My Pregnancy Journal

Some More Pictures of Wyatt

2005-12-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

Wyatt's Blog

The top two pictures are from December 20th, the evening after Wyatt's birth.
The picture with the 2nd baby is of his cousin, Veronica, who's 3 wks older.

The two bottom pictures are from today, December 22nd.

I will be creating another blog just for him since my girls already have one for them... well, I guess I could put them together... I'll think about it. I'll put the link in here since I'm no longer pregnant and don't need to continue posting here :)

Welcome to the World, Wyatt :D

2005-12-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

Stats first:

December 20th, 2005
(39 Weeks along)
Born at 8:16 am
7 lbs 4 oz
21"
13½" head

A little after 3 am, I went to the bathroom (naturally). When I wiped, I had a 'bloody show'. This was at 3:25 am.

I went back to bed. Contractions started, but they weren't painful or anything. So, I just stayed in bed for a while.

Sometime after 4 am, I filled the bathtub with water and got in. The water felt really nice :)

I was kind of wondering if this was the 'real' thing or not.

I had brought in a clock to see if there were any regular contractions. Well, at first, like, the first few were 5 min apart. Rapidly, they became 2 to 3 min apart.

I had some herbal, homeopathy, and bach flower stuff my sil, Jessica, had given to me that she had left over from her recent birth. So, I was taking that.

Jeremy got out of bed a little after 6 am to get ready for work. I called him in and told him my contractions were every 2-3 min. He asked if I had called my sisters and I told him I hadn't. He told me that I had better call because he had to go to work.

I had already mentally prepared myself for a solo birth since Jeremy works 12 hr days, 5-7 days a week and his work is 45 mins away from home. So, the odds of him being home or even coming back home in time were kind of slim anyways.

So, I went ahead and starting calling people. The ones I was calling are all 2 hrs away. Of course, you are never sure how fast or slow your labor will go... so... I called Angele, she went ahead and called mom and Cherie. Jessica called me back (Cherie was sleeping over there) and I called Tasha because she had asked that I call if anything happens because she wanted to be here. Also called Aimee.

Sometime around now, Ursula's calling out to me from the bed. I'm telling her I'm in the tub, but she wants me so I empty the water and go to her. She wants to do her usual morning nursing.

So, I let the water out the tub and go to her. I allow her to nurse for a little while but notice that this is causing my contractions to come every minute! So, I convince her to stop because 'its hurting mommy's belly' and ask Calista to put the TV on so that they can watch PBS while I go back into the tub.

In the tub, at first the contractions slowed down to about 5 min apart but quickly went to 2 mins apart.

By now, the phone is ringing off the hook. I picked it up a couple of times and immediately told whoever was on it that I was no longer answering the phone. I let it ring. It began irritating me.

I did answer one more phone call. It came at 7:58 am and it was from Jeremy's work. I immediately said, "Come home, I don't even think you'll make it". Jeremy said, "okay, I'm on my way." It normally takes him 45 mins to get home.

My contractions are intensifying. I start vocalizing. I first started up with doing a laugh, even a fake one worked. A loud HA HA HA was working. But, as they intensified, I stopped taking phone calls and laughing wasn't working. So, I started singing notes. I noticed that certain ones worked better than others and the louder and longer I'd sing them, the better they worked.

Then, I noticed something that I figured must be the 'ring of fire'. It wasn't so bad though. So, when I noticed that, I started envisioning the baby's head descending through the 'stations'. I also thought about Jessica asking me earlier if I had felt for the head yet. So, I decided that if the baby is going through the stations, then I must be able to feel his head or close to being able to. I put my finger in and feel something really soft. I remember back to when I had crowned Ursula and felt her head and try to think if it felt like what I was feeling. It didn't.

Although I wasn't sure of what I was feeling, I decided to go ahead and bear down, to see how it felt. Well, even though the urge to push wasn't overwhelming, I did it anyways, just to see. Well, it did feel better when I did it during a contraction. So, I felt again, and whatever it was was closer. So, I went through a few more contractions without bearing down and felt again and I felt it burst! My water had just broken!

So, I put my finger in again and there it was! His head! I knew for sure what it was, no mistaking it! So, I decide to start pushing again. I know I had orginally wanted to just allow my body to push him out... but, it just felt so much better to push.

So, I kept touching his head and did a slow and steady push, the whole time coaching myself to go 'easy, easy, slow, slow'.

As I'm doing that slow push, I feel his head descend. And in no time his whole, round head was out! I feel all around it a few times. I felt his ear, it made me giggle. I didn't feel anything weird or different, like a cord, so, I figure it was time to push the body out.

Again, I did a slow, constant push and out came his body, the whole time I had my hand on his head. When I felt his body release, I put my other in the water and swoop him up.

He's immediately breathing but just looking around. After a few moments, he lets out this big cry! hehehe But quickly settles down as I have him to my chest.

Right after I put him to my chest from the water, Ursula and Calista reenter the bathroom. I ask Calista to grab a towel for me and I put it on top of him. He's not interested in nursing. He's just looking around.

The girls fawn over him. Ursula quickly goes and get the infant carseat and tells me to put him in there. I finally get through to her that I will not and so she wants to get in the water with us.

I go ahead and drain the water and clean the tub out, while holding Wyatt :D And once its all clean again (just using water... no cleaners), I refill the tub and allow Ursula in.

It was probably a good 40 minutes before Jeremy made it home. He opens the bathroom door to see us 3 in the tub. He makes Ursula get out. And tells me the ambulance just pulled up. I'm like, "wha wha what???" "Who called them?"

He didn't know. Behind Jeremy came not only the EMT's but Cherie and her family, my mom, Angele, and Tasha.

Come to find out, Tasha tells us how the EMT's got involved.

Tasha had called her mom to see if she could watch her 2 kids while she came here since I was in labor. Well, her mom calls me, apparently one of the phone calls I didn't pick up due to being in intense labor. So, she calls 911 and asks them to check on me since I was alone and in labor. 911 called the ambulance.

I think its hilarious that I had already given birth almost an hour before they arrived.

When the EMT's enter, they want me to go to the hospital. I refuse and have to sign a waiver. They want to cut the cord which is fine because its no longer pulsating. So, they clamp it off and ask if I want Jeremy to cut it. I said yes and they go get him and hand him a scapel.

The EMT's call both my doctor and the pediatrician. Of course the doc is freaked out that I won't be going in. Oh well.

The EMT's tell me they are going to stay until I birth the placenta. I'm like, okay, whatever. Meanwhile, they're taking my bloodpressure every 20 min or so.

It ends up taking me about 2 hrs before I birth the placenta! And then, it felt like I was giving birth to a whole other head! Crazy, huh? It was so not like that for my other 2 placentas!

So, the EMT's examine the placenta and all is good. They ask if we want to keep it. I told them yes and they bagged it for us. Then they left just like they said they would.

Thinking back, I never had that fear for this baby, even in transition, which is when a lot of women go through that fear but just have to get through it; esp. for homebirths. It was more like a 'matter of fact' kind of thing for me.

My sister asked if I felt empowered. I don't know. I just did what had to be done. It just felt like the natural thing to do. Something I had been wanting now for over 7 yrs.

I'm very happy with this birth :) I got to catch my own baby :)

Daddy and Wyatt

Calista and Wyatt

Ursula and Wyatt - She is just so in love with this baby!

39 Weeks

2005-12-20T02:08:00.000-08:00

I got up for the bathroom, as usual, and my panties were super wet. So, I changed them and went back to bed. Again, I get up to go to the bathroom and again, my panties are wet. This time, I get a handcloth to put in my panties.

The 2nd time to the bathroom, I wipe, and there's my bloody show. 3:25 am.

I giggle to myself and go back to bed.

Now, its 4:10 am and I'm having contractions. They vary between 3 to 5 min apart and I'm feeling them in my lower back. They are easy to deal with so far. I swear, I can feel stuff happening down there, in my pubic area... either me widening or baby wiggling into position.

The panty thing... I'm not sure if that is a leak in my ambiotic fluid or more mucous. There was no gush at all if was my water breaking. I did somewhat gush initially for both Calista and Ursula.

So, right now, I'm just waiting to see if this is the real thing or what. I'm pretty sure it is. For my last 2, when I had my bloody show, the baby was born either that day or the next.

I'll post more later :D

38 Weeks 6 Days Prenatal

2005-12-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

Jeremy got off of work early so that I could go to my prenatal visit today. Calista stayed with him and I brought Ursula.

