almost constantly doing flips, somersaults, and cartwheels in my belly. His favorite place to roll over is my bladder and his favorite time to practice his gymnastics is when I'm almost asleep. I am so sick of going to the bathroom and watching late night TV that I could scream. I will miss these crazy stunts after he is born though. I just know he is going to be my wild child, so pray for me!

When I was pregnant with Xander, this was about the time that I started to swell. Thankfully that hasn't happened yet. I'm sure it's only because it's still so cold and going to Arizona just might give my body the excuse that it needs to balloon up. For now I'm just happy that I can still wear all of my shoes and my wedding ring.

I go to meet with the dietitian today to go over my new diet. I'm petty nervous that I won't be able to handle it. This week without sugar has been pretty bad. I'm so used to eating sugar that my body is way out of whack. I get hungry every hour and really weak and nauseous if I don't eat regularly. Just 10 more weeks until I can have ice cream again! Brandon better be prepared to run out and grab me some right after I give birth, because I'm going to need it!

I've been talking to some people in the ward about my impending delivery and the options that I have about where to deliver. So far, everyone has highly recommended that I go to Jackson to have this baby. They all say that they would never give birth here. I'm going to talk to my doctor, but that is probably where we will end up. I just hope I don't have a really short labor and end up giving birth on the way there!

Brynne had her baby girl on Monday, so she has been moved to the flat belly section. My baby bump list is growing shorter and shorter, and my name keeps moving up the list. It's kind of scary that I only have 10 weeks left!

Like Hansel in the gingerbread house, your little one is continuing to accumulate body fat this week, and he’s finally beginning to control his own body temperature. The added fat brings him to about 3 lbs. -- the size of a small pumpkin. The lanugo he developed weeks ago is starting to drop off; at the same time, his eyebrows and lashes are developed and the hair on his head is thickening. His head and body are now proportionate and he is busy growing in those teensy toenails.

I've Still Got It!!

I just wanted to add this thought because Aubrey and I were talking about it the other day. I quit wearing my regular pants at about 14 weeks because they were so uncomfortable. I have an issue with wearing tight jeans, they make me itch. Well, my maternity pants were all dirty the other day, for some reason I decided to give my old regulars a chance. Not only could I put them on all the way, but I could actually do up the button and the zipper! I still stuck a rubber band on the button, just so I could sit down, but the point is that I have so many more options now! Of course, when I got home I immediately put on some lounge wear, because who sits around their house in tight jeans if they don't have to?
Because we are going to Arizona next week and I will be wearing sandals, I decided that I must give in and paint my toenails. I asked Brandon to do it for me and he said no way and that I should have Xander do it. He would have totally done it if we were dating, but he no longer feels the need to do things for me that he doesn't want to do. So, this morning I got everything all set up and went to work on my sausage toes. I almost passed out several times due to lack of oxygen. Lets just say that they really looks like crap and I will be scheduling a pedicure before the baby comes!

29 Weeks

I went to the doctor last week to talk about my new diet and other things. I was supposed to meet with a dietitian, but they were both out of town. I think that that is something they should have checked before they scheduled me. The doctor said that my levels were borderline, but he still wants me on the diet just in case. I don't have to check my blood sugar at home or anything like that, but I have to get it checked at the office every couple of weeks. I go in next week to meet with the dietitian and find our what I need to do to make sure that baby Frank and I stay healthy for a few more months. My doctor then did a routine appointment. He measured my stomach and said that I was measuring perfectly normal. I wasn't expecting that because with Xander, I always measured big and my doctor never failed to mention that. I'm kind of nervous that I will have a small baby, which I don't want. Anything over 8 lbs. is perfect for me. I also only gained one pound this time, so that's pretty good.
I have a negative blood type, so I have to get the RH negative shot, I forget what it's really called. I have to get this done at around 28 weeks and then again after delivery. It ensures that the antibodies in my blood don't attack the baby's blood, which is not good. You have to get it in the hip, so the nurse had me get ready while she got the injection ready. She couldn't get it open and had to run to the lab to grab another one. Meanwhile, I'm just hanging out in the room with half my butt exposed and Xander asking me every ten seconds what I'm doing and if it will hurt, while she attempts to do her job correctly. The injection site hurt for like three days after and I still have a bruise.
After I get back from Arizona I am going in to have my blood sugar tested. They gave me a lab request form to give to the lab, but then they had me schedule an appointment with the doctor, so I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I'm about ready to call it quits and go and have my baby in IF, even if I do have to pay out of network fees.

