Monday 31 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Days 91 and 90

So I have to admit, I was going to post yesterday, but I was far too comfy in bed watching The Walking Dead while my PVR recorded Big Brother Canada and Total Divas for me (I'm a reality TV junkie).

I almost have my entire laundry room de-cluttered, organized, and cleaned and I am so happy about it. I feel so productive and like it is a huge accomplishment (which really, it is if you saw how big and how much stuff was in it). I'm glad I just did a little bit each day...it wasn't so overwhelming that way. Now, I'll be able to check the laundry room off my check list and move on to the other things on the list.

Yesterday, I was also able to get a walk in with J. It's so nice to have the Spring weather finally showing up. We had to bring the stroller inside the house today so that my hubby could load up the back of my van with our junk (we have a big dumpster at work I asked to use) and the 3 garbage bags full of donation stuff. J would not leave the stroller alone. The poor guy even brought me his shoes...he wanted to go for a walk this morning but I didn't have time before work. So I'm hoping to take him after dinner today.

As for the rest of my Monday morning, it didn't go so well. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat for lunch and ended up leaving leftovers at home. Instead, I brought a bagel for breakfast and only had enough cream cheese for half (I forgot to bring more), a slice of banana bread, a cupcake (yum) and gummy worms (which is an odd craving). I can't believe how forgetful I was...good thing there are lots of food choices close by.

Now, here's my 27 week update:

How far along? 27 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain? I haven't stepped on the scale since my OB appt., so I'm not too sure. Probably 27 or 28 lbs now. Hopefully it will slow down once the nice weather sticks around and I can take J for daily walks. 

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not yet...

Sleep: Sleep isn't a problem...yet

Best moments this week: Cleaning my laundry room and feeling accomplished by doing so

Miss anything? Not at the moment...just very happy to be pregnant

Food cravings/aversions: Gummy worms :)

Showing? Yes

Gender: It's a BOY!!!!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: Still just the heartburn...taking Tum's seems to do the trick (but note to self: do not drink something hot when you have heartburn because that's heartburn x100)

Belly button in or out? In...but I've noticed it's not as deep when I'm lying down.

Wedding ring on or off? Right now I have my wedding band on because I forgot to take it off after I picked it up yesterday from the jeweler.

Happy or moody most of the time? Happy...who knew cleaning could make someone so happy

Looking forward to: More walks with J...this weather is putting me in such a good mood.

Saturday 29 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 92

I feel like I have been so busy. This nesting business is no joke. I have half of my laundry room de-cluttered and reorganized. I'm super happy with what I've gotten done so far. I only work on it for 30 minutes or so each day so it's not so overwhelming. Btw, our laundry room is huge so it's become our storage area.

I also had the chance to go through J's old clothes and wow, two Rubbermaid buckets full of 0-3 month clothes. I didn't realize he had so many. And I forgot how small they are!

I also haven't had to cook at all today. My in-laws came for a visit this morning before J's swimming lessons and took us out for breakfast. I can't say no to eggs Benedict on a menu! And for dinner, we went to The Keg for my mom's birthday dinner. I normally have my steak medium but I had it well done today to be on the safe side and it was still delicious. Surprisingly though, I wasn't keen on the loaded twice baked potato.

It's only 8:30 right now and I'm already resting in bed. I am exhausted after such a busy day.

Friday 28 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 93

I am happy to say that J had a great night last night. Our bedtime routine started at 8pm. I sat on the floor beside his bed and read to him for 20 minutes. He wasn't really paying much attention...he was too busy running laps (on the bed, off the bed, around the room, repeat). I then turned off the light and stood in his room for about 3 minutes and kept telling him that it was bedtime. I wanted him to get used to the darker room. He's dinosaur night light isn't as bright as the one in his nursery. I then turned on his penguin music maker, tried to lay him in bed, told him how much I love him, and then left the room. I stood outside his bedroom door and held the door closed. I figured this would be my best option. He came to the door about 5 times to try and open it. It also cried a bit as well (kids sure know how to tug at your heart strings). After about 20 minutes, I was pretty sure he was sleeping in his bed and I slowly walked away from the door.

It seemed that every little noise that was made last night was 10 times louder. I for sure thought the toilet flushing in the night would wake him up since it shares a wall with his bed, but it didn't. And I swear the dogs were acting strange last night too...probably wondering why J was sleeping in a different room. They just would not settle once he was sleeping.

