Come on Connor! We're ready whenever you are!! :D So I have been saying since we started getting close to the end, that I want him to wait until May to get here. Well, today is the last day of April, and since I haven't had any contractions to speak of since Monday, I think it's safe to say that we'll be having a May baby. :D Hooray!! So excited to meet him!! We have another doctor's appointment today. Hopefully the couple of contractions that I had on Monday did some work and I'm more dilated and effaced this week. I also feel like I can breathe better, so I'm feeling confident that he's moving down in my pelvis more. That being said, it doesn't feel much different from last week, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was still in the -2 position. We'll see though. We'll know more by the end of the day today. :) I'm going to ask my doctor for a membrane sweep today and hopefully that will get my labor going and we'll have a baby this weekend. ;) But, it didn't work when I was pregnant with Avery, so I'm not going to hold my breath on that one, lol. We have 9 days left until our due date. I'm also going to talk to my doctor today about scheduling my induction. I don't want to wait too long and find out that there are no spots and end up having to wait longer. The plan is, if he doesn't choose to come by his due date, he will be evicted that day. ;) If that date is available for an induction, then we'll have 9 days of less until he gets here! It's good to have a firm end date in sight. I'm soooo excited to meet our little guy! Sorry I don't say anything new in any of these posts, it's just the same old thing day after day, lol. I'll have more news tonight. Until then, I'm off to clean! Hoping that a little exertion will get my labor going. ;) Wish me luck! 9 days, or less! :D
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Mommy Brag Moment!
Ok, I'm sure my friends on facebook get tired of hearing me brag about Avery and how awesome she is, so I'll do it here today. ;) Every now and then Michael looks up the developmental milestones and sends me a text saying how Avery is doing. Well, I was so impressed this morning that she knew all of her animals in her Brown Bear, Brown Bear book, that I began to wonder, how many words does she know? So I got out one of my apps and began listing all the words Avery can say. Now, some of them aren't completely clear, but she'll use the same word for an object, it sounds kind of like the word, and Michael and I know what she's trying to say (among others who see her on a fairly regular basis), so I counted it. Now, I may have missed a few, but from what I can tell, Avery has approximately 110 words that she can say. :D I'm pretty stinkin' happy with that! ;) She understands a lot more, and every day she's trying to say more, but it's a slow process. So I looked it up online to see around where she ranks as far as her milestone development... And for the 18-24 month range (she'll be 19 months in a week) they are expected to have 20-50 words that they can say!!! WHAT!!??!??! Avery has more than double the words she's supposed to have by the time she's two?!?!?!? No way!!!!! Crazy!! I am one SUPER proud Mommy!!! :D But then again, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, she's always been a big talker, lol. ;) So then, of course, I have to report my findings to Michael. And he does what he does and checks into the develpmental milestones again, and wouldn't you know it, Avery has mastered almost ALL of the milestones that she's expected to have down by the time she's two!! :D Yup, that's right! My kid is a rockstar!! ;) I should actually be giving her Daddy the credit, as he's the one with the "gifted" smart genes that I'm sure he passed on to her. ;) I can only give her the "try hard" smart genes, lol. :P Here are the 18-24 month milestones that Parents.com has and how Avery's doing on each of them....
Toddler Milestones: 18-24 Months
Watch for these milestones to occur between 18-24 months.
Self-Feeding - Yup, she's been doing this for a while. Very independent.
Dances with Music - Yup! She does her nerdy little Voss dance with her thumbs up and what we call her "happy feet". We should dance more often though. ;)
Understands but Might Not Follow Instructions - Definitely. She understands so much! Many times she'll follow directions too, but she does have an ornery side and won't follow them all the time. ;)
Stop Putting Objects in Mouth and Identify Body Parts - Not quite and yes! She still likes to stick things in her mouth, but she's getting better. As for body parts, she knows: head, hair, ear, eye, nose, mouth, teeth, cheek, shoulder, arm, hand, belly button, leg, knee, feet, and toes. She can also SAY most of those body parts as well. :D
Likes Helping Mom - Yes! We noticed her doing this again just the other day! She was rubbing her hands on the carpet like I was to clean up the dirty spots. She also loves to grab a wet washcloth and wipe off everything. She would use the broom as well if it weren't so tall. She even helps me clean up her toys and room sometimes. :)
"Reads" On Her Own - Yup, she's been doing this for months. She loves books. She also loves for us to read to her and is constantly bringing her books to us.
Knows Wrong from Right - Yup, especially when I ask her to sit, tell her to put something down, or start counting when she doesn't follow directions immediately. Oh, she knows. Little turd. :P
Bedtime Battles - Not so much at night, but naps can be a stuggle. However, in the battle of wills, Mommy's determination and Avery's sleepiness almost always win out. ;)
Linking 2 Words - Yup, mostly with no and bye bye. "No Harlee" when Harlee is barking or whining, or "Bye bye, Daddy" when Daddy leaves for work. :) I think we'll hear a lot more sentences soon!
Can Throw a Ball - And all sorts of other stuff too! I try to keep her and Dayton only throwing soft things like pillows, but they both definitely throw well!
Undress by Herself - Yup. Not only will she undress herself (unless she's in zip up footie pj's), but she'll take her diaper off and poop on the floor. *sigh* She has been undressing herself for months also.
Speak Well Enough to be Understood - We understand a lot more than other people do, but I noticed just a couple of days ago that the rest of the family understands a lot of what she says too! Yay!! :D
Walk Up Stairs - More of a climb than walk at this point, but yes, she can get up the stairs just fine, and in a hurry. ;)
Start Brushing Teeth by Self - We must have started letting her do things way earlier than people suggest. She's been doing this for months too. Still needs help to make sure she does a good job, but she is more than happy to brush her teeth any time. ;)
Identify People/Objects in Pictures - Oh yeah! She identifies all the people she sees often in pictures, especially Michael, Dayton, and me. And as far as objects, she points out TONS of stuff in her books! It's one of our favorite games! "What's that?" "Who's this?"
Can Walk Down Stairs - Yup. She's doing this with no help now. *sigh* Does very well holding onto a rail to steady herself.
Object Permanence - Yup! Love's to play games like this with Daddy. ;)
Understands Prepositions - Haven't done a whole lot with under, over, up, or down, I think she's got some idea of this one.
Starts "Mine" Routine With Objects - She doesn't say "mine" yet, but she is possessive about some things.
Starts Showing Shyness Towards New People - Not too much, but she is showing this somewhat. She mostly just stares at people she doesn't know, lol.
Stacks Blocks - Our blocks are wooden, so we don't play with them too often because sometimes they get thrown, but she CAN stack. ;)
Wants Attention All the Time - Yup, a lot of the time anyway. This could be more problematic, come brother time. :P
Loves Interactive Games - Yes! Especially with Daddy! They have sooo much fun together!
Identifies Likes and Dislikes - Eh, she likes certain things, but she's not uber enthusiastic about too much. ;) Maybe Tinkerbell...
Names Body Parts - Haven't we been over this one? Yes, she's great with body parts. :)
Responds to Simple Questions - Yes, mostly with the word no. :P But she has recently begun to say yes. She's also good at indicating what she wants to eat or drink. She answers well when I say, "What's that" or "Where's (insert person's name)".
Notices Gender Differences - She can say boy and girl and identify them in books, but that's about it on this one. She has to have a couple areas to improve, right? ;)
Talks About Self - Haven't noticed much of this one yet.
