Boom!

The bomb has gone off! Baby girl will be arriving today:)

Tick Tick Tick

I am feeling like a ticking time bomb these days...constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Everyday at work another colleague makes a commen t like "wow, I'm so surprised you didn't have your baby this weekend" or "I can't believe you're still here" or "wow you like exhausted...it's time for that baby to come out"...TICK TICK TICK


My students are hilarious too, if I groan when I pick something up they're like "are you going to have that baby Mrs. S", "did your water just break", "Do you need us to call an ambulance", "Did it happen yet".  TICK TICK TICK


My family and friends are on pins and needles.  I think my mom picks up the phone saying "how are you feeling" everyday.  My hubby asks me if I need to go to the hospital with every series of contractions.  TICK TICK TICK


Well today I've joined in the countdown!  Things are happening in my body that aren't normal and I'M FEELING SO WEIRD!  I truly believe I'm not going to make it to my induction next week.  Here's what I see happening...
lots of cramps (none before now, just regular BH)
BH that have been coming on spaced out for about 24 hours
lightening (I think she dropped AGAIN)
acne
oily skin
lots of discharge
feeling of nausea
hunger
and just over lunch...my bloody show.
TICK TICK TICK


Where's the BOOM???

My Last Midwife Appt Update

So I hadn't realized that today was going to be my last appointment pregnant at my midwife practice.  It's kinda bittersweet, as I think it MIGHT be my last maternity appointment EVER.  Wow...that's kinda depressing and liberating at the same time.  Anyway, the reason it ended up being my last appt was because the best midwife on the planet, my girl Stacy, thought we should schedule an induction time for next week.  After she did my internal and saw I was just over 1cm dialated and 50% effaced, she felt good about moving things along, so as to prevent me having another big baby.  My little man was 9lbs and came out looking like he was 3 months old (see below)...so we're trying to avoid a bigger baby, since this is my second.  I was induced at 39 weeks and 3 days with my son, and that is exactly what I'll be with baby girl.  I'm hoping that's a good sign, and that I respond as well as I did with my boy.  I'm also excited that we got such a good date for the induction.  We are scheduled for Friday, April 22nd at 7:30am!  That's Good Friday, and it will be easy for my parents to make it to the birth.  However, this is all pending that I make it to the induction date without going into labor on my own (which I prefer anyway of course!). 

Speaking of labor, after my internal today my midwife warned me I might have some cramping, since she disturbed my cervix.  HOLY HELL...these cramps hurt.  Now wouldn't it be a beautiful thing if all I needed to push me over the edge and have this baby is a little membrane sweeping?! :)  If only! 

To be honest, it just feels great for a planner like me to have an endpoint in sight.  It just eases my mind.  My midwife, knowing how neurotic I can be (naw me?!), believes all my body needs to get labor going on its own is piece of mind.  So by scheduling this induction, she's letting my mind line up with my body.  We shall see I guess. 

I'll be holding my baby girl in 10 days!  wow!  Okay...now I'm officially freaked out!  A mommy of two...wow...just wow!

My boy at only a few days old...looking nothing like a newborn!

Thirty-Eight!

 

Mommy's Stats:

How far along?: 38 weeks!  2 weeks left!  OMG!  And I'm HUGE!!!

Weight gain/loss: ???? 

 Symptoms:  feeling pretty good...have had some weird end-of-pregnancy symptoms...major moodiness (cranky out of nowhere!), increased discharge, lots of pressure, oily skin (which to mean means my hormones are a-changin'), belly button is on its way out, linea nigra, BH, cramps

Maternity clothes?: all...and I'm now running out of those.  Thank God I only have 3 more workdays to figure out how to cover this body professionally.  I'm longing for my comfy loungewear!  sigh

Stretch marks?:nada...but I hate the red spider veins just as much (sad face)

Sleep:  actually pretty well!  Weird pregnancy and birth dreams though, and sometimes I wake up in a panic thinking my water has broken.   Alas, it hasn't.  Thank God I haven't peed the bed in a dream where my water breaks though. (phew)

Best moment this week:  a great day outside being productive on Sunday & probably my looming maternity leave (Friday is my last day!!!)

Food cravings: oranges, yogurt & sweets.  My appetite has definitely picked up this week.  I'm trying to be good, though, because I've done so well with my weight thusfar and I really want to eat healthy.  Luckily, I crave fruits and fresh, crunchy veggies more than anything else these days.

Gender:  girl girl girl

Belly button in or out?: on the way out ::sigh::

 Movement?: still mostly butt, head and foot action, no more rolling or kicking or flipping...she's run out of room.  I don't think she can even switch sides anymore.  Her but is always on my left side, her feet are on my left side or on my left ribcage, and she's definitely head-down.  Sometimes I can lay my hand just north of the vag and I feel her head moving (so weird!!!). 

