Does this baby make me look fat?

NINE MONTHS

2011-06-23T05:43:00.000-07:00

Bobblehead turned nine months old the other day, and I almost missed marking this milestone! Thankfully his nine-month well baby checkup reminded me to post an update here.

His height curve is BARELY above the last visit, and weight curve has actually moved DOWN, since he only gained 2 lbs in the last three months. He is now 17 pounds, and 24 inches long...so he is pretty small for a nine month old. The doctor isn't TOO worried about this, since his head growth is normal, and at least THAT growth curve still shows upward movement on the chart. But he did suggest that maybe I should start adding BUTTER to Bobblehead's diet. Yes, BUTTER. I think, before I get that drastic, I will try giving him more avocados, and other 'healthy' foods that are high in UNsaturated fat. I know he needs fat for brain growth, but am also reluctant to give him something as 'bad' as BUTTER just yet. One good thing the doc said about the weight issue, is that Bobblehead's motor development is excellent, and its likely that he will just need more calories because he is so active. AND HOW! I can't even get him to hold still for a diaper change lately.

He's crawling like a pro now, and LOVES to pull himself into a standing position using any piece of furniture (or my leg). He also cruises along the furniture, but not quite as confidently as he crawls. The cruising thing has led to numerous falls, most of them without injury. I do catch him when I can, but I also know that he will learn much faster if he actually experiences some of these falls - so I don't beat myself up about the times I can't quite catch him, and he bumps his head or simply startles himself.

Sleep is still a myth...or at least NAPS are. Nighttime is pretty routine, and he's bathed and down for the night, in his own room, between 8 and 9 every night. He occasionally wakes up to nurse in the middle of the night, but then goes right back to sleep. And he definitely KNOWS his limit during the day, with his 2 to 3 hour periods of wakefulness....anything longer and he becomes a cranky MONSTER. Unfortunately, a 20 minute 'power nap' seems to satusfy his need for rest more often than not. I remember three times last week that he actually took a REAL nap (1 1/2 to 2 hours) and I celebrated each time. I am hoping we can get to a point where he takes two REAL naps every day. Someday.

For now I just keep my camera and my Flip handy to catch all the silly stuff he does. He just started shaking his head, like "NO" the other day...only he's not saying "no"....he's just enjoying the dizzy sensation. What a nut!

He enjoys the pool now - enough to make me REALLY wish we had our own pool here! But my brother lives nearby, and lets us use his backyard pool. We also go visit my sister often, about 20 minutes away, and they have a really awesome comunity pool, complete with kiddy-splash-park.

He's feeding himself more finger foods, and LOVES playing with his food. Sometimes when I am spoon-feeding him in his high chair, he grabs for the spoon with his little hands, resulting in a blob of pureed veggies on the tray. This, of course, necessitates a long finger-painting session each time. I absolutely LOVE seeing the look of wonder on his face as he makes designs by smearing his little finger (usually just the index finger, but sometimes his whole hand) through the mess. I don't love cleaning it up, but I know if I don't I won't get a chance to see THAT LOOK on his face again the next time he eats. :)

His favorite foods right now are Pears (still), cheerios, peach flavored puffs, diced fresh apricots, VEGGIE STRAWS, and anything Mommy is eating. I'm thrilled that he's begun to enjoy some of the food from my plate, and can't wait until he's really eating ALL table foods. Last week we went on a two-day vacation to Disneyland and I had to pack SO MUCH BABYFOOD. Totally not looking forward to that with our family reunion next month.

I know the table food thing will get even better if he can actually CUT those two top teeth that have been trying to push through for like a month now. The two bottom teeth look lonely. Maybe he should ask the tooth fairy about this? We know her...she lives down the street. Bobblehead even borrowed her wings and wand for a few minutes:

home-made baby food

2011-06-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

I've been making about half of Bobblehead's baby food at home, and its easier than I thought it would be! Here's a step-by-step guide if you'd like to try it:

1. Clean/peel fresh fruit or veggies. If this already sounds like too much work, buy some pre-cut and pre-peeled baby carrots. I bought a 5 lb. bag at Costco for about $5, so these are a good CHEAP food.

2. Steam (or boil) your fresh *OR FROZEN* veggies or fruit. Costco also carries a 5lb bag of frozen organic green beans that my whole family enjoys steamed.

3. Use a strainer spoon to place the cooked food into your blender or food processor. You will need to add at least a few tablespoons of the water from the pan, so DON'T dump that out yet!

4. Add just a little water to the mixture and puree. If more water is needed, YOU'LL KNOW, trust me. Add more water from your pan if needed, and puree again if needed. Younger babies will want a VERY smooth consistency, while older babies will enjoy some texture/lumps to begin some "practice chewing".

5. TASTE IT. Yes, it will be incredibly bland. Depending on your baby's age, you might be able to experiment with adding a little onion in step 2, or at least some sea salt. First foods are supposed to be bland, though. If something is wrong with the food, i.e. it was not as fresh as you thought it was, your tongue will alert you and you can now discard this batch and start over. If it tastes 'normal', proceed to the next step.

6. Pour the puree into storage containers. I like to pour some into an ice cube tray, so I can freeze it. The frozen cubes then go into a labeled ziplock bag for long-term storage. This allows me to make one kind of food, say, every other night, and still have plenty of variety on hand. The little snack-size disposable gladware containers are also great for refigerating individual servings for use within the first 2 or 3 days after the food is made.

fresh baby food poured into an ice cube tray

frozen cubes of mango-strawberry puree

7. SERVE! If you use the ice-tray method, it's best to take out a day's worth of food at night before you go to bed - thaw them in covered containers (like the gladware or tupperware). If you forget to do this, or your little one's appetite suddenly spikes, you CAN thaw the frozen baby food in your microwave...just know that this does degrade some of the nutrients in the food.

8. EXPERIMENT with different foods! Combine a fruit with a vegetable - apples seem to blend well with everything, and take the harsh edge off of things like sweet potatoes or broccoli. I still can't get meat to come out right in the blender, so we buy a lot of the chicken and turkey dishes ready-made. Last week I made Shepherd's Pie for the older boys, so I decided to throw some of those ingredients into the blender.

Cooked ground turkey w/onions, green beans, corn, and mashed potatoes.

Doesn't look all that appetizing, but he ATE it.

Life's a Beach

2011-06-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Baby Bobblehead's first trip to the beach.

He had a BLAST, but I don't know for sure how soon we'll be doing this again.....so much work just to pack all the necessary gear into my little tiny car, then to drag it all out onto the sand, and then pack it all back up a couple hours later. We also live about an hour's drive from the closest 'nice' beach, so yeah. Probably not happening as much this summer as it did last summer, but oh well.

We definitely have to go back at least a couple more times, if for no other reason than to get more pictures like these:

fascinated with the sand

feeding himself a 'veggie straw'

he could pick up and release fistfuls of sand ALL DAY

Could his eyes BE any more blue?

Eight Months Old!

2011-05-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

This week Bobblehead turned eight months old. He's been doing this cute little 'scoot' thing for a couple of weeks now, where he pushes off with his toes - straight-legged - and he pulls with his hands to get where he wants to go.

Last night, as if someone had told him "hey, you're eight months old, it's time to DO something" he suddenly began pushing himself up onto his knees, tummy off the ground, like he was ready to crawl. In the end, all that came of his efforts was this incredibly adorable "inchworm crawl".... butt up, legs tucked under tummy, then a wobbly push-up to propel himself forward onto his tummy once again. Slow going, but he's really getting the hang of it!

He also started pulling himself up to a standing position, on ANYTHING he can. Unfortunately, he has not yet learned to hold-on-for-dear-life after making that difficult transition....he falls to his butt A LOT, and he cries about it A LOT.

Tantrums aren't necessarily NEW this week, but he has gotten very good at them. I recently discovered that the camera is one of the few things that will get his attention when he is crying for something he can't have (like Dad's Coke Zero) and it is HILARIOUS to compare these 'before camera' and 'after camera' pictures...see the tears turn to a smile as soon as he sees the camera? SUCH A LITTLE HAM!!!

We've added the 'stage 3' foods to his diet to give him some protein, and to give him chewing practice (since most of the Stage 3 foods are intentionally left a little lumpy). Still getting used to the lumps. Also figured out that all of the Gerber brand stage 3 protein choices use RICE FLOUR as a filler. NO WONDER BOBBLEHEAD CAN'T POOP! Well, he can, but his stools are firm and he seems to experience a significant level of distress passing them. Needless to say, we've stocked up on prunes and prune juice. And I just might have to bind and gag my inner bargain shopper so she can't scream when I start paying extra for the "Earth's Best" baby food to avoid that rice flour from now on.

Am I 'Top 25' material?

2011-05-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

WOW - got an email to notify me that someone nominated THIS LITTLE OLE BLOG for the 'Top 25 Military Family Blogs' on Circle of Moms!

REALLY? I'm flattered - especially since this is not even my deployment blog! (If you've missed out on the deployment blog, you can catch up by clicking HERE)

Anyway, to actually make the cut and BECOME a Tope 25 blogger, I need your votes - you can vote for me by clicking Circle of Moms Top 25 Military Family Blogs or click the pink & blue circle button over in the sidebar ----->

THANKS!

Oh yeah, quick update, Bobblehead said his first word today: BOO. As in, "peek-a-boo". I LOVE IT! I have been secretly hoping that his "MMMMMMMmmmmmmm" babbling would make "MOM" or "MAMA" his first word, but BOO is good, too.

Goodnight Moon's MUSIC linkup, week 10

2011-04-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

OK, after ten weeks of this awesome dance party, I hope you've chosen to participate at least once. First time? That's cool, too - just post a song you're "feeling" right now, and then go linkup at GOODNIGHT MOON for some fun!

This song is from The Tigger Movie, which I absolutely LOVE. The song itself has more significance for me than I can even convey here, but I seriously hope you LOVE it. Just listen to the words! For some reason playlist.com is not being cooperative lately, so I am using YouTube again....and was thrilled to find this video, because it's set to pictures from Calvin & Hobbes, my favorite comic strip ever.

7 months old

2011-04-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

I know I keep saying this, but I honestly don't know WHERE the time goes!

Bobblehead is now 7 months old, and he cut his first tooth last week. He also celebrated his first Easter, and tried his first 'real' table food this week.

I've been giving him some store-bought baby food and making what I can at home (peas, carrots, green beans, and apples are all SUPER easy to steam, then throw in the blender). I freeze the homemade babyfood in an ice cube tray, then throw the cubes into ziplock baggies in the freezer, so I can always just thaw out a little at a time as needed. Last night we had chicken, pasta, & green beans for dinner, so I just threw some of each of those into a separate pan to cook a little longer, then dumped the mushy mixture into my blender, and VOILA! Pasta puree for baby. Yum. Actually it was pretty gross, since his didn't get any seasonings, but he liked it! Pretty soon he will literally be eating off my plate.

Speaking of which, I may start losing weight FAST if he keeps being so 'grabby'. I am on the curious baby diet for now....which means I can only eat whatever I can safely keep away from baby, or can safely SHARE with baby. That means no more ho-ho's, for one thing; and no more going back for seconds - baby won't let me!

Here are some recent photos of Bobblehead:

HA HA HA Pruneface!

Thankfully he cleans up pretty well. :)

Chilling with Daddy (usually he holds his own remote just like Daddy - but Bobblehead's remote is from our old t.v. box, and doesn't actually work)

Wearling his new sunglasses - COOL, man!

song linkup (week 9)

2011-04-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

OK you all know the drill by now, right?

Post a song that you're feeling right now, and then

go linkup with Amber over at Goonight Moon!

I posted a musical theater song over on my deployment blog this week, so I figured I would stick with that theme and post a song here from my favorite musical of ALL TIME: "Wicked". The book was pretty awesome, though raunchy/bawdy. Same with its sequels, "A Lion Among Men" and then "Son of a Witch".

But the play....

the play was freaking AMAZING!

I laughed and cried the whole time, and I could

NOT believe the set....the props.....the costumes.....

The whole time we were there,

I could have sworn we were in OZ.

If you are not familiar with the story, it is a twist on "The Wizard of Oz", but it's about an unlikely friendship, and how we perceive good and evil....and this song is about choosing to triumph over true evil. Makes me want to defy a little gravity in my own life! Maybe I can, with the help of my blog FRIENDS.

COOTIES

2011-04-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

Our household is under attack - by a pretty nasty cold virus. The teenager came home sick after school last Tuesday, with fever, aches & chills, and a slight cough. By Wednesday he was severely congested and his fever hung around all day, but he seemed to be coming through it around dinner time. Thursday I let him try to go back to school, but he was simply miserable - the health office at school said he didn't HAVE to be picked up, but I did anyway.

Throughout this time I was using Lysol on everything, and doing my best to keep Baby Bobblehead away from his big brother, but it was not enough. Friday evening around dinner time, Bobblehead came down with a high fever (initially 103, but we got it down around 101 for the rest of the night). His fever just wouldn't break, even when we switched from tylenol to motrin. Finally, Saturday afternoon after a good sponge-down (which made Bobblehead SCREAM like you would not believe) his fever broke, and has not come back. But that night his congestion began, and it is just getting worse every day. This morning it turned to that glue-like mucous that is so hard to clean. Poor baby.

Of course, it was not long before Mommy got the bug, too. Now I am trying to care for a sick baby, clean my house for company coming this weekend for Easter, and fight this awful virus - all on NO SLEEP.

I want to call for reinforcements, but there's no one I can call! Normally my sister would come to my rescue, since she lives only 15 minutes away, but there's no way I would ask her to expose her three little ones to this horrible cold. And my mom lives about 20 minutes away; she normally could at least come hold the baby for awhile so I could clean/cook/rest/etc but she just had an angiogram 2 days ago and found out that she needs a double bypass, which the doctors are rushing to schedule ASAP - and in the meantime she's not allowed to do much of anything, because her heart attack risk is SO HIGH.

So, yeah, add the emotional roller coaster of facing my mom's mortality to my already overly long list of CACA right now.

UGH.

And hubby can't help right now, since he is out of town for work. Not like he really helped that much when he was home on the weekend, but if he was here right now, I would MAKE him shoulder some of this burden.

I hate writing blog posts that are just complaining, but dang I am just so sick and tired of being SICK & TIRED! YUCK.

Let this be a reminder to everyone, even though Spring is here and we are not all shut-in indoors sharing our germs as much as we did in the Winter, you still need to be extra vigilant with handwashing!

In fact, now that I have just spread all these cooties all over my keyboard, I'm gonna go disinfect my laptop and wash my hands AGAIN. Then maybe I can squeeze in a short nap before baby wakes up coughing again.

where did you come from?

2011-04-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

I am laughing SO hard right now, after checking my blog traffic stats. It's always interesting to me to see how people find my blog. Did you link here from another milspouse blog? Or did you do a keyword search for 'baby fat', or 'pregnancy' etc.?

The funniest stat I came across just now is that my highest viewed post of all time over on my deployment blog was 'haircut before and after'......which featured pictures of me and my boys on haircut day. I wondered what was SOOOOO fascinating about this particular post, and then found that people are reaching that page by doing a google or yahoo search for "Marine High & Tight Haircut". HA HA HA HA!

So, where did YOU come from? Post a comment below to tell me how you found me....or the funniest search phrase that others have used to find YOUR blog!

video linkup (funny)

2011-04-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

OK everyone knows babies have different temperaments - a fact that I can personally attest to, since Bobblehead is my fourth baby. I'm thankful that only ONE of my babies had THIS temperament:

If you enjoyed that, or know of a BETTER video that you'd like to share, head on over to Deployment(again) and link up! Hurry while the linky is still open. :)

I miss preschool!

2011-04-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've worked with young children in some capacity or another for 20 years. (since I was a teenager, for anyone who is now counting and trying to figure out just how OLD I am! HA HA HA)

My favorite job EVER is teaching three-year-olds. They just say the funniest things, and when they have a 'lightbulb' moment, you can actually SEE it happening. Amazing. Three is also the last year before they begin to get all self-conscious. They express themselves freely through art, music, whatever, without worrying about being JUDGED.

This song is always fun, but in my case it is also a little sad/nostalgic because it reminds me of a special little boy with Down's Syndrome who was in my preschool class for three straight years. The first year I had him was rough, as he didn't yet know or trust me, had very few communication skills, and he thought it was HILARIOUS to either throw his glasses over the fence or to run away from me. He was also still in diapers, which none of my other students were, and he was uncooperative with toileting/diaper changing. Have you ever had to wrestle with a 50 lb kid covered in poop? **ahhh, the memories! j/k**

The one thing that always got through to him was MUSIC, especially Greg & Steve songs. By his second year in my class, he would run over to LEAD 'circle time' if I started with this song. Of course our third year together was the best, because he really bonded with me - AND he was beginning to get the hang of the whole toilet thing, which made my job a little more pleasant. :) His last year in my class was also my last year at that school, as we moved away - to our current home. I miss that school more than I can say! I've kept in touch with this sweet boy's family a little over the years, even bought our Puggle from their pet store. At 12 years old, he STILL loves music - I wonder if he still loves this song?

Have you joined the dance party over at GOODNIGHT MOON? Go check it out!

Viral Video Linkup, WEEK 2

2011-04-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am participating in my OWN video linkup again this week! I'm shameless like that.

Wanna join the fun? Just head over to my other blog, Deployment (again) to link up and post YOUR favorite viral video.

This particular video is another 'oldie but goodie'. This baby is throwing a massive tantrum, but only when mom/dad is in sight. Seriously WATCH this:

I have told parents in a preschool setting SO MANY TIMES over the years, "he/she is only crying for your benefit, and will stop as soon as you are out of sight." They never believe me, though. Of course, their kids are excellent little actors. The most obvious are the kids we call 'peel-and-stick' kids. You know, peel him off of mommy (screaming and crying) and stick him on his teacher. If done compassionately, this routine lasts maybe 5 minutes every day for 2 or 3 weeks, and then is over. The child grows attached to the teacher, and as trust develops, he needs less and less reassurance that Mommy is, in fact, coming back. Mommy, on the other hand, will hang around, drag this routine out, feeling guilty/anxious/etc, often not realizing she is simply prolonging this whole agonizing process. Ask any preschool teacher how she/he feels about parents that 'hang around' and you're bound to hear some crazy and sometimes funny stories, much like what you see in this video!

Bottom line, moms and dads, SEE, I told you, the crying stops as soon as you are out of sight!

HA HA HA HA HA!

Music Linkup, week 7

2011-04-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

Once again, I could not just choose ONE song for this week's music linkup, so I am adding a second entry here on my second blog! :) Have you linked up yet? If not, go see Amber at Goodnight Moon and join the party! Lots of great songs this week.

My second song choice for this week is by the same artist as the one I posted on my deployment blog - Pink. I really heart her, but even if you are not a fan of her work, you HAVE to listen to this song! My favorite part is the line where she says, "Oh I've felt that fire and I have been burned, but I wouldn't trade the pain for what I've learned"

Viral Video linkup!

2011-04-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

If you want to participate in this linkup, go over to Deployment (again) to join in!

This video went viral awhile back, and still cracks me up:

Now go check out the other entries, and link up your own :)

Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with!

MUSIC LINKUP!

2011-03-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

I've been participating in this linkup for several weeks now over at my deployment blog, but this week I could not just choose one song - so I had to start using the baby blog, too! Ha ha is that cheating? I mean, sometimes I just HAVE to post two songs, and I do have two blogs. Some of you follow both blogs, and some of you just follow this one; if you are in the second category, maybe you haven't heard of this weekly song linkup? Well now that you have, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Head over to Amber's blog at Goodnight Moon and link up! Even if you don't want to share a song this week, you can check out the other awesome bloggers who posted. Maybe you will even find a new favorite song.