I have to be really careful every morning when I wake up. I have to remind myself not to point my toes while I'm stretching. Even if I do it for only a second, I get horrible charlie horses in my feet and legs. Xander gave me his illness, so now I'm eve grumpier and more tired than before.

At 16½ inches from head to toe (the size of a large pineapple), your baby is starting to get a bit cramped.

He may be moving around less due to the diminished space -- a good average would be about 10 times per hour. If you feel a noticeable decrease in movement, do the fetal kick count we talked about in Week 28; if he’s moving less than 10 times per hour, give your doctor a call.

While his home still allows room to move, baby is going to more than triple in weight before he’s born -- so you can expect his home to grow ever more cozy in the coming weeks.

28 Weeks

Don't waddle! Don't waddle! That's what I have to tell myself every time I'm walking. It's hard not to give in to the natural reflex, but I don't want to look ridiculous. Besides, it's way too early to be big enough for this obvious display of full term pregnancy.
My heartburn has completely gone! No, I didn't find some miracle cure, I was just forced to stop eating sugar. As it turns out, sugar gives me heartburn. I haven't felt the burning or the bile rising in my throat for a week now. If I hadn't developed a sudden case of insomnia, I know I would be sleeping like a baby. I have discovered the joy of sugar free pudding and jello, almost as good as the real stuff.
I think that this was a bad time for us to get TV. All I watch are shows about giving birth, miracle babies, and high-risk pregnancy. It's starting freak me out. Xander loves to watch "A Baby Story" with me, especially if it's a C-Section. He loves it when they "cut the baby out and wash off the bwood". I think I might be scarring him for life, but he seems okay with it for now.

We are going to Arizona in a few weeks and I've been saving money to buy some new clothes for Frank. No, we have not decided on a name, but we have decided on a middle name, Frank, after my dad. So, it you feel the need to refer to our unborn child as a name, Frank or Frankie will do for now.

Your little pea has been concentrating on bulking up this week -- he’s steadily adding body fat and filling out that loose skin. His muscle tone is improving, too, so no need to worry about him emerging with spaghetti arms! His adrenal glands are functional and starting to produce the all-important androgens and estrogens. Although he's about the size of a sunflower bloom, he’s not yet terribly cramped by the size of your uterus, so he is still very active.


baby insight 28 Due Dialect: Androgens and Estrogens
Androgens are the hormones that stimulate and regulate the development of masculine characteristics. The androgen you hear about most often is testosterone, but there are many others that our bodies also produce. Androgen production is what causes the typically male characteristics we recognize: larger muscles, bigger skeletal frames, aggression and so on.

Estrogens, on the other hand, are the primary female sex hormones. Estrogens are present in both men and women, but are present in significantly higher levels in women of reproductive age. They promote typically female characteristics: breasts, menstruation and so on.

Doctor, Doctor Give me the News!!

I called and talked to the nurse today and told her that the Dr. never called me back yesterday. She said he was making rounds in the hospital today, but she would call his cell and get back to me. She just called and said that she got a hold of him and he wants to see me to go over my results next week. She said that I don't have to redo the test and he just wants to discuss some stuff with me. I asked if that meant that I had Gestational Diabetes and she said no. So, as far as I know, I'm in the clear!

Later this afternoon:
I just got a message from my doctor. Turns out that the nurse didn't know what she was talking about. My glucose levels were borderline, so I do have GD. I now have to stay away from all refined sugars. Next week he will go over stuff with me and put me on a new diet. I will have to check my blood sugar regularly to make sure it's not too high. This is really going to suck because what am I supposed to eat? Everything has sugar in it! I guess I don't have to worry about having a tiny baby, since GD babies are normally above average in size.

27 Weeks

Well, I am officially in the third trimester, bittersweet. I think that this baby is going to be out of control, the exact opposite of Xander. He doesn't move all day long, but when he does it's like a one man party going on in there. I love it! We still can't agree on any names. I'm debating on putting a poll on the blog about it, but I don't want anyone stealing our names. We still have 13 weeks, give or take, to decide.

