Kelly in NC

Last week at school, Grayson decided to try out his batman skills and jumped from about 2.5 feet off of some playground equipment. They called me immediately to tell me he was limping- no bruising, no swelling. I suggested that they let him take a nap and then call me if he was still limping. They called back a few hours later. He was still favoring his left foot. I took him to the doctor and then to get x-rays (the first of many in his lifetime, I am sure). He enjoyed going to the hospital but was disappointed when he didn’t immediately get to see the pictures of his bones. Grayson was so cute when he looked up at the x-ray tech with his great big blue eyes and said “But may I please see my x-ray bones?” How could she resist that? She couldn’t and so off she took us to the back so Grayson could see his bones. He was amazed at how many bones were in his foot and by how long his toes looked. All in all, he ended up ok. Just a little soft-tissue damage since almost all the bones in his foot are still cartilage at his age.

Gage has finally started to sleep through the night… consistently. He usually goes to bed between 7:30- 8:30 and will not wake up until 5:30- 6:00 to nurse. Occasionally, he will need someone to help with his paci, but usually only once in the middle of the night.. On the weekends, he will go right back to sleep until almost 8 am. Hallelujah! I love my sleep!

Also in Gage development, he has finally figured out how to get the paci in his mouth on his own. It still takes two hands, and it takes him an incredibly long time, but he can do it! Now he just needs to practice, practice, practice.

Sweet Gage,
You are now 21 weeks old- or 153 days- or 3.672 hours. But who’s counting? In the past 31 days a number of your motor and social skills have advanced. You have gotten even better at rolling from back to stomach and are stronger at holding your head and chest up off the floor. You have turned from front to back- although now one has witnessed it with their own eyes here at home. Your ability to pick up objects has greatly improved and your Aunt Amy thinks thats you are very coordinated with your hands. When eating, you enjoy trying to hold the bottle, although you have not perfected this trick yet. You often grab your paci, but continue to have trouble with getting it into your mouth correctly. You have now found your feet and you spend lots of time holding on to your toes. You try to pull yourself forward when sitting back in your rocking chair and often reach for my face and play with my hair when you nurse at night.
You continue to be a very smiley baby and have learned how to squeal in delight. You make a few vowel-consonant sounds like “ahh-goo” and have recently learned how to make a razz sound by pursing your lips together. You love to be talked to and will often try to talk back. You will turn your head when you hear others talking and your eyes are very often following your big brother Grayson. As of yet, you have not met a stranger. You are very flirtatious; throwing smiles at anyone who will look and batting your eyelashes when you know you have their attention. You were especially social when you flew to Florida this past month (your 1st plane ride) and met your Maw-Maw, Paw-Paw, Nana Tracy, and Aunt Kristan for the first time.
This month you have begun eating from bottles for 4 out of your seven feedings a day. I continue to nurse you from 6pm-6 am. I recently switched your brand of formula to the Costco brand and have noticed that it has helped with clearing up the eczema. You are still fighting a nasty case of cradle cap, but I have noticed some improvement with that irritation too. We have tried introducing rice cereal, although you continue to turn your nose up at the food and usually spit it back out at us. Maybe in the upcoming month you will finally develop a taste for more solid food.
Finally, another welcome milestone for you was moving to your crib. I knew it was time to move you when you started crying about not having the room to roll over in your bassinet. You also started kicking your feet over the side of the cradle. Yep, time to move. Between the transition to a bigger bed and the recent time change, it did take some adjustment. But now you go to sleep between 7 & 8 pm and wake to eat at around 5: 15. I officially consider this as sleeping through the night! What a happy mommy, you make me!
So yes, Gage this month has been another full one. Between your constant development, celebrating your first Halloween (dressed as a football), a trip to Florida (to visit family), and a recent visit with you great Grandpa and great Grandma, Uncle Joe, Aunt Amy, Adler, and number of your Great Aunts and Uncles here in NC, the last 31 days sped by us in a flash. I am sure that the next two months will also pass quickly with all the upcoming holidays. We both have so much to look forward to! So sweet baby Gage, I pray that you will try to slow down in growing up so fast. Let me appreciate each and every moment. You are a wonderful baby who has stolen my heart… my sweet second born.
I love you more and more each day!
Love,
Mommy

This afternoon we ventured out to the local pumpkin farm. Jill, Chris, Kannon, and our friend Ian and his boys- Jack and Sam, also came along. The big kids loved the farm, hayride, and of course the big silo slides. It took Grayson FOREVER to pick out the right pumpkin! Gage was not a fan of the festivities at all. It was a bit too cold for him I think. We still got a few great photos. Wish it had been a tad bit warmer- but we had a ton of fun anyhow!
Click on the photo above for the other pics from our trip!

Gage,
Are you already 4 months old? How can that be? This month has passed faster than all the rest. Most likely because I returned to work this month, making the days and weeks speed by. With my return to work, you began your first days at daycare. I cried when I dropped you off. Not because I was worried about you, but because as my second born- I now know how quickly you are going to grow up. I often look at you big brother and wonder where all the time has gone. Now, I watch it quickly ticking by with you too.
You have changed so much since your birth 122 days ago. You weighed 14 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 24.24 inches long ( I do not think this is accurate) at you 4 month check up. Your tiny, boney feet have now grown larger, complete with little sausage toes, the pinkies of which still curl to the side. Your thin, old man legs now have filled out with their very own distinct, chubby rolls. You have a pot belly and rubber banded wrists, man boobies and the most pinch-able cheeks. You have officially turned into a sweet, huggable, squeezable, tickley baby. And did I mention how adorable we think you are? Your face brightens with the most amazing smiles. Real smiles too- the kind that light up your eyes and draw in complete strangers. You have learned how to grasp the attention of those around you by flashing them that fantastic smile or by letting out one of your precious belly laughs. Speaking of laughs, Daddy and I have now discovered all of your ticklish spots- under your chin, on your ribs, under your arms, and at your hips. One soft touch to any of these places can instantly send you on a laughing spree. And I must admit, we send you down that path a lot! We love to hear your laugh and see you look so happy. If only we could keep up this trick for the rest of your life. Will it always be this easy to make you laugh and smile?
In other developments this month, you are now able to:
~reach for and grasp a small toy
~keep your head level with your body when pulled to sitting position
~turn toward a voice
~make ooo & ahh sounds
~chew on your hands
~roll over- from back to stomach (you are still working on the other direction)
~bear all your weight on your legs when held upright
~on stomach, raise chest, supported by arms,
~smile back when smiled at
~smile at yourself in the mirror
~pay attention to TV
Yes, dear, sweet Gage, you continue to get bigger everyday and I am so excited to see the little parts of your personality begin to emerge like hidden pieces of a puzzle. There have been many nights in the past month that I have held and snuggled with you- stealing private moments that are just the two of us. I love to feel you sleeping in the crook of my arm, watching your eye lids flutter and your lips pucker as you dream. I try to memorize how your delicate eye lashes rest on the still translucent skin under your eyes and how soft and spongey your scalp still feels under my fingers. I know that soon these little baby features will fade away too. I am trying my best to capure all of these sweet memories before they are gone forever. Gage, you continue to surprise me with how easily you have joined our family and with how deeply we love you. Already, you are an amazing little boy.
I love you more and more each day,
Love,
Mommy
Click on the photo above for other pictures from the past month.

