What I'm Wearing 7: 29 Weeks

Normally I would have waited a couple weeks to take another picture, but I liked the dress I wore to church on Sunday and wanted to get a pic in it.  This is a sort of unusual style for me, as I mostly prefer longer skirts and dresses.  But a friend passed on this maternity dress to me, and I liked how comfortable it was, and it (barely) passed Jim's knee-length test. :)  So I went with it.  I'm actually thinking it might also be cute with dressy boots and a cardigan in the fall . . . 

As you can tell, little bump is not so little now!  A friend mentioned that I'd really popped out this past week, and I think she was right!!  Some days I feel really huge already, but I still have 11 (or hopefully a little less) weeks to go, so I know I will definitely keep growing for a while!

Outfit details:

Dress: Motherhood (I think), hand-me-down

Cami: Forever 21

Necklace: Kohl's

Sandals: Marshalls (these were a splurge but I LOVE them)

Here's a bit closer belly shot:

I had my 28 week appt. (actually 28 weeks, 5 days :)) with Sherry last Thursday.  This was Jim's first time to go to one of my appts. this pregnancy, plus we took the kids, so that was fun!  My b/p was 114/77, baby's heart rate was in the 120s-140s, and I was measuring right at 28 weeks.  My weight was up exactly 25 lbs. total.  

She did the finger prick to test iron and blood glucose.  My glucose was totally fine--I've never had sugar issues in the past, so wasn't expecting any this time, but still it was nice to know it was normal.  My iron (hemoglobin) count was low, though, so I have ordered some Floradix and am going to be working on bringing up those numbers!  She will do another finger prick at my next appt. (Sept. 8) and if the numbers are still low, she'll draw a vial of blood and get a more accurate lab test done, then take it from there.  I don't remember having low iron during my other pregnancies, although I do remember being slightly anemic after giving birth to Sam.  Anyway, I'm not stressed about it, but I do need to eat more spinach and red meat; that should help, too! :)

We talked about getting birth supplies (something I need to get started on!), childcare for the kids (I'm still debating whether or not to have Julia at the birth), and whether or not to take a refresher childbirth class (not going to bother).  As mentioned above, my next appt. will be on the 8th, so around 30 weeks, and then it is every 2ish weeks for a while, and I forget when it goes to every week. I think that would start around 35/36 weeks, but I keep forgetting to ask.  It really makes the time till baby seem short, when the appts. start getting so close together!  This pregnancy is really speeding by, except for the nights (like tonight) when I am up with a random bout of heartburn. :(

I got a special blessing just over a week ago, when I was able to get the used co-sleeper I had mentioned in my last post.  Only $50, and I was able to meet the lady at our church, right after the service, so we didn't even have to travel anywhere to pick it up!  Can't wait to use it in a few months or less. :)

And I guess that is enough pregnancy news for now!  I'll update again sometime after 30 weeks. :)

28 Week Update

I don't know why I seem to have so much trouble getting a post up that corresponds with the right week on the pictures!  Oh well.  Here's what I wore to church at 24 weeks.  I wanted to take one then, since I'm trying to at least take a pic every 4 weeks--and sometimes more often.

 The shirt was a hand-me-down from one friend, and the skirt was from another friend!  Thank you, friends! :)

Here is a pic of Jim and me getting ready to head out for our anniversary date night (we celebrated 15 years on Aug. 7!!!).  So this would have been right around 26 weeks.  This is not the best picture of the two of us, but it gives you an idea of how much I grew in two weeks! :)

And here I am today, at 28 weeks.  This is pretty much the same outfit I was wearing in this post (16.5 weeks), so if anyone's interested you can go back and compare. :)

 I've definitely grown quite a bit in 11.5 weeks!!  

I had my 26 week appt. with Sherry on Thurs. 08/15.  She and her student, Jamie, came and did a home visit because they had another home visit to do a little north of us, and it made more sense for them to stop in here on their way.  It was nice not to have to go out!  She'll probably do another home visit closer to my due date, as usual.  Anyway, everything was fine with my appt.  My b/p was nice and low again (probably because I was so relaxed being at home :)), and baby's heart rate was in the 120s/130s this time.  We discussed the birth pool that I had bought, and she gave me suggestions about filling it and keeping it warm enough.  My previous two births have been in the bathtub, and I'm fine with doing that again if it ends up working out that way.  But I was thinking a bigger tub with more room and depth would be really nice, so I researched a little and purchased this inflatable pool (which many women have used for waterbirths) from Amazon.  It was less than $30, and I figure the kids can use it next summer even if I don't end up using it for the birth. :)  I kinda really hope I get to use it, though!

I've been feeling pretty good overall.  Heartburn really kicked in right about 24 weeks, and I had 3 bad episodes between 24-25 weeks.  Since then, I've gotten some digestive enzymes to take before meals, and am taking papaya enzymes after meals.  I'll take a Tums if I feel heartburn starting in spite of my preventive measures.  The combination of these 3 things seems to be helping a lot, and I've only had a couple of bad episodes--the kind that keeps me up at night--since then.  SO thankful!!  I've also discovered that I MUST sleep on my left side; turning over onto my right side is a sure recipe for heartburn.  I haven't had much sciatica at all lately, so that is a blessing as well.  I've had a bit of swelling in my feet, but usually only after a hotter day, or one where I've been busier and on my feet more than usual.

Baby has been more and more active all the time, especially at night and first thing in the morning.  Or pretty much anytime I sit down for a few minutes. :)  I've also been feeling hiccups fairly often in the past few weeks, so that is fun!  The kids love to feel the movements, too; I think it makes the baby seem more "real" to them.

I've gained about 25 lbs. so far, which is more than I had hoped to gain by this time. :(  Sherry thinks it is fine, and I know I'm probably on track to gain about the same as I have before--around 35 lbs.  I really haven't been watching what I eat much at all, which is totally my own fault--and exercise has gone out the window over the past month.  I think if I could at least get back to that, it would help!  Hopefully I'll be able to motivate myself to do some walking, although it is getting more uncomfortable the bigger I get.

I ordered a new diaper bag a few weeks back, because I had sold my old one, and wanted something a little more classy than a typical "babyish" bag.  My sister-in-law has this same one in brown, and I was able to find it on a good sale at Amazon, in black.  It was $41.50 when I bought it (which I still think is rather pricey), but now it is up to almost $70!  So I'm glad I ordered when I did.  I really like it!!

 I like the inside print, and the whole bag will be easy to wipe down if things get spilled.  I also love how many pockets it has!

 There are only a few other things I need to get before baby arrives.  I want to buy some cloth diapers, as well as some newborn disposables for the first few weeks.  I'm also contemplating buying a used Arm's Reach cosleeper to use instead of a pack 'n play at first.  I've always thought those were nice, and I think it might work better the way our room is set up now.  I found one locally that I might get, but first I need to see what Jim thinks. :)

Well, I guess that is a long enough update for now!  My next appt. will be next Thurs, so I will try to post again soon after that!

