Friday Baby Thoughts

Today we hit the 26 week mark!  Woot woot!  Nothing special about 26 weeks, but feels like we're getting closer.  Next week, when we hit 27 weeks, we will have made it to the 3rd trimester!  Yay!!  This pregnancy has gone by so fast!!  For the longest time the whole thing didn't feel real.  Then, when we finally did allow ourselves to get excited, we still waited a long time before we told people.  When we finally let the news out that we were pregnant, we were almost halfway done already!  :P  Now we're at 26 weeks and in a little over 3 months we'll have a baby boy in our arms!  Crazy!  Time is certainly flying!!

I'm looking forward to my doctor's appointments coming up.  In a little under 2 weeks I'll see the doctor again on Feb. 12.  This will be my LAST 4 week appointment!!!  After that, as we near the end, my appointments will get closer and closer together.  Beginning at 30 weeks, my doctor likes to see me every 2 weeks until we hit 36 weeks, then he'll see me every week until the end.   Since I'll be 27 weeks (and 5 days) when I see him next, he'll schedule my next appointment for 3 weeks away, so I'll be 30 weeks (and 5 days) when I see him.  Then the 2 week schedule takes effect.  For anyone who's really interested, here's what my doctor schedule should look like for the remainder of the pregnancy:

Feb. 12 - 27w5d
March 5 - 30w5d
March 19 - 32w5d
April 2 - 34w5d
April 16 - 36w5d
April 23 - 37w5d
April 30 - 38w5d
May 7 - 39w5d
(I won't go any farther than the May 7th appointment.  If Connor doesn't arrive by his due date of the 9th, we will give him until Monday, the 12th, and then we will induce)

I may have written this on the blog before, but when Connor will actually decide to come is still a bit of a mystery.  His due date is the 9th, that's based on my last period.  However, I don't think I ovulated until a little later in my cycle, I originally estimated his due date at the 16th.  When we went in for our dating ultrasound in the beginning (and when we saw and measured him again at 10 weeks) he wasn't quite measuring to his due date, but wasn't as far behind as the date I predicted, he was measuring closer to the 12th.  So with all of that info, my doctor decided to leave my due date at the 9th, with the understanding that he may need a few extra days.  By the time we hit our mid-pregnancy ultrasound he had caught up and was measuring right on target with his due date, even bigger than Avery had been at the same gestational age.  So I'm not sure what to think about when he'll arrive...  Anywhere from May 5th to 12th are all reasonable guesses.  :)  I guess we'll just have to wait and see!!  As painful as the contractions of active labor were, I hope he decides to come on his own and that we don't have to be induced.  Either way, in the end I get my healthy baby boy in my arms, so I suppose it doesn't really matter how he gets here, just the means to an end.  ;)

I know today is my pregnancy update day, but I felt like blogging this morning instead of doing my update.  I might do it later today, or maybe in the next couple of days.  Whenever I feel like it.

One thing that will appear on my update later is my cravings, I cannot get enough milk!  And when I'm not drinking milk, I want ice cream.  Mostly I want things that are really cold (ice water hits the spot too), specifically milk and ice cream.  Both of them are sweet too, so maybe that's part of the reason.  I crave a good deal of chocolate too.  ;)  You would think with all these sweet cravings, that I was having a little girl, but that's not the case this time.  Don't worry, I get though, I get plenty of crunchy, salty cravings too.  What I really love is Baked Lays, although Tortilla chips with queso or salsa are good too.  But we don't have either of those here at home.  So what do I end up doing?  Opening up the bag of croutons and eating cheese/garlic salad croutons right from the bag!  Lol!  This is what I'm forced to do in my chip deprived home, lol!  :P

Before I finish up, I want to tell you about all the fun I was having yesterday!!  I got onto Amazon and updated our registry a little for Connor.  I know you're not supposed to registry for the second and subsequent babies, but we're having the opposite gender, so I thought I would at least give people a couple ideas in case they were wanting to get stuff.  We don't need much since we got a lot of gender neutral stuff for Avery for this exact purpose.  There are a few "boy" items that I asked for, and a couple fun onesies, outfits, and clothes.  I had fun looking through the boy stuff and planning for Connor.  Even if no one buys us anything, it's good for me to have a list of the few items I still need.

The other fun thing I was doing yesterday was beginning to plan out 6 year anniversary vacation!!  Normally, I would suggest a big, fun trip for our 5 year anniversary, but this year we'll have a 2 week old baby, so it's not really a good time for a big trip.  Next year, however, we'll have a 1 year old who will just be finishing nursing.  That will be the perfect time for Mommy and Daddy to take a big trip out of town.  ;)  The same way we left Avery for a week with my mom shortly after her first birthday so that we could go to Vegas, we'll do the same thing with Connor so that we can go to a nice warm beach somewhere!  We're looking into a few different places right now, but it's looking like either Puerto Vallarta or Cancun.  If anyone has any suggestions or other ideas, feel free to share!  We're looking for an all-inclusive resort that has a pool and beach access, free room service, and a decent view.  ;)  Can't wait!!  We're going to be saving our pennies for the next year, and hopefully this time next year we'll have the money to book our trip!!!  :D  I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!  Planning on ways to save the money already!!

For those of you who don't know, Michael and I tried to do this once before.  We saved $2000 to go on a nice 7 day cruise.  Then, when it was about time to book our trip, we decided that our money would be better put to use getting a new washer and dryer instead.  *sigh*  Darn that responsible voice in my head!  Anyways, hopefully we'll actually make it to this trip.  I know we'll have a lot of medical bills this year with Connor being born, so hopefully we can save plenty before he gets here.  ;)  We will see.  So if you're wondering what to give us for some gift, all we're asking right now is money for our trip.  :)  Thanks!!

Well, I think that's about all I want to say for now.  Hope you all have a great weekend!  I'm off tonight (YAY!!!!!), but have to work tomorrow 1-close.  Sunday, however, I'm off again!  Looking forward to a full weekend day off with my family and enjoying the Superbowl!  :)  Love you all!  Thanks for keeping up with me on this journey through my second and final pregnancy.  It's a joy to have you along!

Pregnancy Dreams

I have the weirdest dreams when I'm pregnant.  I don't remember any from when I was pregnant with Avery, but I know I've had a least a couple weird ones this time around.  Last night in my dream, Connor arrived early, towards the end of April.  While I really wanted him to be a May baby, I knew him coming in April would save us a lot of money because I have already hit my deductible this year for the miscarriage.  But in my dream I felt very cheated, because they put me under general anesthesia for the delivery (and I had a natural delivery, not even a c-section).  When I fell asleep Michael wasn't there with me (in the dream), nor was he or Connor there when I woke up.  It was very strange.  Occassionally someone would walk by and ask how I was doing, I was up and moving ok, but I never saw my hubby or baby.  Finally Michael came back around and I asked him about the delivery.  He said it went well and that I slept through most of it.  A nurse said she'd go down to the nursery and bring Connor to me, but my dream didn't last long enough to see him.  In part of the dream we were in a high school hallway (or so it seemed) and I was looking for Sis to tell her that Connor had arrived.  When I found her I showed her a piece of paper that had his stats and stuff on it, but I couldn't show her a picture because I hadn't seen him yet.  Weird.

