The Last Few Days

I got a sentence or two into this post, and ran out of time to write it before Nathaniel was born, so I'm trying to remember everything, but I can tell you that I don't!

Well, we finally had the tour of Woodwinds that I had been wanting to do (Tuesday, December 11th), except it wasn't at all what I wanted, and our tour guide, Julianne, was no good. At one point we asked a question, and we were right next to one of the nurses's station on the Labor & Delivery floor. Julianne gave us an answer and the nurse sitting there gave her a look like she was crazy.

While we were there, I got a call from Comprehensive letting me know that Dr. Mahan was out on delivery at St. John's. We ended up rescheduling with Dr. Nelson for about 15 minutes later than our original appointment time. So after our uninformative tour of Woodwinds, we headed across the highway to Comprehensive.

Dr. Nelson is still not a favorite of mine. I've seen her twice now, and both times she seemed to be in a rush to get in and get out, like she didn't have time for her patients.

On our way out, I asked if Dr. Mahan had any openings or cancellations for the next week, since I wanted to see her one last time before the c-section. I lucked out, and was able to switch my last appointment to her only open slot.

When we got home, I posted on Facebook about how I was more nervous to go under the knife after my tour than I was before. One of my friends, Ame, messaged me about getting in contact with some of her nurse friends at Woodwinds. On Thursday, I called Julie, the charge nurse on the Labor & Delivery floor, and she told me that I was on her list to call today, but she was in the middle of a delivery and would call me back. She did, and she gave me a much better "tour" over the phone, than Julianne did taking us around the hospital. She answered most of my questions, and the ones she couldn't answer, she knew who to talk to get an answer. One of the questions I had, well, more of a request, was that Adam be allowed to be in the OR with me when I got the spinal, and the possibility of me laying down instead of sitting up when he did the spinal. Jill said she'd talk to the anesthesiologist and get back to me. She also recommended using one of their volunteer doulas, especially if Adam wasn't allowed in the OR. After talking to Jill, I felt so much better about going into surgery. I still really didn't want to get "sliced & diced," but I felt more at ease in having to go into it.

Dr. Douglas Dubink, the anesthesiologist that would be in on my surgery called me also after Jill had talked to him. I told him about my concerns of how I needed Adam in the room, and how I would probably do better laying down to get the spinal than sitting up. After talking to him for a little while, he was okay with Adam being in the OR for the spinal, but said if he passed out that he would miss the birth of his son. I told him I wasn't concerned since he stood up to peer over the drape when they were pulling Danni out of me. (I think he was less concerned then too.) He explained about how it is easier for him to place the spinal when people are sitting up rather than laying down, but if I really thought I needed to lay down, he could do it that way too. We decided to make that call on the day of the birth.

Jill also called me back to make sure that Dr. Dubink had called me, and to see if I had any other questions. Dr. Dubink actually came in her office while she was on the phone with me, and so she put me on speaker so I could ask one more question. With Danni, the anesthesiologist had said that their nurses were great photographers, so I asked if the same were true at Woodwinds. He assured me that someone would be able to take pictures in the OR for us, but it would probably not be him or his nurse. Jill also suggested that I contact Julie, one of the volunteer doulas at Woodwinds, that would be on call that day. She said that Julie would be willing to come in a little early to be with us for the prep and surgery. She gave me her phone number to contact her ahead of time, but I never got around to calling her.

After talking to all these wonderful people at Woodwinds, I felt much more at ease going into the c-section. I still really didn't want to do it, but I felt that it would be a better experience than Danielle's birth in the OR.

I will leave you with my last "belly shot" from Nathaniel.

36 weeks 2 days

36 weeks 2 days

Ender, the Little Bugger

Alright, so if you've read the book, you'll find the title of this post amusing. Though, I don't mean that Ender is an alien trying to take over planet Earth. Although, maybe that's how the world ends on December 21, 2012...

So, I kind of have a lot to post about. With both girls, I was so much better about staying on top of posts. Although, I will admit, I never actually finished the post about Danni's last appointment. I think I wrote a sentence or two, and afterwards, I didn't want to go back and write about it.

To start, I had an appointment last week. At this point, I don't remember a lot of the details, but I do remember that Dr. Mahan said he was breech, and we were going to schedule the c-section for December 26th. Monday, I had an ultrasound (oh, boy, was that a long appointment!), and yesterday, I had another appointment with Dr. Mahan.

Adam and Nora came with to the ultrasound, and as we were sitting in the lobby, I asked Adam if I had remembered to ask to be scheduled for Krista's room, when Jill, a new ultrasound tech with Allina, called my name. She said that she was going to start the ultrasound, and Krista would come in at the end. Well, when she first scanned, Ender was breech. She went around checking over the usual things they check at a level 2 and a growth ultrasound (though, she only needed to check the growth). She got two pictures of his foot for us while she was scanning, and found that the placenta hasn't really moved. :( She also found that his heart rate was 128 bpm.

Eventually, Krista came in, and Jill asked her a few questions about how to get good pictures of certain parts (being as he was breech, it made some things hard to see). She had problems with parts of his heart (everything is fine, she just couldn't see, if I remember correctly, the RVOT very well, but Krista found it just fine), and with his diaphram. Not that I know much about how to hold the probe to get the pictures they want, but I did know that what she was looking at was not a good picture of it. She was angled wrong, I guess. I just knew it didn't look right, since I saw Danni's diaphram so many times when they would do BPP and check for practice breathing. Krista gave her some pointers though (like looking for the bright white circle of his ribs) to make sure she was at the correct angle.

His big foot up by his head

Before we wiped the jelly off my belly, Krista pulled out the 3D probe, and told Jill she had promised to get some 3D's at this ultrasound, since she couldn't at the last one. At this point, Ender had decided to move to a transverse position facing downward. I'm not sure it made the 3D's any easier to capture though, since he had his hand in front of his face most of the time.

A little distorted since she had to crop out his arm.

Cuddled in, sleeping on his arm.

