Friday Funk – 39 weeks (just a few days late)

So as you’ll remember, we’re out of comparison shots since Della was born at 38w6d. But here is what I looked like 2 Saturdays ago anyway, at exactly 39w pregnant with Dv2.0:

Then 2 Sundays ago, at 39w1d pregnant, this happened:

Welcome Lana Marie Rau!

Born Sunday, October 21, 2012, at 7:24 p.m.

7 lbs. 7 oz., 19.5″ long

100% perfect

We are absolutely thrilled to have another little girl, and this past week adjusting to a family of 4 has been great. Unfortunately Ryan had to go back to work today, but thankfully my mom is up for the week to help me adjust and catch up on sleep before I tackle 2 by myself. Della is an amazing big sister. She loves to give Lana (pronounced Lah-nuh) pets on the head (with all that hair!), pats on the back to help burp, and point out all her tiny little parts like ears, nose, fingers, and toes. Thank you, little Lana, for adding to our family. We love you so much!

Things may be quiet around the blog for a bit as I adjust to being a mama of 2, but don’t worry, I’ll pop back in when I can. After all, I know you’re now dying to see pictures of who Dv2.0 turned out to be. 😉

 

Friday Funk – 38 weeks

Little late this morning. Did you think I was in labor? 😉

no, my arm isn’t broken. that was our attempt at a homemade wrist splint for this stupid carpal tunnel syndrome. i have since gotten a regular one at the store.

  • How far along?  38 weeks, 6 days
  • Total weight gain:  35.5 lbs. as of Wednesday morning. Um, up 4 lbs. since last week? So much for matching my weight gain of 33 lbs. with D. I just blew right by that one for some reason.
  • Maternity clothes?  Bottoms – definitely, now with the exception of some yoga and cooler weather pj pants (much to my surprise!). Tops – some, but I find I can still wear most of my regular shirts too, which is nice. And dresses and skirts are quite comfortable but are making less frequent appearances as the weather cools off.
  • Stretch marks?  Thankfully, no. I didn’t get any from D, so hopefully Dv2.0 doesn’t give me any either.
  • Sleep:  Terrible, plain and simple. I’ve now gotten to the point where I dread bedtime because I know it’s just not going to happen. Rolling over is a huge process, and I’m always sore all over when I wake up. Getting up to pee is still a nightly thing, and it has now progressed to multiple times a night. Add to all that the wonderful carpal tunnel syndrome that worsens when I lie down, and it’s just one big party at night.
  • Best moment this week:  Definitely our trip to Peoria last weekend – induction into my high school Athletic Hall of Fame, seeing old friends from grade school (yes, we had our 20 year grade school reunion last weekend too!), and spending some great time with family. It was a really nice trip. And we didn’t bring home a newborn, either, whew!
  • Miss anything?  Beer and wine. And a good, solid night’s sleep.
  • Movement:  Yes, since about week 16 I believe. Kicks have become all over – I can feel what I now think are feet kicking under my right ribs while simultaneously getting bumped by probably the head on the lower left/back side. Must be a long kid in there.
  • Cravings:  Nope.
  • Aversions:  Food, no. Smells, not nearly as bad as last time, fortunately. I just get sick of scents quickly and have to get rid of them completely.
  • Gender:  Not finding out.
  • Labor signs:  The Braxton Hicks contractions are starting to get stronger, so I have a feeling we’re getting close here.
  • Symptoms:  The usual suspects – SI pain, heartburn (thank you to my dad for a nighttime remedy though – 1/2 tsp. of baking soda dissolved in 1 c. of water. tastes terrible, but i’ve been able to stave off heartburn at night for the past 2 nights by drinking that concoction), pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome, general aches and pains all over as this kid continues to grow before hatching, and I have noticed a little swelling in my hands this past week. I told my doctor about it since I don’t see any anywhere else, and she said it’s totally normal. I think it’s definitely exacerbating the carpal tunnel, and maybe this water weight/fluid retention has contributed to that big jump in weight gain this week. At least that’s what I’m telling myself, because otherwise I have no idea from where 4 lbs. all of a sudden came.
  • Belly button in or out?  Almost out, but not quite. It’s kind of hooded, if that makes any sense. Gross, I know.
  • Wedding rings on or off?  On most days.
  • Looking forward to:  Well hmm. I guess finding out when this kid’s going to decide to make his/her appearance. I originally thought today would be the day, but I don’t think that’s going to pan out. I’ve had a couple people suggest Tuesday of next week, which is actually when I have my next doctor’s appointment scheduled, so we’ll see about that. If I don’t deliver by next Saturday, the 27th, which is my due date, I do have Halloween scheduled for an induction date. But honestly, I don’t feel quite ready to meet him/her yet (yeah, when are you ever fully ready, i know). So as much as I’m looking forward to dumping these painful symptoms, I kind of want the baby to stay in just a little longer. I think sometime next week would be ok. Then Ryan can finish painting the front closet too, ha!

