39 Weeks

Baby is the Size of an American Shorthair Cat

Bran vs. Baby L 2.0 at 39 Weeks

New for baby this week?  Full grown at about 19-21 inches and 7-8 lbs, baby knows my voice and probably has long fingernails

Total weight gain/loss? 33 lbs

Maternity clothes? Always

Stretch marks?  One tiny one right above my belly button, other than that none

Sleep? Has been terrible.  My insomnia continues and I really am sleeping in nap form (day and night). I guess I am ready for a newborn (haha). Turning it down a couple degrees (I have been so warm at night) has really helped me catch some better zzz's.

Best moment this week? Spending time with Bran and Joe

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my belly

Movement?  I find myself being much more aware of tightening/contractions than I am of baby movements which have gotten much smaller/less noticeable now that baby is so crowded.  But he/she still has their moments to make themselves well known, typically in the middle of the night.

Food cravings?  Cookies

Anything making you queasy or sick? I get a little nauseous if I eat too many acidic things. I blame the overcrowding.  

Gender? I can't wait to find out!!!!

Labor Signs? Pretty much the same as last week. Contractions everyday but nothing too painful. Baby has continued to drop. 

Belly Button in or out?  Out but much softer now that baby has dropped.

Wedding rings on or off? Off.  I miss them.

How is mama feeling? Ready.  Tired. Slightly emotional about Bran not being my "baby" anymore. But in general happy and in disbelief of how quickly this pregnancy has flown by!

Looking forward to?  Officially meeting Baby L 2.0 and becoming a family of 4!

We are full term! And this will be my last weekly bump picture so I put some side by sides to my 39 week bump pictures with Bran for comparison. I had my last OB office visit with Dr. Turner.  I am a solid 3 cm, baby has continued to drop, and although I still have some effacement to do my cervix is primed and ready to go.  I would be a good candidate for induction already but I am happy to give it a try a little longer to see if I can get this party started on my own. So here I sit just waiting on these contractions to get going and active labor to start at this point. She stripped my membranes to see if that would help get labor going for me this weekend, which is no guarantee but my fingers are crossed!  We are back at the 50/50 chance of going into labor before my induction set for Tuesday morning.  So there is nothing to do at this point but wait. I asked a ton of questions about the induction process but I left my visit at ease and okay with our plan going forward.  The other good news is my belly is now measuring right on schedule, so hopefully this means Baby L 2.0 won't be HUGE after all.
Since we are officially on Baby L 2.0 watch we decided to celebrate Easter a little early just in case Easter weekend is a little busy.  Saturday morning we headed over to the Dublin Rec Center for their Easter egg hunt.  Unfortunately we didn't realize being on time really meant being pretty early, and that the hunt goes super fast. By the time we got my pregnant butt and a toddler out the door, loaded in the car, and then walked to the field, we completely missed the hunt!  Fortunately the volunteers are awesome and know that many kids show up late (mostly the toddler crowd haha) so they reserved some eggs just for us!  So we made our own fun wandering around the field and Bran did a great job finding all of the lost half eggs shells and cones. There were even some sweet kids throwing some eggs out of their own baskets for Bran to find. It was a chilly morning but we had a great time and can't wait to go (early) next year.

I can't believe how tall Bran is getting!

The Easter Bunny also decided to stop by with Bran's Easter basket.  He was so excited for bubbles, snacks, candy, and eggs!

He wasn't as big of a fan of the bunny ears this year and kept insisting that mama wear them instead.

We decorated eggs together for the first time.  I was very surprised how interested Bran was.  He really did such a great job.  The funniest part was watching him dip from cup to cup, spouting off random colors and numbers.  I guess we'll have to keep working on those!

Saturday evening we hung out with our coworker Julie and her family.  They had just gotten a new puppy so we went over to meet Lucy and have dinner.  Bran loved every minute.  He especially enjoyed eating at the kids table with the girls, doing gymnastics, and singing karaoke while showing off his dance moves.  The funniest part was when a song from Moana came on, and he goes "Moana, where are you?!" 

