The Birth Story

My due date was April 18th, but I had a feeling I would go overdue. Emme was also due the 18th and she was born on the 21st, so I just had a feeling this boy would be late as well. We set an induction for Monday, April 21st just to be cautious. For weeks leading up to that day, I'd get calls and texts from everyone I knew asking if I was having any contractions or signs of labor. Nope! So sure enough, I was still pregnant on the 21st and I had to be induced.

The hospital called me that morning and told us to be to labor & delivery by 7:00 AM. We hustled to shower and pack the last of our toiletries and headed to the hospital. We got checked in, assigned a room, and we took one last belly pic before the action started. I threw on a gown, hopped on the bed and began answering the lengthy medical history questions the nurses always ask you. It turns out our labor & delivery nurse, Linda, was the same one who "delivered" Henry! We absolutely loved her then. This was to be my first birth without my mom by my side and I was a little nervous. When Linda was assigned to be my nurse again, I just had a feeling it was going to be a good day. She also had a training nurse with her who was learning for the day. She asked if she could put my IV in for the first time ever, and I thought, why not? I'm about to push out a baby, there's no way the IV could be worse than that. Luckily, aside from getting blood all over the bed & floor, she did pretty good!

By the time they finally got a bag of IV fluid in me and started pitocin, it was probably 9:30 or so. I started out at 2 cm and 70% effaced, so I figured we had some time to sit & relax. Chris turned on the TV and we browsed facebook on our phones while we chatted and hung out. At about 11:00 AM they wanted to break my water so I asked for an epidural, because I know that I go pretty fast once my water breaks. Once my epidural was put in they checked me and I was at about a 3. We continued to hang out and veg, and at about noon they checked me and I was only at 4 cm. I was a little bit disappointed, thinking, huh, that's weird. I went faster than this last time! So I sent Chris to get some lunch because I figured we had a while.

He came back and hopped on the couch next to my bed. We turned on Judge Judy on the TV (it was literally the only thing on), and Chris closed his eyes to take a snooze. I began to get irritated with the show and a little restless. I was feeling uncomfortable, and I started to feel some of the contractions right down the center of my belly. I picked up the epidural remote and clicked the button to give me an extra dose. Then I tried changing the channel on the TV but I was too restless to watch anything, so I finally turned it off. About that time I started to get the shakes. I figured I was transitioning (about 7 cm) and that's why I was shaking. I leaned back in the bed and tried to relax all the muscles in my body to slow the shakes down, but I was really starting to hurt right in the center of my belly where I could feel my contractions.

It was about 2:00 by now. About that time, Linda walked in to check on something and noticed me shaking. She said, are you feeling okay? I told her not really. She said, would you like me to check you? And I told her yes. She put on a glove, checked me and said, well you're complete! No wonder you don't feel good! She sped into high gear calling the doctor and setting up the bed for delivery. I nudged Chris to sit up, because it was time to have a baby.

I was still in a fair amount of pain at this point, and Chris stood up at the bed and held my hand while we waited for the doctor to be all ready. I asked them to pull the mirror down so I could watch because I had watched with Henry and thought it was amazing. Soon the doctor had her gear and gloves on and was sitting on her stool at the end of the bed. She smiled and said, let's push on the next contraction!

As soon as the contraction started, I took a deep breath and gave a push, and there he was! His head came out with one push and the doctor told me to stop while she unwrapped the cord and sucked out his mouth. Then she had me push again on the same contraction to get his shoulders out. Wowsa, his shoulders were broad! I felt those a little. On that second push out came his shoulders and the rest of his slippery little body, and there he was! My beautiful baby boy! They put him right on my chest and rubbed him down. He was so beautiful I could hardly believe it, and calm and mellow. He let me just snuggle and kiss him for a few minutes. When they finally took him over to the scale to measure & weigh him, they were in shock. He was 9 lbs 3 oz, 21 inches long, and his head was enormous (can't remember the measurement). He was a big boy, born at 2:25 PM.

I feel so blessed to have three beautiful, healthy children. It's such a miracle to have babies, with all the things that have to happen right in order for them to grow and be born. It's such a beautiful miracle, and I thank Heavenly Father every day for my three sweet babies!