Once Krista had gotten a couple pictures for us, she told us Dr. Ledella, Dr. Ledella!, would be in to chat with us. I saw her through most of my pregnancy with Danielle - and love her, but only once with Nora, since she was out on medical leave (and I was being seen at Comprehensive for my appointments - just ultrasounds at Perinatal). I guess she had gotten tied up, and was running a little behind (Krista came in twice to let us know her status). But she eventually came in, and scanned again to see that the placenta still had about 3 cm to go, which meant it wasn't going anywhere in time for delivery, and to find that Ender, the little bugger, had now moved to a head down position. Holy buckets kids, do you ever sit still?!

I think one reason I love Dr. Ledella is that she is a woman of faith. While we were chatting, she commented about how Ender was a blessing from God. He is, and it's nice to hear a doctor say it. She talked the same way with Danielle, and how the small victories each week at her appointments were God-given.

Alright, onto yesterday, our appointment with Dr. Mahan. She found his heart rate to be about 160 bpm, and that he was in a head down position still - or probably again... I'm sure he had done several back flips between the ultrasound and the appointment the next day. We talked to her about the possibility of moving the c-section to December XX instead of the 26th, since that would be exactly 37 weeks according to the due date that they have (mine is a little off from theirs, though I tend to believe mine). So we did. I also asked her about his position again (I did at the last appointment too), and how they would have to slice me open. (With a bikini cut, you can VBAC, but if they make a "classical" cut, then you can't.) She said the only way that she would have to make a classical cut is if he is transverse and face up, since there would be nothing for her to grab to pull him out. I told her how he was doing acrobatics at the ultrasound, and she said that they might end up having to scan me before hand to make sure of his position. I'm kind of afraid that he won't be in the right position, and I won't be able to VBAC again. (Prayers for optimal positioning would be nice!)

How far along?: 34 weeks 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 22 pounds. I think that's the most I've gained with any of the kids, but I also started at a much lower weight this time, since I was still nursing Nora.
The Bump: Large & in charge. Though, I feel like when I wear my extra big winter jacket zipped up that people might not be able to tell.

32 weeks 4 days

32 weeks 4 days

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: The big day when we meet baby *blank.* (Yep, I think we have a name picked out other than Ender! And, nope, we're not sharing)
Maternity Clothes: I don't even feel like this should be a question anymore...
Symptoms: Just 3rd trimester uncomfortable-ness. Back pain, sleeping, rib kicks...
Belly Button in or out?: Out... I wonder how long it will take to go back in.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Still milk/ dairy. I've been making warm milk with flavored creamers lately. Once in a while hot chocolate, but mostly warm milk.
What I miss: Being able to play with Nora like I used to. I've found other ways to make her giggle & laugh, but still.
Milestones: Supposedly at this point baby is supposed to be "head down and preparing for birth." Not that Ender is, but his lanugo hair is disappearing.

Ender's All Over the Place, and So Are We

I had two appointments this week. One was my regular OB appointment, the other was an extra ultrasound I decided to get for free from Argosy University to see if the placenta has moved at all.

Tuesday was my OB appointment. Adam stayed home with a napping Nora and got ready for one of his interviews, so it was just me. I met the new RN, Justine Politz. I really liked her. I guess she works at Woodwinds also, and used to work at Abbott, but said that the "abnormal was becoming normal," and she didn't like that. It's kind of funny, because even though this is "normal baby #2" for me, the normal routine of appointments still seems somewhat strange to me, as the abnormal with Danni was my normal. (Maybe that's another reason I wanted another ultrasound... that's my "normal.") She measured my tummy, and felt my tummy to find that the baby was in a transverse position (laying across my tummy instead of in a head-down position). She said that was actually good, since I have placenta previa. Then he's not putting as much pressure on the placenta and my cervix. Then she pulled out the doppler, and found is heart rate to be in the 140's again. She mentioned that at my next appointment they would do the Group B Strep culture, but I asked if that was necessary if I am having a scheduled c-section, and I never had one done with Danielle. She said that since she's new there, she would ask Dr. Mahan. So as she walked me out, we stopped and asked. Dr. Mahan said they still do it, just in case my water breaks or something.

Then, on Thursday, we had our free ultrasound at Argosy University. When you sign up for one you have to have already had your 20-week anatomy scan, and you have to bring proof (a picture from it works fine). So we grabbed our ultrasound pictures and off we went! One of the students (whose name was also Sarah) came down to get us, just like if you were going into a clinic. (At the end, we were asked to fill out a survey about how professional they were, and she did great!) When we got up there, I laid down on their table, and she asked if we knew what we were having. We told them we were having a boy, but wanted to know if my placenta had moved at all. She looked right away, and said it was still covering my cervix. I asked her if she could measure to see how far it would have to move yet, but she said her professor, Heidi, would have to do that at the end. Sarah had about 15 minutes to take some anatomy pictures that she needed off her list. She found that he was breech that day... moving all of the place, I guess! She did ended up getting a really great picture of his little boy parts! Since Krista couldn't get him to sit still long enough to get a good picture, I was kind of excited to see that he is indeed a boy! Then two other students had their turn to scan and take pictures off of their lists as well. They gave us a CD with all of the pictures, but they are mostly boring pictures of arm or leg bones, the spine, or a couple of the heart (alright, so I think the heart ones are still pretty neat, with all 4 little chambers!). After each student had their turn, Heidi, the professor had her turn to take some fun pictures. She took some profile pictures and checked how far the placenta would have to move. She said about 3 cm. :( That means in ten weeks, it has moved about 1 cm, and now has another 10 weeks to move 3cm... I don't think that's going to happen anymore, so it looks like I'll be sliced and diced again.

Ender's profile

Looking right at us

He's gonna be chubby! :)

Must be flexible!

He's got hair, just like his sisters did!