My song this week used to be on Playlist.com - in fact it was the first song that came up when visitors arrived at my deployment blog, thanks to a playlist.com tool that I had on there. Somehow it has been removed from playlist, so I went to youtube and found this AMAZING slideshow video for the song. TISSUE ALERT, especially if you are a milspouse.

The song is "Wait For Me" by Theory of a Deadman, and I listened to it so much during this last deployment, that I think it is Baby Bobblehead's favorite song. We seriously played it during the delivery.

What song are YOU feeling this week?

PEEK A BOO

2011-03-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

This baby LOVES peek-a-boo!

he also loves peas & carrots. together.

but not sweet potatoes!

baby blues, PPD, and all that jazz

2011-03-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know what the current statistics are regarding mood disorders like Postpartum Depression and the 'Baby Blues' but I know that these problems are largely under-reported and untreated. The saddest part about that fact is that treatment is pretty much ALWAYS successful!

I'm being treated for PPD right now, six months after giving birth to baby #4. It was hard for me to recognize that I needed help (or that help was out there!) because this time around it is completely different from the PPD that I had after baby #3, eleven years ago.

I'm happy to report that my treatment is going well, and my little baby Bobblehead probably won't even remember the days of 'psycho mom' that I feared would scar him for life. :)

I'm also getting more involved in advocacy, hoping to give other women the courage and voice to stand up and ASK for help with mental issues - whether hormonally induced or otherwise.

I found an awesome group called the The Inland Empire Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative, which is putting together a STROLL-A-THON to raise money and raise awareness. Funds raised will help provide services to women who are at-risk or are struggling with perinatal mood disorders.

I'm TOTALLY going to this! If you are in the Southern CA area and can come, PLEASE join us! It only costs $25 to enter, or $35 per couple. The event will take place in Riverside, CA on May 14. More information is available by clicking here. The slogan on the flyer I received says, "Speak Up When You Are Down"! what an awesome way to remind us NOT to hide our feelings (especially TEARS) as we usually would with something like this.

If you will NOT be in the so-cal area on May 14, you can also donate money to the cause (also by clicking the link above)

Also, if you want more info about my own PPD, I did write about it over on my deployment blog ....finally.

SIX MONTHS OLD!?!

2011-03-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

I am once again flabbergasted at the passage of time. Seriously, where does it all GO?

Baby Bobblehead is now six months old. YIKES.

He sits up for longer periods of time on his own, though I am always nearby to catch him if he dives sideways. He's not crawling yet, but does a pretty impressive push-up, and when he lunges forward from a sitting position, sometimes he manages to get one leg behind him like he will need to for crawling.

He still does not have teeth yet, but we started him on rice cereal a couple days ago. He loves it if I mix it with breastmilk, but the faces he makes if I mix it with water - OH MY. You'd think I just fed him live worms!

He still loves playing with his baby cousin - yesterday they spent more than ten minutes trying to figure out how to un-tie my sister's shoelace. TOOOO CUTE!

In addition to Bobblehead turning 6 months old, this blog turned ONE YEAR old yesterday! Happy Blogiversary to me! :)

And the winners are....

2011-03-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

Last week I started a giveaway for Milspouses that did not get NEARLY the number of entries I anticipated, and I am still not sure why (?) My stats show a whopping 78 pageviews for the contest post, though only 5 total entries were logged. Again, not sure why?

I toyed with the idea of extending the deadline to give more milspouses a chance to enter, but I don't feel that would be fair to the girls who DID take time to comment and enter.

I think instead I will hold a separate giveaway using my twitter, to give out the remaining prizes.

The ARMY bumper magnet only had one entry, so BIRDIE, you win by default! Email me with your mailing address so I can send you your cool new Army bumper magnet.

The MARINE bumper magnet had a total of four entries, so I used a cute way to choose a winner. I wrote the names of the entrants on post-it notes, which I placed on the floor just out of reach of my adorable little Bobblehead. He is not officially mobile, but he rolls and scoots around. It took a few minutes, but he finally reached one of the post-its...and the winner is ALLIE! Send me your mailing address ASAP.

Now, I still have the Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force bumper magnets to give away - that will be happening SOON via Twitter, so if you are interested, make sure you follow me @deploymentagain

GIVEAWAY!

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Since this is my baby blog, I don't have as many MILSPOUSE followers here as my Deployment Blog - but I still want to show a little Milspouse LOVE, so I am hosting a fabulous giveaway! Don't worry, mil-girlfriends and mil-fiancees are also welcome. Heck, even if you just KNOW a milspouse who would love this prize, you can enter and win it for her!

You probably already know that Build A Sign gives free custom homecoming banners to families of returning servicemembers. If you are currently going through deployment, check that option out HERE (we loved our banner when my hubby came home a couple months ago).

But did you know they also make tons of other cool custom stuff? I got to design some fun BUMPER MAGNETS specifically for this giveaway, and I decided to do one for each branch:

You may notice that the Coast Guard and Army ones look similar - that's because I used one of Build-A-Sign's many templates of ready-made designs, and simply customized the text.

It's pretty easy, even for someone like me (cool ideas in my head, but no way to really express them because I seem to be design-challenged). If you happen to be great at designing stuff like this, you can always start from scratch on the site, too. I could not believe how much fun I had designing these!

If you would like to win one of these AWESOME bumper magnets, here are the rules for this giveaway:

Before you enter, you MUST be a follower on this blog. If you are not already following me, click the link over on the right! You are more than welcome to grab my cute button for your own blog too, but that's not required.

One entry for commenting on this blog - tell me which bumper magnet you'd like to win!

Additional entries if you BLOG about the giveaway (come back here and comment again after you do, and link to your blog post in your comment) and if you TWEET about the giveaway - make sure your tweet links your twitter followers back to this post, and make sure you come back and comment AGAIN to let me know you tweeted. If you include your twitter handle, I will follow you on twitter.

So that's three possible entries per person - and I will draw a random winner from each branch next WEDNESDAY, March 16th. Comments posted after 12:01 AM Pacific Time on March 16 will not be eligible.

(don't forget to specify which branch you are with/supporting in EACH comment post, to make sure your entries all go toward the right prize)

What are you waiting for? Get commenting!

CUTEST BABY PICTURES EVER

2011-03-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

My good friend Regina is helping me coach Knucklehead's basketball team this season. She is also an amazing photographer, so the other day she brought her camera to our 'Coach's Meeting' (which I just so happened to schedule at my HAPPY PLACE, aka Wilson Creek Winery.)

These gorgeous pictures of my little Bobblehead are the result:

MILSPOUSES: Giveaway coming SOON!

2011-03-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

I want to start this giveaway TODAY, but I don't have pictures of all the awesome bumper magnets I made - so I am waiting until I receive them, in about a week.

But I wanted to give you all a heads-up so you don't miss this one!

I made five custom bumper magnets at the build-a-sign website, one each for Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and of course Marine Corps. The USMC one is pictured on the right, and it's actually a button you can click to go design your own bumper magnet.

When you enter the giveaway, you will be asked to specify which branch you are affiliated with or supporting, so you have a chance to win the magnet of your choice.

Be sure to tell your friends, follow me, and check back next week for the actual giveaway!

5 months (+)

2011-03-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've been a bad blogger again, and actually missed posting a 5 month update!

Bobblehead is now 5 1/2 months old, and still happy and healthy as ever.

The process of moving him into his own room has not been as smooth as I would have hoped, but we're having more good nights than bad ones. I need to teach myself to leave him alone if he wakes up talking/fussing, and only go in there if he is actually CRYING. This is hard for me, but I will get there. Last night I listened to him 'talk' via the monitor for more than half an hour....I kept waiting for him to actually cry, but he never did. He just fell asleep, and stayed asleep for almost 5 hours at that point. YAY! Progress.

This is what I woke up to this morning:

And as soon as he heard the camera, he woke up SUPER happy!

Bathtime has been fun for awhile, and we use it as part of our bedtime routine. He found his little firehose last week, and now grabs for it every time I take off his diaper - so moments like this one are rare now:

After bath, we dress for bed - but not before Daddy rubs him down with lotion! They both love the 'baby massage' part of the bedtime routine. It may be hard to keep our routine going when Daddy goes back to work, but we'll see. For now, it is just so amazing to see them bond and grow and play together.

Knucklehead is proving to be an AWESOME big brother - I snapped this picture of them playing/reading at a restaurant last week:

We're not quite ready to start solid foods, but Bobblehead is EXTREMELY interested in food. He watches us eat, grabs for food, and mimics us. Most nights he sits in his highchair with a couple of favorite toys while we eat dinner, and he LOVES the show! I don't follow the belief that all babies are ready for solids at a set age - just like not all babies crawl at the same time, or walk, or talk, etc. Our pediatrician said we could start solids at 5 months old, but I prefer to individualize it. There are actually FOUR signs that a baby is ready for solids: 1) Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex; 2) interest in solid food; 3) appearance of baby's first teeth; and 4) ability to sit up unassisted. Now, with his over-the-top interest in food, I am willing to ignore #3. And obviously he has already passed 1 & 2. But #4 is important, especially because the ability to sit up while eating leads to healthier (and safer) eating throughout life.

Bobblehead currently sits up for about 15-20 seconds at a time before diving/falling to one side or the other. If he happens to dive FORWARD, he catches himself with his hands (pre-crawling) so I am pretty sure the sitting-up thing will be a done deal within the next week or so. Baby food, here we come!

He absolutely LOVES watching his big brother play basketball! I haven't gotten any pictures of him watching practice/games yet, because I am COACHING the team this season (YIKES!) but the other night I got to take this picture of him all dressed for practice:

Last month we got to visit with Melissa, the incredible Doula who helped me so much with Bobblehead's birth:

She bought him a really cute stuffed bear, its like a sock monkey (kind of) and Bobblehead LOVES it. Hoping I can get video of him laughing at it to post here, it's so cute!

I'm working on being a better blogger here, and to that end I am hosting a GIVEAWAY here next week! It's specifically for milspouses, but if you see the items and are not a milspouse, but would like to win one as a gift for a milspouse you know, you can still enter. Can't wait to show you all what I am giving away!

STAY TUNED.....

a GOOD night

2011-02-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

Do you remember this post with pictures of the cool new nursery? Well, in the 4 1/2 months since the birth, the nursery has primarily been used as a diaper changing room, and sometimes laundry folding room (AKA piling clean laundry in there until we all run out of stuff to wear, which finally forces me to sort/fold/put away the piles that bury the baby's room).

Not exactly how I planned to use the nursery.

Bobblehead has been sleeping in a pack-n-play next to my bed - or some nights IN my bed, if I fell asleep nursing him. A couple weeks ago I decided to try having him sleep IN HIS CRIB, in his own room. What a concept, right? Well that lasted all of about an hour, as he woke up too cold. Turns out I had forgotten to open the heating vent in that room, and while we don't have any of the crazy snow/ice that much of the nation is frozen under these days, temps have been as low as 30 degrees at night here. Which means his room was as cold as, maybe 55 or 60 degrees - instead of the 68 to 70 degrees my own room stays at all night.

(OOPS!)

I decided to wait for warmer weather - and opened that heating vent in the nursery, just in case.

So, it's warmer now, and here I am, 2 weeks later, enjoying some SERIOUS peace and quiet while Bobblehead snores away in his (warm) crib. It's only one night so far, but it's going so well that I am really optimistic about this.

Finally get to use the baby's room the way it was intended!

FOUR MONTHS????

2011-02-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

WOW. I can't believe my sweet little Bobblehead is already four months old.

At his four month checkup, he weighed 14 lbs, 2 oz and was 25 inches tall. His head still measures bigger than average (but within acceptable range) but his height and weight put him at EXACTLY the 50th percentile. That's right, he's PERFECT.

But I already knew that!

I feel really bad that I have not blogged here in so long - and wish I could write a LOOOOOONG post about how amazing this sweet baby is. Instead, I will have to settle for some recent pictures, and these highlights of his development:

He finally likes tummy time, and rolls easily from tummy-to-back. Rolling from back-to-tummy proves more difficult, but he's done it a few times.

He loves to sit on Daddy's lap and watch TV - especially The Simpsons. (great. just what every baby needs, right?)

He somehow holds his poop in for a couple days at a time, so he only poops once every 2 or 3 days. While the break in between poopy diapers is nice, this method simply guarantees diaper explosions - poop up the back almost every time, even in our favorite Huggies Little Snugglers diapers (they have a poop pocket in the back waistband that catches NORMAL amounts of poop before it can travel up the back)

He is VERY interested in solid foods, watches us eat with interest and tries to grab my food if I am eating while holding him - which I almost always have to do these days. But we won't be starting him on solids until he can sit up by himself, probably still a few weeks away at best.

He is getting VERY 'grabby'. He can finally coordinate a little bit between his hands and his eyes, so he is successful more than 50% of the time at grabbing what he is going for. The rest of the time he grabs whatever random thing is closest - like a handful of Mommy's hair.

He sleeps through the night pretty consistently now - 7 or 8 hours every night, and usually sleeps 2 to 4 more hours after his early AM feeding.

He's incredibly social, preferring face time with real people over any toy or gadget (though Mommy's iPad is his second favorite form of entertainment!) He laughs all the time, and his laugh is infectious.

He is an all-around AWESOME baby, joyful and loving and snuggly - I just wish he could stay this way FOREVER. :)

Hanging with his favorite cousin

watching Baby Einstein clips on YouTube

so Mommy can cook

fav. cousin again

(my sister and I can only HOPE that they

really will grow up to be BEST FRIENDS!)

Trying desperately to get Curious George's hand

into his mouth, but only succeeding in

tasting his OWN hand repeatedly.

The 'Daddy nap'.....personal favorite for all of us.

Note the dropcloth/blanket in between

Bobblehead and Daddy

HA HA HA!

Santa Baby

2010-12-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

Bobblehead is now 12 weeks old, and looks A-DOR-ABLE wearing absolutley nothing (or a cute Santa hat!) He has also officially outgrown his "MY FIRST CHRISTMAS" outfit - but luckily my friend Regina came over and shot these AMAZING photos of him last week, while we could still snap it all up.

The first one is my favorite, and the rest are in no particular order:

Merry Christmas!

Dear Santa....

2010-11-19T16:17:00.000-08:00

Today my little Bobblehead met Santa Clause.....

He only asked for ONE present: DADDY home from Afghanistan!

He shouldn't have wasted a wish though.....Daddy is definitely scheduled to be home before Christmas, and can't WAIT to meet this precious little gift.

the wings on the clock

2010-11-08T21:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how TIME FLIES!

My sweet baby Bobblehead is now 7.5 weeks old. Next week is his 2 month checkup, with shots and everything!

Last week I weighed myself holding him, and then weighed myself again without him; the difference was 12.5 lbs!!! I know this is not an accurate way to weigh a baby, but it has to be close...which means he is officially HUGE.

He has outgrown all of his newborn clothes, and a couple of sleepers that say they are size "0-3 months". He's in size 2 Huggies diapers already, too! We were using the Kirkland (I looooooove Costco!) brand size 1-2 but they are too small for him now - I actually gave away the last dozen or so from that case after he leaked through 3 of them in one day. The leaking was purely because they didn't FIT him, not because the diapers are poor quality. They are actually just the same as the Huggies we love, but with a better price.

We did portraits 2 weeks ago, and I can't wait to go AGAIN, since Bobblehead is all smiley now.

In the meantime, here are some of the results from that shoot:

PICTURES!

2010-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Baby Bobblehead is six weeks old - and he finally gave me a REAL smile! Unfortunately the only camera I had handy was my cell phone camera, but this is what I got:

More product "reviews"

2010-10-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

My future postings on product reviews may be SHORT because, well, holding my sweet baby is a lot more fun (and more important) than blogging. Sorry, just being honest :)

So, here are the slightly abbreviated reviews for today:

Sony Babycall Monitor

This monitor is AWESOME, especially for the price - $45.00! I got the model that only has one receiver, because I am used to carrying gadgets around with me from room to room anyway (cell phone, iPad, kindle, etc) so it's not like I needed a second receiver. In fact, if I don't want to actually carry it around the house with me, there is a belt clip that allows me to WEAR the monitor with me.

The 900 MHz transmitter is more than adequate in our 2200 sf house. There are 27 possible channels to transmit/receive on, so I don't have to worry about interference from neighbors' baby monitors. The sound coming through the receiver is so clear, I can literally hear the nursery clock TICKING when I have the monitor on. If I don't want to hear noises loike that, I can switch to the 'voice activation' mode, which saves the battery on the receiver - but I am comforted by the ambient nursery noises, because that little 'tick tock' of the clock tells me that the monitor is still working. If I am doing something loud, like vacuuming, I can watch the light display for any change in the noise level in the nursery.

I love the fact that the receiver is rechargable, and so far it seems to last me a couple weeks without needing to re-charge (though I will confess, I don't use it as much as I thought I would, as it is really REALLY hard to tear myself away from this baby....I spend a lot of time just holding him)

Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail

I have to say, I LOVE THIS DIAPER PAIL!

And that statement carries a lot of weight, considering the number of diaper pails I have used over my two decades of mothering, and two decades as an early childhood professional.....

I think I have literally changed more than 50,000 diapers. Seriously - I just did the math, and just my own children so far are responsible for at least 22,000 diaper changes - but an hour working in a toddler room at a preschool can easily include 10 more diapers - so, yeah, 50,000 might be a low-end estimate.

This diaper pail is not like the diaper genie (which was revolutionary when I first got one, years ago, but turned out to be a bit of a pain, and not necessarily all that effective in the end). This one uses a single bag, which so far holds about a week's worth of our 'upstairs' diapers.....if I change a diaper downstairs, I tend to just throw it away in the kitchen trash, and when his diapers start to stink more, then the downstairs changes can just go directly out to our outside trash bins. If I threw away every dirty diaper in this diaper pail, I would probably go through two or three liners a week - so factor that price in if you are considering buying this diaper pail.

The bag/liner is part of what makes this pail so great: it clips into place at the top of the pail, and has a gathered design that lets the pail's teeth-like flaps close it for an airtight seal in between changes. When the bag is full, the plastic ring that holds the bag in place also folds in half to seal the bag shut - so you don't have to smell the contents of the bag while carrying it out to the garbage bin. Closing the lid also sprinkles a little odor-killing dose of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda at the opening from the little dispenser built into the lid. This dispenser is refillable, so you don't ever have to go buy a new cartridge or anything - just open it like a jar, pour in some baking soda, and twist the cap back into place inside the lid of the diaper pail. Simple and CHEAP.

I also love that there is no 'perfume' smell to this. I have a pretty sensitive sniffer, and have always hated the heavily perfumed room deodorizers. I can tolerate the fruity scented ones, but prefer a clean and natural smell overall.

The diaper pail sells for around $35, and the liners are $5 to $6 for a box of ten. Look for coupons and stock up when you can, and if you have a multi-level home, you might consider having one pail for each floor.

four weeks already...WOW!

2010-10-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

Can you believe Baby Bobblehead is already almost four weeks old?! Time really does fly.

He already rolls from his back to his tummy (not often, and it takes him awhile to do it, but he is NOT supposed to be able to do this yet!)

His smile is still fleeting, so I have video of it but not many still photos....which is sad because he has some seriously CUTE dimples now that he is filling out so much. Of course as SOON as I get photos of the dimples, I will post them on here. :)

He has gained weight and grown out of most of his newborn sized stuff, which really doesn't surprise me that much, considering the fact that he eats CONSTANTLY.