38 Week Belly Pic

The Birth Story

{39 week belly pic. Go HERE to see my 39 week pic with Emme.}

At my last doctor's appointment on Thursday the 18th, I was still 1.5cm dilated and 70% effaced, so my doctor went ahead and stripped my membranes in hopes of moving things along before my induction. On Friday I lost my mucus plug (TMI) and had a few contractions throughout the day. That night we dropped Emme off at my inlaws and Chris and saw a movie for one last date night. During the movie I had two or three hefty contractions. I also got woken up by a few really strong ones during the night that night as I slept. I was hoping that these contractions were making some progress! My biggest fear was that being induced would try to force the baby before my body was ready and I didn't want to do that....but I also didn't want a baby with a giant head to tear my body in half again. I felt like we were treading a fine line.

On Saturday, the 21st we got called into the hospital at about 6:20 am for my induction. Chris and I got there around 7:20 and walked into a rather quiet hospital. They'd had a ton of action the day before due to the storm, but that day was rather quiet and I was the only scheduled induction for the day. Hooray! I saw lots of one-on-one attention from the nurses in our future.

They had me change into a gown (but not before I made Chris snap one last belly pic) and got my IV started with pitosin. When they did my initial cervix check before the pitosin, I was at a 2.5cm and 90%, so those contractions from the day before had been making some change. Yay! We decided to wait to call my mom for a few hours, since it could be a long day. Chris and I watched a movie, read news on the ipad and lounged for a good while. I was having contractions 2 minutes apart, but they were easy to take and I had no trouble laughing at the movie right through them. I was feeling them in my lower belly and the tops of my thighs, which was VERY different from the way I felt contractions with Emme in my back (since she was posterior). I had decided I wanted to brave the contractions as long as I could, because I knew with Emme my progress slowed considerably after my epidural. I felt it would be better for myself and for the baby to let my body progress naturally for as long as I could take it.


At about 11:00 am the doctor arrived and decided to check me and break my water. I was only at 3.5cm. Since I was her only delivery for the day, she headed home and gave the nurses instruction to call her when I was complete. Immediately after they broke my water, my contractions got really intense. They stayed 2 minutes apart, but I had to close my eyes and breathe through them. My mom arrived shortly after they broke my water, and it was such a relief to have her there. She helped remind me to breathe and Chris rubbed my legs and let me squeeze his hand.

At about noon I requested the epidural. The contractions were getting painful and I was beginning to get the shakes. By the time the anesthesiologist got in there and did his thing, it was about 12:30 and I was at 7cm. Relief! I could still feel the contractions under my rear (weird), but nothing in my belly. We watched the monitor for a few minutes and my contractions started to plateau, indicating I was in transition. We sent Chris and then my mom off to get some lunch at the cafeteria, to make sure they got fed before the action started.

About 30 minutes after the epidural, the nurse checked me and I was at 10cm. My mom was still in the cafeteria so we texted her to come back when she was done and we waited for her while the nurses prepped the room. They called the doctor and told her I was complete. Given the fact that I pushed for 4 hours with the last one, the doctor told the nurses to have me give a few practice pushes and to call her when the baby was close. They got the room all set up, handed Chris one leg and a nurse the other and instructed me to push when a contraction came. After one push the nurse held up her hand, smiled and said, "That's great, honey, don't push any more! I'm going to call the doctor."

About 30 minutes later the doctor arrived, prepped and ready to catch. After about 4 pushes, Henry George Spencer entered the world at 2:35 pm, right as it started to snow. It was peaceful and calm and beautiful. They laid him on my chest as they rubbed him down and wiped him off. I never got to have that experience with Emme. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. It was so miraculous!



We hugged and kissed and cuddled him for a good long while before they finally took him to be weighed & measured. He was 7 lbs, 14 oz and 21 inches of chubby perfection.


On the way up to recovery, Chris and I thanked our labor & delivery nurses, who were amazing. I told the nurse if all my deliveries could be like that, I would have 10 more! Chris got wide eyes and started to shake his head. :) All in all, the second time around couldn't have been more opposite of the first. I only had one small stitch, and I was up and around and dressed & moving within 24 hours. (With Emme, I literally couldn't stand up straight for three days.) Henry is a champion nurser and sleeper, and such a content baby so far. We are just eating up every moment of his precious existence.

Plus, his awesome timing made for fun birthdays for our family so far:

Annalisa - October 21st
Emmeline - November 21st
Chris- December 21st
Henry - January 21st

We love you, Henry George Spencer! Welcome to our family!