Gage,

This month you have evolved from a boring newborn into a laughing, smiling infant. We will not know your official measurements until our next doctor’s appointment in October but my guess is that you now weigh around 13.5 pounds. Your hair is beginning to fill in and now appears to be turning blonde. Your big eyes continue to be a bright shade of blue. You have learned how to laugh, especially when we blow on your belly, tickle your cheeks, or make funny noises. Your laugh is really just a short chuckle and it sounds like music to our ears! You are easy to make laugh and you smile at everything. Maybe you will be the one to inherit my nickname of “Smiley” that I had as a child.

In physical feats, you continue to get stronger everyday. Your neck muscles have strengthened to the point that you are able to fully lift your head up when lying on your stomach and we no longer have to support your head when we lift you from a lying position. You have rolled over a few times when on your stomach, but only when your arms have been positioned underneath you. In that position you push up on your arms and then turn your head, causing your whole body to roll. Of course, you think that this is funny! Rolling is a skill that will need more time before complete mastery, but I am sure that you will get it soon. Another skill you continue to practice is standing. You are now able to support your weight with us only “spotting” your abdomen and you love for us to help you see the world in this position. Another love of yours this month has been the baby gym. You enjoy laying underneath the gym, swatting at your toys, and watching the blinking lights.

Your sleeping patterns continued to improve this month. For the majority of the month, you have gone to bed at around 9 pm, slept for about 6 hours, and woke again around 3 am to eat. After the 3 am feeding you have gone right back to sleep and woke again in 2.5- 3 hours to eat and begin your day. Even more exciting, two nights ago, you skipped your 3 am feeding and slept from 10 pm until 6 am. I am crossing my fingers that you will figure out how to do that more often and that we can really begin “sleeping through the night”.

As for eating, you have moved back to a 2.5- 3 hour eating schedule. thank goodness! You spent about 2 weeks trying out the 1.5- 2 hour schedule and I honestly thought that I was going to stop nursing you if things did not change. Luckily you took my threats seriously, and we compromised with 2.5 hours. On a funny note, you are a lazy eater. You figured out how easy it is to chug the milk during the “let down” and refuse to nurse after the milk flow slows down. Instead you keep smile up at me and refuse to latch on until I offer you the other side for another chug fest. Why work hard if you do not have to, right?

Gage, you are a wonderful blessing in my life, You are a sweet, mild tempered, easily pacified little boy. I am fortunate to have such a content, happy baby and I thank my lucky stars each and every day. You have effortlessly joined our family, stealing our hearts, and giving us new reasons to smile. You are loved without question by all of us, but especially by your big brother Grayson. Grayson had no idea what he was missing before you were born, but now that you are here he hates the thought of you not being near. On the rare occasion that I take Grayson to school by himself, he often cries- wishing that you were in the car too. You are the first thing he looks for when he comes down the stairs in the morning and he often comes running with paci in hand when you cry. I am constantly amazed at how much he loves you, his “wittle bwover”. I am more amazed by the depth of my love for you. As I prepare to return to work full time next week, I am sad thinking that I will not get to spend each and every moment with you. I wish that there was a way to stay home with you and earn money to give you the life of which both Daddy and I dream. I know that you will do well at pre-school and that your teachers will fall instantly in love with you. I just wish that I was one to see all those daytime smiles….

Gage, I love you more and more each day!

Love,
Mommy

Gage,
Another month has passed and you are now 61 days old. Lucky you! You spent your 2 month birthday at the beach with a lot of your extended family and you were finally able to meet your cousin Adler, Uncle Joe and Aunt Amy. You didn’t seem to mind going on vacation and loved sleeping at the beach. I did try to give you your first swim in the pool, but you were not pleased with the cold water. YOu screamed your little head off and then of course took another nap!

Besides meeting your Aunt and Uncle from Florida, you were able to meet a number of your other family members and friends this month too. Aunt Renee, Aunt Kate, and Aunt Carri threw you a Baby Welcoming party where you were held, cuddled, and viewed by all of our most favorite North Carolina friends. The party was a hit, with you sleeping most of the time and everyone showering you will a ton of diapers! I think it will be months before we have to buy diapers and wipes again. Also a few weeks ago you were visited by Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Brun this month. They made a trip down from Ohio to see all their grandkids and great grandkids- but Grandma Brun was especially pleased to meet you. You are currently her youngest great grandkid… although with the way that side of the family multiplies I am sure that will not last for long!

Mimi also stopped in this month for a quick one night visit. She was amazed at how much you have grown in such a short amount of time. Since your birth you have almost doubled your weight, now 12 pounds 9 ounces (75%), and have grown to 23 inches long (55%). Your noggin is 39.5 cm. You quickly grew out of your 0-3 month clothes and are now wearing size 3-6 month. Your skinny legs now have chubby rolls and your thin belly is now round and full. You have even grown a double chin in the past 31 days! I am sure that all of this growing has something to do with how much you like to eat. You will eat 4 to 5 oz at a time and over the last two days have decided to try eating every 1-2 hours. Really? That often? I am hoping that this is just a stage and that you will go back to the 3 hour routine you have been on for the majority of this month.

Gage you have been a very predictable baby. You fuss when you are ready to eat and when your are tired. The rest of the time you are very content, looking at the world with your wide-open blue eyes. You open those eyes so big that your cousin Kellynn even asked “Why does Gage open his eyes so big all the time?” I say that it is because you are so excited to see the world around you- you can’t seem to open them big enough to take it all in!” You have now started to track things that cross your line of sight and Daddy swears that you try looking around the room when you hear my voice.