Daddy and Brannock have been hard at working doing the final baby prep.  They took their tools upstairs and get the crib all put back together for baby.  They also got the infant car seat out, cleaned up, and bases installed in the cars.  Although it seems that Bran may think the car seat makes a great living room recliner.

The rest of our time has been spent just relaxing, getting ready for baby, and enjoying our family time.  I wrapped up my last couple days at work and have been enjoying the extra time with my two favorite guys.  We have been going out to eat and enjoying lots of good food, yum! Bran is a huge fan of Outback Steakhouse, he loves steak just like Mama and Dada!

5 more days (or less) until we meet our new little one. I can't wait to see what you look like.  Will you look just like Bran? What I do know is I am sure my heart will never feel so full. Being a mom is the greatest gift. 

Photo Ops

Bran's favorite way to watch tv. "Mama sit!".

Getting a ride on the scooter from Dad.

Fake crashing.

Lounging on Dada's legs.

Dada still has it! 9 lbs vs. 33 lbs.

38 Weeks

Baby is the Size of a Pomeranian

Comfortable clothes for this sleepy mama are a must!

New for baby this week? About 7 lbs and 19.5 inches, lungs are fully developed but still producing more surfactant

Total weight gain/loss? 30 lbs

Sleep? Not great.  Between contractions, insomnia, and not getting very comfortable I have been needing some extra naps.  Tired, but not exhausted.  That part is coming soon, haha!

Best moment this week? Progress!!

Miss Anything? Being able to easily chase a toddler

Movement?  Movements feel crowded.  Lots of pushing out in different directions.

Food cravings?  Cookies 

Gender? Well we finally returned the baby name books. The boy and girl names are officially picked out!

Labor Signs? Braxton Hicks contractions are becoming more frequent and stronger.  It is not unusual to have them semi-regularly for an hour or two at night.  I feel them randomly throughout the day but very few are painful, mostly just a lot of tightening. 

How is mama feeling? Very pregnant.  Trying to enjoy these last moments as a mama of one.

Looking forward to?  Meeting Baby L 2.0.  Seeing Bran as a big brother.

I am officially "early" full term, so it is all just a waiting game from here.  My 37 week appointment was somewhat frustrating for me. I had my last office visit without my own OB. Sadly I hadn't had any more progress. I was just sitting steady at 1 cm. Which is fine, but what got me annoyed was that contrary to what we had discussed at my 36 week appointment, the other OB went ahead and scheduled an induction date for April 3. I had walked into the office with so many unanswered questions about why we would choose to induce vs. just let me go into labor naturally.  I was kind of in shock when she told me an induction was set for 2 days before my due date, without any input from me (I swear the hospital had called me directly with Bran to set a date and time?? But I could be making that up). I understand it does not have to be set in stone, and that the induction schedule fills up quickly...but still I found this a little pushy. She just kept assuring me people were "ready" by then with their second kid. So anyway, I was definitely looking forward to seeing my own OB at my 38 week appointment to get some more insight from someone who knows me so much better.

My 38 week appointment was exciting! Dr. Turner was back and we were able to have a heart to heart about my induction date.  She carefully read Dr. Pool's progress notes from the last couple of weeks and my labor and delivery notes from Bran.  I had pushed the limits delivering Bran, especially being that he needed to be turned in order for me to deliver.  There just was not a lot of room. She assured me I ran a much bigger risk of ending up with a c-section from trying to deliver a big baby than from being induced, especially with a cervix that is already dilating and getting ready to go on its' own. I felt much more comfortable after our talk about sticking with that induction date.  So worst case scenario if I don't go into labor on my own before then, I can plan accordingly to go in for the induction the morning of April 3. But on a more exciting note, I have had a lot of progress all on my own!  All of these contractions, although irregular, have actually been doing something.  I was a solid 2, "probably closer to 3" cm as she called it. She gave me a 50/50 chance of seeing her at my 39 week appointment (which would be my last office visit) next week. So we shall see what Baby L 2.0 decides! So that being said I will only have one working week (actually 2 working days) left. It is getting real! One way or the other we will be meeting this new little one within the next 12 days. 

