Remember this post by chance?!
Well let's just say history repeats itself.
Yesterday. 3:40 appointment. High blood pressure [150something over somthing.]
10 minutes of laying day and "relaxing thoughts".
147/something.
Not a single other thing is odd or off, but my blood pressure to way to high for my normal.
Doc comes in checks everything out, says that I'm not even dilated [but remember this from last week?!] How does that even happen?!?!
Off to the hospital.
Momma-cita meets me there and Mister joins after work.
Hospital gown? Check.
Pee in a cup? Check.
Monitors? Check.
Blood pressure reading? 122 over something. [Which is normal enough for me!]
Starving because it'd been 7+ hours since I had eaten? CHECK!!
We had to wait for all the lab results to get back and my blood pressure was read every 15 minutes [usually at about 112 over something], which took about 3 hours to do.
So 3 hours later I was discharged with a "take it easy, drink plenty of water and hopefully we'll see you soon to deliver that baby!"
Oh and I had the nurse check me before I left, because I was completely baffled how I went from 1 cm to 3 cm the next week and then completely closed the following week. The result? I am still 3 cm. My doc just didn't "look around" enough. Since I'm still super posterior and it's baby number two, the nurse said it can take more effort that a quick check. Whew! I was hoping that super cold weather last week didn't have such effect on me! ;)
Showing posts with label baby bundle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby bundle. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 27
Saturday, February 23
Great Anticipation
Had you asked me Wednesday at 3:30 how I was feeling about this pregnancy and the arrival of sweet babe Massie, I would have confidently responded, "I'm not getting excited [aka not thinking it's going to happen] for another 2 weeks!"
You see, Ainsley's due date was August 22nd with an adjusted ultrasound due date of August 25th. My water broke on the morning on August 26th and she was welcomed into the world in the wee hours of August 27th.
With this lil one, my original due date is March 2nd. My ultrasound due date is March 9th. So I've kind of clung to a March 6th due date. Just trying to not get anxious or really think that the babe will arrive before then.
But then I had a 3:30 appointment on Wednesday.
When my doc checked my progress, he made a face [which is normal for his expressive self] and while I expected to hear that I had not made any additional progress from my appt just 5 days prior, he announced that I was 3 cm dilated! [This is compared to 1 cm on Friday.] Suddenly excitement and anticipation set in. By no means am/was I naive enough to think we needed to head to the hospital, but something about that progress gave me great anticipation for the coming days. Perhaps it won't be March 6th or later.
Or maybe it will.
With Ains, the first "sign" of labor was waking to my water breaking that Friday morning. I thought for sure I wouldn't be a part of 10% of ladies that their labors start in such way, but I was. And now, as I wake a couple times a night to reposition or going to the bathroom, I find myself wondering, hoping, and then disappointed that it was simply discomfort or "only pee" in the toilet that woke me. Then it's drifting back to sleep wondering if it'll be another day or another two weeks until that twinge I feel is really "it".
Of course I am extremely excited to finally meet lil' Massie. To know if lil' Massie is Jacoby Joshua or _______ _______. I'm excited to kiss a teeny-tiny nose, be amazed by 10 tiny toes and 10 tiny fingers. I'm excited to experience falling in love all over again. To watch Mister fall in love all over again. To see how Ainsley handles her new role as big sister. To see if she wants to hold this baby as much as she wants to hold every baby she sees in a picture.
I have great anticipation for each of these wonderful things.
I also have great anticipation as I think about how lil' Massie will enter this world. Avoiding a delivery like Ainsley's is extremely important to me. She arrive healthy and so I was I after her delivery, but it just wasn't what I wanted. I still struggle with questions of what if and wondering if I was pressured into what wasn't necessary. What was supposed to be moments of euphoric emotions and connecting with my precious little princess, instead was an hour of separation and emotions that can't be articulated.
As we--both Mister and me--prepare for the arrival of baby Massie #2, we've done and read and prepared all that we can for a VBAC. I read articles. I ask questions. I lay in bed imagining, preparing, hoping for such a delivery. With each passing day, and now with each passing hour, I think about being in the hospital and welcoming the arrival of our little one. And oh how I long to be the first to hold this babe. How I long to be able to snuggle the sweet bundle moments after birth versus being strapped down and only able to stretch my neck and strain my eyes to see my little one.
Many people don't get it. "Healthy baby, healthy mom. That's what really matters." I can't tell you how many times I've heard friends, family, and even strangers make this comment. Usually I smile, nod, and then have a conversation with myself about how I loathed my emotions--ones that only can be understood if they are experienced--so much after Ainsley's birth that avoiding them is of high priority.
Only time will tell. And while I wish I knew how much time it's going to take to tell, I'm trying my darnest to soak up every moment as a family of three. Every everything may be our last as we currently know it, and I don't want to overlook these precious moments, looking ahead to the moment when things get real!
You see, Ainsley's due date was August 22nd with an adjusted ultrasound due date of August 25th. My water broke on the morning on August 26th and she was welcomed into the world in the wee hours of August 27th.
With this lil one, my original due date is March 2nd. My ultrasound due date is March 9th. So I've kind of clung to a March 6th due date. Just trying to not get anxious or really think that the babe will arrive before then.
But then I had a 3:30 appointment on Wednesday.
When my doc checked my progress, he made a face [which is normal for his expressive self] and while I expected to hear that I had not made any additional progress from my appt just 5 days prior, he announced that I was 3 cm dilated! [This is compared to 1 cm on Friday.] Suddenly excitement and anticipation set in. By no means am/was I naive enough to think we needed to head to the hospital, but something about that progress gave me great anticipation for the coming days. Perhaps it won't be March 6th or later.
Or maybe it will.
With Ains, the first "sign" of labor was waking to my water breaking that Friday morning. I thought for sure I wouldn't be a part of 10% of ladies that their labors start in such way, but I was. And now, as I wake a couple times a night to reposition or going to the bathroom, I find myself wondering, hoping, and then disappointed that it was simply discomfort or "only pee" in the toilet that woke me. Then it's drifting back to sleep wondering if it'll be another day or another two weeks until that twinge I feel is really "it".
Of course I am extremely excited to finally meet lil' Massie. To know if lil' Massie is Jacoby Joshua or _______ _______. I'm excited to kiss a teeny-tiny nose, be amazed by 10 tiny toes and 10 tiny fingers. I'm excited to experience falling in love all over again. To watch Mister fall in love all over again. To see how Ainsley handles her new role as big sister. To see if she wants to hold this baby as much as she wants to hold every baby she sees in a picture.
I have great anticipation for each of these wonderful things.
I also have great anticipation as I think about how lil' Massie will enter this world. Avoiding a delivery like Ainsley's is extremely important to me. She arrive healthy and so I was I after her delivery, but it just wasn't what I wanted. I still struggle with questions of what if and wondering if I was pressured into what wasn't necessary. What was supposed to be moments of euphoric emotions and connecting with my precious little princess, instead was an hour of separation and emotions that can't be articulated.
As we--both Mister and me--prepare for the arrival of baby Massie #2, we've done and read and prepared all that we can for a VBAC. I read articles. I ask questions. I lay in bed imagining, preparing, hoping for such a delivery. With each passing day, and now with each passing hour, I think about being in the hospital and welcoming the arrival of our little one. And oh how I long to be the first to hold this babe. How I long to be able to snuggle the sweet bundle moments after birth versus being strapped down and only able to stretch my neck and strain my eyes to see my little one.
Many people don't get it. "Healthy baby, healthy mom. That's what really matters." I can't tell you how many times I've heard friends, family, and even strangers make this comment. Usually I smile, nod, and then have a conversation with myself about how I loathed my emotions--ones that only can be understood if they are experienced--so much after Ainsley's birth that avoiding them is of high priority.
Only time will tell. And while I wish I knew how much time it's going to take to tell, I'm trying my darnest to soak up every moment as a family of three. Every everything may be our last as we currently know it, and I don't want to overlook these precious moments, looking ahead to the moment when things get real!
Sunday, January 27
Baby Dos
Since I had quite the hiatus from blogging during oh 75% of the pregnancy, it's probably beyond time to collect my thoughts and put the pen to the paper so to speak so I remember them in 5 years when this stage becomes a blur.
Finding Out
To back track way to the beginning, about a year ago I started charting my basal temp in order to learn more about my body. A good friend of mine had been doing this and using it as birth control for a while and then in hopes to better their chances of getting pregnant and they were very successful on both ends! I guess I should say, I decided to do this once I learned you didn't have to take the temp in you who-ha! I don't know where I got that idea from, but I was not about to do it!
Anyways.
I did great charting through the first week of June, but then while we were away with my family at the Warrior Dash, I lost my thermometer and never remembered to spend the four bucks and pick up another one at Meijer. During the second week or so of June though, I knew I was pregnant. It wasn't the lack of the monthly visitor or a second line on the pee stick that caused me to think this, but rather I experienced some dizziness. The first time, I didn't think too much of it, as I hadn't eaten much that day and it felt like a drop in blood sugar kind of dizziness. A few grapes later and relaxing on the couch and I felt fine. Then it happened two other times. I told Chris "I think I may be pregnant." Within a couple of days, I took a test which came back negative, but I followed up sharing those results with Mister saying, "But it can still be wrong, I think it's just too early for the test to pick it up."
Sure, enough on Friday, June 29th after we picked up a new queen size mattress [we had upgraded from a double that a single person slept in before so the three of us would all roll to the middle], Mister, Ainsley, and I were laying on our new mattress, enjoying the added space and I asked,
"So you think there is enough room for four of us on here?!" :)
"Wait, what?! Are you trying to tell me something?!"
Yes, Baby Massie #2 was on his or her way and forever on our minds from that June morning.
Doctors
Naturally, I called the doc that I had with Ainsley, set up my appointment and confirmed everything a couple of weeks later. A few things didn't sit right with me after the first couple appointments and I decided then that I was going to go to a different doctor.
Ainsley was born healthy and happy and has been ever since which of course is the number one priority, but in hindsight, I have a lot of hard feelings to the way my doc handled somethings and I decided it wasn't worth going through it again. The biggest motivator in wanting to switch was that I did not want to have to have another c-section to which my old doc replied that we'd continue to talk about it and if I have a little baby--6 or so pounds--we can pursue it. That lip service was enough to send me away as I don't know that Clums or Massies are capable of producing that size of baby's--especially us together! ;)
So I began to ask around and do some research to find a new provider. After some honest and real advice from a family friend who is an OB nurse, we decided on a doctor and have been extremely pleased with our switch!
We commonly leave our appointments laughing after a wisecrack and not once have we felt like he has had any hidden agenda of his own. The honesty and openness that we have received makes me confident, not only in our switch, but also that if I do end up with a c-section, that it truly is in our best interest and not simply in the interest of convenience of a doctor!