Here are a few pictures from this week.....many MANY more of these to come, if you can stand my frequent bragging about how GORGEOUS this baby is! Can you tell I am in L-O-V-E with my little man? Oh, and Daddy is in love, too - he can't WAIT to get home in a couple months.

(the pooping face)

Big yawn!

Nursery pics!

2010-10-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

OK This is strictly a pictoral blog because I am just too tired/sleepy/lazy to really type anything - but I PROMISE I will be back soon with regular blog posts!

Here is the transformation (step-by-step) our former guest room went through to become Bobblehead's nursery:

It aint over til the fat lady SHRINKS

2010-09-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

Belly watch 2010 is NOT over just because the pregnancy is over! Now begins the long and difficult process of getting back in shape.

Because I started this pregnancy 100 lbs overweight, most of the weight I want to lose is NOT 'baby fat'. I did gain 20 lbs during pregnancy, most of it right at the very end.

Here's the breakdown:

height: 5' 6"
pre-pregnancy weight: 252 lbs
pre-pregnancy size: 22-24
end of pregnancy weight: 272.5 lbs

weight TODAY (one week after birth): 249.5 lbs!
size TODAY: 24

Short-term goal:
Size 18, 220 lbs or less, by the time hubby comes home in December

Long-term goal:
Size 12, 145 lbs or less, by the baby's first birthday (September 18, 2011)

My first step is to cut WAY down on my carbs, and any carbs I eat will come from fresh fruits and veggies. NO MORE PROCESSED SUGAR.

Second step (although this is really simultaneous) is to WALK, walk, walk! Starting out with my pre-pregnancy routine of 3 miles a day, and working up to 5.5 or 6 miles per day by the end of the first month.

Third step, light weight training at home (upper body and abs)

Fourth step, AFTER hubby gets home, will be adding the gym back into my routine, 3+ times per week. (hubby can stay home with bobblehead while I work out)

I will post updates as frequently as I can - hopefully weekly weight updates, at least.

Wish me luck!

Birth Story (Bobblehead)

2010-09-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

My OB scheduled me for induction late Thursday night (September 16). I was instructed to call the hospital one hour ahead to make sure they had a room ready for me, and when I did this I got the disappointing news that they were packed - they asked me to call back at 4 AM.

With hubby deployed, my sister in law was standing in as my coach, and had already driven almost 2 hours to get to my house, so she took me outside to walk for about an hour, hoping to get labor going on its own. My contractions did get stronger and closer together in that hour (2 to 3 minutes apart) but they spaced apart again as soon as I sat down and put my feet up. By 2 AM I was in bed, trying to get some sleep.

At 4 AM I called the hospital again, and was again told not to come in yet. This time they wanted me to call back at 8 AM. I was so disappointed because I had sincerely hoped and believed that I would be giving birth by 8 AM, but I called my Doula (who lives about half an hour away from the hospital) to let her know NOT to head over just yet, and I tried to get some more sleep. I said TRIED.

At 8 AM I was told to call back at noon, and I finally just lost it. Tears and everything. I couldn't even CALL the doula with this news, as I was so upset - so I sent her a text instead. I continued to monitor my sporadic contractions, and attempted a nap at 10 AM. When I got up a little before noon, I figured this would FOR SURE be it. I called the hospital again at noon, and....you guessed it, I was put off AGAIN.

This time they wanted me to call back at 3 PM, so my SIL & I decided to go have lunch and then walk a few laps around the mall. More great contractions, but not staying regular, of course. At 2:30 the hospital finally called ME and told me they had a room ready for me. By the time I actually got to the hospital and into my room, it was about 3:15 PM. The Doula arrived moments later, and I was READY. So so so READY! In my mind, at least.

SIL and me - still smiling, so this must have been

in the first 8 hours somewhere :)

After checking my cervix (which was very posterior so it was hard for the nurse to find) and determining that I was dilated to 2 cm, the cranky nurse who was first assigned to me got my i.v. started, and at 5:20 PM the pitocin was FINALLY started.

Sitting on the birth ball

My OB was supposed to come in and break my water, and while we waited I used several different methods to cope with the increasingly painful contractions. Breathing, counting, sitting on a birth ball, vocalizing/moaning, etc. My favorite position was actually standing so I could sway and rock my hips to get through the pain. The awesome Doula massaged my feet with scented lotion, rubbed my back, and used 'light touch massage' to help me focus on anything OTHER than the pain. To my frustration, the contractions STILL were not staying regular, even after the Pitocin dosage was increased twice.

Squatting beside te bed for comfort

in the middle of a contraction

Shift change at 7 PM brought me an even crankier nurse. I think that one may have had a problem with the fact that I had a Doula, a birth plan, etc. In other words, she doesn't like patients who have thoughts/feelings/ideas of their own.

Around 9:30 PM my OB finally showed up to check my progress. I was at 3 cm (after 4 hours on pitocin I was so disappointed, as my natural labors all progressed MUCH faster than this!) She broke my amniotic sac and instructed the nurses to call her back as soon as there was ANY change, because we all expected the next stage to go very fast - and the OB lives 15 minutes from the hospital.

multi-tasking...texting, timing contractions

on the iPad, OH AND BREATHING! :)

laughing when the stupid annoying

automated blood pressure cuff

overinflated itself and popped off - AGAIN.

At this point, I was losing patience with the cranky nurses and my own doctor's outright bitchiness when I told her I did not want an epidural (she likes the epidural thing because it is easier to control the final stage of labor that way - so she wouldn't have to rush to the hospital or possibly not make it in time). The thing that pissed me off about that was that I HAD told her in her office that I wanted an unmedicated delivery! Several times. Anyway, like I said, I started to get cranky by the time she left, and over the next hour my contractions felt a lot stronger and closer together, and I felt that tell-tale pressure in my low back (kind of an "I gotta poop" feeling).

I asked the nurse to come in and check me - which I dreaded because she had to practially "fist" me just to find my cervix - and she told me the pressure I was feeling was just "wishful thinking" as I was barely at 4 cm and baby's head was still at a -2 station (very high up). I suppressed the urge to smack the rude nurse for being so condescending, and instead I tried a few more positions to relieve some of the pain and pressure in my low back. The nurse really wanted me to lie flat on my back, but the pain was so intense that I simply couldn't.

My Doula was so awesome - she helped me find comfortable positions that would also encourage baby to descend into the birth canal. We had already figured out that he must be in the "sunny side up" position(posterior presentation, with baby's forehead and face emerging first, rather than the back of baby's head) so we focused on positions that would open my pelvis and give him room to hopefully rotate around to face in the anterior position.

talking to hubby through a contraction

I was still very much in control at this point, and we all laughed and made jokes, and had some of my favorite 80s music playing on my iPod. When the doctor informed the nurse that part of the difficulty in locating my cervix was due to my unusually long vaginal tract, I asked if that was the female equivalent of being 'well hung'....SIL laughed, and about 30 seconds later the Doula got my joke and laughed too.

sitting on birth ball, resting my head,

and getting a fantastic backrub from the Doula

Around 1 AM, and then again around 2 AM, I was checked for dilation and was found to be at 5cm - unbelievable to me, because previous experience had led me to expect less than an hour from 4 cm to 10 cm. At 3 AM the exhaustion, pain, and fear finally got to me, and I begged for an epidural. The nurse was bitchy about this, but brought me paperwork to sign consenting to the procedure. She then checked me for dilation again, to make sure it was not already 'too late' for the epidural. I panicked when a contraction hit WHILE her hand was inside me, because the pain & pressure had already been unbearable without that added discomfort.

This was where I snapped, literally wanted to give up - typically I do this when I hit the stage known as transition, which is a SHORT stage for me, moments before giving birth. But instead of being ready to push, I was told that I was at 8 cm. Still, 8 cm was better than being stuck at 5!

PROGRESS! Finally.

The nurse asked if I still wanted the epidural, and I wavered - I knew I couldn't take much more of this painful back labor, but at the same time....if I could go from 8cm to 10cm super fast, maybe I could do it without the pain killer.....MAYBE.

I asked instead to try something intravenously that would take the edge off the contractions. They gave me a half dose of nubain, which took the edge off the next three contractions. Every contraction after that brought more panic, and I found myself fighting against the contractions. Straight-up FEAR. Thank God my Doula was there to calm me down, help me re-focus, and remind me to breathe! Part of a song ran through my head, "this joke isn't funny anymore" (The Smiths) and I actually LAUGHED, mid-contraction. It was a weak laugh, but for a moment I felt human again.

My OB came in and checked me again. I was so relieved to see her there, knowing her presence must mean it was really almost OVER, but then she told the nurse that her estimate of 8 cm had been a little hasty - Dr. instead called it at "6 or 7 cm" but noted that there was a 'lip' of cervix that just was not going to retract because of the posterior position of baby's head. She had me lie on my left side with my right leg elevated, and after a few seriously painful contractions, had me turn to my right side for more of the same. This position was incredibly painful, to the extent that I literally thrashed my head around in pain with each contraction, but at the same time I could FEEL baby's head finally slipping under my flat pelvic bone. My Doula had given me a little foam stress-bal to squeeze, but it was shaped like a pig.....I squeezed that thing so hard with each contraction, I thought it was going to turn into sausage. :)

Adding to the immense pressure in my low back, and that constant "I gotta poop" feeling, I had the sudden urge to urinate. The doctor informed me that I would have to use a bedpan (which pissed me off, if you'll pardon the pun) but I was resigned to being forced to stay in the bed. I tried to pee in the bedpan, found I couldn't, and then almost as soon as the bedpan was taken away, I suddenly peed all over myself. Well, all over the chucks pad that was already soaked with amniotic fluid, of course.

Apparently my full bladder was the last thing keeping baby's head from descending, because as soon as I emptied it, the persistent pressure was replaced with an overwhelming need to push. I told the nurse this, (probably screamed it) and my doctor magically appeared to check me again. She told me NOT to push and I yelled that I HAD to push - like NOW.

I tried to focus on the Doula who was modeling a quick breathing technique designed to help me hold back (little huffs of air like blowing out a birthday candle). I was vaguely aware of the staff rushing around to prepare for the delivery - my bed was taken apart to convert to a delivery table, a tech wheeled in a cart with instruments on it, and another contraction gripped me - I had to PUSH. Needed to pee, to poop, but mostly needed to just push the baby out.

And suddenly it was over.

I had pushed once, baby's head popped out, and before I knew it he was in my arms. Hubby was on the phone with his sister, who stood next to me, and he got to hear little Bobblehead's first cries. It was 5:50 AM my time, exactly 12 1/2 hours after the pitocin was first started through my i.v.....and where hubby is, it was 5:20 PM.

Daddy saying hello to Bobblehead

from the other side of the world

Baby's apgar scores were 9 and 10 (and the tech said she NEVER gives tens!). He was literally absolutely PERFECT. The back of his head - the part that would have presented first if he had been in a traditional position - was red and looked kind of scraped where it was forced under my pelvic bone, but he was 100% healthy (and still is, five days later)

SIL, Doula, me, and Baby Bobblehead,

about 15 min. after the birth

(Look how tired we all were!)

Always grinning in his sleep

I wonder what he dreams about?

HE'S HERE!

2010-09-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This post is being written roughly 38 hours after giving birth, so my exhaustion trumps my overwhelming desire to share this amazing story with you all. The full birth story WITH PICTURES is coming soon, I promise! But for now, here's the short version:

Baby Bobblehead was born on Saturday, September 18, 2010 at 5:50 AM. He weighed 7 lbs, 7oz, and was 19 inches long at birth.

Baby is in excellent health (as am I) and we are enjoying getting to know one another.

no news is NOT good news.

2010-09-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

Whoever coined the phrase, "No news is good news" was a complete IDIOT.

I am going stark raving MAD here - just waiting. Not my strong suit on a good day, but with all these contractions, and virtually no sleep, I am about as patient as a hungry baby right now.

I was supposed to go to the hospital last night at midnight for a scheduled induction. I had been instructed to call the hospital an hour ahead to confirm that they had room for me. I called, and they told me they were SWAMPED and I needed to wait and call back at 4 AM.

When I called back at 4, the Charge Nurse could not even come to the phone, so I was told to wait (again) and I would get a call back in a few minutes. Nearly half an hour later, that call came in with instructions to wait some more, and call back at 8 AM. (have I mentioned before how bad I am at the whole 'waiting' thing?)

I called back at 8 AM, and was again told that the Charge Nurse was busy and would call me back. By this time there had been a shift change, so it was a new charge nurse - and she didn't call me back. I waited an hour, then called again, and this time got the new Charge Nurse, who told me to wait some more, and call back at noon. She wanted me to just "go about my day, have lunch, whatever". Seriously?

I know the hospital is busy, and that can't be helped, but this is driving me CRAZY! If I had any idea that this kind of delay was even possible with a "scheduled induction" I might have done a few things differently - like maybe I would not have even told my mother-in-law that I was scheduled for induction.....then she would not be here messing with my kitchen, smoking like a freaking chimney, and snoring so loud the damn house shakes. (And maybe, if she was not already here, I would not have this incredibly strong urge to hold a pillow over her face to stop said snoring?)

If I had known this delay was possible, my sister-in-law would not be missing work today FOR NO REASON....she drove out here last night from 2 hours away to be my labor coach/chauffer, and all just to sleep on the couch in the playroom. And to wait.

My father-in-law changed his travel plans based on my 'scheduled induction' and is currently on a plane somewhere over CA, trying to get here to meet his new grandson...he doesn't even know that I am not even AT the hospital yet. So, what is he supposed to do when he gets here? Cool his heels with his ex-wife (my MIL) at my house? YIKES.

This was supposed to be an exciting day - I thought I would be HOLDING Baby Bobblehead by now! Instead today seriously SUCKS. Makes the whole false labor thing feel like a walk in the park.

The final countdown....

2010-09-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

In about 14 hours I will be at the hospital, being hooked up to an i.v. (which is the worst part of childbirth as far as I am concerned) and getting ready for INDUCTION!

If all goes well, then in LESS THAN 24 HOURS I will finally get to hold my little Baby Bobblehead! Bonehead and Knucklehead are excited, though they are both dealing with it differently.

Hubby is excited too, and I can tell he is worried, even though he won't tell me that. It's so hard for him to get to a phone and call me, but he has called 3 times in the last 24 hours! I really hope he will be able to call at the end of labor, and hear Bobblehead's first cries.

I'm nesting BIG TIME here. Not just cleaning, but cooking up a storm, too. In the last two days I made chili, enchilada bake, 'glop' (pasta dish kind of like a hamburger helper but better) and Baked Potato Casserole. My mother-in-law won't have to cook ANYTHING for the boys while I am in the hospital! I even had so much food that I couldn't fit it all in my fridge, so I took a baked potato casserole and an enchilada bake across the street to my neighbors, who just brought their baby home from the hospital a few days ago. Tonight for my 'last meal' I am making tacos - Knucklehead's request.

I keep looking around the house to figure out what is missing - what DIDN'T I do to prepare? What did I forget?

hmmmmm....

NOTHING.

I am so READY to have this baby!

DOULA? yes please!

2010-09-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Months ago I gave up on my hopes of having a doula for this birth, because the only 'affordable' doula I could find was just not really a 'match' for me.

Through a series of funny 'coincidences' I found a doula the other day who is PERFECT for me - and is available on very short notice, since the only mommy/client that she had due this week already had her baby last week. Her next birth isn't due for a few weeks, so I just got very lucky here.

Even better, she is offering me a SIGNIFICANT discount in light of hubby's current deployment, so that I can actually afford to hire her.

I am so RELIEVED to have her coming with me to the hospital, I can't even express it.

I had no idea just how SCARED I was to go into this birth alone, until I suddenly didn't HAVE to do it alone. And now I'm just not scared.

Anxious, yes. Nervous, sure! But scared? HECK NO!

My biggest fear is c-section, mostly because the long recovery would really effect me. I don't do 'holding still' very well, so any amount of confinement to a bed really bothers me. Of course, c-section is highly unlikely in my case, with three healthy and uncomplicated vaginal births already behind me. BUT....I am having labor induced, and I already know from experience that Pitocin contractions hurt WAY more than my natural labor contractions do. What if I can't manage that pain? If I give up and beg for an epidural (which I've never had before) I know that my risk of prolonged labor goes WAY UP at that point. Prolonged labor, of course, is the main thing that could lead to a c-section for me.

Oh, and did I mention that my labor coach can't come with me the night I am being induced? She was my 2nd choice for labor coach, my close friend and neighbor, and I am SO SAD that she can't come. Of course my first choice, my sister, had her baby a week and a half ago (I blogged about this over on the deployment blog, you can check that out here if you missed it) so she is obviously not available. Now my 3rd choice, my husband's younger sister, has been 'promoted' from photographer to COACH. She was already going to be IN the room for the birth, partly because I think she will make a great translator to my hubby, who will hopefully be on the phone with us during the birth. She can talk to him when I am physically unable to, and will give him the play-by-play so he doesn't miss anything. Now, my sister-in-law is AWESOME, and is Godmother to one of my sons already, but has literally never been anywhere NEAR a birth before. She is single, no kids of her own yet, and I don't really know if she will be able to stay calm, much less keep ME calm.

So, yeah, I was pretty scared.

But now I am NOT.

My doula will bring a birth ball for me to sit on so I can move around a little, for comfort AND to keep things moving along (lying flat on your back is one of the most painful and SLOWEST ways to labor!) and I can still stay on the monitors and i.v. and all that junk. She will rub my back if I need it, or will provide 'atmosphere' (lighting, scented spray, etc) to make the hospital setting more comfortable for me. She even helped me write out a birth plan that I can give to the nurses so they know ahead of time what I WANT. Not that I will get everything I want, but Melissa made it that much easier for me to ASK for what I want.

Bring it on, childbirth! Seriously, like ANY TIME NOW. I'm ready!

Patience is a virtue (that I do not possess)

2010-09-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Waiting really is NOT fun. In fact, it SUCKS. Especially for someone like me.

I know it's technically early for me to be THIS impatient for Baby Bobblehead's arrival, but the nearly constant contractions really don't help. And the doctor's estimate on Bobblehead's size didn't do much to bolster my patience yesterday - so yeah, at 38 weeks, I am SO READY to have this baby! Like, NOW!

Last Saturday I finally went out and bought a nursing bra - the one thing that was technically missing from my labor bag. I will admit that a part of me secretly HOPED that this one last thing was what Bobblehead was 'waiting' for, and he would decide to make his arrival at that point. When my contractions became very regular and far more painful Sunday night, I was more excited than worried - at 37 weeks, the chances of something going wrong with the baby were so slim.

But alas, my cervix was not responding at all to the contractions, so I was sent home from the hospital to WAIT some more. (have I mentioned that I am not very good at waiting?)

The false alarm last Sunday did get hubby and I to finally make some decisions that we had been putting off; among other things, we rushed to enroll in a Cord Blood Banking program. The company we chose rushed the 'collection kit' to me, and it arrived here on Wednesday. If I had gone into labor and did not have the kit with me, we would have lost the option to store the baby's cord blood.

So naturally, in my impatient head, I started thinking, 'maybe THIS is what Bobblehead was waiting for'.....and I began to silently WILL him to come out. That night was my monthly Bunco night, so I went to my girlfriend's house to play Bunco and socialize. I had a lot of good contractions, visited with friends, won some money (WOO HOO!) and came home actively timing the increasingly painful contractions - only to notice that they were becoming more sporadic and less intense as the night wore on.

Yes, I was sad. Even though I won money, I didn't feel very lucky when I went to bed STILL PREGNANT.

