Wow I've been lazy this year. At least, when it comes to this blog. I have around a third of the posts I did last year. Now that the year is coming to a close, I figured another post is in order.
We finally sold our house. For the next two months, I will be able to look at our bank account and see "paid in full". It's a great feeling, until you realize that I'm going to have another mortgage starting in March. Hmmm, oh well. It's worth it to have a place that's our own. I'm getting more and more excited about it by the day. We have a pre-drywall appointment on Thursday to see the inside of the house and where everything will be. Getting a new house allows you these funny little experiences. You don't get to see underneath the drywall in an older home, unless you do some heft renovations.
Aside from all of our housing plans finally working out, I've been thinking a lot about babies recently. So many new little ones have been entering our world and it's such an exciting time. Things have finally slowed down a bit, as the last baby due of those I know is due in February. I think we may have a lull coming for a year or so :). After all, not too many people want to have babies back to back.
It's strange to think that I had a newborn at this time two years ago and was 7 months pregnant this time one year ago. Then I take a step back and realize how fast that went and that now is the time to enjoy the lovely chaos in my life. After having two for a while, I know I'd love to have more kids (especially after meeting an amazing mother of five, whom I work with). However, I know I'd love for both of my kids to be cognizant of a pregnancy if we have another baby. I'd love them to be able to talk to us about it and, if I'm really lucky, have them help out with a new baby once in a while. I think that would be so cool. But, hey, we all have dreams that don't always work out the way we planned, so we'll see if my little dream happens as such.
In the meantime, it's also hard to believe that Jude's closing in on his first birthday. Unlike with Arabella, that happened fast. He's huge and extremely active and mischievous. He can hold his own while playing with Arabella. Aside from walking and talking, he's so much like his sister. They both love to play and dance and that's what we do all day long. I look forward to him beginning to walk and talk next. I'd say learning, but I think he knows how to do both and just chooses not to. It wouldn't surprise me if he is headstrong like that. Amidst that, I look forward to planning a mini-first birthday for him and seeing him slam into an awesome mini-cake. You should know, that is always the best part of a first birthday. If there's no mess, then how do you know you've had fun?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
For My Kid's Rooms
I'm getting really psyched about our new house now. The biggest reason, aside from it being ours and not a 30 year old creaky, paper thin walled apartment, is that I get to decorate two kid's rooms. SO EXCITED!
Just for kicks, here are some of the ideas I've been throwing around. For Arabella's room, we'll be going with a Disney Fairies theme. That's easy enough. I'm not too worried about her outgrowing this in 5 years. The base of her room will most likely be a sage green and everything else will be able to be replaced easily. She already has the fairies bedding, so here's what we're looking at getting her next:
Wall decals, a kid's chair, a lamp. She already has a white bed and dresser. It's all coming together in my head where everything should go. We'll see if it all actually happens when we get there.
As for Jude, I'm finally proud to say I have a clear view of what I'd like to do with his room. I played with the idea of a solar system room, but it has evolved into a specific them: Star Wars. Steve has mentioned this many times before but I wasn't on board. I wanted to be sure I could find things that don't look super cheesy or expected. I wanted Jude's room to be cool. Now, I've found some really neat items that I think can accomplish my goal. Here's a look at the items for Jude's potential room:
Toddler Bedding:
Absolutely necessary quotes:
Vader clock:
The wall lightsaber:
Movie poster:
There's quite a bit out there that will be cool without us over doing it. Then there's the thing we really want, but most likely won't get:
That would probably be overkill....but it really is awesome. If we are so lucky to get most of this done soon after we move, I'll be able to get some good pictures up of both rooms. I'm hoping we can get everything I'd like and that everything will come together nicely. We'll soon find out!
Just for kicks, here are some of the ideas I've been throwing around. For Arabella's room, we'll be going with a Disney Fairies theme. That's easy enough. I'm not too worried about her outgrowing this in 5 years. The base of her room will most likely be a sage green and everything else will be able to be replaced easily. She already has the fairies bedding, so here's what we're looking at getting her next:
As for Jude, I'm finally proud to say I have a clear view of what I'd like to do with his room. I played with the idea of a solar system room, but it has evolved into a specific them: Star Wars. Steve has mentioned this many times before but I wasn't on board. I wanted to be sure I could find things that don't look super cheesy or expected. I wanted Jude's room to be cool. Now, I've found some really neat items that I think can accomplish my goal. Here's a look at the items for Jude's potential room:
Toddler Bedding:
Absolutely necessary quotes:
Movie poster:
There's quite a bit out there that will be cool without us over doing it. Then there's the thing we really want, but most likely won't get:
That would probably be overkill....but it really is awesome. If we are so lucky to get most of this done soon after we move, I'll be able to get some good pictures up of both rooms. I'm hoping we can get everything I'd like and that everything will come together nicely. We'll soon find out!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sooner or Later
SO, we were supposed to close on Thursday this last week. Now did that happen? No. Of course not. That would be far too easy. Now we have a leaky roof to have patched up and then we might possible have our closing scheduled. I wouldn't be so infuriated if this wasn't the buyer's lender's fault. We did everything we're supposed to do, but their laziness has cost us more money. I can safely say that I would prefer not having to sell a house again for a very long time. I know we will, but it doesn't have to be anytime soon.
On the other front, we have completed another step in buying our house. We went to a pre-wiring meeting and to the design center to pick a few things out for the house. That was fun, so to speak. It's neat to pick out some colors and where your wiring will go, but it isn't like going to on a dinner/movie date. Hopefully, this week Steve will have the pre-construction meeting to get a tentative timeline on how things will pan our for our new home. As of right now, the frame for the first level is in and we're well on our way to having a brand new townhouse.
It's been stressful to move. However, there are so many great things that wait for us here. We just have to get over this hurdle and things will start to ease again and we'll be able to relax and enjoy life.
On the other front, we have completed another step in buying our house. We went to a pre-wiring meeting and to the design center to pick a few things out for the house. That was fun, so to speak. It's neat to pick out some colors and where your wiring will go, but it isn't like going to on a dinner/movie date. Hopefully, this week Steve will have the pre-construction meeting to get a tentative timeline on how things will pan our for our new home. As of right now, the frame for the first level is in and we're well on our way to having a brand new townhouse.
It's been stressful to move. However, there are so many great things that wait for us here. We just have to get over this hurdle and things will start to ease again and we'll be able to relax and enjoy life.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Happy Birthday Arabella!
Today is a great day. Two years ago, I gave birth to my sweet girl. It really is hard to believe on some level. I feel like it's been two years, but that's mostly because it's been a long road. We've never had any major, life altering problems with her, but many things have taken quite a bit of work. However, what child ISN'T worth all of your strength and energy for years to come? Not one!