I called the doctor this morning to get the results from my glucose test. I talked to the nurse and she was surprised that he never called me back last week. She said that he was down in L&D instead of the office and that she would leave him a note to call me first thing. She did say that I would probably have to redo my 3 hour test because my levels were weird, whatever that means. Of course, he never called me back. I remembered to call again at 5:00 and that's when they close. So, I will be calling first thing in the morning and I will probably not be very nice about it either. In the meantime I'm ignorantly enjoying my mint Oreos and pretending like everything is okay, because no one has told me any differently.
I had to remove Ashley and Brad from my "Baby Bump" list because they had their adorable little boy on Monday. So, there is an open slot available! I know there is someone out there that would love to come forward and claim it, you know who you are!

Your wee bantling suddenly isn’t quite so wee anymore! Even though he appears smaller when curled up in a ball in utero, he’s a regular Yao Ming at 14 ½" from head to toe.

Even though he's the size of a player's shoe, he’s not exactly NBA-bound. He’s not yet prepared to race up and down a basketball court, but his lungs are starting to function as they will post-birth. They are capable of breathing air, although the placenta is still supplying his oxygen for now.

His pulmonary vascular system is ready to handle the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide), and his central nervous system is developed enough to control rhythmic breathing. His immune system is also developing, thanks to the white blood cells being churned out by his marrow.

26 Weeks

I was waiting to hear back on my test results before posting for this week, but still no word. I called and talked to the nurse yesterday and she said that there were some irregularities or something with my levels and something didn't seem right, so they sent the blood work to another lab to be analyzed. She said that she couldn't get a hold of that lab for the results and she would call me back when she found out. I still haven't heard back. Now I have to wait until next Wednesday when my doctor is down here again before I can find out if I'm poisoning myself and my baby with inappropriate amounts of sugar. I'm a little frustrated to say the least. However, my bruise is healing nicley. It is now a beautiful shade of spring green with a sprinkling of buttercup yellow around the edges, just beautiful!
I kind of had a bit of a scare this morning. I was laying in bed trying to drag myself to life when I realized I hadn't felt the baby kick all morning. This is pretty unusual for my unborn fetus because he is usually going crazy in the morning. I get in the shower, eat breakfast, and pick up the house a little. All the while, worse case scenarios are going through my head, especially because I helped Brandon stack some wood last night, and before you know it, I'm in tears. I call Brandon to let him know what is going on and then I call my doctor. While I'm on hold my little guy decided to come to life. It was such a huge relief to feel those jabs and kicks! I know I overreacted a little, but we tried so long to get this baby that I just couldn't stand the thought of anything going wrong and me not trying to do something about it. Just for the record I didn't overdo it by stacking the wood. I didn't over-exert myself in any way. Brandon and Alisha made sure that I only lifted the small ones.
On a lighter note, I'm expecting the first set of many stretchmarks any day now. My skin is getting pretty tight and my belly button is stretched wide open. I kind of wish that I had the type of belly button that poked out during pregnancy. That way I wouldn't have a large dent in the middle of the stomach that shows in anything I wear. I know that outies show too, but at least I could put a bandaid on it or something and have a nice spherical shape. I don't really mind stretch marks that much. I already have tons from my last pregnancy, so what's a few more? Besides, no one ever sees them. The only gripe I have is when they start to itch, I hate being itchy!
The website that I get my development info from is down, so I'll post it when it is up and running again.

Your two-pound dreamer’s eyelashes are growing in this week and her eyelids are no longer fused shut, which means she’ll be batting those lashes at Daddy in no time at all. She’s also in heavy training for her season-ending dance with Johnny Castle as she moves in rhythm to the music with which you’ve been tickling her ears.

Most people think the utuerus is a quiet place, well insulated from noise. The truth is, your sweet babe has been surrounded by sound since the moment she was conceived: blood whooshing by, your thudding heartbeat and a cacophony of other body functions.

Even though her skin is losing its transparency, those tiny veins are still visible. Her brain continues to develop tissue and neurons at a record pace, which will continue until she's almost 8 years old! Her oil and sweat glands are fully functional (although, we all know she doesn't sweat, she glistens).