I weighed in at 182 lbs.
Blood pressure is 128/76
My pulse was 91 bpm
Baby's heartbeat was in the 140's.
Belly measuring 35 cm.
My cervix is still only 1½ cm dilated.

Afterwards, we went to a couple of stores to buy bread, milk, and a $5 gift for Calista to open up at school tomorrow; a tiny Bratz doll. Also got a money order for an eBay auction that I won... a lot of 4 bras :D woohoo! Can't wait to get them!

I'm 39 weeks tomorrow. I had Ursula at exactly 39 weeks. I had Calista right before I turned 40 weeks, like almost 2 hrs before her 'due' date. If the baby holds out a little longer, I'll have another Capricorn baby :D

Ursula's birthday is Thursday. Thursday is also Calista's first vacation day.

Since the doc's office will be closed next Monday, my next appointment will be this Friday.

Oh, another thing, the baby isn't moving quite as much as last week. Doc said its because he's running out of room :D

38 Weeks 3 Days

2005-12-16T18:55:00.000-08:00

Update:
Yesterday, I started finding a little mucous whenever I wipe myself... so... got some progression going on :D woohoo!

Tuesday, I'll be exactly 39 wks... I was 39 wks when I had Ursula... so, this may be my last weekend before the baby is born!

The baby's being quite active today.

Tomorrow, Jeremy and I are going X-mas shopping. We're bringing Calista to J's parents' to sleep and maybe even drop Ursula off in the morning... depending on how clingy she's acting.

I just know what I have to look forward to tomorrow, a day of contractions... just like last weekend because of all the walking I did then and will be doing today.

I took that picture of with my pants on my belly just because it makes me laugh at how big my belly looks when I do that, how far extended it is! hehehe Like, when you first get pregnancy clothes, you stretch them out to see how far they go to (well, I do!) and you just never figure your belly will be that big! hehehe I think its kind of neat though.

I cropped my head out because I had just taken a bath and my hair was wet.... lol

37 Weeks 6 Days - Prenatal

2005-12-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

My mom drove up and brought me to my appointment. She'll stay at least until tomorrow night because of Calista's Christmas Program.

My blood pressure is 136/60.
Gained 2 lbs... Up to 181 lbs (my heaviest ever now).
I'm measuring 35 cm.
I'm about 1½ cm. dilated and starting to efface. He didn't give me a percentage.
Baby's heartbeat was in the 140's.

I gave him my birthplan and he put it with my records. Said most of that shouldn't be a problem and if he feels he needs to do something, he'll talk to me about it. I said that was fine. Of course, my intention is to go ahead and give birth at home anyways. But, I like having a back-up plan prepared.

He said that he expects me to go another 2 weeks... one more week for sure, but he still expects me to go around my due date time, which is what I was figuring anyways.

He also said that what happened with the contractions was totally normal from me being on my feet all day this past Saturday. I told him how I timed them for an hour last night and most were 5 min. and how at one point, it felt like something was opening and he said that might be me feeling my pelvis opening. I was like, yeah, that was probably it!

Contractions

2005-12-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

This past Sat., we went to 2 different bday parties... so, there was a lot of walking and standing for me; well, more than normal. Walking after Ursula and all. Well, I had lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions... they seem to last so long. I drove home from Jason and Tori's and I swear, the whole time driving (like 30 min), my belly was hard.

Then, yesterday, I was sorting through all the baby clothes that Tasha and Tori had given me, and I kept getting those BH's. It was so uncomfortable. And then, to make things 'worse', I also had been having diahrea since Sat. night.

So, I look up some info, and yeah, diahrea is one of the signs of labor. I started getting upset... because I was so not prepared to have a baby THIS soon... I'm not one of those moms who sees week 37 and is ready to have the baby. I was thinking I'd be at least 39 wks. I mean, I am okay with whenever this baby is ready to make his entrance, but I was just not thinking it would be this early... well, this was all in my head. Even shed a few tears.

I wasn't timing anything, prolly 'cause I didn't want to know... lol

Plus, I was hoping this was happening because of all the walking and standing I did all day long Sat. That my body just needed to rest.

So, I cleaned out my clothes... need to make room for baby's clothes. I got out 5 trash bags of clothes. As I'm doing this, I'm thinking, 'great, another labor or impending labor sign, nesting'.

In the middle of the night, I get up to pee, as usual. So, I think, let me see how these contractions are actually feeling and what is the time spanse between them.

I timed them from like 12:45 to 1:30am. One of the last ones I sat through (I had my knees bent outward with the soles of my feet touching). it felt as though the baby was either getting his head engaged or my cervix was opening a little more. They were mostly 5 min apart with some being a little closer. And, yes, it felt like waves. There were no other real pains... well, sometimes, there was some sensations in my cervix area. All it felt was the hardening of my belly. And a few times, between the contractions, the baby was like swimming or doing something... it was startling whenever I'd feel such big movements. So, I figure that I'll just go to sleep and see what happens. In the meantime, I'm trying to prepare myself for, perhaps a birth soon.

Well, I slept pretty fine the rest of the night. And although I'm still getting the contractions, they aren't spaced as closely. So, I feel a little relieved.

My mom is on her way to sleep over at my house for Calista's Christmas program tomorrow night. She's coming today to bring me to my prenatal appointment so that Jeremy could work a full day. I'm betting that the doc will tell me that I'm like 3 or 4 cm dilated. That's what I think, anyways. I'll be 38 wks tomorrow.

37 Weeks' Belly

2005-12-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Once again, Ursula's in my picture :) What would my belly shots be without her in at least one of them, huh? hehehe

37 Weeks - (well, actually, 36wk6days)

2005-12-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

I gained one pound from last week.

The GBS test came back negative (of course) and my hemoglobin is fine as well :D yay!

They took my blood pressure twice (digital read-out) because the first time it read that my bp was 140/73, heartbeat was 94bpm. Of course, I was talking while it was on my arm, so maybe that made a difference. The second time, like a few minutes later, my bp read 126/70, my heartbeat was 90bpm.

I'm measuring 34cm still.
Dilated one cm. No effacement.

The doc will be checking my cervix at every appointment until the baby is born. I don't remember them doing that for my other 2 pregnancies.

Baby's heartbeat was in the 130's. Doc said its prolly cause he's sleeping.

I feeling a little excited... but, kind of meloncholy as I will sooo miss having a baby in my belly! I know, I'm a weirdo. But, its just so neat :D

I started feeling more excited after my sil, Jessica, had her baby and I was holding that little sweet thing :D I really am anticipating holding my little one.

I go back next Monday. I made my appointment later so that Jeremy could go to work in the morning and get off early to bring me... at least he won't miss a full day of work like he did today. Of course, the appointment is also late enough that Calista will be home from school.

36 Weeks - 9 mths!!!

2005-11-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I got to go to my prenatal appointment because my mom had brought us home yesterday and slept over. So, I called and they fit me in today.

Bad news:

Melanie Weaver, my CNM, is no longer in practice! She couldn't afford the malpractice insurance!!! So, this really sucks... OOOORRRRR it could be one of those 'signs' I've been praying about :)

So, I am going to keep seeing Dr. Karkoff (sp?).

He did the GBS and hemoglobin tests today.
Baby's heartbeat is strong and in the 150's.
I'm measuring 34cm. He said that is just fine and that usually women plateau at that measurement.
My bloodpressure is 138/79
My weight is 178lbs; which is 33 lbs gained... not bad, IMO, for myself :) I gained around 40lbs for both of my other pregnancies. So, its all good.
He also checked for dilation and effacement. Said there's a little dimple... but, he doesn't feel I'll go into early labor... which is what I figured anyways. Calista was a 40 wk baby and Ursula was a 39 week baby.

I go back next week, of course. I guess I'll take a couple of pictures in a little while and post them as well.

34 Weeks 1 Day

2005-11-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, I took these today :)

No Prenatal Yesterday

2005-11-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

The office called to rescheledule me for next Tuesday... smack dab in the middle of Thanksgiving vacation... so, who knows... I might have to call and rescheledule for the next week! lol Looks like it'll be time for the GBS (Group B streptococcus) test... wooo hooo... that's always fun... although nothing compared to a pap smear! I'd take that swab test over pap smear anytime!

