Newborn & Family Pics

I just about cry everytime I see these, they are so precious! Thanks Felicia Holland Photography! Felicia is having her second baby this October, I'm so thankful she was able to sneak us in before she puts down her camera for a while to finish school and take care of her babies!

Our little stinker decided that she wanted to be awake for the whole sitting, despite having fed her literally minutes before! I don't blame her though, it was almost 100 degrees out and the humidity was killer {just look at momma's hair, eek}!  Love, love, love these--and cannot wait to get the rest next week! Someone's going to go crazy at the Costco photo department, I can just feel it!

those lips!

special delivery

my mom thinks the (intentional) natural sun flare ruined this one, but it's one of my favorites! I promise she wasn't crying!

Rylan: 3 weeks

It'll be three weeks tomorrow, and we're all still alive!!! Really though, I couldn't ask for an easier baby. Rylan is such a good little sleeper, we have to wake her up to feed her! Feedings are going ok, but I never knew breastfeeding was this hard! I'm always worried I'm not making enough milk, or that I'm doing something wrong. It doesn't help that she lost quite a bit of weight after birth...she went from 7# 11oz at birth to 7# 1oz at our first doctor's visit. As of last week we were still lagging at 7# 6oz, but we've been working hard on getting that up this week, and she just so happened to reach the first milestone of passing her birth weight, she was 7# 12oz yesterday! That's an ounce a day for a week straight!! The doctor was happy, so that put mommy at ease. I just started pumping last week too, to help boost production so I really feel like all I do is feed her! I don't get much {like an ounce and a half after each feeding} but we're working on it by drinking a ton of water and more eating often. Ross jokes that our living room has turned into a "milking parlor". Sigh.

Here's what Rylan has been up to the past three weeks...

• You finally reached your birth weight...19 days later
• You've grown almost an inch already!
• We took our first family overnight trip to the cottage in Traverse City when you were 1 week old and you did great!
• You're sleeping 3-3 1/2 hours straight at night {we wake you up for feedings}
• You're a slow eater, and it takes anywhere from 20-45 minutes for you to finish nursing
• You have great head control already and you love tummy time! Daddy thinks you look like a little turtle when you poke your head up and around. So stinkin' cute!
• Mommy broke all the rules she set for herself; you're definately a paci baby & co-slept the first week and a half of life {bad mommy}
• You wear newborn size diapers & clothes
• You have a ton of long, blonde hair! Instead of falling out, it seems to be growing! We love dressing you up with little bows and headbands. The only downfall is that it makes you look so much older than you are :( Mommy wants you to stay little FOREVER!
• You did so good in church! We were a little nervous and sat in the back, but you were quiet the whole time and all the little old ladies just loved you!
• We had family pictures taken this week, and they turned out so great! Preview coming soon. 

bathtime!

snuggles with Bethany

posing

naptime with daddy

You love:

Hanging out on your changing table

Car rides and being outdoors

Bath time and being naked

Your furry big brother, Elvis

Your family--grandpas, grandmas, aunties & uncle

All the presents and meals everyone brings us! You just love having vistors!

You're learning:

How to lift and move that little noggin of yours

Routine--what "cues" mean it's time to eat/sleep

How to look us right in the eye when we talk with you

You dislike:

Being swaddled...you liked it for a minute, then decided it wasn't for you.

Mommy's phone. Everytime it rings or texts, you jump a mile high.

We love you, Rylan Marie!

Rylan's Birth

It was Friday, July 6th. I woke up about 7:30a, not feeling so great...more or less like I got hit by a bus. After my giant crybaby bawl-fest the night before, I figured it was nothing. At this point I was so sick and tired of being pregnant--It was 1000 degrees out {ok, it was 104--a record high for the day}, and everything hurt.

I opened my inbox to find the usual "did you have the baby yet" messages, to which I replied NO and if I get asked ONE MORE TIME I'm going to go CRAZY!

By 10am I had a few very weak "contractions", but they were hardly noticeable and were a good 30+ minutes apart. Which basically means nothing. Fast forward to noon and these puppies were coming on every 8 minutes, but not lasting very long and were still very much bearable--I could walk, talk and work through them, but sitting was becoming uncomfortable. The dog was driving me nuts again, following me everywhere around the house, and my sister had stopped by to ask if "today was the day". I told her NO, but these braxton hicks were not letting me get any work done.

By 2pm the pains were coming sooner, though I still refused to believe this might be it. It felt like gas cramps and went away when I went to the bathroom, which is not at all what I thought contractions might feel like. My pal Stef just happened to text me, and when I replied with questions like "does the hospital have a hairdryer?" she began to probe.

I told her about the timed contractions, about the stringy/bloody discharge again this morning {even though I had lost my plug 2 weeks prior}, and my gas cramps. It was Friday afternoon, and I debated calling the office to see if I could get checked before the weekend just in case. Stef laughed {she's had two kids already} and told me I better call them and tell them I'm coming in. To heck with work I thought, and closed my computer. I began to finish packing the hospital bag...just in case.

