Check Up

...hopefully the last checkup.

No progress from last week.

Here's hoping we don't roll into a 40th week.

39 Weeks

I honestly didn't think we would be waiting still for Sophie to come. I am getting a little impatient but trying to stay positive. I feel like all I do now is sit on the couch and ask other people to do stuff because I'm too tired to get up and just plain lazy. I don't sleep well at all, so I am always needing a nap, which I hardly get because again, I don't sleep well anymore. I guess I am just getting ready for the real sleep deprivation. Hopefully it won't be as bad as I remember it was with Sydney if I am prepared like this. I wake up in hour intervals anyway to switch sides, so hopefully I can handle it and not have to wake up Gabe as much as I did with Sydney.

Everything seems to be ready. We have our bags packed for the hospital and have had them packed for a week now. We have all her clothes and things washed and we got a baby bath tub and a humidifier at the baby shower my friends threw for me last week. Thanks guys!
We got new clothes and toys for Sophie. We bought diapers for her and the portacrib is all set up in our room with fresh sheets, ready for Sophie to sleep in it. We have bottles and pacifiers and everything you can think of, ready for her to use if she needs to. I just wish she would come so I can put all that stuff to good use! And I want to hold her too! I want to see how Sydney reacts when she sees her how she will act that first week of having Sophie home. Sydney loves playing with the baby swing and turning it up to the highest swing setting, which makes me a little nervous. I don't want to leave Sophie in our room with the door closed to keep Sydney away if I need to get things done around the house, but then again, I don't want Sydney playing around with the swing or trying to get into it. Or even trying to climb into the portacrib too. She is becoming quite the climber now days.

Gabe and I were talking about how Sophie might look. I think she will look like Sydney. The 3D ultrasound of her a couple weeks ago gave me the impression that she looks a little bit like Sydney, but you never know with those. She looks soo cute though! I wonder if she will have brown eyes like Sydney and Gabe, or if she will have blue/green eyes like me. How much is she going to weigh? I was already scared about her being huge but I really don't look huge so I am really doubting that she will be a  big baby like the Drs said at the ultrasound checkup a couple weeks ago.

Anyway, I keep praying that she will come today, tomorrow, at least on or before Thursday!!!! Please please please! I want to be home on Christmas Eve and Christmas! But I guess its not about what I want anymore. Maybe I should say that I NEED her to come before then. Then it becomes a need and not a want, eh? ;P

Well, keep crossing your fingers and praying that she comes before Christmas for us would you guys please? I know she will come when its time but, I really would like that time to be now! :P

Still Here

Well, we are still waiting... and waiting and waiting...

I am soo ready to be done that I scheduled an induction for next Tuesday. But after thinking over it for a while, and also asking Gabe what he thought, we decided to just wait.

As much as I would hate to be in the hospital on Christmas, and also have Sophie's birthday be soo close to it, ( I never liked having mine so close to Christmas), we are just going to keep waiting and let her come when she wants to. It would have been nice to be done and have Sophie here by early next week, but we decided that being induced would really be just a convenience rather than a necessity. (If this rolls anywhere near 40 weeks though, I am scheduling an induction!)

Needless to say, I am going to try and walk a ton this weekend to induce labor. Crossing my fingers she comes early next week. Gabe has the two weeks off and it would just be perfect so he wouldn't have to take any time off after Christmas break, and also my parents and sisters will be spending the next week at a friends house to give us a little more room, while our friends are out of town. AND I already bought my "Christmas Pajamas" in a post pregnancy size, because I am expecting to have this baby BEFORE Christmas.

Anyone have any ideas they have tried that has actually worked to bring on labor?? I am desperate here.

Full Term

So I am officially full term now! woohoo! 37 weeks is considered full term and boy am I glad I am past that last hump in the pregnancy. Now its a waiting game and I am getting really impatient.

37 1/2 weeks

excuse my morning attire that pretty much lasts all day now...