Needless to say, I'm impressed and very proud of my baby girl! :D That's the end of my Mommy Brag Moment. ;) So happy for my angel! :)
Waiting for Naptime
The babies have been good the last couple of days. :) That's been a relief because I need the rest. Even with their good behavior, though, I'm anxious for naptime! :P Because I need a nap too! Many days I just "rest" during their naptime. I play on my phone or watch tv, take a shower or eat some lunch. Some days I get an energy boost and actually clean, but not too often. :P But as the end of our pregnancy draws near, I find myself just wanting to sleep more. ;) I don't take a nap every day, but maybe once every 2 or 3 days I do. It's nice and I do feel refreshed, but at the same time I wonder if I should have been cleaning. :\ Oh well. At this point I can only do so much. So today I'm waiting for naptime because I really want to sleep, not because the babies are driving me up a wall. ;)
10 Days to Go!!
Today is our last day in double digits!! Connor will be here in 10 days or less! Yay!! :D We are sooooo excited to meet him!! I'm still thinking that he's going to come early, and sadly, I think it will be before my week of rest. *sigh* Last night I had a few contractions that even got a little painful. However, they weren't happening consistantly enough to be anywhere close to actual labor. Maybe if this was my first baby I'd go in and have things checked out, but this isn't my first rodeo. ;) So I know better than to make extra (costly) trips to the hospital before it's actually time to go. :P I'm sure we'll be there soon enough. ;) Today I'm going back in to the doctor's office to get my blood drawn again. Last week my platelets were at 95,000. I'm hoping they'll be back over 100,000 today. We'll find out tomorrow at our doctor's appointment. :) Last night I was looking at my blogs from when Avery was born, and my platelets bottomed out that night at 94,000. This number was still fine for the anesthesiologist and she gave me the epidural. That's all I'm hoping for this week is that it's high enough for the epidural. Sure, I'd love to go to the Birthcare Center, but the epidural is more important, lol! Don't want to miss that!!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Maternity Photos!!!
I finally checked the mail, and our maternity photos were waiting for us there! :D I'm going to keep the post to a minimum. ;) Enjoy the pictures!! :)
I may make it a few different posts, just to make sure they all upload.
11 Days!
The countdown continues! Each morning I wake up knowing we're one step and one day closer to meeting our son! What an exciting feeling! :D This morning as I was laying in bed I wasn't feeling so huge. I wasn't sore, and Connor wasn't kicking me in the ribs or bladder and making me uncomfortable. This morning I didn't feel like I was 9 months pregnant. ;) I felt like this for a moment yesterday morning too. It was on our way to church. I was able to breathe okay, I wasn't feeling like a beached whale, Connor's knees weren't wedged into my ribs, and for a moment, I forgot I was pregnant. All the discomforts melted away for a moment and I got a glimpse of what life was like before I was pregnant again. :) Now throughout the course of the day, even moments after talking to Michael about this, I was reminded again of my size and my ever-growing baby, but for a split second I forgot. ;) The same thing happened this morning. Eventually, I had to get out of bed today, and I had to roll myself to get out, lol. Maybe these feelings are a sign that the end is near. No telling. I suppose we'll find out more on Wednesday when we see the doctor again.
As much as I would like for things to have moved and changed, giving me hope that the end is getting closer, I don't feel like things have changed much since last week. Connor is still up in my ribs, making me think he's not moving down any more. And I haven't had many contractions this week to help my dilation and effacement advance. We'll wait and see in a couple days, but I'm not holding my breath for huge changes. *sigh* Just one more way God is teaching me patience, despite my best effort to avoid it. ;) 9 months of patience is about all I can handle, lol!
In order to keep things moving, I'm going to ask my doctor to do a membrane sweep on Wednesday when I see him. I had this done twice when I was pregnant with Avery, and it did little to nothing to advance or jumpstart my labor. That being said, I'm ready to meet Connor and I'm ready to give something else a try because he seems way too comfy in there. ;) A membrane sweep is where my doctor will seperate the amniotic sac from the cervix. The idea is to prompt the release of hormones that will cause me to go into labor. I know if you've been following along throughout the pregnancy you'll know that I want Connor to wait until May to get here. Well, May will be here on Thursday! So the way I figure it, if the membrane sweep works and puts me into labor (even instantly) I'll still have to wait a while before I can deliver, which is going to put Connor's arrival on Thursday, and in May! Now, I don't actually think it's going to work that fast, but I'm hoping that maybe by Friday or Saturday, he'll be here. ;) The only downside to him potentially coming early like that is that I won't get my week off without the babies... But if I think the end is coming, I might ask my mom to take them a day or two early... We'll just have to wait and see! ;)
As I mentioned earlier, the countdown is getting lower every day! I'm soooo excited! Here's what's happened and how my countdowns have changed since my last "countdown" post. (And if you haven't read my countdown post, go read it, especially at the bottom where I'm asking people to guess Connor's weight, height, and birthdate.) ;)
I'm done with work at Beldens! One of my countdowns has expired! I finished up my last week at Beldens and am now officially on maternity leave from the jewelry store until July! I'm looking forward to two glorious months without work to enjoy with my family! I'm also looking forward to some much needed rest! As nice as it is to be done with Beldens, the real area where I need a break is the daily grind of watching a one and two year old. Which leads me to my next countdown...
4 more days until I have a break from Avery and Dayton! I cannot thank my mom enough for being willing to watch Avery and Dayton the week before Connor is due! Like I mentioned earlier, I might not end up getting this week off if Connor comes a week early. However, if he does decide to stay inside and comfy until his due date, I know I'll enjoy a quiet and peaceful week to myself before he arrives. Now, of course, I'll have the weekend to get through as well, so I guess you could technically call it 6 days until my break from the older kiddos, but over the weekend I'll only have Avery and Michael will be home to help me, so it's not nearly as difficult and exhausting over the weekend. But then again, who knows? Maybe we'll be in the hospital with our baby boy this weekend....
2 days until my next doctor's appointment! Like I've said many times before, I LOVE having weekly appointments! It signals that the end is near, and I get a weekly update on my little boy and how things are progressing towards his entry into the world. :) I'm hoping that my platelets get back up over 100,000 so I can go to the Birthcare Center, but I'm not holding my breath. In my previous experience, once my platelets go down, they don't have a tendency to go back up more than 1,000-2,000. But I know that even if I do end up at the hospital, I will be well cared for. :)
11 days until Connor is due! Ultimately, this is my final countdown. Although we haven't scheduled my induction yet, Michael and I are planning to discuss it with my doctor this week. Thanks to my falling platelet count, my doctor doesn't require me to stick with it until my labor kicks in. The longer I wait, the more my platelets could drop, so in an attempt to prevent complications and interventions, my doctor will induce my labor if Connor hasn't arrived by his due date. :) The end is in sight! I'm soooooo excited!!