Arabella is my petite ballerina. She's just a sliver bigger than her brother, she has more energy than five toddlers, and she's smarter than Steve and I combined. She hates new foods only to love them three months later. She still wants her bottles, because, damn it, Jude has one too! She sings everything she can remember and she shakes her booty while she does it. She kisses her family and tells us she loves us. She's everything I've ever wanted in life and more. And right now, she's throwing apples on the floor :).
Happy 2nd Birthday, Arabella Nicole!
Arabella is my petite ballerina. She's just a sliver bigger than her brother, she has more energy than five toddlers, and she's smarter than Steve and I combined. She hates new foods only to love them three months later. She still wants her bottles, because, damn it, Jude has one too! She sings everything she can remember and she shakes her booty while she does it. She kisses her family and tells us she loves us. She's everything I've ever wanted in life and more. And right now, she's throwing apples on the floor :).
Happy 2nd Birthday, Arabella Nicole!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Worst Waiting Game Ever
We sold our house. That's definitely exciting. HOWEVER...now we begin one of the most miserable waiting games in the history of mankind. To sell your house, you actually have to close on it to finish the deal. That will not happen for another 30 days (actually, October 27th for us).
There's a number of things that can go wrong in the meantime that can cause the contract to fall apart. We have to have our house inspected. Once that happens, the buyers will create a list of things they want taken care of before the option period is over. That option period is 10 days. Then we have to have an appraisal to ensure that we are selling for what the house is worth. Really, what our house is worth is up for interpretation. The first person might say something and a second person will suggest it's 10K higher or lower than the first person. Either way, whatever the appraiser says can cause things to fall apart. Then there's also the fact that the buyers can just change their minds. Isn't that a bunch of sh......poop?
All in all, things look good. These buyers are getting the house a great price and in great condition. Still, jumping through hoops to be sure the house is acceptable and constantly waiting for update phone calls and emails is not my idea of fun. One thing this does afford us, though, is the opportunity to get serious about where we want to live up here in Maryland. Some of you may know that we have been considering living with Steve's parents. It would help us pay down some debt by having a smaller housing cost and it would help them afford a bigger (IE nicer) house. Our other option is to look at housing in our own price range.
The market here is very different from Texas. You get less house for your money, but there are different amenities that come with a house here, as well. You may be buying a townhouse and it may have smaller rooms in general, but you also tend to get a deck and a basement (many of them actually are finished). There's also more affordable housing on the water, although I'm pretty certain we aren't really interested in living on the water. Also, taxing is different, so while we'll buy a more expensive house, our monthly payments won't change very much. So, tomorrow we will go look at some houses in the area to see if it is worth buying our own house or if we will go forward with living with Steve's parents for a couple of years.
Even still, buying a house here is contingent on closing on our house in Texas. And so, we wait.
There's a number of things that can go wrong in the meantime that can cause the contract to fall apart. We have to have our house inspected. Once that happens, the buyers will create a list of things they want taken care of before the option period is over. That option period is 10 days. Then we have to have an appraisal to ensure that we are selling for what the house is worth. Really, what our house is worth is up for interpretation. The first person might say something and a second person will suggest it's 10K higher or lower than the first person. Either way, whatever the appraiser says can cause things to fall apart. Then there's also the fact that the buyers can just change their minds. Isn't that a bunch of sh......poop?
All in all, things look good. These buyers are getting the house a great price and in great condition. Still, jumping through hoops to be sure the house is acceptable and constantly waiting for update phone calls and emails is not my idea of fun. One thing this does afford us, though, is the opportunity to get serious about where we want to live up here in Maryland. Some of you may know that we have been considering living with Steve's parents. It would help us pay down some debt by having a smaller housing cost and it would help them afford a bigger (IE nicer) house. Our other option is to look at housing in our own price range.
The market here is very different from Texas. You get less house for your money, but there are different amenities that come with a house here, as well. You may be buying a townhouse and it may have smaller rooms in general, but you also tend to get a deck and a basement (many of them actually are finished). There's also more affordable housing on the water, although I'm pretty certain we aren't really interested in living on the water. Also, taxing is different, so while we'll buy a more expensive house, our monthly payments won't change very much. So, tomorrow we will go look at some houses in the area to see if it is worth buying our own house or if we will go forward with living with Steve's parents for a couple of years.
Even still, buying a house here is contingent on closing on our house in Texas. And so, we wait.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
In Maryland
And here we are. We made it to Maryland. I would be more excited if we didn't have an angry neighbor who decided to yell on his phone for an hour last night. Lots of f-bombs. Angry neighbors scare me. Other than that, things are going pretty well. Our apartment is what we need it to be (mostly) for the time being. There are lots of restaurants and shops convenient to us. Things just seem to be in a short driving distance in general and I appreciate that.
One thing that does freak me out though is that the highways are lined with trees. I can't see where I'm going! It's a little unnerving since I don't know where things are yet. I'm sure in a couple months it will be beautiful.
Something else that is fantastic about the area is the temperature. Even when it's warm outside, there's a nice breeze that doesn't just waft more hot air in your face but cools you down a bit. I'm kind of excited to go check out Annapolis because I'm sure there's going to be an even nicer breeze by the water.
It's a little hard to fathom what the coming holidays and events are going to be like in this new area. We have to remain frugal while we're waiting to sell our house because we only have a certain amount that the company will assist with. It's fun experiencing a new area and a new adventure, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind right now. The coming months hold a lot of unknowns, but we'll do our best to figure it all out.
One thing that does freak me out though is that the highways are lined with trees. I can't see where I'm going! It's a little unnerving since I don't know where things are yet. I'm sure in a couple months it will be beautiful.
Something else that is fantastic about the area is the temperature. Even when it's warm outside, there's a nice breeze that doesn't just waft more hot air in your face but cools you down a bit. I'm kind of excited to go check out Annapolis because I'm sure there's going to be an even nicer breeze by the water.
It's a little hard to fathom what the coming holidays and events are going to be like in this new area. We have to remain frugal while we're waiting to sell our house because we only have a certain amount that the company will assist with. It's fun experiencing a new area and a new adventure, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind right now. The coming months hold a lot of unknowns, but we'll do our best to figure it all out.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Cheers
We're going to move. It's really going to happen. We have expected it was really going to happen but never had anything tangible until now. Within the next week, Steve will be in Maryland and begin to work on his new project and hopefully look for a house or apartment for us. Yes, we also have to sell our house, but I'd rather not think about that. The best we can do there is get our house looking as close to a model home as possible and hope that somebody wants it.
