35 Weeks

*This is the 5th post I have written today, so make sure you read the others--there are some cute pictures!

I am 35 weeks! In the home stretch! My doctor told me that at this point, if I go in to labor, they won't do anything to try and stop it. It's just better for me and the baby that way. They are continuing to test and monitor my blood weekly, and we have had lots of discussion about keeping stress down, making sure I drink enough water, etc. etc., so I feel good knowing my doctor is watching me so closely. There have been a few small things they have been concerned about with this pregnancy, but the overall picture has been pretty good when compared to what happened when I had Kara, so I'm thinking I might even be able to carry this baby to term!

I had to go to a perinatologist yesterday to have the baby checked out to make sure she was growing ok, and she's a little bit on the smaller side, but looking healthy! We got to see her face in 3D because they checked a few things with their 3D ultrasound, and the tech was nice enough to do a face shot! I thought it was pretty cool, and I think she definitely looks like a baby! It's just too bad her hand was up next to her face blocking half of it.

I'm getting more and more excited for her to be here!

Pregnancy Update

Here's a little update on what's going on this go-around:

Two weeks ago, I had my blood test and the doctor called me back and asked me to come back for another test the next week (Normally, I only have my blood drawn every 2 weeks). The doctor has been checking my blood work to make sure my liver enzymes are normal, platelets are normal, and my kidneys are functioning ok. After I went back last week, the doctor called me on Monday of this week and let me know that she wanted to have me do blood work again this week. I had my "regular" appointment this morning, and we discussed the results from my labs. One of the things they test for in my blood is a little higher than she would like. On its own, the doctor says she wouldn't normally worry about it, but because of my history and some things that have come up in past visits, she was a little concerned and wants me to come in once a week now. Next week, I am supposed to have some kind of stress test, an ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid levels, and some other test that I didn't understand, as well as my usual battery of blood tests. I now have a standing appointment with the doctor and the lab every Friday, so if anything gets worse or changes, they'll be sure to catch it before it gets to the point that it did with Kara. So there's an update for anyone that was wondering what's going on!

Here's a shot of me at 32 weeks.

Just for comparison, here's a picture of me with Kara around 33 weeks. Do you think I look about the same size-wise?

 

Today, I was out with Kara and I decided stop by Target to look at some baby things (I wanted to look at car seats, diapers, pacifiers, socks... Just a few things that have been nagging at me that we really need to get). While we were in the baby aisle, I spotted this adorable outfit! When I look at all the newborn clothes, it's hard to believe that Kara was that tiny just 2 and a half years ago!

Lazy Day

I have been feeling more and more tired every day, and have had almost no energy to do anything--eating, showering, battling my 2-year old. Everything has just seemed like a giant chore the last couple of weeks. My doctor had her nurse contact me today, and she is somewhat concerned about one of my lab results--I have to have some more tests done on Friday when I go in for my appointment--so that may be why I have been so stinkin' tired lately.

 Anyway, I really had a lot I needed to do yesterday. Among things on my "To Do" list were clean house, finish the laundry that has been sitting around for days, put the zipper in Kara's shirt, send something in for school, go to work... But after Kara and I ate breakfast and showered, I just didn't have the energy to do ANY of that. I still had to work in the afternoon, so I weighed the pros and cons and decided that I needed to lay in bed so I would be able to do my job and take care of the kids at school. Kara and I got dressed, hopped on my bed, fluffed my pillows, and I pulled out the iPad for her. I felt like a bad mom for letting the iPad be the babysitter, but it sure felt nice to relax and rest before I had to work in the afternoon! Kara also had a blast, I might add. After she jumped on my bed a few times, she snuggled right in next to me and played games and then watched The Land Before Time on Netflix (that's what I REALLY feel guilty about. I don't believe in movies except on special occasions, and I REALLY don't think a movie should be babysitting my daughter). The snuggling was pretty nice, and so was the little nap I caught before work.

And can I just say, it constantly amazes me that Kara knows how to manipulate my iPad better than I can.

Things I Didn't Already Write About

*I wrote two other posts before this one.

I have been kind of neglecting the blog. I have been working too much and trying to squeeze too many other things that I want to do in the little time I have off, and the blog has ended up falling to the bottom of my "to do" list.

However, after a *minorly* eventful time at the doctor's office yesterday (I had to be hooked up to the baby monitor and contraction monitor, plus my bi-weekly blood work, and next week I have to go back for some more lab tests--but everything worked out fine as far as yesterday goes), the doctor wrote up an order for me to be working reduced hours, so hopefully now when I am (supposed to be) resting at home, I will have time for a few of the things that I've wanted to do, like blogging.