26 days until Connor's Welcome Home Party! On May 24th we're having a party the celebrate Connor and welcome him to the world. This will be an opportunity for friends and family to come over, eat, visit, and hold our new baby (if Michael will allow it). It will give Michael and me a chance to socialize and show off our awesome new baby! :) It is during Memorial Day weekend, so we know that some people will already have plans (my grandparents have already said they won't be there), but we hope many people will join us, especially if you don't have other plans. :)
Finally, 3 months, 1 week, and 3 days until Tugfest! One of my favorite times of the year! I'll only be back at Beldens for about a month when I'll leave again for a short vacation. This year will be QUITE a trip! We will have a 3 month old and a 22 month old with us! It will definitely be a different experience than it's been in years passed! But I couldn't be looking forward to it more! This will be our first Tugfest as a family of 4 and my seventh Tugfest to go to and visit Michael's family. :) I just love it! I hope Connor and Avery will enjoy going as much as Michael and I do each year. :)
Well, that's about all that I'm counting down until at the moment. Life is so very busy right now! Most importantly, I'm looking forward to meeting my little man. :) It won't be long now. :)
Sunday, April 27, 2014
12 Days
Can you believe Connor is going to be here so soon?!?! Ahhhh!!!!! :D It's crazy!! :) Yesterday was my last day of work, which is refreshing. I'm looking forward to plenty of time with Michael and Avery to enjoy our last few days as a family of 3. I'm also looking forward to some extra rest. Finally, I'm looking forward to having my weekends available to spend with Michael. :) I'll have 9-10 weeks off, depending on when Danielle puts me back on the schedule in July. She'll probably ask me closer to my return date which week I'd like to come back and we'll go from there. Between now and whatever date Connor chooses to arrive on, there's not too much that I need to get done. The bags are packed and almost everything is in the car. The house is pretty clean, but I need to make sure it stays that way (coming home to a dirty house after having a baby would be the WORST). I've got plenty of food in the freezer thanks to my mom who's been a cooking and baking fiend the last several weeks. ;) Overall, I think we're ready to go! :D I'm sooooooooo excited! Like I've been saying for a while now, this is our last pregnancy, so I'm trying to take it all in and enjoy it while I can, I know there are many things I'll miss. However, with Connor's arrival less than 2 weeks away it's hard not to wish for the end. I can't wait to meet our little man! Our lives are going to change and be different, but I know Connor is going to add so much to our family! :) YAY!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!! Then, shortly after he gets here, we'll have a party to celebrate our little boy and an opportunity for everyone (who hasn't yet) to meet him (or just see him again)! :) So mark your calendars for the evening of May 24th. That will be the date of Connor's welcome home party! :) I hope a lot of people will be able to join us! But all in all, I know the important ones will be there, because the important people make time and effort for the ones the love and care about. :) More good news, Michael told Rosie that he was going to take a few weeks off from playing at church, so he doesn't have to be there super early anymore! That means the whole family gets to go to church together on Sunday mornings. :) It's the little things in life. ;) Speaking of which, I should probably get up and around so I can get myself and the rest of my family ready for our day. :) Love you all very much! Stay tuned for more updates as Connor's arrival rapidly approaches! :D I'm having more contractions all the time, so I know my body is gearing up and getting ready, but nothing yet to indicate that the moment is here... But it will be soon! :D I'll update again soon! Have a blessed Sunday! :)
Saturday, April 26, 2014
A Letter to My Son
Hey Little Guy,
The time is getting close and we'll be meeting you soon! I cannot tell you how excited we are to finally have you in our arms! You have been so anxiously anticipated and planned for. We can't wait for you to get here and join our family! In less than two weeks you'll be here and our family will finally be complete. I can't wait!
Connor, you are so dearly loved already, before we've even seen your face. We've been planning for your arrival for months now and have been talking about how life is going to change with you being here. Even before your sister was born, we were making plans for you, when you'd arrive, how old your sister would be when you got here, where you'd sleep, and how you'd change our lives. :) I have prayed more during this time that I've been carrying you than I think I have any other time in my life. I was scared to lose you. But you've been a rockstar from the beginning. At only 10 weeks developed you were bouncing, moving, and wiggling inside of me, even though I couldn't feel it yet. I don't think you've stopped moving since that day! ;) Even now with your due date rapidly approaching you are a constant ball of wiggles! I can't wait to see how that translates into your lovely and possibly ornery personality. :D
When you get here you'll finally meet your Daddy and me. I'm sure you've heard us talking to and about you the last several months. We've prepared your room and the house, but we're planning so much more for you! Daddy is so excited to have a little boy to do "guy stuff" with. He's excited to teach you about history and superheroes and music and to turn you into a nerd, just like him! :P It might not sound all that appealing, but Daddy is one of the good men in this world, so you'll do well to listen to him and take his advise. :) Don't worry, he likes K-State football and basketball too. I'm sure you'll develop a love for them as well. You can hardly be a member of this family and not develop some deep purple blood. ;) As for me, I'm excited to cherish your tiny days. Your sister has grown up so fast, I'm looking forward to many snuggles and cuddles while your still little and can't get away. I'm anxious to watch you grow and see how raising a boy is different from raising a girl. I can't wait to see you playing high school football or marching with the band. I can't wait to attend your musical or forensics meet. You can do anything you want, my sweet boy, and your Daddy and I will be right here cheering you on!
As you may have noticed, there's another family member you'll be joining when you get here. You have a sister. Her name is Avery. She'll be a little over a year and a half old when you get here. She doesn't really understand yet that you're coming. She does know that you're a baby and that you're in my tummy. She can't say your name yet, but she's working on "brother" and "bubba". :) No telling, yet, what will stick when you get here. I know she's going to love playing with you and sharing her things with you. It will probably take her a little bit to realize that you can't play right when you get here. I hope she'll patiently wait for you to grow into her lifelong playmate. My prayer for you and Avery is that you'll be lifelong friends. I pray that you develop a bond that no one can break. And when life gets tough, I pray that you and your sister will lean on each other and keep each other strong. Because no one else will know you quite as well as you will know each other. :)
Finally, my most important prayer for you, sweet Connor, is that you'll grow to know the Lord, Jesus Christ, as your personal savior. No relationship in this world is more important than that one. I pray that you find the Lord at and early age and that you cling tightly to His side all the days of your life. As much as we, your earthly family, will try to hold you up, we are human too. We can and will stumble, and I pray that you seek the Lord in all your trials, but as well as your rejoicing. I wish you were coming into a perfect world, but this place is far from it. However, with Jesus as your Savior, you'll know that perfect paradise is waiting for you.
Even now as I prepare for your birth, I can see your life flashing before my eyes, it's all going to go by so fast. Someday soon you'll be a newborn baby in my arms, only minutes old. Then, all too soon, you'll be walking and talking. You and Avery will be inseperable, partners in crime. And although at times you'll drive your Daddy and me crazy, we'll love your spunk and spirit. Not long after that you'll get busy with activities; sports, music, summer camp, we'll be driving you everywhere and I'll begrudgingly have to get you a cell phone. Then, the days of me hauling you around will be over because you'll get your first car and I'm sure my hair will turn gray the moment your Daddy hands you the keys, stay safe my sweet son. Then, it will be off to college (hopefully K-State, but we'd love you even if you became a Jayhawk), and I know I'll cry all the way home when we leave you. Eventually you'll find someone special and bring her home to meet us. I pray she means as much to you as your Daddy does to me. It is a true joy to marry your best friend. Again, expect plenty of waterworks from me on that day.
You have a big life ahead of you, Connor Michael. I can't wait to see the man you'll become. Please know that no matter what happens, I love you so much. I have since before you arrived on this earth. Nothing will ever change that. Anxiously I await your arrival so I can meet you for the first time, and beyond that, I look forward to watching you become the man you were made to be. :) I love you, Connor. I'll be seeing you very soon. I can't wait!