I feel like I look like a ticking time bomb out in public.  I don't feel as large as I probably look.  When we were at the preschool open gym last week an Asian lady (whose first language is not English) asked me "How many?" I said 4 more weeks think she just left off "weeks" from her question.  She then clarified and said "No, how many babies?". I think my jaw dropped, and hers did as well when I told her only one. LOL. I also got approached by a girl who I had no idea was even pregnant, and apparently was in her third trimester and told me she felt "huge". WOW. I mean, did she even look at me?!?!

The weather was a little chilly, but the sun was shining so we made our way over to the Dublin St. Patty's Day Parade.  It really is a great little parade right around the corner from home, so I am sure our little family will be regulars. We found a nice spot where we could sit on a blanket and watch the parade.  Joe kept complaining about having to sit on the ground.  I reminded him that I was super pregnant and surviving just fine, haha. Bran really enjoyed himself, and had a great time dancing to all of the music and bands. He also really liked the endless tootsie rolls and other various candy that kept coming his way.  Things got a little sticky, haha! Bran refused to ride in the stroller on the way back to the car (we were dangerously close to nap time for Mr. Routiney), and he insisted on "running" while holding Mommy and Daddy's hands.  Needless to say Mommy was tired and a little sore by the end of this adventure. But it was all worth it to see the smile on Bran Man's face!

Getting ready to go.

Love my boys!

Parades are very tiring.

Still obsessed with the beads at home.  They turned into a little sash.

I finally convinced Bran there is a baby in mama's belly (well at least for one day!). I kept asking him if he wanted to kiss the baby and he would come over and kiss my belly.  It was so incredibly cute!!! And I even got a little of it on video. Don't mind his snotty nose.

We snuck in another adult night out, and grabbed dinner with Laura and Andy at Woody's to watch some basketball.  We also went to a brewery afterwards to hang out for a little bit. Crazy to think this might be our last night out before baby makes his/her appearance.

Joe had his last call weekend (which happened to be second call) before Baby L 2.0's arrival. He spent almost the whole weekend at the hospital which was pretty tiring for me taking care of Bran and the dogs.  But I was still able to wrap up my pre baby freezer meal prep and sneak in some naps while Bran was napping. Bran also unfortunately has come down with a cold, but like usual when he is sick he is acting fine. I just hope I don't catch it! It would be terrible timing. Unfortunately we still had 27 spindles (but who was counting?!) to put a final white coat of paint on.  I have been trying to help Joe out a little bit here and there, especially on the sections where he needed to be on a ladder to paint one side. It really speeds things up when I can help, but crawling around on the floor is not very comfortable for me. I was super happy Joe was able to come home long enough that we could finish painting! WE ARE DONE!! Joe said I couldn't go into labor before we finished this project anyway. Now to get rid of the green walls!

Before and After. 

Bran went with Jennifer and the girls for a Girl Scout event at the senior center.  He apparently loved it and was totally in his element!  I can't believe his days with them are winding down.  He is really going to miss them!

Photo Ops

A sick day for the babysitter meant some extra time goofing around at home without little man.

I guess he still fits?

And now he thinks he is supposed to be in there all the time.

No St. Patty's Day baby.

What do you mean I'm not going to be the baby anymore?!

Bran has been super snuggly.  I am eating it up.

36 Weeks

Baby is the Size of a Chihuahua

New for baby this week?  About 19 inches and 6 lbs, all systems are developed (except digestive system which won't be fully functioning until after delivery when baby starts eating), baby is just fattening up in preparation for the big day

Total weight gain/loss? 27 lbs.

Maternity clothes? My maternity tops are getting too short. And two of my four pairs of maternity pants are starting to get uncomfortably snug when I wear them for extended periods of time

Stretch marks? No

Sleep? Lots of getting up to pee, and hips going numb after laying on that side for too long.

Best moment this week? Finding out I am dilated! Maybe we will end up with a March baby?! 