The last thing I wanted to do was go in and have them send me home! When I called and talked with the nurse she said to wait until they were 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each for an hour. I thought cool, this really is it and prepared for a long night. I was about ready to put the call in to Ross when he walked in the door. I told him what was going on and explained that we still have plenty of time, so he should finish running his errands and go deposit his check at the bank.

By the time he got back I knew for a fact that today right now was the day since I was doubled over the kitchen counter in pain, with my Itzbeen in hand to time the contractions! Ross still needed a shower, and I told him he had 5 minutes to take one and get dressed before I got in the car and left by myself. It was 3:30 now, and the contractions jumped from being every 8 minutes for the past 3 hours, to being 3 minutes apart consistently and getting so much stronger. I wasn't sure I could live for another hour with the contractions coming that hard and fast, so I called the nurse and told her we're coming in and if they wanted to send me home I didn't care anymore--I'm coming!

We made it upstairs at the hospital a little after four, and the nurse took her sweet time checking us in and going over all the routine questionnaires & forms. I was sweaty and shaking all over at this point. Trying to be "helpful", Ross told me I shouldn't be disappointed if I was only at a 3 and get sent home. I thought there's NO WAY that's happening. Not on my watch. Once the nurse finally got me set up in bed to check my cervix, her eyes about bulged out of her head when she announced that I was already past 6cm dilated, and 100% effaced! Baby time!

When she told me this was my only chance for an epidural, I said YES PLEASE! It was then that Ross so kindly reminded me that I wanted to do this without drugs, but obviously that idea was out. In hindsight, I should have just went without it since I was moving so fast, but at that moment the pain seemed so intense that I couldn't imagine it getting worse {and low & behold it didn't}. So they set me up like an assembly line and administered the IV & epidural. After about 15 minutes they rolled me from side to side and I heard a *pop*...my water had broken on its own! The nurse was quite surprised I could feel that, and I told her I could still feel everything on my right side. She said that wasn't right so they tried rolling me again. It didn't take long for her to call in another anesthesiologist who fixed the epidural and gave me another shot of magic juice. Upon doing a quick check, I was already at an 8 {and still feeling everything on the right} so they started setting up to deliver. This was at 5:30. By ten to six the epidural finally kicked in on my right side and they had just removed the bottom of the bed to have me start pushing.

After 15 minutes of pushing, Rylan Marie was born at 6:07pm, at 7 lbs 11 oz & 20.5 inches long! Overall, my whole labor and delivery was a breeze! I can't believe I spent all that time reading and obsessing about what it might be like, when it wasn't bad or scary at all. Was I nervous, yes-but it all seemed so natural. Everything happened so quickly that we didn't really have time to think, and before we knew it they were cleaning her off in my arms!

38 weeks, 4 days

We're feeling very blessed to have such a happy, healthy baby girl!

She's here!!!

Ross & I welcomed Rylan Marie, 7lbs 11oz & 20.5 inches of love, on Friday, July 6th at 6:07pm!

bumpdate: 38 weeks

How far along? 38 weeks

Total weight gain: +35

Maternity clothes? Yes, but with some non-maternity pieces mixed in.

Sleep:  Still getting up around 3-4 times a night, what a pain it is to get out of bed!

Best moment this week: Taking the boat out on Lake Michigan with our pals Zeb & Kristi. We ran into a couple of rough patches from all the other boat traffic, but it was smooth sailing down to Saugatuck for the most part! I just loooove going out on the lake! Hubs and I are so thankful to be taking some time for ourselves these past few weeks.

Miss Anything? Seeing my feet, sitting comfortably, wearing a bathing suit...and beer.

Movement: It's certainly slowing down, but I can feel her feet wiggle every once and a while. She gets the hiccups about twice a day too :)

Food cravings: Cereal, fruit, anything cold or crunchy...and chocolate.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: Lost plug 6/23, 90% effaced & 1.5 cm dilated at my 37 week visit on 6/25. Had some nice contractions this past Saturday, but they just all of a sudden stopped. At my 38 week visit today I was still 90%, 1.5, -1 station. Boo.

Symptoms: Other than being grossly huge and having to pee all the time, I really don't have any symptoms. It's like I've caught a second wind this week!

Belly Button in or out?  Flat/out. Sometimes if she's laying just right it's like I have another belly button below mine. Looks great with a white tee...not!

Wedding rings on or off? Mostly off, much to husband's chagrin.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy! We are so thrilled to be so close to meeting our little girl!

Looking forward to: Ultrasound tomorrow to re-check fluid. Last week it was already up to a 12, which is pretty amazing since the week before it was a 7-8 and before that, a 4! I don't know what to expect this week...because at this point anything can happen!

bumpdate: 37 weeks

How far along? 37w1d

Total weight gain: +34 and at this point I don't give a crap. I'm considering this my last few days in which I'm completely allowed to have ice cream twice in one day...and it is fabulous! Baby needs all the fat she can get on her :)


Maternity clothes? Yes, but with some non-maternity pieces mixed in.

Sleep:  Still getting up around 3-4 times a night, but sleeping hard when I'm down!

Best moment this week: Getting the good report from the specialist--S's kidney is still quite dilated (11mm+), but only a partial blockage near the renal pelvis! There's no damage so far, and she could still grow out of it without needing surgery. Praise God!