I am soo ready to be done. And if you are thinking that I don't look full term, well you're right. But I carry really low and that is why I don't look as far along my OB has told me. 

Next Tuesday my friends in the ward are throwing me a small shower for Sophie and I will be 38 weeks that day. Crossing my fingers that Sophie comes either right after the shower or at the latest, next Friday after Gabe gets home from work.

Cross your fingers too, would you??

Never Again!

I took Sydney with me to my 36 week checkup today and it was a huge mistake. First off, I should have known that she wouldn't want to play with any of her own toys when we went to the OB office because she would be too preoccupied with touching things she shouldn't. So I didn't need to bring her heavy diaper bag full of books and toys.

I should have known that she would want to be held and not walk to the door of the office. Instead I had to carry her AND her heavy diaper bag, as well as my purse all the way from the back of the parking lot, because I never find a parking spot closer than 100 yds from the entrance to the building.

I should have known that being soo close to my due date that they would start to check for labor progress. So Sydney wasn't be able to sit on my lap the whole time and I couldn't control her every move. I thought it was going to be a regular "10 minutes at most" checkup where they just check the heartbeat and you're done.

So, I get Sydney out of the car and she doesn't want to hold my hand and walk all the way across the parking lot to the office building where my OB's office is. No, she drops to the ground crying and wants me to carry her. So here I am 36 weeks pregnant, carrying this 30lbs little girl, and my purse, and her, what feels like 60lb heavy diaper bag. Talk about a pain in the butt. Literally. My sciatic nerve was pulsating.

We make it into the building and I set Sydney down and luckily she walks with me hand in hand to the elevator and into the office suite. I sign in and thank goodness it was a new place for her because she gets all shy at first, so I had time to sign in and get ourselves seated without her running off to explore.

They bring us back very quickly, which I was so grateful for. Take my BP, which is always in a good range, rather low, and then the nurse tells me that the Dr is going to check everything and see if I had progressed since Friday. I should have known. So sorry if this is TMI, but there you are sitting with a paper sheet over you and nothing else on the bottom, trying to make sure Sydney doesn't get into anything while in the room. That was tough, while trying to stay modest enough too with one hand holding up that thin paper sheet and the other stopping Sydney from grabbing things out of drawers and what not. Then she starts tugging on the paper sheet I'm "wearing" because she doesn't like it, then she starts opening the trash can and trying to touch all the instruments on the tray. Then the Dr comes in and offers Sydney a cookie. THANK YOU! oh my goodness. Then, when we are all done and leave the room, she doesn't want to walk anymore so I have to hold her again while I check out at the front desk.
We run to the rest room because when you go to the OB office everyone leaves a urine sample and so while we are in the restroom, she starts for the table where other peoples samples are still sitting, pointing and saying "Juice?" and I lunge for her saying, "OOOOOh NO! thats NOT juice!" I don't know what I would have done if she had actually touched anything. YUCK! But I washed her hands twice and put hand sanitizer on them anyway. And finally we were able to leave. I was soooo tired and so over having to carry her. She will normally hold my hand and walk with me, which had been such a great help since carrying her after a couple minutes really gets to my back and what there is left of any ab muscles I have.

All in all, I should have known. I laugh about it now, but never again will I be bringing kids along to my appointments.

I think I deserve a good looong foot message!