It's funny how this new routine for him is such a big deal for me as well. My baby is growing up! He's no longer a baby. He's a little man. A little man with a big personality and a big heart.

Thursday 27 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 94

I am feeling optimistic today and that I may just have a tiny bit more willpower than J does. So I am going to attempt to try and get him to sleep in his new room in his big boy bed. He loves his new room. He likes the bright walls, the curtains, and playing in his room, so it is a happy place for him. But sleeping in a bed without bars all around it is a big change for him. It's part of his security gone. As an adult, we see a new bed or new mattress generally as a good thing, but a toddler doesn't process things the way we do. They like to hold onto everything and everything is essentially theirs.

My plan for this evening is to bring him into his big boy bed at 8pm. I'm going to give him his dinosaur night light (which doesn't need to be plugged into the wall because I know he would just unplug a normal night light and the socket would then be unprotected by anything) and his penguin music/noise/light maker. I'll read him a few stories (although I don't think he will stay in bed for the stories) and then try to explain to him that it is bedtime and mama is going to close the door so he can sleep. He knows how to open our doors (those pull down door knobs are super easy for kids to figure out) so I'm going to put a baby gate in the door jam. I'm going to lock the dogs in the living room with me (thanks to French doors and a baby gate in the other entrance to the living room) so that when he opens up his door, he won't have the dogs running down the hall to entertain him. I'm expecting him to cry and possibly scream. I'm hoping to be able to let him cry it out for 20 minutes before I go back in to lay him down in his bed.

I'm really hoping I can stick to my plan and not give in. I'm going to try and keep him super busy this evening to tire him out as much as possible. Once I can get him comfortable and able to sleep in his new room, I can start rearranging the nursery and moving all of his clothes into his new room and moving the baby clothes into the nursery.

Wish me luck!!

Wednesday 26 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 95

I can't say it enough...I am ready for the nice weather to get here. On Monday, since J refused to take a nap for me (talk about willpower), I decided it was nice enough to go for a walk. Even though snow was in the forecast, the sidewalks were clear. So I bundled him up, put the plastic stroller cover on so he wouldn't get a red nose, zipped up my sweater, and off we went. It was so nice to just get out and it brought back memories of when I was off on paternity leave with him and we did this all the time. After about 5 minutes, he was passed out...I knew he was tired, but when I'm home, he just wants to be around me and not in his crib.

Going for a walk made me so excited for my maternity leave. I can't wait. I'll be able to have an entire year off with my two boys. There's nothing better than being home with my family. We always have so much fun. Everything is close by and in walking distance so the stroller/wagon/tricycle/car (whatever J's mood is) gets lots of use.

Come on sunny weather!!!

Tuesday 25 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 96

My son did the cutest thing yesterday. He's still kind of young to fully understand what is going on (he's 20 months today). Yesterday, I was lying on the couch while he was playing with his toys and he came up and put his hand on my belly and said "baby." He always says baby in the cutest way possible. My little man totally knows how to melt my heart.

26 Week Update:

How far along? 26 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain? 26 lbs (and only 2.4 lbs of that are baby)

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not that I can see...I do have some stretch marks from before pregnancy on my thighs and butt area, so that could be why I'm not noticing anything. 

Sleep: I still seem to be sleeping well, although I wake up feeling tired.

Best moments this week: Seeing Lil Bubs on the ultrasound...he seems to be camera shy though because just like last month, he won't pose for a profile shot.

Miss anything? Being able to eat without having heartburn and acid reflux. 

Food cravings/aversions: I don't have any real cravings. The food aversions seem to have stuck around since the beginning though because I have become a pretty picky eater. 

Showing? Yes

Gender: It's a BOY!!!!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: Heartburn, beartburn, and more heartburn. If there is any truth to the Old Wive's Tale, this little guy is going to have a head full of hair

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding ring on or off? Rings are all off and are at the jeweler to be rhodium plated so they will be nice and sparkly once I'm able to wear them again.

Happy or moody most of the time? Um, it's a toss up this week.

Looking forward to: all the kicks, punches, and wiggles I feel every day

Monday 24 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 97

Today, I had a growth ultrasound, an OB appointment, and the glucose test. I was anticipating it to be a long day so I took the day off work. Being at the hospital for a few hours exhausts me.