According to my American Baby email, my baby should weigh around 5 lbs and be about 20" long. If that's true, I guess the baby will just be fattening up until he decides to be born. Although, I don't imagine he's that big yet because my other 2 babies weighed under 7lbs... and I have approximately 6 wks to go.

I've already printed up a birth plan. Its like 4 pages (just the front though) long. I might have to shorten it. But, Melanie already knows my desires from Ursula's birth. We'll just have to go over them again and she'll make a copy of it for my records, sign and date them.

huh... now, ya see, I am going through my email as I type of this blog entry and my BabyCenter email says that right now, my baby should weigh about 4 3/4lbs and be almost 18" long. Now, that's probably more like what's going on with me :D hehe That email also says the if born now, my baby has excellent chances of survival :) That's always good to know... just in case :D Also that his skin is smooth and he's layering on the fat he needs to control his body temperature for when he enters this world. And YES, geez... I am feeling that fatigue from lack of sleep due to having to go to the bathroom... also lack of sleep from, who knows what? Like last night... I was up at least two different times... just laying there... waiting to fall asleep... now, that's annoying! lol

I ordered two nursing bras from online yesterday. I can't wait to get them! I really hope they fit! I bid on them off of eBay. I have to get some money orders today and send them in so I can get those bras asap! I also bought something for Ursula... for either her bday or xmas. She'll LOVE it! I'll write more about it on her and her sister's blog :D

The baby's movements are getting less frequent, but they say its common being that he's growing bigger and is running out of room in my womb :D And during the day, I swear I have to go pee every 30 minutes!!! geez! That's getting kind of annoying! lol

I'll post some pics later on... I'll prolly put some make-up on to go to Calista's Open House today... so, that's why I'll prolly go ahead and take a couple of belly shots today.

Disheartened

2005-11-12T06:33:00.000-08:00

Well, Jeremy didn't get home until like 2:20am this morning... but, that's a whole 'nother blog entry... Anyways... he and I were talking until almost 5 am; even though he knew he had to work today.

He was telling me about work and all... and when he started kind of winding down, I told him that this baby was going to be born at home. He told me that no, it wasn't. He told me that I wasn't in good enough shape to do it at home. I told him what difference would it make in the hospital? He also told me that it was awful seeing me in pain for my births... Its not like I'll be taking drugs there anyways! He told me that I am constantly breathing hard or catching my breath or something to do with my breathing. I told him that is because this baby is positioned differently then the others but right before the due date, he'll drop and I'll breathe better. He said I'm having too many aches and pains and I have to roll off the couch and stuff... Again... positioning. I remember having to roll off the couch for my other pregnancies. And I had aches for Calista too. Then he was telling me that he had dreams about this baby's birth. Brought up the one about me checking my dilation. I told him I thought that was a good sign. He told me he didn't tell me the rest of the dream. The baby was not there. It wasn't born but I wasn't pregnant anymore after checking my dilation. He couldn't remember how far dilated I was. He told me that he fears that this baby will have problems because of my breathing. That he'll have lung problems. That God doesn't want him having a son, so, they'll be something 'wrong' with him. I told him that the baby is fine. I give birth to strong babies. I told him this baby is very active, constantly moving. He was like, yeah, he's moving... I told him that baby's don't breathe until they hit the air... they may practice using their lungs prior to birth... Then he said something about the lungs developing in the last 4 weeks. I was like, yeah, I know that! I am not at risk for a premature baby! Neither of my girls were premature.

Anyways, I was just so pumped up about having an unassisted homebirth. :( I had spent a good part of the day looking up different sites, joining different homebirth support groups, reading birth stories... etc. BornFree, Empowered Childbirth, Unhindered Living - The Online Childbirth Class, Bob's Unassisted Homebirth Site for Fathers, Birthing Basics, etc...

I told myself in the beginning that I'd birth where I felt I should, whether that be at the hospital with Melanie, CNM or at home with my family. I told myself that I'd look for signs. I'd pray about it. I'd talk to both myself and the baby. And I have done these things.

Jeremy told me that I was going to kill our boy. I told him that I'd never endanger our children's lives. Never. I couldn't believe how much he doesn't trust me.

He kept saying that when you're in that intense labor, you don't know what's going on... I was like, yeah, I know, primal instincts take over... but, I'd make 'the call' BEFORE getting to that point!!!

Oh yeah, he also said he wanted me to be in the hospital so that I can get my tubes tied. I told him I never said I was going to do that. I have talked to him about the process and how its easier to do it after birth and how at the last prenatal, the doctor said I'd have to sign a consent form at least 30 days before the birth (and then they go and change my next appointment to a week later! That'll be pushing that 30 day thing!). I told him that I had thought about it because my bro's wife, Jessica is going to have hers done. So, I have looked into a little bit. But, never decided I was going to through it. I told him, what if I change my mind? What if he changes his mind? What if after having this baby, he is so in love with him and all that he wants to have one more? He didn't really say much after that. He said at some point though that 3 kids was enough for him. BTW, yes, I know that they can reverse the procedure, but there's no guarantee that you'll conceive or carry a baby to term. I can see myself signing the consent form just in case. The doc said just because I sign it, doesn't mean I have to go through with it once I'm there.

Well, I have 6 wks 3 days until my EDD. I have a good amount of time left. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and see how things progress. He has told me his feelings on the matter as of now, of course, under the influence of alcohol. We've talked about it. That might have relieved some of that fear he has. Like I said, we'll see. I mean, I have to respect his thoughts. This is his baby as well as my own. I have to take what he says into consideration. He can be intuitive. Its not like I hated Ursula's birth, I didn't. I wouldn't mind doing it that way again, in all actuality. I just don't like the thought of Melanie not doing deliveries on the weekends. Oh, that's what I told him too... if he wants me to go to the hospital, have another waterbirth, he needs to pray that I go into labor during the week so that Melanie will be assisting me and not some unknown doctor who doesn't know my history and wishes.

Guess I need to go ahead and make up a birth plan again! I'm sure I have the one I used on one of my PC CD's... instead of looking for it, I'll see about just making up another one.

In conclusion... I'll still continue to pray, soul search, talk to the baby, etc. And we'll see what the outcome turns out to be sometime in December!

Smallish Update

2005-11-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was 32 wks (I'm currently 33wks 2 days), I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions. I might have had a couple prior to that... but, nowadays, I'm having them throughout the day. They definitely don't hurt. They normally come on when I've been sitting or laying down for a while and then get up. But, of course, that's not the only times I get BH.

The baby is still active. I can usually count on him moving whenever I lay on my sides.

I started reviewing my book, Heart & Hands by Elizabeth Davis A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. I read it in front of Jeremy and point out different pictures. One of them shows the father behind the laboring mom while she's squatting, he's pressing her hips together, opening up her birth canal. My sister, Aimee, said her dh did this for at least one of their babies and it really helped her throughout her labor. Anyways, I show him that and tell him he might have to do that for me. He made some sort of comment and said something about pushing hard and and my pelvis breaking in half but how easily the baby would come out then... I'm like, okay, you don't need to put her full strength into it... I won't be of much use if I'm in a body cast for months on end! Point is, is that he hasn't said anything about me doing this at home. We've talked about it only a little bit, but I know he's heard me talk on the phone about it. I'm thinking he's okay with it.

If I don't watch myself, I waddle! lol

I've been taking some homeopathic stuff for back aches and I'm not hurting as bad now... but, still a little stiff in the mornings.

Hate to bend over... lol

My next prenatal appointment is November 15th.

32 Weeks - 8 Months!!!

2005-11-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

Had my prenatal today but Melanie wasn't there, so I saw her back-up doctor. She she should be there for my next appointment.

I'm measuring 31 CM.
(that's some lovely stretch marks, huh?)

Baby's heartbeat is in the 150's.

I've gained 29lbs so far... not too bad... could be worse, I imagine. I just know I'll lose it all later :) That's keeps me positive :D

Baby is still head down... The doc was able to lightly touch my belly to find out all kinds of baby parts! I was impressed! hehehe I can only tell the big parts right now... like, his back... LOL But anyways, I can tell, pretty much, what direction he's facing (which hasn't really changed much) because of where I'm feeling the majority of movements. Most of the movements are to the upper left side... me looking down direction. I've heard of moms saying their babies were in their ribs... I'm not feeling that he's in my ribs... but, more so my lung area... LOL But, he still has growing to do, so maybe I'll feel that later.
The baby moves all the time. No matter if I'm laying down or cooking, walking, or talking. Which is so weird... However, the majority of his movements are whenever I'm laying on my side, esp. if I switch to my other side. I can always count of him moving a good bit after that.