What I'm Wearing 5 & 6, and 22 Week Update

It's been a while since I updated here, as well as my regular blog!  I had grand plans to post at 20 weeks, even took the pictures, but then time got away from me as we were busy getting ready for our trip to Ohio.  So here are the pics from 20 weeks:

 Shirt: ThredUp (Motherhood brand, I think)

Skirt: Old Navy (used clothing lot)

Necklace: Kohl's

And here are some from today (I'll be 23 weeks tomorrow):

 Shirt: Thrift store (not maternity, but it works!)

Tank: Forever 21

Jeans: Goodwill (adapted by me)

Necklace: Kohl's

 Not sure why it kinda looks like my forehead is frowny, but maybe the sun was in my eyes a bit? :)

I had my 22 week checkup yesterday (rescheduled from Monday) and all is still going fine.  Baby's heartbeat was anywhere from the 130s to 160s.  My b/p was 122/70, and my weight is up 17 lbs. total (I'm grateful it's not more than that, after a week of vacation and more junk food than normal!).  Fundal height was 23 cm, so I'm measuring right on track.  In the past I have measured a bit small, especially toward the end of pregnancy, so it'll be interesting to see if this time is the same or different.  I asked Sherry about placenta encapsulation (something I'm considering trying this time around--and I probably just freaked out about 90% of my readers by typing that ;)), and she knows someone within a couple hours of here who does it, so I have that lady's contact info if I decide to do it.

I haven't been having nearly the amount of sciatica lately that I was having a month ago or so.  Not sure why that is, but I am thankful!!  I also haven't had too much heartburn lately--I had it pretty bad a couple of times in Ohio, but drinking my "good girl moonshine" and taking a few Tums took care of it promptly.  I did have a bit of swelling in my feet both before and during the trip, but nothing really bad yet.  The ACV is supposed to help with swelling too, so as long as I keep drinking my "moonshine" every day, I'm hoping it'll make a difference compared to previous pregnancies.

Baby has been very active for the past few weeks . . . Jim has felt movement several times, and Josiah even got to earlier this week when he was snuggling with me one morning!  The other kids are anxious to feel it as well; hopefully soon.

It hit me on Tuesday that I have only 4 months till my due date, and if this baby comes early like the other kids did, I may have only a little over 3 months of pregnancy left.  This is exciting and scary at the same time!  Exciting because I don't totally love being pregnant and am looking forward to being on the "other side" of it, and because I'm also excited to meet our little person!  Scary because I need to make plans . . . prepare freezer meals, buy some cloth diapers and also some disposables, get out baby clothes, etc.  Oh yeah, and buy birth supplies!  I'm thinking about buying a small inflatable pool this time around, but am unsure if we'd have the time to fill it if I have a really fast labor again.  I love the idea of having more space than the bathtub, though!  I have the feeling that the rest of July and August are going to go super fast, then September and October may drag a bit.  But hopefully not too much. :)

Well, I think that is a long enough update for now!  Thanks for reading!

What I'm Wearing 4--Sunday outfit

I thought it would be fun to share some of my church outfits once in a while.  This is what I wore last Sunday, at 19 weeks, 1 day.  I was having trouble figuring out what to wear under the white top.  None of my regular white tees would work (I don't have any plain, unembellished ones), so I eventually went with a greenish/blue tee that coordinated okay with the skirt.  I'm still not totally sure if I love the look, but it was comfortable. :)  

 This may be the only time I can wear this skirt during pregnancy, though!  I had forgotten that I made the waistband on this one more fitted.  Which meant I had to wear it high on my belly, otherwise it was too tight.  I'm not sure how much longer I'll even be able to get it on. :)

 Little bump hasn't changed much since the last time I posted . . . 

Outfit details: 

White top: Secondhand

Tee: Kohl's (not maternity)

Skirt: made by me

Necklace: handmade gift from a friend

Bracelet: gift from Compassion (I think) that we got free with a donation

Flip-flops: made by me

Not too much else to report just yet!  I have been noticing little bits of heartburn now and then, but nothing too bad yet.  It'll be interesting to see how that goes this time around.  I've been drinking my "good girl moonshine" (water with a little apple cider vinegar, sweetener, and occasionally some fruit) daily and that seems to help.  ACV is supposed to be good at keeping heartburn under control (who would have thought?!), and I have also ordered some papaya enzymes which are supposed to be really good for that as well.  They should come today, I think. I wanted to make sure to have them before our Ohio trip coming up in July!  I have had heartburn while on vacation in the past, and would like to avoid it this time if possible!

I have also discovered Natural Calm magnesium and have been taking that daily.  It's a powdered, flavored supplement that you mix into water.  I often mix it in with my ACV/water, although it is good just in plain water too!  This magnesium is supposed to be good for stress, but also helps with keeping blood pressure regulated, and digestion as well.  So far I really think it is helping in a lot of ways, and I'm glad I found out about it!

I'll try to post an official "halfway" pic in a couple of days!! Looking forward to being on the downhill side, and hoping the next 20 weeks go by as fast as the first 20. :)

What I'm Wearing 3, & 18 Week Update

Time for another update!  Today I had my 18 week appt. with Sherry.  All is well, and we were able to hear baby's heartbeat right away this time.  His/her heart rate was in the 140s-160s.  Sherry said I'm measuring right on target (18 cm fundal height).  My b/p was 130/70, and my weight is up 3 more lbs, for a total gain of 12 lbs. so far.  I had hoped to not gain more than 12 lbs. by 20 weeks; we'll see if I can keep it right around there for the next 2 weeks. :)  

Here was my outfit for today.  I feel like I look really big in the first picture, and skinny in all the side pics!  Weird.  I think I am slouching against the post in the first pic, which probably is making my belly look bigger.  Maybe?  Or it could just be the way the shirt is draping.  Anyway--love this outfit!  Although I could have gone with capris today, as it got rather hot in the afternoon.

 I am just loving how green everything is around here.  Sigh . . . I love summer. :)  Well, at least the "everything is pretty" part--not so much the heat!  But so far we have been having lovely weather, not much humidity yet, so I can't complain!

 The bump doesn't look much different than my last post--I'm not growing super fast (yet :)).  

Outfit details:

Halftee from halftee.com (LOVE this and would buy a few more if they weren't so expensive!)

Green/white top: Secondhand (Old Navy)--I love the length and drape!

Jeans: Goodwill (Old Navy) and adapted to maternity by yours truly (using an old bella band)

We discussed a few other things at my appt. today, including Rhogam and prenatal screening.  Sherry had given me a DVD on prenatal screening to watch (available free on Youtube here, if anyone's interested) and I thought it was really interesting.  We have not done screening with any of our previous pregnancies, and won't be with this one either, but I appreciated the overall tone of the film (not saying I necessarily agree with all the viewpoints expressed, of course) and how they gave questions at the end to help people determine if screening would be a good choice for them.  (To be clear, this film was only about screening for Down syndrome, Spina Bifida, and Trisomy 18.)  For me, doing the screening wouldn't really be helpful because I wouldn't choose to have further testing done (such as an amniocentesis), since I am not comfortable with the risks of those tests.  And we wouldn't choose to abort our baby, regardless of the test results.  It was just interesting to see the different viewpoints of the parents interviewed on the film.  Many really wanted to know ahead of time if their child would be born with a disability--so they could prepare mentally--and I can understand that and even relate somewhat.  But I found myself identifying most with the mom who didn't know ahead of time that her first child had Down syndrome, and later chose not to have screening done for her other two pregnancies, because as she said, it wouldn't have made any difference in her decisions.  At any rate, we are trusting God with the health of our baby and if there are any issues, we will handle them one step at a time with His help.

