37.5 - names

D has been in charge of naming this baby since we found out I was pregnant. Of course, he's had a favorite since day 1, but he doesn't want the entire burden on him. Naturally.

So, our short list of names for this baby has been:
Lucie
Charlotte
Jovie

The middle name is all mine, and is set regardless of the first name.

In all likelihood, this kid will be Lucie. It will be hard to convince J otherwise. :) But D says should the baby be born on the 17th, we'lll go with Charlotte. Sounds more Irish. :)

37.4 - doctor's appointment

Nothing to report. Did not do an internal exam this time. I did mention the contractions and cramping, and she said, "that's good!!!" Ugh. She said that since j and e had similar (identical) delivery times (4 days past due), that this one will go along the same lines.

I think I just need to bust out all the tricks: raspberry leaf tea, eggplant parmesean, fresh pineapple, and possibly even sex. We'll see.

37.2 Clearly I know not what I wish for

I think something's starting here, and of course, it's sleeting and will be snowing. And of course, if things keep going, this will all take place in the middle of the night. D's texted our cop neighbor to prepare him for a middle-of-the-night phone call to crash on our couch until we can find someone to take the kids. I'm really hoping not to progress into full-blown labor (like I did with ethan) at 2 am.

And the big kicker is neither set of grandparents are set to come in until my actual due date. Now, my mom is at this moment in europe, but should I actually go early, i'm not sure that d's parents are going to come up early. Good times as always!

Stay tuned to fb should any real progress happen!

(36.1) why I need to do more things solo

Went to target as as a fam today, and it was just as frustrating as if I was there with just me & the kids. D was barely paying attention to the kids between playing with toys himself and constantly texting. At least for some reason e actually stays close to him when not in the cart. At some point, he gave e the car key to hold and play with to calm him down. Yep, as we're checking out I notice e no longer has it. Well, neither does d. Grrrr. Luckily he retraced his steps and found it.

Also frustrating was as I ran to the bathroom, d couldn't complete the shopping on his own. He wanted toilet scrubbers. Why he needed me to return from the bathroom to get these with him is beyond me.

I need a break!! I think I need to schedule myself for a manicure.

(35.5) yep. Uh-huh

Still here, I can't move fast, so mostly I put off moving at all. Doctor's appointment the other day went fine. Luckily I went solo while D stayed home with the kids. It took almost an hour to get seen. Group B Strep test (fun!) And she checked out my cervix, which is still high and dry. Boo. But, baby's head down and will hopefully stay that way.

Two weeks until the next appointment, then I go weekly, but seriously by then i'll be 38 weeks.

I'm all preregistered, and i'm so looking forward to the hospital stay. It will be the most glorious sleep i've had or will have for quite sometime.

35.1 weeks...

I guess soon enough I should start checking in with "No News" or "Still Here", and I'm sure all my facebook friends are going to get sick of the baby talk. And honestly there are just some things that I'd like to get out that probably aren't too appropriate for facebook.

More purging and cleaning going on around here. D got in on the action yesterday and created a LARGE goodwill pile. Yay! I continue weeding out maternity clothes that I'm just not going to wear again. Of course in the last round, I purged all the maternity swimwear, and of course the next day I got the kids signed up for swim lessons starting next weekend. I'm just going to try out some non-maternity swim shorts and a top and throw a large t-shirt over it. Or hit up target or old navy for something quick and cheap to go with the swim shorts I have.

After our sickness last week, things around the house started going downhill again. I seriously puked all over our bedroom TWICE before I could make it to the bathroom to finish puking. That was not fun. As a result, we need new blinds in the bedroom. Yeah, it's that bad.

More stuff is headed to the city house today, and D is picking up the bassinet, which definitely means the baby won't be here until way after the due date. I'll still have to head over there at some point and find the newborn clothes and diapers, so I guess we're not *totally* going to be prepared.

All three car seats are in the big SUV, but apparently it's not pretty. Functional, but not pretty. Better hurry up and pay off D's car and start earmarking some cash for the minivan.

Oh, one thing to not forget: rolling over in bed is quite interesting...it's painful, but mostly because my crotch hurts. It makes it nearly impossible to throw my weight over to get to my other side. Weird, right?

I'm also experiencing more little pains and twinges here and there that I don't remember having previously with J & E. Wishful thinking for an earlier delivery, I think.

Dear Future Self,

Please remember that I am incredibly uncomfortable NOW. And I still have 2 months to go. Sleep is becoming more elusive. I lack the energy to do anything, even sit up or roll over in bed. And the heartburn is ridiculous.