I believe Jeremy's only felt him move on one occassion... because like my other kids, he seems to know when its someone else's hand touching my belly and stops moving! I've read that is very common.

The coolest part, besides feeling baby movements all day long, is that my belly is finally extended PAST my breasts!!! woohoo! yay!

From my Baby Connection weekly newsletter:

It's getting awfully snug in there! Your baby weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long. You're gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next seven weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. A side effect of your growing belly may be low back pain and possibly some pain in your buttocks and thighs. Be sure to tell your caregiver if the pain is severe or you feel numbness or tingling in your legs.

Definitely feeling the lower back pain and pain in my buttocks! Not fun at all! Along with that, I'm feeling that pulling sensation in my groin. woohoo... fun, fun, fun.

I can't wait to get my energy back!!!

Still haven't gotten a new nursing bra... or even a new bra at all... I so need one. Hopefully soon I'll be able to get that.

Pregnancy Dreams

2005-10-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

Even in my dreams I'm pregnant. No matter how bizarre they are, I'm as pregnant in there as I am in real life. My sil, Tasha, asked if I'm having any dreams about the baby, the birth, or anything... nope. Not at all. Well, not yet anyways. I'll probably have some of those type of dreams closer to my due date. I had them for my girls, at some point :D

And wow, last night AND the night before was nice!!! I had such good sleep! woohoo! hehe Well rested; would like to sleep a little more into the morning (as its not even 7am yet)... but, have to get Calista ready for school... and then Ursula ends up waking up.

Another wow, I'm almost 8 mths pregnant! Next Tuesday, I'll be 32 weeks! I also have my midwife appointment; in her new office. After that visit, I'll be going every 2 weeks and then weekly. I just find this time is passing really quickly... no matter how much my lower back hurts :D

30 Week Update

2005-10-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

And Ursula has joined in on my belly pictures, once again! hehehe

Yes, my belly is getting bigger and bigger...

29 Weeks

2005-10-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

I went to my midwife, Melanie, Monday. A very quick visit, much to Jeremy's delight! She felt the baby and said he feels about 3 lbs (which correlates with my pregnancy calender emails and sites! lol). He's head down, butt to my right ribs and feet to my left ribs. She didn't measure me this time though :( I like knowing that :) I gained a whole lot this past month! Oh well... I still have my sights on getting down to 115. I promise, I will. You will ALL see :D I'll post pictures :) lol My next visit is in 3 wks, only because she's changing offices at the 2 wk mark that I would normally go in for. I'll be going to her new office, still in the same hospital, on the first floor though :) on November 1st, her first day receiving her patients. From then on, I'll be going every 2 wks until, I believe, 36 wks... and then its a weekly visit until little Wyatt is born :)

From my email box (from American Baby):

Your baby now weighs close to 3 pounds and measures a total of almost 17 inches in length. Babies born between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy are considered full-term infants. If born before 38 weeks, a baby is considered preterm. Your uterus is now 3 1/2 to 4 inches above your navel, and you have probably gained between 19 and 25 pounds.

Oh yeah... I've gained that much for sure... :( oh well... My uterus/fundal height feels like its in my ribcage though... compressing on my lungs... LOL

More from American Baby's site for 29wks:

Your Baby
For the past six weeks or so, your baby has been listening to your voice (along with the voices of your partner, older children, and anyone else who's been talking to your belly). Speaking to your baby is not only a key part of prenatal bonding, but may also form the basis of language development. Babies who have been spoken to in utero recognize and turn to familiar voices immediately after birth. There may also be links between prenatal stimulation and the development of speech and IQ. Conversely, studies have shown that songbirds hatched from the nests of silent foster parents don't sing.

Well, according to this, my baby will definitely know his family! lol My daughters are constantly talking to him!

I'm sure others find these little updates somewhat boring... but, you'd have to be in my shoes to find them a tad interesting :D hehe I like to know a little about what's going on in that uterus of mine and how my baby is doing.

From The Baby Connection newsletter:

Your baby's brain is developing billions of neurons (important for later learning) at an amazing rate— no wonder her head is getting bigger now! To meet her nutritional demands— which peak this trimester— you'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, and iron. Her bones, in particular, are soaking up lots of calcium now, so drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, like cheese or enriched orange juice). And get enough fiber in your diet to help prevent constipation, which can lead to hemorrhoids, a common occurrence in late pregnancy. Even if your belly button was an "innie" before, it may become an "outie" now.

I'm pretty good about taking my prenatals and other stuff... so, that's cool.
I've never had an outie... I wonder if I'll get one for this one?

Its just so neat that it won't be long before my little one is born :) Hopefully at home... :D

28 Weeks / 7 Months / Third Trimester!

2005-10-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Here's what Baby Connection has to say about 28 wks:

How your baby's growing:
By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open her eyes -- which now sport lashes -- and she'll turn her head toward a continuous, bright light from the outside. Her fat layers are beginning to form, too, as she gets ready for life outside the womb.

Note: Experts say every baby develops differently -- even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life's changing:

At this point, you may visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks; then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending upon your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis, plus cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea during your third trimester, to be certain of your status before delivery. (Identifying and treating these infections is crucial for your health and your baby's.) And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll receive an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (You'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth if your baby is Rh positive.)

Yay, my little one is getting bigger :D Its always encouraging, week to week, to know that he's getting stronger and if I'd have him 'now', he's chances of being okay are getting better and better :D Of course, there's no reason for me to think that he'll be premature. His EDD is close to Ursula's... in fact, according to both his and Ursula's ultrasound, he's due Dec. 25th and she was due Dec. 26th. Ursula came (when she was ready, of course), Dec. 22nd. So, if anything, I might expect to give birth a week ahead of time..Which is no big deal :)

I've already informed my CNM that I wasn't getting that stupid prenatal Rhogam shot. I had tried to get out of it last time, but wasn't able to... I don't feel like getting into the reasons right now. But, this time, I guess she's changed her attitude about it... esp. since Ursula is A-, meaning I didn't need the shot in the first place! I could change my mind if there were some sort of trauma to my baby at some time in the future that would risk our bloods mixing; since we don't know his bloodtype yet. But, as for now, I'm not getting that shot. Even after the birth and if he turns out positive, I'll ask to have my blood tested first and then proceed from there.

I'm going to have to get a few birthing supplies together, just in case we do deliver this baby at home (which would be awesome!). I want to get some homeopathic remedies on stand-by. I haven't used them during labor, but, I've heard good things about them helping ; and any help at that time, besides drugs, would be nice! I think I'll prolly need some clamps too; I know, I can use dental floss or a shoe string if need be, but, I don't think those clamps are too expensive anyways, if I remember correctly.

And you know, most people aren't too keen on my idea of giving this baby two middle names..But, I really like the way it all sounds together..Flows better, IMO. Wyatt Elijah Quin. I think I'll name him that. Plus, its cute that each name has a letter that goes below the line... hehehe Also, since this is supposed to be our last baby..Why not? :D Then, he'll have a name, albeit, its in the middle, but at least he'll have one name that matches his sisters' names! And if the ultrasound tech was wrong and we were seeing things wrongly too, and this is another girl, then I'm pretty sure I'll name her Delilah Kennis :D

And speaking about most people... most weren't too keen on me naming Calista her name and some don't like Ursula's name either... at first anyways; not sure what they think now; not that it really matters, huh?

I'm getting more excited to meet this baby :) I am constantly thinking about what he'll be like, who he'll look like... more like Calista or more like Ursula... or somehow, totally different from them??? lol Like, with red hair (hey, it runs on both sides of our families) and green eyes (like his mom :)). And of course, how different my girls are personality-wise... I'm so intrigued to see how he turns out!

Ursula already loves him. She's always hugging my belly, telling him 'good morning baby', kissing my belly, etc. She always tells me how that's 'her' baby! She told me she's going to change his clothes :D hehehe And she is constantly playing and pretending with the baby dolls here... talks to them and all... its adorable! Everyone thinks she'll be jealous of him..But, really they only see a certain side of her. I think she'll just adore him, and maybe even be protective of him. Shucks, she might even go up against me to keep him near her! hehehe I can so see that happening!