38 Week Belly Pic & The Nursery

{Click HERE to see my 38 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 38w3d (picture taken at 38w0d)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Juice and poultry (as opposed to beef, which I usually crave)
Weight gain: +35 lbs (watch this number climb like mad - I always pack it on right at the end)
Best moment this week: Finishing Emme's big girl bedding! This baby can officially come at any time now.
Worst moment this week: Oh my aching hips & pelvis!
Belly button in or out: Out
Labor signs: Still 1.5 cm, 70% effaced and at a -2 station. A few contractions here and there, but I feel them low in my belly and in the tops of my thighs -- totally different than with Emme. So maybe baby brother won't be posterior like she was?
What I miss: Sleeping.
What I'm looking forward to: Snuggling & smelling a newborn. I can't wait to cuddle this baby!

I'm starting to get a little apprehensive about having a newborn around again. As a toddler, Emme is just so portable and I love it! She sleeps great, has a good schedule and can climb into the car all by herself. How the crap am I going to go anywhere with TWO kids? I don't look forward to dragging that giant infant carseat around all over the place again, but on the other hand I love that newborns sleep a lot and are so easy to take places. At least I won't have to bribe him with fruit snacks while we're at the grocery store?

I'm so excited to have him here, and so eager to have a smoother labor & delivery than last time. They're supposed to call us Friday night and tell us what time to come in Saturday morning for the induction. Then once I get there, they told me I can have the epidural before they even start pitocin, so there's a possibility of never feeling a single contraction. Holy crap, that's going to be so different than last time. It almost feels like cheating! Last time I labored all through the night, but this time it will be daytime, so I realized we should probably bring something to do to pass the time? I have a baby name book (since this baby is still nameless), and some DVD's. Any other suggestions? I also thought we could quiz my mom on her Spanish verbs (more on that later).

In other news, baby brother's room is all ready! He hasn't got much on the wall because I'd like to do a vinyl decal or monogram, but we need to pick a name first. He also doesn't have any curtains because the ones I had picked I decided didn't match close enough so I took them back. I've found a new set, I just need to order them. Oh well. But he's got a bed, an awesome chair that I'm in love with (it rocks AND reclines!) and everything else I can think of. His diaper bag is all packed and my hospital bag is half-packed, so we're more or less good to go.


We've even got a blue little bear for him in his crib. It was a gift from Emme to baby brother so that we can take pictures of him with it in his chair every month. Emme loves to hold it and sit on the chair and talk about baby brother. She's very excited for him to arrive.

{What crib would be complete without beaver-teeth marks from big sister?}

Can't wait for you to get here, little one!

{Yes, baby brother has a U in his window. We indoctrinate early.}

37 Week Belly Pic

{Click HERE to see my 37 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 37w4d (picture taken at 36w2d)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Chicken sandwiches
Weight gain: +34 lbs (watch this number climb like mad - I always pack it on right at the end)
Best moment this week: A sweet twenty-something-year-old cashier at Sam's Club told me I was the cutest pregnant woman she'd ever seen. Probably not true, but it made my day.
Worst moment this week: I can tell baby brother has dropped some more this week. My hips fall asleep and tingle at night, and my pelvis aches when I walk! All good signs, though. The end is near!
Belly button in or out: Out
Labor signs: At 36 weeks I was 1 cm and 50% effaced, but baby brother was floating "high as a kite." At my 37 week appointment all was the same except baby brother is now at a -3 station.
What I miss: Sleeping without my hips aching!
What I'm looking forward to: I'm officially scheduled for induction on January 21st! That means we'll have October 21st (Annalisa), November 21st (Emmeline), December 21st (Chris) and January 21st (baby brother) birthdays in our family. Crazy.

We've got Emme all moved into her big girl bed and the nursery furniture in baby brother's room all ready to go. Emme still hasn't figured out that she can get down from her bed as she pleases, so when she wakes up she simply calls for me. Shhh! Don't tell her yet! It's so nice!

I got all of baby brother's clothes washed this week, his bed is made, his carseat & bundle me are out, and I've got a suitcase laid out on the floor of his bedroom that is slowly filling with my hospital needs. It feels so good to get those things done! Sigh of relief.

I'm still working on sewing Emme's big girl duvet cover, which is taking me much longer than I thought it would. Go figure. So baby brother's got to stay put for a little while longer while I get that done.

And any name suggestions would be welcomed! This baby is still nameless!