How far along?: 31 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 19 pounds... 1 1/2 pounds of which are just in the last day... I think I might need to check my scale again.
The Bump: Well, there's definitely no denying that I'm pregnant... It's funny that it changes shape from day to day (or sometimes hour to hour), because he still isn't sure if he's more comfortable transverse, breech, or head down.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: I think at this point, just getting to see Nora meet him and interact with the "bebe." She's kind of jealous when Adam or I hold another baby, but if someone else is, or if the baby is laying on the floor, she very fascinated by them.
Maternity Clothes: Yep. I'm so glad I've had 2 wonderful people lend me some of their maternity clothes. I feel way more fashionable this time around than with either of the girls! (Thanks, Jacque & Theresa!)
Symptoms: Not sleeping through the night, and sciatic nerve pain... that's about it, I guess.
Belly Button in or out?: Out. With both girls I remember people telling me how back in the day when they were pregnant women would put band-aides over their belly buttons so people wouldn't see them sticking out. No one has said that this time around.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Milk. Hot chocolate sometimes, but the past few days if my tummy's not happy, I drink some warm milk with vanilla & nutmeg (like my mom would make us when we were kids), and my tummy is happy again.
What I miss: The hope of having another VBAC.
Milestones: He's about 11.4 inches long and weights about 4 pounds at this point, and gaining weight more rapidly... maybe that's why I gain 1 1/2 pounds in a day!

Getting Closer...

I had another appointment almost a week and a half ago (Oct. 23rd), and am now starting appointments every other week. (That means we're getting closer! :) ) Since it was my 28-week visit, I got to drink the lovely orange-flavored Glucola before going in. I had eaten lunch right before and had an apple (higher in sugar than the rest of my meal), and after I drank the stuff I started feeling slightly dizzy/ light headed, so I was kind of worried that I wouldn't pass the glucose test. But, at the same time I was fine with the first two, so I wasn't super concerned.

We waited in the waiting room for a little bit, and then were called back to the lab. I couldn't remember if it was a blood draw or a finger prick, so I asked the nurse (in case it was a blood draw, I needed to lay down). She said she already checked my chart, and that I'm Rh+, so it was just a prick. I asked why Rh- people had to have a blood draw instead, and another nurse in the lab told me that since they have to check for antigens (or maybe antibodies... I'm not even sure what the difference is), they just do it all at once, so that you can get the RhoGAM shot. While she nurse was getting ready to prick my finger, Adam & Nora stood in the doorway, watching and waiting for me. Nora must have remembered a similar setting from her one-year check-up, because any time Adam got close to the doorway, she started fussing. So they ended up walking up and down the hallway, with Nora peering in to check on Momma. I kept smiling at her, hoping that it was reassuring her that everything was okay, and leaving a better impression on her. Then maybe next time she goes in it won't be as scary for her. I waited for my results, and they came back fine (well below the allowed amount), and I guess my hemoglobin was also fine.

On the way back to our room, she asked if I wanted a flu shot while I was there, so she came back with that as well. Nora, again was a little leery when she saw what was coming at Momma, but didn't fuss this time, just clung to Daddy. Then we waited for Dr. Tumaneng.

We had a long list of questions for her, many concerning some preterm labor signs I have been having, and what bed rest should all entail for me. It seemed more like pelvic rest, with taking it easy (especially when I'm starting to feel more contractions or back pain), but she said I could still walk around the mall for an hour or two, as long as I wasn't there the whole day. With preterm labor/ deliver on our mind, we also wanted to know where we would end up going at this point, since we knew Woodwinds can't handle all premies. I was hoping St. John's, as that would probably be my second choice, and it was. Woodwinds can handle 34 weeks gestation and beyond, so once we hit December we'll be able to go there no matter what.

Since our experience with a c-section at Abbot left much to be desired, I wanted to know what to expect at Woodwinds for a c-section, so I had her kind of walk me through it. It turns out usually (unless the rooms are all full) you're only in two rooms: your room, and the OR. They do all the surgery prep in the same room that you will be recovering in, and staying in until you leave. We liked the sound of that, since at Abbott we were in 4 different rooms (plus Danni's room, of course, but that was kind of a special circumstance).

Once we got through all our questions, Dr. Tumaneng pulled out the doppler. I will miss how great she is with kids at appointments when she leaves. When she was using the doppler, she held it out for Nora to see and touch while she used the wand to find her little brother's heartbeat (it was about 148 bpm). Nora was thought this new "toy" was pretty interesting, and touched it and listened.

This was my last appointment with Dr. Tumaneng, and on the way out I scheduled my next couple appointments with the other providers. I'm trying to meet with each one again (and meet the new one, Justine) before we schedule the c-section.


How far along?: 29 weeks 6 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 17 pounds.
The Bump: I'm starting to feel big, especially since I'm doing the pregnant waddle more often now.

27 weeks 1 day

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: I scheduled an ultrasound for this coming Thursday at Argosy University to hopefully see if the placenta has moved. I'm not sure if they'll look or tell me, since it's considered a "fun" ultrasound, but I'm hoping they will. (And I'm hoping it has moved!)
Maternity Clothes: Oh yeah! Pants all the time, shirts most of the time. I can still wear a few of my non-maternity clothes, but it's getting to be fewer and fewer. (The day before Danni was born, I was wearing a non-maternity tank, so I'm sure this answer will be pretty much the same from here on out.)
Symptoms: Well, the whole time I've been complaining about back pain, and it seems to be less -or, dare I say, gone. I know lower back pain often accompanies placenta previa, so I'm hoping this is a sign that its gone! I still have worse sciatic nerve pain than I did with either of the girls (with them it actually got better!).
Belly Button in or out?: Totally out. There's no going back!
Food Cravings/Aversions: I was on Pinterest and found a yummy looking pumpkin bread with a cream cheese filling that I was craving. I found a similar pumpkin bar recipe that I had the ingredients for and made it, but then found I really wasn't craving it all that much. (They're still really good though!)
What I miss: Sleep. I wake up most nights and can't fall back asleep. Though it's helped now that I have Adam getting up with Nora if she wakes up in the middle of the night.
Milestones: At this point he has rhythmic breathing (but his lungs aren't fully developed), his bones are fully developed, and his eyes respond to light. He's getting ready to come out and meet the world! :)

Bed Rest? What's that?