An Eventful Thanksgiving Break

Gabe had the whole week off from work this past week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. He did several hours here and there throughout the break at some of the nursing homes around the area, but mainly took the time to relax with Sydney and I. We sure had fun having daddy home and I got some rest that I needed in the beginning of the week.
Tuesday we ran by Costco to pick up a turkey but they were fresh out of organic turkeys so we had to get one at Trader Joe's, which as just fine with us. We grabbed a couple more things that we needed for our Thanksgiving feast and headed home. Wednesday we relaxed and took it easy after I made a delicious Lemon Cheesecake and Lemon Whipped Cream, knowing that Thursday we were going to be busy busy busy preparing for the big dinner we were having with friends and Grandma here at our home. We were soo excited about our first Thanksgiving at our own place, and cooking it ourselves. I got all the veggies chopped up and ready in the morning and then around 12 the cooking began. We grabbed the turkey and started stuffing butter and parsley and thyme in between the skin and massaging it with salt and pepper and it was impressive looking before it was cooked! at 1:30, we popped it in the oven for 3:45-4 hours and started making all the other yummy stuff! I made stuffing from scratch, which turned out fabulous, and gravy from scratch with the yummy turkey juices after the turkey was done. Everything was delicious and soo yummy. Our friend Emily and Dan Rocks came over with their daughter Bella, and they brought the cranberry sauces and rolls and mashed potatoes! Thanks guys! And Grandma Keddington came over and brought the Martinelli's, green beans and fruit.
I had a pumpkin pie out in the fridge already; thanks to dad for leaving that before going to Shelley's house.

Everything was soooo good. I couldn't believe how easy it was to make gravy and the stuffing recipe we used was amazing!! I couldn't get enough of the rolls Emily made, they were sooo good!

I guess I should have known better but after all that standing up and cooking, I should have sat down for a good long while, but I decided to start on some dishes before dessert so we wouldn't have a ton to do later.

Friday we went for a walk in the morning to the Clayton Community Park, which is now a favorite park of ours. But that night around 8:30 I started having contractions that would not go away no matter what I did. I drank water, I took a shower, I was lying down and switching sides. Nothing worked. So after two ours and having contractions 3 minutes apart for most of the time, I called my OB office and was told to head on over to Labor and Delivery. I was 35 1/2 weeks at this point. (Remember I said in a previous post that Sophie was already measuring well in the 74% at our last ultrasound. I guess she wanted to come early.)

We woke up Sydney and we were out the door by 11pm.
I was monitored and given several shots to stop the contractions, found out I had a UTI so they started me on antibiotics, and gave me a prescription to keep the contractions from getting stronger. The only problem is no prescription can really stop true labor contractions, so they send us home at 3am saying that I should come back if I have more than 6 contractions in an hour and to take the meds as directed.

They contractions never stopped but they weren't getting painful, but Sunday rolled around and I was sitting there in RS counting when I had 9 contractions in half an hour. I called the OB office again and got the Dr on call and he said I could go to Labor and Delivery again if I wanted the peace of mind, but if the contractions aren't getting stronger or painful then I could stay home. So I decided to wait it out and just go home and rest it off.

About 2pm the contractions started getting a little uncomfortable and so we headed over to the hospital after dropping Sydney off at the Perona's house. A BIG HUGE thanks to them! Linette runs a preschool and is one of the nicest people in the world. Brother Perona, Cliff took Sydney off Gabe's hands right when we got there and Sydney calmed down after seeing their son Devan, because apperently he looks like Gabe and so she was calling him daddy while she was there.
We got to the hospital and they monitored me again for a little while and the contractions were again 3-4 minutes apart, getting stronger but not painful, just achy. About 4 pm the Dr came and checked up on me, and said that since I was soo close to my due date that they wouldn't stop the contractions from here on out. I will be 36 weeks tomorrow and after 36 weeks, if you are having labor contractions, they typically won't stop the labor if the baby is a good size and is tolerating it well, which Sophie was. So I am already at a 1cm and Sophie is already at 0 station. (crossing my fingers for another quick delivery like Sydney because Sophie is soo low.) The Dr told me to stop taking the med that would stop contractions and just let Sophie come when she wants to from here on out. I was thrilled because that med, Nifedipine, was giving me horrible headaches.
We went and picked up Sydney at about 5 and she didn't want to leave the Perona's house she was having sooooo much fun! haha, thats the first time I haven't seen Sydney run up to one of us starting to cry after seeing us when being gone for a little while. She ran right back into their living room and started playing with the toys again. Gabe had to grab her and take her outside crying and kicking when we left. Haha

So here we are, just at 36 weeks and we have been giving the "go ahead" to have this baby whenever she wants to come. Who knows, she could come this week or take another 3 weeks. We don't know, but its nice to know that we are in the clear and I don't have to worry about having her prematurely anymore.