All of that being said, I am guessing that my posts will become sparce after the next few weeks. I'll be visiting my parents for a short time then moving up to Maryland. Once the kids and I get up to Maryland, things are likely to get very busy. I'll be finding new doctors, looking at places (if we haven't chosen one), and figuring out the lay of the land. Also, I get to prepare for winter. A REAL winter! I'm excited and a bit nervous. After all, I've driven in a bit of ice a couple times, but I have no clue what snow will be like. And then there's all the cute winter clothes that I will actually need. I'm sure I'll post about all of that excitement after I get started on it.
In the meantime, here's to Texas. I'm probably not going to miss the state (and who can blame me at this time of year), but I'll miss quite a few people who live here and some of the delicious food that won't be matched (I'll miss you Tex-Mex). And, here's to Maryland. You're bringing me closer to friends I have so missed and will give me an opportunity to live a different kind of life. Cheers!
All of that being said, I am guessing that my posts will become sparce after the next few weeks. I'll be visiting my parents for a short time then moving up to Maryland. Once the kids and I get up to Maryland, things are likely to get very busy. I'll be finding new doctors, looking at places (if we haven't chosen one), and figuring out the lay of the land. Also, I get to prepare for winter. A REAL winter! I'm excited and a bit nervous. After all, I've driven in a bit of ice a couple times, but I have no clue what snow will be like. And then there's all the cute winter clothes that I will actually need. I'm sure I'll post about all of that excitement after I get started on it.
In the meantime, here's to Texas. I'm probably not going to miss the state (and who can blame me at this time of year), but I'll miss quite a few people who live here and some of the delicious food that won't be matched (I'll miss you Tex-Mex). And, here's to Maryland. You're bringing me closer to friends I have so missed and will give me an opportunity to live a different kind of life. Cheers!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Ready or Not
These next two months are going to be very stressful. In the next 48 hours, Steve will receive his start date and we will be able to get in contact with a realtor to get our house on the market. Most likely, Steve will be leaving on August 10th or 11th and will be in Maryland from then on. I get to stay behind for a bit as we try to sell the house. I find this very frightening as I have to watch over my two sweet little monsters. It might not be so bad if I had a near by adult to spend time with but most of my friends and family live at least an hour away. That makes it hard to just get up and go find some good company.
There's also the fact that I have to try to keep this house immaculate while I remain here. Ideally, we will find a townhouse to buy within the first month that Steve is there and, after another month, we will be able to move into it. However, there's never any guarantees that things will work out the way you want. So, I plan on bracing myself for the worst. Even while doing that, though, I plan to keep myself sane by reminding myself that this isn't forever and my situation is not that bad. It isn't. I'm not completely without help, it's just a little ways away. This isn't forever.
I'm glad that we are finally getting close to the end of this journey. I am very much ready to move.
There's also the fact that I have to try to keep this house immaculate while I remain here. Ideally, we will find a townhouse to buy within the first month that Steve is there and, after another month, we will be able to move into it. However, there's never any guarantees that things will work out the way you want. So, I plan on bracing myself for the worst. Even while doing that, though, I plan to keep myself sane by reminding myself that this isn't forever and my situation is not that bad. It isn't. I'm not completely without help, it's just a little ways away. This isn't forever.
I'm glad that we are finally getting close to the end of this journey. I am very much ready to move.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Children's Inspiration
With an impending move ahead, I've been thinking about the (eventual) direction I would want to take with the kid's rooms. Decorating a room just the way you want can be expensive, so these are merely ideas to get me started. I thought I'd share some of my favorite things I've found so far!
For a shared room:
For a room just for Bella:
For a room just for Jude:
I'm really getting into the idea of fantasy and fairy tale themes for the kids. I've always loved anything fantastical, so why not immerse my children in it!
For a shared room:
For a room just for Bella:
For a room just for Jude:
I'm really getting into the idea of fantasy and fairy tale themes for the kids. I've always loved anything fantastical, so why not immerse my children in it!
Make it Work
It's been 6 months since Jude was born, even though it doesn't really seem possible. All along I've been making things work. Feeding two kids at the same time. Getting two kids to sleep at night, at the same time. Getting two kids to take a nap at the same time.....working on that. Keeping a house tidy....really bad at that still. Keeping Steve and I fed. There's always a laundry list of things that need to be done.
I have a problem of making things as simple as possible. Doing the bare minimum, if you will. My goal for the rest of the year is to change that. I want to find a way to make things work without sacrificing the quality of the outcome. Things have been so up in the air for months now with this move looming over our heads that I haven't done much of anything I've intended to do. Now, we're going to move in the next couple of months, and possible again shortly after that if we go find a house. No more waiting. All of the things I've wanted to do, its time to take the steps to make them reality.
I need to start setting my goals and looking at the steps I need to take to attain them. I want a massive white board with sectioned off areas. That would be great :).
I have a problem of making things as simple as possible. Doing the bare minimum, if you will. My goal for the rest of the year is to change that. I want to find a way to make things work without sacrificing the quality of the outcome. Things have been so up in the air for months now with this move looming over our heads that I haven't done much of anything I've intended to do. Now, we're going to move in the next couple of months, and possible again shortly after that if we go find a house. No more waiting. All of the things I've wanted to do, its time to take the steps to make them reality.
I need to start setting my goals and looking at the steps I need to take to attain them. I want a massive white board with sectioned off areas. That would be great :).
Thursday, July 14, 2011
One baby per month (sort of)
Holy cow! Babies be everywhere! I can't even guess how many babies that have been born in my circles in the past few years. In fact, this year, it's almost 1 a month! Steve says that we are just at that stage of life and I completely understand. Most of our friends who are married have been so for at least 2-3 years and have had a chance to settle into a career or whatever else it is they've wanted to accomplish. That means babies!
For example, 2008 started it all. 2 babies (April and December). In 2009, 6 babies. In 2010, 8 babies. This year, 7 have already made their appearance. There's still 5 to come....that I know of. And we have our first entry for 2012. One of my cousins is expecting his first in January next year, around Jude's birthday. This is crazy, in a good way of course.
After talking about it with Steve, he made the point that it will be like this for a few years. It's family building time. Honestly, there is not better time of life! The next 20-30 years are going to be a grand adventure that's for sure. Then, our kids will be doing the same....scary.
For example, 2008 started it all. 2 babies (April and December). In 2009, 6 babies. In 2010, 8 babies. This year, 7 have already made their appearance. There's still 5 to come....that I know of. And we have our first entry for 2012. One of my cousins is expecting his first in January next year, around Jude's birthday. This is crazy, in a good way of course.
After talking about it with Steve, he made the point that it will be like this for a few years. It's family building time. Honestly, there is not better time of life! The next 20-30 years are going to be a grand adventure that's for sure. Then, our kids will be doing the same....scary.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Here we go
So, we're officially moving. Now we officially need a date. This whole mess is very frustrating. Until Steve gets some paperwork turned in, we don't really know what's going on and contacting the relocation people is pointless. I'm very excited for this move to be done and it hasn't even started. And by done, I mean we're there, settled in, and our house here is sold. That last part is VERY important. I mean really, who wants to pay for two residences.