Pregnancy
This pregnancy has been just as easy as my pregnancy with Ainsley. I have had zero symptoms, outside of the initial dizziness, and most days I forgot I was pregnant. For my first pregnancy, I think we dwelt on it much more as it was the focus and anticipation of so much, but with this one, we have very much been caught up in treasuring Ainsley's milestones that the pregnancy has been on a back burner. In many ways, I think that has made this one go quickly though.
Prior to getting pregnant with Ainsley, we compromised that we'd find out the gender of the first baby, but after that let it be a surprise. Well we all know about herstubbornness modesty, so we decided all the babies' gender would be a surprise until birth. So that leaves us with the guessing game.
Initially, I thought "boy" just because this baby moves so.much.more. than Ainsley did. And when the babe moves, it moves! I feel its toes around my ribs and its head in my hips. I do'nt feel like it's higher or lower, just much more active.
More recently, I've been leaning towards girl though. I'm not sure the exact change in heart. Perhaps it's because beyond the added movement, it doesn't "feel" that different. Perhaps it's because as I looked back on Ainsley's vital stats when I was at this point in the pregnancy with her, her numbers were exactly the same as this baby's. Perhaps because the baby looked like a girl in the ultrasound, and I didn't see any extra parts--although Mister thinks the baby "looked" like a boy and the tech didn't spend time searching for the anatomy that'd make the reveal. And the biggest reason I think this baby is a girl?
We don't have a name for her if she's a girl!
I feel like it'd be "just my luck". I recall a coworker who told me they couldn't decide on her daughter name so her social security card read "Girl _____" [last name]. Perhaps we'll have a "Girl Massie" if we don't make a decision in the next few weeks.
Nevertheless, here we are about 4-5 weeks out and I'm very much looking forward to the birth of this baby. Of course, I'm looking forward to meeting the one who has contorted my stomach in so many different ways for the past months, but I'm also very much looking forward to the labor and actual birth. Mister and I have been doing a lot of reading and I feel so much better prepared for what's to come. I feel like I have a doctor who is actually in my corner and I look forward to a birth that doesn't leave me questioning and disconnected as I was with Ainsley.
So here we are. Looking forward to whenever this little one decides to make an entrance into the world which will likely be sometime during the first week of March. [Original due date is March 2nd, adjusted due date based on early ultrasound is March 9th, and based on the baby's current size, the due date "should" be February 22nd.] And in these last few weeks, I'll be busy lesson planning, dreaming about your birth and soaking in every moment, cherishing our family of three before all of our lives are dramatically changed for the better!
Finding Out
To back track way to the beginning, about a year ago I started charting my basal temp in order to learn more about my body. A good friend of mine had been doing this and using it as birth control for a while and then in hopes to better their chances of getting pregnant and they were very successful on both ends! I guess I should say, I decided to do this once I learned you didn't have to take the temp in you who-ha! I don't know where I got that idea from, but I was not about to do it!
Anyways.
I did great charting through the first week of June, but then while we were away with my family at the Warrior Dash, I lost my thermometer and never remembered to spend the four bucks and pick up another one at Meijer. During the second week or so of June though, I knew I was pregnant. It wasn't the lack of the monthly visitor or a second line on the pee stick that caused me to think this, but rather I experienced some dizziness. The first time, I didn't think too much of it, as I hadn't eaten much that day and it felt like a drop in blood sugar kind of dizziness. A few grapes later and relaxing on the couch and I felt fine. Then it happened two other times. I told Chris "I think I may be pregnant." Within a couple of days, I took a test which came back negative, but I followed up sharing those results with Mister saying, "But it can still be wrong, I think it's just too early for the test to pick it up."
Sure, enough on Friday, June 29th after we picked up a new queen size mattress [we had upgraded from a double that a single person slept in before so the three of us would all roll to the middle], Mister, Ainsley, and I were laying on our new mattress, enjoying the added space and I asked,
"So you think there is enough room for four of us on here?!" :)
"Wait, what?! Are you trying to tell me something?!"
Yes, Baby Massie #2 was on his or her way and forever on our minds from that June morning.
Doctors
Naturally, I called the doc that I had with Ainsley, set up my appointment and confirmed everything a couple of weeks later. A few things didn't sit right with me after the first couple appointments and I decided then that I was going to go to a different doctor.
Ainsley was born healthy and happy and has been ever since which of course is the number one priority, but in hindsight, I have a lot of hard feelings to the way my doc handled somethings and I decided it wasn't worth going through it again. The biggest motivator in wanting to switch was that I did not want to have to have another c-section to which my old doc replied that we'd continue to talk about it and if I have a little baby--6 or so pounds--we can pursue it. That lip service was enough to send me away as I don't know that Clums or Massies are capable of producing that size of baby's--especially us together! ;)
So I began to ask around and do some research to find a new provider. After some honest and real advice from a family friend who is an OB nurse, we decided on a doctor and have been extremely pleased with our switch!
We commonly leave our appointments laughing after a wisecrack and not once have we felt like he has had any hidden agenda of his own. The honesty and openness that we have received makes me confident, not only in our switch, but also that if I do end up with a c-section, that it truly is in our best interest and not simply in the interest of convenience of a doctor!
Pregnancy
This pregnancy has been just as easy as my pregnancy with Ainsley. I have had zero symptoms, outside of the initial dizziness, and most days I forgot I was pregnant. For my first pregnancy, I think we dwelt on it much more as it was the focus and anticipation of so much, but with this one, we have very much been caught up in treasuring Ainsley's milestones that the pregnancy has been on a back burner. In many ways, I think that has made this one go quickly though.
Prior to getting pregnant with Ainsley, we compromised that we'd find out the gender of the first baby, but after that let it be a surprise. Well we all know about her
Initially, I thought "boy" just because this baby moves so.much.more. than Ainsley did. And when the babe moves, it moves! I feel its toes around my ribs and its head in my hips. I do'nt feel like it's higher or lower, just much more active.
More recently, I've been leaning towards girl though. I'm not sure the exact change in heart. Perhaps it's because beyond the added movement, it doesn't "feel" that different. Perhaps it's because as I looked back on Ainsley's vital stats when I was at this point in the pregnancy with her, her numbers were exactly the same as this baby's. Perhaps because the baby looked like a girl in the ultrasound, and I didn't see any extra parts--although Mister thinks the baby "looked" like a boy and the tech didn't spend time searching for the anatomy that'd make the reveal. And the biggest reason I think this baby is a girl?
We don't have a name for her if she's a girl!
I feel like it'd be "just my luck". I recall a coworker who told me they couldn't decide on her daughter name so her social security card read "Girl _____" [last name]. Perhaps we'll have a "Girl Massie" if we don't make a decision in the next few weeks.
Nevertheless, here we are about 4-5 weeks out and I'm very much looking forward to the birth of this baby. Of course, I'm looking forward to meeting the one who has contorted my stomach in so many different ways for the past months, but I'm also very much looking forward to the labor and actual birth. Mister and I have been doing a lot of reading and I feel so much better prepared for what's to come. I feel like I have a doctor who is actually in my corner and I look forward to a birth that doesn't leave me questioning and disconnected as I was with Ainsley.
So here we are. Looking forward to whenever this little one decides to make an entrance into the world which will likely be sometime during the first week of March. [Original due date is March 2nd, adjusted due date based on early ultrasound is March 9th, and based on the baby's current size, the due date "should" be February 22nd.] And in these last few weeks, I'll be busy lesson planning, dreaming about your birth and soaking in every moment, cherishing our family of three before all of our lives are dramatically changed for the better!
Tuesday, July 24
Photo Shoot Preview & Goal #25
With Mister having the day off today, we thought it'd be a good day to head to the park and take some pics for Ainsley's first birthday. Well unbeknownst to us rain was in the forecast so after snuggling through a Tyler Perry movie [my fav!], a lunch date, a few errands, and a nice nap, the sun came out and we decided to still head to the park.
We took300+ a lot of pics so hopefully we have a dozen good ones. No exaggeration on either end of the estimates.
We still have to sift through them all but I thought I'd leave you with one preview:
Baby Massie #2 is healthily growing with an expected arrival of early March. Ainsley had a due date that threatened to keep me away from The Allen County Fair, yet was unsuccessful as I made it there all but the day my water broke and the day she was born. This little one though I'm 99.9% will keep me from another annual attendance at the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament. Since I'm due the weekend of the tournament, I'm already counting on my first missed attendance in 16 years!!!
He or she is definitely worth it though!
We are all excited and hoping for another smooth pregnancy with a perfect, healthy outcome; just like the last one!
We took
 |
| Ainsley & her lil' sibling's first photo. Goal #25 :-) |
Baby Massie #2 is healthily growing with an expected arrival of early March. Ainsley had a due date that threatened to keep me away from The Allen County Fair, yet was unsuccessful as I made it there all but the day my water broke and the day she was born. This little one though I'm 99.9% will keep me from another annual attendance at the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament. Since I'm due the weekend of the tournament, I'm already counting on my first missed attendance in 16 years!!!
He or she is definitely worth it though!
We are all excited and hoping for another smooth pregnancy with a perfect, healthy outcome; just like the last one!
Friday, September 2
Goal #24: Ainsley Jo
*Note: Part of this post is definitely TMI for some of y'all. If you aren't sure you want to hear all about my business, then I can sum up the entire post in the following sentence:
Ainsley Jo Massie was born at 3:17am on Saturday, August 27th via Cesarean section weighing 8 lbs. 12 oz and 21 in. long. :)
I was excited to sleep in on Friday morning. We were to the fair late the night before but I didn't mind because I knew I didn't have to get up until 8:30 Friday. Since I had a 9:15 doc appt I wasn't going to go into school until afterwards.
Ainsley Jo Massie was born at 3:17am on Saturday, August 27th via Cesarean section weighing 8 lbs. 12 oz and 21 in. long. :)
I was excited to sleep in on Friday morning. We were to the fair late the night before but I didn't mind because I knew I didn't have to get up until 8:30 Friday. Since I had a 9:15 doc appt I wasn't going to go into school until afterwards.
6:20 am. [The time my alarm usually goes off.]
My beached-whale self rolled over in bed. I instantly had to go to the bathroom. #2. I was going to wait it out and hope that it was just the lil' one shifting and if I laid there long enough another shift would come and I could continue to sleep. Then I felt a "bloop" down there, so I figured I better go to the bathroom.
I won't give details but I went to the bathroom and it felt funny. Looking in the porcelain bowl, it looked funny too. Standing in front of the sink, I felt another trickle uncontrollably come. Holy cow! I think my water broke! It was all kind of surreal and I had convinced myself that my water breaking wouldn't be the first sign of my labor as it only is in 10% of pregnancies [this was largely in part to reassure myself that it wouldn't just happen all of a sudden while standing in front of a classroom full of high schoolers!] Without any contractions and just mild cramping, I went back to bed, told Mister what happened and then tried to sleep. I was going to just wait it out until my doc's office opened and then call and find out what they wanted me to do.
