37 Weeks!!

Whew!  We made it to 37 weeks (yesterday)!!  My appointment was moved to tomorrow morning at 9.  I'm trying to make sure I'm prepared in case they decide to induce me tomorrow.  Sometimes I feel sure that I know whats going to happen at my appointment and then other times I feel like I really have no idea and that it really could go any number of ways.  But I'd like to be prepared for an immediate "Baby Joey Evacuation" in case thats the way it plays out.

This time I have to have me and Daddy ready, Jimmy ready and everything ready to bring Joey home.  So here is the short list of things I need to do this afternoon.

Jimmy's Corner

Video - May 2012

Baby Shower

Here we are over a month after the baby shower Mom and Stephanie threw for me and I still haven't written about it!  I swore to myself that the minute I was put on bed rest I was going to write about it but I guess I swore to myself that I would do a bunch of other stuff too...so you know I've been "resting" and slowly crossing off that invisible list in my head. 

I felt a little guilty that I was getting another shower so soon after having my first baby especially when the second one is a boy too!  But Mom seemed to really want to throw one and I have to admit I thought it would be fun to have a "celebration" for Joey whether I got a lot of stuff or not.

I was so exited to find out that my good friend Jill was planning to come to the shower too.  I was thankful to not be itching miserably this time but I still didn't feel great so the hospitality was lacking somewhat...ehh, who am I kidding?  Thats just a handy excuse!  ;-)  We all really enjoyed her visit though.

AniMAHlone

AniMAHlone means "Holy Cow Huge!" in my personal dictionary and its a cross between English, Spanish and Made Up. 

Joey is AniMAHlone!  I keep being told that babies born to hypertensive moms are on the small side and thats one reason why they monitor them so closely with extra ultrasounds and such because sometimes these babies aren't getting fed properly.  Jimmy was born at almost 38 weeks and was 6 lbs 12 oz.  So I had something similar in mind for Joey...but he has his own plan I guess.  My midwife told me on Wednesday that I need to be on my left side as much as possible so that he's getting "fed" because when I'm not he's "starving".  Uhhh...I don't want to be disrespectful or call her a liar but I'm pretty sure Joey is figuring out a way to eat whether I'm on my side or not!

At my appointment Wednesday the midwife guessed that Joey was a good 7lbs based on how big he "feels".  At my ultrasound yesterday at 36 weeks 2 days Lisa, the ultrasound tech, asked me immediately after starting to scan me if he had been measuring on schedule or ahead.  I laughed and said "definitely ahead!"  She laughed too and said oh good because his head is measuring really big!  Based on her measurements his head and belly are measuring at 39 weeks and he weighs approx 7 lbs 9 oz.  That's almost a whole pound heavier than Jimmy - 2 weeks earlier!!

I'm pretty positive that we won't make it to my due date...like 100% positive we won't...actually I'll be lucky to make it another week.  But say we DID make it to my due date, if Joey kept growing at the same rate that would put him at 9.5 lbs!!  AniMAHlone!!

I know this and everyone reminds me that these are all educated GUESSES but I just have to say that the midwife and Lisa were in agreement on Jimmy's weight before he was born and they were right.  And this time they're both estimating the same weight again - with different methods.  So I have a lot of faith in their "guesses".

What cracks me up is that his head is already measuring so big.  Jimmy had a big head too although we didn't really realize it at the time, we thought he looked normal.  But it definitely explains why we got so many comments on our "chubby" or "big" baby when he was really so tiny.  It was his big head!!  So it seems like Joey is following his lead.

Look at this little one...6lbs 12 oz, 19.5" and 14" head.  It will be fun to compare these stats and pics to Joey's stats and pics!  Won't be long before that AniMAHlone gets here!!

Little Jimmy 9/2/10





Week 36

Well, we've made it into the home stretch.  Now that I've reached 36 weeks I'm set to deliver at the Birth Center barring any true emergencies requiring major medical interventions.  I can't tell you how that makes me feel.  It's a jumble of things that makes me happy.

- I'll be able to deliver Joey in the same place/bed where Jimmy was born.
- We'll get to put Joey's footprints on the wall next to Jimmy's at the Birth Center.
- It's such a peaceful, intimate and cozy environment along with music and candles.
- I trust the midwives to do the best for me and Joey while still respecting my desires as far as how I want to labor.

I am hoping to let Joey incubate a little longer...I feel like 36 weeks is too early and 37 is kind of pushing it too. This might be erroneous thinking but knowing that he's already such a big guy makes me hopeful that if we do have to induce at 37/38 weeks he'll be a stong little booger that can handle it.  More than anything I don't want to have to transfer him to the NICU across the street because of respiratory issues...so if a few more days or another week will help us avoid that then I'm down with that.