Regarding the Rhogam shot (I have an Rh- blood type), I am still thinking that one over.  I have the option to get it at 28 weeks, but I probably won't.  I didn't for either Julia or Josiah, and the risks of issues from not getting it then are pretty small.  If the new baby has a positive blood type (as did Sam and Josiah), then I will get it within 72 hours after giving birth.  Anyway, like I said, still thinking about that decision, but I still have 10 weeks to decide. :)

And I guess that is a long enough update for today!  Next appt. will be July 14!

What I'm Wearing 2: 16 weeks, 5 days

These pics were actually of my outfit yesterday, so 16 weeks, 4 days. :)  But I didn't get around to posting till today.  This is one of my most favorite (so far) early pregnancy outfits for a day that's not too hot and not too cold.  I'm hoping the sweatshirt/hoodie top still stretches enough to fit in the fall too, so I can enjoy it then!  It will probably be too warm to wear in the middle of summer.  This was my first time trying these pregnancy jeans, and they are still a little big in the tummy, so I found myself hiking them up once in a while.  But I think they will be great when I get bigger!

 Outfit details: 

Tee (not maternity): Eddie Bauer (purchased secondhand from Twice)

Hoodie: (Liz Lange maternity) secondhand lot of clothes

Jeans: Motherhood (ditto)

Pasta necklace: birthday gift from one of my little Patch Club boys! :)

Bookworm necklace: Lisa Leonard

Sandals: Walmart, years ago :)

 Julia was my photographer this time.  I think you can see my baby bump a little better in this pic. :)

Not much to report in pregnancy news; I still have more than a week till my next midwife appt.  I am really enjoying this stage of pregnancy--trying to treasure it while it lasts, before I get more uncomfortable!  So far I've had very little discomfort except stretching ligaments, tiredness, etc. . . and I've been having off and on sciatic nerve trouble, as usual, but nothing too bad yet.  Last night the baby was moving a lot--the most I've felt at one time so far!  So that was fun.  I felt extra tired yesterday, so perhaps baby was having a growth spurt.  We got the kids to bed earlier than normal, and Jim and I were in bed by 9 pm, which is EARLY for us.  It felt so good!  I got a wonderful 9 hours of sleep and feel a lot more energized today.  I also finally got back to exercising this morning, after taking a few days off, and I know that helps with energy as well.  Can't believe I am almost at 17 weeks now . . . time is flying!

What I'm Wearing

I thought it would be fun to do some posts called "What I'm Wearing" so you can see some of my new maternity clothes. :)  I may try to do one of these per week through the summer, but we'll see.  No promises; you know my track record as a faithful blogger!!

First of all, I'm happy that I made it to my goal of being able to wear regular clothes till 15-16 weeks.  I will be 16 weeks on Saturday, and I can still fit into my regular clothes and even still button my jeans and zip my skirts--but it's a squeeze!!!  I have already been adding in some of my new maternity stuff because a) it's more comfy now, and b) I was impatient to start wearing some new things. ;)  I'll admit that I would not be nearly this excited if I hadn't been able to buy some new clothes!  But having them is making the pregnancy more fun. :)

So without further ado, here is my outfit for today:

I don't think this shirt looks as flattering from the front, but I think it will look better when my tummy is a little bigger. :)  It is definitely comfy, though!

 From the side.  Yeah, not much of a belly bump yet, but I'm trying to show what little there is!

I am the type that thinks it is interesting to read outfit details, so here goes.  

Cami: Forever 21

Shirt: Old Navy (this was from the huge lot of used clothes I bought)

Pants (which convert to capris): Motherhood (I bought these at the thrift store, but the other clothes I bought came with an identical pair, just a size larger--which should work great also!)

I need to rave about these pants for a minute. :)  This is the first time I've had a pair with the "secret fit" belly panel, and it. is. FABULOUS.  So super comfy.  When we first announced our pregnancy, my sis-in-law recommended the Oh Baby! by Motherhood brand of capris found at Kohl's.  I think these are very similar, and I love that they can be either pants or capris, so they are super versatile.  I'm excited to have 2 pairs!  They are similar to these, which can be found at Kohl's.  And these from Motherhood.  Only buying used made them a lot cheaper. ;)

And if you ever wanted to see a super silly/scary pic of me, here ya go: 

My photographer (Sam) wouldn't stop pressing the shutter button, so I was coming after him . . . :D

I may count this post for my 16 week photo, unless I decide to stick with my plan of always posting a pic of me in a black shirt.  Which probably depends on if I remember to take a picture on Saturday. :)

There isn't a whole lot of new pregnancy stuff to report.  Still feeling little wiggles and flutters now and then, and my tummy is definitely continuing to grow, so that's good.  So far I've been keeping up with my exercise goal of walking/running (mostly walking!) on the treadmill 3-5 times a week.  I've already started drinking pregnancy tea, which I believe has made a big difference in my past births--I drink it iced, which is so yummy and will be wonderful this summer!  I am going to need to order more herbs soon from the Bulk Herb Store . . . right now I am using up what I had from 6+ years ago!

Speaking of Bulk Herb Store, they have had a lot of great pregnancy/birth/postpartum posts on their blog lately, by various writers.  Lots of helpful stuff.  I'm even more inspired to make this my healthiest pregnancy yet; however, I have lots of work to do!  I know I can do better with nutrition, especially.  I would love to buy their book Making Babies or the DVD set that goes along with it . . . but they are pricey!!  They are actually both on special this month though, so I might be able to splurge on the book.  I've had my eye on these ever since they came out, but since we didn't expect to have more kids, I didn't expect I would really need them!  Anyway, this summer I hope to do more intentional study on good nutrition for me and baby, and learn more about herbs, teas, etc. that would be helpful.  

Well, I think I have made this post long enough for today!!  Guess I felt chatty. :)  Thanks for reading!

14 Weeks

{12 Week Photo--one of these days I WILL get a pic up with an update on the right week!}

Time for another update!  My 14 week appt. was supposed to be on Monday, but it ended up rescheduled to today because my midwife was at someone's labor (which turned out to be a false alarm, actually!).   I took the kids with me for the first time--they all wanted to hear baby's heartbeat. Unfortunately baby wasn't cooperating today and we never did hear the heartbeat!  I'm not worried, as we never heard Julia's and Josiah's till later, but it was a little disappointing since we were able to hear it so well at my first appt.