Of course I couldn't sleep, thinking about how soon I'd get to meet our lil' one, and I was visiting the bathroom every few minutes to make sure this wasn't all a dream, so I got up, took a shower, got dressed, packed our hospital bags, did the dishes, and waited, and waited. A little before 8 o'clock, I woke Chris and asked him to get ready because I was about to call the doc to find out what I need to do. As he showered and such, the doc's office said to go on in to the hospital. Because I still wasn't really in labor, I told Chris he'd likely want to get something for breakfast because who knew what the eating arrangements/timeframe would be from here on out! This comment combined with saying for the last 9 months that I wanted to wait at home as long as possible before heading to the hospital nearly killed me. Chris made himself some pancakes and I swear ate them as. slow. as. possible! It wasn't that long, but I was antsy and only once did I threaten to go to the hospital without him! :)
 |
| One last pre-baby picture. |
Off to the hospital, arriving a little after 9am, I told the nurse my story. The majority of the time she just smiled shaking her head. Come to find out there was a lady across the hall with pretty much the same story, same doctor, but I was due the Monday before and she was due the coming Monday. I told the nurse that we called each other and planned it all out. Anyways they do a quick little swab to test for amniotic fluid. If it turns blue-black, your water has broken. The nurse--she was a little nutty, but a lotta fun-- mentioned a few things that could cause a false-positive but explained that they have a microscope in the other room to know for sure. One quick swab, instantly black. The nurse chuckled, commented that she was going to save this one to show some of the newer nurses was a strong positive looks like, and then turned to Chris and said, "Nailed it!" Oh geesh! :)
The next few hours were pretty uneventful. We ate applesauce, jello, a few crackers [shh!] and drank juice--thank you clear liquid diet. We laid on the bed and watched Tangled on Netflix. We made U after U on the L & D floor and pretty much just waited for something to happen.
 |
| Chris found entertainment in that my feet didn't touch the ground during my hundreds of visits to the bathroom! |
And then it did.
Contractions were getting stronger and stronger. At first, they were simply noticeable, and then the were mildly uncomfortable, then pretty dang uncomfortable, and then finally down right painful. In the uncomfortable stage I told Chris that it felt like I had awful period cramps--which wasn't a good explanation that he could relate to--mixed with incredible indigestion after eating way too much Mexican! I felt like I was doing pretty well handling the pain with movement, shower, exercise birthing ball etc. but when the nurse indicated that she could give me a little something to take the edge off, I waited just a bit longer because she said it's really only effective for about an hour and I knew I had longer than an hour to go and then asked for it!! I was just about to 7 cm when they gave me "staydol" to take the edge off. They warned me that I'd feel like I was drunk.
After giving me the med they came back a few minutes later to me crying in the hospital bed. "What's wrong, Rachel?!" I *sniff* can't *sniff* see straight *sniff sniff*!! I had complete double vision and felt like someone was pushing on both sides of my head. With almost a chuckle, they responded, "But we told you, you'd feel like you were drunk." "But I've *sniff* never *sniff* been drunk before *sniff*!" In hindsight it was pretty funny, but in the moment, I wasn't seeing much humor and just asked "Why would anyone do this to themselves?!" This did help take the edge off a bit, as long as I closed my eyes so that I didn't get dizzy and we continued to progress through the contractions.
At about 8cm, the nurse started talking about pitocin because of how long my water had been broken. I said if you are giving me pitocin, you are giving me an epidural. I didn't even care to think about the intensity of contractions caused by pit without one. So I got a low dose of epidural, and that was nice. Then I got the pitocin, and that was awful!! It felt as if I never had the epidural. The nurse said I was still going to feel pressure, but not pain. This was definitely P.A.I.N. I asked for the anesthesiologist to come back and give me more. I knew he was originally called out of my room for an emergency, life or death, operation somewhere else in the hospital, but in that moment, I felt like the most selfish person ever because I simply didn't care. I told Chris--and only Chris, not the nurses and such--that I didn't care that there was a man potentially dying somewhere, I wanted that epidural! It seemed like an eternity before he returned and in reality I have no idea how long it was, but he did return, apologized for his delay, and then all my pain--not the pressure--was gone! I could handle this!
At about 9:30/10, I was a fuzz away from 10cm and so the nurse had be start to push in order to literally push myself to 10cm. The nurse commented I should have this baby in my arms by midnight. And so the pushing began. I pushed to 10. And then I pushed to get the lil' one's head turned properly. And then it was time to start pushing "for real". At about 11/11:30, true pushing began. With every contraction [or twinge of pressure because I couldn't really feel them] I'd push with all my might. The nurse commented that I was a really good pusher, which was exciting to me as that was a goal of mine. [More specifically a goal was to do #2 on while pushing because at our birthing class they said if you do #2, then that means you are pushing correctly! According to that theory, I pushed correctly at least twice. ;)]
Our lil' bundle was so close to entering this world that Chris could see the top of her head, with hair, and the nurse said I was a knuckle's distance away! About 2 am, and 2 hours of serious pushing with each contraction, my doc came in and said she didn't think this babe was going to come out this way. She gave the option of c-section at that point or continuing to push a bit longer, but 3 hours of pushing was kind of her limit for moms.
We decided to continue to push.
Nearing 3 hours of pushing and 3am, our lil' one still wasn't delivered. What was happening was with each contraction/push, I would push her down to nearly out and then as soon as I let up, she would go all the way back up. She was like a little turtle baby. If I would happen to push her and get her head out, likely her shoulders would get stuck and cause damage in that way.
It wasn't worth the risk.
We decided on a c-section and they began to prep us for it. I asked Chris to text my mom and let her know. Much to my surprise they were already at the hospital and just waiting for the call to be able to come back [since we thought this babe would be here by midnight for sure!]. Since they were already there, I asked for her to come back to my room. I needed the reassurance that only a mom can give that we were making the right decision and whileabsolutely pretty much nothing had gone the way I had hoped, in the end our healthy and safe baby in our arms and my health and safety was all that really mattered.
She, as well as Chris of course, gave me that reassurance.
They prepped me for the c-section and one of the things I had to do was drink this little shot of bitter something-or-another that is supposed to neutralize my stomach so I wouldn't get sick during the operation. Well it definitely prevented me from getting sick during the operation because I empty everything out of my system after only getting the bitters halfway swallowed. I puked everywhere. And continued to puke until I was dry heaving. Lovely I know. And the best part was I had a little kidney bean tray they had given me while I was pushing in case I felt sick and that bitty tray was expected to catch everything. Not so much.
After drying me off and finishing prepping me for the OR, they said that the operation would take about 1 hour and then another hour in recovery and then people--aka my parents-- would be allowed in my room. The c-section was a very odd experience as anyone who has had one can attest. You can feel pressure, tugging, and movement, but you don't feel any pain, nor do you really know what's going on as there is a screen at your chest blocking all view. I would roll my eyes around to try to see what I could around my head. My upper body--which had feeling--was still shaking as it had been for the past 5 hours of labor even though my arms were strapped down at nearly 90 degree angles at both sides. I felt like everyone knew and could see what was going on except me.
Within just a dozen or so minutes at 3:17am, I heard Dr. Medina tell Chris, "Take a picture of your new daughter!!"
He did and then showed me the pic--what would we have done without technology!--and then they took our lil' girl with a healthy set of lungs on her over to the weighing/clean up station. What seemed like forever but was likely just a few minutes, the nurse brought our Ainsley Jo over to my head to I could lay eyes on her for the first time.
This too was a time that is quite difficult to explain. I was excited, but I was emotionally numb. It was so difficult to continue to be "worked on" as everyone else was looking at and talking about my daughter. I wanted to see her. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to talk all about her. Eventually they took her away to clean her up and do the basic checks as they finished putting me back together. They said she'd be brought to my room within a few minutes of my return there. Chris stayed with me as they finished everything in the OR.
About 4am I was back in my room for my "recovery" period aka annoying period. I was still shaking and everyone thought I was cold so they'd put crap on me, but in reality I was burning up. Annoying. I had the oxygen tubing up my nose. Annoying. I had leg compressions even though within 15-20 minutes I could move my legs on my own. Annoying. The nurse wasn't the friendliest ormost competent accommodating. Annoying. I was in pain--my back was on fire from exhausted muscles from all the pushing I had done. Annoying. When finally I declared, "Ah no! I'm not cold! I'm hot and everything is just annoying!" the lovely nurse went and got a wet washcloth and put it on my forehead. I. hate. that. To me that just makes everything worse because it makes me feel sweatier and grosser. Within a few seconds, I looked and Chris and demanded asked, "Get that thing off of me, now!"
At this point, I just wanted to be unhooked from everything and hold my baby girl. My parents were permitted to come back to my room very shortly after I was in there--they didn't have to wait the hour--and we were just waiting on Ainsley. At this point though, we hadn't told my parents if they were welcoming a grandson or a granddaughter. [Chris called his parents at home after my c-section to let them know. It was cute to later learn that he got a bit choked up telling his dad that he now had a daughter. Such a tender, loving dad within the first few minutes!] With my parents though since we were told Ainsley would be brought to my room within a few minutes of me being there, we wanted them to see her to find out what she was.
Well it took forever! Nearly 45 minutes later, they finally brought her to our room. My dad immediately saw the pink "It's a girl!" card on her cart. I just wish I had a video of my mom's face when she made the realization!! :D
Our lil' bundle was so close to entering this world that Chris could see the top of her head, with hair, and the nurse said I was a knuckle's distance away! About 2 am, and 2 hours of serious pushing with each contraction, my doc came in and said she didn't think this babe was going to come out this way. She gave the option of c-section at that point or continuing to push a bit longer, but 3 hours of pushing was kind of her limit for moms.
We decided to continue to push.
Nearing 3 hours of pushing and 3am, our lil' one still wasn't delivered. What was happening was with each contraction/push, I would push her down to nearly out and then as soon as I let up, she would go all the way back up. She was like a little turtle baby. If I would happen to push her and get her head out, likely her shoulders would get stuck and cause damage in that way.
It wasn't worth the risk.
We decided on a c-section and they began to prep us for it. I asked Chris to text my mom and let her know. Much to my surprise they were already at the hospital and just waiting for the call to be able to come back [since we thought this babe would be here by midnight for sure!]. Since they were already there, I asked for her to come back to my room. I needed the reassurance that only a mom can give that we were making the right decision and while
She, as well as Chris of course, gave me that reassurance.
They prepped me for the c-section and one of the things I had to do was drink this little shot of bitter something-or-another that is supposed to neutralize my stomach so I wouldn't get sick during the operation. Well it definitely prevented me from getting sick during the operation because I empty everything out of my system after only getting the bitters halfway swallowed. I puked everywhere. And continued to puke until I was dry heaving. Lovely I know. And the best part was I had a little kidney bean tray they had given me while I was pushing in case I felt sick and that bitty tray was expected to catch everything. Not so much.