Now here is our final comparison shot. I delivered D 6 days after this picture was taken, so we’ll see how many days after Dv2.0’s picture I deliver that one. Left side is me at 38w with D; right side is me at 38w1d with Dv2.0.

I may or may not have a weekly post for you next Friday, so I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed what might be our last pregnancy update chat. Wow, that sounds so weird to say!

 

 

 

Friday Funk – 37 weeks

Tomorrow is exactly 2 weeks before my due date. Zoinks!!

i’m laughing at D in these pics, who was trying her hardest to photo bomb me. you’ll see in a minute…

  • How far along?  37 weeks, 6 days
  • Total weight gain:  31.5 lbs. as of Wednesday morning. Up exactly 1 lb. since last week.
  • Maternity clothes?  Bottoms – definitely, now with the exception of some yoga and cooler weather pj pants (much to my surprise!). Tops – some, but I find I can still wear most of my regular shirts too, which is nice. And dresses and skirts are quite comfortable but are making less frequent appearances as the weather cools off.
  • Stretch marks?  Thankfully, no. I didn’t get any from D, so hopefully Dv2.0 doesn’t give me any either.
  • Sleep:  Terrible, plain and simple. I’ve now gotten to the point where I dread bedtime because I know it’s just not going to happen. Rolling over is a huge process, and I’m always sore all over when I wake up. Getting up to pee is still a nightly thing, and it has now progressed to multiple times a night. But mainly it’s because of the stupid carpal tunnel syndrome I’ve developed this past month. Not a night goes by now where I don’t wake up to the stabbing pain.
  • Best moment this week:  As dumb as it sounds, I might have to say getting the entire house cleaned, including mopping all the floors. I just want it all done before Dv2.0 arrives, and knowing that it’s at least finished for this week before we head out of town for the weekend is a good feeling. Also, hearing that there has been little progression in the dilation department at my doctor’s appointment on Wednesday – another good sign for traveling this weekend.
  • Miss anything?  Beer and wine. And a good, solid night’s sleep.
  • Movement:  Yes, since about week 16 I believe. Kicks have become all over – I can feel what I now think are feet kicking under my right ribs while simultaneously getting bumped by probably the head on the lower left/back side. Must be a long kid in there.
  • Cravings:  In general, no, but when I get really hungry I want protein – meat, cheese, etc.
  • Aversions:  Food, no. Smells, not nearly as bad as last time, fortunately. I just get sick of scents quickly and have to get rid of them completely.
  • Gender:  Not finding out.
  • Labor signs:  No. Wait, are Braxton Hicks contractions considered a labor sign? If so, then yes, I’ve started having those (see below).
  • Symptoms:  Daily heartburn (yes, it switched to daily from nightly. awesome. and sometimes i can feel it come on as soon as i take a bite of something. hooray), SI pain (which, thankfully, has eased up on me a little these past few weeks), my hair isn’t shedding much when I wash/brush it, and I have some serious pregnancy brain. The Braxton Hicks also arrived in the past couple months. I started feeling my lower abdomen tighten (painlessly) every once in a while, and my doctor confirmed those are the BH again. Oh and let’s not forget the newest jerk to join the party – carpal tunnel syndrome. As much as I want this kid to stay in there a little while longer, I can’t WAIT for this particular pain to go away.
  • Belly button in or out?  Almost out, but not quite. Never went fully out with D, just a little crooked.
  • Wedding rings on or off?  On.
  • Looking forward to:  Making it down to Peoria and back this weekend without giving birth (hopefully!!!). It will be great to see family and some old grade school friends, and to eat Monical’s pizza and Avanti’s sandwiches. But just in case, the infant seat is installed in the car, the hospital bag is packed and in with our stuff for the weekend, and I even got my prenatal records and labs printed out from my doctor this week when I was in, just in case. I figured if I didn’t have any of that stuff with us when we go, I was sure to go into labor somewhere other than at home. Wish me luck!! (side note – i noticed on my chart for this week that my fundal height is only 36, which would put me measuring a week behind. might i get some extra time before baby comes??)