I don't remember much about the other dream I had, other than the fact that he was born at 25 weeks, but already weighed over 4 pounds.  Maybe I wrote that dream down somewhere too.

I think my dream last night was probably interupted by sickness.  I woke up at 1am feeling sick to my stomach.  I never threw up, but I did need to take some Tums (for the heartburn) and Zofran (for the sour stomach).  I sat in the bathroom for a little while, and eventually went back to bed.  I'm still feeling a little sick this morning.  However, hopefully when the babies lay down for their morning nap, I can get one too.  We'll see.  I close again this evening, so a little extra sleep to get me through the evening might not be a bad idea.

Well, that's all I've got for today.  Have a great day!

Rant

I just typed a fairly lengthy rant post, then decided not to publish it, because it was a little pointed.  I often talk before thinking, but I'm working on it.  All that being said, let me sum up my rant to you.  I am an excellent mother.  My daughter is safe and well cared for.  Don't go giving me parenting advise.  If I want it, I'll ask for it. 

Pregnancy Update - 25 Weeks

How far along:  25 weeks

Due date:  May 9th, 2014

Next doctor's appointment:  Feb. 12

Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food:  Zucchini, Rutabaga, or Cauliflower

Our baby in man terms:  A gopher or a child's lunchbox (my usual site was down today, so I had to check a couple of new ones, these were what they gave me for the "man" version of the baby's size).  I love the gopher.  :P 

Total weight gain/loss:  +8.2 lbs (down a little from last week, but still in the healthy range, so nothing to worry about)

News:  Only 15 weeks to go!!  2 weeks away from the 3rd trimester!

Best moments this week:  Keeping the house clean, having energy to cook for my family, having Sunday off to spend with my family, and Dayton and Avery getting along for a little while.  :P

Milestones:  25 weeks down! 

Symptoms:  Fatigue, nausea, heartburn, discomfort when sleeping, and I think I started to notice the dark line going down my stomach, I forgot about this particular symptom, lol

Maternity clothes?  Yup!  Kinda sad that I'll only be able to wear them for a few more months.  They are so comfy!

Stretch marks?  Not from Connor, just Avery marks.  I didn't get stretch marks with Avery until about 34 weeks.  I expect that my skin still has some elasticity yet.  ;)

Belly Button in or out?  In.  I'll be very surprised if it goes out.

Movement:  Lots!  In the morning he kicks at the bed where I'm laying on my side, during the day he kicks, and at night he kicks when I'm winding down and especially when I eat ice cream.  He's a very active little guy!  I expect he will get more and more active as the weeks go by.

Gender:  It's a boy!

Sleep:  I'm tired often, so I wish I could sleep better, but the belly and heartburn are making that more difficult.  As annoying as it is to wake up in the middle of the night, I do enjoy looking at the clock and seeing that I have a couple hours to sleep still.  :)  That's nice.

Food cravings:  This week I would say my only cravings were ice cream, pepsi, and Taco Bell.  I made dinner for us several nights this week.  It felt good to cook for my family.  I wish I had the energy to do it more often.

Food aversions:  Not much this week.  I ate a lot of baked potatoes last week, so they didn't sound appealing this week.

What I miss:  Being able to roll over in bed without having to think about it and making it a whole process.  :P

What I'm loving:  Feeling Connor move, growing bigger, and hearing the doctor say that my weight gain and blood pressure are perfect.

What I'm looking forward to:  Buying a few boy items like clothes, towels, receiving blankets, and baby blankets.  Still haven't really got much specifically for Connor.

Thoughts and feelings about Michael:  Michael went and got me Taco Bell on Tuesday night after he got out of Winds of Worship.  :)  That makes him the best hubby ever.  :D  I post on facebook often about how great he is and how much I love him, that's because he is constantly showing me he cares for me in new ways and I'm blessed all over again by his life as a part of mine.  Did you know we celebrated 7 years together this week?  Pretty amazing!  I'm crazy about him!

Thoughts and feelings about Avery:  I love spending time with Avery when she's the only kid around.  It's amazing how sweet, loving, and adorable she can be!  :)  When Dayton's around she loves to play with him (whether he likes it or not) or she's running from him (because he's trying to take the block, puzzle piece, or car in her hand).  But when he's napping or gone home for the day, Avery is so sweet!  She gives hugs and snuggles, she wants to play with me, have me read her books, or watch movies together.  We don't get many opportunities to have quiet, mother-daughter time like this, so when I have these moments, I really treasure them.  I wish I had more of them.  Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice agreeing to babysit Dayton.  I get so much less uninterupted time with Avery, and as Connor's arrival gets closer, I'm wanting even more time with Avery all alone, because those moments are getting away quickly.  :\  I suppose things aren't bad with Dayton and won't be bad with Connor, they'll just be different.  I hope I can still have some of these moments with my girl when our lives change and her baby brother arrives.  :)

Labor signs:  Nope, just crazy dreams about having Connor (but not the actual labor part).

Goals:  I'd really love to get some stuff for Connor, so maybe my goal for this week will be to get over to Sis and Adam's and look through their baby stuff to pick out a few things.  Then I also need to go through Avery's newborn and 0-3 month clothes, pick out my favorite outfits that I want to keep, and take the rest to kid to kid as trade-ins towards more clothes for Connor.  Big goals for this week... (because I can't leave the house during the day due to not having a carseat for each baby) *sigh*  Maybe my goal should be to get a carseat.  I'm tired of being trapped in the house.

Weekly Wisdom:  Just say what you're feeling, when you're feeling it.  Say it nicely, but share it.  If you bottle it up inside and wait for it to go away, it'll only come out later, and a lot more emotional that it is at the moment.  Just be honest with people.

Cloth Diapers

As most of you know, Michael and I use cloth diapers with Avery.  It was a decision we made long before she arrived, not knowing for sure how we were going to like them or how they were going to fit into our lifestyle, but we gave them a try none the less, and we could not be more pleased!  :)

We tried out 4 different brands of diapers: Alva Babies, Sunbabies, Babycity, and Flips.  Of these 4 types, the Alvas have been my favorite.  The Alvas, Sunbabies, and Babycity diapers are all called AI2 (All in 2) or Pocket Diapers.  This means that that have a waterproof outer shell made of a material called PUL and have an absorbant, fabric inside made of cotton or microfiber.  These 2 layers are sewn together, leaving a pocket between the layers.  In this pocket you can put a microfiber insert (which comes with each diaper) or a cotton prefold (which is thicker and absorbs more).  All of these diapers have snap closures that snap around the waist and around the leg.  This keeps the diaper from leaking from either spot.  My Flip diapers are simply a diaper cover, a waterproof PUL shell that you add prefolds or inserts to the inside of.  I like them for when we have wet diapers because then we can just change the insert without having to change the outer cover.  However, without a pocket to keep it in place, the insert moves around, then, if we have a poopy diaper and it gets on the shell, we have to change the whole thing.