34 Week Belly Pic

{Click HERE to see my 34 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 34w3d (picture taken at 34w0d)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Juice
Weight gain: +25 lbs (watch this number climb like mad - I always pack it on right at the end)
Best moment this week: Had a preggo massage last week and it was uh-mazing.
Worst moment this week: Trying to cut my toenails.
Belly button in or out: Out
Labor signs: None. I have a feeling he's staying put!
What I miss: Laying on my stomach.
What I'm looking forward to: We're beginning the bedroom/furniture swap to make way for a nursery this week! Super excited about that. It only took us ~35 weeks to get our butts in gear. Prompt == us.

In other news, week 34 is right about when the serious swelling really began for me last time I was pregnant. But to my surprise, my wedding ring still fits fantastically and my cankles don't look all that bad! I am wearing wide shoes, but they still feel roomy to me -- unlike last time when I felt like they were going to bust wide open when I stuffed my foot in. So all in all, I feel like I'm doing much better with swelling this time around. Score one for baby number two!

32 Week Belly Pic

{Click HERE to see my 32 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 32w4d (picture taken at 32w2d)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Carbs
Weight gain: +20 lbs
Best moment this week: The doctor told me if we wanted this baby here on the 21st of January she'd make it happen. Woot, woot! That means we'll have October, November, December and January birthdays all on the 21st. (But I have a feeling baby #3 won't be quite so lucky, poor thing.)
Worst moment this week: I've somehow pinched my sciatic nerve on one side, so I'm walking with an awesome limp some days. Awesome!
Belly button in or out: Out
Labor signs: None, but Baby Brother is now head-down. (Emme turned head-down at 27 weeks.)
What I miss: Sushi. Oh how I need some sushi.
What I'm looking forward to: Finishing my Christmas shopping. Sooooo close to being done! Then I get to focus on finishing up Emme's big girl bedding & swapping bedrooms to create a nursery for Baby Brother.

30 Week Belly Pic

{Click HERE to see my 30 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 30w2d
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Bagels
Weight gain: +17 lbs
Best moment this week: After reading the results of my gestational diabetes test, my doctor told me my counts were so low that I have her permission to finish off Emme's Halloween candy stash and eat as much sugar as I please. Booya! :)
Another best moment this week: We were looking at a book of all of my belly pics from Emme and I stood up and asked Chris to compare my belly to the coordinating photo from before. He told me I looked the exact same, bless him. Even though I feel way bigger!
Worst moment this week: Trying to decide which was the lesser of two evils on Sunday morning -- wearing maternity pantyhose (heaven help me) or having to bend down and shave my legs. Ugh!
Belly button in or out: Out. It even grosses Emme out these days. ("What's that?" Like she doesn't even recognize it.)
Labor signs: None. And baby brother is still transverse. (Emme turned head-down at 27 weeks.)
What I miss: Sushi.
What I'm looking forward to: The holidays! I think they are going to absolutely fly by before I even know it.

27 Week Belly Pic

{Click HERE to see my 28 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 27w0d (26w5d in this picture)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: McDonalds for breakfast. And I'm hungry at night like crazy.
Weight gain: +15 lbs
Best moment this week: Emme asks me to sing her a song in baby brother's chair (which is in her room temporarily until baby brother's room is set up) before she goes to bed each night. It's very sweet.
Belly button in or out: Out. Happened about 4 weeks earlier than last time. Sheesh!
Labor signs: Braxton Hicks here and there.
What I miss: Being able to put my socks on comfortably
What I'm looking forward to: Halloween & the holidays! Emme and I have been having so much fun at Spookapalooza, Boo at the Zoo, fun library events, etc. I love this time of year!

23 Week Belly Pic

It's about time, no?

{Click HERE to see my 21 week pic with Emme}

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 23w2d (21w2d in this picture)
Gender: Boy
Current Cravings: Nothing. Not even junk. (Which is so unlike me.) But yet I'm hungry all the time.
Weight gain: +7 lbs
Best moment this week: Staying up late one night and it made me so tired I slept all through the night without having to get up and go to the bathroom! Bliss. Oh, and having to add THIS to my wardrobe. About 6 weeks earlier than last time around. Ugh, not so blissful.
Belly button in or out: In
Labor signs: Zilch
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach
What I'm looking forward to: Getting the nursery set up (which means swapping Emme's crib furniture into the new nursery and getting her a big-girl bed).