After drying me off and finishing prepping me for the OR, they said that the operation would take about 1 hour and then another hour in recovery and then people--aka my parents-- would be allowed in my room. The c-section was a very odd experience as anyone who has had one can attest. You can feel pressure, tugging, and movement, but you don't feel any pain, nor do you really know what's going on as there is a screen at your chest blocking all view. I would roll my eyes around to try to see what I could around my head. My upper body--which had feeling--was still shaking as it had been for the past 5 hours of labor even though my arms were strapped down at nearly 90 degree angles at both sides. I felt like everyone knew and could see what was going on except me.
Within just a dozen or so minutes at 3:17am, I heard Dr. Medina tell Chris, "Take a picture of your new daughter!!"
 |
| Ainsley Jo's first photo. Delivered by Dr. Medina via c-section at 3:17am. |
He did and then showed me the pic--what would we have done without technology!--and then they took our lil' girl with a healthy set of lungs on her over to the weighing/clean up station. What seemed like forever but was likely just a few minutes, the nurse brought our Ainsley Jo over to my head to I could lay eyes on her for the first time.
 |
| Family Photo |
This too was a time that is quite difficult to explain. I was excited, but I was emotionally numb. It was so difficult to continue to be "worked on" as everyone else was looking at and talking about my daughter. I wanted to see her. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to talk all about her. Eventually they took her away to clean her up and do the basic checks as they finished putting me back together. They said she'd be brought to my room within a few minutes of my return there. Chris stayed with me as they finished everything in the OR.
About 4am I was back in my room for my "recovery" period aka annoying period. I was still shaking and everyone thought I was cold so they'd put crap on me, but in reality I was burning up. Annoying. I had the oxygen tubing up my nose. Annoying. I had leg compressions even though within 15-20 minutes I could move my legs on my own. Annoying. The nurse wasn't the friendliest or
At this point, I just wanted to be unhooked from everything and hold my baby girl. My parents were permitted to come back to my room very shortly after I was in there--they didn't have to wait the hour--and we were just waiting on Ainsley. At this point though, we hadn't told my parents if they were welcoming a grandson or a granddaughter. [Chris called his parents at home after my c-section to let them know. It was cute to later learn that he got a bit choked up telling his dad that he now had a daughter. Such a tender, loving dad within the first few minutes!] With my parents though since we were told Ainsley would be brought to my room within a few minutes of me being there, we wanted them to see her to find out what she was.
Well it took forever! Nearly 45 minutes later, they finally brought her to our room. My dad immediately saw the pink "It's a girl!" card on her cart. I just wish I had a video of my mom's face when she made the realization!! :D
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| Grandpa & Grandmomma-cita Clum I think it was worth the wait! :) |
After meeting her maternal grandparents, and spending a bit of time with her papa, my parents left, Chris fell asleep on the couch, and I was finally able to have that special bonding time. Just momma and baby girl. I laid awake for the next 4 hours just holding her and snuggling my baby girl. This is what it is all about.
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| Bonding time with my baby girl! |
About 9am Saturday morning, I woke Chris and we got ready for our visitors to come and meet our beautiful addition to the family.
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| Absolutely infatuated by his new princess! He's already the best papa, sorry other dads! :) |
All in all this experience was nothing like I thought it would be, except in the end I--healthy--was able to hold my healthy, beautiful baby girl. And really I learned, in the end, that's all that matters!!
[Oh and because I was in the hospital, I also didn't use any gas for two days which was goal #47. I'm counting it as a goal accomplished but am going to try and accomplish it again more out of my own will!]
Wednesday, August 24
Hindsight is such an interesting view.
Oh how I love the bluntness of those that I work with!
If I received a dollar everytime one of my previous students used the word huge or fat today, I'd be able to take a full 12 weeks maternity leave and not worry about being paid!! In their defense--in addition to the fact that they are teenagers afterall--99.9% of them haven't seen me since week 29 and I have grown a lot in these last 11.5 weeks!
Today was the first day of school and it went realitively smooth despite getting very little sleep last night. Even after 20 night-before-the-first-day-of-school nights, I still have those jittery nerves wondering what the day will be like. Combine that with some crazy thunder/lightening, rain on the metal window awnings and feeling like a beached whale everytime I wanted to flip from side to side last night, 4 hours of solid sleep did me well with today's students! :)
I got to schoolearly right on time and headed up to my classroom, half expected my substitute to already be there. He wasn't, which wasn't a big deal so I went on in and waited for the day to start. This year I have 1st period planning, so it's nice to arrive and not have to hit the ground running. I took time to make sure my ducks were in a row before the sub got there. This was unsuccessful as the one thing I needed to do yet was bring an extension cord for my projector and much to my overlooking the projector has 3 prongs. My cord? Only 2. Whoops. Good things it wasn't really needed today!
8 o'clock school start time came and went and still no sub. Now in reality this wasn't a big deal because obviously I haven't had the baby and I don't need a sub yet at this point. But he was supposed to be starting today regardless and there each day until after my maternity leave, just in case I have to leave partway through the day. Also I only have electronic copies of lesson plans and such because I handed over big ol' binders of hard copies to him last week. So with a text to Mr. Sub [thinking he was maybe elsewhere in the building] I was off to find a computer/printer combo that worked. [My desktop computer isn't hooked up to the printer and the printer my laptop computer is hooked up to was down for maintanence and jammed. :S]
I got what I needed for the day printed and received a response saying that he was in the ER all last night and therefore was not able to come in today! Holy moly! He reassured me he was "okay" and is planning on being there tomorrow, but today he was told to stay home. Suddenly not having hard copies of my lesson plans wasn't such a big deal.
The one thing that I kept saying to myself throughout the day after receiving that message was "hindsight is such an interesting view'. I mean seriously, I was due on Monday and every day for the past week or so I woke up and thought, "Welp! I guess the baby didn't want yesterday to be its birthday!" Throughout my day I commonly think, "Welp! This is complete!" or "That is now taken care of, so what else are youu waiting on baby?!" I'm okay with still being pregnant, really I am [hence the reason I forwent the c-section option on Monday despite the threat of a "large baby". I'm not uncomfortable despite my whale-like turn overs in bed. I mean heck, who else gets to enjoy the fair 6 out of 6 days so fair at 40 weeks pregnant?! :)
But this morning after receiving that text I thought, "Good thing I didn't have the baby last night! I wouldn't have had lesson plans for my sub's sub, nor would anyone had known that I needed a sub for my sub!" Isn't it funny how everything works out? I know that's how things will continue. Not only with this babe, but with my materinty leave/school year in general.
My sub is still planning on being there tomorrow though, and I am going to enjoy the fair again tonight, so Baby Massie, I think everything is in line now if you'd like to come tonight! ;)
If I received a dollar everytime one of my previous students used the word huge or fat today, I'd be able to take a full 12 weeks maternity leave and not worry about being paid!! In their defense--in addition to the fact that they are teenagers afterall--99.9% of them haven't seen me since week 29 and I have grown a lot in these last 11.5 weeks!
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| 40 weeks Pregnant Hello Baby Belly!! |
Today was the first day of school and it went realitively smooth despite getting very little sleep last night. Even after 20 night-before-the-first-day-of-school nights, I still have those jittery nerves wondering what the day will be like. Combine that with some crazy thunder/lightening, rain on the metal window awnings and feeling like a beached whale everytime I wanted to flip from side to side last night, 4 hours of solid sleep did me well with today's students! :)
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| 1st Day of School A little sleep deprived + running a little late = Funky "smile"! :) |
I got to school
8 o'clock school start time came and went and still no sub. Now in reality this wasn't a big deal because obviously I haven't had the baby and I don't need a sub yet at this point. But he was supposed to be starting today regardless and there each day until after my maternity leave, just in case I have to leave partway through the day. Also I only have electronic copies of lesson plans and such because I handed over big ol' binders of hard copies to him last week. So with a text to Mr. Sub [thinking he was maybe elsewhere in the building] I was off to find a computer/printer combo that worked. [My desktop computer isn't hooked up to the printer and the printer my laptop computer is hooked up to was down for maintanence and jammed. :S]
I got what I needed for the day printed and received a response saying that he was in the ER all last night and therefore was not able to come in today! Holy moly! He reassured me he was "okay" and is planning on being there tomorrow, but today he was told to stay home. Suddenly not having hard copies of my lesson plans wasn't such a big deal.
The one thing that I kept saying to myself throughout the day after receiving that message was "hindsight is such an interesting view'. I mean seriously, I was due on Monday and every day for the past week or so I woke up and thought, "Welp! I guess the baby didn't want yesterday to be its birthday!" Throughout my day I commonly think, "Welp! This is complete!" or "That is now taken care of, so what else are youu waiting on baby?!" I'm okay with still being pregnant, really I am [hence the reason I forwent the c-section option on Monday despite the threat of a "large baby". I'm not uncomfortable despite my whale-like turn overs in bed. I mean heck, who else gets to enjoy the fair 6 out of 6 days so fair at 40 weeks pregnant?! :)
But this morning after receiving that text I thought, "Good thing I didn't have the baby last night! I wouldn't have had lesson plans for my sub's sub, nor would anyone had known that I needed a sub for my sub!" Isn't it funny how everything works out? I know that's how things will continue. Not only with this babe, but with my materinty leave/school year in general.
My sub is still planning on being there tomorrow though, and I am going to enjoy the fair again tonight, so Baby Massie, I think everything is in line now if you'd like to come tonight! ;)
Friday, August 19
It's that time of season...
It's that time of season.
It's that time of year.
The Allen County Fair is here!
I'm ready for Baby Massie to be here!
Well that's all true, but there's one hiccup: Baby Massie is clearly not ready.
Thanks to some crazy changes happening in my doctor's office--one docsuddenly quit "will no longer be a part of the practice" this week, the other doc had three surgeries this morning and then off on his vacation at noon, and then of course my doc is still overseas--I had a three hour doctor's appointment today. The good news of it all, I had my favorite nurse to chat with throughout the whole process!
My non-stress test went fine. My BPP ultrasound was seemingly good except our lil' one was a bit lazy so it needed to be gentle shocked. Another short wait and I got to see the nurse practitioner to be checked. She checked me at "a fingertip" dilated which is less than what the other two docs the last two weeks have said so that was a bit discouraging. My blood platelet count dropped again this past week--2 & 3 weeks ago it was 140, last week it was 133 and this week 124. As I left and set up another appointment for Monday, my actual due date, it was suggested that I lay pretty low this weekend and not do anything that would "induce" labor so that my doc can be here to deliver. My doc will be back from China on Monday so if I go before then I'll have a doc from another practice deliver the babe because she's picking up the on-call role since the doc that quit this week was supposed to be on call this weekend. Craziness, eh?!
My thoughts, I don't care who delivers this baby at this point and already accepted the fact that it'd likely be a stranger so what the heck! Additionally the weekend on-call doc was my next choice for a ob-gyn anyways!
So we wait and I try to manage all the emotions of waiting until that unknown day arrives, and in the meantime enjoy the Allen County Fair!