Miss Anything? I could still use a nice, cold beer.

Movement: Yes, although it's pretty confined to my left side where her arms & legs are.

Food cravings: Cereal, fruit, anything cold or crunchy.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: Lost plug on Saturday night, 90% effaced & 1.5 cm dilated at my 37 week visit...oye!

Symptoms: Other than being grossly huge and having to pee all the time, I really don't have any symptoms. It's like I've caught a second wind this week!

Belly Button in or out?  In/flat.

Wedding rings on or off? Mostly off, much to husband's chagrin.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy! We are so thrilled to be so close to meeting our little girl!
Looking forward to: Ultrasound tomorrow to re-check fluid. Between weekly OB visits & weekly ultrasounds, it seems I'm always at the doctor's office. Better safe than sorry I suppose!

Week 36: the rollercoaster

What an eventful week and it's only halfway done.

Monday began with a call from the doc, nothing that he said was anything I wanted to hear--of course. I've learned that's how it goes when they call. Basically all the bad news they'd rather not say to your face. On the bright side they can't see me sobbing away on the other end. I'll take it since today it was more of an ugly cry and nobody wants to see that. Ugh, weak moments.

Baby's kidney is not doing well at all (we guessed that at Friday's ultrasound) and my amniotic fluid is too low so they're sending me to a specialist for another high tech ultrasound for further direction. Of course they first ordered up a stat NST, which I passed no problem. Babe is an active one, and always has been.

Fast-forward to Wednesday, we had no idea what to expect going up to Spectrum. The sonographer was so great though, and we spent an hour and a half with her going over everything. We even got to try a 3D ultrasound, but it turned out that I am too far along to make out her cute little face. After that, they brought us to a little room full of sunshine--you know, the ones with the nice corner view, round table, and boxes of kleenex scattered all over--yea, that room.

And we waited.

After what seemed like an eternity the maternal/fetal medicine specialist came in and sat down. What an awesome lady! She was so understanding and took the time to answer all of our questions. We couldn't have been happier with what she had to say--yes, babe's left kidney is 11+ mm, but it's only due to a partial ureter block, something that could easily still clear up, or can be fixed later with a stent if necessary. The other kidney is working perfectly (it was also dilated at 28 weeks)!

You see, your kidneys are one of the only organs that form from two parts of solid, not hollow, tissue. Sometimes, the two parts just don't come together perfectly and you get an odd little flap that gets in the way. It won't cause her any pain, but her belly may just be a little "puffier" than normal at first. We did get a referral to a pediatric nephrologist, so she won't get checked on again until after she's born.

After a review of all her systems--brain, heart, lungs--they couldn't find anything else concerning, which makes them believe her kidney issue was caused by a random fluke. Doc said she looks like a healthy, average, 5lb 15oz little girl, hallelujah!

As for the amniotic fluid, it was still lower than normal (7 or 8), but higher than it was Friday. Since it's still above 5 and she seems to be  moving around in there just fine, they did not see any reason for bed rest, early induction, or a c-section! As of today they'll let me go on my own...and I could even still make 40 without any trouble! They'll be doing a few more ultrasounds back in my regular obgyn's office to keep checking the level, but the specialist was confident that it was nothing too out of the ordinary that would require special action.

Praise God for the good news, and answered prayers! We couldn't feel more blessed and fortunate for the events that unfolded today. Sadly, we know that not all parents get to go home with smiles on their faces--and tonight we're saying a special prayer for them.

As a sometimes chronic Negative-Nancy {I prefer the term realist}, I learned a tough lesson today--that no matter how easy it is to get wrapped up in what you hear bit by bit, nothing amounts to the full story and it's not worth reacting to until you have all the details. We were ready to go today...the bag was packed and in the car, and Ross even turned off the A/C in the house! While I do feel a little silly admitting that we took the first bout of news at face value, we were just going off what we were told by the doctor. After Wednesday, my attitude towards the rest of this pregnancy has changed. I am so thankful I can enjoy the next three weeks or so with a clear mind. I can actually say that we're ready--at least we feel ready--which means will be as ready as we can be when she does decide to make her arrival.

Hang tight little girl, while we love you very much and are very excited to meet you, we don't mind if you get comfy in there for a bit longer! You are such a tough little fighter, and mommy & daddy are so proud of you!

bumpdate: 35/35

How did I get here already? Ok, technically I'm 36 weeks on Monday...so really it's more like 35.5/30.

Anways, this baby is COMING! Like soon, people. It doesn't feel that way, if you know what I mean, but does it ever feel that way until it's happening? I don't know--this is my first go round. From what I read on all of your blogs though, it seems as if things start happening. down. there. before they actually happen. Oh well, there's still time--as of today, my next appointment is scheduled for the 25th--37 weeks. Maybe they'll move it up yet and check me sooner. Who knows.

I had another ultrasound this morning because doc was concerned about her kidneys and my {lack of} fundus height. His suspicions were confirmed; even the tech commented on how little amniotic fluid I had {much less than "normal"}. You know what that means. Baby is coming. Locked & loaded. Then the nice girl said "there's no way you'll make it to 40".

