Baby Watch + Summer Goals for Toddlers

The house is clean, laundry is done, there are a dozen meals in the freezer. I got a pedicure and a haircut. JJ is settled back in. We're ready for a baby. I told Peanut to please come before I have to clean house again. :) She'll show up whenever she's ready (due date was yesterday) and my doctor assures me labor is going to be quick. That sounds good to me. Praying for a healthy baby, easy delivery, and no complications afterwards. So excited to meet our littlest girl soon!!

I have some very lofty goals for my two two year olds this summer. We're going to tackle them after the baby comes and we get settled back in. Wish us luck in:
- getting rid of the sippy cups and transitioning to real cups
- potty training
- moving JJ to a big boy bed

In between these exciting goals we'll be having fun at the zoo, park, and splashpad, playing in the sprinkler, reading lots of books, and playing with every toy in the playroom every day.

Happy weekend, y'all!

There's a full moon tonight so maybe that will bring on labor . . .

Peanut's Baby Guessing Game

Anybody up for a little game? This was fun to do with Annie so I thought we'd try it again. Take a guess at:

1. What baby's name will be
2. What day she will be born
3. How much she will weigh

For information purposes, I'm due May 23. My weight gain and baby's growth are almost identical to Annie's. Annie was four days past her due date and weighed 7lbs, 4 oz. Guess away!

Peanut's Birth Plan

There are lots of opinions about whether or not you should have a birth plan. I think it definitely helps to have your preferences on paper. Even though most likely everything will not proceed exactly as you hope, it helps to think through your options beforehand so when you have to make decisions quickly you are prepared.

My birth plan for Peanut is similar to what I used with Annie. I'm planning another natural birth. Annie's labor was fast and I anticipate this one will probably be even faster, though you never know. I hope to spend most of my labor at home and make it to the hospital just in time for delivery, though I'll try not to cut it quite as close as I did with Annie.

I am excited about delivering at this new hospital. They appear to be very natural childbirth friendly and most of what is in my birth plan is their standard procedure. The hospital where Annie was born had very little experience in natural childbirth, and while they were very accommodating to our wishes, we had to get special permission for almost everything beforehand.

I am not using a doula this time around. Having a doula with my first birth was awesome and I highly recommend it. I had planned on using a doula again with Peanut, but the more I thought about it the more I decided the Gent and my mom could handle my support just fine. And we have invested a lot of money in our house lately (someday I'll have to write out the whole basement saga) and I just felt like the money I had set aside for a doula could be better used elsewhere in our family finances. 

The aspects of labor I hope or know will be different this time:

I know what to expect. In natural childbirth, your body takes over and tells you what to do, just as God designed it. You don't have to do much mental work, you just breathe and try to stay as relaxed as possible while your body births a baby. 

I will not have my water broken. With Annie the doctor broke my water when I was at 9 1/2 centimeters. After that she started having some heartrate decelerations. I have no idea if the two were connected (after having my water broken, there could have been pressure on the umbilical cord) but I'm going to avoid that possibility this time. I'll wait and let my water break on its own. 

I will make it clear to the doctor and my nurse that I want them to do more to keep me from tearing. I'm also considering using the side-lying position for the last couple of pushes.

And I'm really, really hoping for skin-to-skin contact right after baby is born. Of course, that all depends on baby--Annie wasn't breathing at birth so that wasn't an option. And then I held her for a few minutes and she went back to the warmer for almost an hour. Looking back I'm not sure why I didn't just tell the Gent to go pick her up and bring her to me. :) Anyway, not the end of the world, I'm just hoping to do things differently this time.

________________________________________________________

This birth plan is intended to express the preferences and desires we have for the birth of our baby. It is not intended to be a script. We realize that situations may arise such that our plan cannot and should not be followed. However, barring any extenuating circumstances, we hope you will be able to keep us informed and aware of our options. We appreciate your support.