With Love, Forever and Ever,
Mom
Friday, April 25, 2014
Pregnancy Update - 38 Weeks
How far along: 38 Weeks, or 9.5 months, or 266 day. :) EXTREMELY PREGNANT! ;)
Due date: May 9th, 2014. Seems like since we hit the final month time has been CREEPING by. :\ Just ready for him to GET HERE!! :D
Next doctor's appointment: April 30th, only 5 days until we find out more progress. I love weekly appointments!
Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food: Celery Bunch, Leek, or a Pumpkin
Our baby in man terms: Canadian Goose or a Beachball
Total weight gain/loss: +20.4 lbs, this seems more consistant with where I've been the past several weeks than what the doctor's scale read... It had me up like 7 or 8 pounds in a week!! I don't think so! Looks like my total gain is going to stay pretty close to what it was with Avery (20 lbs). So we should expect an average sized baby. :) Somewhere in the 7 pound range, I'm guessing. ;)
News: Saw the doctor again on Wednesday. My platelets dropped to 95k. Still ok for an epidural, but not the Birthcare Center. It's looking like we'll be at the hospital. I'm dilated to 3cm, 70% effaced, and Connor is head down, engaged, and in a -2 pelvic station. All things are progressing well. It looks like he'll make it to May (if I don't wear myself out cleaning) and still maybe come a day or two early. ;)
Best moments this week: Getting a BUNCH of housework done yesterday! :) The house is starting to look pretty good! :) This is a relief because it would be very difficult and sad to come home from the hospital to a dirty house. I'm thankful for Michael for keeping Avery busy so I could clean, and for helping me clean when she went to bed. :) He's great! :)
Milestones: 38 weeks today! :) One more week until full term, and six more days until May. The end is closing in. :)
Symptoms: Heartburn, nausea, fatigue, frequent urination, abdominal discomfort
Maternity clothes? Oh yes, that is, when I wear clothes... The spring heat is getting to me already, in the evenings I stick to just underwear. ;) Soooo thankful to not be due in the middle of summer!! Yes, we planned to avoid the hot months. ;)
Stretch marks? Yup, not much worse than last week. Probably won't see the full extent of the damage until he gets here. My view is a little blocked right now...
Belly Button in or out? In, but the skin is getting tighter all the time. I think if I went to 41 or 42 weeks, it might pop out, but I am soooo not going there! ;)
Movement: Tons! This little guy is going to shake, wiggle, and kick until the very last moment! :P He is a VERY active baby! :) Can't wait to see how that translates to his personality when he gets here! :)
Gender: We're having a boy! Connor Michael Voss, a little Irish and after his Daddy. :)
Sleep: It's tough to get comfortable. I wish I had a pregnancy pillow. I take Tums before bed to ward off heartburn, it seems to be working. I still have to get up 2-3 times/night to go to the bathroom. Physically hoisting myself out of bed is tough too. Ready to work on getting my old body back.
Food cravings: Ice cream. :) Yummy and it helps with the heartburn!
Food aversions: Cooking. Yuck. I hope this changes back when I'm not pregnant. I miss loving to cook and try new recipes. :\
What I miss: My body to myself, a normal figure, wine, my love to cook, energy, feeling capable... *sigh*
What I'm loving: That Connor is almost here, the anticipation of his arrival, weekly doctor's appointments, and (by the end of the day tomorrow) maternity leave ;)
What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Connor, seeing what he looks like, having Courtney in the delivery room to take pictures of Michael and me enjoying our first moments with our son, introducing people to Connor, a week of family time when Connor comes home, a week (or two) of just Connor and me when Michael goes back to work and Mama watches Avery and Dayton, and Connor's Welcome Home party a couple weeks after he arrives. :) Sooo much to look forward to! :D
Thoughts and feelings about Michael: There are not enough words to say how much I love my husband. He is my biggest fan and does everything he can to make me happy and cheer me on. He's been so encouraging, especially here at the end when I need a fair helping of encouragement to make it through each day. I appreciate how much work he does here at home with Avery and helping me with the house. Even though he's tired at the end of his own work days, he makes time to help me and I could not be more grateful. I love him so very much. He's the greatest husband and father. I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life. :)
Thoughts and feelings about Avery: Oh, what to say about my little tornado... She is making my nesting urges very difficult. My need to clean and her need to unclean are very conflicting right now. :P I love her so much! She's so full of life! :) She's going to make an awesome big sister! And my house will never be clean again... *sigh* :P
Labor signs: A few contractions here and there, lots of pelvic pain and discomfort, 3cm dilated, 70% effaced, -2 station. Our bags are packed, just waiting on our little guy to give us the go ahead! ;) Almost done... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... 14 (or less) days to go...
Goals: Keep the little cleaning I've done kept up on so I don't have to redo it all. Clean up Avery's bathroom and our bedroom. Tidy up and keep the kitchen clean (including cleaning out the fridge). Look on Craigslist for a fridge to put in the basement for the roommates. ;)
Weekly Wisdom: Life's a long and winding ride, better have the right one by your side. :)
Thursday, April 24, 2014
37 Week Doctor's Appointment
So I'll post all of these details again tomorrow in my weekly pregnancy update, but for those of you who are anxious to know, here's how our appointment went yesterday. :)
First off, my most talked about subject, my platelets. This week my platelets dropped to 95,000. This means that unless they go back up above 100,000 in the next week or two, we'll be at the hospital for Connor's birth and not the Birthcare Center. This doesn't bother me too much. We had Avery at the hospital and I was pleased with our care. I know we'll do just fine there. I just wanted to be able to experience both the hospital and the Birthcare Center. But since I'll get my blood drawn again before my 38 week appointment and again before my 39 week appointment, there's time for them to go back up. I'm not holding my breath, but I'll cross my fingers. The other thing that is majorly influenced by my platelet count is whether or not I can get my epidural. 100,000 is the "official" minimum platelet level. If you're below 100,000 it's up to the anesthesiologist to decide if they want to try or not. I believe when I was admitted into the hospital with Avery, my platelets were right around 100,000, give or take a few thousand. They did give me the epidural last time. My doctor said that I would probably still be able to get it down to 80,000, maybe even down to 70,000, but probably no lower than that. So in the next couple of weeks not only do I need them to go up, but I need them to (if they do go down) stay above 80,000. I don't think this will be too big of deal. I expect my delivery with Connor to go very similar to Avery's delivery.
Next there's the dilation, effacement, and pelvic station that Connor's in. This week I'm dilated to 3cm. Not much more than last week, but we're still moving in the right direction and progressing. My effacement this week was 70%, the same as last week. It's frustrating to see this number staying the same, but since my dilation and pelvic stations changed, I'm not too upset that the dilation stayed the same. Still, hopefully things will be progressing more by my appointment next week. The pelvic station is how far down Connor is. Yesterday I wrote about "dropping" and feeling like he was getting lower. I guess I was right because he's down to a -2 pelvic station, where as last week he was at a -2.5. (Pelvic stations start at -4, work down to 0, the up to +3, which is "crowning") Again, this isn't much change, but it's something and we're headed in the right direction.