Now even I’m kind of baffled by this week’s comparison. I think I look much bigger in my shot from D than my shot from this one. Left is me 37w1d pregnant with D; right is me 37w exactly with Dv2.0. Maybe it’s just the angle or something. I think I look smaller overall now than with D, too – face, butt, arms (even though you can’t see them under my sweatshirt).

And just because she’s cute and was trying to wear my glasses upside down, here’s D in full photo bomb mode. And a different angle for your viewing enjoyment.

 

 

 

Ramblings of a pregnant girl

Because that’s pretty much how my mind’s working these days, and yes, I still call/think of myself as a girl, even at age 33. Moving on…

So I REALLY can’t believe that Della won’t be my only child in what could be a matter of days. Yes, this pregnancy was planned and not a surprise, but I guess it never dawned on me how much I was going to miss having just her little self running around. I just hope I can be a good mom to both of them when Dv2.0 gets here. I know a newborn needs a lot of time and attention, but there’s no way I’m going to ignore anything about D. I just hope I can handle it.

This time being home with her and not working has been so much more enjoyable than I expected, I can barely stand it. I absolutely love being everything for her all day, even though I’m sure there’s stuff she’s missing out on that they’d be doing at daycare. No, we haven’t done nearly as many art projects as I would have liked or arranged as many play dates or explored more books at the library, but I think she’s still learning and progressing as she should be. She says more and more words each day, she’s excited to see us when she wakes up every morning, she really has had zero major meltdowns, and she’s just so happy. That’s most important and a good sign, right?

It honestly gives me anxiety now when I have to think about going back to work at some point next year. I have been able to do some editing/proofreading work since my job ended this summer which definitely helps to tack onto my severance bundle, and it’s something I would love to continue year-round as a work-at-home gig. Whether or not I could actually build up enough of it to really count as even a part-time second income is the wrench in the plan. I bet I could, but I think I would need 1-2 days of daycare each week back to get big chunks of work done. Especially with 2 kids at home, I’m not sure how well it would work trying to get multiple hours of editing in each day and juggle their demands at the same time.

Speaking of 2 kids, where are the Cliffs notes for how to do that? Before I knew I would be jobless when Dv2.0 came, it was easy – D would be in daycare during the days still, so I could focus all attention on the baby for a couple months. Then when I went back to work they’d both be going to the same place. Simple as pie. Now, I have no idea how I’m going to survive after that first week when I’m home alone with both. D is such a great kid I really don’t think she’ll have a total attitude reversal and turn into a pint-sized terror, but who knows. I just hope the baby is as great and calm as she was. If we get a colicky kid on our hands this time, I may not be so composed as I was with D as a newborn.

I hope D adjusts well to Ryan doing more stuff with/for her when the baby comes, stuff that I mainly do now, simply because I’m here all day with her. Like right now she doesn’t want him to read her bedtime stories anymore, just me. Which is weird, since she’s always loved having both of us do it. I think it may have something to do with the fact that she now likes to pull up my shirt and put her head on my belly when we rock before she goes to sleep so she can be with the baby, but I could be totally wrong. It is super cute, though, how she does that. She always says, “me baby” and just rests her head down there with her arms at my sides. I about die. I hope it’s a good sign that she’ll actually be excited to see and know the baby when he/she arrives instead of feeling any sort of jealousy or resentment.