There are some things working on my side for all of this. I do have to find a new pediatrician (BOO) but at least I have until October to find one for sure. That is when Bella will have her 2 year and Jude will have his 9 month appointment. I'll have to find new doctors for Steve and I, not that we ever go now. However, we probably should.
I can search for new Mother's day out programs for Bella. I like the one we're in, but there might be a Catholic one in MD and Steve would be excited about that. Also, perhaps there will be a little bit of variance in the pricing.
The one thing that I'm really excited about, though. DE-CLUTTERING! During this move, we have to be able to whittle down our belongings to what can fit in a 2 bedroom apartment. I must say, I love that idea. I feel like we have so much junk and half of it doesn't get used. Time to clean out!
One added bonus is that I might be able to go see my parents (who have been in Alabama for a month now). It would be a tad out of the way, but what better time to go than when you're on the move anyway!
By the end of August, all of this will be decided and done. It seems unreal that in 2 months we will go from knowing nothing to not being in Texas and everything (almost) being decided. Here we go.
There are some things working on my side for all of this. I do have to find a new pediatrician (BOO) but at least I have until October to find one for sure. That is when Bella will have her 2 year and Jude will have his 9 month appointment. I'll have to find new doctors for Steve and I, not that we ever go now. However, we probably should.
I can search for new Mother's day out programs for Bella. I like the one we're in, but there might be a Catholic one in MD and Steve would be excited about that. Also, perhaps there will be a little bit of variance in the pricing.
The one thing that I'm really excited about, though. DE-CLUTTERING! During this move, we have to be able to whittle down our belongings to what can fit in a 2 bedroom apartment. I must say, I love that idea. I feel like we have so much junk and half of it doesn't get used. Time to clean out!
One added bonus is that I might be able to go see my parents (who have been in Alabama for a month now). It would be a tad out of the way, but what better time to go than when you're on the move anyway!
By the end of August, all of this will be decided and done. It seems unreal that in 2 months we will go from knowing nothing to not being in Texas and everything (almost) being decided. Here we go.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Never Bored
I'm very bad at updating, aren't I? Well, it's been an interesting month so I suppose it isn't a big deal. Recently, I've had to learn to cope without my mom being in town. Now she's not just not in town, she's not in state. It's been strange, but I have done a lot better than I thought I would. I find things to occupy our time and I think it's been easier on the kids being at home all of the time.
Being that we're in a new situation, we've been trying some new things as well. Steve and I decided that it was time to sleep train Bella. It's been 3 weeks, and while we've had success we certainly still have a ways to go. She still cries when she has to go to bed, but that's our fault for not creating good sleeping habits for her in the first place. Another thing I know will need to happen soon that could throw a wrench in our plans is moving to a toddler bed. She's starting to climb and I'd rather not experience broken bones if I can help it.
We also started back up with food therapy since Bella was starting to slip in her growth again. We've seen immediate progress! She's begun to eat more solids and take less bottles and now we are slowly trying to wean her off formula all together. Now, she's a solid 22 lbs and continuing to gain weight, so now seems like the right time to move in that direction.
As for Jude, well he's so delightfully normal that it's almost boring. I say almost because he's my son so he simply can't be boring to me! He's gone through all of the vegetable purees and we're almost through the fruits. This kid can pack away the food, that's for sure! I'm guessing he's close to 19 lbs now. Then there's his quickly emerging personality. Lots of people thought I would have a nice calm, sweet baby since Bella is such a ball of energy (and has been known to be a bit challenging at times). That's a load of baloney! Jude is super energetic and is already becoming quite talkative. He doesn't really say any consonants like Bella was at this point, but he loves experimenting with raspberry sounds and gurgling, among other things. He's getting close to sitting on his own and then most likely crawling will come very soon after.
I'm certainly not bored during the day. Perhaps a bit overwhelmed at times, but never bored.
Being that we're in a new situation, we've been trying some new things as well. Steve and I decided that it was time to sleep train Bella. It's been 3 weeks, and while we've had success we certainly still have a ways to go. She still cries when she has to go to bed, but that's our fault for not creating good sleeping habits for her in the first place. Another thing I know will need to happen soon that could throw a wrench in our plans is moving to a toddler bed. She's starting to climb and I'd rather not experience broken bones if I can help it.
We also started back up with food therapy since Bella was starting to slip in her growth again. We've seen immediate progress! She's begun to eat more solids and take less bottles and now we are slowly trying to wean her off formula all together. Now, she's a solid 22 lbs and continuing to gain weight, so now seems like the right time to move in that direction.
As for Jude, well he's so delightfully normal that it's almost boring. I say almost because he's my son so he simply can't be boring to me! He's gone through all of the vegetable purees and we're almost through the fruits. This kid can pack away the food, that's for sure! I'm guessing he's close to 19 lbs now. Then there's his quickly emerging personality. Lots of people thought I would have a nice calm, sweet baby since Bella is such a ball of energy (and has been known to be a bit challenging at times). That's a load of baloney! Jude is super energetic and is already becoming quite talkative. He doesn't really say any consonants like Bella was at this point, but he loves experimenting with raspberry sounds and gurgling, among other things. He's getting close to sitting on his own and then most likely crawling will come very soon after.
I'm certainly not bored during the day. Perhaps a bit overwhelmed at times, but never bored.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Jude is on a Roll
Today, Jude and I went to his 4 month appointment. As I already knew, everything is going wonderfully. He is still the polar opposite of his sister and making it relatively easy to have two kids. He has now reached 17 pounds and 26 inches long, and it's only a matter of time before he catches Bella in size.
After talking with his doctor, he now has her full blessing to start solid foods. We've already sampled some cereal but within a couple of weeks we can also try adding a vegetable to it as well. This boy is huge and he wants to eat. The more I get him to like food now, hopefully, the more he will want to eat later. I have a feeling that he won't have any trouble picking up whatever I put on his tray and gobbling it up. You never really know until you try it, but all signs point to this conclusion. Of course, I have to get him sitting up on his own and picking things up first :).
Jude is also rolling around to his right. He'll try to roll to get somewhere, but only to his right. I don't know why, but I suppose anything to his left just isn't as interesting. This also leads to lots of waking up in the middle of the night. At least he'll go back to sleep in a decent amount of time without me having to feed him. We'll get back to consistently sleeping through the night soon enough. By 6 months, we expect him to be sitting on his own and possibly start crawling. He's right on track. Soon, he'll be the one knocking his sister over!
In the meantime, I'll allow Bella to torture him with her hugs and kiss because it's just that adorable!