Once the morning sickness finally left, I've been feeling so good. I'm just itching to clean-clean-clean. Probably because nothing got cleaned for like 3 months while I laid on the couch. So there is much to do.

Emme is going to be the sweetest big sister, I can already tell. She talks about the "baby brover" in mama's tummy all the time. We've already discussed how she wants to give baby brother her crib when he comes so she can have a big girl bed, and also how she's going to give baby brother her diapers when he comes so she can have her (my little) pony panties. What a sweetheart.

We bought a chair for the nursery a few weeks ago and it's set up in Emme's room while we get the nursery next door ready for it. Every morning when I get her out of the crib she points to brother's chair and talks about it. She calls it pretty and wants to sit on it all the time.

Perhaps the funniest part of Emme's association with brother is where exactly he is inside mama right now. If I ask her to point to baby brother, she walks over and pokes my boob. Um, not quite, but my family thinks it's hilarious! My neighbor pointed out that right now, those are still bigger than my stomach, so maybe it's confusing to her? Lets hope she gets the hang of it as baby brother grows!

39 Week Belly Pic

Pink goes with red, right?


Only if you're 9 months pregnant and you have one pair of flats that barely fits your swollen feet (and they happen to be red) and you've exhausted your supply of maternity shirts that go with red shoes (and still cover your belly) by going to showers in the last week or so.

So yeah, pink goes with red today.

In other news, lots of people have been dying to hear the name we've chosen and see the final nursery pictures! We have chosen a name and we have put it up on the wall in the nursery, which is finally finished! But you're going to have to have patience, people. I've gotta have something to blog about next week while I twiddle my thumbs and wait for this baby to make her appearance, right?


Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 39w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Milky Ways and rootbeer
Weight gain: +35 lbs
Worst moment this week: Finding out I'm still not dilated at all. :( And the bad news about Michelley's knee was even worse.
Best moment this week #1: Had a girls night with Jules on Saturday and got a makeover. Nothing better than having someone do your makeup for you! It was delightful.
Best moment this week #2: Got to see the Bambina via ultrasound again this week!
Funniest moment this week: I stumbled across a website having a sale on Twilight paraphernalia. I excitedly bought myself a t-shirt...and then realized later that, duh, I actually need a maternity Twilight t-shirt! I'm so excited to not be pregnant anymore that I forgot I was still pregnant. (I guess I'll let Jules & Amy fight over who gets to wear it to the premeire...)
Belly button in or out: Out.
Labor signs: 80% effaced and at a -2 station.
What I miss: Driving a car comfortably.
What I'm looking forward to: Only 1 more day of work! I've got tons of crafty projects lined up next week to keep me occupied.


At the non-stress test on Tuesday, the technician was measuring my amniotic fluid levels with the ultrasound machine when she moved the wand down by the baby's face and exclaimed, "oh, look at her cute pouty lips!" She couldn't get over how cute the baby's lips are, and just kept showing them to me over and over. This girl's definitely got her mama's lips!

It was really fun to get to see her face, because she's always had her hand in the way before. (The rogue hand was still there, just by the side of her face this time.) She printed me a picture, which blurred a little when she froze the machine. But I drew a diagram over it so you can see what you're looking at. Hopefully it helps you view it, because it's stinkin' cute!

{This is how her face is situated in the photo}

{The Bambina has her mama's lips.}

Everytime I go for an ultrasound, Chris reminds me "have them check to make sure it's still a girl!" He's got this paranoid nightmare that she's going to surprise us come out a boy and that we'll force him to wear all these pink clothes because, gosh darn it, they were expensive!

The technician checked for me this week...and she's still a girl. :)

38 Week Belly Pic

I've come up with a list of positives to being induced ten days late if this baby doesn't come on her own. We're looking on the bright side here, right?

Why November 27th Could Be A Good Thing
1. I can go see New Moon!
2. I might actually get to finish crocheting this last blanket for the Bambina.
3. I'll get an extra ten days to wear Crocs wherever I want (including church) because "I'm pregnant."
4. More time to make lots of giant, obnoxious bows and spend all of Chris's money on adorable pink things! (That one's for you, Chris.)
5. I'll still be able to "eat for two" on Thanksgiving.
6. I won't have to worry about buying any newborn size outfits because she'll come out toddler-sized already.
7. I can get up the day after Thanksgiving and still have time to hit the Black Friday sales at Target before I head to the hospital!