Calista's excited too. She hugs my belly. I guess since she has already gone through this before, she's not quite like Ursula... and then again, 2 different personalities as well. She does always ask how much longer until the baby is born. And tells me that no matter what he's like, she's going to love him. Yeah, Calista's the 'huggy' girl :) hehehe She's very lovable and huggable.

I wish that I would have blogged (if it was around then, prolly so) my pregnancy for my girls... esp. for Ursula... because Calista would always say and do cute things. I know I've forgotten way more than I remember :( That's so depressing.

Jeremy is acting differently too... yes, he was different for Ursula too... I guess its just that guys mature so much slower than we do that its taken his this long to be happy about me being pregnant.... well, that and the fact that he knows his long-awaited son is coming! lol But, Jeremy actually touches my belly... without provocationon! He's still acting affectionately towards me... usually by the time I'm showing, that side of him is gone. The other day, he told me how he thinks I'm pretty, and that's why he always wants to 'do it'... lol ... he never tells me that! lol I guess his normal way to let me know that is by groping me...

27 Weeks

2005-09-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

I'm one week away from being in my 3rd trimester! Wow! Already! Where has the time gone?

Here's what Baby Connection has to say about the 27th week of pregnancy:

How your baby's growing:
Your baby is really starting to fill up your uterus. This week he weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He can now open and close his eyes, and he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. He may suck his fingers, and although his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning -- with assistance -- if he were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to him, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what he's thinking?

• Note: Experts say every baby develops differently -- even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life’s changing:
Your body is gearing up for the final lap, so you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your uterus is putting extra demands on your circulation. (As your uterus expands, it puts pressure on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.) Unfortunately, the cramps are likely to get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. Flexing your foot (by pointing your toes forward and then flexing them back toward your shins) stretches the calf and should give you some relief. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.

It may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, but it's not too soon to think about family planning. You'll want to have made some decisions before your baby arrives. And in some states, if you're considering a tubal ligation during your hospital stay, laws require that you sign a consent form at least a month before delivery day. (You can still change your mind later.)

Thankfully, I'm not experiencing leg cramps (now, where's that wood? lol j/k). I am still having lower back pains whenever I do stuff like sweep and mop. I have to do a little at a time, take a break and so on like that until I'm finished (is it ever finished? really?).

I was looking up some stuff about tubal ligations. My sil, Jessica, said she's gonna get one after this 4th baby is born. Looks like Medicaid will pay for it and that its best to have it done shortly after the baby is born as the tubes are closer to the birth canal, easier to get to, for the doctors. I haven't finished researching all of that birth control stuff though. I am still looking at vascectomies. Supposedly, that's an outpatient thing and has a really quick recovery time. I think Medicaid may even cover that... like I said, I'm still looking into that. Of course, neither tubals nor vascectomies are 100%. Your body can repair itself over time and you can end up pregnant. On one message board I read that this man had a vas., recovered fine, then after a couple years, started having some soreness in his penis. Went to get it checked out, no infection, everything was fine and he was feeling better in not too long of a time afterwards. However, not much longer after that episode, his wife was pregnant and he got himself checked and found out that his body had repaired itself and the baby was for him! lol So, now his wife is getting a tubal and he's getting another vascectomy, just to make sure no more accidents happen!

Got Milk?

2005-09-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Looks like something is finally coming out! lol Clear for now; colostrum? Ursula said one side was yucky... and spit it out... lol But, that didn't stop her from nursing on the other side! I was able to squeeze some drops out... definitely not squirting anything out though! So, maybe she was indeed getting something out all this time? I have no idea.

Nose Bleeds

2005-09-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Crap, this morning I blew my nose and big blood clot came out. This is such a flashback to when I was pregnant for Calista. I'm just praying its not another nasal polyp! That was horrid! Now I'm going to be watching out for stuff in my nose. :(

Man, my left hip/buttocks area hurts... as well as my lower back; esp. after sweeping and/or mapping. The whole next day I suffer. I did some stretches last night... but man, its hard to stretch your lower back when you have a big belly!

25 Weeks and Prenatal Appointment

2005-09-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Baby's heartbeat: 147/bpm
My bloodpressure: 100/62
I'm measuring 27 cm
I've gained 17lbs so far.

Jeremy took off work to bring me and Ursula just loves *helping* Melanie listen to the baby's heartbeat :D She was so excited this morning when I told her we were going to hear it today :D heehee

Gosh, we sat there, waiting for soooo long... I don't wear much jewelry, so no watch either, so, not sure exactly how long... but, the baby was moving and moving. Usually I feel him the most when I'm laying down. Sometimes while I'm standing and cooking, he'll move, which is so strange feeling! hehe I told her I have those typical aches... and at that moment, my left hip was aching. All normal and will resolve themselves once the baby's born; I know from experience.

Melanie told me that she's changed the way she's working starting Nov. 1st. She'll only be in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She'll always have her beeper on her. And on the weekends, she'll be pulling 16 hr shifts at Lafayette's Women and Children's Hospital. So, more than likely, she won't be doing deliveries on the weekends. Both of my girls were born on the weekends... I did tell her that and I'm sure the likelyhood of another weekend baby was prolly far-fetched and that I was going to stick with her. She was letting all her clients know to give them the opportunity to find another doctor or midwife.

I also went ahead and did my glucose screening since I hadn't eaten since before 8pm last night and also to save Jeremy from having to take another day off of work... by the time I got to drink that yummy (ha ha - although it wasn't too bad) orange drink, it was 11:45... then that one hour wait... THEN, we went grocery shopping... something that we desperately needed to do. So, I didn't get to eat until about 3:00pm!!! Man! It wasn't soo bad until right before that one hour was up... I was getting so hungry!

My next appointment is in 4 wks.

(for Ursula, at almost 25 wks, I was measuring 24cm... blood pressure was pretty much the same and I hadn't gotten to 150lbs yet!)

Oh, and my hair wasn't finished drying in these pictures... it wasn't exactly fixed... but, good enough. Jeremy took the pictures... he didn't tell me when he was gonna shoot... so, that's why there's no smile or barely one... I wasn't ready for either one! lol

Concerning Aches

2005-09-09T04:37:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned that I'm feeling aches and all, like most women. I try not to complain too much though. :D I think that I'm having more aches with this pregnancy because I'm heavier this time... I really believe it has everything to do with it. For Ursula, I swear, I had the perfect pregnancy! From now on, I'm really going to advocate getting in somewhat good shape before conceiving!

I had intentions on doing that (getting into awesome shape) before my next baby (this one), but then I looked up the Chinese Conception Chart/Calender, and according to that, I wouldn't have good odds on having a son until November of this year! And I didn't want to wait that long to conceive; I wanted Ursula and this baby a little closer in age then Calista and Ursula are. So, we did the deed and conceived exactly at the right time in April, apparently! heh heh heh

BTW, the Chinese Conception Chart was right for my other two girls, but we didn't plan them that way. Calista was more of an 'oops' and for Ursula, I was wanting another, but, not planning on trying to conceive until later in the year so that she would be a Spring baby... but, she came along one season earlier :)

I really do believe this is our last child together. I am getting older and all... lol

And I plan on getting down to 115 lbs after this baby is born :) I have my mind set on that!

24 Weeks / 6 Months

2005-09-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here's 2 pictures I took tonight to show my growing belly. And, as always, Ursula wanted to get in the pictures :) hehe

Although I do have the common aches and discomfort that many women go through when pregnant, I still enjoy it. I love seeing my body change. I love feeling the baby move around in there, assuring me that he's doing well :) My belly is feeling more hard and less soft/fat :D heh heh heh

All these babies:

Out of 4 of us that were pregnant this year in my family, only 2 are left. Jeremy's brother, Jason and his wife, Tori had their firstborn, Carter, on May 10th, 2005. Jeremy's sister, Tasha and her husband, Jamis, had their 2nd baby, Korah on August 18th, 2005. My brother, Jared and his wife, Jessica are due to have their 4th baby around Halloween and I'm due around Christmas :)

Then, I have my neighbor, Julie, who is about 2 weeks ahead of me in pregnancy :)

Another friend, Sue, is also due to have her 3rd baby sometime soon.

And, lastly, 2 online friends from my APDueDec02 group are due, I believe, next month!

I really enjoy being pregnant with others :) Its pretty cool :)

Ready to Vote?

2005-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Vote for our baby's name!