Panic. Husband just left with the motorcycle for a weekend up north with the boys, though he promised they wouldn't go further than Charlevoix {3-4 hours}. Crap.

While I know this news means I won't go today, or even tomorrow, or next week, but it still made me nervous. Historically speaking, I don't do well with "unknowns".

But alas, an update:

How far along? 35.5 weeks

Total weight gain: As of my appointment last week Friday, I'm up 30 lbs. Le sigh.

Maternity clothes? Although I'm still mixing many non-maternity pieces in, it's all maternity for the most part. Right down to the granny panties.

Sleep:  Life would be so much better with an hour long afternoon nap everyday. With the hubs gone this weekend, I'm planning on catching up on lots of zzzzzz's.

Best moment this week: Learning that she's locked & loaded, head down!

Miss Anything? I would give my right arm for a beer.

Movement: Only some shifting on my left side, where her feet & arms are.

Food cravings: Cereal, fruit, mexican, anything cold.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: BH pretty regularly--at least every other day.

Symptoms:  Holy swollen calves/ankles! It's got to be all this heat!

Belly Button in or out?  In/flat.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I've been taking them off every chance I get.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy! I just cannot wait to hold her in my arms! I am almost happy that the docs are following me more closely too, even if the reason isn't all that great. I feel confident that everything will be ok and I'm happy that I'll be meeting her sooner than later too!

Looking forward to: Hearing what the doc says--he'll be calling again Mon/Tues to let us know the plan of action and if we'll need more ultrasounds to check the level of amniotic fluid around her.

33 weeks

How far along? 33.5 weeks

Total weight gain: Oh my dear lord....I was up to +27 at my appointment last friday, but that # is more like +30 now...yep, 3 lbs in one week...memorial weekend = too much food...dang.

Maternity clothes? I'm quickly running out of things to wear! I'm two seconds away from going out and buying new bras and underwear...things are getting ugly.

Sleep:  Getting more and more tired all the time after work now, still getting up a few times a night to pee.

Best moment this week: The baby shower my best friend Lindsey hosted at her home! Two weekends in a row of adorable baby stuff...what a lucky little girl!

Miss Anything? My energy and will to get things done! I've been feeling "out of my skin" lately. There's just a lot of things shifting around at work in preparing for maternity leave, and with all the preparations going on at home, I feel like all the old constants in my life are changing--guess I'm just trying to break myself in for a new routine!

Movement: It's getting cramped in there, and her movements aren't like quick little jabs and tickles anymore! She's pretty strong! Her feet are constantly on my left side, and something (head, butt, who knows) is up in my ribs on the right.

Food cravings: You'd think I'd be eating everything given how much I've packed on this past month! Going along with the "out of my skin" feeling, my appetite has been all over the place. "Nothing sounds good" is a common complaint Ross hears...thankfully he's getting better at fending for himself :) I could eat cereal about 100 x a day!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not this week!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: A few BH. Unfortunately my guts have been rollin' lately too. TMI, sorry!

Symptoms:  Out of nowhere this past week, my legs and feet are starting to get a little tingly sometimes...and the cankles are setting in! ughh...and I thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones--nope!  Also found my first stretch mark (and about cried). Just a little baby one on the back of my hip...but a stretch mark nonetheless (hmmphf!). what a week!

Belly Button in or out?  She must have moved around in there, because now it's back to being all-in!

Wedding rings on or off? On, but I've been taking them off much more lately--the 90 degree weather this weekend was killer!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Despite how much of a sob story the rest of this post is, I really am so happy and in love with this little girl! She has changed my life indefinately, and there's something so powerful in being a mother! Sure, I know I sound a little whiney when it comes to the symptoms and all that jazz, but 33.5 weeks is a long time and I'm starting to get a little worn out. Maybe that's the impatience talking?! I know she needs to cook a little longer though, and I don't need her coming before I'm fully ready! I just can't wait to meet her and love all over her!

Looking forward to: Finishing up the nursery and putting a deep clean on the little ol' house. My mother has been so kind to help me out with some of the tough stuff--bathrooms, floors, baseboard, etc since school is almost out and she's out of work for the summer. I'm so thankful for the extra hand, everything seems to take that much longer when you're preggo--I'm either getting sidetracked or have no gumption to get anything started in the first place! I am making lists though--and have even prepared my "take to the hospital" folder with all the important info for insurance, maternity leave, etc. It's a start! I found more useful tips for the last few weeks here! Love the posts on her blog!

I know, this blog still lacks pictures. Sorry (ok not really). Cripes I'm lazy. I'lllll work on ittttt!

bumpdate 31 & 32

How far along? 32 weeks 2 days (less than 8 weeks to go! when did this happen?)
Total weight gain: +25
Maternity clothes? Oh yes!
Sleep: Eh. I've been napping after work recently, which makes me stay up real late...and then getting up early is a royal pain. No-win situation here.
Best moment this week: Having my first baby shower at my Aunt Cindy's for my dad's side of the family! It was so wonderful--I can't believe how loved and spoiled little S already is!
Miss Anything? Here's one for the books--keeping my 'bits' tidy. I might as well shave blindfolded. Seriously--what's a girl to do in this situation? I need some advice here! Life is tough when you can't see between your belly button and your knees!
Movement: It's starting to slow down a bit, and is becoming more intentional. Sometimes I feel like she might try to pop out of my throat she's so far up in my ribs! She did have the hiccups the other night, it was so cute...