You have started to coo and continue to grunt as a from of communication and my favorite highlight from this month is that at 6 weeks you learned how to smile. You will now smile anytime you can catch someone’s eye and have even let out a few giggles although we cannot get you to laugh consistently. In motor development, you are now able to hold up your head and have just begun to put weight on your feet. You love to be swaddled and for the most part have given up the midnight feeding- allowing us a 6 hour stretch of sleep at night. The only physical issue that has surfaced has been your bowel’s decision to not produce a movement on a frequent basis. You have gone as long as 5 days without a BM, causing me to finally take you to Dr. Goss. She indicated that this was nothing to worry about- as long as you are not constipated, everything is ok. The problem is that after a couple days of no number 2, you start to get fussy and do not nap very well. Dr. Goss did give us a few options- 1 oz of prune juice a day, 1 tsp of dark Karo 1-2 times a day, or a tsp of miralax. So far we have tried the prune juice and the Miralax and you still are not going often enough to avoid feeling “backed up.” Hopefully, your little body will work out this problem in time.

Finally Gage, the only other major change that occurred this month was my return to work. At the end of July I started back, working only one day a week. I will admit that it was not too difficult leaving you, but that was mainly because I knew that you were in good hands. Your Nagy agreed to watch you for the 8 Wednesdays that I will work before going back to school full time. You love your Nagy and I do too! Without her, I am not sure that I would have been able to handle working again so soon.

So 61 days and counting. You’ll be a little boy before I know it.

I love you more and more each day!

Love,
Mommy

Gage,
Who can believe that an entire month has already passed since your birth? Certainly not me. I am not sure where the last four weeks have gone, but I have definitely enjoyed them. For the most part, you are an easy going baby. We have hit a rough patch in the past two days, but for the rest of the month, you have been easy to take care of and entertain. You have gone through a few periods of cluster feeding, but otherwise have put yourself on a schedule- eating every 2.5- 3 hours. More recently you have begun going 4-5 hours between feedings at night. (Yippee for me!) You are usually awake for a couple hours at a time about 3 times a day- often when you get up first thing in the morning (around 7:30 am), in the afternoon, and again at night around 8:00. In the hours when you are awake you love to cuddle, swing, and be walked around in the sling. You seem to take in the entire world with your big, blue eyes and appear as if you are studying everyone and everything around you. The highlight of your day (besides eating) wold have to be taking a bath with your big brother Grayson. Grayson seems to enjoy it as well, often asking if you can join him in the tub and insisting that he be allowed to rinse you off.
Gage, you are lucky to have a big brother like Grayson. You may not realize that now, but in a few more months I am sure that you will figure this out for yourself. So far Grayson seems pleased to have you join our family. He looks for you every morning and kisses your head to say hello. Grayson will often swing by in the midst of his playing to “pet” you on the head, and to strangers he will often proudly proclaim ‘That’s my baby brover!” At night, Grayson likes to hold you in his arms as Daddy reads you both a story and as I sing you both a few bedtime songs. I will admit that I was a bit concerned about how your brother would react to sharing his parents with you, but I am pleased to say that he has surprised us all by his his reaction. Now, things may change as you grow a bit bigger and begin to mess with his things- but by then his love for you will have grown so deep, that you will both make it through those little fights and still be best friends. After all that what having siblings is all about! Just ask me or daddy. We are both second borns and couldn’t imagine life without our sisters and brothers!
So Gage, in the past 30 days we have watched you change from a thin, constantly sleeping teeny-tiny newborn into a slightly larger, more alert version and in the process you have changed our lives forever. You have grown from 6 lbs, 12 ounces to now 9 lbs, 7 ounces and from 20.5 inches to 21.75 inches long. You have made us remember how quickly this stage of life passes and appreciate both you and your brother in new ways. We love to cuddle with you-especially at night- and we are so glad to have you in our family. While we look forward to seeing your little personality grow over the next few weeks, we also treasure these fleeting days of being able to to hold you and kiss you constantly. Please do not grow up too fast. I want to remember these days for the rest of my life.
Love,
Mommy

This year’s 4th of July was one of the best Independence Days ever! I am not sure exactly what made it so much better than the past few years but I think that it has a lot to do with kids and family. Isn’t it funny how most holidays are given a new life by adding a kid to the mix? Grayson loved the 4th this year. He marched in a parade at his preschool, watched a local parade complete with fire trucks (his favorite), and then spent an entire afternoon and evening in Nae Nae’s swimming pool. He loved the fireworks- both the lights and the sounds (They sound like “funder”!). But it wasn’t just Grayson’s enthusiasm for the holiday that made the entire weekend so great. It was also the fact that I was able to visit with some of the people I enjoy the most. It isn’t every day that I get to see my best friends and family all at the same time. I am again reminded how lucky I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Maybe that is what made the 4th so great this year. I was reminded how blessed I am in life!

You can see all the photos from this weekend by clicking here.

Today, I took Gage to the Pediatric Cardiologist to follow up on some “clicking” noises they heard in his heart when he was first born. At the time, they did an echocardiogram and discovered that there were some connections between the ventricles of his heart that had not closed off, as well as some possible thickening of his pulmonary valve. In many ways these problems are common in newborns and most often they will remedy themselves. So today’s appointment was to check to see if the connections had closed and to decide if the there was an issue with the pulmonary valve. After meeting with the Cardiologist and sitting through another echocardiogram, Gage was given a clean bill of health. His heart looks great and the clicking noises have gone away. What a relief!
Also, last week, Gage had his 1 week doctor’s appointment. He weighted 6 lbs, 6 oz (up 3 oz since leaving the hospital) and was eating up to 3 ounces at a time. They checked to make sure he was not jaundice and the blood work returned in the normal range. Dr. Young seemed happy with his progress and our next appointment will be in a couple more weeks. As far as Gage’s progress over the last two weeks, so far he seems to be a pretty easy baby. As is typical, he spends most of his day sleeping with the other minutes filled with eating and pooping! Most of the time he eats every 2.5-3 hours although over the last few days he has been hungry every 1.5. We have figured out a system for getting plenty of sleep through the night. (Go ahead and shake your head…) I have found that by keeping him in bed beside me, he barely wakes up to nurse and will then fall right back to sleep. We usually have two feedings in the middle of the night. For now, this system is working well for me- although I know that I will change in sometime in the next few weeks. But let’s be honest, me getting my rest is super important to me right now.
Grayson continues to do well adjusting to having a little brother in the house. He wakes up every morning, comes down the stairs, and asks “Where’s my baby brover?” He will often pet Gage’s head or give him a little kiss before barreling off the play or eat breakfast. For the most part, the times when Grayson does pay attention to Gage are very sweet. For instance the other day as Grayson was watching a cartoon, I placed Gage on the couch beside him and went to tidy the house. When I walked back by I caught Grayson sitting right next to Gage, stroking his baby brother’s head. A few minutes later, Grayson yelled my name and said “Mommy, here’s my baby brover!” Grayson seems very proud to show off Gage to his friends at school and to complete strangers. So….So far we have not seen any signs of jealously and we are crossing our fingers that that ugly monster will not raise it’s head anytime soon.