Something interesting about the stats from this appointment is that aside from my platelet count, these are the exact same numbers as when I was 37 weeks pregnant with Avery! That doesn't make it sound like Connor's going to come much on the early side, but we'll still wait and see. ;) My doctor said last week that the 2nd baby's gestational time is usually very similar to the 1st baby's, but maybe a few days less. Avery arrived on her due date, right at the 40 week mark. If she hadn't, we would have induced and not had an idea when she might have come on her own. If what my doctor said holds true, then we can expect Connor to come around his due date as well, if not a few days early. That might put him somewhere around the 5th-7th of May. :)
I've had many different people put in their opinions on when they would like Connor to come. I told him the 5th, 7th, or 9th were all fine with me. ;) The 5th would be great, because then Michael, Avery, and Connor would all be born on the 5th of their respective months (and all well spread out too, January, October, and May). The 7th would also be fine because then Michael and Avery would share the 5th of their months while Connor and I would share the 7th of our months. :) The 9th would also be fine with me, because that's his due date. While it would mean going all the way to the last possible day, it's the date I've had in my mind throughout the entire pregnancy, so there would be no readjusting my thinking for his actual birthday. :) Most importantly, I want him to wait until May. If he came on the 1st it would put him one day short of the "technical" full term mark. Everything from the 2nd on makes him 39 weeks and full term. :) Alia (my assistant manager at work) wants him to come no later than Wednesday, the 7th. She's leaving late that night with her fiance to drive to Colorado for their wedding on the 10th! :D She wants to be able to meet him before she goes. :) Danielle (my manager at work) wants him to come before Alia leaves, because she'll be working open to close every day for 10 days while Alia gets married and goes on her honeymoon. Maggie wants Connor to come over a weekend so that she and Nick are able to be there when he arrives. And Chelsey wants him to wait as long as he can because she's currently having car troubles that need to be fixed before she can make the drive down to Wichita to meet him. Overall I think that the agreement is that a couple days early would be alright by anyone. ;) I know I certainly wouldn't mind. :P
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Dropping
While I can't be sure until we get to our appointment this afternoon, I think Connor is moving farther down and dropping. It seems like he's less in my ribs, and that his body only goes partway up my abdomen instead of all the way up. :) I'm anxious to get more stats at the doctor's office today! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much. Connor will (most likely) come in his own time, no matter how anxious I get for his arrival. ;)
Just to review, here's where we were last week: 2.5cm dilated, 70% effaced, -2.5 station. That was at 36w5d, 23 days until my due date. Today I'm hoping for number showing that we're progressing more. Any progress is good news in my opinion. :) We're still hoping he holds out until May. The first day of May is next Thursday. I think he'll wait that long, but I may adjust my thinking if we have big changes at our doctor's appointment today. :P
When I was pregnant with Avery I wasn't progressing as fast as I am with Connor. Probably because my body had never been through it all before and it was just a slower process. This is probably why so many women go over their due dates with their first baby. Here's the way my appointments progressed with Avery:
36 weeks - 2cm, 50% effaced
37 weeks - 3cm, 70% effaced, -2 station
38 weeks - 3cm, 70% effaced, -2 station
39 weeks - 3.5cm, 80% effaced (went into labor 2 days after this appointment)
So far I'm already ahead of where I was with Connor. This only leads me even more to believe that he's coming on the early side. I feel like it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to find out today that I'm already to the point where I was with Avery at 39 weeks! :\ Crazy!! I'm anxious to get to the doctor today and find out more about how our little guy is doing. :)
Avery must know that Connor's coming soon, because I have got LOTS of quality time and snuggles lately! :D She has been EXTRA affectionate as well. I could not be more pleased with her pleasant behavior lately. :) The only thing is that she's turning into a MAJOR Mama's girl, which normally I would love, but when I want to pass her off to Daddy for a few minutes in the evening so that I can have some peace, she doesn't want to go to him. She also gets upset when I leave in the evening or over the weekend to go to work. Luckily I only have 2 shifts left for a while. :) I'm sure a lot of her behavior has to do with her being home with me all the time, but for the most part, I'm not complaining. :) I'm just going to enjoy my hugs, kisses, and snuggles. :)
Well, that's all I have for now. Stay tuned to hear more about my platelets (should be getting a call this morning some time) and how my appointment goes this afternoon. :) Looking forward to another good day with the babies in the meantime. The countdown to Connor's arrival is down to 16 (or less) days! Woohoo!! :D Can't wait!!!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
17 Days!
The good news is, we only have 17 days (or less) until Connor gets here! :D The bad news is, it could end up being a long couple of weeks. :P
We FINALLY finished packing our hospital bag! :D Yay!! It is packed and in the back of my car. :) We also have our pillows and the nursing pillow in there ready to go. At this point, we're only missing our labor and delivery duffle bag. It's basically all packed, just missing the last few essentials that we'll need to pack as we head out the door. :) Glad to finally have this task checked off my list. ;) Took me long enough to get it all done. :P
Getting comfortable is getting harder and harder each day. Laying in bed is tough because if I'm not comfy, turning over takes A LOT of effort! :P Also, laying down tends to make the heartburn worse. Sometimes I will have eaten, causing the heartburn. Other times it comes on it's own, whether I've eaten or not. *sigh* I know it's an old wive's tale, but I hope all this heartburn is leading to a little boy with a full head of hair. ;) With Avery we had a sonogram at 34 weeks to check on her kidney sizes, by that point they could already see on the sono that she had hair. With Connor we have no clue. :P Guess we'll have to wait and be surprised. :D Bald or a head full of hair, I wish the heartburn would go away. :\ The good news is that when I'm not pregnant anymore, the heartburn seemed to go away almost instantly. Guess my innerds just don't like all that squishing. ;)
Connor's room is all done. I never got around to making a special art piece just for him. I'm just too exhausted. But maybe after he gets here and I have my body back (mostly) to myself, maybe then I'll feel up to painting for him. :) We'll see.
I can't wait for the week my mom takes Avery and Dayton. I'm looking forward to getting the house cleaned up. They can make a mess of it in a hurry. Gets a little discouraging to clean and clean and clean and have it all messy again only moments later. I just don't have the energy to keep recleaning it all.
For those of you who still read this, in case you haven't heard, Michael and I would love visitors at the hospital, especially right after Connor arrives. It will be crazy anyway, so if we can get lots of visiting in at that same time before we really have time to get settled into recovery, that will work better. So keep an eye out on facebook, the blog, your texts, and for phone calls and we'll let you know when he's on his way. Also, don't be surprised if you get a call or text from a 3rd party, as Michael and I may be busy, so we'll delegate some of the contacting. ;)
Well, Little Miss is thinking about taking a nap tonight, and I still haven't eaten dinner, so I better get off of here and get some stuff done around the house. :) Thanks for reading and for your thoughts and prayers! We can't wait to meet our little boy!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Countdowns
As the end of my pregnancy with Connor RAPIDLY approaches, I have a couple different countdowns going through my mind. ;) They mostly all revolve around Connor and his arrival, but there are a couple other things I'm looking forward to. ;) Here are what my countdowns look like as we get close to Connor's birthday! :D
Only 3 shifts left at work until I'm off for the next two months! :D Yay!! Looking forward to some time off and R&R with my family!! :D
Only 6 days left until I've completed those three shifts and I'm officially off! By Sunday I will OFFICIALLY be on maternity leave from Beldens! :D
Only 10 more days until May get here, which is when I want Connor to hold out until for his birth. For those of you who don't know, when we announced that we were having a boy, and his name, at Christmas, we had personalized frames made for Glenn and Linda, my parents, and Michael and me. These frames say "Connor Michael Voss, May 2014". So I would really like him to go ahead and come in May so that the frame has the right month on it. ;) Next Thursday will be May 1st, that's all the longer I'm asking him to stay put. ;)
Only 14 more days until I get my little break from Avery and Dayton before Connor gets here! My mom agreed to watch the babies for the week before Connor arrives (Mon-Fri), so that I can have time to rest, finish cleaning the house, and mentally prepare for Connor's arrival. Depending on how my doctor's appointments go this week and next week, I may bump this countdown down to 10 days and let her watch them on Thursday and Friday the week before (that way in case he comes early, I still have some time to rest). We'll see how things go. ;)
Only 18 more days until Connor is due! That means that, should he take the full length of possible time, in no more than 18 days, we'll at least be in the hospital scheduled for our induction. ;) If labor were to take a REALLY long time, he might be born on the 10th, but considering I'm already 2.5cm and 70% effaced, I don't think it's going to take that long. :P In less than 3 weeks, we'll have a baby boy in our arms!! :D I'm soooooo excited!!!! :D
Only 20 more days until Mother's Day. My first Mother's Day with two children. It will be such a special blessing to have Connor here for Mother's Day. :)
Only 33 more days until Connor's welcome home party! :) Now many of you probably don't know anything about this, that's because I haven't sent out invitations yet. :P Two weeks after Connor is due, we're planning a little welcome home cookout where people can come and meet our little boy in case they didn't get a chance to meet him at the hospital when he was born. Keep an eye on your email and facebook after he arrives and you'll see the invite. It does fall on Memorial Day weekend, so I understand that not all people will be able to come, but it is a come and go event, so I hope people will at least drop in for a minute.