Food cravings: Anything cold. Fruit. Still oreos. Chocolate!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Leftovers ugh.
Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: A few BH. Gas!
Symptoms:  Bloody noses, restlessness, needing to pee wayyyyy more often!
Belly Button in or out?  Depends what position I'm in (standing, sitting...) and if I've just eaten. But for the most part--In.
Wedding rings on or off? On, but definitely getting tighter some days.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy and anxious! There's so much to do, so little time (and motivation? maybe just a bit!)

Looking forward to: A 'friends' shower at my bestie Lindsey's this weekend! Memorial weekend---love love love this time of year when hubby puts on his dress blues and walks in the parade with grandpa. God bless you, veterans! Thank you for your service!

Friends: Old & New

What a whirlwind of a past few weeks! I can tell that summer is definately getting into full swing around here...and it's not even Memorial Day yet! The past couple weeks have been spent doing some things long overdue like catching up with old friends. First, there was dinner and an engagement party for a bestie from high school & her fiance--Alli & Joe. Congrats again! We ran into more old pals there and it ended up being an excellent night with great conversation and many laughs. A few days later I got a text from my old college roomie, Kaleigh, who moved down to Georgia after school. I've only seen her twice since, so I was very eager to reunite! We met for a long lunch this past week and it was like we never skipped a beat. She even came out again this weekend to a bonfire with some other friends. Now that she's a citygirl, we had to give her a gentle reminder of how a bunch of small-town hillbillies get down. Nothing accomplishes that better than a few beers (for everyone else but me) around a bonfire down by the creek, accessible only by quad or 4-wheel drive. We stayed up late (ok, probably way too late for a preggo) and had so much fun I want this girl to move back! 

And of course I can't forget about my new pal! That's right, I had my very first 'blate' this past weekend! Kristen over at Living, Learning and Loving Lorenz is the sweetest, most genuine girl I have ever met! Seriously, girlfriend came over Friday afternoon and even brought a present for Baby S! We stopped in Saugatuck for some lunch at the Mermaid, walked the boardwalk, and spent the rest of the afternoon telling stories and saying things like "I can't believe how not-weird this is!" Of course I knew that no girl who was married on the exact same day and shares a love of labs could be weird. Kristen and her hubby Jason recently moved down to our neck of the woods from Northern Michigan. Both husband and I look forward to getting to know them better!

I can't express how grateful I am for these good times! It's easy to slip into a slump when you're pregnant--life seems to keep going on around you, but half of the time you're too tired or sick to stay up late and do what everyone else is doing go to the bar. I needed these days--for my own sanity! Work has been absolutely nuts again, so it feels good to take a breather and catch up with the girls. I have my 'friends' baby shower this weekend at my bestie Lindsey's, and I'm really looking forward to it!

bumpdate 26-30

Wait, what?! 30 weeks? Oh lawd!



Baby, what baby? Gee, I don't look tired at all, ugh!

THAT baby!


It's been a long, fast month again. One of those where it went by so fast, though it seems like forever ago, ya know? We got our results from the last ultrasound back, and let's just say it wasn't what we were hoping to hear. The swelling in her right kidney stayed the same (at 4mm), but the left one did get bigger. Lefty clocks in around 7mm, and they start to get concerned when they reach around 10mm. At this point, the doctor says there's nothing we can do for the rest of the pregnancy, only that she'll get a few scans after she's born and the pedi will decide how to go from there. If you know me, this is probably the most frustrating thing. I'm all about solutions, solving problems, and moving forward. This, however, happens to be one of those wait-and-see things that is completely out of my control--not something I deal well with. Doc did say he didn't think any further ultrasounds would be necessary, which completely freaks me out, but I guess I have to trust him. Sure, I could go get a "second opinion," but what good would that do? This is not something that can be fixed while she's still in there, so it doesn't make any sense to worry about it until she's out. Right? Right.

In other news, we did finally get the 4th wall of the crib up (yay) and we spent all day Saturday in Childbirth Education class. Yes, we...as in husband did accompany me, much to his dismay. What a strange ordeal. We were one of 4 couples in the class (the teacher's smallest class ever), and one lady who was a second time mother found it necessary to also bring her mother, in addition to her love child's assbackwards father. They were quite an entertaining trio. We learned a lot about our options, so it was well-worth the time (even Ross agreed).



Ross setting up



Elvis "helping"


How far along? 29 weeks 6 days


Total weight gain: +23lbs (ish)


Maternity clothes? Oh yes! I've been trying to work in as many of my regular tops yet...though I have a feeling they're going to be so stretched out by the end of this that I'll never wear them again :( I received some hand-me-downs for the summer earlier in my pregnancy and they were just big enough that I thought they'd fit just fine...I'll be lucky if I can button those puppies anymore though!

