Pregnancy, Second Time Around

It's a bit unfair that I didn't keep up with writing about my second pregnancy.  When we were pregnant with Asher, we took tons of pictures and I tracked everything monthly.  Second time around was not quite the same.  But I'll do my best to recap for the sake of having it on record.  It was truly a special time.

Reesey, when we found out we were pregnant with you it was between Christmas and New Year's 2012.  It was not really a surprise but that didn't take away from how excited we were.  We were thrilled to be growing our family again.  In the following months we debated selling the house and finding something bigger.  During that time (first trimester) I don't know if it was the hormones or the stress of the housing decision but my face broke out something terrible!  A red rash all over the lower half.  We didn't know yet the gender but it was jokingly said that you were a girl and that you were "stealing my beauty".   Sure enough, we found out at 20 weeks we were having a girl.  We were over the moon!

If you look close you can see the last of the rash...

Taken at the end of the first trimester, three months pregnant.

Other than that terrible rash in the first trimester and one week about half way through that I had pharyngitis, a double ear infection and an awful cold (I seriously felt like I was going to die), the whole pregnancy was absolutely lovely.  I know many women who would gag at me saying this.  Or roll their eyes.  But I want you to know that growing you in my belly was a sweet, sweet time.  I felt a closeness to you that I can't even describe.  As you grew in my belly I felt like I was already getting to know you and your personality.  I felt like our hearts were connected, not just by sharing my bloodstream but through our souls.

Through the nine months of carrying you, this is what life looked like:

Asher, your brother, had his first trip to the ER, requiring a CAT scan.  A few weeks later, he turned two and we announced we were pregnant with you.  In March we signed a contract to build a house and in April we sold our first home, moving in with Gramps and Grandma Gigi.  The plan was to live there for a couple of months, then with Grammy and Papaw for a couple of months, closing on our new house in September.  Ironically your due date was September 8th and our projected closing date was within days of that.  We were completely insane for doing it.  Leaving our home, packing everything in storage, potty training your brother and pregnant with you, all living like nomads for months.  At this time, your daddy even worked from home - which meant he'd be working in a make-shift set up in our temporary housing.  Not what we were accustom to at all.  And for the family that housed us, they were saints for sharing their space with our craziness.

Taken in May, about six months pregnant.

Over the course of living with family and building a house we had some fabulous highs and some serious lows.  Asher got bigger and more independent.  You and I got bigger and bigger.  Watching the house come together was so exciting yet decisions throughout the building process took over our marriage.  We were missing church and bible study was on summer break.  And in July we got news that your womb buddy, sweet Evan, had ascities and it was a very serious and life threatening situation.  (Your sweet friend is a miracle and you can find out more at raisingfig.blogspot.com) To say that we were brought to our knees in prayer during this season is an understatement.  It was a humbling time and shaped us beyond what we had expected.

Originally we had chosen to live with family during this time because we thought it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for Asher.  Little did we know that it would be just as sweet for us.  Living with our parents allowed us to "go home", back to our roots.  Our relationships with our parents (your grandparents) grew in ways we didn't expect.  I pray that you will get to see and experience the lasting effects of this growth.

Eight months pregnant, right before heading to my Sprinkle.

So all this brings the timeline to late August.  We were scheduled for a csection on Friday, September 6th but I was sure you were coming early.  I was huge and having contractions every night for weeks.  You had dropped in mid August and I was ready for your arrival.  We had also realized by this point that the house wouldn't be done until October.  We were at the mercy of everyone else.  Just waiting...

Mile 25

It has been a long time since I've been here. In a 26.2 mile footrace, mile 25 feels like forever and right now I'm stuck at mile 25. You've trained for months, you're completely invested in finishing what you've started and now you reach a point of potential failure. Self-doubt creeps in. Concern and obsession start to mask themselves in physical form. For me, the only thing that keeps me on track to finish successfully when I reach this point is the psychological willpower I'm able to muster up. And right now I'm losing that battle.

