Looking back, and ahead!

What a year it's been! It's crazy to think that at this time last year I was planning and plotting how to "fake drink" at our New years party because I was newly pregnant! This year, we're enjoying staying home and hanging out with our little guy, and hopefully making it to midnight, but not being totally bummed if it doesn't happen :)

I'm making a new years resolution to blog more in the next year. I want to really document every day life with our little munchkin. It seems like he changes every single day and I really want to make sure I don't miss any of it! The good and the bad, the highs and lows! I also have quite a few friends having babies in the next few months so thought it might be fun and helpful if they happen to be experiencing some of the same things!

I'm just going to start off my resolution by adding some highs/lows/learning moments of the last few weeks:

• Baby Vomit
• How do you tell the difference between baby vomit and baby spit up?? Well, when you're sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office waiting to be seen because your little one is hardly keeping anything down, look out. It comes like a flowing river. That doesn't stop. Until it's all over him, you, and the waiting room. This, of course, is followed by most people in the waiting room quickly turning away pretending that they totally missed what just happened, even though you're soaking wet and so is your kid, and so is the floor. Then there's the people who really want to try help, but there's not much they can do, and even more who just look at you with, "been there, done that" empathetic faces when your little munchkin starts screaming the worst cry you've ever heard because he got so scared of what just happened. Took everything not to break down and cry myself. Ugh.
• Baby Diarrhea
• I won't spend as much time or go into as much detail on this topic, but it's nasty. It's even more nasty when it accompanied the tummy virus that caused the vomitting. It smells worse than anything you've ever smelled in your entire life, and then some. Like, probably just put these individual diapers right in plastic grocery bags and into the garbage to try save the diaper genie from the smell. If your baby has this for too many days, don't be afraid to ask your dr about using Pedialyte. Our doctor told us to give him Pedialyte for 24 hours in place of his formula to try calm his tummy down. It did a really great job of it, and we were able to introduce his formula back to him in half formula half pedialyte bottles right after that. There's no nutritional value to it, but when nothing else is staying in, it was the best route to go to keep him hydrated.
• Diapers
• Don't go the cheap route for bedtime diapers. Off-brand diapers are great during the day and when they're having frequent diaper changes, but I definitely recommend a good Pampers Swaddler at night time when baby sleeps all night long. Otherwise, you wake up to a completely pee-smelling baby because they ended up leaking out the back of their diaper and are now soaking wet! Good morning, mom, hope you have time to give me a bath! :)
• Bath Time
• Even though it's harder on the knees, once they start splashing, move that baby tub to the real tub!!! I thought we'd be just fine keeping it in the sink because it was so much easier. Then came the splashing. ALL over the kitchen, and myself. He LOVES to splash, so now we put his tub in the "big boy tub" and he can splash all he wants!
• Crib sheets/mattress pad
• This kinda goes along with the vomit/diaper bullet, but make sure you have at least 2 of each of these items, and make sure one is clean at all times!
• Laundry
• Buy Dreft. And try to convince your husband that you have to use it FOREVER on your baby clothes. It just smells SO wonderful and makes folding all of those little teeny tiny outfits and socks that much more enjoyable! We bought Tide Free and Gentle to just wash all of our clothes in, but I'm having a real tough time letting go of the Dreft.
• Advocating
• I'll try not to get too fired up when typing this, but when we were at the dr last, he had us get a new prescription for Corbin's reflux. So, brought it to the pharmacy (it was Friday) and they told me it would be ready on Monday. So, Monday came and I gave them until the end of the work day and went there and they're like, "oh, it didn't get ordered. Do you want us to try something else?" Um....do I look like an F(*&ing doctor?? You've had all day to figure this out with the dr's office, or CALL ME and I'll call the dr's office. Well, they'd have it on Tuesday. Ok, so, called before I went there on Tuesday. "Oh, sorry, we can't fill it until your dr fills out the prior authorization for your insurance, so check back at the end of the week." Um, EXCUSE ME?? We needed this on FRIDAY. So, I asked if I could get it without insurance and they said they still didn't even have it. SO they tried blaming it on the dr's office. I was so fed up by the time I went to the pharmacy on THURSDAY and they said they didn't have it again. This was by far the rudest I have ever been to another person and the most I've yelled at another person in public, but my little boy need this medication!! Finally sent Tim in to pick it up a WEEK later.
• Sleep!
• It's a beautiful thing. Especially when it happens ALLLLL night long! I'm not going to say any more about it because I don't want to jinx it!
• Video Monitor
• It's never been a necessity in my book, but now that I have one, I can't imagine what I ever did without it! We did just fine with just the sound monitor, of course, but this just brings things to a whole new level. Mostly because I get to watch him sleep and it's SO FLIPPIN CUTE! :) Besides that, it really is nice to just be able to check on him without having to actually go into his room and risk waking him up.

I could really go on for days with all of the things we've learned in the last few weeks, but I'll save those for the next time! HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE and HAPPY 2014!!!!

Life these days...

It's been a while since I posted, so I figured I was due for one! Lots has happened in the last few weeks! I started back to work part time on November 4th. I had heard how hard it was going to be to drop him off at daycare and leave (which it was...), but nobody ever told me that you completely forget how to do your job once you get back!!! I was seriously so lost for the first week back. I think it had a lot to do with my mind having been "baby" 24/7 for the last 10 weeks, not wanting to come back, and a million changes made while I was gone. It was pretty miserable to say the least. I do recommend going back part time for a week or two to get back into the swing of things if it's possible! That first week back, Corbin was such a good boy and slept for 9-9 1/2 hours at night! Of course, he's been back to waking up once a night the last few nights, but I'll take once over twice any day.

My second week back to work we ended up closing on our new house! It was really hard to be excited about working when I knew I was getting a new house at the end of the week! We closed on our house on Thursday late afternoon, started moving on Friday and Saturday, and by Sunday evening we spent our first night there! It's been great so far, but we still have a lot left to unpack! Of course the flu decided to hit our house this week, so Tim and I have both been down for the count, so unpacking hasn't been getting done this week. Hopefully C stays healthy!! Jersey is adjusting pretty well to the new house, although I think she's still waiting to go "home." And in other house news, we accepted an offer on our old house and will hopefully be closing December 18th!!! Merry Christmas to us!! :)

Corbin has been getting really good with his head control lately and he's discovering his tongue! It's so cute to watch him because his tongue is always out and licking something! This, of course, makes for constant drool, so bibs are a must these days! He's "talking" to us all the time and is getting SO close to a good giggle! He really loves bath time and does plenty of splashing around! It's so much fun to watch him learn new things and he's such a happy, smiley boy!! We're doing Christmas pictures next weekend, so hopefully he has his smiles ready! He's rolled over once from his back to his tummy, and I managed to get it on video! Of course, he hasn't done it again, but we're working on it. He's not a huge fan of tummy time, but we're working on that, too. It's so amazing how much love I have for this little man--it's truly more than words could ever explain!

Check out those thighs! Finally getting some meat on our bones! :)

Um, I have an 8 week old??

Ok, well officially as of tomorrow, anyway. How is that possible?! I have 2 full weeks of maternity leave left, then 2 weeks of half time, and back full time November 18th. Since the last update I posted (at 2 weeks post partum) we've been busy!