On the OTHER hand....I'm ready to have him here already and be done with this discomfort.  And really it is just discomfort...its nothing too horribly painful...although there are painful moments too.  Last night was particularly miserable - between Jimmy waking himself up coughing several times and some pretty bad hip/pelvis pain with every toss or turn, lots of acid reflux, lots of getting up to pee, some pretty strong braxton hicks contractions...at least I think they're braxton hicks contractions...and just not being able to sleep it was a really long night.

Junk Drawer 5/18/2012

Last Day
Well, it’s my last day at work..it’s a half day but still the last day I’ll be here, writing on this computer, working so hard every day (snort) making the days fly by. Now I’ll be at home, being a stay at home mom, resting all day, making lists of things I won’t do, making budgets that I won’t stick to, cleaning, cooking, I mean resting, washing baby clothes, watching all the shows I’ve recorded, recording some more, probably writing 20 blog posts a day, shopping online for things I can’t possibly afford, organizing electronic files and folders on my computer, obsessively checking my blood pressure, wondering when Joey will get here…and on and on.

I’m physically ready for the break, even the half days I’ve been working are almost too much for me to do now. But I’ll miss the distraction of having somewhere to go every day, something to do to make the time pass and of course I’ll definitely miss the money that comes with working. I’m definitely not ready financially for the break. But these things have a way of working out and I’m planning to just go with the flow…and praying to win the lottery.

Poo-Pee

You know I started this blog as a way to update everyone on the “goings-on” with Jimmy and cute pictures and videos so that everyone near and far could still feel a part of his life. I’ve noticed that it’s evolved into more a blog about the goings on with me during my pregnancy…especially since I split Jimmy’s blog off into its own spot. Now that I’m close to the end of the pregnancy and I’ll have two babies I’ll be making a decision on what this blog will focus on. My main goal is still to keep everyone updated on the babies and what they’re up to with a splash of myself thrown in. So as you read the rest of this little section take comfort in knowing you won’t have to read this kind of stuff about me for much longer!

Week 35 - Oh Honey...Do Get Here Already!

Oh how I love thee Week 35...let me count the ways.  For one it's now only 5 weeks from my due date, 3 weeks from when Jimmy was born, 2 weeks from "full term" and 1 week from when the birth center will be able to legally accept me for delivery and not one day before.  I think thats enough counting for now.

I had an appointment today and fully expected to be put on bed rest after being put on a restricted work schedule last week.  I got what I expected more or less.  She's letting me work through Friday and that will be my last day at work. At least my next check will basically be a "normal" check.  So two more half days and I'll be done with work and here at home focusing all my attention on all the things I've yet to do to prepare for little Joey's arrival...ahem...I mean resting.

Lets see there is some more squeamish stuff I have to report if the guys want to avert their eyes for the next couple of sentences...or not.  I had my Group B Strep swab today and she also did a cervical check and found, to my delight, that my cervix is shortening and softening and I'm at a "good 1...almost a 2".  So thats encouraging.  Even if I don't go into labor on my own being dilated will help significantly with an induction.

I'll be sent next week for another ultrasound but the midwife is guessing based on how the baby feels that he'll outweigh Jimmy and that he's probably already at 6 lbs!  Lets see...so if we hit 38 weeks that puts him at about 7.5 lbs give or take some ounces.  Not bad!

Little Joey is definitely bigger now than Jimmy was...I can just feel it.  He's heavier and bigger...I feel a lot more stretched these days.  The baby websites are saying he should be about 5.25 lbs but he's definitely got that beat!  So Week 35 is represented by a honeydew melon but it would have to be a pretty big one!

Joey at Week 35

Here I am in all my stretched out glory!

Mamma @ Week 35

Pray 4 Gray's Family

Grayson, the youngest son of my brother's close friend died last night on Mother's Day.  I guess there is never a good day for your baby to die but on a day dedicated to the celebration of Mothers it seems a little bit of a cruel twist.

Here is the link to Gray's blog and donation page.

I wanted to post the news and link to reach maybe a few people that my brother's social network might not reach.  Please keep their family in your prayers.

Junk Drawer – 5/11/2012

Lesser Woman

As a forewarning this is a little bit of a “poor me” posting. It’s not a call for compliments or comforting…just simply how I feel or felt. I’d like to write it down so I can remember it one day because I’d like to be honest about the good, bad and ugly in my pregnancy. It’s been about 95% good…can’t really think of anything ugly (unless you count that thing that starts with an “h” and ends with “roids”). But there has been some bad and it’s starting to come to a head here in the 34th week. It’s made me feel a little bit like a lesser woman…and believe me when I say that has nothing to do with my weight or girth…I’m the opposite of “lesser” in that respect.