With your baby so active, you are probably feeling those kicks on a regular basis. If you are curious to know if your baby is moving as much as she should be, do a fetal kick count every day. Your doctor will tell you when you should begin tracking those tiny kicks and jabs (usually in your 28th week). Here's how to do a fetal kick count:

1. Pick a time of day when your little imp is usually active.

2. Gather a watch, pen and piece of paper.

3. Over a 30-minute period, make a note each time your baby moves.

4. If the little one moves 10 or more times before the time limit, you are done for the day!

5. If you have fewer than 10 movements in the initial 30 minutes, continue for another 30 minutes, but lay down on your left side. Eat a little something as well.

6. If you still don't feel 10 or more movements within two hours, call your doctor. There may be nothing wrong at all -- perhaps just a sleepy baby -- but that reassurance is worth the call!

Glucose Tolerance Test Round 2

I had my second test done today so that Brandon could stay home with Xander. I had to fast again and I got there at about 9:00 and I was starving! He took my blood and then I had to drink another drink. This time it was super suped up! Just thinking about the sugary stuff makes me cringe. I managed to get it down okay, but about 5 minutes later I was feeling pretty crappy. I took a book to read, but I was too nauseated to read it. I spent most of the next hour trying not to barf and walking back and forth from the bathroom to the waiting room. I had to have my blood drawn three more times after that on the hour, which makes for a very long morning. I was proud that I didn't puke, because then I would have had to start all over again.
Because it was Saturday, there wasn't anyone else getting lab work done. Plenty of people walked by several times and they all made comments like, "You're still here!", "Have you been helped yet?", "You've been here all morning". They probably thought I was a crazy person or something, especially when I tried to alleviate my sickness by trying to lay down on the miniature bench they had. I'm really glad that it's over! I do have to wait until Wednesday to get my results, so wish me luck.

After getting three needles in my left arm it was pretty sore and starting to bruise. He moved over to the right one and did the last two there without any problems. This is the bruise on my left arm, it looks worse in person, and I'm pretty lucky because I know people with much worse injuries after getting blood drawn.

The moral of this story is:
If you are pregnant, lay off the sweets!

I would like you all to meet our baby boy, supposedly!

25 Weeks

I went to the doctor's today to have my Glucose Tolerance test done. I was so hungry by the time I went in that I thought I was going to pass out. That orange drink never tasted better! Xander was very upset that he didn't get to have some of my "super duper pop". The bad news is that I failed, just like last time. I'm going in on Saturday to do the three hour test. It's a good thing we stopped at the library on the way home so that I will have something to do. I'm really glad that I've never had any problems getting my blood taken. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the Phlebotomists at this hospital are fantastic, I have good veins, and I really enjoy blood and gore; the human body is amazing! Lets hope that I don't have to deal with Gestational Diabetes, that would really suck!

I really love my doctor, but his staff sucks. I think it is mostly a communication problem. They never gave me any lab requests or instructions for my glucose screening, so I had to call and ask what the heck I was supposed to do. They told me that I needed to take the drink and then be at the lab an hour later to have my blood drawn. They said it takes several hours to get the results from the lab, so I needed to get it done hours before my appointment. So, I went to the lab last night to pick up my drink for today. I asked the lab tech how long I should give myself for the results to come back. She said 30 minutes, tops. So, I drove an hour to pick up my drink that I could have just taken before my appointment. Then when I get there today to have my blood drawn, the receptionist asks for my lab request. Of course I didn't have one, so everyone was a confused about what to do with me. So, I get done at my doctor's office in the afternoon and head over to the lab with my lab request, I made sure I got one this time. I ask the receptionist for my drink because I'm coming in on Saturday to take my test. The lab tech brings it out and then asks if I know what to do this time. I said no, they didn't tell me anything. She looks at me in disbelief and then explains that I don't need the drink ahead of time because they take my blood before I drink it and then two times after. So, I look stupid once again. I know some of this is probably my fault and the rest probably doesn't even make any sense, but come on throw a confused pregnant lady a bone, or at least an instruction or two!
During my appointment my doctor asked when my last pap was done. I told him June 2007. He asks me if I'm sure and then checks my records, which were finally faxed over, to make sure I'm correct. He then gets kind of mad that my previous doctor didn't do one at any of my appointments because you are supposed to have one done at that time. So, I had to have a pap done, which I was not expecting. I moved Xander's chair out of the line of sight because I didn't want him bringing that up to the fabric lady or in church.
One more complaint. After my appointment I met with the billing lady about insurance and payments. She explained to me that I have a really high deductible and I need to make payments every time I come in so that my end bill is not so high. So, I made a payment today and then I told Brandon about it. He got mad because that's not how our insurance works and I should not be making payments at all. I know I should know how our insurance works so that stuff like this doesn't happen, but I'm so dumb at insurance. Plus, it's this lady's job to have the right information for me. I might consider doing a home birth after today!