IT is funny how sometimes you do not realize how easy you had things until something occurs to make life a bit harder. That was the case with the birth of Gage. While I thought that my delivery of Grayson was challenging, I had no idea how “cake” it was until I went through labor with Gage.
For Gage’s birth, we had a planned induction due to the fact that my blood pressure kept going up and the fact that my doctor, Dr. Craddock was leaving for vacation the following week. The positive side of the induction was that we knew when we were going to the hospital and so we were able to prepare ourselves and Grayson for having the baby. Tim’s Mom offered to stay with Grayson and to take care of him while we were in the hospital- so that as an added relief. We checked into the hospital on Wednesday evening and lucky for us, we were assigned one of our nurses from Grayson’s birth- Gayle. Gayle was an absolute blessing, seeming to always look out for us, and bossing the other nurses around. I had no idea at the time how lucky we were to have her on our side. Everything seemed to go well as far as the check in- that was until I had my IV inserted. I guess that the difficulty involved in that “simple” process was a bit of foreshadowing to how the rest of my delivery was going to go. Since Gayle could not find a vein that she felt comfortable using, she called in one of the other nurses who was an “expert” with IVs. This expert 1st chose a vein on the interior of my right arm that unfortunately had a valve and was unusable. She finally found a better vein on my hand instead. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE needles and how much I HATE the sting of an IV?
By 5:00 one of the other doctors in the practice came by to insert the Cervadil (the medicine that causes the Cervix to dilate and efface). At that point I as already 3 cm dilated and was 80% effaced. The doctor was concerned that by giving the Cervadil, I could begin labor that night- which was not part of Dr. Craddock’s original plan. I later found out that while he did insert the Cervadil, he did not place it as high and as close to the cervix as it is normally given. So while Tim and I were on edge all night wondering if I might go into labor, very little happened until the next day.
At 7:30 on Thursday morning, Dr. Craddock came by and gave the permission to start the Pitocin. At that point I was still at 3 cm. dilated. By 8:30 my contractions began although they were not too uncomfortable. At 9:30, my contractions were two minutes apart and were painful enough that I asked for the epidural. Gayle checked and I was 6 cm dilated. By 10:00 the anesthesiologist came in and proceeded to give me the epidural. Inserting the needle into my back was an easy process that provided immediate relief, but the difficulty came in threadign the catheter through the needle. For what ever reason he had trouble threading the needle so that the epidural would effect both sides of my body. After 15 minutes of working on it, we thought that he had finally found the right spot and for a little while at least, I was relieved of the pain. Unfortunately within 15 minutes of the anesthesiologist leaving my room, I began to regain feeling in the left side of my body. I called the nurse and found that the longer I waited, the more I could feel the contractions on my left side. Gayle returned, called back the anesthesiologist, and then discovered that I was already 10 cm dilated and ready to push. Since I was already at the pushing stage, it was too late to adjust the epidural and I was forced to proceed with the delivery feeling 100% of the pain on the left side of my body. Luckily, it only took pushing through 3 contractions to deliver little baby Gage- but it was the three hardest, most painful pushes of my life.
With the final push, Gage emerged at 6 lbs. 12 oz, & 20 inches long, and was put on my chest. He was a deep blue in color and even after clearing his airways, he did not scream. I was immediately concerned and apparently the nurses were too, since they rushed him to the side and paged a specialist to come and assist him. For what felt like forever, I watched him from my hospital bed praying that he was ok and waiting impatiently for him to let out a cry. The nurses began rubbing him down vigorously, and the specialist began to force air into his lungs with a small hand pump respirator. Within a few moments, Gage finally let out his first scream and it was music to my ears. His first Apgar was a a 6, with points loss for color, heart rate, and respiration. At five minutes, his Apgar was a 9.
But even then, my delivery was not over. In the moments while I waited to hear that my new baby was ok, another problem had developed. The placenta was not detaching from the uterus wall. After much manipulation from my doctor, it appeared as if I had a retained placenta, also known as Placenta Accreta, and that it would have to be manually removed… without an epidural, mind you. So with a shot of morphine under my belt, Tim and the baby were removed from my room and Dr. Craddock then began the excruciating process of detaching my placenta piece by piece. Without a doubt having the placenta manually removed was far more painful than pushing out a 6 lb. baby- even with the opiate!
After the placenta ordeal, Tim and the baby returned to my room and I was finally able to appreciate the reward of my labor. I quickly asked Tim what we should name him and he replied Gage. Tim then placed Gage in my arms and I was surprised to see that he looked nothing like Grayson and maybe even looked a little like me! Tim was a bit concerned about the fact that he would have another boy that this time did not look like his clone, but I was secretly excited to see that maybe my genes had over powered his this time. I marveled at the tiny hands and long fingers on our little Gage and was instantly smitten with his perfect pink lips and his creased brow. He had a had a head full of dark brown hair and the most perfect, clear complexion. As I held him him, he focused his eyes on me, and formed his mouth into a little “o”, as if to say “Oh- so that’s what my mom looks like!” Finally after 39 weeks, I was able to hold my tiny little baby boy and I thanked God for blessing me with another wonderful miracle.

My newest son arrived on Thursday, June 11 at 10:52 am, weighing 6 lbs., 12 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. He was exactly one week early. I promise to post the birth story soon as I just do not have the time to write it all out in detail right now. I will leave you with photos from his birth day though! Check them out by clicking here!