I woke up Thursday morning excited to go to my 38 week checkup, knowing that I would at least get to SEE Bobblehead on a sonogram. I even looked forward to the pelvic exam, hoping for good news about my cervix progressing throughout the week, since the contractions this week have been so much more painful than the previous ones. I also hoped, at least a little bit, that the pelvic exam at the checkup might 'stir things up' and get real labor going. I knew the doc was not going to specifically strip the membranes, but I still hoped......maybe....

But no. No progress, and no new patterns or intensity in the contractions.

I left the doctor's office feeling incredibly discouraged, but went to the mall, determined to walk and at least get some exercise, and maybe move things along a little. While there, I finally found a diaper bag that I liked AND could afford - after searching for weeks. I have found several bags that I LOVE, but they were all way out of my budget. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to finally buy a diaper bag, and proudly brought it home.

Yes, in the back of my mind, I was thinking the usual, 'maybe THIS is what the baby was waiting for'.....

And hours later, as I worked my afternoon crossing guard shift, I had several PAINFUL contractions, only 5 minutes apart. I knew better than to get my hopes up, but still....I obviously DID, or I would not have felt so darned disappointed when the contractions stopped, almost as soon as I sat down and put my feet up. Bummer.

Last night I barely slept, because the random contractions kept waking me up. Yes, I said they were random. *sigh* I had also developed a nasty headache, which was so strong it actually made me forget about some of the contractions. Tylenol didn't help, so I was basically miserable all night.

I woke up this morning, reported for my crossing guard duty, and did not even bother timing my contractions while there. I then went to meet my sister at the mall, so I could help watch her boys while she tried on nursing bras (this is the sister who was originally going to be my labor coach, until she turned up pregnant with her 3rd baby, and was found to be due a week and a half ahead of me - she had her baby last week, which honestly is probably contributing at least a little bit to my impatience). I walked the length of the mall a few times, and felt some good contractions, and enjoyed my adorable nephews for awhile. I decided a nap was in order before returning to the school for my FINAL crossing guard shift (now I am officially on maternity leave) but again could not sleep because of the contractions.

This is SO INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING!

In case you still don't understand my impatience, let me give you the short version:

This whole pregnancy I have basically felt GREAT! Minimal morningsickness, minimal back pain, and I even got some sleep in the first two trimesters. But in the past two weeks, the baby has dropped ONTO A NERVE, limiting my sitting positions to the semi-reclined and fully-reclined options. Reclining all the time has increased the frequency and severity of my heartburn, making it nearly unbearable. At the same time, my nearly constant contractions have become painful (rather than just uncomfortable). As a result of all of this, I am just not sleeping. Also new in these final weeks: swelling feet. Yay.

Contractions.

Fatigue.

Heartburn.

More contractions.

Pelvic Pain/numb feet.

More heartburn.

Fat feet and 'Kankles'

Increased fatigue....

Are you seeing how the cycle works?

So, yeah, I am so DONE being pregnant! I'm OVER this, really.

Oh, and on top of all that, seeing my sweet newborn nephew makes me really really REALLY long to hold my Bobblehead. Just look at this face:

I'm now scheduled for induction late next Thursday night/early Friday morning, so I have a week (at most) to wait.

But considering the ups and downs of this past week, I don't know how I can make it through another WHOLE week.

38 week checkup!

2010-09-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today's checkup went well, all things considered.

I have suddenly started gaining weight - 6 whopping pounds in only a week! My doctor thinks this is mostly water weight, as my feet and ankles have been swelling a little in the past 48 hours.

My blood pressure was normal, and baby's heart rate was great. We did an ultrasound today to get his measurements and check the amniotic fluid levels - everything looks GREAT!

Baby Bobblehead might very well be a BIG baby though. His estimated weight today (at 2 days shy of 38 weeks) is 7 lbs, 10 oz!!! That's like normal full-term 40 week birth weight! Crazy. That means if I have him in a week, he will likely be over 8 pounds, or if I somehow make it to 40 weeks he could even be pushhing 8 1/2 or 9 pounds. Ouch.

My cervix hasn't changed really - still about 75% effaced, and about 1.5 or 'almost' 2 cm.

In other words, these annoying and now painful contractions aren't doing a darned thing - so frustrating.

So, my OB says that "IF" I don't go into natural labor in the next week, she will induce me very early Friday morning (Sept 17). I will actually go to the hospital by midnight Thursday night so they can start my i.v. and get everything 'ready'. This does not necessarily mean I will have him ON Sept 17, since inductions are not ALWAYS successful.

**If you posted a comment on my 'guess the stats' contest and would like to change your guess based on today's info, just post a new comment and let me know your updated guess - you get ONE chance to change your guess **

If you haven't yet posted a guess, WHY NOT?!?! Winner gets a $20 gift card! Go! Click here, read the rules and post your guess, like NOW. As in, before it's too late. Just tell me when you think he will be born and how much he will weigh. You've got all the inside info now, so

belly pic update

2010-09-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of real blog posts lately - these final weeks are making it SO hard to sit for any length of time.

I keep wanting to post new belly pics and can't get good ones with the timer, and my kids take AWFUL pictures...so today I got a friend to snap a couple photos.

My profile certainly does not stop traffic,

but I do have fewer idiots asking me if I am pregnant

(It's pretty obvious, right?)

And for those who can't recognize a baby bump

as big as a beach ball,

the shirt should clue them in - or so you'd think!

I'm seriously hoping to have this baby SOONER rather than later - but for now, you still have time to get your guesses in for the $20 gift card giveaway!
Click HERE for the contest.

Guess the stats (contest)

2010-09-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

OK I am trying to distract myself from some VERY annoying false-labor right now, so I decided to hold a contest.

The prize will be a $20 gift card, either to Target or Babies R Us (winner will choose which store, and card will be delivered via email)

I technically have 20 days until my due date, (SEPT 26) so the contest is sort of a 'betting pool' to see who can come the closest in guessing these categories:

Birth Date

Time of day (morning = 5:01 AM to noon, afternoon = 12:01 PM to 6 PM, or night, 6:01 PM to 5 AM)

Baby's WEIGHT at birth

First place guess in each category gets 10 points, and 2nd place guess gets 7 points, and 3rd place guess gets 5 points. This means max score is 30 points, if you happen to have the closest guess in ALL THREE categories.

You have to be following THIS BLOG to be eligible for the prize.

Contest is open UNTIL I HAVE THE BABY....any guesses submitted after the birth will be disqualified, even if you didn't know (but I know some of you also follow me on FB, and the news of the birth will be posted via text message almost immediately after the birth)

I recently posted birth stories about my first three deliveries, so if you think those stats will help you make an educated guess, check out the archives.

Here is my most recent check-up info:

As of Thursday, Sept 2, my cervix was 75% effaced and dilated 1-2 cm. My OB says she will induce me at 39 weeks if nothing happens naturally by then, BUT, if you read my birth stories, you know that inductions don't always work. Since then I have been having some strong but SPORADIC contractions, and today have had some regular but WEAK contractions. To my knowledge, I have not yet passed my mucous plug. Oh, and in case this effects your guess at all, Baby Bobblehead is a BOY.

*THIS CONTEST WILL BE 'duplicated' on my FaceBook, with a separate $10 gift card as the prize...so you can enter both contests and be eligible to win either or both, if you happen to be on my FB as well*

So get guessing! Post your comment below with your guess - be sure to include all three categories, DATE, Time of day (morning - afternoon - night), and BIRTH WEIGHT. Also, if your profile is 'private' you'll need to either include some contact info or WATCH this blog to see if you've won.

37 week checkup!

2010-09-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

My OB was out of town last week, so I missed my 36 week checkup. I was (mostly) OK with this, but was really worried all week that I would go into pre-term labor while she was out of town, and then would have some stranger deliver the baby......

Anyway, since the doctor returned from her vacation Monday night, I have been WISHING and HOPING for labor to start, since I am unbelievably uncomfortable now.

Baby dropped into my pelvis last week, and the pressure has made it impossible to even SIT UP. If I sit 'normal' (like for driving) then my feet go numb within about 15 minutes - so I have to sit at least semi-reclined all the time now. Doc says baby is just lying on a nerve, no big deal. Of course, a side-effect of being semi-reclined or reclined all the time, I am having WICKED heartburn. Tums & Prevacid are my very best friends right now.

So, today's checkup revealed that my weight is HOLDING (YAY!) and my blood pressure is normal, as is baby's heart rate. Baby is measuring exactly the right size, according to external measurements - we didn't do an ultrasound today, but will do one NEXT Thursday for sure.

The contractions I have been having (they've finally crossed that line between discomfort and pain) are actually doing something - my cervix is now 75% effaced and 'almost' 2 cm dilated.

Best news of all today:

If I don't go into natural labor on my own by next week, then the OB will SCHEDULE me for induction sometime the following week - so September 16 at the latest! YAY!

I keep meaning to post the nursery before/after pics on here, and honestly am waiting until I get the final pieces of the bedding set in place. They are not essential, but will make the room LOOK nicer, so before I show it off I want it really done, you know? Since they are only available online, I have to wait for the nice postman to bring them....any day now.

ANY DAY NOW....

labor tracking APPS

2010-08-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

OK a couple months ago I promised to post a review of the free iPad apps I downloaded for tracking my contractions.

There were two free ones when I found these (back in May, I think?) but there are a few more now. The ones I tried are "Stage 1" and "Contraction Timer Deluxe"

Overall, they both function about the same - once you open the app, there is a button to START timing a contraction, and then you press the STOP or END button when the contraction is over. Both create a history and a chart or graph duration of the contraction AND the interval in between.

Contraction Timer Deluxe start button

Stage 1 start button & chart

Overall, I like the look of the summary chart on Stage 1 better than the one on Contraction Timer Deluxe, because the Stage 1 chart shows both duration AND interval on one chart. The Contraction Timer Deluxe only shows one at a time.

Contraction Timer Deluxe

Other than that, they are both really easy to use, and they store all the information you will need for the hospital when checking in, or for your doctor/midwife. Also an awesome keepsake for the baby book! The iPad lets you take a screenshot to save as a picture, and of course you can email those pictures to any email address. (or post them on your blog! ha ha ha)

The Contraction Timer Deluxe has a feature that I haven't yet used, but can see the potential for needing/wanting it: when you press STOP at the end of a contraction, it gives you the option to add a note to the contraction record before saving it to the chart/graph:

Like, I don't know, noting if a contraction is suddenly way stronger (or way weaker?) than the ones before it? Or maybe note the exact time that your water broke?

Stage 1 has a feature I like, that you can set a background picture behind the 'focal point ticker' (which can be turned ON or OFF in the settings) However, I chose a picture of my hubby for this background, and the ticker looks disturbingly like the target inside a rifle scope.....I'll have to figure out a better background picture or just turn that feature off.

Stage 1 with no background picture for focal point

Stage 1 with recent photo pf hubby...NOT keeping this one on there!

I am looking at one more free app, simply called "Labor and Contraction Timer" (or CTX Timer?) but have not really used it much yet.

I think I am most likely to use the Stage 1 timer, but all of these are WAY better than trying to write it on a notepad and figure out the duration between contractions, etc. Anything that simplifies labor is a plus in my book! Especially if it's FREE - my favorite four letter word.

35 weeks down, only 5 weeks left!

2010-08-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

I had my 35 week checkup the other day, and all went VERY well. I had a sonogram to measure baby's growth, because he was measuring big a few weeks ago - like 3 WEEKS bigger than he should have been at that point. This time he measured only a LITTLE BIT large, like less than a week ahead of the 'norm'.

My OB seems somewhat paranoid about delivering big babies, so if this one is going to be HUGE, she will use that as an excuse to induce labor as early as 37 or 38 weeks. I think I am good with that :)

Baby's heart rate was perfect, and he moved a lot during the exam.

I had forgotten how uncomfortable/painful a pelvic exam could be.....but am SO HAPPY that she did one, because I have been having a lot more contractions. Still nothing all that regular, but they've grown more intense and some have lasted as long as a minute. Anyway, the exam showed that I'm dilated to 1cm (which is nothing....I spend the last 3 or 4 weeks of pregnancy at 2cm anyway) and I am 50% effaced! OMG! Normally my stubborn cervix will not thin out until I am IN active labor. 50% effaced at this point, 5 weeks ahead, is a VERY VERY VERY good sign, especially if I need to have labor induced.

I posted my birth stories awhile back detailing the first three births...the most recent one occurred ten days after a FAILED INDUCTION. Prior to that experience, I had never heard of such a thing! I figured, once they induce labor, that's it, you're having the baby. But I went a full day on pitocin in the hospital at the end of my last pregnancy, and had lots of really GREAT, really REGULAR (and really painful) contractions......which did nothing AT ALL to my cervix. It was one of the most raumatic experiences of my life. I'm relieved to see that my cervix is ALREADY being more cooperative this time

My OB is out of town this week, so I am trying to re-train my brain to focus on NOT having this baby yet. I've been wishing for awhile now for an early delivery, as long as baby is safe & OK. Now I have to tell myself, "be careful what you wish for!"

After my doctor gets back from her vacation, I will have weekly checkups in the final four weeks....I can't believe it's getting so CLOSE! :)

Yes, I am excited - can you tell?

unofficial product reviews - part one

2010-08-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

OK first a little 'disclaimer'...I have not been compensated in any way for my opinion on these products - just wanted to share!

First product:
Chicco Cortina stroller with Chicco Keyfit infant car seat

I bought this system after reading several online reviews, and of course after physically testing the car seat at the store to make sure it would FIT in my little car (2007 Honda Civic Hybrid). Of course I made sure it exceeded the safety standards, as well - which should really go without saying.

The assembly of the stroller was incredibly easy, even though it involved several parts. There were clear drawings to follow every step of the way, and the instructions made perfect sense. Personally, I like a little more detail in the written instructions, but the simplicity in these probably appeals to MOST mommies (and daddies, who are most likely going to be doing the assembly....)

Both the car seat and the stroller have very easy child restraint buckles. The stroller even has a 5 point harness, instead of the typical 3-point harness seen on a lot of full-size strollers. This is important to me, as I am a school crossing guard and DAILY see idiot drivers ignoring the crosswalks or running stop signs.....in the event of a collision, the most dangerous thing to a baby in a stroller is not the impact from the car itself - it is the impact with the GROUND when the baby is thrown from the stroller due to inadequate (or improperly fastened) restraints.

The base for the car seat was very easy to correctly install in my car, using the LATCH system (which, by the way, I did not even realize that my car HAD until I read about it in the car seat instructions!) The 'level' display to check for proper angle is easy to read from either side of the base, and the adjustable foot makes it fast and easy to adjust if the angle is not right. In fact, this part was SO easy, I am pretty sure that I could do it while holding a baby, or at least wearing him in a front-pack carrier or sling. The base would normally be a one-time install, but if you have more than one car and don't buy the optional 2nd base, you would probably want to move the base any time you are changing cars. The car seat CAN be used without the base, but it is harder to ensure proper level without the base.

One thing that really excited me with this car seat vs. the ones I used for my first three children is how EASY it is to adjust the shoulder straps as the baby grows. There are 'newborn' inserts to pad the seat for a tighter fit for small infants (up to 11 pounds) and both inserts can be removed without taking the whole car seat apart. As baby gets taller, shoulder straps can be adjusted without having to do any complicated threading of the straps through a series of holes and loops - my old car seats were all a PAIN in that area. The pull-strap on the front (at baby's feet) makes it simple to tighten the shoulder harness with baby in place, and the lever that loosens the straps when taking baby back OUT is easy to access. I've seen several models that sort of 'hide' this lever or make it hard to reach - so glad Chicco doesn't do that!

Of course the car seat locks securely into the base, as well as into the stroller (I actually saw a woman pushing a stroller at Costco last week, with her infant car seat/carrier perched on top of the stroller - but not fastened on in any way....she took a corner too fast, then stopped suddenly, and her baby's carrier actually fell OFF of the stroller onto the floor! Baby was not hurt, was simply scared, but that mom needs a little safety lesson or two....). The lever to release the car seat when lifting it out of the base (or the stroller) is also really easy to access.

The stroller itself is easy to fold one-handed, and it opens up one-handed, as well. The handle adusts for comfort depending on the height of the person pushing it. The canopy could be larger, but does offer reasonable shade over baby. The parent tray at the top has a cup holder and a small compartment for keys or sunglasses, and the child snack tray in front of the seat has two cup holders and a shallow recessed area for baby's snacks. The best part of the child's tray: It has an insert that can be lifted out for cleaning! The front double-wheels swivel for easy one-handed turning in tight spaces (for you mall-walkers out there!) and they can also be locked into place for better control on rough surfaces like grass or gravel. The brakes can be applied/locked at the rear from either side, with a single tap of the foot.

For me, there are two down-sides to the stroller:
1) for a full-size stroller, the cargo basket underneath is really quite small, and
2) this stroller takes up my entire trunk space! OK so that one is really a gripe about my CAR, not the stroller. :)

But aside from those two factors, so far I absolutely LOVE this whole travel system!

It is a little pricey, but you really do get what you pay for - I HIGHLY recommend it.

Next product review:
Baby blanket and binky-leash from "Baby Battle Rattle" on etsy.com

(photos are from the etsy page for BabyBattleRattle)

I bought a custom baby blanket from Baby Battle Rattle, and got a 'binky sling' too.....

The blanket is made with a super-soft minky-dot fabric on the back, and the same fabric in squares on the front alternated with squares of USMC 'desert mar pat' fabric. It normally comes with either pink or blue minky dot fabric, but I specifically requested a lime green fabric instead; this was to match our current nursery colors, and to keep the blanket gender-neutral, making it easier to pass on to another baby when we are done with it. The expectation that it will be handed down was my reason for NOT adding the optional custom nametape (though that would have been SO cute!)

My blanket is pictured above, with the teddy bear in the car seat :)

The quality and craftsmanship on this blanket were both AWESOME, but I was really disappointed to see how small the blanket actually is. I didn't ask ahead of time about dimensions, and they weren't listed on the etsy site, so this is really my fault for not even ASKING how big the blanket was. In the pictures, it looked more like a crib-size blanket, but in reality it is smaller than most receiving blankets. The double-layer design makes it too warm for baby to sleep with here in so-cal, but it will be a great car-seat/stroller blanket this winter, for sure!

The 'binky sling' is exactly what it sounds like - it fastens to the handle of baby's pacifier at one end, and then fastens to the car seat, or stroller, or baby's shirt, on the other end - so if baby spits the binky out, it sort of hangs there clipped to whatever surface you choose, rather than dropping to the floor. In this case, the binky sling is made from a military uniform nametape, which I thought was a REALLY COOL idea!

One thing I don't like about this one - and I intend to fix this - is that the velcro on the end for the binky does not fasten well - it looks like both sides of the velcro are the 'rough' part, instead of one rough surface clinging to one fuzzy/soft surface. I have plenty of velcro squares (and circles, for that matter) so I will be fixing this by hand ASAP.

Overall, I recommend this seller, as she was flexible with me when I wanted a custom color, and she made and shipped the item right away, as soon as I had paid for it. I thought the blanket - given its small size - was overpriced at $35 (plus shipping, which I felt I was overcharged for), but still know that my husband will LOVE it.

Now this makes me want one of those cool diaper bags made from hubby's old uniforms :) Anyone have an etsy seller they can recommend specifically for this?

***UPCOMING REVIEWS: Sony baby monitor, Summer Right Height Bath Center, Avent Isis Manual Breast Pump, and the Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail***

BELLY PICS!