After talking with his doctor, he now has her full blessing to start solid foods. We've already sampled some cereal but within a couple of weeks we can also try adding a vegetable to it as well. This boy is huge and he wants to eat. The more I get him to like food now, hopefully, the more he will want to eat later. I have a feeling that he won't have any trouble picking up whatever I put on his tray and gobbling it up. You never really know until you try it, but all signs point to this conclusion. Of course, I have to get him sitting up on his own and picking things up first :).
Jude is also rolling around to his right. He'll try to roll to get somewhere, but only to his right. I don't know why, but I suppose anything to his left just isn't as interesting. This also leads to lots of waking up in the middle of the night. At least he'll go back to sleep in a decent amount of time without me having to feed him. We'll get back to consistently sleeping through the night soon enough. By 6 months, we expect him to be sitting on his own and possibly start crawling. He's right on track. Soon, he'll be the one knocking his sister over!
In the meantime, I'll allow Bella to torture him with her hugs and kiss because it's just that adorable!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Why Yogurt?
I'll tell you why. Because, it's packed with nutrients and it can be calorie loaded as well. And, what's most fun for Bella, you can dip stuff into it including (but not limited to) crackers, a spoon, and your fingers. She is particularly fond of doing this with her fingers. The messier we can get, the better the experience. This isn't really my favorite philosophy, but it's what's best for Bella. As I type, she is covering herself in peach yogurt and talking about how she likes it. She also has taken to saying "Mmmm" when she eats. Steve is highly amused by this.
Feeding Bella is certainly an adventure. It takes time and effort and you aren't always successful. Really, you might be successful 50% of the time, if you're lucky. However, this is something we can overcome. In fact, this is how Bella is going to become proficient with a spoon and fork, because heaven knows she won't let me feed her anymore :).
And now there's a big glob of yogurt on the table. The most fun you can with a spoon is flinging your food.
Feeding Bella is certainly an adventure. It takes time and effort and you aren't always successful. Really, you might be successful 50% of the time, if you're lucky. However, this is something we can overcome. In fact, this is how Bella is going to become proficient with a spoon and fork, because heaven knows she won't let me feed her anymore :).
And now there's a big glob of yogurt on the table. The most fun you can with a spoon is flinging your food.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Back to Therapy
Today, Bella was evaluated for ECI again so that we can resume feeding therapy. She has made so little progress with eating textures and also not putting everything she picks up in her mouth, so we thought it was time to pick it back up again. Well, they do a full evaluation anytime you start services or restart them.
It was interesting to see where Bella is on their scale of development. As usual, she sits a bit behind on physical development (4 months behind). However, much of this has to do with her tibial torsion and shorter stature. For instance, she has a more difficult time going up and down stairs without getting on hands and knees. With all that the physical therapist found, she decided it wasn't worth doing therapy to "catch up". What Bella is behind with will come with time. Nothing to worry about.
Bella is also behind in social development (at 12 months). Again, we talked about it and the only reason she ranks lower in this department is due to the fact that she doesn't really do pretend play yet, nor does she seem to care when you tell her to do something or not to do something. Bella does what she wants, when she wants. If she doesn't feel like doing what you've asked, she ignores you :). Most 18 month old kids are responding to requests that they don't wish to do with a resounding "no". A lot of this comes from the fact that Bella isn't around other children her age. So, really, that isn't anything to worry about either.
Now, the speech factor. This is what we're looking at because it has to do with her feeding. Bella is a very orally fixated girl. Her way of playing with things is to put it in her mouth. This also contributes to her being "behind" in some of the social and physical points. When we measured her development in speech, Bella actually comes in at around 21 months. She is a very verbal girl and does a pretty good job at communicating what she wants, what she doesn't want. She also picks up a lot from repeating what Steve and I do. However, this is the therapy we need. Funny, isn't it?
What speech therapy will do for Bella is help her eating habits and also help to curb her oral fixation. Her therapist and I will work on getting her to drink more creamy beverages, eat a larger variety of textures, and get her to strengthen the muscles in her mouth so that she won't keep her mouth open all of the time (eliminating much of her drooling) and keeping her from putting everything in her mouth.
Some things we have to look forward to:
It was interesting to see where Bella is on their scale of development. As usual, she sits a bit behind on physical development (4 months behind). However, much of this has to do with her tibial torsion and shorter stature. For instance, she has a more difficult time going up and down stairs without getting on hands and knees. With all that the physical therapist found, she decided it wasn't worth doing therapy to "catch up". What Bella is behind with will come with time. Nothing to worry about.
Bella is also behind in social development (at 12 months). Again, we talked about it and the only reason she ranks lower in this department is due to the fact that she doesn't really do pretend play yet, nor does she seem to care when you tell her to do something or not to do something. Bella does what she wants, when she wants. If she doesn't feel like doing what you've asked, she ignores you :). Most 18 month old kids are responding to requests that they don't wish to do with a resounding "no". A lot of this comes from the fact that Bella isn't around other children her age. So, really, that isn't anything to worry about either.
Now, the speech factor. This is what we're looking at because it has to do with her feeding. Bella is a very orally fixated girl. Her way of playing with things is to put it in her mouth. This also contributes to her being "behind" in some of the social and physical points. When we measured her development in speech, Bella actually comes in at around 21 months. She is a very verbal girl and does a pretty good job at communicating what she wants, what she doesn't want. She also picks up a lot from repeating what Steve and I do. However, this is the therapy we need. Funny, isn't it?
What speech therapy will do for Bella is help her eating habits and also help to curb her oral fixation. Her therapist and I will work on getting her to drink more creamy beverages, eat a larger variety of textures, and get her to strengthen the muscles in her mouth so that she won't keep her mouth open all of the time (eliminating much of her drooling) and keeping her from putting everything in her mouth.
Some things we have to look forward to:
- getting more calories into her diet by getting her to drink creamier drinks
- strengthening her jaw so she won't tire out from eating so quickly
- getting her to eat different textures so she doesn't have to vigorously chew everything she eats, which tires her muscles out
- getting her to use utensils more and teaching her to use a straw
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Time for an Update
Jiminy Cricket! I have not had any desire to blog for a long time. But now, I'm feeling the itch again! Mostly because I'm going through all of my beloved names again and I have a feeling that's mostly where my entries will go in the immediate future. But first, a life update.
Jude is now 2 months old. And he's the size of a 6 month old. I am in complete awe of how fast he's grown. We're already thinking about when he'll be ready for a high chair and when we're going to have to buy the next size car seat. There's no doubt that he is the polar opposite of Bella in this regard. Their temperaments are somewhat similar. Jude is much more of an arms baby. Bella wanted arms a lot when she was little because she didn't feel well. Jude just LOVES to be held. I've also been very fortunate that he is a champion eater, unlike Bella. In fact, he eats well enough that he will now sleep for up to 8 or 9 hours at night. That's such a wonderful thing to have.