When I was pregnant with Danielle, I never went to an appointment alone. With Eleanor, I went to one appointment alone (right after Adam's mom died, and they were planning the funeral). Two weeks ago, I went to my first appointment with Ender alone. It was with Aimee, the nurse practitioner, and all went well. She measured me for the first time (right on track), and checked his heart rate (150-155 bpm). I didn't really have any questions for her, but she reminded me that at my last appointment Dr. Tumaneng put me on modified bed rest since I have placenta previa. I asked her what that all entailed, since I had forgotten I was on it, and since I really didn't have a good explanation of what I could and could not do. She said she wasn't the best person to ask, so I ended up Googling it when I got home. Pretty much everything I had been doing, I shouldn't have been doing. I started a new job, and you're not supposed to be working, let alone driving. While I've still been driving and working (where I think I actually get to sit more than I do at home!), I've tried to lay off the housework a bit. It's tough though, because I like a clean house, I like checking things off my to-do list, I like making dinner for my family... However, it's starting to get a lot tougher to do many of these things. While its tough to do when you're pregnant often anyways, I'm finding that if I do my "normal" stuff, I get super sore, and have more contractions. If I take it easy and don't do much, I have maybe one or two, and sometimes none at all. I know it's probably best for the baby at this point, but I think if I get put on strict bed rest, I will go mad! I can't sit still that long!


How far along?: 26 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 12 pounds.
The Bump: I still don't feel super big, and I was telling Adam that the other day. I was telling him that I wonder if it's because out of the 3 1/2 years we've been married, I've been pregnant for almost 2 of those years.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Oh golly, I don't know... maybe seeing Nora interact with her little brother when he arrives.
Maternity Clothes: Pants, yes. Tops, mostly (my tummy is starting to show out the bottom of most of the ones that aren't).
Symptoms: Back pain, back pain, back pain... oh, and did I mention, back pain.
Belly Button in or out?: The other day I was laying on my back and it went in a little, but it's still totally out.
Food Cravings/Aversions: With Danni, I'd say it was apples. With Nora, I don't think I really had one. With this one, I'm thinking it's chocolate & sweets, but mostly chocolate.
What I miss: Since I'm supposed to be on modified bed rest, I miss being able to do my normal things. I don't like that making dinner is sometimes such a chore and effort. It drives me nuts that I have stuff I want to get done, but I'm afraid of what I'll feel like afterwards (see "Symptoms" above).
Milestones: Well, his eyes open and he can cry this week. And I didn't realize it until I looked at chart, but Sunday ends the second trimester! This pregnancy seems to be going a lot faster than the girls' did...

Lots to Cover!

So it's been quite a while since I've written a post about this pregnancy with Ender, so I'll try to keep it short, but I'll try to remember everything.

We had an ultrasound on August 22, and were able to find out the gender (right before the City Wide Garage Sale! I'll talk about clothes in another post). We had Krista (our ultrasound tech) put it in an envelope, and I gave it to my friend, Amanda, who blew up either pink or blue balloons for us, and put them in a cute box that she decorated.

Then we were able to open the box up and see the BLUE balloons fly to heaven for Danielle to see. Here's another sneak-peek of our baby boy from the ultrasound!

BEAUTIFUL! :) Love seeing this!

The note from Krista with the proof!

You have read a couple times in the "What I'm excited about/looking forward to" part that I wanted to know if I still had placenta previa. Well, we found out the answer to that at the ultrasound as well. The placenta is still covering my cervix by 4.21 cm. Krista seemed doubtful that it would move enough to avoid a c-section by the time I deliver, so the thought of it doing it again haunted me for several days. I posted in a mom's group on Facebook that I needed prayers for peace of mind, and hopefully that the placenta moved. My mind was eased a little from their prayers and supportive comments. But, I think after our appointment with Dr. Tumaneng last Tuesday, I felt better about it, and started to accept it as the likely outcome. I asked her quite a few questions... She thought there was still a chance for it to move, but I also wanted to prepare myself for another c-section, so I told her that I wanted Adam to be in the room with me when they did the spinal. She said that most anesthesiologists at Woodwinds don't mind, but if or when the time comes to schedule the c-section, that they would make sure to put a note on my chart about it. There's still a couple other things I want out of a c-section birth with this baby (especially since he is healthy and all), and some that the doula I had with Nora, Ashley of Gaia Birth, brought up as well, such as being able to hold him and breast feed him while they stitch me up. With Danielle, I was okay with not being able to do that, since I knew, for her, it would be best to get her hooked up to her new lifelines.

I've been going back and forth on whether or not we want to use Ashley, or really a doula at all, this time. I am 100% happy that we had her for Nora. I felt that having that extra support made my VBAC successful. This time, if I VBAC, I think I want to just have Adam there. He was wonderful support, and I think Ashley helped guide him a lot of the times, but I think he learned a lot and can probably do it on his own. If I have a c-section, then I guess we've "been there, done that" too. Of course, this time there's quite a few things I want to do differently, but I feel like, after having Danni, and feeling like I didn't have a voice with some things, and finding that with Nora, I was in control, that this time, I would be able to make it the best c-section that I can have (even if it's not my ideal birth situation).

How far along?: 22 weeks 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: Well, after our Duluth vacation, the State Fair, and the cabin on Labor Day, I was up about 12 pounds, but now that I'm back to eating normally, it's right around 11 pounds.
The Bump: While I don't feel super big, when I look at my belly pictures, I see that I actually am!

22 weeks 2 days

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: The consignment sale at the State Fair grounds! I'm excited to find lots of cute boys' clothes (and maybe a few things for Nora too)!
Maternity Clothes: While I had to wear my maternity shorts, because my regular ones weren't fitting, now that it's getting cooler, I have few pairs of regular capris that I can still wear (though some are elastic waist-ed... maybe that's cheating in this category! lol) Maternity tops I haven't even touched yet, but I'm getting low on tops that are long enough to cover my belly!
Symptoms: Keeping my tummy happy is always a "symptom" and, I know I've posted about it before, but with this one I seem to have a lot more lower back pain. Maybe it's from holding Nora, or maybe it's where the placenta is with the previa... either way, back rubs are good!
Belly Button in or out?: Yep, all the way out! At least this one didn't actually kick it out!
Food Cravings/Aversions: We were talking about split pea and ham soup the other day (mom's homemade stuff!), and it sounds pretty good to me! (Could be the fall weather too though!)
What I miss: Not having my belly get in the way maybe? It's difficult to bathe Nora, and doing the dishes is starting to get tough.
Milestones: I guess he's on a somewhat regular schedule for sleeping, and being awake. That sounds about right with the movements I'm feeling All. The. Time. :)

The Gender Debate

Originally written August 14, 2012

Alright, so it's been almost a month since I've written a post. With both the girls, I was much better at writing close-to-weekly posts, but I guess it gets put on the back-burner when I'm chasing Nora around and planning her birthday party. Oh well, such is life!