Sleep: When I get to sleep, it's good. This waking up in the middle of the night to pee business, on the other hand, is not my friend. I keep wondering 'what if i actually don't wake up and pee the bed, what would my husband say?' I guess it's best that I get up a few times, huh ;)

Best moment this week: Literally being knocked so hard in the side I had to stop what I was doing. We have a feisty one here!

Miss Anything? My energy. By the end of the day I just feel so zapped. The weekends are great though, I do so much better with a little nap mid-day. I cannot wait until these long days at work are over!

Movement: Most often between 9-11, just after lunch, and from dinner until bedtime. Every once and a while she'll start banging around in there while I'm in bed, but it's nothing that wakes me up.

Food cravings: My appetite is out of whack again. Babe seems to want all things fruity & cold...or cereal & oreos. We've been indulging in a lot of homemade yogurt & frozen fruit smoothies around here.

Anything making you queasy or sick: She still likes it hot & spicy, which is getting hard on my guts!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: I had another few BH contractions recently, but I've noticed they only happen when I don't have enough water.

Symptoms:  Nothing out of the ordinary. I have noticed though that when I have to "go", I have to go RIGHT NOW!

Belly Button in or out?  In, but barely. I was bit by a mosquito right in my belly button this weekend and it drove me crazy!

Wedding rings on or off? On, but definitely getting tighter some days.

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Happy mixed quite frequently with "worried" and "anxious".

Looking forward to: My first shower on May 19th! I feel like it's so late, but I guess my last one is June 23rd. I don't know what the deal is with my family...I'm just so anxious to fill her room, but now I have to wait! Do you sense a theme here--I don't do well with waiting! Maybe the good Lord is trying to teach me a lesson?

put down the cheese and back away slowly...

Forget nesting. What I have is a serious pantry problem.

Ever since I started couponing a while back, my hoarding instincts get kicked into overdrive with every trip to Meijer. I don't think I blogged about it here {probably because you all would have thought I was a freak}, but first there was the day I bought 15 packages of Kraft cheese {sliced, shredded, & cream} because I could save $40 if I did.

Then there's the every time I get stuck in the cereal aisle with no less than 5-8 boxes in my cart. Paying more than $2 for a box of cereal is a crime! Stock up while it's hot! Ugh, they always get me because cereal is always on sale and you can stack coupons like a crazy person to get the best deals. Not to mention we go through a TON of cereal at our house. Ross will maybe have a bowl here and there, but Baby is the one who really likes it. So much that I have to haul out the big bowl every morning and smack myself before I even think about heading back for seconds. It's not unheard of to go through a box in 3-4 days at our house. A decent sized box. 

So, when I placed my third dozen eggs in the fridge this afternoon, it dawned on me that I might have a problem.

Then, when I was putting things my gazillion boxes of cheerios away, I found jars upon jars of outdated queso and thought "I really must have a problem."

When was the last time I had queso? Oh yea, first trimester. Piled high with Frank's Red Hot. Loved that shit.

 I'm not sure whether it's a shopping problem, an eating disorder, or a I-like-to-obsess-over-how-organized-my-pantry-is problem...but something here is not right.

But then I look at the 27 boxes of rice-a-roni that are all facing the same direction, lined up like little soldiers and organized by flavor and date and think "there is nothing wrong with this." I must provide for my family! I WILL use it all before it goes BAD, right?

Wrong. Look what happened with the queso. It's expired! Nobody will ever get to enjoy it, and here it sits taking up room on my shelf! Room that could be better used for the canned mushrooms that I buy in bulk from Costco, or jars of pizza sauce!

Maybe this post would be better titled, "My name is Gina, and I have a problem." Regardless, something has got to change around here. There needs to be limits. Obviously, my organization skills are lacking. Must. brush. up. on. organization. skills. before. child. comes.

Which leads me to....must. organize. child's. room!

Crap!

The cycle continues. Will it ever stop??

I remind you of WHO?!

Today I'm linking up with the fabulous Raven @ A Momma's Desires and Pacifiers for "Who's Your Doppelgänger?" I'll be honest, I wasn't even going to play at first...until I saw her matches and started wondering about my own. I used this site to generate the matches below. You have to try this with more than one pic...some of the results are hilarious! All I can say is that if my little baby girl comes out looking like John McCain, somebody shoot me.

First try, not bad. Kristanna Loken (think Terminator 3), I'll take. Same with SJP and Hilary. I always knew I had a little Carrie in me. As for Tara Reid, let's just say she wouldn't be on here if it was a waist-up shot. I won't even start with Ms. Weaver. Maybe in 50 years.



I tried it on my little sister and got more favorable results.

Then I tried the other half of my pic with my sister, thinking if her results were this good--that mine would be even better...but no. Effing Bruce Willis, Fred Durst & John McCain. WTF! It must be that glaring forhead that gives me away, because these dudes have NO HAIR! I know some girls are into that sort of thing, but gawd, NOT ME!

Don't be fooled, I tried it again with another pic and got the same thing. A bunch of old, bald guys. Ewwie.

We're making progress!

Whoa it has been quite the day!