Bella is now walking everywhere. Because of that, she's also getting into everything. Surprise, surprise. She's a super curious girl. And she talks like no body's business. She has already mastered 50+ words. I'm pretty sure I lost count at 20 or so. The only thing we really need to tackle now is her sweet little bow legs. I'm hoping that will just require a special set of shoes to help keep her from walking on the edges of her feet, but we will see next month when we visit the orthopedic doctor.
Two major things have happened since Jude was born. The first was the passing of our niece, Audrey. It was so sudden and certainly unexpected. My sister has been devastated ever since, but I don't think we could expect anything less. I cannot fathom losing a child and how much sorrow comes with such a loss. The hardest part has been seeing the grief and sorrow that my mother has gone through. Audrey was more than just a granddaughter to her, so it has been extra difficult for her this past month and a half. I can only pray that those I love will be able to come to terms with Audrey's passing but I know that won't be easy. We all miss her so much.
The second major change in our lives has been the impending job change that Steve has been looking for. As of right now, he is in negotiations to take a job in Maryland. We are currently waiting for Raytheon to finalize the offer so they can officially offer the job to Steve. Nothing is certain yet, but it is most likely going to happen in the next couple of months. That means we have to sell the house and pack up to leave Texas. That will be strange for me since I have lived her since just before I turned 5. I've been here for 20 years. The other thing that this means for us is that we are looking for a new home for our puppies. I am not to keen on taking them to Maryland and having them cooped up in townhouse or worse, an apartment. So hey, if you know anyone, give me a call!
I suppose that's enough of an update for now. Somebody refuses to nap unless he's in mommy's arms, and that sure makes it difficult to type! Oh well :). Until next time.
Jude is now 2 months old. And he's the size of a 6 month old. I am in complete awe of how fast he's grown. We're already thinking about when he'll be ready for a high chair and when we're going to have to buy the next size car seat. There's no doubt that he is the polar opposite of Bella in this regard. Their temperaments are somewhat similar. Jude is much more of an arms baby. Bella wanted arms a lot when she was little because she didn't feel well. Jude just LOVES to be held. I've also been very fortunate that he is a champion eater, unlike Bella. In fact, he eats well enough that he will now sleep for up to 8 or 9 hours at night. That's such a wonderful thing to have.
Bella is now walking everywhere. Because of that, she's also getting into everything. Surprise, surprise. She's a super curious girl. And she talks like no body's business. She has already mastered 50+ words. I'm pretty sure I lost count at 20 or so. The only thing we really need to tackle now is her sweet little bow legs. I'm hoping that will just require a special set of shoes to help keep her from walking on the edges of her feet, but we will see next month when we visit the orthopedic doctor.
Two major things have happened since Jude was born. The first was the passing of our niece, Audrey. It was so sudden and certainly unexpected. My sister has been devastated ever since, but I don't think we could expect anything less. I cannot fathom losing a child and how much sorrow comes with such a loss. The hardest part has been seeing the grief and sorrow that my mother has gone through. Audrey was more than just a granddaughter to her, so it has been extra difficult for her this past month and a half. I can only pray that those I love will be able to come to terms with Audrey's passing but I know that won't be easy. We all miss her so much.
The second major change in our lives has been the impending job change that Steve has been looking for. As of right now, he is in negotiations to take a job in Maryland. We are currently waiting for Raytheon to finalize the offer so they can officially offer the job to Steve. Nothing is certain yet, but it is most likely going to happen in the next couple of months. That means we have to sell the house and pack up to leave Texas. That will be strange for me since I have lived her since just before I turned 5. I've been here for 20 years. The other thing that this means for us is that we are looking for a new home for our puppies. I am not to keen on taking them to Maryland and having them cooped up in townhouse or worse, an apartment. So hey, if you know anyone, give me a call!
I suppose that's enough of an update for now. Somebody refuses to nap unless he's in mommy's arms, and that sure makes it difficult to type! Oh well :). Until next time.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Let's do this already! (or Who knew induction could be so easy?)
I mean it. Who know induction could be so easy? Well, the doctors do. BUT, you have to keep in mind that you must be favorable for an induction and its still not a guarantee that things will go smoothly. I was one of the fortunate moms who had a successful induction. Between my dilation and effacement and the fact that I have had a successful vaginal birth in the past, I was a great candidate for induction. I knew I wouldn't have wanted it if the situation had been different. My sister had just gone through a failed induction and a very traumatic delivery. Granted, there were other underlying issues that made the delivery more frightening than it would have been, it still started with a failed induction. She had no dilation and I don't believe that Audrey was even engaged at the time. Knowing all of that, I knew that I wouldn't be OK with an induction unless my body was close to going into labor on its own anyway.
Well, that wasn't an issue for me. By 35 weeks, I was past all of the prelabor work. All that had to happen was a few real contractions and I would be in active labor. So, at 36 weeks, Dr. Potter and I decided that if I made it to 38 weeks we would induce. Jude was looking rather large and he measured around 2-4 weeks ahead at each sonogram after 20 weeks. As for me, I was almost always measuring 3 weeks ahead in the last 3 months. I was pretty big! Although ultrasounds can be very inaccurate and your uterus measuring large doesn't automatically imply that you're carrying a large child, its worth considering your options. Boy, am I glad we did!
On January 20th, we arrived at the hospital at around 6:30 in the morning. Steve's parents picked Bella up to watch her for the day and then Steve went to grab some breakfast. I sat in our room watching TV while the nurses came in and out of the room helping to set up my IV and take my stats. The nurse who started to place my IV was very sweet. She failed twice to get a vein to take. After the second IV attempt, she said it was someone elses turn to torture me. I felt bad that she felt so bad for not getting the IV in. The second nurse finally found a spot that worked and, by 7:30, my delivery nurse (the 3rd nurse to help me out) started my pitocin. The first nurse who attempted to place an IV told me to ask for my epidural whenever I started to feel some strong contractions, even if there wasn't much pain. You better believe I listened to that!
The anesthesiologist showed up sometime around 9 and it took him maybe 2 minutes to place my epidural. That was the part I was most concerned about, and while it wasn't free of discomfort, it was a whole lot easier than I ever anticipated. Shortly after that, Dr. Potter showed up to check on me and I was dilated to about a 6 and she broke my water. It was really blissful just laying back and letting my body do its job. With Bella, I had a hard time progressing due to her position and my body's reaction to the pain. Neither of these factors were an issue this time. After a while, my nurse sat my bed almost straight up so that Jude would put more pressure on my cervix and move further into the birth canal. Well, around 12:30 or so, Dr. Potter came back to check on my after the nurse did and they both said it was time to start pushing. I was kind of shocked it happened so fast. I had felt the contractions in the top of my belly because the epidural was only numbing below my belly button while I sat straight up. I just didn't imagine that they were doing that much work!