Anyway, I have been feeling guilty because when I was pregnant with Kara, I did all kinds of things for her. I made quilts and blankets and clothes and stuffed animals, etc. etc. I haven't done ANYTHING for Jessalyn. After work (I've been working 9 hour days 3 days a week and 6 or 7 hour days two days a week) I have felt so exhausted, I haven't wanted to do anything when I get home, much less pull out the sewing machine. Last night, though, after I laid on the couch with my feet up all afternoon/evening, I was going stir crazy, so I put together and sewed a rag quilt for Jessalyn. I had cut it earlier, and I had my grandma help me lay it out in a random "pattern," so the sewing and ragging only took about two hours. I just need to quilt all the squares, which won't take long. I think it's cute, and even though it's super simple, now I don't feel like such a terrible mom!

Finally, here's a picture of me at 30 weeks after a nice day at the pool with my family. It's hard to believe that in as little as 6 weeks, the baby could be here, though we certainly hope she stays put for just a little longer!

28 Weeks

Well, here I am in all my 28 week glory... Only 12 more weeks to my due date!

27 Weeks and Some Miscellaneous

This week has been busy, busy, busy (I feel like I say that all the time). We had family in town, plus a lot of things have been happening at the ranch to keep us busy. I have 3 or 4 posts lined up about everything we've been doing, but for today, I wanted to document my pregnancy.

This baby likes to lay differently than Kara did when I was pregnant with her. For some reason, she really (really) loves hanging out in my ribs! It makes it really hard to eat, sit, bend over, etc., etc. People keep asking me if this pregnancy is easier than Kara's. I think what most people don't know is that my pregnancy with Kara was easy breezy until about 7 months, and only then did I start having problems. Even then, it wasn't until right before she was born that I was in a lot of pain. Mostly, I absolutely loved being pregnant with Kara. This pregnancy is totally different--I have been having so many doctor's appointments that I feel like it has been dragging on forever, and I have been having a lot more side cramps and back cramps than I ever did with Kara. My legs and feet get REALLY swollen by the end of the day, which I never had with Kara. However, the plus side is that I only get bad heartburn at night, whereas I had it all day long with Kara. The pregnancies are just...different. I think I would enjoy my pregnancy more if I didn't feel like I was always going to the doctor. Plus, I am just anxious for the baby to get here.

Here is a photo of me at 27 weeks. I can't believe I am going to be in my 3rd trimester in a week! It's just crazy (after I just said that this pregnancy felt like it was dragging on too long).

And here's a different one so you can better see how much Jessalyn (and I) have grown in the last two weeks. I feel like all of the sudden, I just started to kind of stick out. I think it's because I was running out of room everywhere else!

21 Weeks and an Announcement!

Here is a picture of me at 21 weeks, and for those of you who don't know or haven't seen on my FB page...

...We are having a girl! Kara doesn't really know what it is going to mean to have a new baby at our house (other than she is convinced she is NOT sharing her toys), but she acts *somewhat* excited to have a new sister. I am excited to have another girl, although, I will admit, I was getting used to the idea (and excited) that it might be a little boy. I was a little depressed after the ultrasound, mostly just because I was disappointed that we found out the gender, and now I'm just ready to be done with this pregnancy--I know what I am having, so I just feel like there's nothing to look forward to! But, we now have our name picked out (we had thrown around about three ideas, and finally settled on this one), and I know how I am going to decorate the baby's room.

We are going to name the baby Jessalyn Rose. My mom had actually made up the name Jessalyn when she was pregnant with my brother, after one of my uncles whose first name is Jesse, and my dad's sister's middle name. I have always loved that name and completely forgot about it until my mom mentioned it to me and I remembered how much I loved the name. Rose is just because I have always loved the name Rose, especially for a middle name. The other name we were seriously throwing around was Ella Rose (after my aunt), but Jessalyn just felt like it fit this baby better.

In the baby's room, I am going to decorate it with a ladybug theme. I don't really love doing nurseries mostly because I think you spend a lot of money on something that the kids grow out of fairly quickly, so with Kara, I did her room in something that I felt she could grow with (and then she fell in love with owls, so I completely re-decorated her room), and I feel the same with this baby. I think ladybugs can grow with a little girl, so I am now on the hunt for ladybug fabrics, lady bug pictures, anything I can do that will look cute in a ladybug room.

Well, those are our big announcements for this week! I still have a couple of posts from last week that I need to write (like going to see Wicked with my brother), I am in the midst of finishing school for the semester, and I start my new job tomorrow, so I hope I have time for everything!

18 (almost 19) Weeks

Last night I went with my mom to get some maternity clothes because I have a job interview at an elementary school next week, and I literally had NOTHING nice to wear. I pretty much only had 3 pairs of capris and 3 t-shirts that were maternity clothes, and I didn't really want to go to an interview in a t-shirt. Anyway, I wore one of my new shirts today, and decided to take a picture of my belly at 18 weeks. I'll be 19 weeks on Sunday, but whatever. I am so glad I was able to get some clothes. Now I won't feel so ugly and frumpy! I am actually excited to get dressed in the morning!