Like I mentioned in my weekly pregnancy post on Friday, I am now done with my pre-baby to-do list, and that elates me. I have really been worried that we’re just going to be totally unprepared when this kid comes for some reason, but having all the stuff crossed off that bad boy eases my worries a lot. The crib is clean and set up and D’s in her big bed well; the car seat is washed and ready to be installed; we have a bassinet again; the newborn clothes are washed and put away; the newborn diapers are stocked; etc., etc. Now I’m just willing that kid to stay put for a couple more weeks, and we’ll be golden. I just need to remember to keep cherishing these days with just D while I can.

I’m planning to make a couple batches of meals to freeze this week, just another thing to get ready for a house with a newborn again. Lasagna, spaghetti bake, another chicken casserole-type dish. You know, some staples. This is definitely not something I even thought about when D was born, but I figured that since I’m home and should have the time, it’s something I should do, right? How did I get all this stuff accomplished when I was pregnant with D and working full-time? I guess it was a little easier back then because there wasn’t already another kid in the house, but this time should be easier too since we already have all the baby essentials from her.

Hmm… (it’s funny because D now imitates me saying “hmm” all the time, complete with her little finger tapping on her pursed lips) I guess that’s about it for now. The new-baby nerves are in full effect, so it feels good to just get some of this random stuff out of my head. I think the thing making me most nervous this time around is the logistics of it all – when will labor start, what will we do with D if it happens suddenly in the middle of the night (since my water didn’t break last time i don’t know what will happen if it does this time), will she be ok with me having to stay in the hospital a couple nights while she goes home with Daddy, will my mom be able to get up here in time to watch D while we go to the hospital if things do progress during the day again? See, stuff like that. But I know it’ll all work out in the end and we’ll end up a new family of 4.

Wow.

 

Well this is no fun

So you know how I mentioned that I’ve developed carpal tunnel syndrome in my right arm these past couple weeks? Yeah, it can kiss my @$*!

Last night it got so bad I finally had to get out of bed at 4am and move onto one of the recliner ends of the couch in the living room. I thought a little elevation in my upper body would help the fluid stop pooling in my wrist/arm/hand. Ha! Apparently that was far too logical a thought to have for this body.

It was a little better for a few minutes, then the pain just started right up again. It was like someone was twisting a knife in the middle of my hand, with the stabbing pain shooting into my fingers and up to my elbow. So that was fun.

Finally, sometime shortly before I needed to get up this morning to take Ryan to work, I put the recliner all the way up so I was in a full sitting position with my legs out, arm still resting on pillows next to me, and that seemed to do the trick. Unfortunately I ended up getting about 3 seconds of sleep in those last 2+ hours of the night.

You’re really preparing me for those middle of the night feedings, aren’t you, kid?

Don’t get me wrong – I have thoroughly enjoyed this pregnancy again and really, REALLY want this baby to stay in there for at least another week (2 would be the best, 10 days would be better, but i’ll settle for a week so we’re back from peoria), but man oh man. This arm thing is miserable.

So if you see me walking around looking like a newborn-mother-zombie already, blame my arm. Or if you see me walking around looking totally well-rested but minus my right hand and forearm, you’ll know I finally had to take some drastic measures to get these last few precious weeks of sleep.

 

Friday Funk – 36 weeks

Tomorrow is full term, and we all know what that means, right? This baby could now come AT ANY TIME! Oh dear lord.