We had an appointment today (that's what prompted me to actually sit down and write). They did the second blood draw to check the chances of the baby having spina bifida, and checked the heart rate. It was 157 bpm this time, but the baby was also squirming around a lot!

If you believe in the folk lore of the heart rate, then we're having another girl (140 bpm and above is said to be a girl, anything below is said to be a boy). If you believe the folk lore of the necklace, then we're having a boy (followed by another girl down the road). You hold a necklace with a pendant over the mother's hand, and if it moves up and down it means a miscarriage, if it moves left and right it means a boy, and if it moves in a circle it means a girl. When my friend, Maria, did it to me after we lost Danni, but before we got pregnant with Nora, I got miscarriage, girl, boy, girl... Danni, Nora, this little one, and maybe someday down the road...

How far along?: 18 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 7 pounds, I think.
The Bump: Well, I think I had a food baby and a baby baby after this weekend with Nora's party & Valleyfair!
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: At this point, finding out if it's a boy or girl.
Maternity Clothes: Just depends on the clothes. I haven't busted out the tops yet, but I might have to, or at least find some longer ones soon.
Symptoms: Just being hungry more often, and not being able to eat as much.
Belly Button in or out?: Still half out.
Food Cravings/Aversions: I like mom's homemade yogurt with fruit and granola as a snack just about everyday. It's so yummy!
What I miss: I don't know at this point. I think I often forget that I'm pregnant unless it comes up or I'm doing something physical and get out of breath... maybe that's what I miss... my breath.
Milestones: The baby is sucking and swallowing.

My Birthday and the Facebook Announcement

Originally written July 20, 2012

Well, I had another appointment at Comprehensive on Tuesday. We went over a couple questions we had with Dr. Tumaneng, like how long I could keep playing softball. She didn't think it was an issue to finish the season, as long as I don't have any complications. When I asked her about the placenta previa, she was kind of surprised. I guess it didn't say that in the report she got. It said it was on the back wall. I am kind of wondering if it was just barely covering my cervix, and with the little bit of spotting I had while we were in Oregon, maybe that was the placenta shifting off of my cervix. I guess we'll find out in about a month. It makes me a little less nervous though if it wasn't mentioned. But I know sometimes there are mistakes, so who knows. My Pampered Pregnancy gift this time was a meeting with their nutritionist. I'm not sure yet if I'll take advantage of it yet or not though. I'm sure she's going to want me to gain a lot of weight, and try to jam pack me full of calories and food. I've tried it before, trust me, it doesn't work.

Yesterday, my birthday, I signed up for one of my other Pampered Pregnancy gifts, my 1/2 hour massage. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good as the third trimester one was with Nora. And actually, my lower back actually hurt more once I got up off the table. :(

Since Adam was finally able to get a hold of his dad and tell him the news, we were able to announce it to the Facebook world. I had seen a picture on Pinterest, kind of like what we did, but didn't really think about it. While I was in Oregon though, Adam found a similar picture somewhere and decided it would be a fun way to announce the news online. And I put the caption, "Here's a math problem for you... If you have 2 Gibsons and you add 3 Gibsons, how many Gibsons do you have? (Extra credit if you can tell me the property illustrated from the word problem to the picture)." Adam wrote, "Expecting #3. This child is doomed to a life a nerdiness......" Lots of people commented on the creativeness of it. It fit so well for a math teacher and an engineer.

How far along?: 14 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: Yesterday, I actually hit the 100 mark on the scale! Sounds pretty pathetic, I know, but I haven't been back up there for a while with nursing Nora still. I think I started right around 95-96 pounds, so 4-5 pound weight gain. :)
The Bump: It's there. Pretty hard to hide at this point, especially since it's summer. (With Nora I could hide it longer under bulky sweaters.)
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: I guess still finding out if the placenta shifted up, and the gender, but probably more the position of the placenta.
Maternity Clothes: I'm loving the maternity shorts. I've got 2 pairs from Nora. I could still wear my regular shorts or capris, but why when they're so comfy? :)
Symptoms: Still the lower back ache... making it hard to sleep. That can go away any time now.
Belly Button in or out?: The top half is still out a little.
Food Cravings/Aversions: I've been more thirsty lately, not for anything in particular though. I think it's just the * ahem* lovely heat we've been having. (That can go away any time now too!)
What I miss: Having more energy. Isn't that supposed to come back during the second trimester?
Milestones: The baby has meconium in his/ her intestines.

Kicks for Daddy!

Originally written August 1, 2012


Well, while we have been pretty busy throughout the month of July with my trip to Oregon with my mom and Nora, there hasn't been a ton going on with the pregnancy. So, I guess not having time to write means that you're not going to be bored with my uneventful posts. But! I do have something new to report! Last night I felt one strong kick from the baby, and about 30 seconds later, another. So I put my hand on my tummy to see if I could feel it from the outside, and I did! Though I do remember with both the girls feeling them kick on my hand, but Adam not being able to feel them. So I figured when I told Adam to put his hand on my belly that he probably wouldn't feel the kicks. But, he did! I think with both the girls I was just starting to feel the little flutters myself at this point.


How far along?: 16 weeks 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: About 6 pounds, I would say.
The Bump: A couple people have been commenting that it's really popped (some of them see have seen me like every week, and now all of a sudden I guess I'm really showing to them).
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: I still really want to know what is up with the placenta. We find out on the 24th of this month.
Maternity Clothes: I go back and forth with the pants. My jean shorts don't fit anymore, so that cuts out a lot of the clothes for my lower half. So I'm wearing the maternity shorts and some of my other shorts that still fit.
Symptoms: I am happy to report that the lower back pain is pretty much gone. Now it's just the normal pregnancy comfortableness (not that its too bad at this point).
Belly Button in or out?: The top half is still out a little. Maybe this one will suck it back in for me at some point since Nora kicked it out kind of permanently.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really. Not a huge fan of water (mix it into juice or something and its fine though), but it's not making me feel sick like it did with Nora.
What I miss: Nothing really at this point. :) Maybe my jean shorts... lol.
Milestones: Well, I think feeling the little guy move is a milestone! But I guess his/ her ears are also in the proper place at this point.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Originally written July 15, 2012

I haven't had time to write for over 2 weeks now! Goodness! My mom took Nora & I out to Oregon to visit her Great-Grandparents, Great Aunts & Uncles, and a bunch of cousins. Since we were out there over mom's birthday, I wrapped up the ultrasounds we just got in wallpaper (Grandma didn't have wrapping paper, so we improvised.) and gave it to mom as a birthday present.