We're still on the formula rollercoaster. We've gone from milk-based formula to his dr putting him on soy. The brand of soy we were on constipated him...but I shouldn't have been surprised, because on that brand (Similac), he had been constipated with the milk based formulas, too. So, we decided to try Nutramigen (Enfamil brand), which is hypoallergenic and of course the most expensive formula without getting a prescription. This should've been the answer and we thought it was the first 2 days into it, but things started to slowly get worse. On other Enfamil formulas he tried, he ended up projectile vomiting them up, and having nasty diapers. Well that's what was happening here, and I was struggling to get him to take even 3 oz, and still would spit it up. We're back to soy, the Gerber brand this time, and have his 2 week check up on Wednesday where we'll discuss if he needs reflux meds. I'm SO thankful that these are all things he will grow out of eventually, but for now, we're just trying to do what we can to help him feel good!

He's been SO FUN lately!! At about 5-6 weeks, we started getting our first "on purpose" smiles! He has been such a smiley boy lately, and I just love it! I had him to the doctor last week and he weighed 10lb 7.8oz! He's getting so big. I actually packed away his newborn clothes yesterday :( With these formula changes, I think we're finally on the right track and he's been more content to sit in his rock 'n play or swing or play on his play mat. He has been sleeping for typically 5-7 hour stretches at night, and hopefully that just continues to get better! He's getting so strong and holds his head up better every day! We still struggle with day-time naps, but if he's going to sleep at night, I'll take it! :)

As for myself, at my last post I had just started with this hematoma business under my incision. Well, it would kinda stop and start draining for about 2 weeks after that. It even opened up from a different spot in my incision. It got to the point where the surgeon scheduled me for surgery to clean it out and try close it back up again so that it heals properly. Of course I wasn't looking forward to having surgery AGAIN and being down for the count AGAIN. Thankfully, the weekend we had baptism, it stopped draining...and didn't start up again. Monday (surgery day) came and we got the hospital and I asked to see the surgeon before we did anything. I'm so glad I did, because he said it looked like things were healing on it's own and we ended up not having to go through surgery! I've been feeling so great ever since, and actually pretty much feel like normal! My incision area is still numb and weird/sensitive feeling, but I hear that'll be like that for a while, or possibly forever.

The other exciting thing in our lives is we are buying a new house! It's in town and in a new development where there are lots of younger families. I'm so excited! We'll have a nice big corner lot and much more space! Closing date is November 15th--so I suppose I should be packing instead of blog-updating while little man is sleeping! :)

Life with a newborn and post-partum life: Things I wish I had known!

Things I wish I had know, some I was told, but didn't really pay much attention to or didn't think would be relevant to my life, some I've learned on my own!

In no particular order:

1. No matter how much experience you have with newborns or babies or kids, bringing home a brand new baby is super intimidating. When we got home from the hospital, it was kinda like, "ok...now what?!"

2. You can read every single parenting book, blog, website, discussion forum, but nothing can totally prepare you for what you're about to experience! Sure it's great to have that knowledge, but don't overwhelm yourself and get this idea of what your baby is going to be like, because you'll just get frustrated when he isn't like everything said he would be!

3. You'll cry....a lot. Not post-partum depression, but what they call the "baby blues." Your hormones are literally all over the place...I would start crying just because, and would get frustrated because you just have no control over those hormones! Pair that with a colicky baby who you have no idea how to help and soothe, makes for the most crying in the last 7 weeks than in my whole entire life!

4. You can have an idea of how your birth experience will go, or what you want to happen, but be prepared for it to be completely turned upside down. I was fully prepared to have an intrathecal and was going to have my baby naturally, of course. Well, when there's fetal distress and you stop progressing, you don't have much of a choice! Granted, I had told myself I was ok with whatever had to happen and didn't have a "birth plan" but was still an emotional wreck when deciding to do c-section.

5. Everyone else seems like they have super "easy" babies or they really have motherhood figured out. It's true. Looking at everyone else, I couldn't help but think, why can't my baby be that easy?! Or how come it doesn't seem like it's a whole lot of work for them to make a trip to the store, but for me I put it off as long as possible because of how much work it is to get loaded up, get there, unloaded, shop, worry about him getting hungry, screaming in the store, etc! Well, I've come to realize that people don't talk about the tough stuff very often and there are more new moms who feel the way I did/do, than those who have it so "easy."

6. There seems to always be somebody who has experienced what you are, no matter how much you might feel you're the only one in the world going through it! Breastfeeding, for example. When my milk never fully came in and I was dealing with a hungry, screaming child, I thought I was so alone and the only person this had ever happened to. Everything you read talks about how breastfeeding is best, you immediately start nursing when baby is born, it's a great bond with your baby, etc. WELL, nobody ever talks about what happens when that doesn't work. Literally, in all of our childbirth classes, reading, researching, etc., I don't think I ever heard anything about what to do when that doesn't work! It wasn't until a week later when I realized that we were going to have to supplement with formula and eventually go to full formula feeding did I find out that there are SO many people who experienced the same thing! I felt SO alone while going through all of that, but then all of a sudden I had a huge support system simply because when people asked how things were going, I was completely honest instead of just saying, "wonderful!" to get people to quit asking!

7. Unsolicited advice is NEVER ENDING......You think it's bad while pregnant and people are giving advice, but once that kiddo is here, it's like people think it's a total free-for all. I've been pretty good now about listening, taking what I feel might be relevant, and letting the rest go, but it took a while to get there. As I'm to the point where I'm taking my poor boy to the dr because I can't handle his colic anymore and have tried LITERALLY everything, people starting throwing out advice. Yes, I've LITERALLY tried EVERYTHING, but thank you! Now, advice from someone who's been in my shoes with the things we've dealt with, I'm all about advice!! For those who read this and have provided such, THANK YOU, seriously!

8. You will love this kid so incredibly much, it'll make you want to cry! In a good way! No matter if your baby is "easy" or super colicky, or anywhere in between, he is the most amazing miracle and the best thing you never knew you were missing in your life!

9. Your husband is going to look to you for direction, because chances are, he probably has LESS experience...and it can be frustrating if you don't know how to help him! Learn your baby together, and since you're probably going to be spending more time with the baby, share tips that seem to work, but don't smother him in them! He'll learn his own tricks, too! AND he might not be as excited about your teeny tiny fragile little baby as you are, but it's so fun to see how much more comfortable he gets as baby grows!

10. Don't be afraid to ask for help. BUT also, don't be afraid to turn visitors down, especially right away if you're not feeling up to it.

11. The best gift to a new mom is frozen meals! Enough said :)

12. Take a nap when baby does! Everyone and their mom will tell you that. And it's true. SO true. Especially for the first month until you start to kinda sorta get more sleep at night and kinda sorta get some sort of routine.

13. 5-6 hours of sleep uninterrupted will feel like 10! With me not nursing, I am fortunate to have Tim be able to get up for a feeding at night so that I can get longer uninterrupted sleep. Who knew that I could feel like a rockstar after 5-6 hours of sleep?

14. Don't forget "date night!" Of course you'll miss your little sweetheart while you're away from him, but the other important person in your life needs some attention, too! Even just a few hours to go furniture shopping and out to eat is so refreshing--and will help you remember that you still are husband and wife, and not just mom and dad!

15. SNUGGLE!!!!! Cliche as it is, they grow way too fast, maternity leave ends way too fast, and pretty soon they will be running all over the place and not want to snuggle! Who cares if your dishes don't get done or laundry doesn't get folded today? Those things will always be there! :)

16. There's still lots of things you wish you would've known that people won't necessarily talk about. But it's ok to ask! Some things might seem too gross, seem too personal, or that you think are dumb to ask, but just remember that for the most part, people who have babies experience a lot of those same things--and most of time wish someone would've told them or answered their questions about such things!