Doctor’s Appointment: They have scheduled to induce me later this week! Partly because my blood pressure has continued to rise (It was 140 over something- usually at around 118-120) although when I lie down it goes back to normal. And partly because I am ready to have this baby. Everything else besides the blood pressure was ok. I have dilated to 3 cm now. As far as the induction, I will check into the hospital on Wednesday night where they will insert a medicine to help “ripen” my cervix- basically make in thin out and open up more. On Thursday morning they will begin Pitocin. I should have the baby sometime THursday afternoon, unless he decides on his own to come a bit sooner!

Baby Development: At almost 39 weeks, the baby’s waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it’s likely he already measures over 20 inches and weighs over 7 pounds. My doctor is guessing that he will weigh in at around 7.5. I am guessing at over 8! The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. The baby is definitely running out of room to move and his kicks and jabs have gotten much stronger and more frequent. All of his organ’s are developed and we cannot wait to see him later this week!

How I Feel: While this pregnancy has been fairly easy, I am very excited for it to finally come to an end. I continue to feel fine and have kept myself busy doing things around the house- like weeding, gardening, cleaning, etc. But I must admit that the size of my belly has really started to make things more difficult. I have now started to get carpal tunnel in my left hand too- causing the middle finger on that hand to also go numb. But all things considered, this growing baby hasn’t really made my life too difficult. It isn’t so much the discomfort that has caused my desire to be induced, as much as it is the fact that I cannot wait to meet the little boy who is growing inside of me. I have dreamed about him and cannot wait to hold him for the first time. Who will he look like? Will he, like Grayson, be the spitting image of his father? Will this time around be a bit easier or will our 2nd son also scream so loud that he is nicknamed “Wild cat”? I anticipate Grayson’s reaction at seeing and holding his brother for the first time and I look forward to seeing the look of absolute adoration on Tim’s face again. The past 39 weeks have at time flown by and at times crawled along- but this baby will be well worth the wait. I thank God in advance for blessing my family by giving us another little being to love.

Doctor’s Appointment: Another week down, two more to go! Again everything continues to go smoothly. No concerns as far as blood pressure, urine, weight, etc. I am now about 2 cm dilated- but I think we all know that that doesn’t really mean anything. I could stay that way for the next two weeks. My next appointment is on Monday. My doctor will check me again then and then set an induction date for the following week in case nothing happens on it’s own in the meantime.

Baby Development: The baby has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and likely measures around 20 inches from head to heel. Crown to rump length is around 14 inches. He has a firm grasp, which we’ll soon be able to test when we hold his hand for the first time! His organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. By now all instinctual reflexes should be developed- sucking, rooting, grasping, breathing, etc. It is now only matter of time before labor begins.

How I Feel: I am definitely starting to feel more uncomfortable. The baby seems to be pushing downward a lot these days which makes walking a bit more cumbersome. The swelling does not seem to be as bad as a few weeks ago, although the carpal tunnel continues to linger. My belly is officially HUGE! I am down to only a few things that I feel comfortable wearing. Luckily this is the last week of work at my school- so no need to stress about what to wear next week! I could wear the same thing everyday if I have to! On a funny note, I tried roller skating last week. Now I completely calculated the risk of skating based upon my changes in balance. However, I never once considered how the widening of my hips would affect my ability to move on wheels. That made things very difficult indeed! Needless to say I made ONE very slow lap around the rink and then called in quits. I was disappointed that it didn’t bring on a few contractions- but as I know from experience- my babies like to stay in womb until the due date if not longer. So unless anyone out there has some sort of great advice for causing labor, I believe I am in for at least two more weeks!

Also, click on the photos above to see the maternity photographs my great friend Dave took for me. It has taken me a while to get them posted on here- but aren’t they worth the wait?

Doctor’s Appointment: Nothing has changed. Everything continues to go well. My blood pressure was a little bit higher than normal- but still in the safe range. I haven’t gained weight in the past two weeks- so I am really happy about that. My Strep B test came back negative- so no worries there. Three more weeks to go… will I make it?

Baby Development: As of tomorrow, the baby will be considered full term! This means that his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though his due date is still three weeks away. By this week he likely weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel. He is still in the head down position and will likely remain in this position until he decides to make his entrance into the world.

How I Feel: Ready! Man, am I ready! This is likely because my cousin-in-law, Anna, who was three weeks behind me in pregnancy, just delivered her little boy today- 6 weeks early. This is just my luck- as a similar situation occurred when I had Grayson. Just knowing that she can already see and hold her newborn increases my desire to go into labor. Unfortunately, no amount of wishing will cause my water to break. I have had to remind myself a few times today that what I really want is a healthy little boy- so if staying inside is what’s best for him- I really should feel happy. And on top of that, I must admit that I continue to feel pretty good- aside from occasional sciatica flare up and the carpal tunnel- and so I really can’t complain. I am sleeping soundly at night and luckily work is keeping me busy enough that the days are passing quickly. Only two more weeks of school for me. Finally, I have had a few comments asking about our naming dilemma. We have settled on two names and cannot choose between them- so we have decided to wait until we see him before making the final decision. Tim’s favorite is Colton. My favorite is Gauge. We both like both names, but we each have a favorite. Out hope is that when we look at him the first time, it will be obvious what the name choice should be.

Doctor’s Appointment: Well, I am now on the weekly appointment schedule. There were no changes since last time. They did the Strep B culture this time and checked my cervix. I have not started to dilate- so it looks like this booger is not planning to make a super early arrival. I did find out that they will not make me go past my due date (my last OBGYN wouldn’t talk about induction until you were at the two week over limit.), so that made me very happy. That means that I really do have only 4 weeks and a couple days to go.

Baby Development: At 36 weeks, our little boy is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He should now weigh around 6 pounds and measure more than 18 1/2 inches long. He’s shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Yucky but true- the baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, that will form the contents of his first bowel movement. At the end of this week, the baby will be considered full-term.

How I Feel: Just more of the same. I found out that the Carpal Tunnel is likely to stay with my for the rest of my pregnancy. It has changed from the annoying tingling, pins & needles feeling from last week and has now settled into my two middle fingers causing them to feel numb (imagine the feeling of a tight rubber band cutting off blood circulation.). Believe it or not, this is an improvement. Also this weekend, my sciatica resurfaced. It didn’t last for long and I am now crossing my fingers (the ones that work properly) that it doesn’t return again. Other than those two issues, I continue to feel great. I still have plenty of energy and plan to keep myself as busy as possible until this little one decides to make his entrance. I have (for the most part) finished Grayson’s new room and he has officially moved out of the nursery. I spent the last few days organizing all the baby clothes and reminiscing about how tiny Grayson used to be. It hard to believe that my first baby is now so independent and that in only a few weeks I will have another tiny person who will capture my heart… and require a ton of love and attention. I am trying very hard to appreciate the “simplicity” of my life as it is right now as I know that it is on the verge of changing drastically. I have also spent an incredible amount of time trying to prepare Grayson for his little brother. I know this will be hardest on him. Anyone have any tips on how you helped siblings adjust to a newborn? Pass along all the tips you have!