I realize we're only three days past our due date and when I look back on this I'll probably giggle at the dramatic flair I'm demonstrating at the moment but with no finish line in sight it's getting more and more difficult to stay focused. The good news: no woman has stayed pregnant forever. Austin was kind enough to remind me of this today :) I need to also keep in mind that the last .2 miles of this race is labor and delivery. I have yet to meet my biggest challenge!

40 Weeks and Still Pregnant

That's right, we're still pregnant! We had our 40 week appointment today and all looks fine but he remains snuggled up.

We have spent so much time preparing for this little one yet the one thing I didn't prepare for was a late arrival. Physically, it's not that big of a deal. Yes, I'm uncomfortable but I can take it. Psychologically, this is my biggest hurdle by far. For one, I'm READY!! I want to meet this little guy and I actually thought he would be here early...he's teaching me already.

What's worse is my anxiety of being induced. Those who know us, know our approach. We decided to go with a natural childbirth. It's not just opting out of an epidural or other drugs, it's an entire approach to the process. It means allowing things to happen naturally, within reason of course. Currently we are scheduled for an induction on February 2nd, one week after our due date. This is considered a completely normal practice but now that we are faced with the reality, it's got me freaking out a little. I truly believe that your body is ready when it's ready (again, barring medical complications and risks.)

After a great discussion with our doctor today (whom I LOVE!) she is willing to let us go possibly one week beyond our induction date as long as the baby and I remain in healthy condition. This means they'll monitor us and his environment multiple times a week and we'll cut bait if we have to. This, I can live with.

So, needless to say we'll just take one day at a time. Thank you to all of you for your support, prayers and love. While it may feel like time is standing still we know this only temporary!

Yes, folks, I'm still pregnant.

Since the last post was nothing short of a novel, I'll make this quick.

We have hit 39 weeks and yes, we are still pregnant. We're showing signs of progress though. The belly has dropped, I'm partially effaced, and we've had some "practice" contractions but we are fully aware that all this means nothing until he's actually here.

As we anxiously await his arrival, I'll share a pic from this last weekend. Shana and I joked that I look like a snowman in this outfit!

Pregnancy and Its Baggage

I've been informed by some of my mommy friends that as soon as your little bundle of joy is placed in your arms, much of the baggage that pregnancy brings is soon forgotten. Baggage meaning difficulties, discomfort and mishaps. I've been fortunate enough to have had a fairly uneventful pregnancy but I thought I would journal a few of the things I've experienced in case I'd like to reflect later. Moms, feel free to share too. :)

- My pants didn't fit early on thanks to bloating.

- Food. Certain foods didn't sound great in the first trimester. For me it was chicken and roasted vegetables. I did however pick up an affinity for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. To keep things under control I choose to purchase the little cups you can make for yourself in three minutes.

- Emotions. I'm not the typical gal. My motto is "Put your big girl panties on and deal with it." But soon after my belly starting growing, so did my heart. My sister was first to notice and was absolutely tickled to see my softer side. Austin on the other hand had no idea what to do with me at first. I was a bit more whiny and weepy. This seemed to even out over time.

- Frequent bathroom breaks throughout pregnancy. I knew this was standard but had no idea how early it happened!

- Limits. I often failed to remember that physical activity while pregnant can become challenging. Like the time I was around 12 weeks and decided I would wash our outside windows. It was late June and near 100 degrees and right before an afternoon on the lake. Not a good choice!

- The "are you gaining weight or are you pregnant" looks I got from those who knew me but didn't know we were expecting.

- Travel. I travel often for work, (two to three times a month), and did so until almost 30 weeks. While travel already kicked my butt, it was even more of a challenge while growing another human within. In my experience I found:

- Reaching for the space under the seat in front of you is so uncomfortable and sometimes impossible.

- Men who are fathers are usually the ones who offer to help with your luggage.

- Gas, (yes, the lovely air in your digestive track), becomes exponentially worse thanks to cabin pressure.

- You can't get enough water when you fly pregnant and packing snacks is necessary.

- While on the road I finally had a good reason for turning in early.

- My personal favorite, the swelling feet. I have fat feet to begin with but I've always been big on wearing heels, especially for work. Everything changed when I was about 16 weeks in. I was in Chicago for the week and after two full days of being on my feet in heels I found on day three I couldn't even get my heels ON. I felt like a stepsister in Cinderella. I laughed and then caved, wearing my reef flip flops until the swelling went down. It was flats for me from that point forward.

