Home Stretch!

I am beside myself with the realization that within the next month we will have a teeny tiny newborn in our arms. I have this crazy feeling that this little guy will surprise us with his arrival just as he has given us surprise after surprise during this pregnancy. The latest surprise came when the perinatologist did a follow up growth scan and realized that my fluid level was below where it should be. So again, I run the risk of possibly being induced early if it continues to drop. AND.....I'm now back to being monitored and having and ultrasounds twice a week. Good thing I love my OB office, we have gotten to be very close friends the past couple months.

Thankfully, I guzzled any kind of liquid I could get my hands on and my fluid level had improved well above the risky point. Needless to say, it has been a harder week than anticipated and my sweet baby #1 decided he would make an extra effort to add to this mama's emotional discomfort level. My usual compliant, happy-go-lucky, perfect napping boy has decided to give me a run for my money. 

Who him????

Yes, my dear sweet boy has decided that he no longer likes to go down for his naps. Instead, he would rather scream and throw a fit for 2-3 hours until his voice is hoarse, and I am ready to pull every last strand out of my head. That is, unless I stand over his crib rubbing his back while singing to him to sleep. Something that this big belly of mine can't handle for very long. So it has been a week of lots of tears, frustration, and wondering where I went wrong.  I am praying that this is just a phase and that we can all get it worked out  before baby comes, because I know my weary capability, and the thought of two crying babies, in a house that is not my own, with boxes of our stuff all around is enough to make me want to retreat to my pillow for a major sob fest.

So that is what's going on with my firstborn....here is the latest on baby boy #2

How far along? 36 weeks and 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: about 28 lbs???
Maternity clothes? Still mixing and matching maternity with non maternity....I have lived in dresses this week because of the heat.
Stretch marks? No, so far my skin seems to be putting up a good fight!
Sleep: I have good nights, and then I have bad nights....the maneuvering my belly from one side to the other has gotten to be quite the task.
Best moment this week: Hearing that my fluid level had increased and that baby boy was doing fine.
Have you told family and friends: Of course.
Miss Anything? wearing heels and wedges, I have been living in flip-flops.
Movement: Oh yes, he is very low but still likes to stretch and shove his little feet into my side.
Food cravings: Anything with an Asian flair,  ice tea, fizzy drinks, watermelon, vanilla soft serve, grapes, Trader Joes popcorn....and I just found these amazing peanut butter and brownie oatmeal bars that are A-MAZING! They taste like dessert and have lots of protein and fiber, perfect.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Actually, no.
Have you started to show yet: You think? 
Gender prediction: Girl....but as you all know I was so wrong!
Labor Signs:  My contraction have gotten stronger and more intense, but still not consistent.
Belly Button in or out?  in
Wedding rings on or off? My band is on, my ring is off...sniff, sniff.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I think this week I have been especially moody, the combination of little sleep, Cole's nap battles, and the stress of the fluid levels left me with little left at the end of each day.
Weekly Wisdom: After this week, I don't feel like I have much of any wisdom to share. Other than trudge forward, embrace the positive and try not to focus on the negative.

Exhale Deeply

That's what I have been doing a lot of lately...I swear I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Instead, I have been allowing myself time to breathe and exhale as I finish up this last leg of pregnancy. After many weeks of holding my breath waiting for the next stint of bad news to sink in, I can finally.....exhale. Two weeks ago today it was my hubby's birthday and I got called into the perinatalogist last minute. That appointment changed everything. We sat down, and the specialist basically looked at me and said, "I am here to relieve you of all the past worry and stress that you have endured." She said, our little boy looked healthy, happy, and normal! Her conclusion was that I would probably just have small babies based on my size, and that the previous ultra sounds taken were either done poorly, or the angles were off. With that, she took me off bed rest, lifted the IUGR diagnosis, gave me a big smile and told me to, "go and enjoy my pregnancy." And as Kyle put it, "that is the best birthday present ever!" Wish I could take the credit for that one. :)

EXHALE.

I go in later this week for one more growth scan at the specialist just to be sure everything is just as it should be. But since that appointment I feel as if I have a whole new lease on life. Life is so fragile, and it can change in the blink of an eye...sometimes for the bad, but in this case, definitely for the good. I haven't been as proactive in keeping up with my weekly belly updates, mainly for the fact that I was scared to document the progress in such a fun way when I myself was so worried and lingering in the "unknown". I decided it was fitting to include one with this update since I bring good news to the table.

EXHALE.

33 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS

How far along? 34 weeks 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: Well, I think it is around 27 lbs, I'm staying about the same as I did with Cole.
Maternity clothes? I wear a bit of both, still loving dresses...especially maxi's, as they hide my growing thighs! :)
Stretch marks? No, baby is still being nice to me so far!
Sleep: Why, oh why does my body think 4AM is an appropriate time to wake up???
Best moment this week: Ok, so this was a couple weeks ago...but it still makes for the best moment this week....hearing that out little boy is thriving, growing, and doing just fine!
Have you told family and friends: Um, yes.
Miss Anything? Sushi, and not being paranoid that I am constantly going to get some kind of food borne illness. 
Movement: Goodness yes, lately he has been sticking one foot way out into my side....and both shocks me and makes me laugh because it tickles so much.
Food cravings: Ok, where do I start? Watermelon, fizzy drinks, Dutch Bros. raspberry/ passion fruit ice tea (seriously amazing), peanut M&M's, cereal, Trader Joe's herb and olive oil popcorn (this is the first time popcorn has actually sounded good to me, I ate it every day while pregnant with Cole and up until I got pregnant with this one). Oh, and I am still on the frozen organic burrito kick.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Actually, no.
Have you started to show yet: Yes!
Gender prediction: Girl....but as you all know I was so wrong!
Labor Signs:  I still get braxton hicks often, haven't had any of my painful contractions lately so that it good.
Belly Button in or out?  in
Wedding rings on or off? This was a sad sad moment this week, I actually decided to stop wearing my ring...it still fits, but my fingers start to balloon up and I get nervous that I won't be able to get it off at the end of the day. My band still fits fine, so that will be what I get to wear from now on.....still pouting about it. :(
Happy or Moody most of the time: well, it has been an emotional past couple of weeks...but mostly happy now that we have good news.
Weekly Wisdom: Ok, if you are pregnant and you get heart burn...LISTEN UP! Coming from a person who has tried every flavor of tums under the sun....you need to go get yourself a HUGE bottle of the Tums Extra Strength Smoothies in peppermint. These are the only ones that don't leave me gagging and guzzling a gallon of water after taking one. Plus they make baby boy pretty excited, he does the happy dance every time I eat one! :)