On a different note, while I anxiously await the day I accomplish Goal #24, yesterday I accomplished Goal #43: Go barefoot for a day. Yes, I did leave the house and still did this. For the majority of the day [through 5pm] I was at home and it wasn't until I went out to pick some veggies from the garden in the afternoon that I realized I hadn't worn shoes yet for the day. I was going to put some one, but then remembered the goal so went out to the backyard without. We went to Chris' parents for supper sans shoes [Chris joined me without shoes/sandals that this point]. It was even a little odd without shoes in the car and walking up to their house. Also because of the Fair, the Dairy Haus closes tonight so we wanted to be sure to get some ice cream before closing time. Chris and I headed to the Haus and got ice cream for everyone--sans shoes. This was the most mentally awkward as I felt a bit like a hillbilly, especially since there were so many people there getting their last ice cream for the season!!
Nevertheless, Goal #43 was accomplished!
My reason for this goal is that there are many people who walk barefoot everyday and don't know any different. I simply wanted to just be more aware of what it's like.
It's that time of year.
I'm ready for Baby Massie to be here!
Well that's all true, but there's one hiccup: Baby Massie is clearly not ready.
Thanks to some crazy changes happening in my doctor's office--one doc
My non-stress test went fine. My BPP ultrasound was seemingly good except our lil' one was a bit lazy so it needed to be gentle shocked. Another short wait and I got to see the nurse practitioner to be checked. She checked me at "a fingertip" dilated which is less than what the other two docs the last two weeks have said so that was a bit discouraging. My blood platelet count dropped again this past week--2 & 3 weeks ago it was 140, last week it was 133 and this week 124. As I left and set up another appointment for Monday, my actual due date, it was suggested that I lay pretty low this weekend and not do anything that would "induce" labor so that my doc can be here to deliver. My doc will be back from China on Monday so if I go before then I'll have a doc from another practice deliver the babe because she's picking up the on-call role since the doc that quit this week was supposed to be on call this weekend. Craziness, eh?!
My thoughts, I don't care who delivers this baby at this point and already accepted the fact that it'd likely be a stranger so what the heck! Additionally the weekend on-call doc was my next choice for a ob-gyn anyways!
So we wait and I try to manage all the emotions of waiting until that unknown day arrives, and in the meantime enjoy the Allen County Fair!
On a different note, while I anxiously await the day I accomplish Goal #24, yesterday I accomplished Goal #43: Go barefoot for a day. Yes, I did leave the house and still did this. For the majority of the day [through 5pm] I was at home and it wasn't until I went out to pick some veggies from the garden in the afternoon that I realized I hadn't worn shoes yet for the day. I was going to put some one, but then remembered the goal so went out to the backyard without. We went to Chris' parents for supper sans shoes [Chris joined me without shoes/sandals that this point]. It was even a little odd without shoes in the car and walking up to their house. Also because of the Fair, the Dairy Haus closes tonight so we wanted to be sure to get some ice cream before closing time. Chris and I headed to the Haus and got ice cream for everyone--sans shoes. This was the most mentally awkward as I felt a bit like a hillbilly, especially since there were so many people there getting their last ice cream for the season!!
Nevertheless, Goal #43 was accomplished!
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| Dirty feet and bulging belly. Definition of "Barefoot & Pregnant", I guess. |
My reason for this goal is that there are many people who walk barefoot everyday and don't know any different. I simply wanted to just be more aware of what it's like.
Monday, August 15
It's a girl...
Maybe. Or maybe not.
After supper tonight Chris and I went to the ATM to deposit his tips and check from last week. If you have any experience with making deposits at Chase ATMs, you know that you can only deposit 50 bills at a time and if they are wrinkled/bent it won't accept them. [I'm convinced the machine folds them at times.]
Anyways we made our deposit and there were 2-one dollar bills that it didn't accept. One was just a regular folded up bill, the other...
How odd is that?!
After supper tonight Chris and I went to the ATM to deposit his tips and check from last week. If you have any experience with making deposits at Chase ATMs, you know that you can only deposit 50 bills at a time and if they are wrinkled/bent it won't accept them. [I'm convinced the machine folds them at times.]
Anyways we made our deposit and there were 2-one dollar bills that it didn't accept. One was just a regular folded up bill, the other...
How odd is that?!
Sunday, August 14
Dear baby...
Dear lil' baby Massie,
I've nested-- the oven is clean, the windows are washed, the floorboards are scrubbed, the dishes are done, the laundry is caught up. 3 out of 5 of those things have never been done in the year and an half we've lived here.
My nails are freshly painted--toes and fingers.
My legs are shaved.
My camera battery is charged--and the charger is found!
Your carseat base in installed in my car.
Your cradle and crib are ready.
Eight weeks of lesson plans are complete--that's 2 more than necessary.
The freezer is stocked.
With every twinge, I'm more and more excited to meet you.
So whenever your perfect timing is, I'm ready for you.
Much love,
Your Anxious Mama!
I've nested-- the oven is clean, the windows are washed, the floorboards are scrubbed, the dishes are done, the laundry is caught up. 3 out of 5 of those things have never been done in the year and an half we've lived here.
My nails are freshly painted--toes and fingers.
My legs are shaved.
My camera battery is charged--and the charger is found!
Your carseat base in installed in my car.
Your cradle and crib are ready.
Eight weeks of lesson plans are complete--that's 2 more than necessary.
The freezer is stocked.
With every twinge, I'm more and more excited to meet you.
So whenever your perfect timing is, I'm ready for you.
Much love,
Your Anxious Mama!
Saturday, August 13
Killer Single Digit Countdown
Well ladies and gentlemen we are into single digits. Our due date is just nine days away--that can be counted on two hands with a finger to spare! Over the past two days something has happened in my mind/heart and I'm not exactly sure what it is.
As previously mentioned several times, this has been a great pregnancy and I have thoroughly enjoyed it! Largely in part I believe because there hasn't been anything not to enjoy.
But something has changed.
Sometime in the last 48-72 hours, I no longer want to be pregnant forever--which I never really did but I had the mindset that I'd be content with it :)-- but rather I'd like to have this baby today! Am I overly achy, uncomfortable, and barely able to waddle?! Absolutely not! Physically nothing is different other than the occasion [what I believe to be] tightening contractions, but in my heart and mind, I'm just ready for this experience. I'm ready to meet the one that we created. [I'm ready to find out what we created!] I'm ready for our parents to meet their newest grandchild. I'm ready. But the lil' one isn't.
Here's my Catch-22: this entire pregnancy I've very much wanted everything to go as "naturally" as possible. I understand and appreciate the technology and medical advancements that have been made over the last several decades, but there have been many things that I think many women with a low-risk pregnancy have done or not done simply because of those developments. I know it's a different time, but if thousands of women in generations before have been just fine living their lives while pregnant, then I'm with them. A large part of this "natural" desire won't come to fruition until labor and delivery. I really want that to be as natural as possible as well. By no means am I saying that I absolutely refuse to have any pain medication or if it is truly medically necessary I'd refuse medical intervention, but what I am saying is that God made women the way that He did for a purpose. One of those purposes is to be able to bear children, even if the ins and outs of it all doesn't make complete sense. I know my body can do it, it's just a matter if it will. [Yes, I've heard many responses to "my theory" on the whole birthing process, including the challenge to shove a basketball in a garden hose and explain what's natural about that--thanks Jake! But know that I'm not closed off to options and interventions, I just know what my preference is.]
Furthermore, I really don't want to be induced. Again, not the end of the world if it happens, but after reading books/articles and talking with many, in many circumstances the benefits don't outweigh the negative consequences. This is my real current Catch-22: I'm ready for this baby now but this baby isn't ready now. So I just have to wait it out hoping that I don't have to wait too long especially because I really don't want to have to start school! [In the mean time, you better believe that I'm trying any of the reasonable natural methods of inducing on my own!!]
So here we are. 9 days from our due date. Anxiously awaiting. Wondering if "any day" could mean today. Hoping that it does. 3 out of four in Chris' family were born on the 13th, so maybe this is our lucky day!
Note: Can I just say that I am even more anxious now that as I went to post this onto Facebook, I noticed that TWO lovely ladies who are due after me, welcomed or are welcoming their little ones into the world today!! Ahh!! The suspense! I just got to keep telling myself, the lil' one is easier to take care of inside than out!!
As previously mentioned several times, this has been a great pregnancy and I have thoroughly enjoyed it! Largely in part I believe because there hasn't been anything not to enjoy.
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| 8.11.11 38.5 Weeks Pregnant |
Sometime in the last 48-72 hours, I no longer want to be pregnant forever--which I never really did but I had the mindset that I'd be content with it :)-- but rather I'd like to have this baby today! Am I overly achy, uncomfortable, and barely able to waddle?! Absolutely not! Physically nothing is different other than the occasion [what I believe to be] tightening contractions, but in my heart and mind, I'm just ready for this experience. I'm ready to meet the one that we created. [I'm ready to find out what we created!] I'm ready for our parents to meet their newest grandchild. I'm ready. But the lil' one isn't.
Here's my Catch-22: this entire pregnancy I've very much wanted everything to go as "naturally" as possible. I understand and appreciate the technology and medical advancements that have been made over the last several decades, but there have been many things that I think many women with a low-risk pregnancy have done or not done simply because of those developments. I know it's a different time, but if thousands of women in generations before have been just fine living their lives while pregnant, then I'm with them. A large part of this "natural" desire won't come to fruition until labor and delivery. I really want that to be as natural as possible as well. By no means am I saying that I absolutely refuse to have any pain medication or if it is truly medically necessary I'd refuse medical intervention, but what I am saying is that God made women the way that He did for a purpose. One of those purposes is to be able to bear children, even if the ins and outs of it all doesn't make complete sense. I know my body can do it, it's just a matter if it will. [Yes, I've heard many responses to "my theory" on the whole birthing process, including the challenge to shove a basketball in a garden hose and explain what's natural about that--thanks Jake! But know that I'm not closed off to options and interventions, I just know what my preference is.]
Furthermore, I really don't want to be induced. Again, not the end of the world if it happens, but after reading books/articles and talking with many, in many circumstances the benefits don't outweigh the negative consequences. This is my real current Catch-22: I'm ready for this baby now but this baby isn't ready now. So I just have to wait it out hoping that I don't have to wait too long especially because I really don't want to have to start school! [In the mean time, you better believe that I'm trying any of the reasonable natural methods of inducing on my own!!]
 |
| Girls Night Group awaiting the lil' ones debut! |
Note: Can I just say that I am even more anxious now that as I went to post this onto Facebook, I noticed that TWO lovely ladies who are due after me, welcomed or are welcoming their little ones into the world today!! Ahh!! The suspense! I just got to keep telling myself, the lil' one is easier to take care of inside than out!!
Friday, August 12
Goal #95 and 2 sentence update.
Wendesday marked four weeks for another goal:
95. Use at least one coupon, per purchase, for every purchase for four weeks [grocery/drug store].*
Now I've been "couponing" for awhile now and have a stockpile of toothpaste and toilet paper to prove it, but I made this goal not because it'd be super easy, but rather because it should have been super easy but I knew that it wouldn't.