Nora helping Grandma open her birthday surprise!

Grandma said she already suspected!

She was very excited, of course, but not terribly surprised, she has suspected that we were expecting when we went garage sale shopping and I was looking at baby boys' clothes. (Not that we know it's a boy yet.) She was excited to have her family there and be able to share the news in person though!

While we were out there I also got a phone call from Joan, the genetic counselor, and so I told my very confused cousin, Jen, that the results from the first trimester screening came back, and looked pretty good. She thought I was talking about the results from Nora's screening, and was wondering why they were so late, until her mom, my Aunt Carla, pointed at my belly.

When we got back from Oregon, I was the personal attendant for a friend's wedding. I Deacon Tom & Mary, Maria, and a couple other people that I knew at her wedding about Ender, but I made sure that they didn't tell the bride. When she opened her gift from us the next morning, it was signed, "Love, Sarah, Adam, Danni, Nora, & baby-to-be." I guess she didn't catch it right away, so Maria had to tell her to read it again.

How far along?: 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Right around a pound or so... I thought I would have fattened up more at Grandma's in Oregon, because I'm sure Nora did!
The Bump: Getting harder to hide, but since we've started telling people, I'm not so worried about it.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Finding out if the placenta has moved up, so I won't have to have another c-section. (I don't think it has yet, because I still have a lot of lower back pain.)
Maternity Clothes: I pulled out a pair of maternity shorts today, because they looked more comfy than jean shorts, and I'm all about laziness today!
Symptoms: Lower back ache, and tired. I think the tired is from the time change from our trip, and from running around all weekend with wedding stuff.
Belly Button in or out?: The top half is still out. My cousin, Kassidy actually made a comment about it while we were out there.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really lately.
What I miss: Right now, probably not waking up with a back ache every morning, and having more energy to get things done!
Milestones: This week the baby starts "practice breathing."

Lookin' Amazing!

Originally written June 22, 2012


So on Thursday, Adam's brother, Jon, came over since he was off work to hang out for a little while. When he got here, I opened the door to let him in, then ran back up the stairs. I stood at the top talking to him while he took off his shoes. When he looked up, he said, "Wow! You look amazing!" I was taken aback, since I was wearing stretchy yoga pants, and a shirt that I'm pretty sure has a hole in it. I gave him a confused thanks, and he said something about how I just had a baby, and I looked great. Well, Nora is 10 months old now, so I didn't just have a baby, but what he doesn't know is that I'm also 10 weeks pregnant. So I guess if others think I look good for having a 10-month-old, then I guess they probably won't be able to tell that I'm pregnant, even though I feel like I'm getting bigger and looking more pregnant than I did with either of the girls.

How far along?: 10 weeks 5 days
Total weight gain/loss: Still holding pretty steady... I was told the other day that I'm underweight and need to gain 38-40 pounds. I told her, "Good luck with that."
The Bump: I asked Adam about it the other night. He said, to him, it's there, but he knows. He said if he didn't know, he wouldn't think twice about it.

10 weeks

To be fair, here's one without Nora
making me look even bigger!

I thought I'd let you see what I looked like at roughly the same point with Nora and with Danni. You really do show sooner with each kid... :(
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: At this point, probably finding out the gender. We went garage sale-ing today and I bought a bunch of boy's clothes. I feel bad spending money on the stuff when we could well have another girl at this point (in which case, we really don't need more clothes!). Next Friday, we also have the first trimester screening. It's not that I'm dreading it, but I guess I'm just not excited about it.
Maternity Clothes: Nope. My belly band seems to have disappeared somewhere between my sister-in-law's house and our house though. I know I'm going to want it soon, so I'll either have to find it, or buck up the money to buy another. :(
Symptoms: With both girls my sciatic nerve pain pretty much went away, but this time it seems to bother me more. I guess that's not really a preggo thing, but I'm sure being pregnant has something to do with it. I've also noticed my c-section scar from Danni is getting tender again. I don't remember that happening with Nora though.
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out... though the other day I think I saw it all the way back in... maybe it was the way I was sitting... or sucking it in or something.
Food Cravings/Aversions: I really seem to love turkey & salami sandwiches with mayo, mustard, and pickles. If it's missing one of those ingredients, it's just not as good. (Don't worry, I toast the meat before I eat it... It's like eating a Quiznos!) :)
What I miss: Falling asleep easier without leg pain. I've started doing some stretches that the doctor recommended, and that seems to help.
Milestones: As of yesterday, our little cutie's face is "well-formed," though his (?) head is half the size of his body.

First Ultrasound

Originally written June 11, 2012


We had our first ultrasound on Thursday. It was just for dating purposes, nothing is wrong this time. (With Nora I had spotting early on and they did an ultrasound to make sure everything was okay.) I remember being able to clearly see teeny tiny little Nora with the abdominal scan at 6 weeks, so I thought for sure at 8 weeks they wouldn't do an internal at all. Wrong. That was all Lacey, the ultrasound tech, did. While she was doing the ultrasound, Adam was standing with Nora in front of the screen showing her her little sibling.We could see the baby moving around his/her little arms & legs, and I said Third looked like a turtle with a big head, but Lacey said she always thought they looked like gummy bears at this point. She checked the heart rate, and it was 180 bpm, and measured the baby to be 2.23 cm long from crown to rump.

After the ultrasound we met with Aimee again. I guess the date she had originally given us lined up with the date on the ultrasound (January 11th), but it's 2 days ahead of what I calculated (January 13th). Not as close as Nora's, but not as off as Danni's. She did a pap and wrote up a request for MN Perinatal to get the first trimester screening done for us. (I guess they do them there too, but I feel more comfortable at Perinatal. I've heard too many stories about babies with severe heart defects, like Danni, not be detected on any ultrasounds. I trust Perinatal to find anything, if there is something.)