17. Just relax and realize that you're doing the best job you can! I must admit, when my baby is screaming and nothing I'm doing is soothing him, this is hard to remember. Having a baby is such a learning curve, and an expensive one at that...but even the fact that you're trying everything you can for this baby means that you're doing the best job you can!

18. AND you might experience some, none, or all of these things! That's just the way it goes! :)

There are so many more things that I could go on and on about, but these are just a few that I want to remember for next time! Time to get back to snuggling my sweet boy! :)

Oh, read this article--kinda the inspiration behind this post! http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/09/to-my-post-partum-self-things-i-wish-id-known/

Our First 2 Weeks

Newborns are supposed to sleep all the time, right?? Right. Not. Our first week home was quite interesting! Sleepless nights, lots of screaming, no poopy diapers, etc. It was quite emotional for me as well, because I didn't know what to do! I called and talked to nurses, lactation consultants, and had tried everything they suggested to get him to stop crying and sleep. We decided maybe he wasn't getting enough to eat when I tried pumping and would only get an ounce. We decided to start supplementing with formula. As soon as we did that, we had a SAFISFIED baby!! It turns out my milk never really came in. I wasn't as bummed about the not being able to exclusively nurse but the fact that everyone puts so much pressure on moms to nurse. I am glad he got the important colostrum in the beginning and at least one breast milk bottle a day for 2 weeks, but it just was too much to try keep up with when there wasn't much of a supply.

I really didn't realize how common this is until I started talking to other people. In our classes and in the hospital, everyone puts so much pressure on nursing and basically throws out the guilt trip if you can't do it. Once I finally got the courage to just do what is best for us, I felt a million times better! Corbin was 6lb7oz at his one week check, so not back to his birth weight. Our dr was very supportive of our supplementing and we went back on Monday and he weighed 7lb4oz!!

Our latest struggle has been finding the right formula. We've been through constipation, projectile vomiting, and hopefully now are on the right track. This whole having a newborn thing is such a steep learning curve and an exhausting one at that!

Yesterday I started bleeding from my incision. Tim took me in to the dr and it turns out I had a hematoma. They drained it and there was lots of old blood. I had a sharp pain in that spot the last couple days so I should feel quite a bit of relief. I have to keep a dressing on it for the next couple days and hopefully the recovery goes even faster now! What's one more set back?!

Currently we're enjoying snuggles and naps on the couch and getting used to bassinets and swings. Slowly but surely!

Corbin's Birth Story

On Friday August 23rd, I worked hard to get things finished up and was telling people that I would be throwing a temper tantrum if I had to come back to work on Monday! I wasn't due til Wednesday, but was getting really tired of work and people commenting how I still hadn't had this baby yet! I was looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend complete with lots of naps.

On Saturday, Chelsey and Riggins came to hang out while Tim was combining! We had a great time just sitting around, talking baby stuff, and she sterilized all my bottles and helped get the last few things ready. We went for a short walk and I could definitely tell that this baby was on the downward move. Saturday night, Tim got home around 9pm and they had finished combining. We sat around and talked for a little bit and decided it was time for bed. I went to the bathroom and headed to bed. I bent over to pick up a pillow off the floor, and a big warm gush came running down my leg! I hurried up back to the toilet. I told Tim that I either peed myself or my water broke. I got my answer as I sat there and it just kept coming!!

Tim started to get nervous about what we should do. I told him that I was going to just go bed and try get some sleep and he should do the same. Shortly after lying down, contractions started. People aren't kidding when they say you'll know real contractions when you feel them!! I layed there for about a half hour timing the contractions, anywhere from 6-8 minutes apart. I called the hospital to let them know so they could get ready for me but told them I was going to stay home for a while longer. I tried to get some rest but that's pretty hard to do in 5-8 minute increments! Finally at 2:45 I had decided that contractions were getting strong enough that I wanted to head in. We loaded up our stuff and made our way to the hospital.

Once we got there, they put monitors on me and checked and I was already dilated to a 5! Things were progressing great and my dr would order the intrathecal. I was breathing through contractions and the meds couldn't come fast enough! Once I got the intrathecal I was able to get a little rest. The told me intrathecals take away about 80% of the pain. It sure wasn't long before I was at an 8 and contractions were miserable. Then the nurses and my dr started getting concerned because Corbin wasn't handing contractions well. His heart rate would dip down with each contraction and not quite come back up to where it should be. This went on for a while and I wasn't progressing. Eventually they gave me the option of waiting to get to 10, have an hour or two of pushing that he might not handle well, OR csection and get him out without more stress. After listening to his heartbeat a little longer we decided we needed to get him out.

At this point I turned into a total emotional wreck. Contractions were awful and often, I was concerned about my baby and just the fear of the unknown with the csection. It seemed to take forever for them to let Tim in the operating room after getting him dressed up in scrubs. About 10 minutes later, we got to hear the scream of our sweet boy! It was the most amazing sound ever and seeing him was the best moment. It turns out the cord was wrapped around his neck and shoulder and he was trying to come out with the right side of his head first. It wouldn't have been an ideal situation and probably would've ended in csection anyway. It broke my heart when Tim and Corbin had to leave me, but I am so thankful for my amazing doctor and the anesthesiologist who kept me sane during that half hour. Once I got wheeled into the recovery room they put Corbin skin to skin on my chest. Words cannot describe that feeling!! :)

So blessed to have this little man in my life!!

39 Weeks!!

Toes are all pretty and polished from my pedicure yesterday, nursery is ready, hospital bag packed (minus snacks!!), car seat base installed=game on!!

This last weekend leading up to the 39 week mark was awesome. Plenty of time to relax in my recliner with Jers, did a little bit of cleaning, rode in the combine til it broke down (didn't get much of a ride in that day...) and watched Lifetime movies! Of course then Monday came and I just dreaded coming back to work, mostly because I didn't want to hear the "Oh, you're still here" comments and all of the stares that come along with that! I've had a pretty busy week, so it hasn't been too terrible. I've got plenty on my to-do list still at work, but really feel like I'm getting it as close to tolerable for someone else to take over as I can!

I had a dr appointment yesterday afternoon. My blood pressure was a little bit high and since I've been having some swelling my dr wants to keep an eye on it. He wasn't concerned to the point of limiting my activity or anything, but I go back on Monday to see where we're at! I am dilated to 2 cm and 50% effaced, so he said my body is doing what it's supposed to be doing and there's progress, so that's really exciting! He also told me to think about how far over my due date I want to go and start deciding on a possible induction date if necessary. He doesn't want me to go past 41 weeks, so I guess there's an official end in sight!! :) THEN I had a little mini panic attack as I waited for the nurse to come back to check my blood pressure one more time. I think I suddenly experienced a little bit of every emotion possible thinking about how soon this baby will be here!! (Not like I've been waiting for 9 months or anything....) But, just the realization that sometime in the next week-two, I'll be responsible for another life! Ahhh! :) I almost forgot to add that I got to see a bunch of my former coworkers yesterday morning at a training and it is always so fun! Definitely feel the love from all of them! AND there was a lady who opened the door for me at the clinic and said, "You are just adorable!" I laughed and said thanks, and she's like, "No, really, honey, you just look so cute!" haha--totally made my day!! :)

It was the last "Ladies Night" for golf on Tuesday, so that was really fun! My dr was impressed that I was still golfing and told me to maybe try it again to see if it will help move things along! Well, lucky for me, I'm playing the Polk County Social Services scramble tonight! The girls on my team have never golfed before, so they were a little nervous that I wouldn't make it there. We're taking bets on how many times I'll hear, "Are you sure you should still be golfing?" Considering the fact that my dr gave me the go-ahead, and I'm PREGNANT, not FRAGILE, yes, I should definitely still be golfing! :)

You're all welcome for a completely "positive" blog post! I know it's been a while :)

38 Weeks!!

Ok, baby, we're ready when you are!!