I feel bigger than ever. People question whether I am due any day. Then they question if it is twins. I want to punch these people, but, of course, lack the energy.

Should anyone, any ad, any husband or any emotion try to convince you that you want to birth another child, please remember this time.

Should you really want another child, may I refer you to the desire to adopt. There are plenty of children out there that would love to join your chaotic home. Let's just hope you have that bigger house I'm dreaming of now.

Thanks,

January 2010 Self

Backaches

My back has reached new levels of aching, never before aching this bad. Boo. Further confirming that I am NOT going through this again.

I am more and more open to the idea of adoption down the road though...

Crazy Crazy

Besides being super busy with two kids, I've actually been busy with photo stuff. Two "hired" gigs (but I did them for free, just charging for prints) and lots of post-production/editing stuff to do them. My grandfather's also been in the hospital with pneumonia, but looks like he's recovering nicely.

Anyway, the ultrasound went well. Yes, we know what it is, and no we're not telling...unless you ask. ;) We're holding out on telling D's family until Thanksgiving, at least.

The doctor called Friday at 6:15 to tell me that the baby has a Choride Plexus Cyst on one side of the brain. Sounds scary, but because absolutely nothing else was found wrong, and because it's only on one side (and not both) there's not really a concern. I have Doctor Google to thank for the further reassurance.

So, baby's kicking along, photo stuff is picking up...I have lots to do! And some clothes to sort out and get rid of! At least it's not taking up room in my house right now...it's all in my grandparent's basement.

Doctor's appointment update

Had the latest round of pee in a cup, blood pressure, everything okay?, listen to the baby yesterday. All is well. Baby is kicking and the doctor could hear/feel it, but I didn't even feel it. I am feeling the baby move, though, just not when she did.

Ultrasound next week!

Routines

So, it only took two kids, a third on the way, and J starting preschool to finally get some sort of scheduled routine around here. Mondays and Wednesdays are pretty much free days, which usually involve not leaving the house because I just don't feel like it. ;)

Tuesday/Thursdays are J's school days, so we're out the door by 8:45, drop her off, grab a coffee at the DD, hit home or the grocery store, hang for a bit with E, then pick up J at 11:30.

Friday is gymnastics day. J's in the "big girl" class, and I was conned into signing E up for the mommy & me class. Big mistake. I'm too tired and getting too big to keep up with him, and he's just too young to focus on it all right now. I'm counting the weeks until the end of the session, but of course I'm going to feel super guilty signing her up and not him for the next session, because he's going to be running to the door to join in. Bah.

Our afternoons are pretty much all the same: lunch, naps, playtime...if we're lucky, playtime involves going outside with the neighborhood friends, without whom I'd probably be going insane. It definitely helps the kids to get out and run around, and with the new 11 year old girl living next door? Built-in kid-chaser, so we don't have to worry about our under-4-year-olds running down the street or around the corner out of sight.

I am definitely valuing the great neighbors we have, and hope that if and when we ever move, they'll move right along with us and live next door. ;)

Lagging...

Sorry for the lack of updates. Not much going on around here, baby-wise. The nausea seems to have stopped, except for the rare I-cough-really-hard-and-end-up-puking-a-bit incidents.

Not much new in baby movement. I can just tell that the baby is THERE. Like sometimes I know the head is on my left side.

I don't think my overall weight has increased much in the past two months, which I guess is good. I'm addicted to cereal, but unlike the Honey Smacks gorging of 2006, I'm actually craving slightly healthier cereals, like Kashi and some Nature's Path organic stuff. Yum.

Next doctor's appointment in Oct. 12, and the 'big' sonogram is the following week, the 19th. We may or may not find out and may or may not tell people if we do find out, so just stay tuned. ;)

sonogram today!

1st sonogram today...of course the doc said to call next week to schedule it, but I can't wait! I hope she doesn't yell at me...

further confirmation

The doc called last night with the blood test results. 10k something for hy hcg levels. I guess that's good!

the final round

I'm starting to believe, accept and convince myself that this will be it. I'm also starting to believe that I'm crazy for wanting to have a third, but it's too late for that! I just don't think I want to be pregnant again. I'm hoping though that soon enough D's cousins will start procreating so I can get my baby fix again in a few years.

1st appointment scheduled!

I'm due for a pap anyway, but I'm excited to see my OB/GYN on Monday!