Pushing was funny. I figured I wasn't doing a very good job because I was so terrible at it when I had Bella. It's true, I am not naturally good at pushing. I would put pressure in other places than where I was supposed to. Like my first couple of pushes had everyone laughing at me and the doctor and nurse told me to stop pushing in my cheeks. I looked like a blow fish, I'm guessing. After about 30 minutes of pushing, however, I finally mustered up enough of the right power in the right spot to push Jude out. He just had to get past a protruding tailbone :). I think the first thing that anyone said was about how large he was. Steve cut his cord and I got to hold him on my stomach for a moment, then they went to clean him up on the warmer next to us. Finally, the pediatric nurse weighed him. 8lbs and 15 oz. Even my doctor was shocked. We thought he was going to be big, but not THAT big! Either way, I'm very glad we decided it was time for him to come out. I am glad that it turned out to be so easy. I am one very lucky mama!
Since then, it's felt like the same old routine. I think we had a second child so quickly that it has been easy to slip into the newborn routine. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm excited to get the first two months out of the way and start seeing him become active (and hopefully wanting to sleep through the night!). But until then, I'm going to enjoy all the worrying, excitement, and joy that comes with having a new baby!
Well, that wasn't an issue for me. By 35 weeks, I was past all of the prelabor work. All that had to happen was a few real contractions and I would be in active labor. So, at 36 weeks, Dr. Potter and I decided that if I made it to 38 weeks we would induce. Jude was looking rather large and he measured around 2-4 weeks ahead at each sonogram after 20 weeks. As for me, I was almost always measuring 3 weeks ahead in the last 3 months. I was pretty big! Although ultrasounds can be very inaccurate and your uterus measuring large doesn't automatically imply that you're carrying a large child, its worth considering your options. Boy, am I glad we did!
On January 20th, we arrived at the hospital at around 6:30 in the morning. Steve's parents picked Bella up to watch her for the day and then Steve went to grab some breakfast. I sat in our room watching TV while the nurses came in and out of the room helping to set up my IV and take my stats. The nurse who started to place my IV was very sweet. She failed twice to get a vein to take. After the second IV attempt, she said it was someone elses turn to torture me. I felt bad that she felt so bad for not getting the IV in. The second nurse finally found a spot that worked and, by 7:30, my delivery nurse (the 3rd nurse to help me out) started my pitocin. The first nurse who attempted to place an IV told me to ask for my epidural whenever I started to feel some strong contractions, even if there wasn't much pain. You better believe I listened to that!
The anesthesiologist showed up sometime around 9 and it took him maybe 2 minutes to place my epidural. That was the part I was most concerned about, and while it wasn't free of discomfort, it was a whole lot easier than I ever anticipated. Shortly after that, Dr. Potter showed up to check on me and I was dilated to about a 6 and she broke my water. It was really blissful just laying back and letting my body do its job. With Bella, I had a hard time progressing due to her position and my body's reaction to the pain. Neither of these factors were an issue this time. After a while, my nurse sat my bed almost straight up so that Jude would put more pressure on my cervix and move further into the birth canal. Well, around 12:30 or so, Dr. Potter came back to check on my after the nurse did and they both said it was time to start pushing. I was kind of shocked it happened so fast. I had felt the contractions in the top of my belly because the epidural was only numbing below my belly button while I sat straight up. I just didn't imagine that they were doing that much work!
Pushing was funny. I figured I wasn't doing a very good job because I was so terrible at it when I had Bella. It's true, I am not naturally good at pushing. I would put pressure in other places than where I was supposed to. Like my first couple of pushes had everyone laughing at me and the doctor and nurse told me to stop pushing in my cheeks. I looked like a blow fish, I'm guessing. After about 30 minutes of pushing, however, I finally mustered up enough of the right power in the right spot to push Jude out. He just had to get past a protruding tailbone :). I think the first thing that anyone said was about how large he was. Steve cut his cord and I got to hold him on my stomach for a moment, then they went to clean him up on the warmer next to us. Finally, the pediatric nurse weighed him. 8lbs and 15 oz. Even my doctor was shocked. We thought he was going to be big, but not THAT big! Either way, I'm very glad we decided it was time for him to come out. I am glad that it turned out to be so easy. I am one very lucky mama!
Since then, it's felt like the same old routine. I think we had a second child so quickly that it has been easy to slip into the newborn routine. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm excited to get the first two months out of the way and start seeing him become active (and hopefully wanting to sleep through the night!). But until then, I'm going to enjoy all the worrying, excitement, and joy that comes with having a new baby!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
When are you TOO paranoid?
When pregnant with Bella, I had tons of moments where I'd worry she wasn't moving enough. I'd go lay down or sit down and eat/drink something sweet and she'd start twirling around like usual. Things were SO easy then. I could not believe how incredibly lucky I was to have such an uneventful pregnancy. I even got asked a couple of times if I felt cheated that I didn't have morning sickness or the little aches and pains as I started to get bigger. My answer: HELL NO! So long as that little girl was moving and kicking, that's all the pregnancy experience I needed to have.
This time around, I got to have the experience. I am, again, extremely grateful that there hasn't been any problems with this second pregnancy. But, instead of things being a walk in the park, I've been able to find out what it feels like to be nauseous all the time, feel like your hips are about to fall off, and the pain of a sweet little someone planting his foot into my ribs. All the normal pregnancy complaints! However, my paranoia about things like fetal movement and signs of labor have not gone away. If anything, they've intensified.
First time around, I went into labor on my own less than a week after finding out that I'd already started dilate and prepare for labor. This was shortly after I started to feel Braxton Hicks contractions (none of which were painful, or even that uncomfortable). The moment I had any kind of fluid issues, I freaked out thinking my water had broke. No such luck. But less than 24 hours later, I went into labor 2 weeks early.
This time, I've visited the hospital a total of 3 times. The first I was sent by my nurse practitioner because of the decent amount of contractions I'd been having and the fact that I had begun to dilate (almost half way). I knew I wasn't in labor, but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to be a complete basket case about when labor would start. She put me on red alert. I may not have been in labor yet, but it really was at the point that it could happen at anytime. I've been like this for 3 weeks now. I've also been to the hospital a second time for painful contractions (that went away thankfully) and then decreased fetal movement with a possible water breakage (he started beating my up shortly after I was hooked up to a monitor).