The ultrasound went well. Lil Bubs was wiggling around on the screen. He must not like to have his picture taken because for the past month he's been facing away and doesn't let the tech get a profile shot (so I have a few shots of him face on which I love just the same). They still noted the pool of blood at the bottom of the placenta.  I don't expect it to go away.

The glucose drink was surprisingly really good. It was a sweet version of orange soda. I was told I needed to have to down in 5 minutes...30 seconds was more than enough. Than exactly an hour later I had my blood drawn. I'm not sure if I'll hear from my doctor if everything comes back okay. I'm assuming I'll only be called if I failed the test.

And finally, the OB appointment. It wasn't my normal OB, but another high risk doctor. She was very pleasant but I've grown accustomed to my doctor and how she works. She seemed happy with the ultrasound and with how Lil Bubs was doing. She also had the results of hubby's blood test for thalassemia and his test came back negative. This is good news. It means that I can only pass on the thalassemia minor trait to this baby and there's no risk of thalassemia major being passed on. I still pray that this type of anemia isn't passed on at all!! I asked her about labouring in the tub and she kind of rained on my parade (but I'm happy she gave me an honest answer...it gives me some time to prepare). She said due to my low hemoglobin levels, I will more than likely have to be monitored the whole labour and delivery. She also said that because of my ileostomy, it may be necessary for me to have an internal heart monitor for the baby instead of the usual one that gets strapped to the belly. Because I was already asking questions about labour, she wants me to have my pre admit in 3 weeks. Hopefully they'll go over all of my options for labour and delivery and I'll be able to have a plan B that I am comfortable with. In three weeks I also have another appointment and another ultrasound.

Sunday 23 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 98

I thought it was spring and that winter was over... So why is it still snowing? I cannot wait until the warmer weather gets here. It will be a happy day when I look at the forecast and there are no temps below zero.

At the moment I'm watching Big Brother Canada...I love reality TV and it's a guilty pleasure. My hubby teases me all the time for it...this is probably why we have separate TVs. He watches his sports and I watch my chick flicks.

I have a feeling as soon as my head hits the pillow tonight I'll be asleep, which would be great because I'm so excited for my ultrasound tomorrow! I also have to do the glucose test which I'm not looking forward to...spending so much time in the hospital is just draining. Since I have a granny soul, I'm going to bring my crochet project with me to keep me occupied.

Saturday 22 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 99

Today has been such a busy day. It started off with a play date for J, then swimming lessons with J and then my mom and I took my niece and J to an indoor jungle gym so they could run around. J loves ball pits and slides. They had so much fun. I always love watching J run around. He was so tired that when we got home, he fell asleep on my belly. He's never done with with me before except for when he was a baby. I loved it.

I am so exhausted right now. I'm relaxing in bed and ready to fall asleep, but hubby just called and he's going to bring me a milkshake. Yummy.  I've been craving sweets all day today. I just can't get enough.

Friday 21 March 2014

100 Days of Pregnancy: Day 100

I still can't believe that there is only 100 days left until this little guy's due date. I'm in awe of the miracle that is growing inside of me. He seems to already have a bit of a personality...he likes his personal space. If I'm resting my arms on my belly or have my iPad resting on it, he kicks at it, as if to say "hey there, get out of my space."

Today's been a fairly good day...it's Friday and Friday's are always great. Our dog, Dodger, is sick and that can be quite stressful. When he gets sick, he has problems emptying his bladder so he needs to be crated, which he doesn't mind at all (I think he likes the comfort it gives him and I like it because it's a lot easier to clean the blankets in the crate than it is to try to clean pee out of carpet). The only downside to the crate is it's HUGE and we have to have it set up by the back door for quick access out of the house when he has a "peeing episode." We have no idea what causes him to get sick and have bladder issues. We've spent close to $2000 at the vet just to be told that nothing is wrong. We think it has to do with stress and anxiety (he's a very sensitive dog). Normally, these episodes last 2-3 days and then he's back to his normal self again. I'm hoping he's feeling better later today when I get home.

Meet Dodger - Relaxing on a hot day

The sun is shining and it's +2 today, which makes for an even better Friday. Not to mention I'm very excited for this weekend because my bother will be in town visiting with my niece! It'd her second birthday on Monday so we are celebrating on Sunday. I can't wait to see them. Plus, this means I don't have to cook on Saturday because my mom is making a big family dinner for all of us (bonus!!).