Finally, there are only 3 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days until Tugfest! It's the vacation I look forward to every year! ;) Last year, we introduced our family to our daughter for the first time. Since she was born in October, she missed Tugfest by a couple of months. By the time she made it to her first Tugfest she was already 10 months old. This was when walking really clicked for her! While her first steps were around 9 months, when she hit 10 months at Tugfest, was when she really took off. :) I wasn't pregnant yet at Tugfest last year, but I was soon to be! :D And the rest is downhill. ;) This year we'll be introducing the family to our son for the first time. With his birthday in the Spring, he'll be here in time for Tugfest 2014 and will be a mere 3 months old when he goes for the first time. This will also be our first big trip as a family of 4! We might go to Topeka a time or two while I'm on maternity leave, but that's nothing compared to a 6-8 hr car ride to Iowa. ;) I am soooooo looking forward to this trip again!! I've already begun my packing list (not actual packing). Can't wait! :D
These are the important countdowns I'm looking forward to lately! As you can see, most of them are centered around Connor's arrival. ;) I'm sure there will be more fun things to look forward to in our lives here soon. :)
Bonus:
Good work to those of you who made it to the bottom of this post! ;) I know there are several people who read, but very seldom do I get comments on my post. Let's play a game (for those of you who did make it to the end). Comment on this post (you can do so without signing into or up for anything, just type your name in the comment section instead) with what you think Connor's length, weight, and birthday will be. Whoever is closest on length and weight will get a special prize at Connor's Welcome Home party (or I'll mail it to you if you're unable to attend!). If someone ties for closest length and weight, we'll use the birthday as the tie-breaker. ;) Michael and I were talking about this just yesterday, so as the parents, we get the first guesses. :P Here were our predictions:
Jen- 21 inches, 7 lbs 13oz, May 2nd
Michael- 21 inches, 7 lbs, 14oz, May 7th (I just now realized these are all multiples of 7... Math brain...)
Good luck to you! Comment on here to make your predictions on Connor's arrival! :D Have a wonderful Monday! I'm sure you'll hear from me again in another day or two about platelets and doctor's appointment updates. ;) Have a nice week, and thank you again to everyone who has been thinking about and praying for us! We greatly appreciate it!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Proud Mommy Moment!
On Wednesday, Avery was playing and going about her morning business. That's when she walked up to me, out of the blue, and said, "Potty?" Now we've haven't been actively potty training her. We tried a few months ago, but she wasn't ready, so we gave it a rest and are waiting for her to show more interest. So I asked her, "Do you need to go potty?" And she ran to the bathroom door! I laughed, thinking all she wanted to do was play, but decided to encourage the enthusiasm. So we went in, she opened her potty, I helped her out of her pants and diaper, and she sat on her potty. She's used to doing this because she likes to sit on it before and after baths when she's naked. I sat on the regular toilet and waited for her, even turned on the faucet so it dripped a little to encourage her. Eventually, she got up, and to my surprise, she had peed in her potty! I don't think I showed the proper enthusiasm because I was SHOCKED that she had done it! I showed her how to wipe and she helped me flush the toilet. Then we washed our hands together. :) I was so proud of her! This came out of nowhere!! :D Then, to my surprise, when Michael and I got home from our doctor's appointment that day, my mom told me that she had done it again! She hasn't done it since, but I'm still impressed! Maybe potty training won't be so hard after all! ;)
Pregnany Update - 37 Weeks
How far along: 37 weeks!! Almost done!! I have really enjoyed many aspects of this pregnancy, but I am soooo looking forward to meeting my son! :D I know there will be things about pregnancy that I miss when this chapter of my life is over, but at this point, all I can think about is meeting Connor! :D
Due date: May 9th, 2014. Although my doctor and I both believe that there's a good chance he could come early. :) Time will tell. ;)
Next doctor's appointment: April 23rd. We're doing weekly appointments now! Woot woot!! So we'll get to see the doctor again in just 5 more days! Just one more indicator that Connor is almost here!! :D
Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food: Leek, swiss chard, or wintermelon (these terms help me none) :P
Our baby in man terms: The head of a full-sized American Pit Bull or a beach ball (much better!) ;)
Total weight gain/loss: +18.2 lbs, down a little from last week. This explains why, at the doctor this week, they said my weight hadn't changed since 2 weeks ago. I think Connor will end up very close to Avery's numbers. I gained a total of 20 lbs during her pregnancy. He's tracking to be right on the same lines. :)
News: I am 2.5cm dilated, 70% effaced, Connor is head down, engaged, and at a -2.5 station. :) Everything is going just the way it needs to! Our little man is making his final preparations and getting close to joining us! My platelers are holding steady at 103,000, and we're still making plans to deliver at the Birthcare Center, if possible. :)
Best moments this week: Finding out that I was already so far dilated and effaced, seeing maternity photos up on Courtney's blog, and Connor's ever-present movements! ;)
Milestones: We hit 37 weeks today! This used to be considered full-term, but the March of Dimes has changed it to 39 weeks now. Either way, if I were to go into labor any time between now and his due date, my doctor wouldn't stop the contractions, but would instead let me labor and deliver. :)
Symptoms: Heartburn and abdominal and pelvic discomfort
Maternity clothes? Yup!
Stretch marks? Yup! Mostly just extensions, they still look really good compared to last time.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Movement: Yup! Still feeling him move a lot! :) He's a mover and a shaker, right up to the last minute. ;)
Gender: It's a boy! :D (As far as we know...) ;)
Sleep: Is interupted by the need to pee 2 or 3 times/night, and heartburn occasionally.
Food cravings: Ice cream, milk, chocolate, sweets, followed immediately by salty cravings, specifically chips. Not many healthy cravings, lol.
Food aversions: Cooking.
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably, having energy, my figure, and wine.