Literally, I think we're as ready as we can possibly be! Everything that was on our "to do" list has been done. Now just the relaxing, enjoying spending time just the two of us, and waiting is about all that's left. I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the end of pregnancy. I've had a pretty smooth experience with this baby, but I'm over it! I'm ready to be done and ready to meet this little person!! For the last 2 days, I have developed cankles. Yep, they're REALLY sexy and so uncomfortable! I try keep them up as much as possible and drink more water than a camel, but nothing seems to help. My doctor told me that this is something I might be blessed with til the end of this journey, and he wasn't concerned because my blood pressure was perfect.

A few other things about the end of pregnancy that I'm not enjoying include now 2 trips to the bathroom at night since baby has dropped quite a bit in the last week, can't get enough water, can't get comfortable (either while awake or sleeping), and the annoying comments people make! I'm tempted to hang a sign outside of my cubicle that says, "Yes, I am still here. I have __ days until my due date. Yes, I am aware that every day is closer to that date. AND I am uncomfortable, swollen, and anxious, if you really want to know how I feel!"

Ok, this really isn't all going to be about complaining, I promise! I had a busy weekend organizing cupboards and closets, and finishing our "deep clean" of the house. HUGE props to my amazing husband for doing the majority of the cleaning!! I would come home and there would be something more done every day! We also went out to the farm and celebrated all of the exciting events in the Caillier family recently. Tim's brother and his wife are going to make me an AUNTIE in February, and his youngest brother just got engaged! Pretty exciting stuff! Lots to look forward to!

Well, I think it's time to go lay down and stretch out this belly because someone has decided now would be a good time to try test his/her limits inside and it's not very comfortable!

Jersey says hi!! :)

Full Term!!

Best words to hear so far in this journey...."Congratulations, you're officially full term!" My doctor sent me with those words today as I left my appointment. Such a great feeling! The whole time during this pregnancy I was sure I would go early. I didn't have any specific reasons to think that, I just did. Well, now "early" is getting less and less, and my mentality has totally shifted to the fact that I'm probably going to have a September baby. I go back and forth thinking "this baby is coming so soon!" to "this baby is going to take forever to get here..."

This past weekend was bittersweet. We had a great weekend at the lake, but when Sunday came it was time to start really cleaning out the camper. Between harvest starting possibly this weekend or early next week, and then baby coming, it was our last weekend at the lake as a family of 3! (Jers, of course makes 3!) There have been so many things that I keep thinking are our "last times" doing them before our whole world changes. The only way I can think of it is bittersweet! I love being able to just do things when we want, with just Tim and I, but also SO excited for this new journey we're getting closer and closer to starting! We do plan on taking a trip to the lake in September, after baby is born, and between harvesting. The really nice part is that I'll be on maternity leave so we don't have to necessarily wait for a weekend. We'll just spend a little time out there and winterize the camper during that visit.

I haven't been feeling very well for the last few days, and my doctor said it's most likely a stomach bug (LUCKY ME!) so I am going to cut this short before I complain too much about that! :) I did find this article today on the "Last Days of Pregnancy" that was such an awesome read, and a good perspective for other people to read, too!

http://www.mothering.com/community/a/the-last-days-of-pregnancy-a-place-of-in-between

4 Weeks to go!!

I can't believe it's already the LAST day of July!! That means as of tomorrow it's August, finally the month of our due date! I realize that it is very possible that I could go into September, but like to think that I'll have a baby sometime in the next 4 weeks! I think we're about as ready as we're going to be, too.

I had a doctor appointment this morning and it was time to do my Group B Step test. Have I ever mentioned that I love the online chart system that Riverview has? The lab has already posted my results and I passed, so no antibiotics necessary during delivery! Yay! At my appointment he also checked baby's heartrate (150...pretty much the same as it's been the whole time), measuring right on time, and my blood pressure was good. Since was doing the strep test, he checked my cervix, too. 1 cm dilated, 30% effaced, and baby is definitely head down! So, not too much happening on the "progress" front, but like he said, it's better than being long, firm, and all closed up! Ok, doc, whatever you say! Cervix is also still a little posterior, meaning that it's still more behind the baby's head and eventually when baby fully "drops" and is ready for delivery, it will be fully anterior. Sorry for all the cervix talk this week, I just want to have it written down for myself so when baby #2 comes along I can compare notes at this stage in the game! :)

Otherwise, I've been feeling pretty decent. Had a nice burst of energy last night and went golfing and then cruising around Walmart to get a few things. Once I got home, though, the braxton hicks started in pretty hardcore, reminding me that I probably pushed a little too far. Eventually I just had to go lay down because nothing else was stopping them. I'm trying to keep positive and not complain too much during this last month, but it's so hard when things that I could do last week are no longer possible this week--or that I'm wiped out from doing the simple task of going downstairs to switch a load of laundry. In 4ish weeks I know I will forget all about how I'm feeling right now! :)

I found a cute list of "10 things you should do before going into labor." Here's how we're doing on it so far!

1. Take childbirth classes
~Check! and really glad we did!

2. See a Movie
~We went and saw Grown Ups 2 a couple weeks ago!

3. Know the breastfeeding basics
~I think I've got the basics down after researching and from our class

4. Pack your hospital bag
~Have been gathering things to go in it, but have yet to actually get the bag out and put anything in it! Need to get on that and start a list for things that we use every day that will need to remember to grab.

5. Program important numbers into your phone
~I think we've got this taken care of!

6. Freeze some meals
~Been thinking about doing this, too. I know it will be super helpful to have it done for when we come home! (Especially since chances are Tim will be in the middle of combining or prehaul for beets)

7. Get a crib and wash the sheet
~Done a long time ago! 4 sets of sheets ready to go!

8. Install the car seat
~Not yet....we've practiced putting the car seat in and out of the base, but haven't put the base in the car yet.

9. Make a labor playlist
~Hadn't really thought of doing this, but never know what might be helpful during labor, so why not! An ipod and my small portable speakers are a pretty easy thing to throw in the hospital bag.

10. Read a novel
~JUST finished a really awesome book last night!! I'm bummed though because I have to wait until March 2014 for the next book in the series to come out. Luckily I think I'll be occupied enough in that time :)

35 Days!! (Give or take)

5 weeks to go!! This week's biggest accomplishment has been finishing the nursery! As of right now, I think we're as ready as we're going to be! The next task is packing the hospital bag. Otherwise, just waiting on our sweet little honey to bake a little bit longer!

We had a great weekend up in Hallock! It felt so good to be back after not having been up there for a couple months. I got to see a lot of people I hadn't seen in a really long time! I only wish I would've worn a shirt that said, "I'm due August 28th, and no we don't know if baby is a boy or girl!" Oh, and "I'm feeling fine, and handling the heat just like everyone else is!" By the end of the weekend I was getting pretty exhausted from those same questions! But all in all, a great weekend!