This evening I'm also going to be getting my hair trimmed and my bangs cut (I have no bangs right now because they've grown out). I'm really looking forward to it because lately I've been feeling so frumpy. I don't feel beautiful. People are telling me I have a glow and I'm just thinking "I don't feel like I'm glowing." So hopefully the hair cut will help (it's been 7 months).

Thursday 20 March 2014

Blogging the Last 100 Days of Pregnancy

Today marks 101 more days to go until this baby's due date. I'm so excited. It's hard to believe that in 2 days the countdown will be in the double digits instead of the triple digits.

I saw the idea from another blog and thought I would give it a try as well. I'm going to attempt to document each of my last 100 days of pregnancy (give or take a few days depending on when this little guy arrives). I think it will be a good way for me to remember the small things and the big things that happened leading up to his birth.

I'm hoping I can stick to it!!

Wednesday 19 March 2014

A Different Kind of Worry for Labour and Delivery

Lately, my son has become glued to my hip. I'm not able to leave the room without him getting upset or without him two steps behind me. I love that he is attached to me and that he needs and wants his mama. But all of this has been really worried about who will watch him when I go into labour.

I am so worried about this it's all I think about. Hubby's sister has graciously said she would watch him but she lives almost an hour away and I don't feel comfortable with him being that far away from me. I want him close and I want to be able to see him in a matter of minutes if I want. As much as he's attached to me, I'm attached to him. He's my baby and always will be.

My mom suggested my aunt and I know she would be great with him. She has everything he would need like toys, a highchair, and crib (I'm hoping he'll be sleeping in a big boy bed by then but it may not happen). My aunt would also be able to entertain J by taking him to visit their horses. My only concern is she is someone Joshua sees only a handful of times a year. It makes me so sad to think of us dropping Joshua off somewhere and him being frightened or scared and crying for us.

What I'm really hoping for is that hubby's mom will not go on the road with hubby's dad (he's a long haul truck driver) and stay home when it comes close to the due date. Then she could come and stay at our house with J where he is most comfortable and familiar. I don't want him to associate the baby coming home with a bad experience beforehand.

The most perfect solution would be having my mom watch J, but she will be in the delivery room with us and I don't want to take that away from her. Watching a birth is like nothing you'll ever see and it's a wonderful experience.

It could be my pregnancy hormones making things 100 times worse, but I'm so sad every time I think about the plan for J.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

25 Weeks

Today marks 25 weeks 2 days. On Friday, we went to my in-laws house for my father in-laws birthday and wow, it was a wild house. One of my nieces was there and 4 of my nephews. I don't think there was a moment of silence, but houses are far too quiet without little feet running around and shrieks of laughter. J had so much fun chasing after the kids. And what I love the most is that they involve him. Even though he is only 19 months and they are 5 years and older, they still love to have him around and it warms my heart.

Then, over the weekend, we got struck with a bug. It started with hubby and J and then made it's way to me...right now I would just love to have Kleenex stuffed up my nose and be able to sit in my onesie in front of the TV.

Now for the update:

How far along? 25 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain? Around 20 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not that I'm aware of

Sleep: Sleep still doesn't seem to be a problem. I know this could change any time but I'm REALLY hoping it doesn't. 

Best moments this week: Watching J run around with his cousins

Miss anything? I just miss comfy underwear. I may invest in pregnancy underwear but for now, my regular ones are making due. 

Food cravings/aversions: In the evenings, I feel like I have a craving for something but I just don't know what it is I want. 

Showing? Yes

Gender: It's a BOY!!!!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: I've been starting to wonder if my feet are swelling some times. It's hard to tell. My hands definitely have their moments too. 

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding ring on or off? Rings are all off. I left my wedding band on too long and I have horrible dry skin/sore where my ring was...I joke with my hubby saying he branded me. 

Happy or moody most of the time? Pretty happy but little things really irritate me

Looking forward to: My ultrasound and OB appt on Monday. Can't wait to see this little guy again and see how much he's grown. 

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Appointment with Anesthesiologist

This morning I had my appointment with the anesthesiologist. My OB wanted me to see one before labour and delivery because I have something called Pseudocholinesterase Deficiency. This basically means that my body has an increased sensitivity to certain drugs used to put you to sleep during a surgery and instead of being able to breathe on my own and waking up shortly after the drug has stopped being administered, I would stay asleep for hours afterwards and would continue to need support breathing.