What I'm loving: Movements, anticipation, attention, the moments when I feel good, hearing people say I'm looking good, eben though I feel like a beached whale. ;)
What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Connor, going into labor, letting someone else take care of me in the hospital, nursing again, seeing Avery's reaction to her new brother, birth pictures (not graphic), and Michael finally getting the son he's been waiting for. :)
Thoughts and feelings about Michael: I couldn't get through each day without this amazing man at my side. He gives me strength to face each day. He also holds me up and helps me when I feel just too tired to make it anymore. He's my rock. I love him so much! I can't wait to give him a son! :) I hope Connor looks like his Daddy. :)
Thoughts and feelings about Avery: This little girl's world is about to change in big ways, and she doesn't even know it! Sure, she can point to my tummy, kiss it, and say "baby", but she has no idea what's to come. :P I think she'll enjoy having a baby brother. One thing she may struggle with is that Connor won't be able to play with her the way Dayton can. But I believe she'll encourage him to grow quickly so he can keep up with her and Dayton. :) I think she'll make an awesome big sister! :)
Labor signs: More Braxton Hicks contractions, especially at night. I remember having them at night with Avery too. I'd wake up to go to the bathroom and my abdomen would be tight and rigid. Connor's arrival is getting closer every day! :D
Goals: Finish packing the hospital bag (I'm almost done already!!), pack the bag, pillows, and everything but the delivery room bag into the car, and getting some more house cleaning done. We're in the home stretch! Soooo close!! :)
Weekly Wisdom: I need to ask for help more often. I need it more often than I ask. I'm so thankful for my mom, who's just a phonecall away from giving me some much needed relief. I don't thank her nearly enough for all she does for me. Don't wait until Mother's Day to tell your mom what she means to you. ;)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Maternity Photos!!
They are up on Courtney's blog! You should totally go check them out!! :D I'll post a few of my favorites here to get you interested. ;) But, like I said, go check them out on her blog, and I'll post more when we have the flash drive with the digital copies. :D Enjoy! They turned out AMAZING!!!!!! This was probably my favorite session that Courtney has done for us so far! I cannot say enough, how amazing it is to have a professional photographer around to take pictures for us and to capture these incredible moments in our lives! :) They are sooooooo worth the money!! We'll continue to use Courtney for a long time if she'll have us! ;) I'm soooo happy and excited for these pictures! Awesome sauce! One step closer to Connor's arrival! :D Yay!!!!!
http://www.zaophotographyblog.com/archives/2014/04/17/vossmaternity-2/
Monday, April 14, 2014
Struggling
Wrote a big long post, then got out of the app and lost it all. Not going to write it all again. Long story short, I'm phyically and emotionally exhausted. Today has been a rough day with the babies. I almost feel like looking into daycare for the next month because I'm not sure I can take this for another month. All I want to do is rest and focus on Connor's and my health. But I'm up and down keeping Avery from climbing, Dayton from hitting, and Avery from crying or screaming, just to name a few. I put them down for their naps so I can get a moment of peace to breathe, but I end up in bed crying into my pillow and venting here on the blog. My mom helps with everything, but I feel like I ask too much of her. She would disagree with me. I wish there were a couple other people around to help so I didn't have to ask so much from her. Only 3 hours of today have gone by, but I'm already emotional and spent. I just want my emotions to get back to normal. I'm so excited about Connor, but often I feel like I'm not happy or focusing on him because I'm frustrated with Avery and Dayton and the constant battle that they can be. I feel like I can feel my blood pressure rising. I'm so tired. I don't know what to do anymore. I hope tomorrow will be a better day. Only 25 more days. I know I can make it. I just wish I was doing a beter job of convincing myself. :(
Friday, April 11, 2014
Pregnancy Update - 36 Weeks
How far along: 36 Weeks!!! Soooo close!!
Due date: May 9th, 2014
Next doctor's appointment: April 16th, this Wednesday, 5 more days!! :D
Our baby is the size of a veggie/fruit/food: A coconut, a crenshaw melon, a head of romaine lettuce, or a honeydew
Our baby in man terms: The head of a full-grown American Pit Bull or a ukulele
Total weight gain/loss: +20.4 lbs, officially gained more weight than with Avery (only put on 20 lbs with her) and officially the heaviest I've ever been. *Sigh* Was hoping these moments would be closer to the end...
News: Another week has passed and we are one week closer to meeting our son! I had a spurt of energy yesterday and managed to do a lot of housework and work in my garden. Maybe today that energy will mean our hospital bag gets packed. ;) I can dream! :P
Best moments this week: My birthday!! I had so many people send facebook messages, call, and text to wish me a happy birthday! :) I had a great day! In the evening Michael organized a date night for us! :) It was nice for just the two of us to get out for a bit. Dinner and the movie was great! Now I'm very much looking forward to my doctor's appointment this week and every week from here on out!! :) It was also AWESOME getting our maternity pictures taken this week!! We've seen a couple of them, but I hope we'll get more this week! :)
Milestones: 36 weeks down! 9 months down on the 4 week scale, over 8 months down on the 9 month scale! Closing in! The finish line is in sight!! :) Next week everything will be fully developed, but he won't be considered "full-term" until 39 weeks. Here's hoping he stays put until then. :) As uncomfortable as it may be for his Mama. ;) 4 weeks seems so close until I think of how uncomfortable I've gotten... Then it still seems pretty far away...
Symptoms: Fatigue, heartburn, frequent urination, lower back pain
Maternity clothes? Oh yes! Actually looking forward to losing weight and getting back into some pre-pregnancy clothes. It may be an interesting "transitional" summer. ;) Hopefully I'll be close to normal again by Tugfest.
Stretch marks? Yes. I have one that seems to be growing a fair amount, what's strange is that it's on the right side of my stomach, but Connor always hangs out on the left... I also have about 5 or 6 marks that are extending a bit from my pregnancy with Avery. They have added about 1cm. Not too bad yet, but Avery gave me plenty to start with.
Belly Button in or out? In, but it's getting tighter. Still don't think it'll pop out though.
Movement: Lots! Even though I'm sure he's running out of room, he's still kicking and wiggling up a storm when I'm seated and resting. When I'm up and about he tends to be much quieter.
Gender: We're having a boy!! Still hard for me to wrap my mind around that idea sometimes. :P But I'm excited!!
Sleep: Is interupted by frequent trips to the bathroom, heartburn, and I can never seem to get comfy. Wish I had splurged and bought the pregnancy pillow. Oh well. More money to spend on Connor and Avery. :)
Food cravings: Ice cream! That and milk, just like with Avery, have been my most constant cravings.
Food aversions: Cooking. Yech.