Not sure why I feel like talking about my diapers today, but I do.  :)  Maybe it's because I just ordered new diapers for Connor, or maybe because I was smiling at Avery and how big her bottom is in the cloth diapers, causing her to waddle.  Who knows!  :P

I love my cloth diapers!  I'm very glad that we decided to use them!  I picked cloth to save money.  I knew that a new baby would incur all kinds of expenses, so I wanted to keep the diapering cost low.  I also knew that I'd save more money in the long run be reusing many of the diapers that I've been using for Avery.  I think I've saved a considerable amount, and I'm excited to keep saving as Connor gets here as well.

Now, I won't lie and say that my cloth diapers have been without hiccups.  We've run into a few problems that we've had to work around.  But, we've come out on the other side and I'm still very happy I chose cloth.  One problem I've had is staining.  Before Avery started solids her stools were loose, runny, and bright yellowish.  They sometimes left stains on her diapers.  This made me very disappointed and sad, because I wanted my diapers to stay in pristine condition always.  But, with just a little internet research, I found that "sunning" the diapers, or laying them in direct sunlight, took care of this problem.  I was skeptical, but sure enough, it worked!!  Another major problem we've dealt with in our home is yeast.  Avery has had more than 3 yeast rashes as a result of her cloth diapers.  Each time this happens we switch her to disposables for a week, 2 weeks, or sometimes even a month, use monistat cream on her, wait for it to clear up, and then put her back in cloth.  Well, one time our go to remedy wasn't cutting it and we needed to take her to the doctor for a perscription.  That was when I knew my washing method wasn't effectively getting rid of our yeast problem.  I stripped my diapers, running them through several very hot loads with bleach.  I washed them all several times to ensure that all the yeast or yeast spores were eliminated.  And since she's been back in her cloth diapers, we haven't had a problem!  :)  This is a huge success for us because we've been fighting this particular fight for quite a while.  I'm glad that as frustrated as I was, I didn't give up on my diapers.  :)  Once again, I'm as happy as can be!  :)

Did you know that I had to buy a new, special soap for my diapers?  Did you also know that I have to wash ALL of our clothes in this soap to prevent another soap from building up in my washer and ruining the absorbant effectiveness of my cloth diapers?  The soap seemed expensive when I bought it, but I forgot to take into account that we have a high efficiency washer and that each load would only require 1/8 of a cup of soap.  Do you know how long a 5 gallon bucket of soap lasts when you only use it 1/8 of a cup at a time?!  It lasts a LOOOONG time!!  We've been using the same ($100) bucket of soap since 1 month before Avery was born.  She is now 15 months old.  We've been using the same soap for all washing for our entire home for 16 months now, and I have yet to replace the bucket of soap!  :)  I could not be more pleased!  This makes me happy for my choice in cloth diapers, my choice in soap (thanks for the recommendation, Amy), and my choice to go with a high efficiency washer and dryer.

Michael and I were planning on taking a cruise.  We'd never gone on a nice, big vacation together other than for our honeymoon.  We saved for over a year to raise the money to go on our trip.  Then, around the time we should have been booking our trip, I got to thinking.  We had spent so much time saving, and I'm sure the vacation would have been nice, but what would we have to show for it?  Some pictures, souveniers, and nice memories.  While all of those things are great, they wouldn't get us very far in our day to day lives.  So we decided to buy a washer and dryer instead.  We absolutely love them!  They save our home money on our water and energy bills.  They save us money on soap.  And we use them constantly.  As much as I wish for a nice, warm, beach vacation, the washer and dryer were appropriate buys for us at the time.  :)

This post was probably not highly entertaining to read.  Many of you probably didn't read all of the way through it.  But this was what I felt like blogging about this morning.  :)  I'll try to be more interesting tomorrow.  ;)  Have a great Thursday!

More pictures!

Just a couple grid pictures.  :)  Enjoy!!

24 Week Pictures!!

It's been a while since I posted some belly pictures.  Here are pictures of my 24, 20, 16, 12, 8, and 4 week bellies.  :)  Enjoy!!

24 weeks, K-State t-shirt

20 weeks, gray t-shirt, black yoga pants

16 weeks, gray hoodie, black yoga pants

12 weeks, another gray hoodie, black yoga pants

8 weeks, gray t-shirt, gray sweat pants

4 weeks, black tank top, red shorts

Only 16 more weeks to go!!  I'll try to do a couple of collages to get the pictures side by side.  Maybe a  few from my pregnancy w/ Avery too.  :)

Bouncing Baby Boy! :)

Connor is getting sooo active these days!  Michael has been able to feel him kicking many times.  I feel more, but the placenta may still be keeping some of the movements from getting through to the outside.  He's active first thing in the morning when I'm laying in bed.  He kicks at the side where my stomach is laying in the bed.  He likes when I drink Pepsi, poor kid is probably doomed to be a caffeine addict just like me.  :P  He moves a lot during the day and I feel him really well when I rest my arms on my belly.  Then, he's moving and kicking again at night!  He's not strong enough yet to wake me up or keep me awake from movement.  The things that interupt my sleep the most right now are heartburn and just being uncomfortable.  In the evenings he's especially fiesty!  He'll punch and kick at the same time because I feel two taps and they are in very different areas!  :P  It's so fun watching and feeling him grow.  Now that I can feel his movements on a regular basis, I don't worry nearly as much.  And now that we're passed the 24 week mark I know that he has every chance of surviving.  I just have to be patient and enjoy the rest of the ride.  I'm finding it easier to be patient this time around.  Partly because we already have Avery and she keeps us on our toes.  Also, I know that this will be my last pregnancy, so I'm enjoying it and not wishing it to rush by.  I only have 3.5 more months to enjoy this feeling and experience of growing a baby inside of me.  I need to make the most of it.  :)

Baby Boy

Apparently my blogs have a character limit!!  Wow!!  I never knew that!  Guess I hadn't reached it before!  Crazy!!  Didn't realize I'd written that much!  :P  That being said, this is just a continuation of my previous post, lol!