2010-08-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

My maternity pics are up on my deployment blog - CLICK HERE to see them.

THANK YOU TARA, for taking these great shots! I know we will cherish them forever.

Baby Shower

2010-08-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last week was my baby shower, and it was AWESOME! Emphasis on the "Aw" of course.

My younger sister came (the one who is also pregnant, due a week and a half ahead of me) and we finally got a picture of our bellies together. My mom was there too, and has had a round belly for as long as I can remember (after 8 kids, this is not really a shocker), so the picture of the three of us together looks pretty funny.

My sisters who live out of state couldn't come, but they sent gifts anyway - I feel so SPOILED! More than half of my bunco group came, and a few girls from my old job. My hubby's mother and sisters both came too, and stayed the weekend at my house. Hubby's sisters painted the nursery for me after the baby shower, so I've spent the week working on putting the room together - pictures coming SOON!

Here are the pictures from the shower though:

the diaper candy bar game (gross but always fun!)

My in-laws (hubby's sister Lisa, their mother, me, and youngest sister Laura)

My bunco girls :)

Otilia & Syliva (from my old job)

My sister & me, with our big baby bellies

(she was 34 1/2 weeks here, and I was almost at 33 weeks)

My sister & her beautiful kids, with my mom and me

(Mom wearing the shirt I made her for The Price Is Right when I surprised her with the news of my pregnancy.....and it should say "Grammy of 25" counting the one my sister is working on)

sorry!

2010-08-05T22:26:00.000-07:00

Another week gone by with no posts - I am SUCH a slacker!

Oh, wait, this is the perfect time to use the "I'm pregnant" pass! Not an excuse, really, but its about all I have.

I have been away from internet (*gasp) a lot in this past week, but promise to post some new stuff SOON!

For now, quick update:

32 1/2 week checkup went great today!

Baby shower is less than 48 hours away, and nursery will be painted the next day, thanks to my husband's awesome sisters.

Maternity photo shoot will be done in about 3 days, by my lovely friend Tara - I am SOOOOO excited about this one!

More posts soon, much love and all that jazz, and for you fellow mommies-to-be out there, STAY COOL & keep your feet up.

:)

Pregnancy Update

2010-07-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this form from Jessica at Learning As We Go

How far along:
31 weeks + 3 days

Total weight gain:
14 pounds and holding...for now. My OB initially told me I didn't need to gain ANY weight with this pregnancy because I started out 100 lbs overweight....but at my checkup last week she said she's not worried about my weight gain and in fact would be OK if I gain another 10 lbs., as long as its not all at once.

Maternity clothes:
My one pair of maternity jeans is worn almost DAILY right now, but if I take time to shave my legs, I also have a couple pair of maternity capris and a pair of maternity shorts, and sometimes even wear a cute dress. My belly is definitely too big for any of my pre-pregnancy clothes!

Stretch marks:
No new ones yet, but my old stretch marks are showing a little more - especially on my hips.

Sleep:
I've heard of that....wait, what is it, exactly?
I'm just starting to get big enough that I can't stay comfortable in any one position for more than a couple minutes, so sleep is like a series of catnaps. It also doesn't help that I get up to pee at least once every hour all night. I'm able to nap sometimes, so that helps

Best moment this week:
When my hubby called from Afghanistan, and asked me if the baby was awake. I told him I didn't think so, and he said, "well then do you think he is dreaming about me?" (awwww!)

Movement:
CONSTANT - or almost. The funny part is when his movements are so big that they visibly move other parts of my body (like if my arm is across my belly and he makes my whole arm JUMP) ...its hilarious!

Food cravings:
Chocolate chip cookies sound good, but I really only want my OWN homemade chocolate chip cookies. Since it's way too hot to bake here right now, I am resisting that particular craving. Still really craving wine, and happy that fresh grapes are in season and inexpensive because they seem to (sort of) satisfy my wine craving. Oh, and Costco finally brought back the Multi-Grain Cheerios that I've been loving, so I stocked up on those! :)
Showing:
Finally I look more 'pregnant' than 'fat'....but some people are shocked to learn how far along I am. HA HA HA! Pictures coming tomorrow, after my haircut :)

Temperament:
Kind of moody in the past week or so. Mostly still enjoying the pregnancy, but had a couple of really depressed days mixed in there.

Weekly Wisdom:
hmmmm....I'm getting to the point where I have to regularly remind myself to let things roll off my back. I don't normally get easily offended but lately there's been A LOT of drama going around, and too much unsolicted advice from certain annoying people (like in-laws) so I tell myself constantly that THIS DOES NOT MATTER.

new button!

2010-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hey check out my snazzy new blog button over here ---->

Isn't it cute? If you follow me and would like to put my button on your blog for others to find me, please feel free to grab the button and re-post. Just copy the code you see below it and place it in an html gadget on your own blog. :)

This was a prize in a blog contest I entered a few weeks ago, and I am BEYOND thrilled with it.

Thanks so much Christina for making my new button! I la-la-la-love it!

time flies when you're getting fat

2010-07-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its been another WHOLE WEEK since I last posted here!

I had another OB checkup, and now will have them every 2 weeks for a bit, then soon (VERY SOON) I will go to checkups every single week until this baby is born.

My doc is concerned that the baby my be a giant, so I might have an induction as early as 37 weeks (early September). I should know more after my August 19th appointment, where she will do another sonogram to measure his growth and check to see if he's still breech.

I'm not sure how I feel about having the baby that early.

I'm feeling woefully unprepared right now - have not even gotten the nursery painted yet! My sister-in-law is coming over to do that in 2 weeks, and then I will spend a few days that same week getting the nursery together. My baby shower is right around the corner, and I have been making myself wait to do any shopping until I know what we'll really NEED (after the shower). So I had a crazy dream the other night that my little monkey arrived very early, and I had nothing ready - not even diapers!

We did go out and buy an infant car seat/stroller system before my husband deployed, so at least I have THAT ready. Well, not ready, but its in the house, at least. Hmmmmm maybe I should put that in the CAR, just in case?

On the bright side, if I get to have the baby a couple weeks early, that gives me a couple weeks head start on my weight loss goals before my honey returns from 'Funghanistan'.

I don't have any 31 week belly pics yet, but here is a 30 week (plus 2 days) pic from last week's trip to The Price Is Right:

No, I didn't get on the show - but am going back next week with a group of ALL military wives, and one of us HAS to get called to 'Come On Down'! Right? Oh, and if you watch September 23, you will see me in the audience. We didn't get great seats this time, but 3 of the contestants were called down from the 2 rows right in front of us, so we will show on camera as they are climbing over people to run down to Bidder's Row.

3D ultrasound

2010-07-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been a whole week - I swear I have really WANTED to blog the past few days, but just haven't had the time.

Today was the 3D ultrasound appointment, and I am so in LOVE with these 'first pictures' of my sweet baby Thomas!

So far he looks just like his brother Knucklehead, and he has big feet and a LOT of hair. And he is not in the breech position any more!

He's measuring a little big - I am 30 weeks + 1 day, but his measurements today are closer to 33 weeks. Not sure if this is accurate, though, because this was NOT a diagnostic ultrasound.

Next OB appointment in a few days, so I will find out if that measurement thing means anything significant.

energized baby

2010-07-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

I was reading last night about what is happening with a typical 29-weeks-gestation baby, and came to the part about the fat deposits.

Until now, baby Thomas has mostly had 'brown fat' which helps him regulate body temperature (minimally, since my body still does a lot of that FOR him, of course). Now he is developing the 'white fat' deposits, like what we grownups already have - and the white fat serves as a source of energy.

Really?

I don't think this baby NEEDS any more energy!

Over the past couple of weeks, he has been my most active baby yet.

Kick counts? I don't think I can count that high! Maybe I should check my iPad, I'll bet there's an app for that, too. :)

Here's my 29 week belly pic:

Also, have you voted for my deployment blog yet in Christina's contest? I'm in 3rd place, and all you have to do to help me move up the list, is read my short entry and then click the link at the bottom of the page to go vote! Once Christina's page comes up (Married To A Sailor) there is a box in the upper right with all the entries, juct click on "Another Deployment" and scroll down a little to click "VOTE"! It's that easy! THANKS!
(voting ends July 12 at 11:59 PM)

80 days left!

2010-07-08T22:32:00.000-07:00

I had an OB checkup today, and for the most part all went well. I am a chronic worrier though, so I am naturally a little distressed to learn that my little one is currently in the BREECH postition.

Since I am only 28 1/2 weeks along, there is still plenty of time for him to turn around - but if he doesn't do it pretty quick, it will get more difficult, as he will soon get A LOT more cramped in there.

I think something like 25% of all babies are in breech position (butt-first) at the 28 week mark, but only 3% or so are still breech at full term. And even if he DOESN'T turn around before birth, it doesn't necessarily mean surgery.....while a vaginal birth is way more difficult with a breech baby (and more painful, and more dangerous) it IS possible to still have a 'natural' birth, and avoid a c-section.

But since I naturally worry about EVERYTHING, now I am worried about this - and terrified of the prospect of a C-section, especially with hubby halfway around the world. I mean, I have finally (almost) mentally prepared myself for the experience of giving birth without hubby here, but cesarean is a MAJOR surgery. And needles scare me, you know?

Anyway, everything else with baby Thomas is going GREAT. His measurements were all normal in today's sonogram. His heart rate was normal, and he is still showing up as a "HE" onscreen. That's important, right?

My own stats are all good, too. I have gained a total of 10 lbs so far, and Dr. says 5 more lbs over the next 11 weeks will be OK......that's better than what she said last trimester! My blood pressure is good, and I still have not experienced any swelling of my hands or feet. My discomfort issues are limited to my low back, and mostly just when I am trying to sleep. I guess the braxton-hicks contractions are also uncomfortable/annoying, but I am coping with them. I'm having heartburn at least once a day, but it goes away quickly - often without me even needing Tums or anything.

All in all, baby is growing and I am glowing (ish).

Can't wait to post my 3D ultrasound pics in a couple weeks!

Oh, by the way, do you read my Deployment blog too? I posted a Deployment Playlist over there last week, as part of a contest. If I win, I get a complete blog makeover! And if possible, I want to ask Christina to makeover THIS blog, instead of the deployment blog, since that one already had a nice makeover a few weeks ago. Anyway, my point in all this rambling is to ask you to please go read the post I linked above, and in the bottom of THAT post, click the link to go vote for me, help me win the contest.

THANKS!

buried treasure

2010-07-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

First, a belly pic - this is me at 28 weeks plus 2 days:

(excuse the lack of makeup and the crazy hair...if I waited for a good hair day, I would never be able to post belly pics!)

Over the weekend I found some of my ten-year-old's baby keepsake stuff in my closet. I can't believe how great this all looks! A few outfits, including some cute USMC rompers, and the best part - three great pair of baby shoes. Including little baby Nike's that someone gave to knucklehead for his first birthday.

The little OshKosh and Baby Gap shoes were just too cute to let go of when we got rid of other baby stuff. Now I am SO happy I kept them! :)

Oh, and the super-soft baby blankets that hubby used to 'steal' to snuggle with when Knucklehead was little......I think I will have to send him one in Afghanistan, maybe after I wrap the new baby in it, so it will have some of that 'new baby' smell. Daddy will LOVE that!

I have a checkup in 2 days, which I think will include another sonogram, so hopefully I can post a new 'picture' of the baby here. Otherwise you all are just gonna have to wait until I get my 3D ultrasound in 3 weeks...and I am having a very hard time waiting for that one.

**I entered a contest over at Christina's blog - click the link to read my entry and then VOTE for me! My entry is the first one listed there, under "Another Deployment". Voting ends July 12**

boys are "fun"

2010-06-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

I thought it was 'snakes and snails and puppy dog tails', but apparently little boys are made of:

Two large pizzas,

Two pitchers of lemonade,

One bag of microwave popcorn,

And half a bag of oreos.

At least, that's what 3 ten-year-old boys have consumed in my kitchen tonight - SO FAR.

My son Knucklehead is having a sleepover (though I am pretty sure they're not CALLING it a sleepover, or a slumber party, or anything GIRLY like that...) He and two of his buddies are alternating between playing videogames, eating everything in sight, and randomly jumping over large pieces of furniture. As long as no one gets hurt, I think I'm better off keeping my distance tonight!

It is just past midnight as I write this, and the monkeys in my living room show no sign of needing sleep - so I have retreated to my bedroom to enjoy some peace and quiet (interrupted only by my littlest monkey beating me up from the inside).

*sigh* another night to reflect on the JOYS of raising BOYS!

:)

I WON!!!!!

2010-06-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have battled insomnia for 20 years now, but last night I WON for the first time in a long time. The war is far from over, of course, but at least I finally won a single battle. I can't even come up with words to express how great it feels to wake up from a full 8 hours of sleep! OK, maybe supercalifragilisticexpialadocious would work? (does anyone know how to actually SPELL that???)

I've been so frustrated over lack of sleep lately, that right now I feel like I won the freaking LOTTERY. Or at least a Gold Medal or something. A trophy, maybe?

YES!!!! SLEEP!

Of course, in addition to the stress/anxiety related insomnia I have had since first becoming a mother, I've got the pregnancy-related sleep issues AND am dealing with deployment right now.

Trifecta.

It's a wonder I ever sleep at all, but most nights I usually get between 2 and 5 hours. 8 hours feels so incredibly refreshing after months like that!

By the way, while I am on the subject, what idiot coined the phrase, "Sleeps like a baby"???? Don't babies normally wake up every 2 hours? Not very restful...and I can say that with some authority because my bladder normally wakes me up at least that often at night.

But not last night! I think I only got up to pee ONCE, around 5 AM, and went right back to sleep afterward!

WOO HOO!

Winner winner chicken dinner! I won, I won, I WON!!!!!

It's like birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.

At Disneyland.

And I can fly.

MAJOR crib recall

2010-06-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

This recall effects the crib that was given to me - check yours to see if it is also included! The website is http://www.cpsc.gov/ and includes several brands of cribs. (drop-side models, and a few stationary side cribs)

In some cases, manufacturers or retailers will give you a refund for the crib, but in most cases, they will send you hardware to modify it, locking the drop-sides permanently in place.

I need a makeover!

2010-06-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Gambizzle is having a BLOG MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY...check her out here!

I so want to win a whole blog makeover for this blog - especially since my Deployment Blog now has a snazzy new look (three columns, a blogroll, and even a cute button!)

My baby blog is feeling a little left out.

If you use my link to visit Mrs. Gambizzle's page, leave a comment and tell her that I sent you - it will get me an extra entry into her contest!

THANKS

drama

2010-06-24T23:15:00.000-07:00

Today I had my first 'false alarm' of this pregnancy...and one of the biggest scares I've had in a long time!

I took my ten year old and his friend to the beach for the day, and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. The weather was gorgeous, a full 30 degrees cooler at the coast than at my house. When it was time to go home, I packed up the gear in the car while the boys showered and changed into dry clothes. Wanna guess who was done first? Oh yes, even at 6 months pregnant, I can make THREE trips to the car carrying all of our crap before those boys can pull themselves away from a nice warm shower.

So I sat on the bench outside of the restroom to wait for them, and decided to enjoy a quick snack. I was almost finished eating my almonds when they boys emerged, clean(ish) and dry. The car was parked about 100 yards away, and we had walked halfway there when something truly bizarre happened: I CHOKED on an almond!

Seriously choked, as in, airway blocked, can't BREATHE, holy crap CHOKED. I coughed in an attempt to dislodge the almond, and simultaneously peed my pants a little (amazing, since I had JUST been to the restroom 5 minutes prior, and would have sworn that my bladder was empty). I stopped walking and coughed again - and peed my pants a little more.

By the third cough, I had a sudden memory from CPR class... you know how they always say not to attempt the Heimlich maneuver on a pregnant woman? I panicked a little, because in addition to my son and his friend finally realizing that I wasn't walking with them (they had gone about 10 steps ahead by now but had turned around and were looking at me funny) there were a couple of Marines nearby loading gear into a car, and they both looked ready to run to my rescue.

So that third cough (and third gush of pee....sorry if this is TMI but I was coughing THAT hard to try to clear my airway) was followed quickly by a fourth one, which was also accompanied by a loud and very embarrassing gag/burp combo that finally moved the almond - at about the same time that my son figured out that he should be worried about me.

I was really panicked by the inability to breathe, but was even more scared that someone would 'save' me, but in doing so would harm the baby. Crazy, right?

As soon as I could breathe I started walking again - FAST - and when we got to the car I threw a towel on the seat so I could sit down in my now-pretty-darned-wet pants. I wished I had extra clothes with me, but knew I could make do until I got home. I cleared my throat a lot and chugged some water before I reassured the boys that I was fine, and I drove toward home.

This is where it got REALLY fun....

The drive from this particular beach to my house takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on traffic. About 20 minutes into the drive, I noticed a persistent cramping sensation....kind of like the braxton hicks contractions I have been 'enjoying' for several weeks, only, well, PAINFUL. At first I figured I must have pulled an abdominal muscle with all that forceful coughing. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened. But soon I saw a real pattern in the pain.....a FIVE MINUTUES APART pattern! Yikes.

Contractions.

I kept driving, knowing that I needed to get to my own doctor or hospital if this was something serious, and hoping the whole time that it was nothing. By the time we got home, the contractions were TWO minutes apart, and the pain had increased...though I suspected that the heightened pain was at least partially due to my very full bladder. That water that I had chugged after choking an hour earlier was virtually sloshing around in there.

On a scale of one to ten, ten being actual childbirth, the pain was probably at a 4 at this point, and when I ~~ran~~ waddled inside my house to pee, it dropped to a 3....but continued, every two minutes. I knew already that if I called my OB, she would ask me lie down for 20 minutes to see if the contractions would stop, so I decided to go ahead and try this without calling her. I remembered the cool apps on my iPad for timing contractions, so I took my iPad to bed and held still as much as I could....focusing on relaxing.

(duration of contractions shows on the left, and frequency of contractions on the right)

The first 20 minutes of this saw no change, and I had a sudden fear that the gush of 'pee' I had felt when I choked *might* have been amniotic fluid. Would I know if my water broke? The only time my water ever broke before was with #2, and it was a slight high leak.....but I knew what it was, even then. Just when I was about to pick up the phone and call my OB, my friend called me. I told her what was going on and she talked to me for a few minutes, noting how hard it was for me to talk during the short contractions....I talked to her for almost fifteen minutes, during which time the contractions finally began to spread apart a little.

Two breaks of almost 4 minutes each, and then another 2 minute cycle, but the actual contractions seemed to be getting shorter, too. I finally told my friend that I was going to try to nap - knowing that if I could SLEEP through them, then they were definitely not 'the real thing'. I hung up the phone and went into some good relaxation techniques, and another contraction hit.

I pressed the 'begin' button on the labor tracker app.

And woke up about 8 minutes later to the sound of my dog barking.

Yes, I actually FELL ASLEEP mid-contraction, and never stopped the app! It's funny, there is a graph showing the pattern of contractions, most of them 25 to 40 seconds long, and then the one where I fell asleep showed 506 seconds long! Dang, that would have been one SERIOUS contraction. So glad it was just me dozing off! After that I timed a few more, happy to see that they were much milder and becoming shorter and more sporadic.

Since my OB's office waas now closed for the day, I chose not to bother her answering service over what I now know was a false alarm. I will call in the morning and let her know what happened, in case she needs to see me before my next appointment.

But, if you've read the birth stories I posted (check the archives if you missed these) then you know that I have BEEN to this circus before. A FEW TIMES. False labor is just another part of pregnancy for me! This is the first time I've ever had anything THIS INTENSE happen THIS EARLY in pregnancy, but at least I know I can deal with it.