Dr. Appointment: Today I met with one of the other doctors in the practice. There are a total of three doctors and they usually deliver their own patients- unless you go into labor on a weekend. For this reason, they like for you to have met all three of them at some point. So today I met with the only female doctor in the practice. She was nice and other than meeting her, the appointment was rather unremarkable. I am measuring right at 35 weeks and besides a bit of water retention (which would also be considered normal at this point) everything continues to run right on track. At my next appointment they will check to see if I am dilated and will do the Strep B culture.

Baby Development: The baby doesn’t have much room to maneuver now that he’s over 18 inches long and tips the scales at around 5 1/4 pounds. Because it’s so snug in the womb, he isn’t likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but he is still kicking just as strong and often! His central nervous system and lungs are continuing to mature. The kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he’s born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever.

How I feel: Bigger and bigger as the weeks march by! I have started to have a little bit of swelling in my hands and feet. My toes have just begun the process of turning into Little Smokies! I know that they will look like little sausages by the end of this. Yesterday I was afflicted with carpal tunnel in my right hand/arm- I guess that’s another sign of water retention and swelling. Tim has indicated that my snoring has officially kicked in. Last week, he woke me up to tell me I was snoring. I wanted to kill him because it now takes me a while to fall asleep. My little bun in the oven is now very sensitive to my movements. If I roll over in the middle of the night, he will then take a good 2-3 minutes to reposition himself in the womb. That’s 3 minutes of me waiting for him to stop tossing and turning, kicking and jabbing before I can even attempt to fall back asleep. Tim suggested I roll over to stop snoring. I suggested he move his butt upstairs to the guest bedroom. I mean, hey- I’ve been inconvenienced for over 8 months with this baby invading my stomach. Too bad if he is inconvenienced for the next 5 weeks by sleeping upstairs. He readily agreed and when my snoring is annoying enough, he moves upstairs without waking me up. Now that is what I call an amazing husband and father!

Doctor’s Appointment: Things continue to go normally with this pregnancy. All of my measurements were right on target. I have gained about 30 pounds so far with this baby- which is very similar to my last pregnancy. I got permission to lay off the iron supplements as long as I promised to eat green leafy vegetables and meat! Yipee! The baby’s heart rate was at 135 beats per minute. My next appointment will be in two weeks and I will meet with one of the other doctors in the practice. After that appointment, I will start seeing the doctor every week. It definitely feels as if I am in the home stretch and with the end of the school year lurking near, I know it will pass in a flash.

Baby Development: At almost 33 weeks, our little boy most likely weighs over 4 lbs. and has passed the 17-inch mark. He’s rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. In the next month and half he will go through a growth spurt, increasing in weight by about a half pound a week and gaining a third to half of his final birth weight. His skin is now soft and smooth. He has toenails, fingernails, and real hair. His skeleton is hardening and he can now turn his head from side to side.

How I feel: The sciatica issues have not resurfaced in the past three weeks- thank goodness- and neither have the terrible calf cramps. I have overall been sleeping well at night- despite having to get up at least once to use the bathroom. The frequent need to urinate has finally begun- mostly during the day when I am upright and the baby is pressing on my bladder. At work, it seems as if I am in the restroom every hour and half. The line down the middle of my stomach (linea negra) has again shown up with this pregnancy. Tim and I felt the baby’s hiccups for the first time and I continue to be amazed at how much this kid moves. He continues to get stronger and he often surprises me with a jab of his elbow or foot. I predict that this baby is going to be bigger than Grayson, as I feel as if he is already running out of room. He is finally large enough that I can encourage him to move at almost anytime by applying pressure to my belly. Speaking of my belly, it is finally big enough that I feel as if it walks in the room before me. I did break down and purchase a few sleeveless tops to get me through the next 6 weeks of work. I have been lucky enough up until now to get by on all the clothes that people (Jill, Kate, Julie, and Corrine) loaned me. (Thanks everyone!) However, with this pregnancy my boobs have gotten much bigger than before and most of their summer tops will no longer accommodate my pregnant body- at least not in an appropriate for middle school kids kind of a way! With only 7 weeks left to go, I have begun to feel the need to make sure I have everything ready for the birth of the new baby. I began the process of decorating a new room for Grayson so he will be moved out of the nursery before his little brother arrives. I have bought a box of diapers and wipes (whew- it’s amazing that I had already forgotten how expensive swaddlers can be!), a new outfit for the day he comes home from the hospital, and I have begun to unpack all the tiny clothes that Grayson once fit into. I can’t believe how close my due date is and am starting to feel a little bit anxious about delivery.

Doctor’s Appointment: I went last week for a checkup and an ultrasound. The doctor wanted to do another ultrasound to make sure the placenta had moved away from my cervix. At my last ultrasound, the placenta was low and I was at risk for having Placenta Prevera. Anyhow the most recent ultrasound relieved any fears of that complication. The placenta has moved higher in the uterus- so it should not be of concern for delivery. We did ask the ultrasound tech to make sure the baby really is a boy- and sure enough, we saw his little penis again! The baby didn’t move much during the ultrasound. I guess he decided to take a nap during our little peep show. According to the measurements, our little boy is about 3.5 pounds and seems to be developing normally. His heart rate was at 143 beats per minute. Other highlights of my doctor’s appointment include passing the gestational diabetes screening (yipee!) and having low iron (sob!). I really hate taking an iron supplement. Out next appointment will be at 32 weeks and then we will start seeing the doctor every two weeks.
Baby Development: At 30 weeks, our little boy is about 16 inches long and weighs about 3.5 pounds. He can now blink his eyes (we saw the eye lids during the ultrasound), which now sport eye lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb- although his eyesight is not very keen. He’s also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. The baby’s muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with medical help — if he were to be born now. He is definitely sleeping and waking at regular intervals and is very active now. I can attest to how much stronger he has gotten in the last month, as he now firmly pushes an elbow or foot into my side on a regular basis!
How I Feel: Up until a week and a half ago, I was feeling great with absolutely NO issues. Then the baby decided to start pressing on my sciatic nerve. I did not have this issue when I was pregnant with Grayson, so the pain in my right leg/butt and the inability to walk without intense shooting pain really took me by surprise. I had actually felt the pain about a month ago, but though nothing of it since in passed within 3 minutes. However the sciatic pain I felt about 2 weeks ago lasted a couple of hours. I haven’t had the intense pain again, but I have had some nagging tenderness in the right leg/back. Apparently sciatica is more common in 2nd pregnancies and it could get worse as the baby gets bigger. I am crossing my fingers that this will not be the case for me. The other issue that I have started to encounter are leg cramps in my calves at night. Ouch! I have started stretching my calves before going to bed at night and that seems to have worked. As you might imagine these issues are now starting to affect my sleep. Yikes! The dreaded waking in the night. Maybe some tylenol p.m. would help all these issues! I mean with only 60+ nights left before my due date, I really need all the sleep that I can get!