I have a lot of baby things that are gender neutral.  The nursery is all in green and brown to work for a boy or girl.  I'm glad that the nursery won't need any changes before Connor gets here.  One thing off of my list already!  A few items are more girly, and while I know it doesn't matter, and that Connor will not know if he's in a pink bath sling or a blue one, it matters to me.  I'm sure he'll get plenty of hand-me-down items over the years, I can get him a couple boy-specific things when he's born.  ;)  Another exciting thing is that Sis and Adam have a boy, and boy accessories!  They have agreed to let us borrow as much of Dayton's old stuff as we'd like!  :)  What a blessing!  Even better is that Dayton was born at the beginning of April, and Connor is due at the beginning of May!  So the seasons will line up perfect for Connor to wear some of Dayton's hand-me-downs!  (See, he's getting them already!)  Yay!!  :)

From Sis and Adam we are going to borrow: the boy bathtub sling (so I can take pictures of Connor in the bath and he won't be in a pink sling, lol), a play mat (ours is gender neutral, but Sis and Adam's lights up and plays music, much more stimulating, we would have loved to have borrowed it for Avery, but since they are so close in age, Dayton was still using it), the Bumbo (maybe later, ours is pink), their swing (if Connor likes spending lots of time in the swing and we end up having to change the batteries in ours too often), the floor swing (again, if Connor likes swings), and clothes.  It will be great to be able to borrow lots of stuff and not have to buy a bunch of new stuff!!  Can't wait to dig through the clothes and pick out some cute stuff!

A few things we'll need new for Connor, some personal things for him so that he's not getting everything handed down.  He's a special little guy and the only boy in our family, so he deserves some special things of his own.  However, there's not much that we'll need!  Here are a few boy specific things that Connor could use: hooded towels, receiving blankets, baby blankets, socks, hats, clothes, and (I'd never turn down new) cloth diapers.  ;)  I'm sure we'll need new pacifiers for him, and maybe a few other odds and ends, but for the most part, we have all the stuff we need!  :D  Yay!! 

I know one other thing I'll need to get for myself, not for Connor is a new pump.  I borrowed Sis' pump when I had Avery and used it for a few months until the motor went out.  :(  I read online that that was a problem many other people had had with it.  So I'll need a new one.  I have a manual pump that they give you at the hospital, but it takes FOREVER to use, and doesn't work as well in the middle of the night when you're practically asleep and all you can do is sit up.  I'll be doing some research on double electric pumps.  Hopefully I can find something reasonably priced.  If not, I'm sure the high price would be worth it for a good pump.  I think the pump will be the most expensive new thing that I need.  Other than that, we're set for baby number 2!  :D  Yay!!!

I can't wait for Connor to get here.  I don't have as much to get ready for his arrival as I did with Avery, so instead of getting excited about all the stuff and the anticipation I am simply excited for him.  :)  We're going to have a little boy.  We're going to have a daughter and son and be the perfect family of 4.  :)  I'm so excited!  God has blessed us so very much!  We are looking forward to what more He has in store for us!  It's been a pleasure watching Him tell our fairy tale story before our eyes.  :)

Doctor Update and Random Thoughts

I realize that I said a little of how my doctor's appointment went in my 24 week update, but not all of it.  So I thought I'd blog again this morning and give you all the stats, for those of you who are numbers people like me.  ;)

My weight on the scale at the doctor's office is always different from home because I'm dressed there.  I know that I'm up 9 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight at home.  I don't think that's gone up too much since I saw the doctor a month ago.  This was a pleasant surprise!!  He also said my weight was "great", which made me happy.  I feel like I'm gaining too much too fast, but I suppose every pregnancy is different, and I'm still in the healthy range, just gaining differently than I did in my pregnancy with Avery.

Sidenote: I'm glad that my babies are close together, so that I can still remember a few details from my pregnancy with Avery to compare things to this pregnancy.  I also journaled and blogged when I was pregnant with Avery, so I've got a good written account of how things were going and what all happened.  :)

My blood pressure was good 120/75 (I think that's the right order).  I've never had any trouble with my blood pressure before.  I think the one time I've seen it up kind of high was when I went to the Birthcare Center a week before Avery was born, thinking it was time.  I think I was nervous and excited and that's what put my pressure higher.  Other than that, my blood pressure has always been good and healthy.

Connor's heartrate was 135 bpm during the appointment.  He was also kicking the doppler while the nurse was getting his heartrate.  I'm not sure if she noticed, she didn't say anything, but I could definitely feel it!  :P  He's been so much more active lately!  Or maybe it's not him being more active, it's him growing and me just feeling him better.  :)

Speaking of Connor's activity, he LOVED Date Night and going to see a movie!  I don't know what he liked most, the cheesy fries, the Pepsi, or the loud movie, but he bounced all throughout the movie!  It was so fun!  Michael has been feeling him move a lot lately, which is awesome!  Beth and Alia have also felt him kick.  They each only felt 1 or 2 kicks, so I'm sure there's more in store for them!  ;)  He's still got LOTS of growing to do!

Back to my doctor's appointment...  My doctor finally arrived and we talked about a few things.  I asked about my Rhogam shot and my glucose test.  We scheduled both for my next appointment.  My doctor is very happy with the way things are progressing.  I'm measuring right on time and although originally we were thinking that Connor might come as late at the 16th of May (based on my ovulation dates), he's growing big and fast enough that I think he'll be here right around his due date (May 9th), give or take a few days.  :)

For those who don't know, I get a Rhogam shot because my blood type is A-.  Any woman with a negative blood type has to get 1 or 2 Rhogam shot during/after their pregnancy.  This is because, if my baby has a positive blood type and our blood somehow mixed, my body could see the baby as some sort of virus or infection and fight off or ultimately kill the baby.  You get one Rhogam shot while you're pregnant, then, depending on the baby's blood type, you might get another one after you deliver.  I was fortunate the first time around (not that I really care about shots, they don't bother me) because Avery has A- blood too!  So I didn't need a shot after delivery.  If she had had a positive blood type, I would have gotten a second shot.  This shot helps keep future pregnancies safe and keeps your body from fighting off the baby.  Since we don't know Connor's blood type yet, I get my Rhogam shot at my next appointment in 3 weeks, and then after he's born I may get one more, depending on his blood type.

The glucose test checks for gestational diabetes.  You drink this super sugary drink, then wait an hour, then have your blood drawn to see how you body processes the sugar.  Some women get diabetes while they're pregnant, thus this test is done.  I worried, but was not said to be at risk when I was pregnant with Avery.  Diabetes runs in my dad's family, so it's something I imagine I'll be a little worried about this time around too, but everything else has been going well, so I'll continue to think positive thoughts and hope for the best.  :)

That's about all that happened during our doctor's appointment.  Fairly uneventful.  Our next appointment is February 12th.  We'll be in the 3rd trimest by then!  :D  Yay!!!!!  I am sooo looking forward to meeting Connor!!!

Ok, onto my random thoughts, first, about labor and delivery.  One thing I asked my doctor at our appointment was if I could go to the Birthcare Center for my delivery.  Things went very well at the hospital, but I'd like to have one birth at the Birthcare Center if possible.  My doctor said that my platelets would need to stay above 100,000 to go to there.  During Avery's pregnancy they hovered low, but didn't drop below (and only by 2,000 when they did drop) until the very end.  I'm hopeful that when my blood work comes back after my glucose test, that my platelets are higher or at least not dropping.  134,000 is my starting line for this pregnancy.