I've had a few requests for a new belly shot, so I hope this feeds everyone's sick imaginations. I really wish that I was one of those women that looks like I have a basketball under my shirt, but alas, I was destined to look like I have an air mattress under there instead. I tried my darnedest to suck it in again, but it didn't make much of a difference and I almost threw up, sorry TMI.


Your sweet dulcinea attains a momentous milestone this week: if she were born at this point in your pregnancy, she would probably survive, but would require lots of assistance from doctors. Her organ systems are formed well enough that she would be all right, albeit tiny. As if that weren’t enough, other big changes are happening: her skin turns opaque and the pigments start depositing, hair color starts developing and her spinal structure is forming. She may even begin to rotate out of the breech position in preparation for her upcoming gondolier-ship, where she’ll make the journey down the birth canal.

Due Dialect: Breech Position
Shortly before birth, most babies rotate into delivery position, which means their heads are pointed down towards the birth canal. Some babies refuse to budge, however, and remain upright, with their feet oriented downwards. This is referred to as the "breech" position. There are three primary types of breech positions:

* Frank Breech -- the baby's bum is set to come out first, with the rest of the body folded nearly in half, with his feet up by his head.
* Complete Breech -- the baby is in a sort of kneeling position, preparing to exit knees first. His legs are bent at the knees and feet are near the bum.
* Footling Breech -- the baby has one or both feet pointing down and in position to be delivered first.

If your baby has not moved out of breech position by week 35, your doctor may attempt to move him so that you can give birth vaginally. Another common option is to give birth via cesarean section -- your doctor will inform you of all your choices and advise you accordingly. Either way, the breech position rarely poses any threat at all to a baby, and most breech babies are completely healthy when born.

24 Weeks

Wearing Gs has never bothered me, until pregnancy. Some of my tops are starting to come untucked in the front during the day and it drives me nuts. My bottoms are getting pretty tight as well. When I was pregnant with Xander I never wore maternity ones, but I'm considering it this time. What is all of your experiences with this subject?
I think I figured out why I can feel and see this baby move a lot more than last time. Last time my placenta was in front of the baby so there was a lot of extra cushioning there, this time it's not. I can already see little body parts poking out in my belly. I don't know what they are, but it's kind of fun to see and feel them.
Xander and I went through our smallest baby clothes tote this morning. I definitely don't feel like I have everything I'm going to need, and a lot of the stuff is out of style. I am so sick of baby blue already because that's what everything is! I'm excited to buy a few new things for the summer, but not excited to spend money on them. So, if anyone finds any screaming deals, please let me know.

REM is not just an alt-rock band from Athens, Ga., it’s also something your little rocker is doing this week. Because his sleep cycles are set, he’s finally experiencing rapid eye movement. He is about the size of a cantaloupe this week, and just as sweet.

He’s also hard at work filling out that skin of his, and is looking less like Iggy Pop every day. His inner ear is fairly well developed, so even though he might not know what it means, he’ll be able to sense when he’s upside down or on his side.

Not to be left out of the loop, his marrow is busy producing white blood cells which will enable him to combat infections and disease later on. And, over the next weeks, he’ll be adding blood vessels to his lungs in preparation for oxygenating his blood supply and not, as you may come to believe, to increase the decibel level of his crying.

23 Weeks

I've now felt the baby kick from the outside. He usually does it in the morning while I'm laying in bed not wanting to get up and go to the bathroom. Brandon hasn't felt him yet because he is always at work at this time. I love feeling him move, it makes it so much more real. I must admit that I haven't been as excited as I think I should be with this pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, I am happy that we are adding to our family and I can't wait to meet our little guy, but these euphoric feelings usually take a back seat to feelings of fear and stress. I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed at the thought of raising two children, at the same time! Whoever thought of such a thing? I know, I know, people do it every day. They even have more than two small children to be responsible for feeding, clothing, loving, changing, cuddling, hugging, supervising, disciplining, and the list goes on and on. This just doesn't seem like something that will come easy for me, I'm a bit high strung in case hadn't noticed. So, if anyone holds the secret to balancing more than one child at a time, please fill me in, I'll pay anything.
I finally took matters into my own hands and got the report from my ultrasound. He said that everything looks great and I'm right on schedule. This kind of makes me laugh because nobody knows when babies are going to be born, unless you're having a C-Section or being induced. It seems to me that due dates are just there to drive parents crazy!
Yesterday Xander and I went to the fabric store to buy some stuff for a baby present. The lady helping us was talking to Xander and this is how it went down:

Lady: Do you have any babies at your house?