Doctors Appointment:Another “perfect” check up. Everything is right on target. This time the baby’s heart rate was at 142 beats per minute. My sore throat has now gone away thank goodness. My only health concern has been some occasional pressure in my cervix area. The doctor checked and everything looks fine. I did have one serious Braxton-Hicks contraction this past month, but I guess that I am now entering into that territory. In three weeks I will have another ultrasound to make sure the placenta has moved upward in the uterus and I will also have to do the crappy diabetes screening. Wish me luck on the screening. I really do not want to take the three hour test!
Baby Development:
Our little boy is now almost 26 weeks old. The average baby at this point weighs about 1.75 pounds and measures about 14 inches long. His skin may still be translucent, but that should change soon, especially as he continues to gain fat over the next three months.. More hair is beginning to grow- and if we could see inside, we would be able to see his hair color and texture. The baby’s brain is growing quickly now, and all of his senses are getting stronger. His sense of movement is well developed and he can now feel when I roll over at night, or go for a walk. The network of nerves in his ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He is now be able to hear my voice, the voice of those around me, as well as any other loud noises like the vacuum, or Ozzy barking. His sense of taste and touch are also continuing to develop.
In the past month, the development of the lungs has taken off! The lungs have developed “branches” of the respiratory “tree” as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. He’s inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he’s born and takes that first gulp of air. Is it only 100 days away?

How I Feel:
Larger by the day! Those “regular” jeans that I referred to last month are officially not working anymore. I have even had to retire some of my smaller maternity clothes at this point. Yikes! I still have a little over three months to go! Not to sound as if I am upset about my obviously pregnant body. I absolutely love being pregnant and am excited to actually look that way now! For the most part, I feel great. Other changes this month has been the development of heart burn (thank God for Tums) and according to Tim I have now begun to snore. I do not think that this has become an “every night” thing yet, but it will only be a matter of time. I snored terribly when I was pregnant with Grayson!
Speaking of Grayson, he was finally able to feel the new baby kick. I didn’t think that Grayson really understood what he was feeling, but a few days later he randomly announced (unsolicited) to our neighbors that his baby “bruhder” was kicking him though his mommy’s tummy. Oh, I am sure that it is only the first of a few kicks that will be thrown in their lifetime together! The baby’s kicks have gotten much stronger this month- to the point that you can actually see my stomach move. It must really bother him when I roll over at night, as that is when he gives me the hardest kicks and punches. I guess I must not be the only one who is trying to get comfortable in bed.
It’s hard for me to believe that in a little over a week I will be in the third and final trimester. It is amazing how quickly the time has flown. There are still lots of things to do before his arrival- like setting up the nursery and purchasing all those “newborn’ must haves! It’s time to get busy on all those last details- since he will be here before we know it!

Doctor’s Appointment:
All continues to go well. I am measuring 22 cm which is on target for almost 22 weeks and the baby’s heart rate was at around 140 beats per minute. My blood pressure is normal, no swelling, no concerns. That is except for a persistent sore throat which has lasted almost 4 weeks now. The Dr. did a culture to make sure it isn’t strep and I guess I will find out in a couple of days. Next appointment- March 9.
Baby Development:
At almost 22 weeks, the baby is now about 11 inches long (from head to toe) and almost 1 pound. He is starting to look like a miniature newborn, but with lots of wrinkles for all the weight he still has to gain over the next 4.5 months. The arms and legs are finally in the right proportions to each other and the rest of the baby’s body. His lips, eyelids, hairline, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he’s even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. His body is now covered in lanugo, very fine hair that protects his skin from the amniotic fluid. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily. He’s swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system, and consequently is producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. Also in the past four weeks, the baby’s sensory development has been expanding. His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may even be able to hear voices now.
How I Feel:
Bigger than last month. My belly has really started to poke out- to the point that even the oblivious kids at school have finally figured out that I am expecting. I am wearing maternity clothes full time now- although I do still have two pairs of regular jeans that I like to wear. (I’m not sure how much longer they will last!) I feel the baby move all the time now especially at night if I change my position and often after I eat lunch. I feel him other times too- but those are the two most consistent times. This baby moves alot more than Grayson did, so I guess I’ll have an active one on my hands in a few months! His kicks have finally gotten strong enough that you can feel them from the outside. Tim has been lucky enough to feel his movements- but not Grayson. At this point, the baby only kicks a couple of times in a row-so you have to be close by when it happens or you will completely miss it.
One of the things that I have thouroughly enjoyed this month is the fetal heart monitor that I got for Christmas. I use it a couple times a week to listen to the baby’s rapid heart beat. He moves all around inside my tummy, so it’s fun trying to keep up with him!
Tim and I are still struggling to name this little bundle of joy. We completely disagree on names. Tim’s favorite name is Max. I’m not a fan seeing as how it is the #1 dog name right now. I would also prefer a two syllable first name. So Tim has tried to compromise with the name “Maximus”. Is he serious? Yes. See why we are having issues? A couple of weeks ago we did at least find one name that we both liked “Colton” (thanks Kate) but we are not 100% settled on this name. So if you have some suggestions, be sure to leave them in your comments! The countdown is on and I would prefer to have a couple of options before the baby arrives! Grayson keeps suggesting “JJ”. Yeah, I don’t think so.