Our top three goals are:

1.       A healthy mom and baby

2.       Avoiding a tear or episiotomy

3.       Skin to skin contact immediately after birth

• We are hoping for an unmedicated birth, with as little intervention as possible, and hope to have a nurse who supports and believes in unmedicated births. 
• I understand that the baby and I must be monitored, but I prefer it to be done as little as possible.  According to the ACOG standards is fine.
• I am not planning on using pain medication or an epidural.  Please help me avoid them.  Please do not offer pain medication; I will ask for it if I want it.
• I wish to drink clear and light colored fluids if I feel thirsty.
• I prefer a heparin lock to an IV. Please place heparin lock when doing initial blood draw. 
• I would like to be able to change positions and labor outside of the bed, even if my water has broken.  Also, I may want to push and deliver in alternative positions such as squatting or side lying.  I prefer to use people for leg support.
• I would like to be able to take a warm shower for pain relief.
• I would like to be able to wear my own clothes.
• I do not want to have my water broken; I prefer it to break on its own.
• Help me avoid an episiotomy or tear!  Please use compresses, oil, perineal massage, and any other means necessary to help avoid tearing.  Guidance during the pushing stage is welcome.
• Barring complications, please place the baby directly on my abdomen (skin to skin) after the birth.  I would like at least one hour with our baby, undisturbed, to bond and breastfeed.
• Please do not cut the umbilical cord until it is finished pulsating.
• We do not want our baby to go to the nursery at all.  If the baby must be taken to the nursery, the father will accompany the baby at all times.
• Our baby is to be exclusively breastfed--please do not give artificial nipples of any kind. 
• If a cesarean delivery becomes necessary, please allow my husband to remain with me for my surgery and my mother to wait for me in my recovery room.  My husband will stay with our baby until we can be reunited.  Please allow me to breastfeed as soon as possible.

Peanut: Nine Months!

Last monthly photo, here we are! Peanut is active and growing perfectly and I am enjoying these last few weeks of feeling her moving inside me. Most days I really don't even feel pregnant. Yesterday I was listening to other mamas complaining in the doctor's office about not having any energy and thinking to myself "I don't have time for that!" I like staying busy and Annie and I are enjoying some time with just the two of us. I still walk (though slower and not as far as I was a few months ago) and do yoga and I know that helps, because I can feel a difference when I don't. I bought newborn diapers and a few other essentials to go with all the lovely gifts from the shower, so I think we are ready on the material goods front. I made a note to pack my hospital bag next week and install the car seat. Then we'll just wait for Peanut to make her debut. I predict sometime in the next six weeks I'll be having a baby. :D

A Shower for Peanut

Mom and Tessie (with help from Nana and Aunt NeNe) hosted a beautiful shower for Peanut this weekend. I'm so glad they gathered family and friends to celebrate this little girl. I wanted our second daughter to have a few special things of her own. Let's just say our family was generously blessed yesterday, and I loved celebrating this new little life! Thank you to all who hosted, helped, and joined us to party!

Pretty table with lots of yummy things to eat




Mom made these little booties filled with mints


my Aunt Linda and cousin Hannah (she took most of these pictures, thank you!)


my Mom and my Nana


Tessie and NeNe






the only boy at the party :)

Peanut: Eight Months

Only one more monthly photo to go, yikes! I'm enjoying these last weeks of feeling Peanut kicking and dancing around in my belly. Excited to meet her soon!

Peanut's Nursery

Peanut's nursery is finally complete, except for framing photos of her once she arrives and having her name monogrammed on the stuffed animal basket. Most of the furniture is the same as Annie's nursery. The green rocker is new (from Craigslist). The child's pink rocking chair was a gift from Bebe and Papa Rick to Annie but Annie has two rocking chairs, so she's sharing one with her sister. The teddy bear is to take her monthly photos with, so we'll have something to compare and see how big she's getting. I repainted the canvas above the bookcase with baby girl's verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5). I re-arranged and added new artwork and knicknacks to make things look fresh for Peanut. I originally got the lamp for Annie's big girl room, but decided it looked better in the nursery and the lamp that was in the nursery looked better in Annie's room. New toy bins are from Target. I made the wreath over the crib with feather boas and a little hot glue. And at long last, the great rug ordeal is finally over.