And in the future, these able-bodied boys are carrying all the beach gear to the car. And of course, no more eating and walking at the same time. In fact, I may just boycott almonds altogether.

26 weeks, 3 days

2010-06-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

I know I've been a bad blogger lately... I've been (lazy/tired/sick/busy/insert-excuse-here)

After nearly a full week without posting, I have quite a mix of things to post - starting with this cute joke:

An expecting mommy was getting dressed when her 3 year old walked into the room and commented, "Mommy, you're getting fat." The mother patiently replied, "Yes, sweetie, remember I have a baby growing in my belly" The precocious child piped up with, "I know Mommy, but what's growing in your BUTT?"

ha ha ha

It's funnier when my ten year old tells that one :)

My pregnancy is still going well, though I have finally started to gain a little weight. As long as I can keep that to a minimum, it's no big deal (pardon the pun) but I've still got 13 1/2 weeks left.....even if I only gain a pound a week the rest of the way, THAT'S TOO MUCH!

I'm working to get the nursery ready - it still has some 'guest room' leftovers in it, as well as much of the nursery stuff, mostly unassembled. This week's task is to empty the room completely to prepare for painting (my sister-in-law is coming over to help me paint in a couple weeks). I'm also going to freshen up the paint on the used crib and changing table before I put them back into the room.

Baby clothes are WAY too much fun....I have received a ton of used clothes, so little Thomas won't need any clothes for at least the first three months - and then he will only need a few specific things for the remainder of his first year! Still, I have caved in and bought a few things. I am in love with all the adorable monkey clothes - little embroidered monkeys on shirts, monkey's printed on pants, and even little slippers made to look like monkeys! I'm also loving striped stuff, so I was thrilled to find this adorable little outfit with both monkeys AND stripes:

Baby will wear this one home from the hospital. :)

I'm also counting down the weeks until I can go to the 3D/4D ultrasound place, I can't WAIT to see what this little guy looks like so far! (please please please let him have his daddy's nose...)

NEEDLES? NO!

2010-06-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

I had an OB checkup today, and got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that my weight is still holding, and I am *almost* done with my second trimester! The bad news is that my "no I.V." birth plan is no longer an option.

At my last checkup, my urine sample tested positive for a specific bacteria, so I was treated for a Urinary Tract Infection. Today my doctor told me that the bacteria in question is 'group B strep' and is dangerous to the baby during birth. I have no 'symptoms' to speak of, but have apparently been COLONIZED with it. Yup, that's the actual term! I don't even know HOW I got it, since it is not sexually transmitted, and lives, well, down there. So, what, did I ingest this bacteria? Or swim in it? Yuck. So, to treat the baby PRIOR to birth, I will be hooked up to intravenous antibiotics. MANDATORY. I can still have an unmedicated birth, as far as pain meds go, but will still have to have these antibiotics no matter what.

:(

I'm so sad, and not just because I hate needles! I do, of course, hate them with a passion, but what's really upsetting me is that as soon as they hook me up to an I.V. it will limit everything else I can do. It's hard to even go to the bathroom hooked up to one of those! I guess that's why some places insist on a catheter at that point?! That's absolutey NOT going to happen with me, I will throw a fit if I must to keep from that particular brand of torture. I worry that I won't be able to walk around with the IV hooked up, and as soon as I lie in a bed, my labor will slow down, leading to more complications, which will require more intervention, ending in even more complications.....its all a vicious cycle. One that I had hoped to avoid.

Oh well. As long as the outcome includes a healthy baby, I will do whatever it takes. Even bite the bullet and offer my veins back up to those vampires that masquerade as L&D nurses.

8 inches (?)

2010-06-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

Hey gutter-mind, I wasn't talking about THAT! (but maybe in another blog?)

Today I got a much needed haircut! 8+ inches later, I feel so much lighter! And I actually think I look a little younger, so that's a bonus.

BEFORE

and then....

AFTER!

Hubby will not be happy, as he likes my hair long - but since he is gone for at least 6 more months, I decided my own comfort through the rest of this pregnancy is more important than his aesthetic preferences. I will keep getting it trimmed for the rest of the pregnancy, and then after I have the baby I will start growing it out for my hubby again. :)

which one?

2010-06-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

I am going back to The Price Is Right again in a few weeks (for my 15th or 16th time, I think?...I've lost count)

I need help.

Not that kind. Well, okay, I do need psychiatric help, this is a RIDICULOUS obsession, but anyway, that's not the kind if help I need from you, my readers. I need help choosing which shirt to wear!

I like the 'Hot Mama' shirt, because it is easy to read from a distance (and has plenty of bling-bling which could help me get noticed and get PICKED to be a contestant)

ON THE OTHER HAND,

I love the "Pregnant is the new skinny" tank top, because, well, its a TANK TOP. And its funny. But it is way more snug on me, and is a little harder to read than the other one.

What do you think?

Please comment here or email me privately, I seriously do want everyone's input!

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

maternity SHOES (?)

2010-06-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

I recently posted about my comical attempt to give myself a pedicure. I have accepted the fact that my growing baby belly makes this impossible, and am now including 'real' pedicures in my budget for the rest of the pregnancy. I mean, I have to have pretty toes to get away with wearing nothing on my feet but flip flops, right?

Flip flops are the ultimate 'maternity shoe'...you don't even have to BEND over to put them on!

However, my job will not allow me to wear flip flops while at work, for safety reasons. I have to wear closed-toe, closed-heel shoes. (YUCK)

I've found a few cool options already in my closet, and for now (and hopefully for at least a little longer) I can still at least tie my own shoelaces, so my tennis-shoes work well most days. When that ends, I am still covered. The best shoes I found in my own collection are these cute Skechers:

I have two pair, one in black and one in white, and I LOVE the fact that they breathe, almost as much as the fact that they close with VELCRO. On the SIDE, so I don't even have to try all that hard to reach the little strap to open/close them. I'd rather be wearing flip flops, but for work these will do - I can wear them with shorts, a casual skirt, jeans, whatever.

L.O.V.E.

So, now I am wondering, are the shoe companies missing out on a major marketing gimmick here? Should they be selling easy-fasten and slip-on shoes in the maternity department of major stores? Should the Motherhood store (Motherhood Maternity is NOT my best friend but that's another blog post) be branding these and marking them up for all of the pregnant women out there who just realized that they can't even SEE their own feet, much less actually TIE their own shoes?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.....

24 weeks...

2010-06-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

I planned to post a belly pic with this, but don't have one from this week. (SORRY) I will get right on that.

Before I get into the compaining part, the past week or so I've finally seen some real patterns in baby's activity levels, and he might actually turn out to be a NIGHT PERSON (like me)! YAY! The whole pregnancy I have been waking up early in the morning, usually my best time to sleep, and I took this as a sign that this baby, like Knucklehead (my ten year old) is going to be a morning person. But his most active time now seems to be around 10 PM, much like mommy. His kicks and movements now are actually visible from the outside, which makes Knucklehead laugh. The other night I had my iPad balanced on my belly and was trying to show my son a video, but the whole thing kept jumping and tipping wildly with my baby-belly movements. It was pretty funny.

OK now for the complaining part (feel free to stop reading here and come back another day for more happy smiley stuff)

This whole 'irritable uterus' thing seriously SUCKS.

The contractions still don't hurt, other than mild pain if I am gassy or constipated, or have a full bladder. But they are ANNOYING and a pain in the butt. Not literally, of course.

Now I am finding that ANY activity stimulates these contractions. Obviously any kind of abdominal exercise does this (including the whole sitting-up-to-get-out-of-bed workout). Having a bowel movement stimulates contractions. I guess this is one area that I should be grateful for hubby's current deployment, because sexual activity also gets the contractions going. (But ooooohhhhh I do miss sex almost as much as I miss my hubby! Sorry if that is TMI)

Yesterday I was laughing while watching my son play at the beach and....yup, you guessed it - this set off more contractions. LAUGHTER! Really?

Walking on the beach yesterday really strained my low back, which has already been bugging me this week. So I tried to do some stretches this morning to ease that pain, and.....YUP. More contractions.

This is so exhausting! Now I wish I could go back to just peeing my pants every time I sneeze/laugh/jump. That was nothing compared to these contractions.

Am I really going to survive 16 more weeks of this????? I mean, physically I know I can make it, but MENTALLY....that's another matter altogether.

School is out in one week - which means I have only 5 days left of my very part-time crossing guard job before the summer break. I'm grateful to have a paycheck, even such a SMALL one, but am even more grateful for the break! The heat has been (finally) hitting us, and it makes the job a lot less fun. At least the job itself is not causing more contractions! If I get tired and choose to sit down on the shift, just the act of sitting down or standing up does bring on a contration, but standing and walking still seems to be OK.

I'm re-reading what I just wrote, and just realized - HOLY COW, 16 WEEKS?!?! That's all I have left?! I better get crackin on that nursery!

Awwwwwww.....another blog award!

2010-06-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to Sarah over at Diary of a Navy Wife for giving me this Versatile Blogger Award! If you have not read her blog, you should definitely go check her out. :)

The rules of this award are:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award

2. Share seven things about you

3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs that you think are fantastic

4. Let your nominees know about the award

Seven things about me:

1. I am the fifth out of eight children, and for the most part I think I was lucky to grow up in a large family.(and I totally AM the stereotypical 'middle child'!)

2. I am a complete slob. I need to know where things are, but if that happens to be in the bottom of a stack or a pile, I am totally cool with that. As long as I can find it when I need it.

3. I am notoriously thrifty, but over the years have learned the joy of splurging on something just for fun (like a pedicure or lunch with a friend.....things that are not 'necessities')

4. I love yard sales! I love shopping at yard sales, and I have at least two sales a year at my own house to get rid of the junk as it accumulates. And I drive a hard bargain, too. :)

5. I would spend every day barefoot if I could - I am the opposite of a 'shoe person'. And since shoes are kind of necessary most of the time, more than half of the shoes I own are FLIP FLOPS. Next best thing to being barefoot.

6. I am not entirely sure that this pregnancy will be my last......

7. I am a 'stamper' but have not taken much time to do any kind of craft stuff lately. Cardmaking will be happening SOON though, for OWH (Operation Write Home - check them out here)

And now I am passing this award along to:

Ann Marie at Household 6 Diva
Sara at When In Rome
Melissa at New Girl On Post
Megan at A Little Cate Family
Marine Wife at Dragonfly
Jessica at Learning As We Go
Shea at Loving every minute of it
Lucky Dimes and Dog Tags
Erica at The Ingalls Clan
Ines at The Few, The Proud, The Wife
Kate at The (Mrs) Adventures of a Marine Aviator's Wife
Casey at The Ever Changing Life of a Military Wife
Gretchen at The G Spot
Kirsten at Requires Heavy Lifting
Allie at My Marine and Me

little by little

2010-06-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

Today I (finally) bought the paint for the nursery. And a bunch of other painting stuff -you know, dropcloth, rollers, etc etc etc

I spent about twice what I expected/hoped to spend, but now I am getting excited to actually WORK on the baby's room!

Of course, it took me several weeks just to choose a paint color, so at the rate I am going, I should have the nursery completed by the time Thomas is, oh, say, 5 years old...

before/after pics coming SOON! OK, might not be all that soon, but hopefully before September rolls around.

Don't blink, you might miss it....

2010-06-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

My daughter turned 20 years old on Sunday. In addition to making me feel really OLD (and sad, missing my 'little girl') this really highlighted for me just how quickly childhood flies by.

Seriously, it seems like just YESTERDAY that I was holding her in my arms, marvelling at the incredible beauty of this tiny little human being. I know people say that all the time, but it really is true....seems like YESTERDAY!

Just yesterday I changed her first diaper, gave her that first bath, gave her her first haircut (being careful to save a lock for the baby book). Just yesterday I waved goodbye on her first day of school, saved her first lost tooth for 'the tooth fairy', and hugged away her tears the first time her friends hurt her feelings. And then, just MOMENTS ago it seems, I put her hair into a complicated updo for her first boy/girl dance, gave her that first terrifying driving lesson, and commiserated with her over the first boy who 'broke her heart'. Not really, of course, but she was always so dramatic. Little drama queens grow up to be big drama queens, and it all happens in the blink of an eye....

And already now, baby #4 is growing and developing faster than I had ever imagined he could. Faster than I remember, anyway. But then, my memory is not so great, since I am so OLD now! LOL

Wow. I have a 20 year old. WOW.

I wonder what it will feel like when THIS baby turns 20? By then I really WILL be old - as opposed to just feeling old. Right now, I feel so old, I think I am going to have to do something to look/feel younger. Can't do tattoos during pregnancy, and I'm not really masochistic enough to do a new piercing, so I am thinking I have to either color my hair, or cut it - or BOTH. Whichever I decide, I will be sure to post before/after pics here.

But seriously, DON'T BLINK, you might miss something important!

there's an APP for that!

2010-05-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

I can't remember whether or not I posted on here about my fantastic birthday gift from hubby.......

I love my new iPad, and have ~~wasted~~ spent an embarrassing amount of time getting to know everything it can do. This week I was pretty excited to find a couple of FREE apps for keeping track of labor contractions.

Yes, there IS an app for that!

I installed both of the free apps and am playing with them now, to determine which is more user-friendly before I really NEED them.

Both apps have a button to press on the touch-screen when a contraction begins, and then press again (or press another button) when the contraction stops....this allows the apps to keep track of the duration of contractions, not just the time between them.

I don't know about you, but I think this is SO COOL!

As soon as I figure out which one is my favorite, I will post some kind of a review on here.

new clothes

2010-05-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

I finally broke down and spent (way too much) money on some new maternity clothes.

Don't get me wrong, I love shopping.....BUT I am normally a very frugal shopper. I shop sale/clearance, and I use coupons, and when I actually make a purchase, I try to be sure I will get maximum use out of the item.

So it really almost broke my heart today to pay full price for maternity jeans - which I will wear for only a few months! At least I got this bathing suit on sale - and will probably wear it again next summer:

I also got some cute shorts and a few t-shirts, including one that I plan to wear next time I go to The Price Is Right (it's an obsession, I will keep going back until they finally call me to 'COME ON DOWN')

I've been putting off buying new clothes, but after 3 straight weeks of constantly washing and re-washing the few things that FIT me, I caved. So far, I am glad that I did (but ask me how I feel about this little splurge next week, when I am flat broke)

another one on the list

2010-05-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I can't do now that I am pregnant.....can't drink, can't have caffeine, can't even go to a concert.

Can't sleep, really - at least not for more than a couple hours. Baby-on-the-bladder is nature's way of preparing a mommy for the needs of a newborn baby.

And now, as of today, I officially can't do my own pedicure.

I tried really hard - with near disastrous results.

It was kind funny, really - or must have looked pretty funny, anyway. Especially the part where I grabbed my foot with my left hand to finish polishing the pinky-toe, then realized I was HOLDING onto my freshly polished big toe (OOPS)

The good news is that I now have a really great excuse to go to the nail salon for pedicures for at least the next 4 or 5 months.

:)

Irritable Uterus?

2010-05-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

OK I know it sounds weird, but Irritable Uterus is a very real condition....and I have it.

I'm a little discouraged, because now I know that I can expect the discomfort/annoyance of these FREQUENT contractions to continue throughout my remaining 18 weeks of pregnancy, but I am also relieved to know that I am NOT crazy/stupid/etc.

If you missed my recent posts about my first three births, I talked about the 'false labor' frustration in the final weeks of pregnancy with both of my sons. The worst part of it was, as a 2nd time mom and 3rd time mom, I could not tell the difference between real labor and braxton hicks contractions. I was hesitant to even go to the hospital when I was finally (really) ready to have the last one, because I didn't want to be told that, once again, I was wrong about what was happening with MY body.

So, while it may be harder for me to distinguish my false labor from real labor, at least this time I know I can go to the hospital as many times as I need to in the final weeks to find out if the contractions are doing anything to my cervix. And I won't feel stupid if they tell me to go home again, because I now know I have this strange (but very real) condition.

I know that the contractions I have been having are not 'real' labor yet...aside from the fact that it is way too early, they are not regular (sometimes 4 or 5 in an hour, sometimes none for 2 or 3 hours) and they really aren't painful; just uncomfortable.

Seriously - it's real, you can google it if you don't believe me.

And if this is the only difficulty I face in this pregnancy, at my advanced age and my unhealthy weight, I would say I am definitely one LUCKY mommy.

Birth Stories, part 3

2010-05-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

**If you missed the previous installments, you can click for part 1 and then read part 2

When I found out I was pregnant with baby #3, my daughter was about to turn 9 years old, and my son was 4 1/2. I was (finally) finishing my A.A. degree that summer, and had just gotten engaged to the man of my dreams after 2 years of dating. While this baby was every bit as much of a 'surprise' as the first two, I think I was MORE excited about being pregnant this time - now that I knew what pregnancy/birth/mommying was really like.

I had the same heavy morningsickness in the first 5 months - losing almost 20 lbs in that time period. Of course, I started each pregnancy 20 pounds heavier than the previous one, so that didn't concern me....and I managed to put the weight right back on, plus at least 10 lbs more, by the end of the pregnancy anyway.

This pregnancy was the first one that included heartburn for me, and thankfully only at the very end.

Like #2, the final weeks of this pregnancy were marked with false labor, but this baby trumped the others.....while number 1 and number 2 finally arrived 'under threat of induction' - with natural labor starting just in time to avoid pitocin - number 3 taught me that there IS such a thing as a 'failed induction'.

First false labor trip to the hospital was 4 days before the Jan 16th due date...contractions stayed regular for two hours after I was strapped to the monitors, but my cervix would not budge - same story I had heard for a couple of weeks, 2cm and 10% to 15% effaced. At the end of those two very convincing hours, though, the 8-minutes-apart contractions became irregular again, and I was eventually sent home with that familiar mix of disappointment and frustration. I really honestly thought this was the real thing!

Nearly a week later, on January 18th, I went to the hospital for a scheduled induction. Pitocin drip was started at 7AM, and some very painful contractions ensued. Initially they were 8 or 9 minutes apart, and by 10 AM they were coming 5 minutes apart. My OB came in to check my cervix and had some really upsetting news: 2cm dilated, 10% effaced. REALLY? I mean, these contractions really HURT. A LOT. Worse than I remembered the 'real' ones from the previous two births. But then, I had been told that pitocin contractions could be more painful than natural ones, so I just grimaced and nodded when the dr. increased my dosage and the contractions came stronger - and by noon, they had gotten faster - barely 3 minutes apart.

Another examination showed slight progress - still only 2cm dilated, but roughly 20% effaced. So at least my cervix seemed to be thinning a little, even if it did not want to open up yet. A nurse asked me if I wanted something for the pain, and I declined - I figured, if this was anything like the first two times, then I was within a few hours of giving birth, and would tough it out. Instead, with contractions 2-3 minutes apart, and another exam showing NO further change in my cervix, my doctor made the decision to send me home. Again. Pitocin was stopped just after 7 PM, and by 8 PM I was at home, crying.

There was a total lunar eclipse two days later (January 20, now four days past my due date) and we videotaped part of it - and videotaped me going into labor....or so we thought. The contractions did not hurt as bad as the pitocin ones, but they were definitely more on the pain side than on the 'discomfort' side. We waited until they had been regular for a couple of hours, and went in again. This was my 3rd visit to labor and delivery in this pregnancy, and each time I was admitted to a different room; this hospital has 5 "LDR" rooms (Labor, Delivery, and Recovery) and I had now been in 3 of the 5.

