37 Weeks

We're full term!  Last Wednesday the doctor said I was 2 cm dilated and 60-70% effaced, which is exactly what I was with Jackson at my 36 week appointment.  He was born when I was 37 weeks and 6 days pregnant.  I also learned that I'm Strep B positive again and unfortunately allergic to penicillin, so I'll need antibiotics at least 8 hours before delivery.  This resulted in an induction with Jackson because I was 5 cm dilated and fully effaced during an office visit and had never felt a contraction, so my doctor was afraid labor would go too quickly for me to receive the necessary antibiotics.  We're guessing the same thing will happen this go round.

I think my belly has grown exponentially in the last few days, and I'm going through another ravenous phase.  As a result of my birthday and a friend's birthday, I've probably eaten at least half a cookie cake in the last 5 days. So delicious.

I've also begun to experience the discomfort of late pregnancy.  I can't get comfortable a lot of the time. The heartburn is worse and affecting me more throughout the day. My feet hurt after walking about half a mile on Tuesday to the point I haven't wanted to walk since then.  I'm experiencing shortness of breath and am much more tired.  Shaving my legs is starting to feel like a workout :)  And Ella is really making her presence known.  I'm guessing she's feeling a bit cramped, thus pushing out and lurching around with all her might.  At least that's what it feels like.

Speaking of Ella, the ultrasound showed that her lips are still very pouty; her feet are still huge. She has hair and appears very healthy.  I'm already looking forward to my appointment on Wednesday and am thinking about when this little girl will arrive about 25 times a day :)

This last appointment kicked us into gear, and we've accomplished SO much around our house in the last 5 days.  Blake has cleaned our basement out.  We had a deep freezer delivered, which I plan on filling up in the next few days with meat, soups, chili, and fruit (for our daily smoothies) so we'll have a head start on meals for the next few months.  I've scheduled gutter cleaning.  Blake has finished all major components of Jackson's big boy room, and we just lack some decorative touches.  The nursery is also substantially ready less some pink décor.  Thatcher has been to the groomers.  We bought a used double Bob stroller off Craigslist today.  My mom came in town for 24 hours and was a lot of help too.  It's all coming together, and we're just about ready.

p.s. I'm thankful that our family tried a nearby Latin restaurant for the first time today, and Jackson enjoys fried plantains as much as I do.  I love trying new restaurants!

Slip and Slide Stud

We had such a wonderful weekend, and the highlight was watching Jackson's sheer joy and fearlessness as he experienced the slip and slide for the first time.  Saturday our neighbors put out their son's new slip and slide, and thankfully Kate quickly pulled out her camera after she saw the expressions my son was making. Who knew a 16 month old could/would slip and slide? Not me.

And little man wasn't just timidly sliding.  Blake was turning and twisting him, and Jackson was running back to slide again and again even after face-planting numerous times in the mud at the end of the slip and slide.  He never whimpered, shed a tear, or showed any fear.  I don't think his Daddy has ever been more proud :)  And I don't think there's any way we could have had more fun on our Sunday night.  Some other friends and their three boys came over and joined us, and four of the boys slid down at the same time. They loved it. 

 

Sunday we celebrated my 35th birthday, and I enjoyed a cookie cake breakfast.  So yummy.  Saturday my friend Cindy and I had 2 hours of child-free time at the pool, which was awesome since most of our time together includes our (combined) 4 boys.  After we had lunch on Sunday at Blake's mom's house, I had 90 minutes at the pool during Jackson's nap.  I really enjoyed having so much time in the sun even if it is a little hard to get comfy these days....but I'm still rocking the non-maternity bikini since my husband says it looks better than the alternative....

 

My mom came up late Sunday afternoon and was going to watch Jackson so we could have a child-free dinner, but I ended up wanting take-out and to eat with her too.  We had yummy food on our back porch, talked, and then she helped me organize all of Ella's clothes.  This little girl has SO many clothes--almost all hand-me downs, and we are so blessed to not have had to buy any clothes for her yet have so many nice things. My mom spent the night and helped me get lots of ducks in a row today.  She also played with Jackson, which he enjoyed immensely.  What a wonderful birthday weekend all-around!

p.s. I'm thankful for the delicious sweet potato chips and blue cheese dip I inhaled last night.