Everything else looked good.  My blood pressure was 100/70.  I've gained a total of about 9 lbs--a little more than I'd like, but I'm still fitting in my pre-preg. clothes so far. :)  We talked about my eating habits (I had to fill out a food journal for one week) and how I need to work on incorporating more veggies, and especially more protein and iron.

I've been feeling baby flutters much earlier this time around.  They started sometime between 12-13 weeks, I think.  Mostly it is just that "butterfly" feeling, but occasionally I get a pretty strong little kick.  As we were leaving the library later this afternoon I got one of those, which was fun--and assures me that all is most likely well with baby.  :)

I will try to update again at 16 weeks with at least a photo, since I am trying to take one every 4 weeks. I won't have any new appt. updates to post yet, but I am sure to look more pregnant by then. ;)

11 weeks

So today I'm exactly 11 weeks along with baby #4!  The picture above was actually taken at 8 weeks, though, so exactly 3 weeks ago.  I haven't changed much since then. ;)  Well, I am definitely getting rounder in the middle, but not so much that it would be super obvious in a picture.  For this pregnancy, I am planning to take a picture every 4 weeks, so my next one will be next Saturday.  I've never done this before (on a monthly basis), so it'll be fun to "watch" me grow. :)  I'm also planning to take each picture in the same shirt--or at least a black shirt, maybe short sleeved for summer, if I can find one?--so they'll look kind of similar each time, with (hopefully) just the obvious belly growing.

I know some of you are waiting for a midwife appt. update!  I met with my midwife, Sherry, this past Monday for my first checkup, blood work, etc.  My weight was up 5 lbs from my starting weight, and my blood pressure was 137/79.  It was really fun to catch up with her and I spent 1.5 hours there, getting all the starting paperwork done, blood drawn, exam, etc, and just doing some visiting, of course. :)  The most exciting part was that we DID get to hear baby's heartbeat!  I had not expected this, at only 10 weeks, 2 days . . . with my last two babies, we didn't hear heartbeats until much later.  So it was really neat that we got to hear this one so early.  It was in the 160s so far--it'll be interesting to see how that changes or not in the next months.  I am excited to be planning another home birth (Lord willing!), although I admit I am a little nervous, too.  It's just been so long since my last baby, and I am not sure what to expect.  I will be hoping and praying for another quick and straightforward labor, and we'll see what God has in store. :)  My next appt. will be May 19.

One of the hardest things for me this time around (I'm being painfully honest here) is the thought of gaining weight again.  I was hovering at a healthy weight after losing 15+ lbs almost 2 years ago, and I was thankful I'd been able to pretty much maintain for over a year.  I was buying smaller sizes and happy with a smaller shape . . . the thought of getting big again, even though I KNOW it is for a good reason, has been difficult.  I realize this is complete selfishness!  I am still working on adjusting my attitude. :)  It's easy to "say" that I won't gain as much weight this time around, but it has been hard to actually put into practice because I've been so, so hungry.  Between weeks 5-8 especially, I would get such intense hunger which would in turn bring on nausea, that I would just have to eat whatever sounded good, as quickly as possible, to help myself not feel sick.  In the past few weeks that has eased up a lot, and so far I am still fitting into most of my regular clothes, so I am grateful for that. :)  I am also grateful that I started out at a lower weight this time, than with either of the last two pregnancies.  Like I said, I know this is selfish thinking--there are much worse things I could be dealing with!!!  Just keeping it real here, and if you guys think of it, this is one way you can pray for me.  I want to make sensible and healthy choices with my eating and exercise habits, while also remembering that gaining weight is important to grow a strong and healthy little one. :)  A couple of my short and long-term goals in this area are:

• Be able to stay in regular clothes until around 15-16 weeks (the end of May)
• Gain between 20-30 lbs. with this pregnancy (35 is normal for me, so I would be okay with that too :))
• Exercise regularly.  I think this is a big key for me in staying healthier.  I've been aiming for 3-5 times a week on the treadmill, going at least 1.5-2 miles each time.  Mostly I just walk briskly, but I've added in a little bit of running--usually a quarter or half mile (broken up with walking in between, if it's the latter). 
• Make sure to drink plenty of water, and later, pregnancy tea.  I don't want any UTIs this time!!

On the other hand, there are fun parts that I am enjoying--things like buying a few new clothes!  I actually will need some summer maternity stuff this time, so that is different and fun. :)  I have been scouring Pinterest for DIY maternity ideas too, and am planning to make a few things later on.  I am really hoping to keep myself looking a little more "put-together" this time around, even on days when I'm staying home, so I'm trying to come up with some cute outfit essentials that I can mix and match.  Last year I read Embracing Beauty, by Trina Holden, and was really inspired in the area of style and beauty as a mom (whether pregnant or not).  She has some great ideas for maternity style, and I'm excited to hopefully incorporate some of them!  (You can read a brief review of this book, along with some others I enjoyed last year, at my regular blog here.)  

I am also super curious this time around about whether baby is a boy or a girl.  And no, we don't plan to find out ahead of time--as usual :) --but I have a lot of people around here who are hoping for a girl, including my grandmother and other relatives!  I hope no one is disappointed. :)  I actually had the feeling from the beginning that it will be a girl, but statistically for our family, a boy is more likely . . . and of course I will be happy either way.  Julia, however, is definitely rooting for a sister! :)  

Well, I have made this update LONG enough, that's for sure!!  Probably the next one will be a shorter. :)  I'm planning to update monthly, or maybe a little more often if I think of something interesting to write about.  Thanks for joining me on this journey!

And here we go . . . AGAIN!

When I posted Josiah's birth story back in April 2008, I had no idea at the time that I'd ever be posting here again.  Oh, we'd talked about possibly having more kids from time to time, but really we were both feeling happy with our three, and after a while we decided our family was complete--unless of course we were blessed with a "surprise."  Well, fast forward to March 2014, nearly 6 years after I last posted, and we GOT that surprise!  I know most of you who will be reading here already know all this, but I wanted to post a quick "intro" for anyone else who may stumble across my blog. :)  I'm excited to share pregnancy milestones along this new journey, and I'm glad you stopped by!  First appointment update to follow . . .

Josiah's Birth Story

Well, it's taken me a little longer than I planned to post the birth story . . . but I've been getting lots of good rest and bonding time with my new little guy, which has been wonderful. :) Anyway, here's the story, for those who enjoy all the details!