One thing I've been meaning to write about is how we're doing emotionally. With Nora, I was always worried something was wrong, or something might happen and we'd loose her. It wasn't until well into the second trimester, and after several ultrasounds where we had seen her 4-chamber-heart beating away, that I finally let myself get a little excited about having another baby. This time I haven't been nearly as worried. I think it's a combination of not really having time to think about the fact that I'm pregnant again, since I'm chasing Nora around all day, and that I know what it is like to have hope for a normal, healthy baby during a pregnancy again. At this point I can't feel the baby move or anything, so I really have no idea what's going on in there. So I'm kind of wondering that if once I start to feel the baby move, if I'll be a little more obsessive/ worried about making sure he/she is still kicking around in there.

On another note, with people having babies and being pregnant, it's so hard to talk with them about pregnancy, and not slip up that I'm preggo too! Plus, I went to lunch with one of my friends from college, Natalie, and half way through she said, "I half-expected you to tell me you were pregnant again. You know, 3rd anniversary, 3rd kid." I chuckled and said that Adam wished I was, and played it off like I wasn't.


How far along?: 9 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: Still nothing, really.

8 weeks 6 days
Sporting my new hair cut! :)

The Bump: I'm starting to feel more self-conscious about it, and with it being 90 degrees, I can't wear big bulky sweaters like I did with Nora to cover it up.

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Hopefully getting some good sleep in the second trimester, and being able to tell people. (It's getting harder to not slip up and say something about being on kid #3.)
Maternity Clothes: Still none, thankfully!
Symptoms: I wake up every night to pee. :( Then I wake up in the morning (if I actually fell back asleep) with a backache. I'm hoping this is just a first trimester thing and doesn't go on the whole nine months!
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out...
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really. I guess yesterday around noon I really wanted something chocolate, and found some Tagalongs in the freezer. Tasty!
What I miss: Being comfortable in bed at night & getting more restful sleep.
Milestones: This week the development of the heart is complete! Hopefully it has 4 working chambers and all the right plumbing.

First Appointment!

Originally written June 3, 2012


We had our first appointment on Wednesday with the nurse practitioner, Aimee Neumann. While we waited for her to come in, the nurse turned on a video that has a message for each appointment of your pregnancy to "entertain" you while you wait. It was informative, but I knew pretty much all of it from the first time around. Once Aimee came in, she went over my medical history (which they pretty much had from Nora), and what I should expect for appointments. They needed to do a blood draw (should be the only one until the glucose test around 28 weeks), so I let her know that they should probably come here instead of sending me to the lab, as I do better laying down.

Of course before Aimee left, she gave me my first Pampered Pregnancy gift! In a little green reusable bag was the book, Your Pregnancy and Childbirth: Month to Month 5th Edition from the American College or OB/GYN. (I have a couple books that I read with both the girls, and since I've read them twice, figured I just wouldn't read anything this time around, but since they gave it to me, it will be nice to have something new to read.) It also contained a Food Safety for Pregnant Women booklet, and a Pregnancy Handbook with the clinics information, safe medications to take, and other helpful information. (I think every pregnant women should get these two things, regardless of whether it's a "pampered pregnancy" or not.) The other two things in the bag were Preggie Pop Drops and a certificate for a 1/2 hour massage during the first trimester. I haven't used the Preggie Pops since I haven't really had morning sickness with this one, but I can't wait to book my massage! I loved the one I had with Nora during the third trimester.

On another note, I have decided that until further notice, the baby shall be referred to as "Third" or "Ender." Adam's all time favorite book is called Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. (It's a good book, I've read it too.) The main character, Ender, is the third child, and in their world, being a "third" isn't necessarily a good thing, until Ender comes along and... well, I won't spoil it for you! You'll have to read it. But I thought Adam would get a kick out of it, if we referred to the baby as Ender for now.


How far along?: 8 weeks (tomorrow starts month 3!)
Total weight gain/loss: I got officially weighted at the doctor's office on Wednesday, so we'll start from there. With both girls I lost weight during the first trimester. This time around, I'm still nursing Nora, and I think I'm maintaining pretty well! Go me!
The Bump: Still nothing, thankfully!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: We have our second appointment, and first ultrasound on Thursday. I guess they like to do an early ultrasound for dating purposes, to make sure there's just one in there, and to make sure the baby is still thriving (they said alive, but that sounds scary to me, so we're going with thriving... less scary.)
Maternity Clothes: Well, I put on a pair of "comfy pants" today that my mom bought me after my c-section with Danielle, but they're not maternity. Most of my regular clothes are a little big on me since I've lost weight while breastfeeding Nora. So these comfy pants stay up and don't show off my underwear!
Symptoms: I think it was a cold that I had the last week or so. I'm feeling better from that, and haven't really had any morning sickness. I thought I had it good with both the girls, but with this one, I often forget I'm even pregnant (I'm sure that won't last!).
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out...
Food Cravings/Aversions: I still want movie theater popcorn, and haven't even had microwavable. We're going to my parents for dinner tonight, and I think I might request air-popped popcorn for dessert. It doesn't sound quite as appealing as it did at the theater, but we'll see.
What I miss: With Nora teething, and starting to fight naps, I'm finding I miss sleep, especially when I need it the most, in the first trimester!
Milestones: The baby had fingers & toes, but they're still webbed. In a couple days, baby will start moving his/her limbs (apparently its supposed to be visible on ultrasound... we'll have to see on Thursday!)

Busy Weeks!

Originally written May 28, 2012


I didn't get a picture or a post written last week. We had Danni's birthday party over the weekend, and then my sister-in-law's water broke, so we watched her daughter, Addy while they were in the hospital having Baby Reese. Now that the month of May is nearing a close, we should have more time and a less-busy schedule.


How far along?: 6 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: Still nothing really. I fluctuate about a pound every day, but haven't really seen an upward movement on the scale.
The Bump: I feel like it's showing more, and am self-conscious about it. I don't want people to know to suspecting anything yet, so I'm always trying to suck it in.