- Heartburn. This one sucks. It typically comes out to play in the middle of the night. One night it was so bad I woke up thinking I was going to be sick. I'm not a medicine taker so I didn't have anything for it in the house. I decided it was bad enough that we had to make a run to the store at 2am. Lovely. Tums have now become my after dinner mint and snack before bed.

- Peeing in a cup every doctor visit. I get it, it's necessary and a standard practice but hasn't someone come up with a better method of collecting this than a DIXIE CUP? After a certain point in the pregnancy it's like a game - I'm aiming blindly to get a "small sample" in this miniature plastic cup that I can't see and then I have to deliver it safely to it's destination, praying the whole time that I won't have to shower when it's all over. I laugh and sweat every time.

- A visit to the cardiologist. Around 26 weeks I started to experience a light-headed and nauseous feeling in the mornings and wasn't sure exactly what was causing it. Not enough protein? Was my blood pressure bottoming out? Was my little munchkin sitting on a nerve? Driving to a branch one morning it got so bad I almost passed out. I quickly pulled over, laid myself in the backseat and tried to keep myself calm. In the end it earned me a trip to cardiologist, 48 hours of wearing a heart monitor (to which they found nothing significant) and instructions to stop running. I still get the sensation almost every morning but it's manageable now and I think it comes from not eating all night then my blood sugar spiking thanks to breakfast.

- Frequently rolling over in the middle of the night. Moving from one side to the other after being stationary for a couple of hours takes time and muscle. I feel like a plump chicken roasting on an open fire every time I attempt this.

- Snoring. This one's for Austin. I don't typically snore but apparently this is something I've picked up in the last trimester and I can saw some serious logs. Some nights are worse than others and Austin and I are both hoping that this is only temporary.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed my rant. I'm sure I've missed something but it was fun to reflect.

Getting closer...

As of today we are at 37 weeks! We went to the doctor and the doctor said...all looks good. Growth is on track, heartbeat sounds good and we're seeing progress as we move closer to our due date, the 25th.

This little guy isn't so little anymore. He's got to be close to six pounds or a little over, although he moves around like he's still a little bean. I swear he thinks he's suppose to exit out my right side, using his feet to break free.

He remains head down for most of the day, loves it when I eat and gets the hiccups once in the morning and once at night. He's actually hiccuping as I type!

This week we are putting the finishing touches on the nursery, reviewing our birth plan (no drugs = coaching sessions with Austin, practicing, etc.) and getting back to work now that the holidays are over. We are blessed.

Week 34 Update

It's been a few weeks since I've added belly pics. See the slide show to the right for weeks 31 and 34. Amazing what wearing white does - I look bigger in picture of week 31!!

We had our 34 week appointment last Tuesday and all is well. Hearts sounds healthy and growth is on track. After our next appointment (December 30th) we'll be down to four weeks, visiting the doctor every week until he's here! Which brings me to my biggest reality-check so far. This last visit my doctor said 34 weeks is one of the big milestones in pregnancy. From here on out, if we go into to labor THEY WILL NOT STOP US!!! That means, he could be here at anytime. My friend Meagan and I have our money on this little one arriving two weeks early ;) And no, we still haven't decided on a name...but we're close.

In other news: clothes are washed and ready, we have a few select items to purchase this afternoon and the nursery is near complete! Sorry folks, no pictures yet. We have fabric to sew (or Callie does, rather - you are the best Calbryn!), art work to hang and a glider to be delivered. We'll showcase it soon - I promise!

28 Weeks - 3D/4D

We had our 28 week appointment this last Friday and were able to schedule the 3D/4D ultrasound at the same time. What an experience!! We are so in love (as though we weren't already!) For 15 whole minutes we got to see our little man in action. Here are some pictures.

Who would you say he looks like? :)

He's high-kicking here...

And this one...well, the technician said she has NEVER had this happen before! :) The whole office thought it was a riot! And Austin, proud papa, was beaming.