I waited anxiously to be examined - and was happy to see that the pattern of my contractions was continuing after I was hooked up to the belly monitors. And the exam this time showed......yes, you guessed it: 2cm and 20% effaced. We went home, no longer awed by the remaining effects of the eclipse, just exhausted and disappointed.

Over the next 8 days, I had more contractions, and *almost* went to the hospital 3 more times that week - but by now I was feeling so stupid for not even being able to tell the difference between 'real' labor and 'false' labor, that I was reluctant to GO to the hospital. Finally on a Thursday night, around 8 PM, I was having strong enough contractions, regular enough, that I really knew it was 'real'. In fact, I was so convinced this was it, that I decided to eat really well before going to the hospital (knowing they would not let me eat once I was there). I had made 'enchilada bake' for dinner that evening, so I heated up some leftovers and ate as much as I could, and put a new paperback book into my labor bag to replace the book I had started in the hospital the day of the induction - since I had finished that book already.

We left for the hospital around 10 PM, but stopped on the way to buy magazines for my fiance, and we didn't arrive at the hospital until around 10:45. I was upset to learn that my own OB was not available for the delivery (just like with baby #2) but at least this time the nurses gave up their fight to hook me up to a useless i.v. I may or may not have threatened to go have the baby by myself in the hospital parking lot if they did not "get that needle away from me"!

First exam upon arrival showed me at 4cm and over 60% effaced, and my bag of waters broke during this exam. I laughed at my fiance and told him he wasn't going to have time to read any of those magazines! He found the History Channel on the TV, so he didn't care. He was actually awesome, helping me breathe through the contractions, rubbing my back just like they taught him in the childbirth classes.

At midnight I asked to be checked again for progress, but by the time they got around to it it was almost 1 am, and my contractions were barely 3 minutes apart.

9 cm, 100% effaced.

The nurse who checked me asked me to try pushing against her hand, while she had it inside of me - talk about PAIN! Ouch. I guess the little push that I managed before I screamed in pain was enough to convince her that the baby was coming, and quick. She called for another nurse, who summoned the on-call OB. In moments, the now-familiar flurry of activity as the staff prepped the room for the actual birth was enough to distract me from some very painful contractions.

My first push, around 1:20 AM brought the baby's head within view, but the burning pain kept me from holding that postion, and he slipped ever-so-slightly back up the birth canal. I caught my breath through the rest of that contraction, and when the next one hit a moment later, I pushed through the whole thing - it helped so much to hear the nurses and my fiance counting out the seconds as I pushed. Just when I thought I could not bear the pain, his head popped out. I screamed once, then halfway laughed at the relief from the pressure I had felt seconds before.

In another instant, a contraction gripped me and the doctor told me to push. He guided my newborn son smoothly up onto my belly before we could even count to 3 on that push.

1:25 AM......another PERFECT baby.

2 1/2 hours after I arrived at the hospital.

2 pushes.

and only 12 days after his due date!

My fiance (now husband) wanted to videotape the birth, but the nurses asked him to help hold my right leg back for pushing - so he set the camera on the bedside table (still rolling) and we at least got audio of the birth.

This child (now ten years old) is the one I affectionately call 'Knucklehead' here in blogworld - not to be confused with older brother, 'Bonehead'. And he can't WAIT to be a big brother when baby #4 arrives in September

.....or October, if this one pulls a Knucklehead and comes way late!

(almost) 22 weeks

2010-05-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today I had my OB checkup....everything looks GREAT, but the doc wants to check out a few things based on my way-too-frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. She even hinted at the thing I'm really dreading, possible BEDREST later on.

But for now, all is well. Blood pressure was great, weight still holding (though I am reaching the point in pregnancy when I normally start packing on the pounds) and baby's heart rate was normal - 161.

So cute, he had the hiccups when we listened to his heartbeat! :)

Stay tuned for the next birth stories post, coming soon!

(like, in the next 24 hours, just need to finish typing it)

Birth Stories - part 2

2010-05-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago I posted about my first childbirth experience - if you missed it, you can click here to read it.

This post is the birth story of my son, "Bonehead", now 15 years old.

I had a pretty fantastic second pregnancy - lots of morningsickness for the first 5 months, but everything else was awesome! I was thrilled to learn that I was having a boy, and my 4 1/2 year old daughter was SO excited to become a big sister. She even wanted to be there, in the delivery room to be among the first to welcome him.

One of my closest friends was studying to become a midwife, and really wanted to be there when my son was born - not as a birth attendant, but as a 'witness' and to support me in any way I might need. Since my due date was Thanksgiving Day, we were hoping for an early delivery, allowing my friend to still travel to be with her family for Thanksgiving, without missing my son's birth. She dragged me around to walk for what seemed like HOURS in the days leading up to the due date.

I had three separate 'false alarms' with this one - all false labor, but very convincing. Each time I felt so STUPID for not being able to tell the difference between Braxton-Hicks contractions and the real thing. But even more, each time I was so incredibly disappointed to be heading home STILL PREGNANT, carrying my baby in my belly, instead of in my arms.

Finally, the morning before the due date, I awoke early to go to the bathroom and felt a SMALL trickle of fluid running down my thigh. I didn't think my water had broken - but surely I could not have peed on myself without knowing, could I? I called my doctor's office and left a message with the answering service, and got a call back almost immediately, telling me to go to the hospital. I called ahead to let them know I was on my way, and was in a hospital bed less than 20 minutes later, being strapped to monitors. The nurses used some kind of pH test strip to determine if the fluid leaking out of me was, indeed, amniotic fluid. AFFIRMATIVE. But it was only a tiny bit, a 'high leak', as my OB later told me.

I had a few contractions while on the monitors, but they weren't regular AT ALL, so I was sent home a fourth time to WAIT. My friend was leaving late that night for the holiday weekend, so she was desperate to get me INTO active labor immediately. I had already been warned at the hospital that I needed to deliver the baby within 24 hours, as the risk of infection was going up exponentially with each hour that passed since my water 'broke'. So I didn't argue when she wanted me to walk AGAIN. We went window-shopping, and grocery shopping, and had lunch (she agreed with me that I needed to have a FULL stomach before leaving for the hospital, sine they would not let me eat once I arrived in full labor)

We walked. And walked, and walked. And nothing happened! She finally had to leave for her trip, and I went to bed early, knowing that I would be going in for a pitocin induction early in the morning. I barely slept, and when my alarm went off at 6 AM, I was already dressed and heading out the door, but wasnt feeling fantastic. I was having some pretty good contractions, about 8 minutes apart - but they were all in my low back, so it felt very different from the labor contractions I had had with my daughter almost 5 years earlier.

When I arrived at the hospital, I told the labor and delivery nurses that I was scheduled for induction, but was already having contractions.One of the nurses there had been on duty the night of my most recent false alarm, and she looked at me with a "yeah, right!" expression.

I was examined, and found that I was, indeed, progressing with active labor - 3 cm dilated, and at least 40% effaced! So, no pitocin. :) Unfortunately my own OB was sick, so one of her partners was on-call for her patients that day.

My doctor had promised me that I would not have to deal with the dreaded i.v. (have I mentioned that I HATE needles?) but of course the on-call doctor did not back me up when I tried to tell the nurses that I did NOT need an i.v. Procedure, blah blah blah. The main thing I hated about this was that my mobility was severely limited once I was hooked up, so I didn't walk as much as I could have/should have.

I also could not have the bathtub therapy that worked so well my first time around (even if this hospital offered, it which it did NOT) since my water had already broken.

My sister was my labor coach for this birth. She arrived around 9 AM with my daughter, so we talked, did some puzzles to pass the time, and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. As the contractions worsened, my daughter seemed to get more and more worried/upset, but she was SO sweet about everything.

At about 10:30, I was checked again - 4 cm dilated, 90% effaced. After the exam my contractions seemed to intensify, and by 11:30 I felt the urge to push. I was moaning through the contractions again, and my daughter became frightened - my sister took her to the waiting room where thankfully she was able to leave her with other family members who had gathered in anticipation. I had my 'labor coach' back by my side by 11:45, when the nurses and other staff were busily prepping the room, converting the bed to a delivery table, and summoning the OB.

I could not hold back much longer, as the pressure to push became SO intense. The doctor walked into the room as I was in the middle of a seriously painful contraction, and I was kind of freaking out at this point. He pulled on his gloves and instructed me to push, and I was SO relieved!

With the next contraction I pushed for a count of ten, then took a breath and pushed to another count of ten (my sister was AMAZING helping me, especially considering she had never seen a birth before).

The nurses told me what I good job I was doing, and with the next contraction I was told to push REALLY hard. About 3 seconds into pushing, I felt a burning, tearing sensation, and someone (a nurse? the OB? my sister? not sure) said ,"I can see the head!" so I pushed through - with a loud scream, and out popped my son's head.

Yes, on the second push. The doctor barely had time to angle his little shoulder before his whole body slipped out - WITHOUT any pushing from me!

12:03 PM, perfect little boy.

My daughter missed the actual birth, but in the end that was probably a good thing. It really was more than she could handle, seeing me in so much pain.

The phone beside my bed rang just minutes after the birth - it was the hospital cafeteria calling to ask which dessert I wanted with my 'Thanksgiving Lunch".....pumpkin pie, or chocolate cake? (I was STARVING by this point!) Of course I asked for BOTH, but they made me choose, and pumpkin pie sounded pretty darned good.

It was.

Birth Stories - part 1

2010-05-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

I have so enjoyed reading other women's birth stories lately (and watching all the birth shows on TLC and Discovery) that I have decided to share with you my first three experiences with childbirth - this will be a three-parter, obviously.

Part one is dedicated to my daughter, now almost 20 years old.

When I found out that I was pregnant the first time around, I was urged by family members to give the child up for adoption. As a teen mom, single (but 'in love' with my boyfriend) I pretended to consider this option, but in my heart I knew that I just could not do it. I already loved my baby, and could not picture that an adoptive parent could possibly love her as much as I already did! So I instead studied like mad to learn everything I could possibly find out about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.

*Obviously I am still learning, but that is another story!*

My boyfriend went with me to the 'prepared childbirth' classes, but he basically slept through them. I learned a little about Lamaze, Bradley, and everything in between. Epidurals, breastfeeding, diapering, caring for the umbilical 'stump'....all fascinated me.

I completed the CHSPE to finish high school early....one day before my due date. It was funny, actually - the proctor administering the test was explaining about it being a timed test, no bathroom breaks, etc. (I think the total test was like 2 1/2 or 3 hours long!) and she looked right at my big belly and said, "exceptions can be made in extreme circumstances". And yes, the other students all stared at me. In the end, I finished the test without a potty break and then waddled my way to the bathroom with a HUGE sigh of relief.

I had a checkup 2 days later, and the OB told me that I was dilated to 2 cm and about 10% effaced (just like the previous 2 checkups). In other words, NO PROGRESS. This was already a day after my due date, so I was hoping the dr. would send me to the hospital for induction (yes, I studied up on that, too!) I was so disappointed to be making another appointment to come back the following week, "unless anything happens sooner".

I went home and timed my contractions, hoping for SOME change.....one night that week, I had contractions that got down to 6 minutes apart, and after 5 or 6 of these, I told my boyfriend it was time to go to the hospital. But by the time we had my hospital bag and our shoes, car keys, etc, the contractions had stopped. I was so upset I cried half the night. I was tired of being a heffalump, and I really wanted to hold my baby in my arms!

The next Tuesday, I went back to my OB, and this time she strapped the monitors around my belly to record my contractions and keep track of baby's heart rate. I had a few 'good' contractions, about 12 minutes apart, before she examined me. This time, when she said "2cm and 10% effaced" I wanted to HIT her. Not that it was her fault or anything, but I was now 9 days past my due date! She informed me that she was going to 'stir things up a little' while doing the exam, and then told me to report to the hospital at 6 AM the next morning, if nothing happened overnight.

I tried to sleep that night, really I did! I had more contractions, but none of them seemed regular. It would be, like 12 minutes apart, then 11 minutes, then jump to 20 minutes apart. I got up around 4 AM to go to the bathroom. I felt constipated, and sat there on the toilet for a bit before I realized I was having contractions 4 minutes apart! We raced to the hospital, made the 45 minute drive in just over 30 minutes, and got me checked in and monitored for a bit. The labor nurse confirmed that my contractions were regular and strong, and then she gave me the dreaded exam.....but this time the news was better: 3cm, and 50% effaced! YAY!

I was encouraged to walk to speed things up, so by 6 AM I was cruising the hallways of the labor floor with my boyfriend trying really hard to help - he was sooooo lost after sleeping through those classes! I walked for an hour before the low back pain made me begin to re-think my 'no drugs' birth plan. I waddled my way back to my LDRP room (yes, it was all four in one room - Labor, Delivery. Recovery, AND Postpartum!) and begged the nurse to check me again. This time I was still only dilated 3cm, but was more than 80% effaced.

My water had not broken yet, so the nurse suggested a bath to ease the pain....there were jets in the bathub, and I did NOT want to get out! Of course the water got cool quickly, since it had started out warm - not hot - but I stayed in it until I was pruny. Those low back pains were no match for the water and the jets. The nurse didn't want to check me again so soon, so I waited in the bed, trying to get comfortable, until my OB showed up around 9 AM. My contractions were about 2 minutes apart and really starting to hurt, so I was shocked to hear that in those 2 hours, I had only dilated another centimeter.

The doctor broke my bag of water with a tool that reminded me of a crochet hook, and told me she would be back to check on me "in another hour or two". The first contraction after that exam hurt like hell! This is when I started moaning through the contractions, as if the noise I made could somehow drown out the pain. I remember being shocked at how bad the pain was. I had psyched myself up for this, telling myself for months that I was stronger than this pain could ever be. And suddenly, in that moment, I wasn't. I was ready to cave in and ask for an epidural by 9:15 AM. The contractions seemed to come on top of one another, with no break in between. The nurse asked me if I was sure that I wanted drugs, and I remember yelling "Yes! No! OOOOOOWWWW!".

I did not know it at the time, but I was going through transition already. I literally went from 4 cm to 10 cm in less than 15 minutes, as soon as the water was broken. This was confirmed by a nurse who had just come on shift, and recognized the symptoms of transition. She asked me if I felt like pushing, and I gave her the same "Yes! No! OOOOOOWWWW!" answer that I had given the other nurse when asked about pain killers. This is when she examined me, felt the baby's head crowning, and called for the doctor.

Out of nowhere, staff came rushing in to prep for the delivery. It was a good thing they had this routine down to such a science, because I was, indeed ready to push by the time they separated my bed to make it a delivery table, and set up the warming table for baby, etc. The doctor walked in, clearly surprised that I was already ready to push - hadn't she JUST broken my water herself? Of course, by the time she got there, it had been half an hour since the whole crochet-hook thing.

I remember the intense pressure as the baby's head caused that 'ring of fire' sensation I had read and heard so much about. There was a nurse shouting at me to push, and my boyfriend tried (and failed miserably, at least at first) to hold my leg back. The nurse had my other leg, and I thought for sure she was trying to make me into one of those giant pretzels, with the way she lifted my leg all the way up to my chest. The doctor positioned herself in front of me and told me to push through the next contraction - which hit me just as she was saying this. I pushed, as hard as I could, and in that one push I decided I no longer wanted to get this baby OUT of me. It suddenly seemed better to somehow convince her to go back IN. The nurse who held my leg was so awesome - she saw me ready to give up after, maybe 10 seconds of pushing, and she pointed to a large mirror that had been placed near the foot of my bed-turned-delivery-table.

"Look sweetie, I can see the baby's head! Look at all that hair!"

That nurse was a genius! Or, at least she had been to a few births before, because she knew exactly what was needed of her, and when. The sight of my daughter's head 'peeking' at me was enough to strengthen my resolve, and I pushed as hard as I could, watching in amazement as the little strip of matted hair grew wider and bigger, until suddenly the whole head popped out. I mean, it didn't make a 'pop' sound, but it FELT like a pop! Maybe it did make a pop sound, but no one could hear if over my shreik of pain? I definitely screamed.

So, after pushing through just one contraction, my baby's head was all the way out. The doctor's voice took an urgent tone as she said, "ok, now, DON'T push for a second here..." She deftly grabbed my daughter's head in both hands, worked her fingers down around the neck, and located baby's shoulders, on the verge of ripping me. Yes, I am aware that would have seriously HURT. She turned the baby just a little, angled one tiny shoulder to come out first, and said, "OK, big push now". I pushed and screamed, which got me a dirty look from the nurse, but I didn't care because I saw my daughter slip and PLOP out into the doctor's hands.

Literally on the second contraction that I was 'allowed' to push through.

WOW.

9:40 AM.....about 5 1/2 hours after I first realized I was in labor. No drugs. Just a beautiful, PERFECT baby.

Contractions (!)

2010-05-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

My Braxton Hicks contractions have intensified, but still are not 'painful'. With the extra stress over the past day or two, they've come as frequently as 5 minutes apart (and a couple that seemed to be right on top of each other) but still aren't REGULAR for more than about half an hour at a time.

The thing that worries me about this now - considering I still have 19 weeks to go - is that I don't want to become de-sensitized to these contractions, so that I ignore actual labor until it gets to the point that I don't have time to even GET to the hospital. So even though I know (duh!) that this is not real labor, I am still making myself time them - keeping track on a little notepad. Someone told me "there's an app for that" so I may look into that for my new iPad! LOL

And then I have to make sure that timing them is not going to contribute to even more stress (creating more contractions....)

I don't think I like where this cycle is going.

Maybe I could run away from all the stress instead? I'm thinking a nice relaxing spa resort somewhere, or perhaps a really really really long cruise. *sigh* Unfortunately not an option, but maybe I can still go squeeze in that massage I have been promising myself.

LAST CHANCE! Vote for me (PLEASE!)

2010-05-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, if you enjoyed my entry in Christina's contest please take a second to vote for me! Poll closes tonight (May 14) at 11:59 PM EST.

In the right hand sidebar on Christina's blog, click my title "Deployment (again)" and then click VOTE!

Thanks so much, and I will be back with a new post tomorrow!

VOTE VOTE VOTE!

2010-05-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

OK, over on my other blog, I entered a contest this week, and now I need all my followers to go VOTE FOR ME!

Christina at Married to a Sailor started this great contest for military wives, asking us to write about what it means to us to be military wives.

My competitive nature is coming out in a BIG WAY, now I really really really want to win!

Please be sure to read my entry, and if you don't like it, obviously please don't vote for me. :) But you can vote for more than one, so I hope you at least like mine enough to give me ONE of your votes.

If you LOVE it, I would love a comment at the end to tell me so (in addition to your vote). If you hate it, I don't really want to hear it. Just kidding, I welcome all comments! Unless you comment anonymously......those comments will be deleted - I'm just sayin.

The actual vote is on the sidebar on the right, and my entry is under "Deployment (again)"

THANKS!!!!!!

more cravings (bad mommy!)

2010-05-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

I really DID have a list with me when I went to Costco today, but you wouldn't know it to look at all the crap that I brought home.

My worst purchase:

Yes, I do feel a little ashamed, but I will get over it.

I also bought a bunch more 'convenience' food - junk that we normally don't eat, but since I have already felt somewhat lazy since the deployment started last week, I figure I better at least make sure my kids can eat SOMETHING when I don't feel like cooking. The boys love 'easy mac' so I picked up a case of that - even though it costs more for 18 individual servings than it costs for 15 family-size boxes. Bought some 'cup noodles' too....with zero nutritional value and a whole day's worth of fat per serving. But the boys can make those on their own, so as long as its not every day, I think I will get over that guilt.