I have noticed baby starting to drop a little bit, mostly with being able to breathe better and when I am sitting up and try sit with my legs together it's uncomfortable! So lady-like! :) I've been nauseous still about an hour or so after eating and once I eat something for lunch it takes a really long time to digest before I'm hungry again. I can't wait to have my normal stomach back!

We had our final childbirth class last night and it was on breastfeeding and infant CPR. It was a very interesting class, and a nice reminder to have family and friends "brush up" on knowing what to do in a situation where the baby may need CPR or may be choking. All in all, I'm really glad we took the classes and had such a great teacher, because I feel very prepared going into all of this because of what we learned!

Before I get back to work and put up my swollen feet, I wanted to share a recipe for "Lactation cookies" that I have been recommended to try! Some of the ingredients you can only get at a natural foods store, so I found them at Amazing Grains in downtown Grand Forks. Apparently they are REALLY good and help boost milk supply! (Great gift for a new mom, too, if you're into baking!) I'm going to bake them soon and freeze them for when we're heading to the hospital! Follow the link for the recipe!

http://www.milkinmamas.com/lactation-cookie-recipe/

Almost forgot to mention that I had a doctor appointment on Monday and everything looks great with baby! All of the pains and uncomfortable "moments" I've been experiencing are "typical." I figured as much! I go back next Wednesday for my Group B strep test to see if I'll need antibiotics during labor, and then he'll check to see if I've progressed at all and get a 'for sure' on baby's position!!

6 Weeks!!

Wow! In 3 weeks this baby will be FULL TERM! The really exciting thing about that is that I know for sure I can deliver in Crookston at that point. They don't have a NICU, so they don't deliver any high risk mothers/early babies. We've been going to childbirth classes each week for the last 3 weeks, and collectively I have to say that it has been a great experience. Before we went, I was told by so many people how lame and pointless they are. I had a handle on the basics of giving birth, but these really put my mind at ease and helped me prepare for all of the possible scenarios that we may encounter when that time comes! I really like how Riverview handles their births. It seems like they have a lot of the same values and go about things the way I would envision this labor going. They seem to really focus on mom and baby interaction right away. Makes me less nervous, more anxious and excited!

I've been having more braxton hicks contractions and have noticed more swelling in my feet and hands during these hot days. I'm just trying to keep the water intake flowing and do as little as possible in the heat! Just a disclaimer--please don't ask how I'm handling the heat, or I'm going to return the favor. Pretty sure nobody enjoys 90 degrees and 90% humidity...and you're crazy if you do!

My mother in law and sisters in law threw a shower for me last Thursday! It was an awesome turnout and I got some pretty awesome gifts! It was so much fun seeing all of the baby stuff, and realizing that I actually will be using it all very soon! There was way too much food and am so grateful for all of my family and friends who came out for it! :) I wasn't sure how it would go to have a shower before the baby was born without knowing if we're having a boy or girl, but it went just fine! I actually got a lot of fun gender neutral stuff and "essential" stuff. It was great! I'll be having a shower up in Hallock after the baby is born, so I'm prepared to get showered in pink and blue at that one!

I also got a prenatal massage on Tuesday. Seriously, the best invention ever!! I could have someone rub on my lower back and hips all day long! A definite recommendation for any mothers-to-be!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from the shower. Next week the nursery should be about as ready as it's going to be, so I plan to take lots of pictures of that! :)

7 weeks to go!!

I don't really have too much to update on this week so far! I have a shower tomorrow evening, so I'll make a post about that after! I'm really excited to see some of my former coworkers and some of our friends/family friends from this area. I'll be having an open house shower up in Hallock once the baby is born, so really looking forward to that, too!

This week, baby is the size of a pineapple! On average, over 17 inches long and about 4 1/2 pounds. I'm really curious to see where we stack up in these measurements, but I guess I just have to wait. Now that I know baby is head down, I can start figuring out what I'm feeling when (s)he is moving around! I get a cute little butt in my ribs quite often! I do find myself cringing when I feel a big "rolling" movement coming on....never know if it's going to hurt or not. Sleep has been hit or miss lately, mostly because I find myself thinking about what we still need to do and get. My hips and lower back are really excited for their massage next Tuesday, too!

We had our second childbirth class last night, and I am really starting to get more comfortable with everything. The nurse teaching the class is so awesome and I am glad I'm learning about all of the different things that can/do happen, so that I am mentally prepared. Tim has been really supportive and positive that things are going to go just perfectly, so I'm taking that as him trying to reassure me! :)

Since we're getting closer and closer, I thought it would be fun to post this poll again! Take your guesses!! :)

http://www.expectnet.com/games/CaillierBaby
I'll post again after my shower tomorrow night!

8 Weeks to go!

Time is flying!! I feel like I say that every week, but it's so true! It's also weird to say that NEXT MONTH my baby is due....Ah!

By this week, baby weighs almost 4lb and is about 17" long on average. It's crazy to think that I was 5lb 10 oz when I was born--my baby is almost there!! Baby will typically put on a 1/2 lb a week at this point, and lucky for me, my weight gain over the last couple weeks was only a pound, so it was nice to know that it was literally just baby weight gained this time! :) I'm also right in the healthy weight gain amount and my dr is happy with how that is all going. I had a dr appointment yesterday and everything is looking great! Baby is measuring right on time, and my dr could tell that baby is officially head down! Let's hope things stay that way! He's gone in 2 weeks when I'm supposed to have my next appointment, so I have to wait til the following week to go back.

We also had our first childbirth classes last night! Lots of people told me they would be lame, but I didn't mind it. I'd rather be prepared knowing exactly what different things to expect during labor, the hospital's typical policies and procedures, and we got to tour a birth suite last night! Just another step in making this all more real. I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions off and on lately, been getting more winded and find that I can't be on my feet as long as I used to. Wouldn't trade it for the world, though!

We hung some pictures and things on the walls in our nursery, folded my first load of baby clothes, and starting to organize things! Here are a few pictures:

These bottom 2 pictures have been photoshopped to help me get a better idea of how those walls will look once they're done!

 

Here we are at 31w and 5 days!

 

I've recently been reminded again how much of a miracle this baby is that I'm carrying. Just as I was starting to almost get annoyed by the lack of sleep I've been getting (because (s)he thinks bedtime means party time EVERY NIGHT), I am reminded just how fortunate I am to have this healthy pregnancy.

Love you, baby!

9 Weeks to go--single digits!! :)

Can't believe we're down to 9 weeks! Well, 8 weeks and 6 days as of today technically! Baby is busy as ever, but movements have been fewer and farther between with longer sleeping patterns being developed and just running out of room. I did get to experience baby 'hiccups' yesterday, so that was pretty cool! I also got all signed up for child birth classes that start next Tuesday. Is it weird that I'm excited about these?? I'm really excited for the tour of the hospital and just hearing all the different topics we'll learn over the next 4 weeks!

I figured I would just make this blog answering all the common questions I've been asked:

1. How are you feeling??
     ~Pretty good, actually! I know a lot of people ask this just to be friendly, so I hate to go into details. I've been having heartburn throughout the day and at night. Tums usually takes care of that. My hips are starting to tell me that it's time for another massage...shoot! ;) I have my times of exhaustion, usually toward the end of the day, but nothing to really complain about there. Those are pretty much the only complaints I have, so I'm considering myself really lucky at this point!