First, a HUGE congratulations to our good friends Stef & Andy, who welcomed their second adorable daughter, Alyssa Grace, into the world yesterday afternoon! She is absolutely beautiful, and big sister Kaitlyn is so proud! I was so happy to sneak in some snuggle time this morning after my OB appointment next door :) I rely on Stef a ton for tips, and answers to "is this normal?" I'm so thankful for her, and looking forward to "practicing" more with Alyssa!

Which brings me to more news...I passed my glucose test this morning! Yippeee! Doc said I passed so easily, and that I must be getting everything I need because the rest of my #s (iron, all that other good stuff) looked good too! Today was the first time he actually hauled out the tape measure and measured the 'ol belly, and he said I'm measuring right on track. Plus, I've gained approximately 18 lbs! I was worried because so many people have been giving me the "that's all the bigger you are at this point?" looks & questions. Stupid to care what they think, I know. He says I should be happy to carry the way I am since I'm so tall, and it's just the short people and the opinioned folks that are jealous :) So there! {At least it makes me feel better}

I did make a point to ask him about Miss S's kidneys--if it was just one, or if both were dilated. Sadly, he said both...but he did say it was barely "moderate," whatever that means. He's confident it will clear up on his own, but we have scheduled another ultrasound to monitor it. I go back in a week and a half, on 4/23. I do feel much better about it after hearing a friend of mine's daughter has the same thing, and that she's doing just fine {she still has it I guess--only very low grade} at 11 months old.

We also scheduled our Childbirth Education class! I say class, not classes, because our hospital only offers an all-day Saturday class. Not ideal if you ask me, but it should get the job done. We officially become "educated" May 5th!

As for the nursery, we have a little {err..LOT of} work to do. My mom came over last weekend to help me shampoo the carpets, so at least we're at the point of having a "clean slate" to work with right now. We actually painted the room a nice shade of chocolate brown {it's a sunny corner room} over a year ago--I'm so thankful not to have to worry about that! Maybe a future post on our progress later?

See? Lots being done. Sort of. Gaaahhh, there's just so much left though!

Seriously though, look at all this progress!
 

Holy cow! 26 weeks!!! That first shot makes me almost want to cry!!! Someday, maybe someday again. Note to self: husband is no longer allowed to touch the camera...I don't know what he does to make it so blurry!

bumpdate: weeks 21-25

OH MY LANTA. How did I let this go for so long? Busy, perhaps? Yikes. Life has been wild lately. This pregnancy is moving at the speed of light and it's starting to make me so weepy that in 10-14 short weeks, it will all be over! I am beginning to take time for myself here and there everyday to sit and reflect on this little miracle inside me. Seems that this "alone time" is just what I needed! I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching her little dance parties in my belly. This girl is quite the mover & shaker! Ross has been quite busy at work, and putting up their new barn most nights so he doesn't get home until after 10p. For some strange reason I'm starting to turn into a bit of a night owl, and am functioning {semi-normally} on less and less sleep. Must be the ol' bod's way to preparing me for motherhood! Between all these physiological and psychological changes, we've also been speaking with the realtor about the land we're looking, and possibly listing our house. I never thought I would see the day where we showed our home with even as much as a half-hearted intention of selling--especially while pregnant. What are we thinking?! Eh, really we haven't made any solid decisions yet, so the whole idea is still up in the air. Still, it has required cleaning and prep everytime this guy comes over to talk!

Ross has been great with helping out lately. I'm not sure what has happened, really. I was only gone for a few days in TN, but it was the first time that I've left him home. Usually it's the other way around--he goes out for work, or hunting. I was welcomed back with so much love and appreciation, and a clean house! It's like a "what have you done with my husband" sort of thing, but I'll take it! Maybe he sees that I can't quite accomplish all my responsibilities as well as I used to, and that I'm starting to slow down a bit. I don't know. His graciousness has thrown me for a loop, and I find myself with that feeling of "what more can I do for him" that brings me back to the days when we were first dating. I love it, and really felt the need to make a little note here on the ol' blog. You know, for the days when I feel like I've absolutely lost my mind and am going this alone? Not going to lie, it happens. Especially when he's working long hours. When you are the boss, you work around the clock. There's always "go-sees" and "bids" that need to be done even after the sun has set. At least I know when the sun sets he has to stop nailing boards and setting posts!

Anways, here's the good stuff you've been waiting for {you know, to see how much weight I've put on and what sort of monumental meltdowns have gone down in the past month}  kidding.

How far along? 25 weeks 4 days

Total weight gain: a whopping 17-ish pounds! we have a quickly growing babe here, folks!

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. I've got quite a few tops that still work, but the ever growing belly is quite visible now. Jeans are out of the question. Since the weather has been warming up, I'm loving dresses and maxi skirts for work. Thankfully, she's been carrying "like a boy" {what everyone has been telling me at least} and is mostly out front. Weeks ago, I thought I looked weird, but now I'm loving this belly!

Sleep: Starting to get worse. I have found myself functioning on less sleep, and going to bed much later. I don't know what's going on, but it's not so bad I guess. Better than going to bed at 8p like I did in the beginning!

Best moment this week: Video taping one of Miss S's dance parties. She is so active, and her kicks are quite visible! I can't wait to show my family at Easter how funny she is!