If that link doesn't work for you, go to my home page and click on where it says to vote :) A pop-up should come up. And the third way to vote, is to simply go to the page I created to vote from! lol Any way you do it is fine by me and will be recorded :D I don't see myself closing it until we have officially named our son! hehe

You can vote daily if you so desire and you can make multiple selections.

Thanks!

Just Wanted To Say

2005-08-25T17:37:00.000-07:00

How cool it is to feel this baby moving! hehehe

I'm really enjoying this... and savoring it as it is probably my last one.

Here's a picture of Ursula loving up on my 'baby belly' :) She's always kissing and hugging my belly.

I have told her that once the baby is born, I'll have more milk and she giggles :) hehehe Guess I'll be nursing two children come December. Oh well... no biggie. Its not like Ursula nurses all day. She usually only nurses to sleep; and then sometimes not even then. She might nurse twice a day.

Oh, please ignore the beautiful stretch marks... (yes, said sarcasticly)!

I'm still thinking of names. I know Jeremy likes Wyatt. I do too and I'm the one that mentioned it to him in the first place, but, it just doesn't 'go' with our girls' names... Elijah would fit pretty much perfectly... 3 syllables, 'a' sound at the end, and 'l' in there.

22 Weeks Today

2005-08-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Only one more week until I'm 6 mths along :D

Not much to say... lol Well, its really, really, really hot outside, usually... intolerable most times...

From my weekly pregnancy email:

This week your growing baby measures about 7½" from crown to rump and weighs slightly more than 12 ounces (350 grams). Also at this point, baby's eyelids and eyebrows are well developed and his fingernails have grown to cover the fingertips.

And from another weekly pregnancy email:

Brow know-how. As if concentrating on a tricky math problem, your clever baby can furrow his brow. And now he's actually getting eyebrows to do it with! These fine hairs, like the hair on his scalp, don't contain any pigment yet—they're pure white. His eyelids are completely developed too, though they're fused shut until about 28 weeks.

Womb workout. "Waving my arms and legs is fun!" Jumping jacks may be your baby's favorite activity these days. Now that his arms and legs have reached their final proportions (but not their final size), he's exercising them vigorously—kicking, flexing, and clasping his hands. Speaking of his hands, fingernails now completely cover his fingertips, just as yours do. And they keep growing. In fact, you may need to trim your baby's nails right after he's born so he doesn't scratch himself.

Prepare for padding. Even though your baby measures more than 9.5 inches now, he still doesn't weigh much—about 13 ounces. At this point, he has only 1 percent body fat. But from here on out, he'll be adding layers of fat, which will help him to produce and retain body heat. Your little one's fat is a lot like the kind you're putting on during pregnancy. It's called brown fat and is readily turned into energy to keep both of you on an even keel.

Where Is Thumbkin?

The baby has found his thumb and seems to be smiling about it. Hand to mouth comfort habits may be fully developed at birth. Sucking blisters can be seen often on thumbs, fingers, or lips of newborns.

21 Weeks

2005-08-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

My mom brought me to my prenatal today, Ursula came along. Soleil and Calista stayed with Jeremy, who stayed home today due to being 'flashed' 3 times yesterday (welding terms).

I brought along my ultrasound photos, and all the nurses and midwife all agreed that it was indeed a boy :D hehe

My weight is 158.
Blood pressure is 110/60.
Baby's heartbeat is 146 bpm.

Melanie, my midwife, let Ursula hold the doppler, squeeze the gel, and try to find the heartbeat :) She's really cool about my kids coming along for the visits :)

Halfway There! 20 Weeks

2005-08-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Your Baby
This week marks the halfway point in your baby's development. And right around now, nature gives her a spa treatment--a white, cream-cheesy moisturizer called vernix coats every inch of her skin, keeping it smooth and wrinkle-free for the next 20 weeks as she floats in a warm bath of amniotic fluid. She'll still be covered in vernix when she's born; your doctor or midwife will wipe it off a few moments after birth, revealing skin that's (you guessed it) baby soft.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to his bottom -- known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. (This is because a baby's legs are curled up against his torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.) A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats his entire body to protect his skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)

Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).

• Note: Experts say every baby develops differently -- even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life’s changing:

You've made it to the halfway mark -- Congratulations! The top of your uterus is at the level of your belly button now, and you've likely gained about 10 pounds. Expect to gain an average of about another pound each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron for your developing baby and the placenta, and to keep up with your expanding blood volume. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils and other legumes, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, I hope I've only gained 10 lbs... I don't think my hips have gotten any bigger from my last month's midwife appointment... so, I'm hoping I'm only gaining in the belly from now on!

I've been feeling more and more movements from my little boy :D I love it!

19 Weeks 4 days

2005-08-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Picture of me... make-up, hair fixed, and all :)

Two more pictures of me... all dressed up... Still look way too heavy for just being 5 mths along... but, of course, I know I will definitely lose all baby weight after the baby's born.

The dress isn't even a maternity dress... it belongs to my sister, Angele! lol But, I didn't have anything else to wear. I went with my sister, Aimee, to her 20 yr class reunion since her dh didn't come down with her from Georgia. I felt fat there! If I had had any inkling that I was gonna need a dress or dressy clothes, I would have definitely brought something from my house!

Week 19

2005-08-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling the baby more and more! So exciting!

From American Baby:

Your Baby
Chances are you'll have a mid-pregnancy ultrasound (also called a sonogram) between weeks 18 and 22 to monitor fetal development. Be sure to bring your partner along--you'll both be amazed as your little one kicks, boxes, and even somersaults for the camera. Based on the baby's size, your doctor or midwife will be able to confirm or adjust your due date. Plus, you'll get photographic printouts to take home for friends and family. Save a couple for the baby book--these fuzzy, black-and-white snapshots are your child's very first baby pictures!

From BabyCenter:

How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces (*woohoo, my baby boy is 10oz! hehehe*), and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

• Note: Experts say every baby develops differently — even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life's changing: You're just a week shy of the halfway mark. You may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen (perhaps extending to your groin) or even a quick, sharp, stabbing pain on one or both sides, especially when you change position or at the end of an active day. This is round ligament pain, and it's caused by the stretching of the muscles and ligaments that support your growing uterus. It's nothing to be alarmed about, but if the pain continues even when you're resting or becomes persistent and severe, call your practitioner.

You may also have noticed some skin changes lately. Are the palms of your hands red? Nothing to worry about — it's from increased estrogen. Patches of darkened skin are also common during pregnancy. When they show up around your upper lip, upper cheeks and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." You may see these splotches on your arms or other areas that have been exposed to the sun. Your nipples, freckles, scars, underarms, inner thighs, and vulva may also darken during pregnancy. That darkened line running from your belly button to your pubic bone is called the linea nigra, or "dark line." All of this darkening is due to a temporary increase in melanin, the substance that colors your hair, skin, and eyes. For most women, these darkened spots will fade shortly after delivery. In the meantime, protect yourself from the sun, which intensifies the pigment changes. Cover up, wear a brimmed hat, and use sunscreen when you're outdoors. And if you're self-conscious about your "mask," a little concealing makeup can work wonders.

18 Weeks 6 Days

2005-08-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

I figured that since I wore make-up and decent clothes today, I'd get a couple of pictures taken :D I gave Calista the camera... and of course, as always, Ursula had to get in the pic with me :D

I'm 19 wks tomorrow... duh :D

OH, this is one of the shirts I found at Goodwill for $2.49! Its Old Navy.

And as always, click on the pictures to see them bigger.

Its A Boy!!!

2005-08-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

And we are so excited!!! Jeremy was tearing up when he saw the baby's genitals on the screen! hehehe We both had a feeling that we were going to have a son this time; now we have verification. Anyways, the ultrasound tech checked everything out and happily, everything is just fine! She said the baby weighs 10 oz (although, I've heard that can easily be off) and put my due date as December 25th. Being that that's only 2 days difference, they won't change my due date from the 27th. So far, his name is Wyatt :D

Good Deals on Maternity Shirts

2005-07-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

I found some maternity shirts for real cheap today! woohoo! Cherie and I, along with our 3 youngest girls, went pay some bills, thrift shop, and get groceries :D We went to this nice consignment shop, that's totally organized; means easy to find stuff :D I bought 5 maternity shirts and a pair of maternity demin overall shorts, all for $1/piece. I also bought Calista a white bath robe (I've been wanting to buy my girls some robes) for like $2.50, Mary Kate and Ashley. And a robe for Ursula for $1. Bought some cute red shoes for Calista, they're too big for now, but they have heels and she likes that, so, I got them for her for $1. Then, we went to Goodwill and I found 2 maternity shirts there for $2.50/each :D So, woohoo! There were lots of baby clothes, but, I didn't want to buy yet; I'll wait. And some really cute clothes, major name brands, but, again, I'll wait until I lose my baby weight to indulge myself :)

18 Weeks... 5 Months Along Now!

2005-07-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here I am, in all my glory! Not! Of course, no make-up, once again... as always... I really need to start applying it daily, huh?