All of my life all I wanted was to have a family and lots of babies. I imagined myself to be a baby-making machine that would be able to pop one out whenever I wanted to with little to no side effects or much effort. Maybe that was a severe case of naiveté or ignorance or maybe it would have been true if I had started popping babies out 10 years ago. All I know is it’s not proven true in my pregnancies with my two baby boys.


I’m not weepy or in a funk or depression but it is a little sad to think of how I’ll probably never get to experience going into labor naturally and the excitement of “it’s time!” And it’s a bit of a shot to my womanly ego knowing that the one thing I thought I’d be the greatest at I’ve sort of “failed” at. My body can’t seem to handle pregnancy like it’s supposed to without “over-heating”.

Week 34 – Streeettttccchhhing

Well, it happened. The Nino officially grew into and out of the stretch marks Jimmy left behind. He should be happy knowing he left his own permanent mark on his mamma. The stretching happened sometime last week and man does my belly itch! Not itching like I need a steroid pack and two containers of Sarna lotion because I have a horrible itchy rash that won’t go away until approximately two weeks after he’s born– just dry, skin stretched to the max…and BEYOND!

I think its kind of neat that I got to change weeks on my birthday. I turned 32 yesterday and 34 weeks. It would have been even crazier if I had turned 32 weeks on my 32nd birthday. But I’m really glad I didn’t turn 34 years on week 34…I can happily wait 2 more years for that….not that I’ll be pregnant again at 34…its just that I can wait to turn 34…forget it.

Jimmy's Corner

10 Bits o'Jimmy Fun

Junk Drawer - 05/04/2012

Mas Hormones

I haven’t had a purely hormonal based cry in quite awhile. Crying yesterday because I found out that I’m only getting basically ½ my pay while on bed rest and maternity leave instead of 100% like I thought doesn’t count. That was legitimate. It’s Friday, I drove to work listening to the best morning show in the world, eating my honey bun…what on earth is there to cry about? When you’re 33 weeks pregnant it could just about anything.

I was head bobbing and car dancing to Flush the Format. The line up this morning (not in order and probably not complete) looked something like this:

- Pitbull
- Madonna
- Kriss Kross
- Beastie Boys
- Nelly Furtado
- Karmin
- R Kelly
- Shaggy
- Chris Brown
- And some other people I can’t remember or didn’t recognize

Week 33 - Midwife Update

First, here is my Week 33 picture as promised:

Now the update:

I lost 2(ish) lbs in the last two weeks.  That was exciting and meant that it probably really was all the water in my legs and feet.  I've been wearing a pair of Dad's compression socks to bed every night and maybe thats whats making the difference.  My feet don't seem to be swelling quite so bad.

My blood pressure is creeping up although my blood work continues to be normal.  At least thats going right!  My resting blood pressure was 120/70 (laying on my left side).  Two weeks ago my resting blood pressure was 106/64 so that was a major difference.  The highest reading she got was 140/90 (90 something).

I have to go back in tomorrow morning for a quick blood pressure check.  Hopefully that continues to look okay.  I think bedrest is looming on the horizon though.  I'd love to make it to 35 or 36 weeks if possible.  Thats just 2-3 more weeks. 

So thats the update!

Week 33 - Piña

I have a midwife appointment today. I’ll admit I’m a little nervous. I’m not sure which midwife I see today but I have my fingers crossed its not the one “concerned” about my weight gain. I’m not concerned about it sooo…. And seriously I have a 5 lb baby inside of me…possibly contributing to the high numbers on the scale not to mention the 25 gallons of water I’m retaining in my legs and feet in case of a surprise drought. You can never be too prepared and who knows how many lbs 25 gallons of water weighs? Okay, someone probably knows but the point is I don’t know but I’m chalking all of that up to my weight gain. Not the honey bun I eat a lot of mornings or the ice cream,pizza and candy. I’m pretty sure that has nothing to do with it.

I’m also considering a multi-million dollar contract with either Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig to help snap back to my pre-pre-pregnancy form. I just figure, like Jessica Simpson, that the more I weigh starting the program the more amazing the results will seem when I drop the 150 lbs I’ve gained. Or will gain. I hope Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig appreciates the sacrifices I’m making for this as yet un-offered, un-signed contract.

I’ll probably post the results from the midwife appointment in the morning and I’ll post my belly pic along with that update. I’m huge. I’m starting to re-think that stretch mark comment I made in my last post. I don’t have to backtrack quite yet but it looks like backtracking is probably imminent.