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 38w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Sausage McMuffin with egg and rootbeer (...but not at the same time.)
Weight gain: +32 lbs
Worst moment this week: Cleaning and organizing my office in preparation for being gone for 12 weeks. It feels like something died in me! I hate change.
Best moment this week: Staying home on Halloween (while Chris was at the U game), passing out candy and catching up on all my Thank You notes!
Funniest moment this week: Trying to get Chris to take my 38 week belly pic. (See below...)
Belly button in or out: Out.
Labor signs: Still 50% effaced and at a -2 station.
What I miss: I miss work already.
What I'm looking forward to: Only 6 more days of work! (How can I miss it and look forward to being done with it at the same time? No idea.)


Funniest Moment This Week
Last night I came home from work and asked Chris to take my picture, like we do every Wednesday. He snaps 3 really quickly so he can head back to the couch without missing too much of his show. I decide to check them out before I turn the camera off and put it away.

Not a single picture was in focus.

I ask him to come back in and take a few more because they were all out of focus, and he grumbles and grumbles. Then he snaps a few more.

Still all out of focus.

I tried to explain to Chris that he must be moving his hand while he's pressing the button, causing my face to be out of focus on all of the pictures. (Our camera even has image stabilization, for Pete's sake!)

Chris's response? "It's not my fault your face shakes while I take your picture."

{Me "shaking my face."}

37 Week Belly Pic (...it's a long one!)

I went in for my routine 37 week checkup on Tuesday (I'm loving this every week appointment thing!) and there's no more action going on down there than last week. Everything looked good except that my growth has slowed a lot in the last few weeks. The doctor couldn't tell if it was because the baby had dropped, or if her growth really had slowed. So she sent me downstairs for an ultrasound. (Yipee!)

They got me right in because we have a friend that works in the high-risk OB's office where they do the ultrasounds. It helps to calm your nerves when the technician is a friendly face! Plus Chris wasn't with me at this appointment, because I thought I'd be in and out in 20 minutes.

The ultrasound went well and we got some cute profile pictures of the baby, and the whole thing on DVD to show to Chris since he missed it (thanks, Janeal!). We tried again to get a 4-D picture but the stubborn little thing always has her hand up by her face! (I have a feeling she's gonna hate me when I try to swaddle it down later.)

When the doctor came in to verify everything on the scan, he noticed a little bit of fluid around her heart. He double checked the blood flow rates in her brain, liver, umbilical cord, etc and said everything looked normal. If we hadn't had a scan that day, we probably never would have known or cared that the fluid was present, but he sent me to have a non-stress test just to make sure the baby's movement and heart rate were good. (And I get to have one every week from now on!)

I went across the hall and hopped up on the cushy bed for the non-stress test. Why did no one tell me that's where all the comfy beds are? Seriously. Suzy hooked me up to the machines and showed me the baby's heart rate and the contraction monitor. As she was hooking up the monitors she felt my stomach and said, "Oh, you have sort of a tight stomach." As soon as the monitor popped up on the screen, she could see why. On the scale from 0 to 100, my uterus is constantly at 25, so I'm basically having tightening in my uterus at all times (she called it "fluttering").

Fantastic. No wonder I'm so uncomfortable!

Until this point, I wasn't entirely sure I knew what a contraction felt like. After Suzy left the room I was laying there on the bed staring at the ceiling by myself. I started to feel my stomach get tight right by my belly button. It started to spread and get tighter and tighter, and my back started to hurt. I looked over at the monitor and saw that it was climbing straight up!

{The proof that I now know what a contraction feels like.}

I watched it climb and climb and I started thinking to myself, "Oh my gosh, I'm having a contraction! Maybe I should be using my breathing techniques!" So I started breathing, but it hurt so bad I began looking around the room in panic for someone to yell at. I almost wanted to yell for the nurse! Then finally it peaked and started to lessen.

When Suzy came back in the room I told her "I just had a big contraction!" She looked at the monitor and said "You did! Good girl, those are the ones we like!"

So now, like it or not, I know what a contraction feels like.