2. Are you getting excited??
    ~Well, obviously!! I get a kick out of people asking this question. A little nervous, yes--more and more every day, but so excited to meet this little person that's been growing in me!

3. How much longer??
   ~8 weeks, 6 days. 62 days!

4. Is the summer heat getting to you?
   ~I spend 90% of my time during the week indoors, so no. Am I warmer than everyone else, typically, yes. Everyone around the office complains that it's so cold in here, but I think it's perfect. This week when we had 90 degrees and 80% humidity, I chose to stay inside instead of putting myself and my body through being out in that and doing physical activity. Being pregnant in the summer just takes common sense if you ask me!

5. Are you sure you aren't having twins?? or, Wow, you look like you're ready to go any time!
   ~Typically not a compliment at this stage in the game...there's definitely only one baby in there and we're going through growth spurts now through the next few weeks. I already feel large and in charge, but still have 8 weeks to go and am not entirely sure where there's room for this baby to grow!

Those are the most common questions I've been getting so figured I could answer them all at once!

Old Wive's Tales--gender prediction

Thought it would be fun to see how what these Old Wive's Tales say about this baby's gender! My comments are in RED!

Old Wives’ Tale #1 – Linea Negra

Latin for ‘black line’, a linea negra may appear on your belly during pregnancy (some women wont get it). The old wives tale is this – if you get a línea negra and it runs from your pubic area to your belly button only, it’s a girl, and if it goes all the way up from your pubic area to the bottom-most part of you rib cage, then it’s a boy. Runs all the way up to my rib cage--Boy

Old Wives’ Tale #2 – Carrying High or Low?

As the tale goes, if you are carrying low, it’s a boy; if you’re carrying high, it’s a girl.  I feel like I'm carrying low, but I've never heard from anyone else what they think--Boy

Old Wives’ Tale #3 – The Draino Thingo

There is an old wives tale that involves mixing your urine with Draino but not only is Draino dangerous and bad for you, it’s bad for the environment too. I won't do this one - yuck!

Old Wives’ Tale #4 – Is Your Skin Dry or Soft?

If your skin is dry, you’re said to be having a boy – and if it’s soft, then a girl is on the way. Super dry skin!--Boy

Old Wives’ Tale #5 – What’s Baby’s Heart rate?

They say, if you’re carrying a girl, then baby’s heart rate will be above 140bpm. A boy is said to have a heart rate under 140bpm. A study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine (1996) has dismissed this theory, as has other research. Your baby’s heart rate will change often during a pregnancy, depending on the baby’s age and it’s movement. Anything from 120-160bpm is normal for an unborn baby.  Baby's heartrate has steadily been right at 150!--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #6 – Your Flowing Locks

Has your hair become thinner and dull? Or full-bodied and glossy? Thin and dull says girl, gorgeous and glossy says a boy.  I don't think my hair has become thinner, but it's not exactly gorgeous and glossy, either!---Inconclusive?

Old Wives’ Tale #7 – Where Are You Carrying Extra Weight?

If you are carrying extra weight at the front, then you’re having a boy… but if you are carrying extra weight on your bum and hips, then you are carrying a girl. What about dad-to-be? If he’s gaining weight with you, apparently you’re having a girl. If he’s put on no weight, a boy for you!  I feel like I've been carrying extra weight at the front, and Tim hasn't put on any weight--Boy

Old Wives’ Tale #8 – Numbers…

If you combine your age at the time of conception with the number of the month you conceived and the resulting number is odd – then it’s a girl on the way. If the resulting number is even, then it’s a boy for you.  Age=25+Month-December (12)=37 (ODD)--Girl!

Old Wives’ Tale #9 – Sweet, Salty or Sour?

Another well known old wives tale!!! Are you craving sweet foods like juice, fruits and chocolate? If so, old wives say that you could be having a girl. But if you’re craving sour or salty foods, then you could be having a boy. It’s also said that if you are having a boy, you will crave protein like meat and dairy. I have trouble believing this one because I think we’d be overrun by a population of females – we all love chocolate pregnant or not!  Definitely sweet foods--FRUIT especially!--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #10 – Wedding Ring Test

Get your wedding ring (or other ring/needle/pin) and attach it with a strand of your hair or some string. Lie down and dangle the ring over your belly. If it starts moving in circles, you are having a boy, or if it moves like a pendulum from side to side, then you are having a girl. Tried this and it moved from side to side, then like stopped, then moved in a big circle--I'm taking that as first kid is girl, second a boy?

Old Wives’ Tale #11 – Got Morning Sickness?

Did you experience morning sickness in early pregnancy? If you did, then you’re said to be carrying a girl, but if you didn’t have morning sickness, then it’s a boy.  I'm counting my extreme nauseau as morning sickness even though I didn't actually "get sick." I thought about it several times--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #12 – How About Those Cold Feet?

If your feet get colder than they used to pre-pregnancy, it’s a sign you have a boy on the way. If your feet are the same, then it’s a girl!  My feet are the same, probably warmer--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #13 – How Do You Look?

Do you look better than ever while pregnant? Or has the pregnancy done your looks no favours? As it goes, if you look great during pregnancy, then you are carrying a boy. If you don’t look too flash, you’re having a girl, because she’s stolen all your good looks! Definitely girl on this one

Old Wives’ Tale #14 – The Breast Test!

If you look in the mirror at your breasts, which one is larger? If it’s the right one, you’re carrying a boy and for a larger left breast, then it’s a girl. Which only leaves one question… if your breasts are both the same size, does that mean one of each?  I think they're pretty comparable--inconclusive!

Old Wives’ Tale #15 – North or South?

When you sleep, is your pillow north or south? If it’s north, then expect a boy, or south means a girl is on the way.  I'm not really sure what this one means...

Old Wives’ Tale #16 – Pimples, Schimiples…

If you get acne during pregnancy, apparently you’re having a girl, and if you don’t, then you’re carrying a boy.  I've had more breakouts than usual--girl

Old Wives’ Tale #17 – Are You A Lefty or a Righty?

When you sleep, do you sleep on your left? Because if you do, then it’s a boy for you! On your right, a girl is in sight.  I flip a lot, but I'd say typically I favor the left side--Boy

Old Wives’ Tale #18 – Check Out Your Wee!

Okay…. now apparently if you have bright yellow urine, then you’re carrying a boy, but if it’s dull / clear, then you’re carrying a girl.  I think this probably has to do with water intake, but most of the time it's dull/clear--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #19 -What Does Your Belly Look Like?

A basketball or a watermelon? Because if it looks more like a basketball, then old wives say boy, but if it more resembles a watermelon then it’s a girl.  Wish I had a little basketball, but it doesn't look that cute!--Girl

Old Wives’ Tale #20 – Hairy Legs?

Has the hair on your legs grown faster than normal? Or has it grown just like normal? Because if it’s growing faster than it did pre-pregnancy, then you’re said to be having a boy. It's grown faster than it did, which means I should shave my legs more often, but it's just so much work!! :) --Boy



Total: 6 for Boy, 9 for Girl, and a few that didn't have enough of an answer either way!! Of all the random people who've told me what they think baby is, only 2 have told me boy. The rest have said girl! Since I really have no feelings one way or another, I guess we'll just have to wait and see if these wive's tales are true!

10 weeks left!!!

CRAZY!!!!!