X: No

Lady: Are you going to have a baby at your house?
X: No
Me: What is this? (pointing to my belly)
X: That's my baby.
Lady: Is it a girl baby or a boy baby?
X: A boy. And these are girls (pointing to my boobs).
Me: That's enough, we don't talk about that.
X: But, they're boobies!
Lady: That's right, and they're pretty important for the baby.

We’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the raisin family: your baby. He’s a whopping 13" long (about the size of a large papaya), and weighs naught but a pound -- far less than the last Harry Potter tome. That means he has a lot of extra skin hanging around: He can’t help but resemble a raisin right now. While you won’t catch him jamming with the other Raisins anytime soon, he is definitely listening -- there is evidence that his heart actually slows at the sound of his mother’s voice, which means that you are already having a calming influence when you talk to him.

At each of your doctor’s appointments you should be handing over a sample of your urine. The lab will test your sample for the presence of sugar and protein as a way to monitor your risk of preeclampsia, which is characterized by high blood pressure and large amounts of protein in your urine. Preeclampsia can result in a decrease in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your baby. Thankfully, the screening done by your doctor can identify any problems early enough to prevent damage to your baby.

22 Weeks

The final vote shows that 13 thought it was a boy and 8 thought it was a girl. Most of you are correct because we are having another boy!
I went to the doctor on Wednesday and the Ultrasound Tech on Thursday. I'm always amazed that they can tell what everything is and if it looks normal or not. I need to call the doctor on Monday after he looks at the ultrasound report and make sure everything looks good and that we are on schedule. I like my new doctor, but I could do without most of his staff. They all seemed a little incompetent! It was the same way with my doctor in IF. They were supposed to fax my records over before Wednesday, and they didn't. So, the doctor had no medical records of the first half of my pregnancy, so annoying! He asked me lots of questions and checked things out. His conclusion: I am "disgustingly healthy" and the baby seems like a champ as well.

Sleeping with his hands on his face.

Put up your dukes!

Face, torso, and arms.

His huge foot.

Face, torso, and arms.

This is the week your little scarecrow gets his wish granted -- his brain is in rapid-growth mode, ensuring he’ll achieve far more in life than the position of Chief Avian Averter.
He’s a lanky 11" this week, from the top of his head to the bottom of his perfectly formed feet. Don't forget though -- he's all scrunched up int here, making him appear to be just the length of a cucumber. He’s still very thin; much of his work over the rest of your pregnancy will be to bulk up. His reproductive system is intact. His still-colorless eyes are also completely developed and in an ultra-cute move, he’s starting to suck his thumb! If you have a stethoscope at home, you’ll be able to hear his heartbeat. This is a great way to get siblings invoved in your pregnancy, and to make the presence of a new baby a little more tangible to them.

21 Weeks

The only thing I have to talk about this week is heartburn. It has now hit me full force! This is no regular heartburn, which I have suffered from as long as I can remember, thanks Dad! I get a searing pain from my stomach to the top of my head. I can't lay down after eating because then it all come up. It doesn't matter what or when I eat, it all causes some serious pain!

This is the week we start measuring your little one from head to toe instead of head to rump. At 12" long this week, your little sprout more closely resembles the Jolly Green Giant -- comparatively speaking, of course. You won't catch him stretched out though -- he's still in a little ball about the size of a coconut.

It’s a big week in his world: his bone marrow starts contributing to cell production, taking some of the load off of his liver and spleen. His permanent tooth buds have developed, so start the Tooth Fairy fund! Perhaps most exciting is that he now has noticeable sleep and wake cycles that are very similar to what he’ll experience as a newborn -- he's sleeping up to 12 hours a day, though not consecutively.