I am secretly hoping she comes at the end of this week because I am soo ready to have my baby here and my body back to myself! Not to mention, be able to sleep on my back! Oh how heavenly that sounds.

Ultrasound

I am just about 35 weeks along and I had another ultrasound today. The last one most likely. My OB doctor, like I had mentioned before, thought I was measuring small when I went in for a regular measurement and heartbeat checkup. So she had me go get another ultrasound.

They took a look at Sophie and she is measuring just fine! In the 75% actually. She is measuring almost 2 weeks ahead of schedule at 36 weeks and 4 days and is already 6 lbs 9 oz. 

I am a little worried that if I were to go the whole 40 weeks that we will be having a 9 pound baby. So we are hoping that we have at the most 3 weeks left so that she comes right at the beginning of Christmas Break for Gabe. Would be even better, Gabe says, if she came that friday after he is done with work!

18 Weeks!

I'm 18 weeks and 2 days today and the countdown to when we find out what this one is has begun! 11 days! I can't wait. And here I am. Whenever I get up now in the morning, I think, "wow, I feel fat this morning". But thats just how its gonna be for a while. My friend's mother, Marjean, said this the other day to her daughter in law, Courtney, who is 19 weeks along.

Late in the evening...
Courtney: "I feel fat. Lets all just go to bed."
Marjean, in her lovely always energetic voice, "Oh honey, you'll still be fat in the morning."

Haha. I think of that and somehow I feel better. lol

Baby Keogan #2

I realized I haven't blogged about this pregnancy at all. So here is the big announcement to those who don't know yet!

Baby Keogan #2 due December 27th!

(Profile - 13 week ultrasound)

I am almost 16 weeks along and we find out the gender in a month, August 9th, when I am 20 weeks. We had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and again at almost 13 weeks, the 8 week one being the initial first ultrasound, and the 13 week one to test for down syndrome. We got a video of the ultrasound, and I wanted to post it here, in case anyone wanted to see it, but since our Mac died, I don't have any software to condense the video files and I have no clue where to look for PC software for that kind of job. So, hopefully, soon I'll be able to figure it out and post the video. Right now I can only do video's that are 40 seconds long, otherwise the file is too big and needs to be made smaller. The ultrasound was 12 minutes long. hehe. 

The ultrasound at 13 weeks really amazed me. With Sydney we got the ultrasound at 10 weeks and then again at 20 so it wasn't a surprise to me to see her looking like an actual baby at 20 weeks. But with this baby, it shocked me how much development there is in such a short time. 4 weeks and it had gone from resembling a blob, to looking like a really really small baby. It had all its bones, I could see the spine, we saw the brain, we saw all the organs, it had everything. We couldn't see what the gender is though. It was pretty early to tell still. Gabe really liked seeing the brain. It was pretty awesome.

This pregnancy I think has been quite different from Sydney's. I felt pretty good with Sydney up until 10 or 11 weeks and then I started feeling sick. But that lasted til about 20 weeks and went away. I only got sick really once a day and I was fine.

With this one, I was sick right away. I hit 6 weeks and BAM! It was horrible. I won't go into details. But luckily I am starting to feel a lot better. I can go several days now without being sick and it is reassuring me the worst is over... for now. lol. I know the last month is going to be killer. Right now though, I can't sleep without my hips just killing me in the middle of the night, so I am constantly tossing and turning from side to side. Pillows in between your knees only help so much. I am dying to lie on my stomach, and I have never been a stomach sleeper. I only lay on my back when I can't stand being on my sides anymore, but even then I make sure to only stay that way for a couple minutes. This pregnancy just seems to be a little harder so lots of people have been saying its a boy! I sure hope so, at least so I can distinguish why its been so much harder this time around. Oh, well. I'll be happy with either a boy or girl. I do hope to have a boy sometime.