You see when I truly go grocery shopping, I look at the weekly match-ups with coupons, find my coupons, make a list and head out saving a good percentage. My problem is that I don't always think through what we have in the cupboards and what we'll want to eat that week. The result is a trip to the grocery to pick up one or maybe two things that are 99.9% of the time not on sale or do I have a coupon for. So this goal was created to cause me to think ahead and know what all I'd need for the week and buy it all in one stop, thus cutting down on extra driving and not getting the most out of my savings.
What I should've done was keep all my receipts for these four weeks to be able to note the savings, but what the heck, hindsight is 20/20 right?!
*Confession: Technically I made one trip to the grocery store that I didn't use a coupon at. There were a few items that I needed to pick up at Aldi's last week and they don't accept coupons there so I obviously didn't use one. :)
Oh and completely random with this post, but not if you read the previous one, after several phone calls to the hospital/doc's office, I got the results of my 24-urine catch. One number was a teensy-tiny bit high, but in the doc's words: "Don't worry it! Have a good weekend!"
Deal. Maybe a good weekend for having a baby. ;)
95. Use at least one coupon, per purchase, for every purchase for four weeks [grocery/drug store].*
Now I've been "couponing" for awhile now and have a stockpile of toothpaste and toilet paper to prove it, but I made this goal not because it'd be super easy, but rather because it should have been super easy but I knew that it wouldn't.
You see when I truly go grocery shopping, I look at the weekly match-ups with coupons, find my coupons, make a list and head out saving a good percentage. My problem is that I don't always think through what we have in the cupboards and what we'll want to eat that week. The result is a trip to the grocery to pick up one or maybe two things that are 99.9% of the time not on sale or do I have a coupon for. So this goal was created to cause me to think ahead and know what all I'd need for the week and buy it all in one stop, thus cutting down on extra driving and not getting the most out of my savings.
What I should've done was keep all my receipts for these four weeks to be able to note the savings, but what the heck, hindsight is 20/20 right?!
*Confession: Technically I made one trip to the grocery store that I didn't use a coupon at. There were a few items that I needed to pick up at Aldi's last week and they don't accept coupons there so I obviously didn't use one. :)
Oh and completely random with this post, but not if you read the previous one, after several phone calls to the hospital/doc's office, I got the results of my 24-urine catch. One number was a teensy-tiny bit high, but in the doc's words: "Don't worry it! Have a good weekend!"
Deal. Maybe a good weekend for having a baby. ;)
Thursday, August 11
38.5 Weeks Pregnany + Appt - Routine = Hospital Hang out
For my 38-week appointment, I was hoping to hear "You're 2-3 centimeters and soft. Everything looks good!"
Instead I heard, "Are you pissed?!"
Now allow me to explain.
I got to my 3:40 appointment right on time at 3:40 :) I've learned that this is the perfect time to arrive as they are never early with patients. There was only one other person in the waiting room and by the sign in sheet I could tell that her appointment was supposed to be at 3:15. I knew it'd be awhile. Sadly I last second failed to bring my math book to work on answer keys [the exciting life of a math teacher] but luckily for me I had a fully charged cell phone, Dr. Phil and Oprah to help pass the time. I was called back for my appointment about 40 minutes late.
They took my weight which was pretty much the same as last week and then the nurse [who reminded me of a "rougher" Grandma Cow aka my grandma + smoker + VFW frequent flyer = my nurse]. After taking my blood pressure, and not mentioning the results, she looked at my chart and then asked, "Are you pissed that you had to wait so long to get called back?!"
"Ah, not really. I'm used to it by now and it wasn't too bad." She just nodded and looked again at my chart. I asked if my blood pressure was high and she said it was so she was going to check it again. This time it was 136/80 which is high for me because mine is usually 1-teens over 60ish. After the doctor [a new one I hadn't met before because my doc is out of the country until the 28th] came in and checked me, she said I was the same as I was last week, 1-2 cm and soft. A bit disappointed here, I was a bit more bummed by the fact that I continue to have to have my blood drawn every week to track my platelets. They have been at 140 for the past 3 weeks which is just below normal and if they drop below 100 there could be issues. There's nothing I can do to affect this count so in my mind why test every week and just wait until labor begins, do the test and make the adjustments then. The doctor doesn't see it that way.
The doctor leaves and the nurse rechecks my blood pressure. Still high. I admitted that I was a bit ticked about the lack of logic that the docs have been able to give me able the platelet testing, so I am not surprised that it was the same pressure reading.
She had me lay down on my side for 10-15 minutes and then came back to check again. With a wink she asked if I had been thinking relaxing thoughts. I had given it my best shot and was hoping I was relaxed as possible--I nearly fell asleep--to get a normal reading. Relaxed, likely. Normal reading, not so much.
I was then told that I would have to go to the hospital to be monitored. I wasn't given a ton of details other than they would be monitoring my blood pressure as well as doing a 24-hour analysis. After contacting Chris, calling my mom and shedding a couple uncertain tears, I headed across the parking lot to the hospital. Heading up to the Labor and Delivery floor, the receptionist showed me to room 6. Dark and cold in a thin hospital gown. Blood drawn, a urine sample and hooked up to a baby monitor, uterus monitor, and blood pressure cuff later, my mom arrived [Chris was at work and at this point he didn't "need" to be there, I just didn't want to be alone] and shortly the ultrasonographer [I didn't even know that was a real word but that's what his nametag said] came in to check the fluids and baby's heart. After the nurse came back, I realized that I would be staying overnight. Suck. At this point I decide I'd call Chris and let him know he might as well work because I was just going to be hanging out at the hospital.
They said that everything looked fine from the ultrasound and the baby's heartbeat looked good as well. My blood pressure was still high in the lower 130s so I was still hooked up to the monitors. I began my 24-hour pee catching adventure and then was hooked up to an iv.
Since the only other time I had been in the hopsital was when I myself was born, I had never had an iv before and I didn't know which were my "good veins" other than the one I commonly use to donate blood. The nurse commented that my veins weren't too good for an iv and I said that's likely because it was cold in the room and my veins were constricted. Made sense in my mind. She ended up finding a good vein and the cold saline was pumped into my wrist.
After my 8 o'clock blood pressure check which came back at 112/68 [normal for me!!], the nurse called "my" doctor--not the one I've seen all along and not the one that sent me to the hospital but the other doctor-- and he said that after my iv I could be released but I'd just have to do the 24-hour urine catch at home.
I could handle that.
IV complete. Bloody wrist cleaned up. Real clothes back on. Discharge papers in hand. I was ready to go.
Mom and I headed out carrying our tub of urine, my pee catching hat and $2000 hospital water bottle. We decided next time we left the hospital, we better be carrying a baby versus a tub of pee! :)
So overall, the event could've been a lot worse. They really didn't know why my blood pressure was the way that it was but will be doing tests on my urine when I take it to the lab at precisely 7:20pm. Checking the protein and making sure other possible "toxins" are at the proper levels, they may be able to find something out. Furthermore I'll have a couple non-stress tests next week to make sure that the baby's heartrate continues to check out as well as it did last night. I was told that I had todo absolutely nothing take it easy for the upcoming days which more specifically meant: No excercise class, running, or distant walking. At 38.5 weeks, my spin class is now something of the past [and the future post-baby, just not the present!] and I'm spending 24-hours catching every "drop or urine"--typo on my discharge paper.
In the meantime you'll catch me working on math answer keys, toting a cooler of urine on ice, and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one! More and more I'm hoping Jessica, Leslie, Emily or Aunt Sara are right!! :)
Instead I heard, "Are you pissed?!"
Now allow me to explain.
I got to my 3:40 appointment right on time at 3:40 :) I've learned that this is the perfect time to arrive as they are never early with patients. There was only one other person in the waiting room and by the sign in sheet I could tell that her appointment was supposed to be at 3:15. I knew it'd be awhile. Sadly I last second failed to bring my math book to work on answer keys [the exciting life of a math teacher] but luckily for me I had a fully charged cell phone, Dr. Phil and Oprah to help pass the time. I was called back for my appointment about 40 minutes late.
They took my weight which was pretty much the same as last week and then the nurse [who reminded me of a "rougher" Grandma Cow aka my grandma + smoker + VFW frequent flyer = my nurse]. After taking my blood pressure, and not mentioning the results, she looked at my chart and then asked, "Are you pissed that you had to wait so long to get called back?!"
"Ah, not really. I'm used to it by now and it wasn't too bad." She just nodded and looked again at my chart. I asked if my blood pressure was high and she said it was so she was going to check it again. This time it was 136/80 which is high for me because mine is usually 1-teens over 60ish. After the doctor [a new one I hadn't met before because my doc is out of the country until the 28th] came in and checked me, she said I was the same as I was last week, 1-2 cm and soft. A bit disappointed here, I was a bit more bummed by the fact that I continue to have to have my blood drawn every week to track my platelets. They have been at 140 for the past 3 weeks which is just below normal and if they drop below 100 there could be issues. There's nothing I can do to affect this count so in my mind why test every week and just wait until labor begins, do the test and make the adjustments then. The doctor doesn't see it that way.
The doctor leaves and the nurse rechecks my blood pressure. Still high. I admitted that I was a bit ticked about the lack of logic that the docs have been able to give me able the platelet testing, so I am not surprised that it was the same pressure reading.
She had me lay down on my side for 10-15 minutes and then came back to check again. With a wink she asked if I had been thinking relaxing thoughts. I had given it my best shot and was hoping I was relaxed as possible--I nearly fell asleep--to get a normal reading. Relaxed, likely. Normal reading, not so much.
I was then told that I would have to go to the hospital to be monitored. I wasn't given a ton of details other than they would be monitoring my blood pressure as well as doing a 24-hour analysis. After contacting Chris, calling my mom and shedding a couple uncertain tears, I headed across the parking lot to the hospital. Heading up to the Labor and Delivery floor, the receptionist showed me to room 6. Dark and cold in a thin hospital gown. Blood drawn, a urine sample and hooked up to a baby monitor, uterus monitor, and blood pressure cuff later, my mom arrived [Chris was at work and at this point he didn't "need" to be there, I just didn't want to be alone] and shortly the ultrasonographer [I didn't even know that was a real word but that's what his nametag said] came in to check the fluids and baby's heart. After the nurse came back, I realized that I would be staying overnight. Suck. At this point I decide I'd call Chris and let him know he might as well work because I was just going to be hanging out at the hospital.
They said that everything looked fine from the ultrasound and the baby's heartbeat looked good as well. My blood pressure was still high in the lower 130s so I was still hooked up to the monitors. I began my 24-hour pee catching adventure and then was hooked up to an iv.
 |
| My first IV! I treated my hand like it was handicapped and disabled even though I guess you don't have to! |
Since the only other time I had been in the hopsital was when I myself was born, I had never had an iv before and I didn't know which were my "good veins" other than the one I commonly use to donate blood. The nurse commented that my veins weren't too good for an iv and I said that's likely because it was cold in the room and my veins were constricted. Made sense in my mind. She ended up finding a good vein and the cold saline was pumped into my wrist.