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 37w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Apples dipped in caramel.
Weight gain: +30 lbs
Worst moment this week: Going to an appointment without Chris.
Best moment this week: Getting to see the Bambina again!
Funniest moment this week: I put on my one-piece footed sleeper (it still fits!), clipped on one of the Bambina's binkies, put my hair in pigtails and went to the Spencer Halloween party as a baby.
Belly button in or out: Out.
Labor signs: 50% effaced, baby's at a -2 station.
What I miss: Being able to bend my fingers and wrists. I feel like I have arthritis!
What I'm looking forward to: Getting to see the Bambina every week during the NST with my appointments from now til showtime.

{The Bambina's cute little profile! Please don't let that head get any bigger.}

{The cute little arm that's always by her face.}

36 Week Belly Pic

I went to the doctor on Tuesday for my 36-week checkup and everything's looking good! Weight is good, blood pressure is good, life is good. Thanks to everyone who's helped me do more sitting still in the evenings, especially Chris. I love you all!

The morning of my checkup as I was walking up the stairs to work, my thighs were literally kicking my stomach with every step. (So weird.) I told the doctor I could tell the baby had dropped and when she checked me she said "Woah, she has dropped!" And then told me she's at a -2 station, so she's waaaaay down there.

No wonder I can't cross my legs like a lady anymore.

No wonder I also can't wear pants (comfortably) anymore. If I pull them up to where they need to be, they cut across my stomach something fierce. So now they're always sagging and uncomfortable.

Skirts here we come.

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 36w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Blue cheese bacon burgers and cheese fries
Weight gain: +28 lbs
Worst moment this week: One day this week I got home from work and both of my pairs of preggo lounge pants were in the wash at the same time. I almost cried.
Best moment this week: Hanging the curtains in the nursery, and purchasing the final touches for the walls. It's so close to being done!
Funniest moment this week: Trying to jump in order to see what was on a high shelf in the closet. My feet may or may not have actually left the ground.
Belly button in or out: Out!
Labor signs: 50% effaced and baby's at a -2 station.
What I miss: Being able to roll in the night without waking up to do it.
What I'm looking forward to: Two baby showers this week and doctor's appointments every week from now until showtime!

35 Week Belly Pic

I walked in the door to Young Women's on Wednesday night and had one of the other leaders come up to me and say, "Woah, you look like you're about to pop!"

I laughed it off and said yeah, just 5 more weeks, we're getting there! Her response was again, "No, but really, you look like you're about to pop!"

Seriously? Do we ever need to say this to a pregnant woman, even if she does look like she's about to pop? Seriously.


Lately I've been having trouble estimating the extent of my girth. For example, I'll step out of the shower or the car, and step away enough that I think I can swing the door shut. Inevitably, I swing said door shut and it whacks my belly good as it goes past. This literally happens at least once a day.


Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 35w2d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Candy corn
Weight gain: +27 lbs
Worst moment this week: Trying to sit still in the evenings.
Best moment this week: Getting our new camera!
Funniest moment this week: Trying to crawl under my desk at work to plug in a cable behind my computer tower. Wow. Made me feel huge.
Belly button in or out: Out!
Labor signs: She's dropped a bit. (I can breathe!)
What I miss: Sleeping through the night. But I suppose I should get used to this, huh?
What I'm looking forward to: Finishing crocheting the Bambina's blankets


In other news, Chris and I bought a new camera this week! It's nothing fancy, just a little reliable point and shoot, but I've been trying to save for it for a long time. Our old camera was getting pretty bad, and the flash was terrible for indoor pictures. It's done the job until now because the only thing I take pictures of consistently are my shopping trips. With this baby's arrival being so close, I've been feeling a little bit of panic in my throat. I didn't want her to come until we had a camera that could do her arrival justice.

So now I can breathe a little bit.

{Chris and I, loving the new camera}

34 Week Belly Pic

Alternate title: Let The Swelling Begin

I sat on the table with my feet dangling over the edge, waiting for the doctor at my 34 week checkup this wee. I kicked my shoes off like usual because, let's face it, no shoes right now are comfortable on my ever-expanding feet.

The doctor walked in the room, took one look at my sausage feet and said, "oh, dear." She also informed me that I'd gained seven pounds in the last two weeks. When I told her about the headache I'd had for the last two days (that not even Tylenol helped), she was very concerned. Basically all signs point to my blood pressure going up in the near future, which is bad for the baby. (I was sent to Labor & Delivery for high blood pressure at 24 weeks with these same symptoms.) The doctor said it would happen again if I didn't change my activity.