It was a blessing to be able to see him. Everything that happens in the womb is such a mystery but was a chance at a peek into his world, to see his features and movement and that was just darn right cool!

The regular appointment went well - healthy and right on track. We couldn't ask for more.

I'm A Mummy

No, not a mommy yet, just a mummy. This is how I prepare for a "walk-jog", which is what I'm down to these days. No more than three miles and I usually start out walking. Before I begin I wrap my belly in two ace bandages. This helps support the growing bump. Kinda looks like the making of a mummy. Appropriate for Halloween, I would say. :)

Where did I get this idea, you may ask? One of my doctors said his wife does it so I thought I would try it. Works great! Although I think I need to add another bandage to the mix...

24 Weeks and Growing

We are GROWING! This last Monday our baby boy and I went to the doctor for our 24 week check-up. All looks good and here are some stats:

- His heartbeat - 138 bpm

- He's about a 1 lb and 1/3

- He's about 12 inches in length

- Mom's blood pressure is 116/63

- Mom's weight is on target - 15 lbs so far!

See, I told you we were growing. The belly is stretching like crazy. Getting up off the ground has become more challenging. I'm still running a little but I'm super slow and I don't go very far (Mom can attest to this!) I'm happy to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather we're having though.

Sleep has become a little more interesting these days. Aside from getting up a few times during the night (due to the call from nature and late night parties going on in my belly) I find I need an extra pillow to keep me stable and level. Without it I wake up with some serious back pain! And rolling over makes me giggle...I'm soooo sloooow.

Our little man is still very active, moving all the time. Austin's even been able to feel a few kicks and punches. We are really enjoying the journey!

Week 20 - Half Way There

We had our fourth official OB appointment today and learned a little more about our baby. So far we know:

- The heartbeat is approximately 142 beats per minute.

- All organs seem to be in working order.

- All measurements are right on track for healthy growth.

- Due date is still January 25th.

- He weighs about 13 oz.

- And that's right, I said HE! Today was the big day. We learned we having a son!

Some other comments made by the nurse during our sono - he's looking healthy, growing at a good pace, is very cute and very very VERY active! Over the last week I've been feeling the little one shift around quite a bit and I thought it was just because he was getting bigger...apparently he was on the move today, hardly sitting still long enough to take pictures of him. But we managed to get few. Here they are:

The profile pic...can you see the smile?

Little feet...

In this one he's sort of waving. He's still really small and developing so it's kind of a weird picture.

And...confirmation that's it's a boy. The nurse said there was no question.

We can't wait to meet this little one. To see his face, hold him tight, snuggle him lots and watch him grow. Everyone keeps telling us that the next four months will fly by but for some reason I feel like they can't come fast enough.

In the meantime we'll continue to pray for good health and that God may watch over our growing family. To keep ourselves busy I suppose we'll decorate the nursery and read a few books. Oh yeah - and pick out a name!

Marathoning to Mommyhood

It wasn't until my cousin Chris asked me: "Is it weird not training for a marathon this summer?" that reality sunk in. Life has changed. Not that it will but that it has.

Austin and I were thrilled to find out in May that we would be expecting our first little one in January of 2011. I was even more thrilled to find out that, God-willing, we are scheduled to received this precious gift exactly a week after I turn 30 - how great is that?! Our focus immediately turned to excitement, doctor's appointments, and telling our family and friends. But when Chris asked me that very simple yet very critical question, my heart skipped a beat.

For the last four years I've trained for a marathon. The last four summer and fall seasons I've pushed my limits, sweat my tail off and tried my hand at 26.2 miles, crossing the finish line three out of the four years. Now I was almost half way through July (what would be a quarter of the way through my training program) and I hadn't thought about how much I missed training once. - Yes, I said "missed" the grueling training. I realize I'm a sick, sick person.

It's not that I haven't run since we found out or that I won't run a marathon again, it's that my focus has completely shifted without me even realizing it. Life has changed. This baby reminds me daily that I currently have limits. Sharing my body with someone else, I don't make a move a without knowing that it will have consequences.

So to answer the question: not training for a marathon this year is a little weird but I'm training for something else at the moment and I like it. I actually love it and can't wait to cross this finish line so I actually start the real race.