Notice those nice stretch marks from my other pregnancies... mostly from Calista... guess once she gave me all those stretch marks, my skin was stretched enough for Ursula.

Ursula wanted to take a picture with me :)

Look how wide I am already! Woohoo! j/k Its like once my body finds out its pregnant, it immediately widens out; which I guess is good in the long run, when I deliver the baby and all.

Your Baby
Your baby's brain is growing rapidly. By this stage, all of the major areas have been differentiated. The cortical layers, which govern specific brain functions, are beginning to form. The fetus may exhibit signs of a primitive body language in utero, such as recoiling when the needle for the amniocentesis comes too close for comfort. Within the next few weeks, she'll be able to hear voices outside the womb and respond positively to music or loving words. It's time to fine-tune your singing and storytelling skills!

Sleepless in Opelousas

2005-07-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

Man... I just can't sleep well with this pregnancy! Its driving me nuts! Like last night, I was up @ 3am. I could not go to sleep. I think I might have fallen asleep right before we had to get up to go to court. My eyes are burning me! My head hurts. I just can't get comfortable at night nowadays. I fear it'll just get worse as this pregnancy goes along. Gosh, I hope not! What am I supposed to do? I guess once I get tired enough, I'll just crash.

17 Weeks

2005-07-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

Your Baby
At 4 to 5 inches long and about 7 ounces, your baby is roughly the size of a large pear. And she's ripening--the brain, muscles, nervous and circulatory systems, and urinary tract are all functioning. Amniotic fluid is pumping through her lungs. Her skeleton, composed of rubbery cartilage, will harden later.

Wow, already I'll be in my 5th month by next Tuesday! I've been feeling this baby move already, so, that's pretty cool.

One annoying thing is my right hip. If I lay on it or my left side, it'll start tingling. And if I lay on it, it'll eventually wake me up, hurting... like a bruise-type of hurt.

I have a treadmill... I've used it once so far, last week. I am planning on using it daily... for blood circulation as well as to keep my weight gain down.

Its just hard to for me to use the treadmill when I have dishes to wash, clothes to wash/dry/fold/pick-up, and kids to tend to. But, I have cleaned up a good bit in my house, so, its a little easier to do stuff for myself once I have my surroundings cleared up.

More Movements!!!

2005-07-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, while laying in bed, waiting to fall asleep, I felt this baby move quite a bit!!! Undeniable movements from baby, not my own body! woohoo! Baby is letting me know its okay! It was such a great feeling!

1st Major Movement!

2005-07-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

I was laying on the sofa with Ursula when I felt this major movement in my left side! Like the baby was flipping or something! It was like two big moves right after each other... like he/she was flipping! I've thought I'd felt subtle moves before... but, there was no denying this one! It was so cool! And if I felt something that strong already (16 wks 4 days) then, I wonder what this little one will be doing later on!!! hehe

16 Weeks

2005-07-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

From American Baby:

Your Baby

Your little one has hiccups! An involuntary movement of the diaphragm causes these painless contractions. In adults, this movement is followed by closure of the vocal cords (making the familiar "hic" noise); because the baby's trachea is filled with fluid rather than air, fetal hiccups don't generate sound. The frequency of hiccups varies widely, with some babies experiencing several bouts a day and others never seeming to get them at all. By the sixth month, you'll be able to "see" fetal hiccups as they occur--they'll make your belly jump.

AND from my email concerning this week:

By this week your unborn baby measures between 4.3 and 4.6 inches from head to buttocks and he weighs almost 3 ounces (80 grams). Baby's fingernails are now well formed and his legs are longer than his arms. The fine hair that previously covered your baby's body now also covers his head. Baby is moving his arms and legs more now, and you should be feeling this movement very soon! This may be the time when your doctor will talk to you about prenatal testing.

So, I have 24 weeks until my EDD :D

Had my midwife appointment today also :D My blood pressure is 110/56. Low, huh? What's up with that? BUT, we did get to hear the baby's heartbeat at last!!! yay! And it didn't even take long to find it! Like, just a second or two! My midwife is Melanie Weaver. I really like her :) She has no problems with my girls coming to my appointments; she even includes them! She let Calista hold the doppler to find the heartbeat! And Ursula sat on Melanie's lap and pushed the 'on' button :D The girls were very happy to help :D Oh, yeah, Ursula also held the gel and helped squirt it on my belly and Calista held the tissue to wipe it off once they were done.

The baby's heartbeat was like 167 bpm. She said that its still small now, so, the heartbeat will be fast still.

My next appointment is in 5 weeks; because Melanie is going on vacation. So, I'll be 21 wks along next I go in.

Me @ Exactly 15 Weeks

2005-07-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Please excuse my face! lol I look awful... didn't wash the make-up off of my face from the night before!

15 Weeks

2005-07-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Your Baby
The body is now growing faster than the head, balancing out that brain-heavy look and making the fetus appear more baby-like. The skin is covered with lanugo, an ultrafine hair that protects it until birth. There's also hair on the baby's head, and the beginnings of tiny eyebrows. Your little one is now about 4 inches long and weighs just under 2 ounces.

I could swear that I felt the baby move the other day :D It wasn't gas... I'm quite sure of that.

My boobs are just way too big now... geez...

Possible Baby Names

2005-07-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Girl - Delilah Kennis
Delilah means "delicate, amorous" in Hebrew
Kennis means "beautiful" in Gaelic/Celtic

Boy - Wyatt Ellis
Wyatt means "brave in war" or "little warrior" in Old English
Ellis is from the name Elijah which is Hebrew for "Jehovah is God"

Of course, these names can change by the time the baby arrives :D

The name Wyatt is just sticking to me. I don't know what it is... but... I can just see my son being named that. The only thing is that it doesn't 'match' my girls' names... but... oh well... boy names are so much harder to come up with and Jeremy and I don't agree on most of them. I don't even know what he feels about the girl's name I have... but, he does like Wyatt :D

14 Weeks - 4th Month!

2005-06-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Your Baby

Your baby's body is growing faster now compared with its head, so the proportions are beginning to approach those you see in a newborn. Its neck is long enough to lift its chin off its chest, its legs have grown almost as long as its arms, and its intestines fit inside the abdomen. Your baby is filling out by putting on fat tissue.

As your baby's body grows, so do its muscles. On your baby's fingers, soft nails and fingerprints are forming. The gallbladder begins to make bile for digestion. Taking over for the liver, your baby's bones start to make some blood cells. During the last three months of pregnancy and for the rest of your baby's life, newly made blood will come from his bone marrow.

Facial features, too, are becoming more distinct. As the head has grown, the ears have moved to their proper places on the sides of the head. Its lips are well developed and teeth are forming underneath the gums.

In this month and the next, hair begins to grow on your baby's body. Eyebrows and eyelashes are forming, and a fine hair called lanugo covers its body and face in swirling patterns. Lanugo usually disappears before birth.

There are 4 to 6 ounces of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby this month. That's enough to allow a sample to be taken for a test called amniocentesis. Amniocentesis is most commonly recommended for mothers-to-be over the age of 35 because of an increased risk that the baby will have Down syndrome. The test may also be done if a problem with the development of the spinal cord is suspected.

The fetus is now 5 inches long and weighs nearly 4 ounces, just big enough to cradle in the palm of your hand.

Leftovers

2005-06-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I confirmed it last night. I can't tolerate leftovers... not even if its only one day old. Sucks. I had to go throw up some good chicken and sausage gumbo last night.

13 Weeks

2005-06-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here's me and my belly today :D

I can't wait until I'm sh0wing more... this is the stage you just feel fat...

From American Baby:

Your Baby
At the end of this week, your baby officially enters the second trimester of development. Although only 3 inches from crown to rump and weighing just half an ounce, she looks, well, human! Her eyes have moved from the sides of her head to the front, and her ears are in their normal position. She's also got reflexes--if you prod her, she'll squirm (although you still won't feel it), and her hands and feet respond to stimuli by closing or clenching.