Now I just have to remember to walk walk walk walk walk so I can burn off some of the extra red vines calories, and then rest as much as I can so I can continue to maintain my weight and enjoy being pregnant.

(putting the red vines down now.....)

Stalker Mom

2010-05-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last night I posted on my other blog about my daughter, who left home at the age of 17 1/2 and has not spoken to me since. She will be 20 years old in three weeks, and I find myself not only missing her, but being nostalgic about the good ole days, and looking through baby books, scrapbooks, etc.

And stalking her on Facebook.

Okay, not really stalking, per se, I am just checking up on her, want to see how she is doing - make sure she is still ALIVE and all that, you know? So, today I learned that she is doing some small spokesmodel jobs, including some that I would never have included in that category (like being the ring-girl at a big MMA fight). I am proud of her, but also worried - is she making the right choices, is she using her beauty for good and not evil, and most of all, doesn't she look a tad anorexic in these photos?

She always wanted to be a big movie star - if she makes it big, you all will recognize her from these photos (and you can say, "hey I know her mom - the one she refuses to speak to!") Anyway, for your viewing pleasure (and for everyone else's viewing pleasure, since she has plastered these all on FB and on the miss coconuts site and God only KNOWS where else)......

MY BEAUTIFUL 'LITTLE' GIRL

20 weeks (!!!)

2010-05-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

OK so after consulting my calendar (and counting weeks more times than a pregnant brain should be allowed to) I discovered I have been counting weeks WRONG, and instead of being 19 weeks + 2 days, I am actually 20 weeks along. HALF WAY BABY!

Here is a picture of my 20 week baby bump, taken last night after I got all beautified for my girls night out (belated birthday celebration) More pics from last night are on my other blog - click here to see them.

I am still holding at my pre-pregnancy weight, and hoping to maintain that for the next 20 weeks. My appetite seems to be leveling out a little, so as long as I can stay active, I should be OK.

Sleep is still hit-and-miss, but I am getting better at taking naps.

Missing my hubby like crazy, and had some crappy drama with my teenager the other night.....not ready to blog about that yet.

Oh, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all you beatiful mommies out there!

19 weeks

2010-05-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today I am 19 weeks along! No new pics to post, but I will take a 20 week belly pic next week, OK?

I only have a minute to post here, but have a quick question for mommies or mommies-to-be:

Did you buy a Maternity Bthing Suit, or just use bikinis/tankinis?

We are enjoying some beautiful southern california weather and I want to hit the beach/pool with my boys - need to decide which solution makes more sense right now. I don't want to pay a ridiculous amount of money on a maternity bathing suit that I will only wear for one summer, but at the same time, I don't want to buy a cheaper tankini/bikini that won't support my bulging belly and boobs.

Any input or advice?

MOMMY AWARD

2010-05-06T21:19:00.000-07:00

I received this award from he lovely girls at Growing Up Mommies the other day, and have not had a chance to pass it on - so sorry for the delay!

The award rules are to pass it on to as many cool moms as you'd like to, and re-post this article:

When the good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of overtime, when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one." And the Lord said, "Have you read the spec on this one? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; have 180 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that disappears when she stands up; a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair; and six pair of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands...no way."

"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord. “It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."

"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, 'What are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows. Another here, in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't, but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, 'I understand and I love you,' without so much as uttering a word."

"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve gently, "Rest for now. Tomorrow...."

"I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick, can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger, and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of the mother very slowly. "She's too soft," she sighed.

“But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what the mother can do or endure."

"Can she think?"

"Not only think, but she can reason and compromise," said the Creator.

Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you, you were trying to put too much into this model."

"It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear."

"What's it for?"

"It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."

"You're a genius," said the angel.

"The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."

By Erma Bombeck

I would now like to pass this mommy award on to some blogger mommies who are doing the 'single' mom thing like me (and they ROCK at this!)

1. Rachel at A Little Pink In a World of Camo (she's a super STRONG newly widowed Marine Wife, raising her beautiful baby all by herself)

2. Amber at Goodnight Moon (her husband is a deployed Marine, and she juggles everything by herself)

3. Expat Girl at The Sand Is Different Here (she is pregnant and due in a couple weeks with her first baby, and crossing her fingers that her hubby will come home in time to meet their little girl during his leave - and then he has to go back to finish his deployment.)

I know there are a million more mommies who deserve this award, but I will leave that up to these recipients to help pass on. THANKS FOR BEING GREAT MOMMIES, you all inspire me!

switching gears

2010-05-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

OK so I am back to being a single mommy again for awhile.......I HATE THIS PART.

I was stronger for this goodbye than I have ever been - didn't cry last night, even when hubby put his face against my belly and said a sweet goodbye to the baby. Didn't cry this morning until the car was out of sight (hubby's dad drove him to his bus, since it is a couple hours away and I have to work this morning).

Not sure how I am going to WORK, even for a one hour shift, with this big hole in my heart, but I know I now have to begin that process of changing my whole mindset, to become that 'independent' single mom I hate being. I don't mind the independent part, but the lonely SINGLE part I could definitely do without.

I know I can do this, but the whole pregnancy thing - having the baby all by myself - is a new and terrifying twist to the whole deployment nightmare.

Working Girl

2010-05-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

I almost went an entire year without a job - but finally got hired in a very part-time position, just 2 days shy of my one year anniversary since losing my Preschool Director job. I applied for everything I could think of, starting within the child development field and then branching out. I even applied to be a census taker, and literally ACED their stupid exam, but they never called me back. That's when I began considering a life of crime. OK maybe not quite, but I understood every nuance in the term 'desperate for a job'!

So, for two hours a day I work in a field I never imagined I would even seek out. Not that it is 'beneath me'....I just wanted something a little more fulfilling, with a more substantial paycheck.

I started work yesterday.....

As I stood on the street corner for my first shift, I nervously scanned passing cars, deliberately making eye contact with certain drivers.

I thought this would be easy, but there really is a lot to consider.

I wondered if I was dressed appropriately.

And did I bring enough protection?

Hmmm, yep, this should do it. LOL

I'm a CROSSING GUARD, gutter mind! What did you think I was talking about?????

Unfortunately the job will only last about 6 weeks before school is out for the summer, and then I should be able to work another 6 weeks or so before the baby is born. If they will let me WEAR the baby in a sling while I work, I will continue to work after he arrives, but otherwise, that's all she wrote. For awhile.

And then I will have to either find a work-from-home option, or will continue looking for preschool jobs, narrowing my search to programs with on-site infant care so I can take little Thomas to work with me.

I can't imagine leaving an infant in the care of strangers while I go to work - unless I happen to be working in the next ROOM, and can nurse him on my breaks, etc.

I always managed to stay home with my babies until they were at least walking and talking, and then always took them to work WITH me. That's actually how I got into the child development field! I took my kids to preschool and they left me there. But I do love it! I actually miss the classroom, and am hoping to be able to teach three-year-olds again someday.

In the meantime, I will be out there on the street corner for an hour every morning and an hour every afternoon, squeaking out a little spending money. And I will definitely be taking NAPS in between, on a regular basis. :)

S.T.R.E.S.S.

2010-05-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

OK so at 18 weeks, is it normal to have Braxton-Hicks contractions?

They are not regular, and they really don't hurt - just uncomfortable - but they are definitely THERE.

:(

I think the earliest I ever felt them before was maybe around 30 weeks.

But then, I have never been under quite this much STRESS during pregnancy!

Hubby is about to deploy, I am starting a new (PART TIME) job today, and yesterday was my birthday. It was a pretty BLAH birthday, the highlight of which was SLEEPING IN after staying up til 1 AM with hubby helping him sort and pack his gear.

And my house is a DISASTER. I am not a neat freak - by a looong shot - but I do have my limits, and I think I have figured out my clutter tolerance level (reached it and PASSED it sometime yesterday).

I know in a few days things will be much more calm, so I am just doing some more deep breathing (and a little crying, but I can still blame hormones for that, right?).

I'm a little afraid to call the doctor about these contractions, because I don't want to be put on bedrest or anything dramatic like that. My other pregnancies have all been so HEALTHY! But I will be calling just as soon as her office opens, just to make sure this is really nothing - or really just STRESS, I should say.

OOOOOHHHH just had a fantastic idea! I think I can use the stress/contractions as an excuse to get a MASSAGE! MMMMMM I feel better just thinking about it. :)

'vacation'

2010-05-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

We took our little mini-vacation to Disneyland, gone for 2 days......3 days later I am STILL catching up on everything I should have been doing instead of vacation....

So I am not going to have time to blog much for the next few days. I promise to be back, with DAILY posts, before the end of this week.

In the meantime, here is this week's ultrasound picture:

And my latest fun symptom....and thankfully easy cure (pregnancy friendly):

I posted this pic on the deployment blog with some others, but here is my baby bump at 18 weeks (in my shirt with the blog title on it: Does this baby make me look fat?)

I will be back SOON!

Oh, and I want to welcome all my new followers...will be following you back in the next few days!

mil-spouse blog hop BIO

2010-04-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to http://militaryspouserollercoasterride.blogspot.com/ for hosting this MIL SPOUSE BLOG HOP!

If you have found me through this blog hop, thanks so much for stopping by - I hope you enjoy my writings, and if you decide to follow me, please feel free to leave a comment here with your blog address so I can follow you back.

**I accidentally entered THIS blog url into my linky instead of my deployment (again) blog - so I am copying this bio from my other blog.**

So, a little about me:

I have been with my Marine for over 13 years, married for almost eight years. We have only a few precious days left together before he leaves for his third deployment (this time to Afghanistan).

We have one child together, age 10, and we are expecting another in September 2010. I also have two older children, ages 15 and 19.

I love to write/blog, and enjoy baking and crafting - especially cardmaking and scrapbooking. I hate housework, particularly the 'endless' chores like dishes and laundry.

A few years ago we bought our first house, and I LOVE IT! I want to do more to customize it, but of course money is always tight, especially since I lost my Preschool Director job a year ago. Hubby's unit is actually over an hour away from our home, and the commute can take up to 3 hours with traffic - so I am REALLY grateful that he is normally only required to make that particular trip once a month for drill. Active duty and workups, though - WHOLE different story.

I come from a large family, am the fifth of eight children. All of my siblings are married and have kids, so the baby I am carrying will be my parents' 25th grandchild. Unless I have him a few weeks early, in which case my sister's baby will be number 25, mine would then be number 24! I love having my sister live close enough to see her at least once a week or so, and its awesome to be pregnant at the same time.

Please feel free to read my other blog, Deployment (again)

best laid plans....

2010-04-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

With our countdown to hubby's deployment date now in single digits, I am pretty much freaking out.

I may look calm, sitting here licking my ice cream cone (today's craving) while I type one-handed......but on the inside I am so stressed about everything! I'm not READY! I expected to have so many things done by now.....I know the baby won't even BE here for 5 more months, but I really wanted hubby to be invloved in some of the baby prep stuff......like painting the nursery, assembling the crib, you know, all the FUN stuff. (the stuff Mommies tell Daddies is 'fun' so they will help us)

I did pick up paint chips yesterday to find the exact right wall color, but there is simply NO WAY hubby will have a chance to do anything with this before he leaves. I know his sister loves to paint rooms, and has already agreed to come and help me with the nursery, but I am bummed that hubby won't see the magical transformation I am envisioning in the nursery. Sure, he will see the final result, but its just not the same.

So why am I even wasting time worrying about this, when there is obviously NOTHING I can do about it?

Because it takes my mind off the bigger worries. This particular stress is sort of a vacation for my mind.

There are just SO MANY things we haven't had time to do, and now I am frantically budgeting time trying to prioritize what really MUST be done before this baby's daddy leaves. Might be easier if he and I could agree on some of these things, but at the moment our priorities appear to be very different. For instance, in his world, sleep is not optional. In mine, sleep is an absolute luxury, which I have not been able to get much of lately.

But the sleep thing is my own fault, as I am choosing to stress over little stuff (guaranteed to keep you awake, no matter how tired you are!)

I know, I really do need to knock it off. Not good for the baby and all that.

Hence the ice cream cone.

Trying to just RELAX.

And let go of all the 'plans' that must now be scrapped because we are OUT OF TIME.

lick. lick.

*sigh*

17 weeks and counting

2010-04-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had my 17 week checkup. Two great things about this one: my hubby was able to come with me for this appointment, AND all my test results came back NORMAL! The screenings for Down's Syndrome showed a 1 in 63,000 risk (instead of the 1 in 100 risk I thought we were facing).

Oh, and even MORE good news, I don't have to put up with more blood tests until week 24! Of course, at that point, in addition to the dreaded needle, I will also have to endure that nasty glucose drink, on an empty stomach.....and wait at the oh-so-fun lab for a full hour between chugging that crap and offering my weak veins up to the vampires. But I have like 7 full weeks to psych myself up for it! I can totally DO this.

Baby Thomas' heart rate is normal (161 yesterday) and my blood pressure and weight are also fine - I'm holding at 4 lbs UNDER my weight from my first prenatal appointment.

All in all, this week is a good week, pregnancy-wise. I'm healthy and my baby-bump is growing. Pictures coming SOON, I promise.

STRESS

2010-04-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

OK so I did not post here yesterday, and don't have much to say today that I didn't already say in my other blog, http://www.anotherdeployment.blogspot.com/

All I can say is I know that all this stress is NOT good for the baby.

:(

I'm going to go to bed and pretend I've just had a glass of wine to relax.

BABY GEAR QUESTION

2010-04-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

I had a Baby Sling (by NoJo) for my last two babies, and I LOVED it! My boys always wanted to be held, and this was so much easier than the buckle/strap-on-carriers (like a Baby Bjorn, etc).

So, now I am looking for a sling for this baby, but I wonder if I am just being too picky?

The first parameter that my sling MUST meet is that it has to 'fit' me.....I've mentioned in previous posts that I am 100 lbs overweight (Size 22-24 in women's clothing right now, and its NOT because of my baby-bump). So far I am finding slings that are 'One Size Fits Most" (Like the Balboa Sling by Dr. Sears) and I am definitely not sized like 'MOST' people. -OR- I am finding slings designed for different sized parents, (XL, XXL, etc) but they are not adjustable.

So, does anyone know where I can find a PLUS-SIZE, ADJUSTABLE baby sling?
I would like for my husband to be able to use this, too - so adjustable will help with that - and I used the sling in different positions for my other boys, for about 2 years with each!

I know there has been a recent 'recall/warning' regarding these slings, but I know how to use it safely and I really really WANT one!

Am I going to have to buy a custom sling?

no pepper, please!

2010-04-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

I peed my pants laughing today.

I also peed my pants playing basketball with my son last week - and jumping up to grab the phone when it rang the other day.

It's a pregnancy thing.

But the worst times, really, are when I SNEEZE. Even if I *JUST* went to the bathroom, I can still somehow wet myself every time I sneeze! I did not have this problem with my first 3 pregnancies, but I was of course MUCH younger then.

So, in addition to all the smells I am suddenly VERY sensitive to, I find that pepper is my enemy. And my laundry's enemy. I can't even COOK with pepper now!

So, please, HOLD the pepper, because I can't hold my bladder any more.

I'm going to go do some Kegel exercises while I watch a little T.V.

Magic tricks.....

2010-04-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

I can't pull a rabbit out of a hat, but I can make this disappear:

Who knew? I am multi-talented!

Apparently this baby likes desserts containing fruit, because those are the only sweets I have been craving (well, I was really craving cheesecake for awhile, but that's because I need more CALCIUM, right?)

I can't believe I am not gaining weight eating like this.

mood swings and tears

2010-04-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

WOW.

Have you seen that really sweet AT&T commercial, the one with the flashback montage? It shows a couple watching proudly as their son is being sworn in as the President of the U.S. and then it flashes back to scenes from the boy's childhood, then mommy's baby belly, then flashes all the way back to when the couple first met at a subway station, with the assistance of an AT&T phone - then it says something cheesy like "Because any moment could be THE moment".

Yup, I cried when I saw that commercial last night.

This is my fourth pregnancy, and I have also struggled with clinical depression for almost a decade now, and I have NEVER had such crazy mood swings! I've never been this hormonal/emotional in my life.

I just keep stopping and shaking my head, thinking, "I can't believe I cried about THAT!" or even, "how could I laugh at THAT?!"

I am not yet even 16 weeks along - does this mean I have 24 more weeks of this nonsense? YIKES.

something old, something new?

2010-04-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

Today was a long and frustrating day. I had to get blood drawn for the 2nd trimester prenatal screening, and I HATE needles. The lab was ridiculously crowded when I got there, but at least the line moved pretty quickly. Not that I was really in a hurry to get to my turn - have I mentioned that I HATE needles? *sigh* I sucked it up and didn't even cry (well, not REALLY) and when I left I was on a mission....

Yesterday I finally found the bedding set I want for baby's room, and I added it to my baby registry via the store's website. I decided to go buy a window valance that goes with the set, to use as a fabric sample when I go look at paint chips and ribbon {I really wanted to do a chair rail in the nursery, and then found a cool idea on another blog - I am going to use beautiful grosgrain ribbon on the wall to create the line I want, and since it goes on with liquid starch, I can remove it easily later on if I want to change anything}. I got really excited last night when I found the exact same bedding set on Target.com, because I have a Target gift card that I can use to buy the window valance!

So, I left the vampire's lair - I mean LAB - to go find my new valance at Target. Imagine my disappointment when I arrived at Target and learned that they don't carry that bedding set IN the store, it is online only. So I made plans to go later in the day to the actual store where I am registered, willing to just pay cash for this little curtain, just so I won't have to WAIT for it to be shipped.

I had to kind of rush home to meet my sister and her kids, who were coming over to get a look at little Thomas' ultrasound pictures from the other day. Her kids are 2 and 4, and are SO adorable! We got to chat and visit a little, and I showed her my ideas for the baby's room. She already has her nursery basically DONE, since her 2 year old is going to simply move to the guest room and her new little one (due right before mine) will inherit the nursery. I even got inspired and started pulling bags of baby clothes out of the closet to sort through and see what (if anything) I will really need to BUY for Thomas. I've had those clothes in there for awhile, and was putting off going through them until we knew if we were having a boy or a girl, so I am excited to finally be going through all this adorable stuff - some dating as far back as my own 10 year old. Oooooh, the memories that brings out! I love hand-me-down baby clothes anyway, because they grow so fast it is just a total WASTE of money to buy new baby clothes.

After my sister left, I loaded up all the empty recyclable bottles and cans to turn in for my 'refund' (here in CA you pay the redemption value like a tax whenever you buy soda, bottled water, etc and the only way to get it back is to actually RECYCLE everything). Another looooong line at the recycling center, YAY. I don't want to go off on too much of a tangent here, but this is a major pet peeve of mine: the recycle centers are few and far between, and with VERY limited hours, so there is always a LONG LINE. They force us to recycle, then they make it nearly impossible! Seriously, the center I go to is only open from 10:30 to 4:00 with a half hour closure for lunch, and only 5 days a week! Anyway, sorry, that's enough of that rant.

Recycling done, I headed to the baby store to buy my curtain, only to find out that THEY also only carry it online. I debated changing my registry, choosing a bedding set from the in-store patterns, but already can picture the nursery all done, with the grosgrain ribbon and everything.....so I went home, all bummed. I ordered it online, so now I have to wait 7 to 10 days for the curtain to even arrive. I hate waiting almost as much as I hate needles. But wait I will, because this bedding is PERFECT. And THEN I can go look at *NEW* paint and *NEW* ribbon, and maybe some other *NEW* things for my new baby.