Mid-afternoon on Thursday, I started having a few mild contractions. Nothing all that painful, and not close enough together to bother timing them, but thinking back on it I realize that they were different from normal "Braxton-Hicks" contractions. Jim was home that day (it's really neat how God has worked it out that he's always been home when each of my labors started!) and we decided to go grocery shopping that evening. I was feeling pretty tired and had no clue what to make for supper, so we planned a quick stop at Burger King before going to Hannaford and Walmart. On our way to town, Jim gave me a funny look and asked me if I was in labor. I said, "Not that I know of!" and asked him why he thought that. He said I just looked a little funny and he wondered why I had my hand on my belly. I explained that it had been bouncing around too much on our bumpy road, so I just had my hand there to keep it still. But I added that I was having contractions now and then, but I still didn't think I was in labor. He appeared unconvinced and continued to give me some funny looks. :)

After a quick stop at the bank, we headed to BK. As we were standing in line, I realized that the contrax. were starting to get a little more uncomfortable, as well as being closer together. We got our food and headed outside to eat at a picnic table (it was a gorgeous evening), and all during supper I was getting more uncomfortable. By the time we finished eating, I decided it would be a good idea to see if we could get ahold of my parents and see if they could take the kids, just in case this was the real thing. They weren't home, but knowing that they always do their grocery shopping on Thursday nights, we figured we could probably track them down easily. We headed to Walmart and sure enough, they were there. My mom was pretty surprised when we came up to her and asked if she would like to have a couple kids for the evening! After leaving the kids with them, we went back to our truck and Jim switched the carseats over to their car. At this point (this was around 7 pm), I was having to pause and concentrate through the contractions, which were coming ever closer together. I decided to start timing them, so I would have accurate details to tell my midwife when I called her. They were coming about every 3-5 minutes and lasting 30-45 seconds. I knew at this point that I was definitely in labor; I just wasn't sure whether to call Sherry on the way home, or wait till we got there. In the end, I decided to wait and make sure things didn't slow down when we got home.

As we walked in the door, I knew I'd better call her, pronto. :) After all, she barely made it to Julia's birth, and this labor was acting awfully similar to Julia's! I tried her home phone first and got the answering machine, so I called her cell and got her immediately. (She was working one of her other jobs that night--she waitresses part-time.) Knowing she was on the way made me feel better. This was around 7:20 pm. Jim and I set to work getting things ready. Well, I should say that Jim set to work. I gave him instructions between contractions. :) He put the towels in the oven to warm them, changed the sheets, got out other labor supplies, and ran the bath for me. I got into the bath quickly. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not--I knew I was in active labor, but the contractions were still about 3 mins. apart or so, and I've heard that sometimes the water can slow them down if you haven't progressed enough. But I really wanted to be in the water, so I decided to chance it, and if things slowed down I could always get out again. I'm not sure exactly what time I got in the tub. Maybe around 7:45-ish. Thankfully things didn't slow down, instead I could feel that the contractions were coming closer together and getting more intense. By the time Sherry and the other midwife, Cindy, arrived, around 8:22 pm, I was definitely in transition. Jim was hanging out by the tub, holding my hand and encouraging me, telling me what a great job I was doing. (He's gotta be one of the best labor coaching hubbies in the world. :) He lets me squeeze his hand as hard as I want, rubs my back if I want him to, and breathes on my face to help me focus on my slow breathing through each contraction.) Sherry and Cindy got to work setting up their gear and Sherry checked the baby's heartbeat now and then with the Doppler. Everything was looking good. Before too long, I was feeling the need to bear down with the contractions. This is one of the reasons I LOVE homebirth. There's no one standing there telling you to push in some crazy position (such as on your back, legs up in the air), telling you how long to push, etc . . . just a midwife encouraging you to listen to your body and work with it. I would never say that labor is fun . . . but it is so much easier to work with your body than against it. :) (By the way, Sherry did give me helpful ideas for positioning, etc. but she's very "hands-off" and lets me do what comes naturally and feels most comfortable, and I really appreciate that.)

As I started to push, Sherry checked to see where the baby was at and the head was moving well down the birth canal. There was still a little lip of cervix there, so Sherry held it back to help the baby get past it. She had asked Jim if he wanted to catch the baby, and he said sure. We had talked about this a bit ahead of time, and he had thought it might be neat to do that. As the baby's head started to emerge, I heard her ask Cindy for scissors, and was trying to figure out why in the world she would need them. It turned out that the baby was born "in the cull" which means the bag of waters hadn't broken and his head was coming out inside the bag. Jim caught his head and then the bag ended up breaking on its own, at which point everything burst into the water, including the rest of the baby. :) Sherry got him up onto my chest right away and Jim said "It's a boy!" He took his first breath and let out a holler, and continued to yell very loudly for a good long time. They didn't even have to suction his nose or mouth, and he cleared his own lungs out very well. :) That was one thing that was totally different from Julia's birth--she was very calm and relaxed after being born. Not Josiah! He seemed plenty mad about his fast trip into the world! Start to finish, the active labor part was probably about 2 hours--we were at BK around 6:30 and Josiah was born at 8:40 pm.

I cuddled him there in the tub for a while, as we waited for the cord to stop beating. That seemed to take forever! It finally stopped and Sherry clamped it, and Jim cut it. The placenta was born a few minutes later. In the meantime, Josiah had gotten nice and pink (actually red--probably from all the screaming :)), and received 10s on both his Apgar scores. I handed him over to his Daddy and got up and took a shower (which is another great thing about having a tub birth). After that, I climbed into bed and attempted to nurse the baby. (I'd actually already tried to get him to nurse right after birth, but he wasn't having any of it, being too upset. He never really did catch onto it that night, so I was a bit worried about that. But later on in the early morning, he began to "get it" and by now he is doing very well with it, so I'm very thankful.) It was at this point that we started trying to figure out what to name him. We had considered a bunch of names, but none really stuck out to us as "this is the ONE." Josiah was the one we both liked the most, so that's what we ended up with, and now I'm really liking it. And the "Charles" is after Jim's grandfather.

Sherry did Josiah's newborn exam and also checked me out at some point. I had a very small tear, but nothing that needed stitching. Jim started calling our families, and we decided to have my parents bring Sam and Julia back so they could meet their new brother and sleep in their own beds. Sam was very excited about the baby! Julia was unsure at first, but she hasn't shown too much jealousy and is definitely getting used to having him around now. My parents took the kids again on Friday for us, which was a great blessing, and Jim has been able to be home this week, which has also been wonderful. :) I'm getting lots of rest and the kids are getting lots of good Daddy time. But poor Jim--I think he'll feel more rested when he goes back to work. :)
So that is the story! It was another great experience and I am so thankful for another precious, healthy little guy to love and enjoy. He's starting to squawk a bit right now, so I'd better go nurse him. I'll try to update more in the next few days! Thanks for all the sweet comments on my last post--you guys are the best! :)

Introducing . . .

Josiah Charles!!

Baby Josiah arrived last night at 8:40 pm, after another quick and intense labor that was very much like Julia's. He weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and was 21" long. More pictures and birth story to come in a day or so . . . right now I'm not really supposed to be out of bed. :) But I just wanted to let you all know that our little one is here and that we are all doing well. Thanks for your prayers!!

Question of the Week

My friend Jenny asked a question on her blog last week and I thought it would make a great question of the week for all my readers also, so I asked if I could copy her. :) I know some of you have already answered this on her blog, so don't feel you have to answer here if you don't want to--but if you do, go for it!

Anyway, her question was: "What things, looking back on your birthing experiences, do you WISH you had known before going into birth? What things would you advise a brand new mom-to-be to be cautious of?"