Signs of Labor: BH, pressure & some cramping.  I'm hoping I've made progress.  I have a dr appt today so I will request an internal this time to see if I have.

What I miss?: I'm actually doing quite well these days as far as not "longing" for much.  I've sadly become accustomed to carrying around this load.  I don't feel that huge, but when I see pix of myself I can't believe how big I actually look.  I guess I'm missing alcohol, as usual, and stomach sleeping.  Otherwise, I'm in good spirits!  I know this is probably the last time I'll be pg...so I'm trying to soak it all in while I still can.

What I'm looking forward to:  my midwife appt this week, I get to see my favorite midwife Stacy!  Obviously I'm also dying for maternity leave! 

Weekly Wisdom: You only have a max of 15 days left, so savor it, slow down and remember what it's like.  This may be your last time!  Soak up all the attention, pamper yourself, feel the movement, love your pregnant body and be in the moment!

Weekly WTF:  what's with the sudden breakout and oily skin???? My face has been perfect the entire time, and now that I might be having this baby (hence getting a million pictures taken of my no makeup'ed face...I am breaking out!  WTF!  My only salvation is that the change in my hormones = labor is coming! :)

Milestones: 3 more workdays!  I think I can do it :)

 

Baby Girl's Stats:

Development is complete, baby's main job is to gain weight. The body continues laying on the fat stores at a rate of about an ounce (28 grams) a day, that will help regulate his or her body temperature after birth. The amniotic fluid, this is approximately equal to 4 or 5 cups. It doesn't sound like much, but just wait until your water breaks, it will feel like much more.

Baby may have a full head of hair now, an inch or more long, but some babies are born with only peach fuzz. Speaking of hair, most of the downy coat of lanugo that covered your baby for weeks has disappeared, but you may see some on the upper back and shoulders when he or she arrives. Almost gone has most of the vernix caseosa, the whitish substance that also covered baby.

Your baby will swallow the lanugo and exterior coating, along with other secretions, and store them in their bowels. These will become your infant's first bowel movement, a blackish waste called meconium. Your child's intestines are accumulating lots of meconium. About 30% of babies move their bowels before birth. Usually this is a sign that the baby is under some stress and can cause pneumonia if the baby inhales any amniotic fluid with meconium in it. If there are signs of meconium in the amniotic fluid at birth your care provider will make sure that the baby's throat and lungs are suctioned thoroughly.

This week, your baby weighs around seven and a half pounds and measures about 20 inches (51cm) head to toe. You are almost at the end of your pregnancy. Your weight should not increase much from this point.

 

 

LOL!!!

 

 

The Biggest Reason I'm Ready

He's going to be the best big brother!  I can't wait!!!

The Last Stand

This is my last week at work!  Thank the lord!  Teaching self-involved HS kids who have very little compassion for my current state isn't really smooth-sailing at 38 weeks!  I'm so over it!  I'm prepped...could leave anytime and feel organized...and I'm just so over the stairs here!  I don't count today because I'm already here...so...4 days!!!!!!!!!!!  I can do it right?!  I hope so. 

I waver between really wanting to make it the week, and praying every night she decides to break my water and come into this world.  I'm not sure I'm really looking forward to being "lazy".  I'm truly NO GOOD at doing nothing...and it often-times sends me into a tailspin of depression.  So...a day or two next week would be fine with me, then come on into the world baby B.  I'm also still working out.  At this point it's a challenge to keep going!  15 days till my due date...and maybe only 11 till an induction date. 

Is that a light at the end of a very long tunnel I see????

Finally a 3T Streak!

So I've mentioned many times how important the ladies on thebump.com are to me in the long and painful process of SIF, as well as the days of pregnancy.  There is a board on the bump that holds a special place in my heart, a place that has always felt like home and the ladies like family.  This board is "trouble trying to conceive" otherwise known by us bumpies as 3T.  It's been a difficult few months over at 3T, as ladies seem to have lots of bad news, unsuccessful cycles and just an overall difficult time.  However...I am pleased to announce that we've been on quite a streak as of late!  Some of the ladies I've watched struggle for some time are finally getting their miracle babies, and I could not be happier for them.  I know most of you know who you are...but special congrats go out to...

heathercara
magnolia_femme - it's twins!!! :)
WI_mommy
blueyezz
Pappsy
AmberZtobe
jesselayne

I'm sure there are others I am forgetting...but I'm just so over-the-moon for these ladies! :)  H&H 9 months you all!  ::hugs::