One of the drugs that is commonly used in emergency c-sections is succinylcholine because it is fast acting and short lived. My mom had a bad experience when she was younger with this drug and didn't wake up until hours later...this is when they found out she had the deficiency and why I was tested for it as well.

My plan for this labour and delivery is to go all natural. I've said this from the beginning. When we were told that we would be unable to conceive, I made a promise to God that if he blessed us with this miracle, I would go through the labour and delivery the way he intended for it to be, which is without pain medications. This is something I could never go back on. God never breaks His promises to me so why would I break my promise to Him? I saw the resident first and she went over the different pain options and I felt that she was really pushing the epidural on me. She was talking about how if the epidural is already in place, if I needed a c-section, they would be able to use that and that if I still wanted to feel labour, they could lower the dosage so I would still feel pressure and contractions to an extent. She also talked about how if I didn't have the epidural and I needed an emergency c-section that I would need a general anesthetic, which I did know. She made me feel terrible because she started saying that this can cause potential problems for the baby. But when the anesthesiologist came in, he made me feel so much better. He said that yes, a general anesthetic can cause potential problems for the baby but it is rare. He said if the baby did need a breathing tube (because some of the drug could be passed on to the baby from me) that the neonatal team is present in the OR so it's not a worry. He also informed me that in the event of an emergency c-section, regardless if I have an epidural or not, that I would be put under general anesthetic. That made me feel so much better about making the decision to not have an epidural. In the event that I would just need a non emergency c-section, they are able to just do a spinal beforehand.

I also have to admit that I am terrified of epidurals. The thought of a catheter being inserted into my back so close to my spine is a scary one. The risk of paralysis is rare but it is there. There's also a risk of a terrible headache. And on top of that, it may not even work. Yes, I have heard from countless women about how painful labour is, but God made our bodies to do this. I may be cursing Eve during the contractions, but the pain will be short lived compared to the lifetime of happiness we'll have with this little guy.

Monday 10 March 2014

24 Weeks - Viability!!

It feels so good to reach another milestone...at 24 weeks, doctors will automatically take life saving measures if a baby is born. Even though we have reached 24 weeks, I'm praying this little guy keeps cooking for another 16 weeks!

How far along? 24 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain? Around 20 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not that I'm aware of

Sleep: Sleep seems to be going great (knock on wood). I'm so tired most days that my bed has never been so comfortable. 

Best moments this week: Getting a great video of this little guy kicking

Miss anything? I miss waking up and feeling completely refreshed. Even after having a good night's sleep, I'm still SO tired

Food cravings/aversions: Cadbury mini eggs are my go to right now. I still have a lot of food aversions though which makes cooking dinner very challenging. 

Showing? Yes

Gender: It's a BOY!!!!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: Nasal congestion...it's been bad this past week

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding ring on or off? Wedding ring is on but my engagement ring is off. I think I may take them in and have them resized to make them a tad bit bigger 

Happy or moody most of the time? I'm pretty emotional and so many things make me cry. I can be watching a comedy on TV and bawling my eyes out.

Looking forward to: the snow to melt and the nice weather...I want to be able to get out and take J for walks again.

Monday 3 March 2014

Pregnancy Update: 23 Weeks

How far along? 23 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain? Around 20 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? Not that I'm aware of

Sleep: Pretty good...some nights I wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep.

Best moments this week: Being able to start my son's second level of swimming lessons with him...he has so much fun and being in the water with him is good exercise for me.

Miss anything? I miss being able to walk out of the house without a jacket on...I'm so over winter.

Food cravings/aversions: Last night I had a bad craving for DQ...and it brought back memories of when I was in the 2 week wait and I had half a leftover blizzard thawing on the counter to eat and my dog ate it...I was so upset about it that I cried and had a pity party.

Showing? Yes

Gender: It's a BOY!!!!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: The biggest one is nasal congestion, heartburn here and there, and of course, the growing belly and chest.

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding ring on or off? On, but I did remove the other two rings I always wear because my hands are swelling at certain times of the day. Soon I think I'm going to take off my engagement ring and just wear my wedding band. 

Happy or moody most of the time? I seem to be pretty happy

Looking forward to: A 4 day work week...I booked off Friday and have a long weekend...my husband also has the day off so we'll be able to spend some time together