Right now though, Sydney has been doing well. She has taken to wanting Daddy most of the time, but since I am starting to feel a little better and helping her out more in stead of it always being Gabe, she will let me pick her up now. 

 I am just glad to be feeling better and to have a little more energy back. I actually have started cooking and baking again. Thanks goodness. I really missed our bread. Store bought is nice, but home made, fresh and hot is.. well nothing beats that. 

When's That Next Paycheck!

Not that we are struggling, but we have ordered and purchased so many things lately for the arrival of Sydney, its insane! To name a few: car seat, stroller, crib, changing table, changing table pad and cover, crib mattress, crib sheets, waterproof sheet covers, diaper pail, air filter, humidifier, pump and containers, bottle warmer, bumper for crib, infant bather, car seat protecter for inside the car, (our car has leather seats, so we're not going to ruin those just yet!), onsies, socks, baby carrier, first aid kit for babies, petroleum jelly, A&D cream...

... I love all the wonderful things I got at my shower, including: Such adorable clothes! a basket full of little essentials, diapers for newborns, games and toys, a beautiful painting that my friend did looking out the window at the Temple with a little blanket sitting in the bay of the window, to match the actual blanket she gave me for Sydney! The diaper bag, which I LOVE! It matches the car seat we bought! Baby books, and books for daddy and mommy! (That's me!) and blankets!

I think we are almost set... now if only taking care of her will be as easy as buying things...

p.s. Gabe is putting the crib together right now! He doesn't like it when I watch because, as all of you who know the women in my family, we like to have a say in everything!

Keeping Busy

I'm no longer working and have been staying home for a little over a month now. Its been nice to have time to rest and not be on my feet all day. Although some days I just want to get out of the house for a few hours. But Dr.'s orders are to stay home. I can get up to make a sandwich and take care of business but thats pretty much it. I sometimes will do some dishes and space it out so I'm not on my feet for more than 5 minutes. Amazingly its been tough to work up an appetite when you aren't moving around soo much, which is why Gabe made me some past last night at 10pm. I guess I didn't eat enough during the day. Most days I watch What Not to Wear at noon and then any AMC movie that is not that is not a bomb. Mario Brother's on the Wii (finally made it past World 5 castle. That one was HARD! and palm sweating, plain out

frustrating! :P) and Legend of Zelda. I'm almost done reading Dracula and hope to find another book that is just as good. I'm picky about books. I just feel like a couch potato all day!

Gabe and I did go out to dinner for my birthday on the 31st of Dec. We went to Pasta Primavera and boy was it gooood! I love Fettucini Alfredo with extra broccoli. And the bread there is amazing. Last week we also went to Old Navy for just half an hour. I needed new maternity jeans for 1) the ones I have are getting too tight making it feel like I have a belt on that wasn't made for me 2) the ones I have are like trousers and take away my girlish figure. I want to still look SOMEWHAT like a women even when I'm pregnant. Not that being pregnant makes you look like anything else, but... and 3) It was a chance to get out of the house. And

I found the perfect pair!! They don't sell "Long" lengths in the maternity section there, so I had to find the size that fit and then order it. I love it!

We also bought Sydney's car seat and a stroller that goes with the car seat. You just take the seat out of the car and snap it right into the stroller frame. It came yesterday and I assembled, while still sitting on the couch, in no time. I had read soo many reviews and made sure that we didn't get anything rated less than 4 stars!

We're still looking for a crib. Well, I have been looking everyday, just to see what good deals are out there. Amazon is soo helpful! Once we have the basics I think I can be a little less stressed. 6 weeks until I'm 38 weeks and then I think I'm going to get up and walk around as much as I want!!