I had an epidural with Avery, and have every intention of having one again.  ;)  The contractions hurt waaaaaaay too much for me to have any desire to have a natural birth.  Call me a wimp is you want, but you don't get a trophy for doing in naturally, and I'd rather not put myself through that if I don't have to.  That part of my birth plan will not change.  Apparently some anesthesiologists won't give you an epidural if your platelets are below 100,000.  Pretty sure mine were lower than that with Avery.  So INCREDIBLY thankful that they went ahead and gave me one!!

Who knows if we'll be in labor during the day or night, so I'll pack like I'm going to be awake.  I think I want a season of Big Bang and Gilmore Girls, along with a couple of movies (including the Rocky Horror Picture Show, because they music is so fun!).  :)  I'll also bring games like Settlers and a deck of cards (to play Pitch if we end up with a couple more people there at the Birthcare Center with us).  Then, of course, we'll bring music.  I prefered fast stuff when I was giving birth to Avery and she was born to Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator", which made the doctors and nurses laugh.  I'll update my playlist again for this time around.  We'll see what I'm in the mood for this time around.  ;)

When we were in the hospital with Avery, I rushed us out, eager to get home and watch the KU-KSU football game.  I won't rush us out this time around.  I didn't let myself enjoy being cared for by nurses and given time to recover.  I was anxious to get home and then it was left to Michael to care for me.  This time, we'll spend more time in the Birthcare Center being waited on and getting to know Connor before we head home and do everything ourselves.  :)

I would love to have many friends and family at the Birthcare Center with us to meet Connor the day he's born.  We loved having visitors and showing off Avery when she arrived.  Also, whoever is there when Connor arrives, will probably be in the pictures that Courtney takes, which will be wonderful!  :)  After he's born and we're ready to have visitors, the first person who will get to come see him will be Avery.  Michael will go out to the waiting room and tell everyone that he's here, grab Avery, and bring her back to the room.  Then, after we've had a few minutes to introduce the two of them, we'll let the rest of the family come and meet our little guy.  :)  I hope we'll have lots of people there with us!  Like I said, we really enjoyed our visitors last time!

Before Connor gets here, I'll make plans for how to feed our family when he gets here.  I haven't wanted to cook much since I've been pregnant, but ocassionally I do.  I'll have to capitalize on those moments and get together my freezer meals.  Between freezer meals and meals from friends and family, we survived a good long time after Avery's birth without either of us having to do much to prepare food.  That was a huge blessing!  So if you have some favorit freezer recipes, please pass them on!  I will need them!  I'm so thankful that my parents bought us a deep freeze for Christmas!!  I will make storing food sooooo much easier!!  Our freezer in the kitchen is kind of small, so the deep freeze will be perfect for stocking up on freezer food!

So I've always heard the etiquette says that you are only supposed to have a baby shower for the first baby.  If you do have a party for subsequent pregnancies they are supposed to be low key, informal affairs, without gifts, or with only diapers.  As many of you know, we use cloth diapers, so we don't really need a diaper shower.  ;)  The two reasons I've seen for having a second big blowout shower are if you're having the other gender or if there is a big age gap between your children and you've gotten rid of your baby gear.  Obviously, the later does not apply to us.  When Connor gets here, Avery will only be 19 months old, so we'll have plenty of baby stuff still for him to use.  However, we are having a little boy this time around...  And while I did a LOT of gender neutral stuff when we were pregnant with Avery (for this exact reason) there are a few things that I need for a little boy.  :) 

Alia, my assistant manager at work, wants to throw me a baby shower for Connor.  :)  She wasn't at our store when Avery was born, so she wants to be a part of a shower and to play baby shower games.  :)  I feel so special that she and the other girls at work want to do this for me.  They are all so sweet!  I work with a great group of girls!  No word yet on any actual plans for the shower (I'm still not due for 4 more months!), but I'm looking forward to an opportunity to celebrate Connor's upcoming arrival!  :)

Pregnancy Update - 24 Weeks

How far along: 24 weeks!!  :D

Due date: May 9, 2014

Next doctor's appointment: Feb. 12th

Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food: Grapefruit, Ear of Corn, Canteloupe

Our baby in man terms: Over-inflated football

Total weight gain/loss: +9 lbs

News: We had a doctor's appointment this week, everything looked good!  Connor's heartrate was 135bpm.  He was also kicking the doppler as the nurse was getting his heartrate.  My doctor said that my weight and blood pressure are great!  At our next appointment I'll do my glucose screening for gestational diabetes and get my rhogam shot.  Should be very exciting.  :)  4 more weeks!

Best moments this week: Datenight with my hubby!!  We don't go out very often anymore, but Mama agreed to babysit Avery from the time of our appointment into the evening so we could go see a movie (The Hobbit) for Michael's birthday.  :)  Connor LOVED datenight!  I don't know if it was the Pepsi, the cheese fries, or the loud, action packed, exciting movie, but he was bouncing ALL OVER the place!  :P  It was fun!  I had Michael's hand on my stomach most of the night, constantly moving it around because Connor would kick one direction (not the band) then punch in another!  Like I said, he was all over the place!  :P  We had soooo much fun!!  Thanks, Mama, for watching Avery!  We enjoyed our evening very much!

Milestones: We reached the 24 weeks mark, the age of viability!!  That means that if Connor were to arrive far to early he would have a chance of living at this point.  Each week those chances get better and better!  But of course, as the March of Dimes say, healthy babies are worth the wait, so we are hoping for at least 39 weeks.  :)

Symptoms: Fatigue, heartburn, back aches

Maternity clothes? Yup

Stretch marks? No new ones

Belly Button in or out? In

Movement: Yup

Gender: Boy

Sleep: Oh, my poor sleeping patterns.  :(  Sleeping is getting tougher and tougher.  Rolling around in bed is getting tough too.  I don't remember feeling so large at only 6 months last time, but maybe I was.  I'm tired a lot of days, and I think it's because I'm not sleeping so well.  But then again, this last week I was working a lot, so that could be contributing as well.

Food cravings: Fresh and homemade food, I've been eating a lot of frozen meals and ramen because it's quick and easy while I'm watching the babies and I'm tired of it.

Food aversions: Cooking and processed foods

What I miss: Being able to get right up, instead of rolling out of bed, lol

What I'm loving: Movement!  Connor is a very active boy.  :)

What I'm looking forward to: Meeting my little man!  We are only a few weeks away from the 3rd trimester, that's exciting!  I'm also looking forward to my doctor's appointments getting closer together.  :)

Thoughts and feelings about Michael: I appreciate all of Michael's help around the house, especially with meals.  I have no desire what-so-ever to cook.  Michael takes good care of me.  :)

Thoughts and feelings about Avery: Avery is such a sweet and happy baby.  She has her grumpy moments and days, but so do I.  I love her so very much!  :)

Labor signs: Nope

Goals: Not to be so stressed this week.

