3 Days.

Three days till my due date.

Sounds wonderful. but at the same time, I feel like that's not nearly enough to time to get her here in.

Last night, I was up from 12:30 till 4 am with contractions every ten minutes... crampy and miserable, I drank 1/2 glass of wine to see if it would put me back to sleep. It did eventually. It sucked because the whole time I thought, okay...these are going to get closer together and I'm going into labor. Nothing.

Today, I've had normal braxton hicks contractions but nothing serious and it feels like she is never going to come out.

Aghh...so tired and exhasuted. Just want things to get moving so I can have this baby in my arms. Knowing that theoretically it could be another two weeks is making me insane.

When mommy does the dishes....

This is what happens in the living room.





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Menu Plan Monday - January 30th

Here we are again. I was hoping not to be typing this. I was hoping to be nursing a baby and telling Bryan to menu plan. hehe.

Breakfast List

yogurt

cereal

eggs

fruit

smoothies

toast

bagels

oatmeal

Lunch List

chili (freezer stash)

sandwiches

mac & cheese

salad

soups (Amy's)

Dinners

Monday- pasta/garlic bread/salad 

Tuesday- crockpot vegetable soup

Wednesday- fajitas/salad

Thursday- banana chocochip pancakes

Friday- homemade pizza

Saturday- leftovers

Sunday- freezer meal?! I can be hopeful!

Love

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39 Weeks

Oh lovely girl of mine. You are making me wait ... and it's difficult.
My days are filled with constant braxton hicks contractions whenever I'm moving at all. The past few nights have been crampy, contraction filled but always I'm able to fall back asleep.
I've lost my plug (this morning!) and am very crampy... she's extremely low and I think she is ready to come out... just seems to be taking her time.

Trying to look at every day as a blessing and not something to be dreaded but I just feel like there is this huge white empty space waiting to be filled with baby. Noah and I have been going outside a lot and I've been trying to focus on time with him since pretty soon I won't be able to devote 100% of my time to him.

If I weren't so crampy and having so many false contractions, I wouldn't be so concerned about needing to wait longer but the physical discomfort has me constantly wondering... is this it?!

Praying has been helping a lot. At night when I'm super uncomfortable and agitated, I've just been trying to focus on praying or hymns... recently, Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow has been stuck in my head and I'm hoping this will be a good anchor for me during labor as well.

Soon, soon!

I always cry.

Birth story of the week over at Marvelous Kiddo.

Bringing Sela Home

I always cry. Home birth, hospital birth, c-section, natural.... I always cry.

I can't wait to have my baby.

Menu Plan Monday - Jan.24th

A day late, a dollar short..... or something like that. 

It's hard for me to focus on anything but this baby being born. But menu plan, I must. I may just focus on dinners this week because I've been really finicky towards what I'm eating at breakfast or lunch. I just don't have the appetite to want to prepare anything large.....and kind of just focus on feeding Noah.

Tuesday- spaghetti & garlic bread w/veggies/salad on the side

Wednesday - slow cooker chicken soup w/homemade rolls

Thursday - meatball subs/salad/veggies (this is often on the menu but I never end up making it!)

Friday - homemade pizza/pepperoni bread

Saturday- breakfast for dinner....eggs or pancakes

Sunday- soup/sandwiches 

Ohh...how I hope we're eating someone's prepared/frozen food by Sunday.

Weekend Reads

The Value of a Life  by Hippie Housewife

Eight Ways to Avoid Pitocin in Labor and Why You Should by Birth Sense

A Trio of Hanging Beds  on Ohdeeoh!

Reuse! by Sorta Crunchy

More Soup by The Healing Fork

38 Weeks

Baby is doing great... lots of braxton hicks contractions and cramps. Most of which go away when I go to sleep at night. Feeling verryy tender and sore "down there" which is new for this pregnancy. Little miss Audrey is the the right occiput anterior position which means head down, back facing my right side... which is great... a little more statistically known to go posterior during labor but still better than posterior!

I've been reading a lot about positioning and found this article to be super informative re:posterior positioning.. (which is what caused my long, long, difficult labor with Noah).


Posterior Labor: A Pain in the Back

A couple of things I took away from this is that ROA position IS more likely to go posterior than LOA (which is optimal) and also ... "A word of caution: Women who have had caesareans due to posterior labors, or who have had vaginal delivery after long posterior labors, often are in advanced labor before they realize they are in labor with a subsequent baby that is not in a posterior position. This has led to many interesting and amusing situations!"


Just another thing to start being paranoid about..."am I in labor?!" :-)   Question of the month.

What are the Breastfeeding Booby Traps?

What are the Breastfeeding Booby Traps?