After my 8 o'clock blood pressure check which came back at 112/68 [normal for me!!], the nurse called "my" doctor--not the one I've seen all along and not the one that sent me to the hospital but the other doctor-- and he said that after my iv I could be released but I'd just have to do the 24-hour urine catch at home.
I could handle that.
IV complete. Bloody wrist cleaned up. Real clothes back on. Discharge papers in hand. I was ready to go.
Mom and I headed out carrying our tub of urine, my pee catching hat and $2000 hospital water bottle. We decided next time we left the hospital, we better be carrying a baby versus a tub of pee! :)
So overall, the event could've been a lot worse. They really didn't know why my blood pressure was the way that it was but will be doing tests on my urine when I take it to the lab at precisely 7:20pm. Checking the protein and making sure other possible "toxins" are at the proper levels, they may be able to find something out. Furthermore I'll have a couple non-stress tests next week to make sure that the baby's heartrate continues to check out as well as it did last night. I was told that I had to
In the meantime you'll catch me working on math answer keys, toting a cooler of urine on ice, and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one! More and more I'm hoping Jessica, Leslie, Emily or Aunt Sara are right!! :)
Monday, August 8
2 weeks to go. Baby Poll.
38 weeks.
I can hardly believe that it was 234 days ago that I discovered the miracle growing inside of. Then the size of a seasame seed, now the size of a watermelon. Pregnancy truly is a remarkable thing and as I mentioned before it hasn't been quite what I expected it to be. It has been a good experience for sure and in many ways so much more similar to prepregnancy life than I expected.
Now with just 2 weeks until our due date things are starting to change. All along I haven't felt "that big" and that's been commented on by countless others as well, but recently I'll catch my reflection in the mirror and have to take a double-take thinking that can't really be me is it!? Where did that belly come from?! Holy cow, I really am pregnant! For so long while I was out and about in public I've felt like people can't tell "for sure" that I was pregnant and I was in that middle ground--is she fat or pregnant--stage. Not so much any more! Most don't think I'm as far along as I am, but they definitely can tell I'm growing a little one inside of me!
Also within the last week have I started having some discomforts. After sitting for too long, I feel like a 90 year old woman trying to walk. Or I've got the flip from sleeping on my left side to my right side down so well that I barely wake. My hips just get achy. While there is mild short term discomfort there, it excites me: my liagments are getting all loosey-goosey so that our lil' babe can make its descent soon!
Another very recent change has been my mindset. Now I had the goal that I would have all of my lesson plans completed by August 1st. I didn't quite accomplish this [I did have 6 weeks of Geometry plans done though!] but now excluding printing the plans and running copies, this is complete. Likely after going into school Wednesday to reorganize the students' desks and run those copies, I'm completely ready to hand over a binder worth of plans, notes, activities and assignments that will last someone though the first week of October! Now if I just knew who that someone would be, that would make things a bit nicer. In addition to finally feeling like I'm nearly as ready as I'll ever be to turn my class over to someone for 6 weeks, I have also had a mindset shift in that every once and awhile, I find myself saying,
"Holy crap! We're going to be parents very, very soon!!"
Usually this is very exciting, but sometimes it's quite frightening and overwhelming! Obviously we felt like we were ready nearly a year ago when we "pulled the goalies" as Mister so eloquently has put it, but that doesn't take away the apprehension of how our lives will be forever be changed. We're excited. I'm excited. We're nervous. I'm nervous.
Even crazier to me is that for the past month or so, I have mentioned to Chris that as soon as we hit that 38 week mark, we're pulling out all the stops and going to try any natural method to get this baby here. [I'm not all about medication and inducing, but if it's a natural bodily reaction, I am all about that!] Now that we are to that time, I can't count how many times I realize that this means "any day now". Thinking about how I could wake tomorrow morning and it be the last time I wake pregnant with this child inside of me instead of out. I make plans for the upcoming couple of weeks and then remember that perhaps I'll be bringing a child to the event on the outside. It's just so excitingly, apprehensively, crazily fascinating to think about! Aahhh! :)
Finally just for fun, I'm curious what you think Baby Massie will be--other than a baby--and when you think the lil' one will arrive. My aunt suggested a poll that everyone puts $5 into a kitty and then the closest get 50%. While I wouldn't mind keeping the other 50%, this is a "free" wager. So let us know. Leave a comment and tell us the following:
1. Bundle of Blue or Pretty in Pink--You can also make your vote on the right side panel. :)
2. Weight/Height
3. Birthdate [and even time if you'd like!]
To give everyone some insight, at my 36 week appointment, the sonographer estimated the baby to weigh 6 lbs. 9 oz. [but that can be off by 1.5 lbs either way] and baby's should gain half a pound a week from 36 weeks on.
It'll be neat to see if anyone get's super close on all three. [Momma-cita recently guessed a cousin's lil' one's arrival within a day, in the accurate time of day and within just a couple of ounces! She says "one of each" for me though, so I don't see her "winning"!]
I can hardly believe that it was 234 days ago that I discovered the miracle growing inside of. Then the size of a seasame seed, now the size of a watermelon. Pregnancy truly is a remarkable thing and as I mentioned before it hasn't been quite what I expected it to be. It has been a good experience for sure and in many ways so much more similar to prepregnancy life than I expected.
Now with just 2 weeks until our due date things are starting to change. All along I haven't felt "that big" and that's been commented on by countless others as well, but recently I'll catch my reflection in the mirror and have to take a double-take thinking that can't really be me is it!? Where did that belly come from?! Holy cow, I really am pregnant! For so long while I was out and about in public I've felt like people can't tell "for sure" that I was pregnant and I was in that middle ground--is she fat or pregnant--stage. Not so much any more! Most don't think I'm as far along as I am, but they definitely can tell I'm growing a little one inside of me!
Also within the last week have I started having some discomforts. After sitting for too long, I feel like a 90 year old woman trying to walk. Or I've got the flip from sleeping on my left side to my right side down so well that I barely wake. My hips just get achy. While there is mild short term discomfort there, it excites me: my liagments are getting all loosey-goosey so that our lil' babe can make its descent soon!
Another very recent change has been my mindset. Now I had the goal that I would have all of my lesson plans completed by August 1st. I didn't quite accomplish this [I did have 6 weeks of Geometry plans done though!] but now excluding printing the plans and running copies, this is complete. Likely after going into school Wednesday to reorganize the students' desks and run those copies, I'm completely ready to hand over a binder worth of plans, notes, activities and assignments that will last someone though the first week of October! Now if I just knew who that someone would be, that would make things a bit nicer. In addition to finally feeling like I'm nearly as ready as I'll ever be to turn my class over to someone for 6 weeks, I have also had a mindset shift in that every once and awhile, I find myself saying,
"Holy crap! We're going to be parents very, very soon!!"
Usually this is very exciting, but sometimes it's quite frightening and overwhelming! Obviously we felt like we were ready nearly a year ago when we "pulled the goalies" as Mister so eloquently has put it, but that doesn't take away the apprehension of how our lives will be forever be changed. We're excited. I'm excited. We're nervous. I'm nervous.
Even crazier to me is that for the past month or so, I have mentioned to Chris that as soon as we hit that 38 week mark, we're pulling out all the stops and going to try any natural method to get this baby here. [I'm not all about medication and inducing, but if it's a natural bodily reaction, I am all about that!] Now that we are to that time, I can't count how many times I realize that this means "any day now". Thinking about how I could wake tomorrow morning and it be the last time I wake pregnant with this child inside of me instead of out. I make plans for the upcoming couple of weeks and then remember that perhaps I'll be bringing a child to the event on the outside. It's just so excitingly, apprehensively, crazily fascinating to think about! Aahhh! :)
Finally just for fun, I'm curious what you think Baby Massie will be--other than a baby--and when you think the lil' one will arrive. My aunt suggested a poll that everyone puts $5 into a kitty and then the closest get 50%. While I wouldn't mind keeping the other 50%, this is a "free" wager. So let us know. Leave a comment and tell us the following:
1. Bundle of Blue or Pretty in Pink--You can also make your vote on the right side panel. :)
2. Weight/Height
3. Birthdate [and even time if you'd like!]
To give everyone some insight, at my 36 week appointment, the sonographer estimated the baby to weigh 6 lbs. 9 oz. [but that can be off by 1.5 lbs either way] and baby's should gain half a pound a week from 36 weeks on.
It'll be neat to see if anyone get's super close on all three. [Momma-cita recently guessed a cousin's lil' one's arrival within a day, in the accurate time of day and within just a couple of ounces! She says "one of each" for me though, so I don't see her "winning"!]
Tuesday, July 26
Deep-fried Baby Jane?!
What does deep-frying, a baby, and Jane have in common? Well that would of course be 3 of the highlights of my last three days!
Sunday we went out to the Massie's house for our "2nd Annual Deep Frying Extravaganza"! Last year we had a little deep-frying fun and I think this will likely be a summer tradition! After waking up from a Sunday afternoon nap by claps of thunder, I was a bit worried that we'd have to postpone it for another day, but thankfully we didn't! So what did we deep fry you ask? Anything you can think of! After Course #1 of brats and potato salad [which were unnecessary, but enjoyed since we could easily fill up on deep-fried goodness] we started off with the veggies. That makes it healthy right?!
Everything except the sweet potatoes were battered. The sweet potatoes and the zucchini were my favorites! Of course we then had to have some dessert, as if we weren't full enough! We had quite the arrangement and everything was delicious! [The marshmallows, as suspected, instantly turned to liquid and didn't turn out but everything else did!] The batter for this was the equivalent of funnel cake! My favorite for this course was the deep-fried peanut butter Snickers bars!!
It was all delicious! And our arteries are still clear!
Jane: After eating to our fill and beyond! I only had about 40 pages left to read in Jane Eyre. This is the first of the 43 books off the BBC list that I'll be reading for my goals! It took me longer to read it than I thought it would as it appears to be a small book, but in reality it was over 500 pages. It addition to the plot line, my favorite thing about the book itself is a little handwritten note inside the front cover:
My dearest Carrie, I found this in a cute little bookstore & thought you'd like it. I love you & will be home very soon! Love, J.
How sweet is that?
And last but not least, today we got to one last glimpse of Baby Massie while on the inside! Today I had my likely final ultrasound with the goal of finding out how large the babe is and the amount of fluid in there. Everything seemed to be fine [I'll ask for sure on Thursday at my actual doctor's appointment, but the doc cleared me to go for today!
Also not that we wanted to find out the sex of the babe--I'm mean we've waited 36 weeks, what's another 4?!-- but again this child was not the most cooperative! We couldn't even get a good face shot as Baby M had its fist up over its face! Here's some pics from today's appointment nonetheless.