Before having Sam, I did a lot of reading and researching both in books and online, and found the subject of birth to be very fascinating. I knew from the start that I desired a natural birth with as few interventions and drugs as possible. I chose a hospital that had a large midwifery practice because I felt that would give the best chance of having that kind of birth. (Midwives tend to be more "natural-minded" than most OBs.) I really enjoyed the midwives in the practice, and thankfully I was able to have a great birth experience (I realize now that that is not necessarily "normal" for a hospital delivery). Anyway, after thinking and praying about it, researching some more, and talking to friends who had delivered at home, I chose to go with a homebirth for my second (and hopefully all future children). Where my first birth had been a great experience, my second birth was an excellent experience. Sometimes I wish I had considered homebirth as an option for my first . . . but since I just didn't feel brave enough to do that, I'm glad I was able to have a good hospital birth. I guess I said all that, to say that I feel it's very important for moms-to-be to really research and study about birth, and have an idea in mind of what their hopes and desires for birth are. Some people do not desire to go "all natural" and that's fine--but it's important to understand the risks of various medications, interventions, etc. I also think it's important for women to realize that it's their pregnancy and for the most part, they are in charge, not the OB or the midwife. Obviously there are times when a medical professional has to call the shots due to warning signs in a pregnancy or delivery. But as the mommy, you have the right to speak up if you're not comfortable with something. It's OK to question your health care provider--yes, they have credentials, but they are not all-knowing and can make mistakes.

Obviously, I have become a big fan of homebirthing, and would highly encourage women to look into it as an option. At the same time, though, I don't ever want to come across as pushy about it, because I realize that a lot of women (or their husbands) wouldn't be comfortable with the idea. I am blessed to have a husband that is as enthusiastic about homebirth as I am, and I think that's very cool. :) So anyway, while I try not to push homebirth on other people, I am more than happy to share my positive experiences if someone asks. And I'm more likely to recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth over What to Expect When You're Expecting, and "The Business of Being Born" over "A Baby Story. " :)

Another area I think moms-to-be should study up on, is breastfeeding. If you want to make it work, it's important to realize that it doesn't always come naturally, for both the mom and baby! An excellent book that a friend gave me when I had Sam is So That's What They're For! by Janet Tamaro. It's fun and easy to read, and was very helpful. It's also super important, if you have your baby in a hospital, that you make sure the nurses are on the same page with your desire to breastfeed. I know a couple of ladies who wanted to breastfeed, yet before they could even start trying, the hospital nurses were already giving their babies a bottle of formula! Thankfully that was not the case in the hospital where I had Sam . . . there was one nurse in particular who I appreciated SO much, because she literally spent several hours with me, helping me get Sam latched on and figure out the whole process. She and the other nurses also told me right from the start that I needed to nurse him as often as he wanted to--that it was a supply and demand principle. I was happy to have such good info. and support and I believe that helped us get off to a great start with breastfeeding.

One more thing and I promise I'll stop jabbering and let the rest of you comment. :) At my baby shower before Sam was born, the ladies all wrote down a bit of advice for me on a recipe card. I still have all those cards and read them over from time to time! I loved getting advice from older, more experienced moms. One thing that has especially stuck with me is this comment from one of my friends. She said, "Trust God! Don't read a lot of parenting books! The baby will be unique and will develop at their own rate. Raise them in the most Godly way that works for both of you." As I'm sure you can tell, I'm one who likes to read and learn, and I do think there are plenty of good things we can glean from books. But first and foremost, we need to trust God and use HIS Book for wisdom in parenting.

Well, sorry to have gotten so long-winded in this post! I guess I got a little carried away. :) I look forward to reading what the rest of you have to say! Oh, and no sign of baby coming yet . . . my midwife will be back sometime today or at least by tomorrow, so I'm hopeful that baby is waiting for her, and will arrive sometime later this week. We'll see! :)

38 Weeks

Getting closer and closer!! I had my 38 week checkup yesterday. My weight was up 1 more lb, and my b/p wasn't too good when Sherry first checked it (130/88). However, when she checked it again a little later (while I was lying down) it was completely normal. So it seems that position makes a difference. Obviously we'll still keep an eye on it, but I was relieved that it was fine while I was lying down. Baby's heart rate was in the 130s-140s again; he or she was being very calm and not jumping around a lot as usually seems to happen while she's checking the heart rate. I was measuring smaller again this week, so I guess the baby wasn't sticking his bum up as much or something. :)

I'm praying that baby decides to arrive by Friday morning, or waits till next Tuesday, because Sherry will be away for a long weekend. There are two backup midwives whom I can call on if I do go into labor, but of course I'd be most comfortable if my "own" midwife was able to deliver. :) So if you think about it, please pray about that for me! I suppose if things go like my last labor, Jim could end up delivering anyway . . . :)

If I don't have the baby early, my next appt. will be next Weds. (23rd). I'm definitely feeling ready to go anytime, but baby appears to be very comfy and cozy in there, and is taking his time about coming out. :) I'm not super uncomfortable (most of the time) but the pregnancy hormones are really getting to me. I seem to cry about anything and everything! Ugh. I'm thankful for a patient and understanding husband. :) I'm also thankful that it probably won't be more than a few weeks and then I'll just have the postpartum hormones to deal with, LOL. :)

Thanks to everyone for your sweet comments and prayers . . . I love being able to share my pregnancy journey in this way and I'm thankful to all of you for your encouragement!

36/37 Weeks

Sorry it has been a while between updates! Things have been busy and I just haven’t had as much blogging time as I would like.

Anyway, here I am at 37 weeks. I feel that I have officially started to look like a whale. :) This is the maternity jumper that I started while pregnant with Julia, and finally finished a few weeks ago. I’m not as happy with it as I’d hoped, but I decided to wear it to church Sunday so I would at least get a tiny bit of use out of it before packing it away.

My last two appts. (on the past 2 Mondays) have been good. At my 36 week visit, my b/p was up a bit, at 120/85. Not a really scary number, but higher than I’d like. (For those who don’t know, my b/p has a history of jumping at the end of pregnancy.) At my 37 week visit, it was back down to 120/82. Yay! At 36 weeks, baby’s heart rate was all over the place, and at 37 weeks, it was in the 130s-140s, nice and strong. At 36 weeks, I was still measuring small--around 32 cm. At 37 weeks, that had changed dramatically and I was measuring 38 cm! As I recall, a similar thing happened with Julia. Either baby had a major growth spurt, or just changed position enough to give me the extra 6 cm. :) I’ve gained 30 lbs. total, which is pretty normal by this point in my pregnancies. Baby is in a great position, definitely head down and putting more pressure on my pelvis all the time. :) All in all, everything looks great and I’m gearing up for the birth--hopefully not too much longer to wait before we get to meet this little one!!

We’ve been nesting like crazy around here. Even Jim is getting into the act. He has gotten up on his big ladder and vacuumed/dusted the ceiling fans for me, scrubbed the tub, and rearranged all kinds of furniture. All the newborn clothes are washed and put away, the birth supplies are ready, and I’ve ordered my new nursing bras and Lana wool nursing pads (which I’m really excited to try!). And I’ve been drinking huge amounts of pregnancy tea. :)

A couple neat blessings: I’ve been wanting to try a pouch style sling for the new baby. My sister called last week and offered to let me try the one she used for her first baby, as she had just been given a new one by some friends. I’m so excited, because this way I can give it a try and find out if I like it, without spending any money to do so! Thanks Jo, for your generosity!!