This is the sixth rug I've been through. Way back when I was pregnant with Annie, I ordered the first rug but didn't like the color. So I sold it on Craigslist. At that point I was about out of nursery money, so I settled on an inexpensive shag rug from Target. It did the trick but I never really loved it, so I wanted to get a new one for Peanut. I ordered a rug I loved from Land of Nod. It came. It had a hole in it. They sent a replacement. It got a bunch of snags after one week. I sent it back. I ordered a rug from Overstock. The color was off. I sent it back. At long last, I ordered this one from Rug Studio. It had been discontinued so, combined with an internet coupon, I got a great deal. Yippee yay hurray!

Now all we need is a baby in about nine weeks and we'll be set!

Peanut in 4D

It took three tries before she finally let us see her face. We tried two weeks ago and she had her hand in front of her face and was not interested in moving it. This morning she was facing my spine. We got her to turn around but the cord was in her face. So I went to see the doctor (all is well) and then went back to ultrasound one more time. And she finally cooperated, yay! My thanks to the very patient ultrasound tech! I also have some cute video of her yawning and waving her arms around, but it is in a format that I can't figure out how to post. You'll just have to take my word on her cuteness.

For comparison, here is Annie's 4D ultrasound. Think they will look alike?

Peanut: Seven Months

I can't believe I only have two more monthly photos to do. Yikes! Good thing the nursery is almost finished (waiting on the elusive perfect rug . . . ) and I'm coming around to the whole pushing thing again. I do want to hold and cuddle and nurse our sweet little girl, and I don't want a c-section, so I'm reconciling myself to a hopefully short (was only about 20 minutes with Annie) but I'm-sure-will-be-intense pushing phase. And on that note, would you please pray with us for an uneventful labor and delivery, and an uncomplicated recovery? With Annie, all went smoothly until she was born. Unfortunately she swallowed meconium and wasn't breathing at birth, so I didn't get to hold her right away. And then I had some hemorrhaging and a longer than normal recovery period (about three months versus the usual six weeks). Really hoping the second time around is easier.

This month strangers are finally comfortable acknowledging my pregnancy. You always want to wait until it is completely obvious before you make any comments. :) Baby belly definitely fits that category now. Weight gain is right on track to end up about 25 pounds. The less I gain the less I have to lose, and doctor is very pleased with baby's growth, so I'm keeping to the same eating plan for now. My back is starting to bother me more and I'm trying to stay active to keep that at bay. Walking and yoga do the trick, it is just toting toddlers around that gets me! I try not to carry them much, but some things they can't do for themselves (like lifting JJ into his crib, getting them into carseats and booster seats at the table, etc).

Peanut is head down and I told her to stay that way. We'll see how well she minds, ha. She kicks and wiggles and moves A LOT. I love feeling her dancing around in my belly and can't wait to meet her in 11 more weeks! We are doing a 4D ultrasound next week so I will have more baby pictures for you soon.

Peanut: Six Months

Just three more weeks and I'll be in the third trimester. Seems like the time is passing very quickly! This month I found a doula to work with and I'm thinking through any changes I want to make to the birth plan I used with Annie. I am hoping for a similar experience, with even less pushing and no complications after delivery. Prayers against hemorrhaging are welcome!

The nursery "tweaks" are coming along nicely. I'm waiting on the rug I ordered to arrive and I have one more piece of artwork to do. Then it is just a matter of getting all the baby things out of boxes after Annie moves to her big girl room.

Peanut has her active and quiet spells. I love feeling her kicks!