The closer the induction date gets, the more paranoid I become. I am literally driving myself crazy with worry. I feel absolutely silly being so worked up over something I have no control over. I have a pretty good idea of what labor feels like, so there's no need to jump to conclusions over things that I know aren't labor. I have made it to the home stretch, there's no need to flip out now! Advice to those of my friends who have control issues: enjoy your pregnancy (whether you be pregnant now or will be in the future) and trust your body. You'll know if something is truly wrong. Stressing out over the little things is just going to drive you bonkers!
Thursday is going to be here soon enough :).
This time around, I got to have the experience. I am, again, extremely grateful that there hasn't been any problems with this second pregnancy. But, instead of things being a walk in the park, I've been able to find out what it feels like to be nauseous all the time, feel like your hips are about to fall off, and the pain of a sweet little someone planting his foot into my ribs. All the normal pregnancy complaints! However, my paranoia about things like fetal movement and signs of labor have not gone away. If anything, they've intensified.
First time around, I went into labor on my own less than a week after finding out that I'd already started dilate and prepare for labor. This was shortly after I started to feel Braxton Hicks contractions (none of which were painful, or even that uncomfortable). The moment I had any kind of fluid issues, I freaked out thinking my water had broke. No such luck. But less than 24 hours later, I went into labor 2 weeks early.
This time, I've visited the hospital a total of 3 times. The first I was sent by my nurse practitioner because of the decent amount of contractions I'd been having and the fact that I had begun to dilate (almost half way). I knew I wasn't in labor, but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to be a complete basket case about when labor would start. She put me on red alert. I may not have been in labor yet, but it really was at the point that it could happen at anytime. I've been like this for 3 weeks now. I've also been to the hospital a second time for painful contractions (that went away thankfully) and then decreased fetal movement with a possible water breakage (he started beating my up shortly after I was hooked up to a monitor).
The closer the induction date gets, the more paranoid I become. I am literally driving myself crazy with worry. I feel absolutely silly being so worked up over something I have no control over. I have a pretty good idea of what labor feels like, so there's no need to jump to conclusions over things that I know aren't labor. I have made it to the home stretch, there's no need to flip out now! Advice to those of my friends who have control issues: enjoy your pregnancy (whether you be pregnant now or will be in the future) and trust your body. You'll know if something is truly wrong. Stressing out over the little things is just going to drive you bonkers!
Thursday is going to be here soon enough :).
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Waiting
I really have little motivation to update either of my blogs at this point. I now chase after my toddler most of the time so I don't always find the time to sit at the computer long enough to put something together. The great thing, though, is that I can update this blog in a shorter amount of time than my name blog. That takes a little more effort.
My update today is all about waiting. It's hard to say that you're miserable when you're waiting for a baby to show up. No matter how awful you feel, you're getting something pretty amazing out of it. But, the waiting game is crappy. Some days go by just fine, but many of them seem to drag on forever! I wake up every morning (ya know, when I decide that I'll just stay up after going to the bathroom for the 7th or 8th time) and I find myself able to say "Nope. Today isn't the day." I know that you can go into labor at anytime of day, but I still just don't see myself going into labor in the middle of the day.
The upside is that my wait has been cut down by 2 weeks. At 38 weeks and 1 day, I will be induced. This is assuming that I haven't already had Jude by then. My body has done a lot of the pre-work when it comes to labor. I really just have to start having some true contractions and we're off to the races. However, as some of you know, I can sit here at 4 cm dilated and 50%+ effaced for a few weeks and not go into labor. That is what has made this wait so unbearable. The fact that I can go into labor at any minute and already be half way there. It just makes it feel like labor should have happened by now. So, having an actual labor date has made me quite a bit less anxious.
Whether I will make it another 9 days or not is a big question mark, but at least I know that's all the more I'll have to wait.
My update today is all about waiting. It's hard to say that you're miserable when you're waiting for a baby to show up. No matter how awful you feel, you're getting something pretty amazing out of it. But, the waiting game is crappy. Some days go by just fine, but many of them seem to drag on forever! I wake up every morning (ya know, when I decide that I'll just stay up after going to the bathroom for the 7th or 8th time) and I find myself able to say "Nope. Today isn't the day." I know that you can go into labor at anytime of day, but I still just don't see myself going into labor in the middle of the day.
The upside is that my wait has been cut down by 2 weeks. At 38 weeks and 1 day, I will be induced. This is assuming that I haven't already had Jude by then. My body has done a lot of the pre-work when it comes to labor. I really just have to start having some true contractions and we're off to the races. However, as some of you know, I can sit here at 4 cm dilated and 50%+ effaced for a few weeks and not go into labor. That is what has made this wait so unbearable. The fact that I can go into labor at any minute and already be half way there. It just makes it feel like labor should have happened by now. So, having an actual labor date has made me quite a bit less anxious.
Whether I will make it another 9 days or not is a big question mark, but at least I know that's all the more I'll have to wait.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Ouy
Ouy. That's the only word that can describe how I feel at this point. I'm torn over everything going on with this kid. I want to go ahead and just go into labor but I know that he will still be considered preterm for another week and a half. I can't stop stressing about when I will go into labor but I want to just relax about it and not worry. It's going to happen when it's going to happen. There is nothing I can do to speed it up or prevent it. If that means that I'm gonna have a couple more weeks of sleepless nights, then so be it.
I think I can at least rest easy knowing that I can't get too much more uncomfortable. I have contractions whenever my body feels like it, in no particular pattern. Apparently, the nurse in labor and delivery thinks my contraction pattern looks like I have an irritable uterus....exciting. Sleep is just about impossible to come by because my legs get sore if I lay on them too long (I do lots of flipping sides). And chasing Bella around. Ugh. I get to cope with a little bit of everything now that I'm so close to going into labor.
How do I know I'm so close to going into labor? Go look at a list of early labor signs and I pretty much fit the bill. I'm not going to go into detail because it's really, really gross :). Although, no matter how many aches and pains I have, the worst part is the waiting. I can't lie. It's damn near unbearable. So, the plan is to take this a day at a time and try to find as much as possible to occupy my time. Otherwise, I may just go completely insane.
I think I can at least rest easy knowing that I can't get too much more uncomfortable. I have contractions whenever my body feels like it, in no particular pattern. Apparently, the nurse in labor and delivery thinks my contraction pattern looks like I have an irritable uterus....exciting. Sleep is just about impossible to come by because my legs get sore if I lay on them too long (I do lots of flipping sides). And chasing Bella around. Ugh. I get to cope with a little bit of everything now that I'm so close to going into labor.
How do I know I'm so close to going into labor? Go look at a list of early labor signs and I pretty much fit the bill. I'm not going to go into detail because it's really, really gross :). Although, no matter how many aches and pains I have, the worst part is the waiting. I can't lie. It's damn near unbearable. So, the plan is to take this a day at a time and try to find as much as possible to occupy my time. Otherwise, I may just go completely insane.