Last week was kind of a blur and I didn't update. Then by the time I remembered to, I just decided that I would make this post extra good. haha

In approximately 70 days (give or take a few) our little kickboxer will be joining us! Talk about feeling unprepared excited! I had a doctor appointment yesterday and baby is measuring exactly on time, heartrate is about 150, and my blood pressure is perfect. We start every other week visits now, too--time is really going to fly! We discussed starting to do fetal kick counts. My doctor asked if "the kid" (that's what he calls baby) was still being busy. I assured him that definitely when I lay down to go to sleep at night it takes a good 20 minutes before the punching is done! I also feel kicks to my right ribs and it gets a little sore up there when I touch. When I can feel baby starting to move around I just kinda close my eyes and keep thinking "please don't hurt me!!!" :)

I'm starting a list of things to buy before baby is born. I'm having a small shower this weekend with college friends and a shower that my mother-in-law is putting on for me with Crookston-area people at her house on July 11th. I'll be crossing things off my list as I get them, but I want to be prepared so that I can go and do my shopping right after the showers so I have time to get everything organized. I'll be having a shower up in Hallock after the baby is born, so I'm not going to go overboard on stuff that I don't need/want right away until after that! I'm just so anxious to get things organized it's starting to drive me crazy!!

NAMES: this has been our biggest struggle! We've had a boy name narrowed down for quite a while now. After we pretty much had that decided, I was so convinced this baby was going to be a boy. (no other reason besides loving the name!). WELL, last night I had an epiphany on a girl's name and have fallen completely in love with it. Tim and I haven't really talked too much about it yet, other than me mentioning the first name and him saying he thought that was a really nice name. The more I sit and think about it, the more I think that it's definitely the one!! So much so, that now I'm pretty convinced baby is a girl. haha! Hopefully he agrees to it!!

Other than my heartburn coming back with a vengance the last couple weeks, my hormones are about the only other thing to really complain about. I have some aches and pains if I sit for too long or stand for too long, but those are just normal. The hormones are ridiculous and my mood swings from one end of the pendulum to the other in a matter of minutes. It definitely doesn't take much to make me cry--which I get so frustrated about, then just laugh because I can't stop! Oh well, it's all for a good cause!

Here's a little comparison of how much we've grown! When I put them side by side, I was shocked at the progress! Not sure where baby is going to grow for 10 more weeks......

Nursery Progress!!

Tim got the dresser put together in the nursery yesterday, so I thought I'd post a couple of the pics of progress so far! Still have a long ways to go, and all of the decor/art work to hang up, but you get the general idea for now!!

(The sign sitting on top of the crib will be hung above it!)

Jers had to photobomb! :)

Finding Nemo sign :)

Pics to hang and the sign to cover up a hole in our door!

Can't wait to see the finished product...but it's helping that most of the furniture is there now!!

3rd Trimester!

We're officially in the 3rd trimester on every site/app I look at! The 3rd tri has been welcoming me with not so open arms, but it's just a sign we're getting closer to the end!

I've been definitely feeling some aches and pains lately. It basically feels like someone has been repeatedly kicking me in the groin when I sit too long and then get up to walk. My hips have felt amazing (except for when I walk too far) since I went to get a prenatal massage, so am going to schedule another one in a couple weeks, just to keep on top of that! (sounds like a good excuse, right?!?!) There are days when I've been so exhausted I don't know how I'm going to make it through the day, and other days I feel pretty energized until I get home...then I just want to crash. I also have these times of super bad nausea, but they have just ended up going away eventually--just never know when they are going to hit! I've noticed that I definitely can't do everything like I used to. I was busy getting things ready for the lake last week, but had to sit down and rest because I started feeling super dizzy. I'm slowly learning my ever-changing limits!

Ok, so not everything has been negative! I have been feeling the baby way more and seems like every time I think about him/her, (s)he moves :) I've been trying to get a video of my stomach rolling around because it just fascinates me! I waddle pretty bad when I first stand up, just to get things loosened up, and Tim finds it funny and decided to mock me the other day when we were out walking around...such a sweetheart! :)

Now that we're all settled in our camper at the lake, it's time to get back to the nursery! I've got a few things to put up on the walls, but I am waiting to have the dresser set up and just ordered a glider and ottoman for the room. Once those things get in place, I feel like I can finally add the finishing touches. I'll be having a couple showers before the baby comes, but am making my list of things I for sure need to get in case I don't get them at the showers. That way I'm not scrambling to prepare when I'm 9 months pregnant!

I just had to take a picture today at work because I feel extra large today...I know I've only got more days of feeling like that ahead!

Yay for "regular" shirts that are really long and can double as maternity clothes!

My view as I sit at my desk all day....

Not to leave my other baby out, here she is hanging out at the lake this last weekend! :)

13 weeks left!!

Crazy!! Time is flying. I feel like I say that every week :) Some places tell me I'm entering the 3rd trimester this week, others say it's not til next week, so either way, 3rd trimester, here we come!!

Baby is growing very steadily and is going to start adding on the pounds in the next few weeks. I feel like I am also growing very steadily. Last night was golf night and 2 weeks ago when we last golfed, my stomach didn't get in the way of my putter. Last night I definitely had a nice place to "stabilize" my putter :) Puts it all into perspective each week when I notice little things like that!

It's also official....I've developed the waddle. I was bound and determined that was going to happen to me, but it got pointed out to me a couple times yesterday. When I'm paying attention I start to catch myself doing it and try straighten up!! haha. I know I still have a long ways to go, but when I'm having more days of uncomfortableness than I've previously had, I just know what's coming.

We had an awesome Memorial Day weekend at the lake. Even though it was a little chilly and very windy, we took the boat out, got the camper organized, and just relaxed. Can't wait to be able to just head out there and not have to pack the entire house each time! Here are a few pictures from our weekend!

From the patio door looking back. We were in the process of unpacking, so there were still things all over the place!

Our bedroom/bathroom in the back. I didn't take a picture of the front bedroom/bathroom. Maybe that'll be on next weeks agenda!

She loved the wind blowing in her face when we were on the boat!

She also really loved Jerry's new pontoon

I love this gorgeous, clear, beautiful lake!! :)

14 weeks to go!!

I am just amazed every time a new week comes along! I feel like time is flying by. This leads me to starting to get nervous, feeling unprepared, etc!! We are getting things ready for our new place on Bad Medicine Lake for the summer, so that's been distracting me. Once that is taken care of, I can finish the nursery and start getting things organized.

Today I had my gestational diabetes test, and passed with flying colors!! Time for cupcakes to celebrate?! :) I am also excited about only gaining 2 lbs in the last month--yay!! I'm still right on track with my weight gain, and couldn't be happier! Of course today also came with a blood draw from my right arm, tetanus shot in my left, and rhogam shot for my negative blood type in my right hip. That's enough needles for now...hopefully. Things are looking just perfect, so we have 4 more weeks before I go back to the dr, then we will start every other week appointments after that! That will really make time fly I think--ahh!

Baby has been so busy this week. It's so fun to feel and watch! Except I've had a few jabs that kinda shock me and are stronger than others!

Our other big milestone we reached this week was getting into the double digits with days left!! 98 days to go!!

15 to go!!

25 weeks!!!

As I'm sitting here typing, I'm just loving every minute of the bubbling of my belly! It's so fun starting to be able to see this baby move! I'm pretty sure Jersey and the baby are already ganging up on me. As soon as my alarm goes off, one or the other or both is telling me it's time to get up!! Don't they know I just like to sleep for 5 more minutes... :)

I've been back to the chiropractor this last week, but am feeling much better now. Jers and I have been going on walks in the evenings to help strengthen my hip muscles again now that they're loosened up a little more. That is about the only thing I really can complain about this pregnancy. My hips have been affecting how comfortable sleeping is, so that sucks!