Miss Anything? Lunch meat

Movement?  Baby must have known I was talking about them because the movements have gotten much bigger.  Although I still think Bran takes the prize so far on this one.

Food cravings?  Oranges, cookies.  Cookies of all kinds really. I definitely have a sweet tooth with this baby.

Anything making you queasy or sick? I have had a little bit of underlying nauseous.  I think it just stems from feeling so crowded.

Have you started to show yet? You know you are getting huge when two of the surgeons at work told me I looked like I was going to explode within a couple days of each other. A "wow did you get this big last time?!" after explaining I had another month to go was also entertaining. Trust me, I know this belly starts looking ridiculous the last month!   

Gender? I am hearing a lot more girl guesses recently.  Until I posted a side by side picture on Facebook comparing my belly now to my belly with Bran.  Then it was lots of boy!

Labor Signs? I have Braxton Hicks contractions pretty much everyday.  One night I had a few pretty painful ones that woke me up.  But for the most part they don't feel too bad, just a lot of tightening.  

Belly Button in or out?  Out.  And why did I ever pierce my belly button?! I hope it returns to normal looking like it did last time. 

Wedding rings on or off? I tried putting them on before work the day I was 35 weeks, and they were uncomfortably snug.  Remembering my horror story of almost getting them stuck on my finger my last pregnancy, I decided to keep them off for the duration.  I feel naked!!

How is mama feeling? More pregnant, tired, and swollen than a couple weeks ago.  I am seeing a ton of swelling in my feet/legs (hello cankles!), more than I remember having with Bran? It mostly happens on my work days, or if I am on the go a lot with Bran. 

Looking forward to?  Celebrating St. Patty's Day, friends visiting

I had my first pregnancy dream, and Baby L 2.0 was a....boy! But oddly in my dream I had already delivered and no one was telling me what the baby was, yet they all knew.  It took me forever to get someone to finally tell me! Also once I finally knew it was a boy, Joe and I were talking and decided on the name (which happened to be one of the couple boy names we are deciding between currently) but were clueless on the middle name.  This part is somewhat true to real life, haha.  I must be worrying about this naming situation.

The weekly OB appointments are officially underway.  With Dr. Turner being out for surgery, I have seen Dr. Pool the last couple of weeks (who just so happens to be the OB who magically turned Bran during my labor and allowed me to proceed with a successful vaginal delivery once Dr. Turner arrived).  My 35 week appointment was, surprising? I didn't realize I would start getting a cervical exam, along with my Strep B test (which was negative, woohoo!).  What shocked me the most is that I am already 1 cm dilated.  I had it in my head I had started dilating around 37/38 weeks last time but boy was I wrong.  I had not dilated at all when I was pregnant with Bran until my 40 week appointment (and then I had Bran 4 days later).  So I guess all of these random contractions I am having are actually making a little progress.  But Baby L 2.0 is still sitting very high so we aren't expecting anything too exciting anytime soon. I will definitely say hearing that I am dilated has made reality set in that this baby is really coming, soon! All the more reminder to enjoy the last few weeks of being of mama of one. 

My 36 week appointment was yet again surprising.  Apparently Dr. Pool had noticed I was measuring a little ahead (based on my belly/fundal height measurement) last week, but brought it up this week when I was continuing to measure even further ahead than a week ago.  Although not unreasonably large (yet) she said it is something we will definitely keep an eye on for the next couple weeks.  If necessary we could do an ultrasound, but those can always be off by a half pound or so in either direction so she isn't going to suggest that unless it becomes really concerning. She estimated the baby to already be about 7 lbs, so she is guessing this baby could easily measure 8 or more lbs at delivery (just a "best guess" of course).   She claims it is not unusual for the second baby to be larger, and my body should be able to handle it. Although she is hopeful I will labor on my own, she wants me to start thinking about when I may want to set up a tentative induction.  She would allow me to go a week late at this point but said it may be worth considering being induced on or around my due date.  I am not sure how to feel about this yet. I was so set on going into labor naturally last time, and luckily I did.  But I don't want to push it so long this time the baby is too big that I can't deliver vaginally.  Fingers crossed I just go into labor on my own a little early with a completely average sized baby!