What a 12 Week Fetus Looks Like

2005-06-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

Your BabyNow measuring between 2 and 3 inches from crown to rump, the fetus is busily doing his stretching and kicking exercises. All major organs are in place, and his brain, nerves, and muscles are starting to function. Although his gender was determined at conception, external genitalia won't fully develop for another couple of weeks. At that point, a sonogram may be able to show whether you're carrying a boy or a girl--if your baby will cooperate and face the camera!

12 Week Update

2005-06-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Jeremy stayed home from work to bring me to my CNM appointment :(

Anyhoo...

I've gained 2 bls in the last 4 weeks... so, that's 5 lbs altogether... not too bad, imo.

Had pap smear and cultures done... fun, fun, fun

Melanie (my CNM) tried to hear the baby's heartbeat with the doppler, but, couldn't find it. She spent a good amount of time trying to hear it... finally, she suggested we take a quick peek to see how the baby was doing... see if we could see the heart beating. There's an ultrasound machine in the office area where she works. So, we went in there. She found the baby but it did take a little bit of time... like 2 or 3 min to find the heartbeat; which is a long time when you're not hearing or seeing your baby's heartbeat... So, I got to see my baby :D It looked just like a baby :D Knees brought up to the chest, arms bent at elbows :D Cute :D The heartbeat was like 150.

My next appointment is in 4 weeks. I asked if it could be a later one so that Jeremy wouldn't have to take off of work to bring me. So, its at 4:10 pm.

10 wks 3 days

2005-06-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

1st Midwife visit

2005-05-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Blood work was all fine. Urine was fine.

Melanie did a pelvic exam and said that my uterus feels 8 wks :D So, that seems fine too. I go back next month, when I'm 12 wks. I'm sure I'll get to hear the heartbeat.

She gave me no problem about me wanting to refuse the prenatal shot of RhoGam :D woohoo :D We actually spoke for a good hour or more. Jeremy and Ursula stayed in the waiting room.

8 Weeks

2005-05-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

How your baby's growing: Your baby is now 5/8 of an inch long, about the size of a kidney bean. She's constantly moving and shifting, although you won't be able to feel these womb wiggles for several weeks yet. Her embryonic tail is disappearing, and her eyelids practically cover her eyes. Still slightly webbed, her fingers and toes are growing longer. Her arms have lengthened, too, and her hands are now flexed at the wrist and meet over her heart. Her knee joints have formed, and her feet may be long enough to meet in front of her body. With her trunk straightening out, her head is more erect. Breathing tubes extend from her throat to the branches of her developing lungs. The nerve cells in her brain are also branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. Though you may be daydreaming about your baby as one gender or another, the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl.* Note: Experts say every baby develops differently — even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.How your life's changing: You haven't gained much weight yet, but parts of you are certainly growing — like your breasts. You'll soon need bigger bras with better support than your old ones. You may notice your waistline expanding as well, forcing you to pack away your favorite jeans. Less obvious is the increase in your blood volume; by the end of your pregnancy, you'll have 40 to 50 percent more blood running through your veins to meet the demands of your baby. Your need for iron increases with your blood volume. Take your prenatal vitamins to make sure you're getting the extra iron you need so that you don't become anemic.Feeling tired? Hormonal changes, in particular, can cause you to feel sluggish. And it's not uncommon to be having trouble getting a good night's sleep at this point, especially if you're uncomfortable at night or getting up to use the bathroom repeatedly. Frequent nausea and vomiting can certainly cost you energy, too. If you can, try to get between nine and ten hours of sleep at night, or take naps during the day.Pregnancy Tip: Walking to beat fatigue "Taking a short 15- to 20-minute walk helped me cope with the overwhelming fatigue that hits you in the first trimester. It was the only way I made it through a day at work without a nap!" --Gabriela

Update

2005-05-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

I'm still really tired and nausaus :( This is the aggrevating part of pregnancy, IMNSHO (well, that and widening hips that makes all clothes in my closet harder to fit). I am hungry, yet, NOTHING turns me on... can't decide what to eat... want to throw it up...

Went to the health unit last week. Have another appointment there this coming Thursday, to pick up my WIC vouchers.

Went to the CNM that I went to for Ursula, Melanie Weaver, to pick up an order to do blood work... got that over with. Have an appointment with her this coming Wednesday.

Received a letter from the D.A. to find the father of my kids... lmao... this is from the Medicaid form... because we aren't married. So, they sent me some paperwork to fill out and an appointment with them on the 23rd of this month. It would prolly be helpful if Jeremy came with me to that appointment.

NOW, my question is, how will I get to these appointments??? I have no vehicle... Jeremy will return to work Monday.

6 weeks Pregnant (according to LMP)

2005-05-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

This week, your baby is about the size of a small lentil bean. Her brain, muscles, and bones are beginning to take shape. Her hands and feet resemble little paddles, with thick webbing still in place between her developing fingers and toes. And her tiny heart has begun beating. Though you probably won't actually feel anything for another ten weeks or so, she's about to make her very first movements. See what your baby looks like now and find out why you're feeling so moody, what to do if you can't stomach your prenatal vitamins, and more.

How your baby's growing: The cells that will make up all of your baby's body parts and systems are dividing furiously as her body begins to take shape. Right now she's about the size of a small lentil bean (4 to 5 millimeters across). If you could see through your uterine wall, you'd find an overlarge head and dark spots where her eyes and nostrils are beginning to take shape. Shallow pits on the sides of her head mark her developing ears, and her arms and legs appear as protruding buds. Her hands and feet look like paddles, with thick webbing between the developing digits, but her fingers and toes will soon become more distinct. Below the opening that will later be your baby's mouth, there are small folds where her neck and lower jaw will eventually develop. (Inside, her tongue and vocal cords are just beginning to form.)Your baby's heart (which is starting to divide into the right and left chambers) is beating about 100 to 130 beats per minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to circulate through her body. Her intestines are developing and tiny breathing passages are beginning to appear where her lungs will be. She's also starting to build muscle fibers and, halfway through this week, she'll likely start moving her tiny limbs. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to wait until you're several weeks into your second trimester before you get to enjoy feeling your baby's calisthenics.* Note: Experts say every baby develops differently — even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.How your life's changing: If you haven't already, you may soon find yourself riding pregnancy's emotional roller coaster, feeling moody one day and joyful the next. Disturbing as this may be — especially if you pride yourself on being in control — what you're going through is completely normal and will probably continue throughout your pregnancy. Up-and-down emotions are partly caused by fluctuating and (in many cases) very high levels of hormones. But hormones aside, your entire life is about to change — and who wouldn't feel emotional about that?Spotting (finding spots of blood on your underpants or toilet tissue after urinating) or bleeding is common in early pregnancy, but sometimes it can be the first sign of miscarriage. If you have any spotting or bleeding, call your doctor or midwife right away so she can determine whether your spotting indicates a potential problem.Pregnancy tip: Breakfast of champions "My prenatal vitamins made me sick, so my doctor gave me a prescription for fruit-flavored, chewable prenatal vitamins and suggested I take them with meals. They really helped." — Janice

Intentional Pregnancy

2005-04-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Took a pregnancy April 21st, 2005 :) It came up pretty quickly... about 30 secs... 2 lines appeared :) woohoo :D

This time, we actually intended on getting pregnant... unlike my other pregnancies. Ursula was almost planned... but, I conceived her earlier, a few months, earlier than I had intended.

I'm really excited :D

According to the Chinese Conception Chart, I should be having a boy :D YAY! That would be so awesome if that's true! Naturally, I'll love my baby no matter what sex it is... but, it would be cool to have a boy... esp. since Jeremy is saying this is our last one.

I'm feeling fine so far... I mean, geez... I'm only 2 weeks along :D hehehe According to the conception date anyways. I am taking some prenatals along with folic acid, Omega-3, and some green veggie herbs... just in case I'm not eating enough of those.

I have plans to go to the WIC office and verify my pregnancy and get on Medicaid once again next week.

I'm also starting out weighing a little more than I'd like to with this pregnancy :( It does seem that right before I get pregnant, I put on a few pounds... well, this time I'm like 145lbs :(( That's 5 lbs heavier than I was for Calista... and I surely don't want to get up to 190lbs! So, I'm going to really try to not gain so much weight. Esp. when I look at pictures of myself for Calista... gosh, my face was fat and ugly! Don't want to repeat that!