5 week 6 days

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Our first appointment on Wednesday... It's with the nurse practitioner at Comprehensive, and she's supposed to give me a referral for the first trimester screening ultrasound.
Maternity Clothes: Since my sister-in-law just had her baby, she gave me a few more clothes. I'm still not wearing any of them, but hopefully I'll have some clothes for a winter baby, even though both my girls and both her girls were pretty much summer babies. (Addy was born in March, but they lived in California at the time.)
Symptoms: Tired. Plus I either have allergies something fierce, or a cold. With both the girls, my allergies pretty much subsided. So either it's a cold, or it's a boy! lol
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out... thought I was looking back at some pictures, and it looks like it went in most of the way after Danni, but it was Nora that permanently kicked it out (and she did kick it out!)
Food Cravings/Aversions: We went to see Men in Black 3 last night, and the movie theater popcorn smelled so good. Theresa (who's 9-months pregnant!) let me have a couple handfuls. I could have eaten a whole bag! I told Adam when we were walking out, and he said I should have bought some, but it's so darn expensive.
What I miss: Not being tired.
Milestones: During week 7, baby's bones are forming, and eyes, lips, and mouth are recognizable. So I'm sure our baby is already cute! Probably still another Gibson clone, but cute none-the-less!

Telling Daddy

Originally written May 14, 2012


I'll be honest, I didn't want to wait until Wednesday, our anniversary, to tell Adam. I told him on Monday. With both girls, I found creative ways to tell him about his newly conceived children, and this time was no different. (Danni's story, Nora's story) I asked him if I could give him his anniversary present early, even though we said we weren't going to do presents. He was fine with it, so when he got home he was talking to his brother, Jon, on the phone. I watched to make sure he didn't open his card or his gift bag that I had wrapped the pee stick up in. He didn't.

When he got off the phone, he opened his card and read it...

He couldn't figure it out, so he started pulling tissue paper out of the bag. When he pulled out the one that had the stick wrapped up in it, he still didn't have a clue what it might be. Then he started laughing as soon as he figured out that the two lines meant he was going to be a daddy, again! He laughed for quite a while, in shock, disbelief, and excitement, and finally came over and gave me a hug and kiss.

That night, I asked him if he thought (not hoped) it was a boy or a girl. He said what we have always said about any of our children, especially after having Danni, that he hopes its a healthy baby. The next day though, randomly, he came up to me all excited, and said, "I think it's a boy, I just have a feeling!" I've been thinking the same thing since I saw the two lines on the magical pee stick! I guess we'll find out in about 15 weeks!


How far along?: 5 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: Still nothing.
The Bump: Not really showing, I think I look a little "fatter," but I'm sure it's just a mind game I'm playing on myself.

4 weeks 6 days

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: We scheduled our first appointment for 2 weeks from now. I'm kind of excited about that, but I know they won't really do much exciting, except refer me for the first trimester screening ultrasound.
Maternity Clothes: Oh dear, I surely hope not yet!
Symptoms: With both girls I felt sick more in the mornings. I seem to be fine in the mornings, but my tummy isn't so happy in the evenings.
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out. It popped at 19 weeks with Danni, and about 12 weeks with Nora... I'm hoping this time around it will at least make it to 12 weeks!
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing specific. I'm just eating all the time. I was eating snacks a lot since I'm breastfeeding Nora, but I'm eating even more snacks now!
What I miss: Not having a tummy ache at night, I guess.
Milestones: Our baby is 2 mm long and this week the arm & leg buds will start to become visible.

My Bereaved Mother's Day Suprise

Originally written May 6, 2012

We went to a wedding last night for Adam's cousin, and Nora had her first overnight with Grandma. It was nice to be able to sleep in and not wake up to feed a baby. Though I did have to get up and pump in the morning, and I did kind of miss having my little girl crawl all over us while we lay in bed hoping she'll fall back asleep, so we can catch a few more zzzs. But I did find out later that morning, that we weren't actually alone in bed!

I got up eventually and pumped, and later Adam came down. Before we ate breakfast, I decided I wanted to shower. And while I was in the bathroom, I decided I should check to see if Nora's new habit of nursing at night had been playing with my cycle or if I might actually be pregnant. So I pulled out my last magic pee stick, and put it to use. Of course, silly me, I didn't read the instructions before (I've done this at least twice before, so I know what I'm doing, right?), and so I set it face down and walked away to read the instructions. Really, I just wanted to know how long I was supposed to wait (5 minutes, not the 3 I was thinking), and I read it's supposed to be face up. So I walked back over, and flipped it around to see two very clear lines. Well, I knew what that meant without reading the instructions (besides it said it on the stick). I decided not to tell Adam (and as I sit here writing this and he sits playing videos games and keeping Nora out of trouble, he still doesn't know. Our anniversary is coming up on Wednesday, and I kept jokingly telling him that since our first anniversary was also my first mother's day (it was the exact same day!), and on our second anniversary, I was pregnant with our second child, that I didn't want to be pregnant with our third child on our third anniversary... Well, I guess we didn't quite make that one! But I'm okay with that!

My sister-in-law is doing this with her pregnancy (She's due in just over two weeks, on Danni's due date, May 22), and I thought it was kind of fun, so I thought I'd try it out. (Copying is the best form of flattery, right?)

How far along?: 4 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Being as I just found out this morning, I wouldn't say anything at this point!
The Bump: So non-existent that Adam doesn't even know! (I think I'll try to do pictures every week for this one, but since my camera man would be a little suspicious about why he's taking a "bump" photo, we'll wait until next time.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Telling Adam on Wednesday!
Maternity Clothes: My sister-in-law just gave me a bunch of mine back plus some of hers, but I'm not even close to wearing them yet.
Symptoms: Either it's from staying up late for the wedding last night, or it's our new little parasite that's has sucked the energy out of me. (I'm thinking its the wedding... I've been pregnant tired!)
Belly Button in or out?: It's still half-out from Danni & Nora. I guess I can't expect it to go back in any time soon now!
Food Cravings/Aversions: I still hate seafood, does that count?
What I miss: My period? Nope, I guess I don't really miss that!
Milestones: I guess during week 4 our little blob of cells will split into two parts, the baby and the placenta. I should also schedule my first doctor appointment.