Your little guy has fully functional taste buds right now, so as he continues to swallow amniotic fluid, he may actually begin to taste what Mom has been eating. This is because the fluid changes based on what has been consumed -- so those garlic mashed potatoes will produce a more garlicky amniotic fluid and eating pineapple might make your fluid a touch sweeter than normal. Researchers have even reported that some children seem predisposed to enjoy certain foods if they were exposed to them in utero. That's all the more reason to make sure you are eating plenty of the good stuff: green veggies, fruits and whole grains.

20 Weeks

I'm halfway done! It's kind of exciting, but sad at the same time. As much as I complain, I love being pregnant. And even though I'm a total wimp, I am really looking forward to giving birth again. This is cheesy, but I thought that giving birth was very spiritual.

I could definitely do without the crazy dreams. They are so intense and real that I wake up with my heart racing and I have to lie there and calm myself down, not fun. Hopefully I'll be able to find out what I'm having next week, but it's not for sure because I have no idea where we will be living.

Me at 20 weeks:

Me at 20 weeks, not sucking in:

These fetus pictures are starting to look very similar. I think I will start posting them monthly instead of weekly, if anyone even reads this blog or cares.

Brace yourself -- your little Don King is busily growing a head of hair this week! In no time at all, you'll be investing in AquaNet to keep those curls coiffed. He’s also twisting, kicking and punching increasingly often -- though at only 6" head to rump and 9 oz. in weight, you won’t be feeling the full weight of those fearsome fists for a little while yet. In fact, he's closer to a peony blossom than a boxer right now!
All this training will come in handy for the APGAR test he'll receive just minutes after he's born, at which time his weight will be more than eight times what it is now! His body is catching up to his oversized head, making everything appear more proportionate. That big brain is still hard at work though: because the nerves that connect his muscles to his brain are now fully operational, his brain consciously directs all his movements. He's still listening to the sounds your body makes, as well as the sound of your voice. Speak to him in soothing tones and play him music -- you'll get his synapses firing and when he's finally in your arms, the sound of your voice will already be recognizable to him.

18 and 19 Weeks

I've been kind of busy latley, so the last two weeks on the blog have been neglected. The baby is really moving now. I feel real kicks and roll overs several times a day, and I love it! It's very reassuring to feel your baby wiggle and jiggle inside of you. I feel like I'm already waddling and it's a little difficult to get up if I've been on the floor. I bought some maternity pants and they are wonderful! They didn't have very cute and comfortable ones when I was pregnant with Xander. Whoever invented low-rider maternity pants should be severely punished. Those things are so uncomfortable and they always fall down.
I've been trying really hard to go with the flow with this move and all. I know that I don't want to get shingles again, ouch!! Brandon has had to do a lot of the work, and all of the heavy lifting. He's been really great about it though.
I finally found some stuff to help with my constant skin pealing. I found a whole box of baby lotion stuff in Xander's room the other day. There was a tiny bottle of lotion that is mostly baby oil. It helps so much and my whole body is no longer cracking and burning.
I'm not sure when I'll be able to find out what we're having. Normally it would be next week, but because of the move, I have no idea when my next appointment will be.

We’ve stayed away from food references the past two weeks, but here it is: your bantam edition is the size of a large avocado this week. (Disclaimer: If you are suddenly craving guacamole, we hereby absolve ourselves of any responsibility.) The retinas on his eyes have formed, which means that if you were to shine a bright light at him, he would move to shield his eyes.

And, starting now, he’s probably having his first experience with hiccups. He may get them 2-3 times a day, and it will be a strange sensation -- like a spasming in your belly -- but you can rest easy knowing he isn’t in any discomfort. If you are having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are in place right now, and if a boy, his prostate has formed. Myelin is starting to form around the nerves, like a sort of insulation, and will continue to do so until about 2 years of age. Your baby has become quite the talent in these past few weeks: he's now yawning, swallowing, kicking and making faces on a regular basis.

Your baby is about 6" long from the crown of her head to the bottom of her rump-- about the size of a large baked potato. If you were to measure head to toe, she'd actually be about 10"! She's busily practicing sucking and swallowing, as she drinks in tiny sips of amniotic fluid. Her hair is just starting to sprout, and she currently has a record-setting 6 million eggs in her ovaries! By the time she's born, that number will have dwindled to a mere 2 million. Her oil glands are busy producing the waxy substance, vernix caseosa, that will coat her all the way up until birth.