Another thing that was on my “wish list” was a nursing cover from Peekaboo Baby. Not a necessity, but I really liked the look of them and thought they might work better than a blanket. However, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to spend $30+ on one. I thought I had seen some free instructions online somewhere for making your own, so I went searching to see if I could find them again. Sure enough, I came up with this link.
Now I just need to find some cute fabric and I can make my own, at a fraction of the cost! As if I needed another sewing project, right? :) Still, I am looking forward to trying it. If it turns out nicely, I could make more in the future for gifts for new moms.

I’m having trouble coming up with a good question for this week. Any ideas? For anyone who hasn’t placed a guess as to the birth date and stats on my 34/35 week post, feel free to do so--or you can make your guess on this post instead. Hopefully sometime within the next few weeks I’ll be posting a birth announcement here! I’m so looking forward to that!! :) Hope you are all having a great week!

"The Business of Being Born"

This week I got to watch “The Business of Being Born,” courtesy of Netflix. :) I thought it would be fun to write down my impressions and share some of what I learned from the film.

First, for a little background, this film is a documentary about the maternity care system in the US. The point of the film was to expose some of the problems with the current system, as well as to give women some good information on the alternatives (midwifery care--homebirth or birthing centers). Overall, I felt the film was very eye-opening in a lot of ways. And it did a good job highlighting the positive things about OBs/hospital birth while at the same time exposing the not-so-good things. I didn’t come away with the feeling that they were completely knocking hospitals, but rather trying to show women that there are good alternatives, and that there is a lot more chance of receiving unwanted (and often unneeded) interventions in a hospital than there is with the midwifery model of care. Here are some of the statistics I jotted down as I watched the film:

~ Midwives attend 70% of births in Europe and Japan, and less than 8% of births in the US.
~The US has the 2nd worst newborn death rate in the developed world (that’s pretty scary).
~In 1900, 95% of US births took place at home. In 1938, half of the US births took place at home. By 1955, less than 1% of US births took place at home, and it remains the same percentage today.
~Since 1996, the rate of c-sections has risen by 46%. In 2005, one out of every 3 births in the US was a c-section. (There is something very wrong with this picture!)
~The US spends 2 times as much money per birth as any other country.
~People in our culture are likely to spend more time researching a major purchase such as a car, TV, camera, etc. than they do on researching their birth options.

I think one of the scariest things to me was the huge increase in c-sections. There is no way that that many c-sections are necessary. At least one of the OBs interviewed for the film admitted that there is a definite link between inductions and c-sections, which I found very interesting.

There were a few OBs that they interviewed who were very cool with homebirth and midwifery, and a couple others who had quite a negative attitude to the whole idea. One of them even said something to the effect that telling someone it was OK to have a homebirth was like telling them it is OK to not wear their seatbelt.

It was neat to see the interviews with midwives (particularly Ina May Gaskin, one of America’s most famous midwives) and to see their compassion and dedication to helping women have the kind of birth they want.

There is no way I can sum up the whole film in this post (since I would probably put you all to sleep anyway!), but I was really glad to have the opportunity to see it and I definitely recommend it. Even if you are not the least bit interested in homebirth, I think you would benefit from the information presented. A quick “disclaimer” just because: This was not at all a Christian film, and there is a bit of language scattered throughout (disappointing but not surprising). Also, there are several real births shown on the film, so it’s not something you would likely want to watch when your kids were around, and some husbands (like mine) may not be comfortable watching those parts, as well. These are not the “G-rated” vantage points of birth that you will see on “A Baby Story.” :)

I was glad to be able to see this at this point in my pregnancy, because it helped me get even more excited about my next birth. No, I don’t love the pain of labor . . . but I do find birth so interesting, and I love the end feeling of having just “conquered the world.” :) I really love watching births and reading/hearing others’ birth stories, too--maybe I’m weird, but it helps me as I gear up for my next labor and I just find the whole process so fascinating. It is so amazing how God designed us to take part in the miracle of bringing new life into the world!!

For more info, you can check out The Business of Being Born website, or this movie review from the NY Times.

34/35 Week Update

I had my 34 week checkup with Sherry last Monday, and am now at about 35 weeks. So here is an update for both. :) At my checkup, my weight was up one more pound, my blood pressure was normal, and baby’s heart rate was in the 130s-150s. I was measuring around 31 weeks. Baby has been hanging out on my right side for the past week or two; I often feel an elbow or knee or something poking out of my side. I remember Sam used to do that too, I’m not sure about Julia. Sherry felt for the baby’s position and he/she appears to be heading down, with the bottom up under my ribs. I’m feeling more pelvic pressure but I don’t think baby has dropped yet. I also have to use the bathroom a lot more . . . ah, the joys of those last weeks. :) I’ve been having more swelling in my fingers, feet and ankles, which is typical for me in the last month or two. I’ve given up trying to wear my wedding and engagement rings for the duration. I’m still guzzling the red rasp. leaf tea and water, and I can definitely see a difference in the swelling on the days when I drink the most. Heartburn has been off and on . . . sometimes I’ll hardly have any for several days, then it will be bad again for a few days. The sciatica has eased up some, as long as I don’t accidentally sleep on my back.

I did a bunch of cleaning in various parts of the house this week, but I still have a lot more I hope to do before baby’s arrival! I also want to make some more freezer meals, and I need to dig the newborn clothes out of storage and wash them. I also have some more birth supplies to get ready, which needs to happen by the end of this week. I feel like the due date is really sneaking up on me this time . . . I’m ready to have the baby out, but I don’t feel quite ready for his/her arrival yet, if that makes sense. :) And if I go early like I have both other times . . . then I may only have 2-3 weeks left to get things ready!

Thanks to all of you who left comments about going from two to three kiddos (or more)--it was helpful and encouraging to read all your responses. I know we’ll adjust, and I may just not try to go out grocery shopping with all 3 kiddos for a little while. :) I do plan to use a baby carrier or sling, though, which should help when I do take them all out together.

I think we’ve finally narrowed our name choices down, to 3 possible girl names and 2 or 3 possible boy names. It will be interesting to see what we end up with. :)

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: OK, it’s time to start making your guesses! Take a guess as to the baby’s birth date, gender, weight & length. It’ll be fun to see who comes the closest. :) For a point of reference, Sam was born at 37 weeks and Julia at 37.5 weeks. My estimated due date is April 26th. And my first 2 kids were 5 lbs. 14 oz., and 6 lbs. 8 oz. at birth. Guess away!

32 Weeks

I had another appt. yesterday--can't believe how fast the time is flying! Sherry did the finger prick to test my glucose and hemoglobin, and both numbers were fine, so I was happy to hear that. My b/p is still fine, at 100/80. Baby's heartbeat was anywhere from the high 120s- high 140s, so plenty of good variety there. I'm measuring somewhere around 30+ weeks, and my weight gain is up to 25 lbs. total.