Weekly Wisdom: Be happy.  :)

Pictures of Avery!!

It's been a while since I posted pictures on here.  Since some of you who read my blog don't have facebook to see them there, here are some pictures of my beautiful baby girl from the last month.  :)

First, some pictures from just the other day, playing in the bathtub.  Avery got some bath crayons for Christmas from Grandma and Granpa Henrie and she loves them!  I expected them to melt in the bath, but they held up really well!  She had so much fun!!  :D

Next there's a picture of Avery and Dayton going up the stairs.  My doctor told me not to carry both of them at once (50-60lbs), so this is how the babies go up the stairs for nap time.  They really seem to enjoy the freedom of being permitted to climb.  ;)  And I don't have to carry heavy babies up the stairs!  Win-win!!  Going down is not nearly as easy though.

After that I have a few family pictures, our last ones of 2013.  We took a few pictures together before we put Avery down for bed that night.  Those are our family saying goodbye to 2013 and welcoming what 2014 has to offer.  :)

As many of you may know, Avery is sleeping in her big girl toddler bed now!  We'll start napping there next week, so for now it's just for bedtime.  She is doing great!  We waited until just before she turned 15 months old (for safety reasons) to put her in it and haven't looked back!  She's a trooper and doing an amazing job with her bed! 

Next, we have some pictures of Avery, Madison, Harlee, and Gabby out at Glenn and Linda's land.  We went out there while we were visiting for Christmas.  Believe it or not, I think it was the first time Avery's been out there!  The puppies enjoyed going out and checking out all the new smells.  Then, to keep the babies out of the cold, we opened up the back of my car where they and the dogs played a little.  :)

Towards the end I have included pictures from Avery's second annual basketball game!  This year she came to the Troy game.  :)  And while it wasn't perfect, I think she did as good as could be expected from a 1 year old.  :)  Love my little Wildcat fan!!

Last, I have a picture of Avery and Michael.  Now, Michael will probably not be too thrilled that I posted this picture, but he reads our blog so seldom, he may not even notice, lol!  One morning Michael and Avery were laying in bed watching TV and I caught them laying the exact same way, lol!  It was just too cute!  Michael does not post pictures of himself without a shirt on, not because he has anything to be self-conscious about, but because no one really wants to see those kinds of pictures, we see enough of that from others on facebook (not attractive).  But with him and Avery sitting there together, I just couldn't help it.  This pic is a blog exclusive because I won't put it on facebook.  :P

Hope you've enjoyed some recent pics of our family!  We love you and look forward to posting more pictures soon!  :D

Doctor!

Today we see the doctor again at 4:30pm.  Should be a fairly normal appointment.  Today we're at 23 weeks and 5 days.  2 more days until we get to the viability point (which is the age in which the baby has a chance of survival outside the womb).  I don't think this is going to be any sort of an issue, because I've had no signs of pre-term labor or anything, just another one of those little milestones to be excited about hitting.  I think the next little milestone we'll have to look forward to is reaching the 3rd trimester, which is the 27 week mark.  So we'll only have a little over 3 more weeks until we get there.  :)  I believe at our next appointment (4 weeks from today) we'll have our glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes.  I didn't have any issues with gd or this test when I was pregnant with Avery, and my urine dips have always come back without sugar in them, so again, I don't think I'll have any problems with this test or issue.  Beyond the 27 week mark what will we be looking forward to?  Well, at 32 weeks we'll begin seeing the doctor every 2 weeks instead of every 4 weeks!  Hooray!!  That means we're getting close to being finished!!  At 36 weeks we'll see the doctor weekly!  Even better!!  Then, hopefully, sometime around the 40 week mark our little man will make his appearence!!  :D  We'll see where my platelet levels lay in another month.  That could have a great deal of an effect on how the appointments go for the last several weeks of the pregnancy.  With Avery, my platelets were dropping throughout the pregnancy and I had to get regular blood draws.  Hopefully my numbers are a little more stable this time and we don't have to go through as much of that.  All that being said, I requested that I be induced on Avery's due date (because I was mentally and physically done being pregnant), and my doctor agreed to schedule the induction because of my falling platelets.  However, as you may remember, Miss Avery decided on her own timing to enter the world and I went into labor the day before she was due, having her in the morning/afternoon on her due date without having to be induced.  :)  I was glad she came on her own, but would have had no problem being induced.  The same thing goes for Connor.  I want him to come when he's ready, but if he's not here by his due date of the 9th, he has until the 12th to come or I'll schedule another induction.  And as much as I want to have him at the Birthcare Center, if getting him out means going to the hospital, I'll do that.  Although, since my first delivery went well, I think they'll let me go to the Birthcare Center even if I'm induced.  I guess we'll just wait and see.  :)  Only 16 weeks and 2 days left to go!!  Time is flying by!  I'll try to update you more after the appointment, but I'm not sure that there will be much to tell.  :P  Just excited that our boy is growing and we're getting closer every day to meeting him!  :)

Pregnancy Update - 23 Weeks

I almost forgot that we gained another week yesterday until I got on my phone and my pregnancy widget was showing a pomegranite instead of a papaya.  It's kind of funny all the random fruits they use to show you how big your baby is week by week, but I enjoy it.  :)  I like seeing that my baby is growing and having some new fruit to look forward to each week.  :)

How far along: 23 weeks 1 day

Due date: May 9, 2014

Next doctor's appointment: Jan. 15, less than a week away!!

Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food: Pomegranate, Large Mango, or Grapefruit

Our baby in man terms: Over-inflated Football

Total weight gain/loss: +7.6 lbs, nice to see the weight gain leveling out for a moment.  I know I gain a good deal of my weight in the 3rd trimester, so I need the 2nd to stop trying to do me in, lol!  Speaking of which, only 4 more weeks until we hit the 3rd trimester!!  Since we shared ours news it seems like the pregnancy has been going by sooo fast!!

News: Almost to the viability point, only 6 more days!

Best moments this week: Lots of movement!  The anterior placenta doesn't seem to be much of a problem anymore.  :)  Michael and I can both feel Connor moving a lot!  :)

Milestones: We hit 23 weeks!  Baby boy continues to grow!!

Symptoms: Nausea, fatigue, heartburn, and Braxton Hicks

Maternity clothes? Yup, just got some new jeans!!  Love them!!

Stretch marks? Nothing from Connor, just from Avery

Belly Button in or out? In

Movement: Yes!!  Loving every tiny little kick!!

Gender: A wonderful baby boy!!

Sleep: Getting tougher, between the ever growing belly and the cold the last couple days have stunk.  :(

Food cravings: Sweets!  Chocolate everything!

Food aversions: Cooking.  I like eating and most things sound good, but cooking sounds terrible.  :\

What I miss: Wine, especially around the holidays and New Years.  But it's all worth it!  Can't wait to meet our little man!!