Miss Anything? I can't say that I do. While a nice cold beer has sounded pretty good lately, I'm not really feeling like I'm missing out on anything. I've been strangely optimistic lately--and I'm digging that!

Movement: All the time! Ross thinks I'm obsessed--and I might just be. It is so reassuring to see her wiggling around in there. I can tell when she reacts to loud noises, or Ross's voice. She already loves her Papi!

Food cravings: I've been having the "I don't know what I feel like eatings" lately. Cereal seems to do the trick nicely though. Still loving anything hot & spicy too. Last night I did catch myself making a preggo snack of a pickle spear on a piece of bread with a slice of cheese and mustard. And I liked it! I have also been doing some irrational food-hoarding lately. Like I won't make something specific because I "need to save it". I don't know what for?

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, thankfully. I do get really antsy when I go too long without a snack though. It is then that I generally end up making poor food choices that make me gain 7 lbs in one month.

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: let the waddling begin! The chiropractor really helped my SIJ feel better, but I'm starting to slow down and look weird getting up off the couch/bed.

Belly Button in or out? Flat! Also very weird looking, but I kind of like it. It's kind of like a sterotypical pregnancy look--but it's a cool little milestone to finally have that I suppose.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: So happy! ....and so sappy! I've been wandering around with a perma-grin lately. Maybe it was the time off that helped me mellow out. Whatever it is, it's working!

Looking forward to: Easter weekend with the family. I have another appointment next Friday 4/13 for my glucose test, ack! {yes, somehow my appointments always get scheduled on "strange" days---2/29, Friday the 13th...not that I'm superstitious or anything, but yikes!} Looking forward to hearing more about what the doc has to say about her kidneys. Last time I was in too much shock to ask any questions, so I want to find out which one/both, and I'll have an opportunity to schedule the ultrasound appointment for 28 weeks.

I will try and get some more pics up this weekend! You'd think that having the internet and all, I'd have that all sorted out {not!} Sorry :(

Tennessee Weekend

I'm baaaack!

Last week Thursday, my mom and I ventured on down to Tennessee to visit my cousin and her husband for a few days. I was a little unsure how well I would do traveling (even if it is only 9 hours) given the constant urge to pee and/or get up and walk around, but it wasn't bad at all! We stayed overnight near the Edinburgh outlet mall so we could do some shopping in the morning before hitting the road again. The weather was awesome...80-85 degrees & sunny every day! 

Cruisin through Kentucky

We stayed with my cousin Tammy & her husband Ken just outside Nashville in a town called Goodletsville. They have the most gorgeous home nestled up in the hills of a private golf course--I couldn't believe the view! It was so refreshing to see the trees and flowers in full bloom as Michigan hasn't quite reached that point yet.

views from K & T's

Turns out, we went down there at just the right time....the grand reopening of Opry Mills indoor outlet mall :) I swear we shopped 12 hours on Saturday, I literally had to buy new shoes (of course they are leopard print Sperrys) because my feet ached so bad! We scored some major deals!

Ken played tour guide on Sunday, and after church we got to see where all the stars live in Sumner County. We saw Reba's estate & riding stables on the Cumberland river, Loretta Lynn's family home (literally a 1/2 mile from my cousin's), the school where Taylor Swift shot part of one of her videos, Conway Twitty's, Lorrie Morgan's, and my favorite--the remains of Johnny Cash's estate that burned after one of the Bee Gee's tried to renovate it. It was so weird to see that these celebs lived so close to us "normal" folk. I'm not sure what else I was expecting though.

Reba's horse barn

Side view of Reba's property

More of Reba's old farms...named after her label, Starstruck

Some random house, but this is what I think of when I hear "Southern Homes". Just like in Sweet Home Alabama...close nuff.

Shoot...I forget who lives here...

The sign in Johnny Cash's brother's house...next door

The Cash estate...burned

Strange, you could still see much of the burned remains after all these years.

This was once Lorrie Morgan's Liberty House

Conway Twitty's "Twitty City"

Ugh. Such a sickening picture. It was about 2pm and I hadn't had lunch yet...not happy! {Outside Conway Twitty's}

Hard Rock Cafe downtown Nashville

Great American County drive by

Tootsies on Broadway--apparently lots of celebs are spotted here

Loretta Lynn's family home. Guess she was just a coal miner's daughter?

random..Loretta's grandbabies' treehouse

The Ryman!

All in all, we had a great time. We left Monday afternoon, and stayed overnight near Indianapolis on the way back. I could have probably made the whole trip, but my mom was pretty pooped too. So much traveling, driving, shopping, and family time! I need a vacation from vacation! Next time I will be taking Ross, he was so bummed he couldn't come along--Nashville is right up his alley! It was my first trip away from him {usually he's the one going on hunting/work trips away from me} and at first I wasn't sure how it would go over. The day I left he wanted nothing to do with saying goodbye, and told me he needed a vacation from me! Crazy boy must have gotten over it, because my phone was ringing a couple of times a day with him "checking in". He must have done ok...I got home and there was a new work truck in the driveway and he had cleaned the entire house, including the nursery! No joke, I thought I died and went to heaven...absence must really make the heart grow fonder...did I mention I love vacation?