Doctor’s Appointment: Well, as mention in the last bump update, we had another ultrasound at this visit. The baby is measuring right on target and we sat in awe watching him kicking his little legs and touch his face. That’s right, I said “him”. It’s a boy! Tim was very concerned about the ultrasound tech being accurate with the sex, so she showed us his little penis from numerous views! The only potential concern that came up with this ultrasound was that the placenta is a little low in the uterus. We will take another peek in a few months to make sure the placenta moves higher in the uterus. The doctor did not seem particularly concerned- so neither are we. Measurements, blood pressure, weight (total 11 lb gain) are all in the normal range.

Baby Development: At almost 18 weeks, the baby has almost doubled in size since last month. He is now the length of a large bell pepper at around 5.5 inches long and around 7 oz. in weight. His body is now growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. The skeleton is changing from cartilage to bone and the umbilical cord has grown thicker. His arms are in proportion to the size of his body and the legs are now longer than his arms.
The baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and even suck his thumb! (Which I think we saw on the ultrasound- although it is difficult to really know.) Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, the liver is making bile, and his spleen has begun helping in the production of red blood cells. His tiny little heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day and is beating at 138 beats per minute. Although the eyelids are still fused shut, the baby can now sense light. He has formed taste buds, has begun growing toe nails, and his sweat glands are starting to develop. (Will he have the family “sweat”gene like Tim & Grayson?) He can move his joints and is busy flexing his arms and legs (which I can feel inside if I really concentrate- but are not strong enough to be felt outside yet.)
How I Feel: Now that I am a full month into my 2nd trimester, I am feeling great! I can stay up late (if I really want to) and I finally feel as if I have gotten a lot of my energy back. I am hungry all the time and have begu to feel “shaky” if I try to skip a snack. I try to surround myself with healthy snacks (fruits and vegetables) because otherwise I’m afraid I will end up being the size of a house by the end! At night, I can often feel the baby moving inside, although I am sure this is only because this in my 2nd pregnancy and so I know what it feels like. I keep waiting for our little boy to get strong enough for Tim and Grayson to feel it too…maybe in a few more weeks. I am officially wearing maternity clothes most of the time even though there are only a few that really fit at this point. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have another little boy in our family. I didn’t mention it to many people, but I did have a feeling that this one was also a boy! I guess I was right!

Doctor’s Appointment: Everything went well at today’s appointment-weight fine, blood pressure normal. I was able to hear the baby’s heart beat- at 156 beats per minute. It took a while to find the heartbeat and then to make matters worse, the little peanut wouldn’t stay still. The nurse was chasing the little booger all over my abdomen with the heart monitor. I also got back the results of all the blood work from the nurse’s visit a couple weeks ago. I was surprised to find that everything was normal. I was expecting low iron levels- since I have chronic anemia and was put on supplements the entire time I was pregnant with Grayson. So yippee! No clog-inducing iron supplements and no monthly blood samples! At my next appointment in January we will do the ultra sound and if the baby cooperates, discover if we are having a girl or boy. Any guesses?

Baby’s Development: At 13 weeks, the average fetus measures almost 3 inches long and weighs about an ounce- about the size of a lime. The baby’s brain, kidney’s intestines, and liver are in place and are beginning to function. Nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in the baby’s brain, synapses are forming furiously. Its face looks unquestionably human: the eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and the ears are right where they should be on the sides of the head. Fingerprints are forming on the pads of it’s fingers, tiny tooth buds have begun to appear on the gums, and some bones have begun to harden.
The most dramatic development is the beginning of reflexes. The baby’s fingers are now beginning to open and close, its toes will curl, its eye muscles will clench, and its mouth will make sucking movements. It will still be another couple of weeks before the movements can be detected.

How I feel: Things are definitely getting better. I haven’t felt nauseous in a while and for the last couple of nights, I haven’t had to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. (Praise the small things, right?) I do not expect this little miracle to last too long. With the help of miralax, I have had no other issues with using the restroom. (Whew!) I continue to feel exhausted and go to bed pretty early at night. Headaches have been few and far between since Thanksgiving. Food aversions have disappeared for the most part- except for Mexican food. For some reason, I think that I want to eat Mexican- but after a couple of bites, I’m over it. As for the bump, it is finally beginning to show. I have been able to disguise it thus far, but am quickly moving toward my maternity pants. I put on the first pair a couple of days ago and felt relieved.

Well, it is official. Tim, Grayson, and I are expecting an addition to our family. Another Baby is on the way! We are very excited and couldn’t wait to share the news. We’ve waited a few months due to a miscarriage this summer- but according to the Doctor we are free to tell everyone now! I am about 9 weeks pregnant and the baby will be due June 17th.
Baby’s Development: The baby is around an inch long, about the size of a grape, and weighs only a fraction of an ounce. We were able to see its’ arms moving and it’s little heart beating (at around 170 beats per second). According to baby development, it has tiny arms and legs with just the smallest of buds for fingers and toes. The head is still very large compared to the rest of the body- but does include fully formed eyes (coverd with eye lids), tiny earlobes, and the smallest indications of a mouth and nose.
How I Feel: The past few months have been challenging. It’s been like walking a tight walk- between wanting to feel excited about the new life growing inside me and yet not wanting to be too attached in case things did not turn out as hoped. I can’t explain the relief I felt this morning when the ultrasound indicated that the baby is doing well and the doctor said that we could start telling people. I guess that we are not completely in the clear for another 3 weeks- so everyone keep your fingers crossed until then.
This pregnancy’s symptoms have been slightly different than when I was pregnant with Grayson. As before, I have been exhausted. Only I can’t take the afternoon naps I loved so much last time. Instead I’ve been going to bed at around 7:45 every night and still do no feel as if I have gotten enough rest. I have had dull headaches especially in the afternoons and have had some serious food aversions. I have no problem eating for breakfast and lunch- but by dinner time nothing sounds good and I always feel on the edge of nausiousness. Something will sound delicious one second but two bites later I feel no desire to continue eating. I have had a few episodes of “night sickness” usually around the time I brush my teeth. Strange I know. Another wierd symptom I had this time around were a series of 5 little bumps that appeared one by one on the pads of my fingers. They were slightly painful- like a splinter- but there was nothing inside them. When I asked the doctor he said that it was most likely due to my progesterone levels. Has anyone ever heard of that before?
According to Grayson: Grayson doesn’t really know what changes are in store. He knows that there is a baby inside “mommy’s tummy” but what does that really mean to a 2.5 year old? Tim of course has already coached him to say “I want baby bover”. I guess we’ll find out in about 10 weeks if his wish comes true!