What I'm loving: Growing, movement, preparing the nursery, and planning our hospital bags

What I'm looking forward to: Delivery!!  I know, crazy, right!?!  I'm actually looking forward to going to the birthcare center and meeting our little man.  I'm also looking forward to some bonding between Michael, Connor, and I before we go back home to Avery.

Thoughts and feelings about Michael: Michael is always so wonderful to me, here are some of the amazing things he's done, just in the last week: gone to Metro Grill in Waterfront to get me my favorite dish (Pasta Mia) because they don't sell it at the mall anymore, and brought it to me at work, vaccumed the living room, rearranged the furniture, took down the Christmas tree, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, ran a cycle of diapers, and made the bed!  Isn't he awesome?!  All the little things that he does help me out so very much and show me how much he loves and cares about me.  :)  He's so special to me.  I had a mini emotional meltdown earlier this week from feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated by other people in my life, and Michael was comforting me through that time, making sure I was ok.  I love him sooooo much!!!

Thoughts and feelings about Avery: Miss Avery is such a blessing to our lives!  Every time she smiles and giggles it fills my heart with joy!  This week she was particularly interested in her baby dolls.  I would swaddle them into her baby blankets and she would carry them around the house.  I think "baby" is one of her favorite words to say.  :)  She's going to make such a wonderful big sister!!  I can't wait to introduce her to Connor.  She has such a loving and caring heart.  She loves companionship, and I know that a sibling will do her so much good.  :)  It will be amazing to see the ways that she grows and begins to help out more when Connor gets here.  I have BIG hopes and dreams for her!  I love her sooooo much!!

Labor signs: Nope, just Braxton Hicks every now and then, mostly at night and in the early morning.

Goals: Continue working on cleaning the house and finish putting away the Christmas decor before our friends come over for game night a week from tomorrow.  :)

Weekly Wisdom: Make a list.  Lists help me so much in my life.  Whether it be a grocery list to keep me focused at the store or a cleaning list to keep me focused during the week, they are incredibly helpful.  I got a pad of paper for Christmas that has a to-do list and a to-buy list on it.  I intend to write a household cleaning to-do list each week to try to keep myself organized and the house clean.  We'll see how long I keep up with it.  So far I'm liking it a lot, although my first week might have been a little too ambitious.  ;)

Rants and Raves

Some days being a stay at home mom/aunt is the best job there is.  The babies mind and get along with each other, they play and eat all their lunch, everyone is happy and the day runs smoothly.  Yesterday we had so much fun playing in the "fort" (pack and play turned sideways with a blanket over the top.  They went in and out of it for over an hour.  It's still a big hit this morning with Avery.  :)  They also got along well when Avery climbed into the office chair (which was a little high, so she sort of got stuck there) and Dayton pushed and spun the chair, sending Avery into a fit of giggles.  :)  They both ate their peanut butter sandwiches well for lunch, Avery also ate her apple and cereal snack!  Dayton didn't want the snack (even though he loves that cereal), but since he ate the sandwich, I was a happy camper.  Those are the moments I love being home with these two all day.  But there are other moments that aren't so glorious.  :/  Sometimes a baby gets into the nice, new applied stickers on the wall and removes important pieces, only to crush them into the carpet so they'll never be usable again.  Sometimes a baby doesn't want the other baby around him or her and their toy or food and will push or hit to keep their cousin away.  Sometimes a baby is just mad for one reason or another and screams non-stop for 30 minutes or so.  Those moments are not my favorite.  They start or end my day on the wrong foot and they don't make me the fun mom/aunt that I want to be.  I try to be patient, but it runs thin after 30 minutes of screaming.  I try to let things be, but it breaks my heart to have the new decor in Avery's room ruined already.  I try to be firm and educate them that hitting and pushing isn't acceptable, but sometimes I worry that there's a communication gap and that a swift smack to the backside would get the message through a little clearer.  *sigh*  I want to only have the happy moments, but those rough moments seem to creep into so many days to discourage me.  :(  This probably will not get easier with another baby, but I refuse to let the behavior of 2 one year olds dictate the time frame in which I will have children/continue my family.  I'm much more stubborn than the 2 of them are.  So I'm sure this is the way things will continue.  Until they understand more, until they listen better, until they can hear and obey simple commands like "play nicely", "share toys", or "just look", we will continue to have days like this.  It doesn't help that they are raised in 2 different households with different rules, but we're trying and we'll get by.  I'm anxious for Connor to get here and give me a happy distraction from some of these more trying days.  The babies will have to learn even more, then, that they have to share my time and attention, but I'm looking forward to him.  On rough days or moments I don't feel much like cuddling with these 2, I'm excited for Connor's sweet, fleeting infant stage when all he'll want is to cuddle with me and sleep.  I think he'll bring sanity and a little more unconditional loving patience to my days.  If you haven't figured it out yet, today hasn't started so well and I'm sad and frustrated.  I'm trying to look to the positives so I don't overreact towards the babies.  *sigh*  I'm ready for this day to be over already.  :(  Here's hoping things turn around and Grumpy Pants over there gets it together.  Crazy how someone so small can make me feel so crappy.  Keep me in your prayers today.  This Mama needs a mental wellness day and a summer vacation with her only kiddo.  :/  Maybe I'll go get my Christmas massage soon, that could help.  We'll see...  One day at a time...

Relaxing!

I won't post it on facebook, becausd no one else wants to read that.  ;)  But this is my blog, so if you came here and you're stilll reading, then you get what you get.  ;)  I have to admit, I don't think there's anything more relaxing than a nice warm bubble bath with my hubby (ok, maybe a glass of wine with it would have been nice, sigh).  :)  And then it's cold when you get out, and that sucks, but I jump into a warm hoodie and a pair of Michael's sweatpants (because they have a pregnancy forgiving wasteband) and into bed and I'm almost instantly warm again.  :)  It was just a really nice evening with my hubs, and that makes me happy.  :)  I'm pretty crazy about him.  :)  Goodnight, all!!

Bummed. :(

If you've been keeping up with our blog, you know that last week I posted about having a photographer with us during Connor's birth to capture all the precious moments so we can enjoy the birth of our son.  Well I'm still very excited about having her there, but less excited because we have to cut out our maternity photos.  :(  Courtney just posted her new prices for the 2014 season and things have gone up significantly.  I want to continue using her because I know her, trust her, and she's done great work for us in the past.  But the fact is, we can't spend $700 in pictures when we're going to have medical bills to pay as well.  :(  I don't remember exactly, but I think when Avery was born we paid around $250, which included our maternity session, our newborn session, 2 cd's with all the edited prints, and the copyright release to all the pictures.  Now we want to add a birth session and the cost is just too high.  She has now seperated all her sessions, so the maternity and newborn sessions are seperate each with a hefty pricetag, and the birth session is alone as well with a pricetag even bigger than the first two.  *sigh*  We'll pay for the birth and newborn session, and it will be tight, but those are what we 'need'.  (I know we don't actually 'need' any, but we want to try to do for Connor what we did for Avery.  So we're welcoming recommendations for friends and family who like photography and would enjoy taking some maternity photos.  Thanks for listening to my pity party.  :P

Pregnancy Update - 22 Weeks

How far along:  22 weeks, 1 day

Due date:  May 9, 2014

Next doctor's appointment:  Jan. 15

Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food:  Papaya/Spaghetti Squash

Our baby in man terms:  Over-inflated football

Total weight gain/loss:  +7.4 lbs

News:  Not much to report this week.