So I've basically been ordered to come straight home from work and lay on the couch with my feet up. Doctor-ordered laziness. Doesn't sound that bad, right? Well, it's surprisingly hard for me to do. I always walk in the door from work and want to fold laundry, do dishes and start dinner. And I run to the grocery or drugstore on my way to or home from work at least 4 times per week. (See here.)

I'm not used to my running myself ragged affecting anyone but myself. I'm used to it. It's what I have to do to keep a functioning household and work 40 hours a week. But now that my behavior affects the health of more than just myself...it really sucks. And of course I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to keep this Bambina cooking for six more weeks. But sheesh. I have a to-do-before-baby list that's thirty items long, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to kiss that goodbye.

Boo-hoo. Pity-party for me.

Wow, even my face plumped up this week.

In other awesome news, Chris has taken it upon himself to be my personal dietitian. Because if I gained 7 pounds in two weeks, I must have been gorging myself on junk food and sweets, right? Needless to say, all of the brownies, twix's, and other goodies from our house have mysteriously disappeared. He even banned me from buying any more chocolate milk! (Baby needs her calcium, dang-it!)

I think he's punishing me for all the newfound housework and cooking he's just been assigned to do in the evenings.

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 34w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Waffles & chocolate milk
Weight gain: +28 lbs
Worst moment this week: Wearing a pair of turquoise Crocs to my cousin's wedding reception because I literally could not fit my feet into any other pair of shoes.
Best moment this week: Borrowing a pair of bigger shoes from my sister. It saved me from having to buy a pair for church on Sunday from the "wide" department at Payless!
Funniest moment this week: I walked in the door from work wearing a brown and orange wrap sweater (really, it was much cuter than it sounds!) and Chris lovingly informed me that I looked like a pumpkin.
Belly button in or out: Out!
Labor signs: None
What I miss: Spooning and deep breaths
What I'm looking forward to: Our last birthing class this week!

33 Week Belly Pic

{PREFACE: The bigger I get, the smaller my old clothes feel. This is to be expected when you're 8 months pregnant, no? Most of my maternity purchases to date have been wear-to-work type clothes, as opposed to lounge clothes. The lounge clothes (like pajamas), I just sort of make due with.}

As I'm getting out of bed one morning this week and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, Chris comes running over to me with urgency in his voice and says "Ew, gross!" and points to my stomach, which happened to be partly exposed, due to the non-maternity shirt I had slept in.

"What!?" I asked in a panic.

"Oh, nevermind. It's just your bellybutton."

Awesome. My bellybutton is offically gross. Anyone have any maternity pajamas I can borrow, to spare Chris from my gross-ness?



Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 33w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Twix candybars (will it ever end?!?)
Weight gain: +23 lbs
Best moment this week: The Empathy Belly
Funniest moment this week: Watching my feet swell so large they exceeded the capacity of even my Crocs. Oy!
Belly button in or out: Out!
Labor signs: A few braxton-hicks.
What I miss: Wearing my wedding ring. (Did I mention my hands swell, too?)
What I'm looking forward to: Finding curtains for the nursery.

32 Week Belly Pic

Sometimes our birthing class instructor gives us "homework" to do before we come the next week. At the beginning of class last week she stood up to ask who had completed their homework. Then she pulled out a bag of Mamba candies and tossed one to everyone who raised their hand.

Do you remember Mambas? It's been years since I last had one. As I unwrapped mine and put it in my mouth, I was instantly in love again. During the rest of class, the teacher continued to hand them out for each question answered correctly.

You better believe I was the annoying smart kid in the front row who never gave anyone else a chance to raise their hand.


Must. Have. More. Mambas.

On the way home that night, we stopped at every grocery store between the hospital and our house in search of my very own giant bag of Mambas. Mmm-mmm. And they were delicious.

(I'm starting to sprout the "basketball" look this week!)

Pregnancy Statistics
How far along? 32w1d
Gender: Girl
Current Cravings: Mambas and Twix candybars
Weight gain: +21 lbs
Best moment this week: Watching Chris learn how to swaddle and change a diaper on a doll in our childcare class. Hilarious.
Funniest moment this week #1: Trying to reach my feet yesterday morning to put socks on for the first day of fall. It was a no go. I skipped the socks and wore the closed-toe shoes anyway.
Belly button in or out: Out!
Labor signs: A few braxton-hicks here and there. I can tell they're stress-related.
What I miss: I still miss laying on my stomach.
What I'm looking forward to: My first baby shower this week!