Baby Beautiful

Found this stunning illustration from Marvelous Kiddo .... by Samantha Hahn

Reminding me to enjoy the last few weeks of pregnancy  .... (especially since this could be our last!)

Menu Plan Monday 01-17

Can't believe another week has gone by! It's Martin Luther King day and Bryan has the day off! I did have a laundry list of things to do but...we might just relax at home today. Maybe run errands after Noah's nap this afternoon.

Here's this weeks menu!

Monday
Breakfast: blueberry/raspberry smoothies w/whey protein & banana blueberry muffins
Lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches w/fresh veggies (i.e. carrot sticks)
Dinner: chicken/vegetable soup (slow cooker)


Tuesday
Breakfast: poached eggs w/toast & oranges
Lunch:  chili
Dinner: pepperoni bread  & broccoli/ham/cheddar "calzone"  (I use the same dough for the base of each... just different toppings inside of two different breads)

Wednesday

Breakfast: 5-grain oatmeal w/almonds & raspberries

Lunch: soup & sandwiches

Dinner:  chicken quesadillas w/red peppers & avocado on the side

Thursday

Breakfast: ham/cheese/pepper omelets 

Lunch: peanut butter & banana sandwiches 

Dinner: meatball subs

Friday

Breakfast: cheerios/strawberries & smoothies

Lunch: egg salad sandwiches

Dinner: homemade pizza

Saturday

Breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes (raspberries in some)

Lunch: leftovers

Dinner: meatloaf & scalloped potatoes

Sunday

Breakfast: bagels & smoothies

Lunch: grilled cheese & tomato soup

Dinner: free for all

On vaccines and moving beyond fear....

This article is a worth a read with all the hoopla in the news re:Wakefield and autism, etc.

On Vaccinations and Moving Beyond Fear

Two things I whole-heartedly resonate with... 

"To tell you the truth, I've grown weary of talking about vaccination choices.  It's an endless circle of discussion.  In the same way that I cannot talk about abortion to someone who has a different view than I do about when life begins, I also cannot talk about vaccinations with someone who has a different view than I do about which takes precedence: the health of the individual or the health of the public at large."

and

"I wish more people realized that my being discerning about what goes into my infant's body is not solely perpetrated by a fear of autism."

Weekend Reads

Misconceptions about Extended and Tandem Nursing  by Modern Alternative Mama

What NOT to say to a c-section Mom  by Birth Sense

Everyday Ways to Foster Independence in Your Kids by Simple Mom

How to Curl Your Hair with Hot Rollers by Love Maegan

Why and How to Become a Morning Person by Motherhood Your Way

Doula Training in Burlington

Would love to attend this but its VERY soon after I'll have the baby and I'm not sure if I should jump into it right away. I definitely want to pursue becoming a doula but just not quite sure when the right time will be.

Just an FYI!

How a Labor Nurse Impacts Your Birth

Check out this greattt post on Birth Sense re: How a Labor Nurse Impacts Your Birth

You are pregnant, and excited!  You like the idea of a home or birth center birth, but think that, for your first baby, it would be a good idea to be in the hospital just in case there are any problems.  After all, you don’t know yet if your pelvis is big enough, or if you’ll have other complications.  Maybe with your second you’ll consider a home birth. 

You’d like to have a midwife, but there aren’t any midwives with hospital privileges in your area.  But you’ve found a great OB who definitely has the heart of a midwife.  She even encourages you to write up a birth plan!  You’ve toured the hospital labor unit, and the rooms are beautiful.  Some even have large jacuzzi tubs to labor in.  You’re confident you will have a lovely, home-like birth in the hospital.  You’ve done your homework, and are looking forward to a beautiful experience.

Wait a minute. . .factor in your labor nurse.  Or nurses.  No problem, you think.  The nurses have to follow whatever orders the doctor gives them, right?  Right?

During my birth with Noah, my first nurse, I don't even remember because I was hiding out in the bathroom in the shower the whole time...someone came by to check baby's heartbeat...but other than I was in la la land. My second nurse... was ... by no means, against natural child birth or anything but.. just not great. She had a thick foreign accent and came by periodically to tell me I was doing great but offered no advice or assistance or help. The other thing I remember is that she gave me the worst IV ever. It hurt sooo bad... as I got the epidural, I needed to have an IV and while pushing, all I could think about was the fact that my IV was killing me and my whole arm was numb...not allowing me to actually use my arms to assist me in pushing. I couldn't really feel my contractions so I didn't know when to push...and I ended up on my back beause I couldn't hold myself up any other way... because of the IV. 

Anyyway... she wasn't awful..but she definitely impacted my delivery experience. 

Thankfully, I didn't have to deal with any of the nasty comments referenced in the article above. I do know someone who worked as a labor and delivery nurse and she said she couldn't get out of there fast enough. Thankfully, there are SUPER great and supportive labor and delivery nurses but you never know who are you going to get.