What I miss: Being able to breathe, sit, lay, roll over, and walk comfortably. *Sigh* No worries, though, I'll be back to normal soon enough. :) Just trying to enjoy the rest of this fleeting stage of life. :)
What I'm loving: The idea of a new tiny baby in my arms. :) I also like feeling him move when he's not in my ribs or on my bladder. ;) I also love with Avery points to and kisses my belly and says, "Baby!" Oh, you have no idea, little girl! ;)
What I'm looking forward to: Feeling contractions start and telling Michael it's time to go to the hospital, holding Connor for the first time, introducing Connor to our friends and family, having time off work to spend with Michael, Avery, and Connor alone, and getting used to our new life as a family of four. :)
Thoughts and feelings about Michael: Acts of service doesn't even begin to describe how much Michael has shown me that he loves me thoughout my pregnancy. He has helped me with so many things without a second thought. He is the greatest husband ever! I had so much fun on the date he planned for us! It's nice to get out and just be a couple every now and then. He is incredible emotional support for me as pregnancy wears me down and when the new baby gets here. He just does everything. He's fantastic! There aren't enough words to describe how grateful I am for him. Pregnant or not, he's an amazing person who shares my load and helps me weather every storm of life. I love him so much! :)
Thoughts and feelings about Avery: As the end of my pregnancy draws near, my patience draws thin. Miss Avery has been going through some "stages" in life that aren't particularly fun. She's begun resisting when Michael and I ask or tell her to do something, she's struggling with the concept of sharing, and her assertive personality is getting a little uncontrolled. She and I are both learning how to deal with these things. Sometimes days are rough and one or both of us end in tears. However, she has her sweet days and moments as well. She loves to cuddle, especially in the morning and at night. She loves reading books and watching Tinkerbell movies in our bed. She gives hugs and kisses. She even shushes people when she seeing someone sleeping. She's going to be a wonderful big sister. At 18 months you don't really expect a bunch out of your baby, but I think she's doing an amazing job for a girl so young. :) I'm excited to continue to watch her grow. I love that ornery little girl soooo much! :D
Labor signs: Braxton Hicks contractions and regular contractions. The regular ones are more painful, but are inconsistent, so no actual labor yet. But the time is coming quickly! After Wednesday I'll have more info on my dilation and effacement and hopefully we'll be able to better predict when more labor signs will present themselves. ;)
Goals: Keep what I've already cleaned of the house clean, finish cleaning the rest of the house, pack our bag for the hospital, do some last minute "organizing" in Connor's room, get the pre-registration and birth certificate paperwork filled out and into our hospital bag, try to be patient. ;)
Weekly Wisdom: Ask for help when you need it. Give yourself a break. Rest. Enjoy life and let the mess sit for a day (or more). Some things are so much more important than a clean house. Others will understand that, and if they don't, it's their problem, not yours. :)
PS - Like I said, we had Maternity Photos taken this week! Courtney has only put a few up on facebook so far, but I thought I'd share them for those of you without facebook. ;) I'll put more on here when I get them. :)
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
One Month to Go!!
Today is April 9th. That means one month from now, if we don't have our son in our arms yet, we'll at least be in the hospital getting ready for his arrival! How did time go by so fast?! Seems like just yesterday we were skeptically finding out we were pregnant. Seems like just yesterday we were anxiously attending our 10 week doctor's appointment, hoping for good news, and seeing our son, arms, legs, and all, swimming and bouncing around, happy as a clam, only 3.5 cm long. Seems like just yesterday we were frantically trying to come up with boy names before our mid-pregnancy ultrasound because even though I wanted a girl, I had a gut feeling we were having a boy. Seems like just yesterday we left the sonographer's room with a slew of pictures and the confirmation that we would be having a son. Seems like just yesterday that the 2nd trimester ticked by without incident and we moved on to the 3rd and final trimester. Seems like just yesterday we were first feeling little kicks, now I can't get him to stop kicking me if I tried. So much time has gone by. Our second and final pregnancy is reaching it's end and I find myself wondering where the time has gone.
I've done my best to enjoy this pregnancy and not to rush it along too much. I do look forward to the little milestones along the way, but try to appreciate each day and moment. It's crazy to think that in one more month, the feeling of a baby moving inside of me will be gone forever. But with the end of the pregnancy stage in our lives comes the beginning of something new, our complete family, our son's life, the rest of our lives. I'm sure there will be nieces and nephews born to cuddle and enjoy the infant stage with again. For us, we will learn to function and live as a family of four. What a blessing!
It's crazy to think of how far my life has come in the last 7.5 years.
Jan. 2007 - Met Michael and began dating
Mar. 2007 - Went to Mexico for Spring Break
May 2008 - Went to Africa for 6 weeks
July 2008 - Michael proposed
May 2009 - I graduated from K-State, Michael and I got married
Aug. 2009 - I began teaching 4th grade
May 2011 - Michael graduated from K-State
June 2011 - We moved to Wichita
July 2011 - I began working at Beldens
Nov. 2011 - Michael began his first engineering job
Jan. 2012 - We found out we were pregnant
Feb. 2012 - We bought a house
Oct. 2012 - Our daughter was born
Apr. 2013 - We found out we were pregnant
June 2013 - We had a miscarriage
Sept. 2013 - We found out we were pregnant
May 2014 - Our son will be born, we will celebrate 5 years of marriage
It's just crazy how time has flown by and our lives have changed. From 2 college students, to a married couple, to homeowners, to parents. It's been a whirlwind!
I can't believe Connor will be here in a month or less! I'm looking forward to going to the doctor weekly to check on his progress and mine. In our final month before his arrival I don't have too much to do asside from keeping the house clean. This is easier said than done with 2 babies in my home each day destroying all my work. It gets exhausting working so hard, only to see them ruin in all in a matter of minutes. I can't wait for warmer weather to get here so I can take them outdoors and they can run and play there. Hopefully soon. We still need to buy a baby book for Connor and pack our hospital bag, but things are looking pretty good otherwise. :) I just can't wait to meet him! :)
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Maternity Photos Today!!
As many of you know, when I was pregnant with Avery was when we first met and worked with Courtney. She was recommended to me by my cousin, Amanda, who was using Courtney to shoot her wedding photos. Michael and I were looking for someone affordable and professional to take some maternity photos for us, to capture the exciting time of our first pregnancy with Avery. We were very pleased with Courtney's work, and even more excited to learn that the maternity photos were included in a bundle that gave us newborn photos too, the week Avery was born! :) Courtney then shot Avery's 1 year pictures for us, along with some family shots. We've been very happy with her work and hope to continue to use her for our important family moments throughout the years. :)
Well, the time has come again to have our maternity photos done again! She usually takes them a month before you're due (Which is tomorrow for us!! Wooohooo!!!). So tonight we're driving to Newton to meet her and have our pictures taken. :) My mom is coming with us, because I'd like a few pictures with Avery in them, but don't want to have to worry about watching Avery the rest of the time. Hopefully she'll behave well for Grandma so Michael and I can enjoy our picture time. :) I'm very much looking forward to tonight's session and to seeing how our pictures turn out! :) I know Courtney will do a great job for us, as she has always done in the past. :)
On an unrelated note, I had a great birthday yesterday!! Thank you to my many friends and family who called, texted, or sent me notes on facebook wishing me a happy day! :) They were all greatly appreciated! I spent most of the day here at home with Avery and Dayton. They both took exceptionally long naps (both had long, tiring weekends), so I had extra time to rest, always a good thing! :) Then in the evening I had some of my homemade birthday cake from Michael and opened gifts from him and Avery. I got the new Luke Bryan CD and some champaigne flutes! :) I'm very excited!! To top it all off, Michael planned a date night for us! :) He organized my mom to come to town to babysit so we could go to dinner and a movie. :) We went to BJ's for dinner and then to the Old Town Warren to watch the new 300 movie. :) We dressed up nice because Michael knows I love seeing him in his suit. :) I love getting dressed up and going out with him. :) It was a great birthday!
Well, that's about all I have for now. Maybe I'll get back on later and blog about my anticipation for Connor's arrival! Can you believe he'll be here in 31 days or less?!?!? Until then, hope you all have a great Tuesday! :) I know I will! :D
PS
I have attached a few of our maternity photos from last time so you can see and remember and compare the pictures from last time to the ones we'll get soon. :) Enjoy!