Peanut's 20 Week Ultrasound

Peanut: Five Months

And we're already past the halfway point, yikes. Now that I am past the morning sickness, have had a month to just enjoy the idea of being pregnant, and know that we're having a little girl (!!!), I'm turning my attention to actually getting ready for baby to arrive. I started a registry on Amazon and at Target, because some of Annie's things are worn out and a few I would just like to upgrade. They make such adorable things for little girls, I can't resist! I am also making plans to freshen up the nursery. It will stay mostly the same, but new rug, new chair, new artwork and accessories. I'm meeting with a doula the end of the month, and I've started looking for a new photographer. (I loved Annie's baby photographer, but since we've moved I need to find someone local.) What else am I forgetting? Really, some more newborn diapers and we'll be set. Baby will be nursing and we have an infant car seat. So whatever I'm forgetting we can live without. :)

Peanut is a . . .

. . . GIRL! And we couldn't be happier. :)

Peanut: Four Months

Look at that little baby growing! I am finally feeling better, over the nausea and the nasty cough/viral infection/bacterial infection. With Annie my pregnancy went very smoothly after the morning sickness passed so I am hoping for the same thing this time. I also think that the more you complain the worse your symptoms get so instead I choose to focus on the beauty of pregnancy and the joy that comes with that little life growing inside! I've returned to prenatal yoga this month. It keeps my back pain-free and helps so much with natural labor and delivery. I balance out my exercise routine with walking. There are enough hills in our neighborhood that I get plenty of cardio that way. This is a great time of year to be able to eat again and I've now gained a pound and a half. And that is probably the last weight update you will get from me, ha! I expect to gain right at 25 like I did with Annie. I am starting to transition into maternity pants. They are still a little big so I wear the bellyband to hold them up. By next month I'll probably be in full-out maternity wear combined with cute jackets, sweaters, scarves, and shoes from my regular wardrobe. And the most exciting news this month--at 15 1/2 weeks I started feeling the teeny tiniest of flutters. There is nothing like feeling baby move inside you! I thought that was too early to feel anything since I didn't feel Annie moving till 20 weeks, but I've felt it several times now so I'm pretty sure. I look forward to those kicks getting stronger and the Gent being able to feel them, too. Next update should include the big boy/girl reveal!

Peanut: Three Months

Twelve weeks yesterday, we made it. We went to the doctor today and got to hear a nice, strong heartbeat. All breathing a little easier over here now.

I am finally over the nausea for the most part, but it has been replaced by a horrible cough. Now that I'm past the twelve week mark I can take cough medicine, and my doctor gave me a script for a zpak. I didn't take any medication at all when I was pregnant with Annie and I was hoping to avoid it this time, too. I think I'll give it another couple of days before I give in.

I know it looks like my baby belly is huge already, but I can still fit in most of my clothes. I guess when you lose ten pounds there is added room for a belly. :) I am breaking out the belly band this week, though. It is more comfortable than buttoning my jeans. I'm guessing my maternity clothes are still a month or so away.

Bye, bye, first trimester!

Peanut: Two Months

 



The dress pattern disguises the bump, but it is already there. I look like I did when I was four months along with Annie! The nausea is starting to ease up a tiny bit and I now have hope that it will go away completely in a few more weeks. My clothes still fit because I have lost about eight pounds. Doctor didn't even bat an eye when I told her that so I'm not worried. I lost weight with Annie and didn't really start gaining till about month five. And I ended up gaining right at 25 pounds. At least I finally lost the last of the weight I gained with Annie! Grow, little Peanut, grow!

Peanut's Second Photo

My nine week check-up was today and baby is growing beautifully! We could see Peanut's little heart beating and arms and legs moving. Such a sweet sight! All is well except for my constant nausea and hopefully that will start easing up soon.

Peanut: One Month

The first month has come and gone and month two is just around the corner, so I thought it was high time I posted these. There will be a little bump before too long, my jeans are getting snug already, oy! Leggings and tunic tops, here I come. These first few weeks have been filled with excitement and apprehension and we are grateful that all is well with our little Peanut. I feel great except for morning all-day-long sickness and a bit of fatigue. Not sure if that is from this new little one or from keeping up with the other three all day! But this too shall pass and it will all be worth it in the end. (Remind me of that in a couple of weeks when the nausea gets worse.)