Menu Plan Monday 01/10/10

I *really* don't want to be doing this right now. 

REALLY don't want to be. but I'm going to. at least line up dinners... and come back and fill in the blanks later.

Okay.. back. after my grocery shopping trip.

Monday
Breakfast: multi-grain steelcut oatmeal w/berries
Lunch: chili & cornbread
Dinner: ham, potatoes, veggies, rolls(we didn't eat this last week)

Tuesday
Breakfast: smoothies & scrambled eggs
Lunch: butternut squash soup/veggies/bread&butter
Dinner: chicken & dumpling soup


Wednesday
Breakfast: poached eggs & toast w/fruit  (boil eggs for egg salad)
Lunch: lentil soup w/pita sandwiches
Dinner: taco night!


Thursday
Breakfast: oatmeal w/almonds & raisins
Lunch: egg salad sandwiches w/apples & peanut butter
Dinner: chicken caesar salad with fettucine

Friday
Breakfast: cereal & smoothies
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: homemade pizza & pepperoni bread


Saturday
Breakfast: banana pancakes
Lunch: leftovers/whatever
Dinner: baby shower! I'll be out so the boys will fend for themselves. okay okay...I'll put meatballs in the crock pot for meatball subs.

Sunday
Breakfast: smoothies (bagels at church)
Lunch: relatives here so probably something like pizza
Dinner: ditto

To be continued... when it's not 10 pm.

whew... not too hard when you're not exhausted.

37 weeks

It's pretty unbelievable that this little baby will be here within the next month. It could be tomorrow, it could be 4 weeks from now. The unpredictability of birth can drive you crazy.

Trying to focus on preparing the house, preparing myself, and staying rested and hydrated, etc. I've also been really thinking about spending time with Noah. He still wants mommy to rock him to sleep and soothe him at night if he wakes up. I had been stressed about trying to transition him to daddy and the more we pushed it, the worse he resisted and the clingier he became with me. I think he knows that baby is going to change things and that's why he's clinging on to me. I'm trying to relax and enjoy the snuggles now and trust that he will transition when the baby gets here. I'm so grateful for the past two years I've had with him. Things won't be the same once Audrey arrives, but I bet they'll be even better. He is incredibly excited about having a sister and I hope they are great friends.

He's a smart little boy and I think he will understand why I won't be able to rock him to sleep always or be there because of Audrey.  I'm sure it will be difficult still but in the end, I'm sure he will get used to it.

Belly is getting larger... its pretty sore right now.. she is losing room....! Time to come out baby girl.

Resolutions/Menu Plan Monday

So... unusually for me, I didn't really make any New Year's Resolutions, at least not by New Year's Eve.  Normally, you'd find me with a notebook, pen and huge list of different resolutions that I needed to accomplish for the year.



This year, I kind of let them come to me over the past two days.



Family Resolution: move. enough said.
Relationship Resolution: serve my husband in love.  Trying to remember to do little things for him that show him how much I appreciate him and love him.
Personal Resolution:  whether its talking a walk or dancing with Noah around the house, incorporate fitness back into my life. I'd love to start taking a yoga class with the babies too.
Home Resolution: Menu Plan! I drive myself crazy every single day trying to think of what to make and this is an area of my life that NEEDS to be simplified, especially with baby #2 on the way.

So here it is... menu for the week.

Monday
Breakfast: leftover pancakes with raspberries & syrup
Lunch: turkey veggie rice soup (slow cooker experiment)
Dinner: cheese ravioli w/beans
To do: buy, yogurt, eggs, burger buns, & corn meal


Tuesday
Breakfast: yogurt & cereal
Lunch: PB&J's & oranges
Dinner: Thai Chicken Salad
 To do: make apple muffin batter

Wednesday
Breakfast: apple muffins & scrambled eggs (planning on cutting the sugar and swapping the flour for whole wheat)
Lunch: soup & sandwiches
Dinner: ham, mashed potatoes & broccoli 

Thursday
Breakfast: muffins/apple slices/yogurt
Lunch: ham, red pepper & cheddar omelets
Dinner: homemade pizza
to do: thaw beef, get out ingredients for pumpkin pancakes


Friday
Breakfast: pumpkin pancakes
Lunch: annies mac & cheese w/beef  (it's a box I've had hanging around forever...!- kinda like hamburger helper but organic... should be interesting?)
Dinner: burgers & fries


Saturday
Breakfast: leftover pancakes/yogurt
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: baked ziti & veggies
to do: soak beans, cut up veggies for slowcooker


Sunday
Breakfast: smoothies w/whey protein & spirulina (bagels at church)
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: slow cooker veggie chili and corn bread