  • How far along?  36 weeks, 6 days
  • Total weight gain:  30.5 lbs. as of yesterday morning. I think I may end up spot on the same 33 lb. weight gain I had with D after all.
  • Maternity clothes?  Bottoms – definitely, now with the exception of some yoga and cooler weather pj pants (much to my surprise!). Tops – some, but I find I can still wear most of my regular shirts too, which is nice. And dresses and skirts are quite comfortable but are making less frequent appearances as the weather cools off.
  • Stretch marks?  Thankfully, no. I didn’t get any from D, so hopefully Dv2.0 doesn’t give me any either.
  • Sleep:  Downright shitty. Rolling over is a huge process, and I’m always just sore all over when I wake up. Getting up to pee is still a nightly thing, and it has now progressed to multiple times a night. Remember that arm pain I mentioned last week too? Well it’s still there, and I finally figured out what it is. See below in my symptoms…
  • Best moment this week:  Spending last weekend down at my mom’s house with D was definitely wonderful. It was fun, relaxing, and filled with delicious food. It’s so hard for me to believe, though, that it was the last time D will be there as the only grandchild. Crazy. And another high point of this week was…are you ready for this? My pre-baby checklist is DONE!!! You have no idea how good it feels to look at that thing and see all 20 items crossed off. However, Dv2.0 (yes, i’m talking to you in there, oh ye who keeps nailing me in the ribs), that does NOT give you permission to come out now! I respectfully request (or order you as your mother, whichever you prefer) that you stay put until at least October 15. Anytime after October 20 would be much more ideal, but I’ll settle for anytime after the 15th as well.
  • Miss anything?  Beer and wine. And a good, solid night’s sleep.
  • Movement:  Yes, since about week 16 I believe. Kicks have become all over – I can feel what I now think are feet kicking under my right ribs while simultaneously getting bumped by probably the head on the lower left/back side. Must be a long kid in there.
  • Cravings:  In general, no, but when I get really hungry I want protein – meat, cheese, etc.
  • Aversions:  Food, no. Smells, not nearly as bad as last time, fortunately. I just get sick of scents quickly and have to get rid of them completely.
  • Gender:  Not finding out.
  • Labor signs:  No. Wait, are Braxton Hicks contractions considered a labor sign? If so, then yes, I’ve started having those (see below).
  • Symptoms:  Daily heartburn (yes, it switched to daily from nightly. awesome. and sometimes i can feel it come on as soon as i take a bite of something. hooray), SI pain (which, thankfully, has eased up on me a little these past few weeks), my hair isn’t shedding much when I wash/brush it, and I have some serious pregnancy brain. My stomach muscles have stopped tweaking as much, though, when I try to use my abs, so I’m just assuming that means they’ve gotten totally worn out. And the Braxton Hicks have arrived. I started feeling my lower abdomen tighten (painlessly) every once in a while within the past month or two, and my doctor confirmed those are the BH again. Let’s not forget the butt cheek cramps, either. They still come and go as they please. As for that weird arm thing I mentioned above, it’s pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome. Ta-da! And it’s worse at night because all of the water and fluid I’m retaining right now is able to spread out when I lie down, putting pressure on that nerve in there. I read, too, that whichever nerve it is that runs through the carpal tunnel affects your thumb, index, middle, and the thumb side of your ring fingers, plus the middle of your hand and up to your elbow in severe cases, and that is exactly what I have. Excellent. Just what I always wanted! To not be able to use my dominant hand when I wake up every day, hooray!! Fortunately it’s supposed to go away shortly after delivery, which it better. I have found that sleeping with my wrist and hand propped up on a pillow does help keep the pain away, but that’s so awkward and it rarely stays put.
  • Belly button in or out?  Definitely starting to bulge on the right side, but still not fully out. Never went fully out with D, just a little crooked, but it’s already farther out than how it went with her. Weird.
  • Wedding rings on or off?  On.
  • Looking forward to:  Well let’s see… This upcoming week is actually pretty busy. This afternoon we’re heading up to Parnell Tower outside Sheboygan to check out the beauty of the changing leaves. Tomorrow I’ll be watching the Badgers play in the afternoon (at home, not in Madison unfortunately). Sunday I’m having lunch with girlfriends, for which I can’t wait! Tuesday I have my last hair cut/color pre-baby, and Wednesday is my next doctor’s appointment. I am PRAYING that there is no further dilation by then, because next weekend is when we’re supposed to be going to Peoria for my high school Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, one PHS event I definitely don’t want to miss. So if you were wondering why I chose October 15 as the mandatory stay-in-there-until date for Dv2.0, that’s why. That is the date a week from Monday, which would put us home from Peoria without a newborn in tow.

And yes, another week of side-by-sides. Left is me 36w1d pregnant with D; right is me 36w2d pregnant with Dv2.0. Let’s start taking bets – what do you guys think, boy or girl this time?