Best moments this week:  Laying in bed doing kick counts and feeling Connor kicking up a storm!  :)  I'm feeling a lot more of his activity lately and I love it!

Milestones:  Nothing special, we are almost done with month 5, meaning we're only got a little over 4 months to go until we meet our little man!  I should really get his room ready and get all the girl stuff out, lol!

Symptoms:  Heartburn!  Hopefully he'll be born with a full head of hair!  ;)  I'm also stiff and sore in the morning from all the growing that Connor insists on doing in the middle of the night.  :D

Maternity clothes?  Yup, still need some new maternity jeans that don't cut me right in the middle of the belly.  I'll have to use some of my Christmas gift cards!

Stretch marks?  Just from Avery.  ;)

Belly Button in or out?  In

Movement:  Oh yes!  He's moving and shaking now!  Can't wait until we can SEE it from the outside!  ;)

Gender:  We're having a handsome baby BOY!!

Sleep:  I toss and turn a lot these days trying to find a comfortable position.  I also wake up with heartburn, which is no fun.  But overall, sleep isn't too bad yet.

Food cravings:  I want Asian Zing wings from BDubs, Art's and Mary's jalepeño chips, Bunny Tracks ice cream, and Pepsi.  ;)  A warm, creamy, sweet cup of coffee might be nice every now and then too.  ;)

Food aversions:  Not much, just everything we have here at home.  :P  I guess I'm more averted to cooking than anything else.  Luckily I have an amazing husband who helps me out in that area and makes sure that Avery and I have something to eat.

What I miss:  Finding a comfortable spot when I'm sleeping or laying in bed.

What I'm loving:  Movement and quiet time with Connor.  When I'm alone in a quiet place and I start to feel him move, I like to talk to him.  :)  It's fun.  I remember doing the same thing when I was pregnant with Avery.  :)

What I'm looking forward to:  Being able to see his movements from the outside of my stomach, hitting the 3rd trimester, meeting our little man, and having Courtney, our photographer, there for Connor's birth.  :)

Thoughts and feelings about Michael:  Michael is so incredibly wonderful to me, both when I'm pregnant and when I'm not.  He cares for me so dearly.  He gets me food when I'm hungry and rubs my back when I'm sore.  He truly cares about me and he shows it.  I'm absolutely crazy about him!  :)  Did you know we've been in a relationship together for nearly 7 years now?  I can hardly believe it!  I look forward to many more years at his side.

Thoughts and feelings about Avery:  Little Miss Avery is having her moments lately.  ;)  Michael and I joke that she's going through her terrible two's early.  :P  She gets upset easily if she doesn't get what she wants.  I can't tell you how many times I've told her, I'm sorry you feel that way.  I'm sure she's getting incredibly tired of hearing it, lol!  But she's my baby girl and I love her dearly!  This morning she got all cuddly and was giving me lots of hugs!  It was so sweet!  As I said, she's having some moments lately, but I love her soooo much!  She's my big girl and she's turning out amazing!!

Labor signs:  Nope, maybe a few Braxton Hicks, but nothing I can't handle.  ;)

Goals:  Put away the Christmas stuff this week...  We'll see how that goes...

Weekly Wisdom:  Put your best foot, face, and attitude forward.  Even when you're frustrated, tired, or angry, don't take it out on others.  Things may be as you perceive, or they may be something you never saw coming.  Don't be the jerk.

Photographer!

Well, call me crazy, but I decided to let 1 more person into the delivery room when Connor is born, our photographer!  ;)  No, she will not be getting any graphic shots so that we may share the miracle of life with our children.  We fully intend to allow public school to break that news to them.  :P  We will have Courtney, of Zao Photography, in the delivery room with us to capture all the sweet moments when he first arrives.  I know many of you are thinking this is a little crazy, so let me explain.  ;)

First off, yes, I have always been of the thought that if you didn't make the baby, and you're not a medical professional helping to deliver the baby, you have no business in my delivery room.  ;)  I still feel that way.  :P  I don't need any cheerleaders in there with me but my amazing husband, who I hardly let speak anyways.  :)  I certainly don't want anyone but the medical professionals seeing the graphic birth of my child, even my hubby doesn't need those graphic images in his mind, lol.  But I do want our photographer in the room.

You see, I've been trying to enjoy life's moments more lately.  I'm trying to live instead of capturing everything on film (or my camera).  So for Avery's birthday and for Christmas I relied on others to take pictures and get them to me.  I'm still collecting Christmas pictures, but Avery's birthday turned out great without Michael or me behind the camera.  ;)  That didn't keep me from worrying about whether or not we were getting good shots and all the ones I wanted.  So, when I saw Courtney post a recent birth session on facebook, I took a look.

Like I said, the pictures aren't graphic or anything.  In fact, I have most of the same pictures from when Avery was born.  But Michael and I had to take all of those pictures.  So I don't have any pictures of all 3 of us together when she arrived.  (If you have some, I would LOVE digital copies!!!)  So we have decided to eliminate the stress of getting all the right shots, and allow ourselves to enjoy the first moments of our son's life with someone else behind the camera to capture those moments.  :)

I'm excited about this because we'll get some pictures of Michael and I together before Connor arrives that aren't just selfies.  ;)  We'll get some pictures of him holding my hand as we get ready to push.  And she'll be able to capture the looks on our faces when we see our handsome son for the first time.  :)  Those aren't pictures we have from Avery's birth.  I'm looking forward to seeing Connor's birth from that perspective.  Then, she'll capture those moments when we're holding and bonding with him right away.  And more importantly, she'll capture Avery's first reaction to meeting her little brother.  :)  (She'll be in the waiting room with family for the birth, but she'll get to be Connor's first official visitor.)  She'll also capture our first family photos of four.  :)  Then, finally, she'll get the candid shots when our friends and family get to come in and meet our little guy for the first time.  It's going to be great!!

So call me crazy, but I'm going to have someone else in the delivery room with me.  I'm excited that I won't have to worry about getting all the pictures.  I fully trust Courtney to take care of that.  She's taken maternity, newborn, family, and 1 year old photos for us and I haven't been disappointed yet!  :D  If you'd like to see the photo shoot I've been talking about, the one that inspired us, it's on her blog.  Check it out!  :)  I'm sure I'll talk about it more before he gets here, but having made this decision only makes me more excited for Connor's arrival!  :D

http://www.zaophotographyblog.com/archives/2014/01/01/elliana-gracebirth/