Baby has been VERY active lately. I *think* he/she is headed down, but Sherry couldn't tell for sure yet. I'm just thinking that because all the hiccups I feel are way down low. :)

I can have a homebirth anytime from 37 weeks on, so less than 5 weeks to go till I reach that point, which will be early April. I doubt this baby will arrive quite that early, but I wouldn't mind mid-April!

I've definitely got the nesting urge now, but I haven't had quite as much energy as I'd like. Hopefully I'll get a fresh burst soon, because there is so much I want to get cleaned and organized in the next month or two!

Well, I need to go make supper, so I'll close with the question of the week, which is:

For those of you with at least 3 kids, did you find it harder to adjust from having 1 to 2 kids, or from having 2 to 3 kids? I hear varying reports on this, so I was just curious! I felt like going from 1 to 2 was no big deal, but I admit I'm a bit nervous about adding a third! At least Sam is doing a lot of things independently now, and is old enough to be a good helper. :)

31 Weeks

Here's my latest belly pic, taken on Saturday night. Getting bigger and bigger! Everything is going great. Sherry and Elinn came by for a checkup last Weds. night, since they were already in the area doing another home visit. My b/p was 120/80, weight was up 2 more lbs. since last time (which I think makes 21 lbs. total), and baby's heart rate was in the 140s-150s. I'm still measuring small, as usual, even though I don't feel small. :) My next checkup is supposed to be on March 3, but we'll see . . . Sherry has several clients due around now, so she may be at a birth. Anyway, my next visit will include a finger prick to test my blood sugar and hemoglobin (I think). I haven't ever had sugar problems so I'm not concerned about that. I'm working on collecting birth supplies and already have quite a bit of what I need. It's exciting to think that I probably have less than 10 weeks to go. Hopefully more like 8!

There is still a lot I want to get done before baby arrives, though. I'd like to make a bunch of freezer meals, maybe one each week, so I won't have to cook much for a little while after the birth. I need to get out some newborn clothes, and wash them and find space to store them. And we still need to decide on names! I also hope to do some deep cleaning in the house, but we'll see how that goes. And I need to work on drinking more pregnancy tea or red raspberry leaf tea! I give RRL tea a lot of credit for my 2 quick and easy labors, and am hoping for similar results this time around. :)

I've started having some swelling in my fingers over the past few weeks, and now it's spread to my ankles . . . what fun. I've always had swelling at the end of my pregnancies, but with 2 little ones to keep up with, it is harder to find time to put my feet up. My goal is to drink tons of water, at least 64-96 oz. a day, and hopefully that will help. My sciatica has been pretty bad off and on, but as long as I don't stay sitting or lying in one position for too long, it's manageable. One huge blessing is that the heartburn has eased up! I don't know if the baby changed position or what, but it hasn't been bad at all for the past week or so. And even though the end of pregnancy isn't very comfortable, it's so encouraging to know that the discomforts will disappear when the baby's born. :)

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: I have to say I am more scared of the afterpains than I am of the labor pains. They were horrible after Julia, and I've heard they just keep getting worse with each baby. I'm not against taking painkillers (Advil, etc.) to help, but I'm considering getting some herbal tinctures that are supposed to help also. Does anyone have any experience with these or any other helpful advice to offer in regards to dealing with the pain? Thanks!

28 Weeks

Third trimester, here we come! It's exciting to realize that I'm 2/3 of the way done . . . or maybe more, seeing as I've never made it to 40 weeks yet. :)

Is it just me, or is everyone really clutzy in the last few months of pregnancy? It's been really bad in the past week or two. In just one night, I broke a bowl and a ceramic tart pan, spilled oats all over the counter, knocked a couple other things on the floor, and managed to accidentally scratch Julia's face with my engagement ring--twice. Thankfully not every day is that bad, but I feel like I am constantly doing something clutzy!

I've been making a postpartum/new baby "wish list" recently. I honestly don't really need anything for this baby (except diapers and things of that sort), nor do I really need anything for myself, except some new nursing bras. But I keep coming across things that I would love to try, so I'm making a list in case I'm able to earn some extra money in the next few months. Here's what's on my list so far:

~Nursing bras--2 (YES! bra--$14/apiece on Ebay)
~LANA nursing pads (wool, supposed to be super nice--approx. $20/pair--I'd want 2 sets)
~Peekaboobaby nursing cover (not a need--blankets work fine--but these look so nice, and are so cute, too!--$32)
~Kangaroo Korner pouch (still debating between fleece or cotton--approx. $62)
~New medium-size diaper bag (I'd love a Ju-Ju-Be, but only if I can win one!)

Have any of you tried any of these things (or something similar)? I am having fun dreaming, whether or not I actually end up buying anything! :)

We are tossing around more baby name ideas, but haven't come up with anything definite yet. Well, we're pretty much settled on a girl name (I think) but we like to keep the names secret till after the baby's born, so I won't share it here. For boy names, we're still very much undecided. One thing is for sure, it won't be Aiden, Jaden, Hayden, Braden, or Kaden. (No offense intended if someone has a boy with one of those names. :)) But Jim detests all such popular names; he's much more of a traditionalist when it comes to names. I was recently looking at a website that listed the most popular boy and girl names from 2007. I cracked up when I saw that Aiden, Braden and Kaden were in the top 3 spots for boys. And Jaden was number 7, I think. Just think how funny it's going to be when they all hit school age, and the classes are full of boys whose names sound alike. :) So . . . we're trying to come up with something a bit less popular; we'll see how it goes. Some of the names we're considering are actually quite common, but not used as much nowadays. Feel free to leave any name suggestions, but I can't promise we'll use them--still, you never know. :)

Sherry came and did a home visit this evening, so that was fun. She and another midwife were in the area doing some other home visits, so instead of us going to her house, they stopped in here. Everything is continuing to go well. I'm measuring small, but that's normal for me. I forgot to ask what my b/p was, but I think it must have been fine, as she didn't mention it being abnormal. Baby's heart rate was about 140-145 this time. My weight is up 9 lbs. (yikes!) since last time. I couldn't believe it when I weighed in this morning. I definitely need to cut back on the cookies. :) Actually, I've only gained 19 lbs. total which is fine; I was just surprised to see it jump so much in a month. I don't really look that much fatter, so I'm hoping it's mostly baby. :)
I am working really hard at drinking a lot of water, and so far I've had barely any swelling, and hopefully that'll help with my weight gain, too. I've been dealing with more frequent heartburn and sciatica, but I'm thankful that those are pretty much my only inconveniences. I have it so easy compared to a lot of women!

From here on out, I'll be having appts. every two weeks! So you can expect more frequent updates. :) I don't have a new belly pic for this week, but there's one from last week on my regular blog, which you've probably all seen anyway. Hasn't changed much since then!

Question(s) of the Week: What is/was some of your favorite baby or mama gear? Did you go through a clutzy time during pregnancy? Any baby names to suggest? Share away!