Bran loves Mama's belly!

We had a little playdate with the Morrises and Mayhills while the boys brewed beer.  Bran plays with Lily a lot, but this was the most time he had gotten to spend with Owen who is 6 months.  Surprisingly he didn't take much interest in him, but he was very sweet with Owen while I was holding him.  I would have expected him to be more jealous. He was apparently too busy breaking Lily's heart (she said Bran was not her boyfriend anymore a few times that day).

Afternoon nap on the way to his playdate.  Car rides make Bran sleepy.

Joe decided to start working on updating our stair rail before we paint the entryway.  It is kind of a race against time trying to get this done now before baby's arrival.  It is a very slow tedious process.  He finished the dark stain on the rails, but now he has 83 spindles to paint white.  It took Joe and I a couple of hours to just tape everything to paint them.

Before

Progress so far.

Bran and Mommy are hard at work of course.

Joe and I did a bunch of meal prep over the weekend to start getting some freezer meals ready. So far we have a couple pans of enchiladas, pulled pork, breakfast burritos, and stuffed shells.  I am looking forward to having very minimal cooking to do for a bit after we bring baby home. Gotta keep these hungry boys (and mama) fed. 

Bran had his two year checkup.  He is 35.5 inches (70th percentile) and 32.5 lbs (93rd percentile).  He is going to be a big boy!  We didn't even have any shots this appointment, that was a first.  His checkup went great and the pediatrician was very happy.  She's also looking forward to seeing me in a few weeks at the hospital (she helps cover the nursery babies) when Baby L 2.0 makes his/her arrival.  

I talked to the pediatrician about trying to potty train Bran.  I was feeling motivated/optimistic after reading a couple books and just because of Bran's general interest in going pee on the potty.  We have attempted a few no pants mornings and Bran has always done fairly well.  The pediatrician said he is very young and it would be surprising for a boy to take to it this early, but since he was going potty for me so easily a few times a day it might be worth a try. So begins my Friday morning.  I was going into it thinking alright I am committed to a 3 day no pants potty training weekend extravaganza.  As like my other brief mornings with potty training, everything started great.  Bran is interested in using the potty, a couple little accidents, but nothing not easily recovered by a quick trip to the bathroom.  

Then disaster struck....

I knew Bran needed to poop.  He's an after breakfast poop kinda guy.  We are approaching lunch time and he hasn't pooped.  He is starting to have a lot more little pee accidents in the playroom all of a sudden. Weird.  Then I notice the poop face.  I ask him if he needs to go potty. "No no no!!"  Then I see poop literally coming out of his butt so I grab him to run him to the bathroom.  He's like "No mama, p-shoo!!!". A turd falls to the floor in the playroom, but I am on a mission to get him to the bathroom.  We make it but by now he is upset/almost crying/won't poop/traumatized.  So he never finishes pooping.  After this debacle we put a diaper on for nap time, and I was never able to get him to pee on the potty again for me the rest of the day.  Ugh, I failed! And the next day I didn't even attempt to potty train again because I just felt like Bran was not ready.  I am too pregnant, and the whole process is too exhausting to fight him on if he isn't ready.  So back to the low key pottying when he wants, and maybe we will give it a good try again here in a few weeks?? Or maybe months?! HAHA. I have decided potty training may be one of my biggest parenting struggles. 

Oh but back to the turd.  So after I got Bran taken care of and calmed down I went back to clean up the poop.  It is nowhere to be found.  But there is Izzy licking her chops, with just a tiny remnant to wipe up on the floor. Yes, my dog ate Bran's poop.  I had a "wow this is my life right now" moment. Oh potty training is going to be, "fun"?

Oh well, Bran makes up for the crazyness with the amazing snuggles, sweetest hugs/kisses, and of course when he dances to Justin Timberlake for me! 

Photo Ops

Bran stole my pulled pork sandwich.