Can't wait! [Well once all my lesson plans are complete, I'm ready!! ;)]
Sunday we went out to the Massie's house for our "2nd Annual Deep Frying Extravaganza"! Last year we had a little deep-frying fun and I think this will likely be a summer tradition! After waking up from a Sunday afternoon nap by claps of thunder, I was a bit worried that we'd have to postpone it for another day, but thankfully we didn't! So what did we deep fry you ask? Anything you can think of! After Course #1 of brats and potato salad [which were unnecessary, but enjoyed since we could easily fill up on deep-fried goodness] we started off with the veggies. That makes it healthy right?!
 |
| Course #2: Deep fried broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, onions, sweet potatoes. |
 |
| Course #3 Desserts: Oreos, Twix, Milky Ways, 3 Musketeers, Snickers, Peanut Butter Snickers, and apples. [See it's not all unhealthy!] |
It was all delicious! And our arteries are still clear!
Jane: After eating to our fill and beyond! I only had about 40 pages left to read in Jane Eyre. This is the first of the 43 books off the BBC list that I'll be reading for my goals! It took me longer to read it than I thought it would as it appears to be a small book, but in reality it was over 500 pages. It addition to the plot line, my favorite thing about the book itself is a little handwritten note inside the front cover:
My dearest Carrie, I found this in a cute little bookstore & thought you'd like it. I love you & will be home very soon! Love, J.
How sweet is that?
And last but not least, today we got to one last glimpse of Baby Massie while on the inside! Today I had my likely final ultrasound with the goal of finding out how large the babe is and the amount of fluid in there. Everything seemed to be fine [I'll ask for sure on Thursday at my actual doctor's appointment, but the doc cleared me to go for today!
Also not that we wanted to find out the sex of the babe--I'm mean we've waited 36 weeks, what's another 4?!-- but again this child was not the most cooperative! We couldn't even get a good face shot as Baby M had its fist up over its face! Here's some pics from today's appointment nonetheless.
 |
| It may only be a little bit on the back of its head, but that speckly line there is hair! |
 |
| Hand over face. |
 |
| Here's about the best that we could get with the lil' ones lack of cooperation. |
Based on the measurements that Jodi was able to get, despite the baby being balled up in there, its current estimated weight is 6 lbs. 9 oz. [This can be off as much as a pound and an half either way though.] Also at this stage of the game, the lil' one should be packing on an half pound a week, so in theory that means that in a little less than 4 weeks we should be welcoming a healthy 8 lb. 9 oz.
 |
| Hopefully the chub will stay! I'd take a little sausage babe! |
Can't wait! [Well once all my lesson plans are complete, I'm ready!! ;)]
Monday, July 11
Nursery? Check!
Yesterday we marked a big check on our baby-to-do list! And besides ordering our breast pump [back order on Amazon] and car seat base, I *think* it was the last thing to do! I don't have any other projects in mind at this point, so we may be done here! Of course if I spend too much time in the coming days browsing other websites I may find quite a bit to do in the next 6 weeks! [Yep, that's right, 6 weeks from today is our due date! It'll be here like *flash* that! Chris just said last week that he's ready to "get this thing started and for the baby to just be here"! :) ]
Back to the nursery. Because our little one ismodest stubborn and we don't know if we have an Ainsley or a Jacoby in the works, it was much more difficult for us to decide what we wanted to do with the nursery. Add to that the fact that I am frugal and slowly things just kind of came about. The room was already painted tan--gender neutral check--from the previous owner so we left that alone.
Here's the first wall; the hand-me-down wall. We've got 2 dressers from my parents garage, a piece of photography that Chris took [it's actually just still hanging in there and has nothing to do with the nursery :) ] and a $6 clock my 'rents and I found on sale at Menard's. I actually debated quite a bit if I wanted the clock even though I liked the design. I wasn't sure if I'd want to know what time it was in the middle of the night while in the nursery! Dad convinced me that I wouldn't be able to read it without the light on anyways, so I didn't have to know! :) Between the two dressers is a cradle that will eventually go into our bedroom when I get that cleaned up and reorganized. It has been in my dad's fam for decades. My grandpa and his siblings, my dad and his siblings, and nearly all of my Clum cousins and my siblings have slept in this cradle over the years. For the sentimental value of it, I'm really excited for Baby Massie to rock to sleep the very same way that his/her Great-Grandpa Clum rocked many, many moons prior.
Heading around to the next wall, which is pretty boring, we have a lamp with a shade from IKEA [that I've had wrapped up for two years] and a brown suede ottoman from Ollie's that's already filled with toys and books. I was going to make one of these, and then I could only find black so I was going to make a brown cover for it, then I went back to the store and they had a huge stack of brown ones already there! I decided for less than ten bucks I couldn't make one better! Under the window there's also a rocking chair than was my Great-Grandma Mac's. Thankfully she was short too, so the seat is low to the ground! Perfect for my short legs! :) Currently hanging out in the chair is the pillow and elephant that I made and have a much better picture of here!
The last wall is the wall with the closet. A quick peak inside the closet shows the dozen or so outfits that the lil' one has waiting as well as lots of other supplies. We still haven't cleared all our stuff--Chris' shoes, old t-shirts and a couple storage tubs--out of the closet, but once we do, it won't look so stuffed. As of this point, we don't need a ton of closet hanging space since there aren't too many gender neutral clothes out there anyways. I'm sure the clothing department will be made up for in the coming weeks after Baby Massie's arrival!
We also have over 30 bottles of baby wash/lotion/oil/etc. stocked up on the shelves all completely free due to couponing! This was a deal I don't think I've ever mentioned on here because it was prior to the world knowing that we were expecting! :) The stash of baby wipes is pretty good as well, but those weren't free! :)
And now for my other favorite part. From the very beginning of "nursery talk", Chris and I discussed doing some sort of painting or such on one of the walls. We didn't know what, but we wanted something. Well after not know exactly what and not 100% confident in our artistic abilities, I began looking at various websites for vinyl wall decals. This is what we ended up going with! We know how to use stickers! :) After searching and searching, we found a colorful, geometric-ish tree that we really liked so then I began the search for the best deal! That lead us to tangtrade.com. Think Asian ebay. I was a bit leery about placing an order through them, but I've wasted money in a lot dumber ways so I went ahead. Now because our lil' package was coming Hong Kong it took nearly 3 weeks to arrive [a week longer than expected], but overall it was no biggie! On Saturday I had to go to the post office to sign off on the package, so yesterday we put it up!
We decided to put it on the closet doors to add color there are well. Less than an hour of putting up stickers and for $15 we completed the "final" nursery project! And we both love the fun that it brings to everything!
So there you have it! The drawn out tour of our little nursery! A big ol' check off the list and now all we need is a baby bundle to fill it hopefully in 5 weeks! [We're going to start having some conversations about coming a week early! ;) ]
Back to the nursery. Because our little one is
Here's the first wall; the hand-me-down wall. We've got 2 dressers from my parents garage, a piece of photography that Chris took [it's actually just still hanging in there and has nothing to do with the nursery :) ] and a $6 clock my 'rents and I found on sale at Menard's. I actually debated quite a bit if I wanted the clock even though I liked the design. I wasn't sure if I'd want to know what time it was in the middle of the night while in the nursery! Dad convinced me that I wouldn't be able to read it without the light on anyways, so I didn't have to know! :) Between the two dressers is a cradle that will eventually go into our bedroom when I get that cleaned up and reorganized. It has been in my dad's fam for decades. My grandpa and his siblings, my dad and his siblings, and nearly all of my Clum cousins and my siblings have slept in this cradle over the years. For the sentimental value of it, I'm really excited for Baby Massie to rock to sleep the very same way that his/her Great-Grandpa Clum rocked many, many moons prior.
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| The short dresser has a changing pad on it, and a basket of newborn diaps that a friend's babe never needed. |
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| Passed down cradle. I was going to make mini-crib sheets for this, but a package of gifted receiving blankets was just the perfect size! |
Heading around to the next wall, which is pretty boring, we have a lamp with a shade from IKEA [that I've had wrapped up for two years] and a brown suede ottoman from Ollie's that's already filled with toys and books. I was going to make one of these, and then I could only find black so I was going to make a brown cover for it, then I went back to the store and they had a huge stack of brown ones already there! I decided for less than ten bucks I couldn't make one better! Under the window there's also a rocking chair than was my Great-Grandma Mac's. Thankfully she was short too, so the seat is low to the ground! Perfect for my short legs! :) Currently hanging out in the chair is the pillow and elephant that I made and have a much better picture of here!
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| Window Wall. Sorry for the crappy cellphone picture. The sun coming through the window when I took it with my other camera made everything else nearly impossible to see. |
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| IKEA Lamp shade. Top left. |
The next wall is the crib wall, which is one of my favorites. :) Instead of a mobile, I made some colorful tissue pom-poms to suspend from the one corner. Then of course is our crib with the crib sheets and skirt that I made. [Both crib sheets are layered on the crib with waterproof pads in between. We're ready for those middle of the night explosions! :) Above the crib is some wall art that I made. This is one of my favorite two things about the room! I debated and debated, searched and searched, picked up and put down tons of ideas and supplies for the wall art, but then ended up making this project in my head. For less than $15 and some creative juices, they were complete! I love 'em!
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| Here's where we added our big pops of color! |
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| Close up of wall art. It's difficult to tell from the picture, but the animals stand off from the canvas due to the use of foam board and then the elephant's ear sticks out a lil' more as well. |
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| Believe it or not, there is a method to that organizational madness! |
The last wall is the wall with the closet. A quick peak inside the closet shows the dozen or so outfits that the lil' one has waiting as well as lots of other supplies. We still haven't cleared all our stuff--Chris' shoes, old t-shirts and a couple storage tubs--out of the closet, but once we do, it won't look so stuffed. As of this point, we don't need a ton of closet hanging space since there aren't too many gender neutral clothes out there anyways. I'm sure the clothing department will be made up for in the coming weeks after Baby Massie's arrival!
We also have over 30 bottles of baby wash/lotion/oil/etc. stocked up on the shelves all completely free due to couponing! This was a deal I don't think I've ever mentioned on here because it was prior to the world knowing that we were expecting! :) The stash of baby wipes is pretty good as well, but those weren't free! :)
And now for my other favorite part. From the very beginning of "nursery talk", Chris and I discussed doing some sort of painting or such on one of the walls. We didn't know what, but we wanted something. Well after not know exactly what and not 100% confident in our artistic abilities, I began looking at various websites for vinyl wall decals. This is what we ended up going with! We know how to use stickers! :) After searching and searching, we found a colorful, geometric-ish tree that we really liked so then I began the search for the best deal! That lead us to tangtrade.com. Think Asian ebay. I was a bit leery about placing an order through them, but I've wasted money in a lot dumber ways so I went ahead. Now because our lil' package was coming Hong Kong it took nearly 3 weeks to arrive [a week longer than expected], but overall it was no biggie! On Saturday I had to go to the post office to sign off on the package, so yesterday we put it up!
We decided to put it on the closet doors to add color there are well. Less than an hour of putting up stickers and for $15 we completed the "final" nursery project! And we both love the fun that it brings to everything!
 |
| 33 weeks and 6 days pregnant! |
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