36 Weeks

So I'm starting to think about having this little girl A LOT.  It helps that we're making progress on Jackson's big boy room and Ella's nursery, and I'm finally starting to get my energy back from being sick AGAIN.  Last Thursday I woke up with such bad teeth and jaw pain that I thought I had been grinding my teeth all night.  I bought a mouth guard and wore it the next night, but it didn't make a difference and I discovered that a sinus infection could cause that kind of pain too.  I had had a stuffy nose all week and felt some sinus pressure but hadn't realized that could lead to this sort of incredible pain.  I started a Z pack that day, took a double dose the next day, and finished the pack on Sunday.  Not being able to take pain medication (other than Tylenol which is almost worthless) made the ordeal so much worse, and I was grumpy for several days as I just couldn't stop thinking about the pain. It even hurt to chew.  The Z pack helped, but I was still having pressure and headaches and blowing my nose all day long.  I started my second Z pack yesterday and am feeling a lot better.  Hoping our family will be well these last few weeks before Ella Kate arrives.

Other than this sickness I'm physically doing really well.  I can't believe I haven't had back pain with this pregnancy with the exception of isolated occasions.  With my first pregnancy it was a daily occurrence at this point, and I wasn't even picking up a 23 pound little boy all day.  Most nights I'm sleeping decently all things considered, although I'm barely making it until nap time most mornings :)  Of course, that might have as much to do with this two weeks of sickness as being in my last weeks of pregnancy.

I haven't gained any weight since my last update despite not being able to exercise other than two family walks and two walks today.  I'm hoping to start walking daily in an effort to help my body prepare for labor and to keep my energy up.  My OB has been on vacation, so I didn't have an appointment this week.  Last week I was 30% effaced and barely dilated and baby girl was head down (so thankful!), and at my next appointment on Wednesday we'll have an ultrasound. I cannot wait to see our daughter again....love ultrasounds!

Next up...finishing up the nursery, packing the bag for the hospital, and trying to be patient and not constantly wonder when we'll meet our daughter (and what our son will think about her).  So much to look forward to in the coming month!

p.s. I'm thankful for the awesome job my husband has done on Jackson's big boy room...can't wait to finish it up and share photos!

Wordless Wednesday: Last Day in His Nursery

Pregnancy Update: 34.5 Weeks

I'll be 35 weeks pregnant on Friday, and tomorrow I have my Group B Strep test and first check for dilation/effacement.  I know it's silly and many say irrelevant, but I can't wait to see if I'm dilated yet! I was almost 5 centimeters dilated with Jackson without ever feeling a contraction, so I'm anxious to see if my body will prepare similarly for labor with Ella. 

This last week hasn't been the best ever.  I have had a nasty cough (and sinus or allergy issues) the last week and have wondered if it's possible to cough yourself into labor.  I even had to leave during the sermon on Sunday because I couldn't stop coughing, and it's interfered with sleeping too.  Thankfully my last bad coughing fit was Sunday, so I'm hoping the worst is behind me.

My emotions also got the best of me last Friday.  Blake and I'd had our second argument of the week and that combined with pregnancy hormones, general feeling of being overwhelmed/behind from all of our sickness and the impending arrival of our daughter (and need to get our son's new bedroom and daughter's nursery finished), and knowing that we had plans four nights in a row including two nights of hosting/cooking = uncontrollable sobbing and physical anxiety.  As I sobbed Friday morning Jackson must have thought I was laughing because he kept looking at me and laughing.  It was really sweet.  Blake came home for the day at lunch, and we were able to talk some and I was able to rest a little. I was also able to get out of the house alone for the first time all week.  Jackson had my cough and a gross runny nose and was grumpy last week (after being sick all last weekend with a fever virus), so we didn't get to have playgroup and I couldn't leave him in the nursery at the gym to exercise either.

Thankfully we had a really good weekend and had an extended break from parenting since Blake's mom and step-dad got Jackson on Saturday at 4:00 and kept him until lunch the next day.  It was wonderful to sleep until I woke up.  Then I attended a friend's baby shower, and Blake and Jackson had dinner with his dad and step-mom. I was able to have 2 & 1/2 hours home alone and made a lot of progress on Ella's room and clothes.  I feel much more calm and prepared now. 

I'm up about 27 pounds, having minimal back pain, experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, and feeling lots of movement from my sweet girl.  We've settled on her middle name--Kate, so the monogramming can begin.  My friends helped celebrate my sweet daughter week before last and threw a shower; I just invited my 8 closest friends in town, and it was fun to rejoice in the goodness of a new child and a daughter. Can't wait to meet her!

p.s. I'm thankful that Jackson had so much fun with his cousins, aunts, and Grandma today.  It did my heart good to see him so happy and cheerful most of the day after all of this sickness and grumpiness.

Wordless Wednesday: Resting on Ella

p.s. I am grateful for cuddles from my big boy while we waited to see his peditrician for his well visit (which ended up not being such a well visit since he started acting sick while we were there).