I had my first really exhausted/uncomfortable day on Friday. I'm not sure if baby was in a weird position, or if it's just a sign of what's to come as I get close to the 3rd trimester. I was so exhausted at work, I just wanted to lay my head down and sleep. Besides that, I could not get comfortable. Everything ached and could only sit for so long, could only walk for so long, it was miserable! The next morning I ran some errands and picked up around the house and came home and just crashed in my recliner. I apparently needed the sleep!! I have felt pretty good since. I've noticed more of a "first trimester" tiredness though lately.

My first Mother's Day was nice! Tim got me a card and a sweatshirt I had been wanting for a long time! I baked a few goodies and cleaned the house and my reward was when I sat down after all that, I just watched my tummy roll around--coolest thing ever :)

Pretty excited to get our summer started next weekend at the lake!! The boys have finished seeding corn and wheat as of yesterday (5/14) and will finish beets today, and will start on beans tomorrow! I feel like it's been a whirlwind the last couple weeks, but everything is going in smoothly so we can relax! I am also really excited because our dresser and changing table came in for the nursery! Can't wait to get those set up and be able to start really arranging things--stay tuned for pictures!!

Here's my Mother's Day belly :)

16 weeks to go!

24 weeks!!!! Yay!! :) This was another milestone that I was so excited to reach! 24 weeks is a milestone because if the baby was born now (heaven forbid...) (s)he would have a fighting chance of survival! So happy to know that we've made it this far, and continuing to pray for baby to stay nice and warm and safe in my belly for a few more months!

This past week I've really noticed my belly starting to pop out. This also is where my little body pillow comes in handy! When I'm laying on my side at night I'm finding that having something to support the weight of my belly is awesome. I am having some trouble with my hips though....ugh!! Sleeping isn't going quite as smoothly as it used to. My hips get so sore from laying on one side or the other. All I want to do is lay on my stomach!!!! :( I've gone to the chiropractor a few times in the last week and he massaged a muscle in my hips that has been super tight. It's such a good hurt when he does that and feels like I could run a mile after that! (Then I walk up the stairs and am reminded of how winded I get!!)

Jersey and I have been going for walks the last few nights, slowly going further and further to loosen and stretch these hip muscles! I feel like an old lady, but I know I'm doing what I can.

As for food, I have gone from wanting to eat anything and everything to being content with a little sandwich and FRUIT!! Oh my gosh, am I in love with fruit!! (particularly cantelope, honey dew, and watermelon!) I've ate so much of it lately that my mouth is starting to get sore....haha. Oh well, at least I'm not over-indulging in cookies or chocolate! :) The salty stuff I craved a few weeks ago doesn't even appeal to me. Maybe veggies will be my next craving! (ha!)

Looking forward to spending some quality time around home this weekend making lists of things I have to do before baby! :)

Things people say...

I just wanted to put these in my blog so that I could remember them, and remind myself not to say them to another pregnant person!


1. "You're going to be so hot and miserable all summer" Isn't everyone? And our summer is not off to a very hot start. I work in, live in, camp in air conditioning, and we'll be on a lake all summer. I think I'll live! Thanks for the congratuations!


2. "Oh, you've got a really long ways to go still!" As I'm getting excited that we're counting down the weeks instead of up, people keep bursting my bubble and telling me I have such a long time to go still. BOO!


3. "You hide your pregnancy so well!" Really?!?! Ugh, do I just look like I've gained a million pounds? Thanks for the confidence booster....

4. And comments that start with "Oh, just wait!!" Thank you people who are much wiser than me. Just because something happened with your child, doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen with mine. I'm sure we'll experience a lot of the same things, but just remember that what worked for you might not work for me! I will seek out advice when I need it, don't worry! :)

17 to go!!

Dear Baby,
The trampoline that you find so fun to jump on is my bladder. It might be fun to jump on now when you're still little, but please remember that you're only getting bigger and that I won't always be near a bathroom when you decide to jump/kick/punch! :)

This morning I just wanted to sleep in a few extra minutes, but had a puppy licking me to wake me up and a baby bouncing around in my belly---YES, you two, I'm awake!!! I love it :)

This week, the babies hearing is developed and (s)he can hear music! It's officially time to crank it up and start singing! I've been feeling great, but have started to notice some physical limitations. I was making a quilt for the baby and laid it all out on the floor and was going to crawl around the floor and pin things and get it all organized. HA! I felt like an old lady trying to get down onto the floor and back up. It was a lot more work to move around once on the floor, too!

With Tim starting to get into the field hopefully next week and still not being able to get out to the lake yet, I'm going to take full advantage of the next couple weekends of rummage sales! I'm so antsy to start filling up the closet in the nursery! I have been given a couple gifts so far, so they are the only things I have in the closer so far. Here are a few pictures I meant to post last week:

I am also going to try and do this 20 day challenge in my blog, hopefully starting tomorrow!

Day 1: A picture of you and 5 facts.
Day 2: A picture of the father and 5 facts.
Day 3: Do you know the day you conceived?
Day 4: How did you find out you were expecting?
Day 5: What trimester are you in, and how do you feel?
Day 6: Baby’s first picture. A picture of your first ultrasound.
Day 7: Do you have a birthing plan?
Day 8: What is your biggest food craving?
Day 9: What sex did/do you hope for?
Day 10: A picture of your baby bump, and how you feel about your look.
Day 11: THE BABY SHOWER! What do you plan for? Hope for?
Day 12: How did you tell your parents the big news? The dad?
Day 13: How are you preparing for the baby?
Day 14: A picture of a baby who you feel your baby will resemble.
Day 15: How are you FEELING?
Day 16: Parenting tips you’ve learned, from the internet or other moms.
Day 17: Who will help you the most when your baby is here?
Day 18: Do you plan on breastfeeding?
Day 19: Who will be in the delivery room with you?
Day 20: What are you looking forward to most about being a mother?

18 to go!

Wrote this a few days ago, but forgot to hit "Publish"! :)

This post is so bittersweet to write. I am so excited to be continuing our countdown, but I am also so sad knowing that a very important person is no longer here to experience the rest of this adventure with us. My grandpa passed away on Monday evening.

We got a call on Sunday morning that he really wasn't doing good and that we should maybe head over to Grand Forks to be with him. By the time we had arrived, there had been a pastor who came in and prayed with my aunt and uncle and grandpa. Not 2 minutes after that, grandpa was up and awake and hilarious! We had so much fun in those couple hours just laughing with him and joking around. He was definitely the most like himself that I've seen him in a long time--truly blessed to have had that time with him.

He was so excited about his first great grandchild! He would comment on how much I was growing every time I'd see him. He just wanted to "make 'er" to August to meet this baby. I am even more sad that my baby won't get to know him like I did. It is very comforting to know that him and my grandma are together now and watching over all of us!

Enough of the sad, now onto the happy! We bought our crib last weekend!! We bought it and got it home at 9:30 on Saturday night, and Tim decided he was going to start assembling, so had it all done by 10:00! It is really making it more of a reality, and definitely making the room look like a bedroom. Now to find a chair and a dresser.....

One other really exciting thing that happened this past week is that I felt the baby move from the outside for the first time! (S)He is so active throughout the day and the movements are definitely getting more and more noticeable!