Happy Transfersary!

1 year ago today, two little embies got tranferred into my cozy uterus and one of them got comfy enough to take up residence for 9 months! Happy transfersary to us:-)

Sorry, I kinda left you guys hangin' again. Things have been crazy busy! Back to where I left off. . .

The guys were here for a month after GB was born. They rented an apartment about 20 minutes from my house. I was able to pump and out-supply the demand:-) I think I was producing 50+ ounces per day at the height. GB had a little formula on day 2, before my milk came in, but was able to have all BM after that. They were able to take a big cooler full home on the plane:-) It took me about a week to completely wean after they left and about 3 more weeks to stop leaking. Because they were so close, we were doing milk exchange every 1-2 days, so we got some special time to hang. That month contains some of the most awesome memories for me of this journey. It was all about creating a family and I got to witness parts of their first month together and get some closure for this journey<3 I also got to meet some of their awesome family as it felt like their apartment had a revolving door of visitors, at times;-) So much love for such a little guy.

I had my 6 week check-up with my OB at the end of June and everything looks great. We then spent most of July in Arizona visiting my sister and family. It was a ton of fun but HOT! DD had 4 weeks of swim lessons in there and my sister was here last week for a visit. I am ready for a quiet few weeks.

And, remember that BIG test DH was studying for Jan-April? He PASSED! Only  about 10% of people pass all 3 parts the first time! I am sooooooo proud of him for his hard work and dedication to trying to balance his study time with work and family time and a pregnant (and sick for a whole month) wife. It was hard for all of us, but totally worth it:-D

GB is getting big and doing great. His daddies are both back at work and they are settling in to their new schedule. I have a pic that I will post if I get permission.

This transfersary gives me a chance to reflect on the awesome year that is in our rearview mirror. I feel so lucky to have been a part of something so amazing! I think we had the textbook journey and I am so thankful for that. I hope someday to do another journey, but we are planning to add to our family first and talk about that later:-)

Birth and Beyond

Sorry for the delay!

I left you at the getting ready to push part. It was fast! The new epidural was working well and I was super numb. I was a little worried that I would have trouble pushing, since I have heard several stories of women needing to have some feeling to push. I guess I am not one of those people;o) I pushed four times with the first contraction. She had me rest/let things stretch through the second. I pushed two or three times with the 3rd contraction and he was out! About 5 minutes! They laid GB on my stomach to clean him off a bit and let the blood in the cord stop pumping before R cut the cord. The look of amazement on the guys' faces as they watched their son being born and interacted with him for the first time was priceless and exactly the reason I did this<3 While GB got cleaned up and checked over, the midwife massaged the placenta out, cleaned me up and put in a couple of stitches.

There are no words to describe the happiness I felt as I laid there watching these two wonderful men achieve their dream. I think my favorite part was watching them watch their son get his first bath and check by the nurse. DH got some great pics of the guys in those first moments:o) It brought back memories of the day we met our sweet DD and all of the emotions involved in embarking on the journey of parenthood:o)

The guys did their skin to skin time with the little man and I got lunch. After about 2 hours, the nurse brought in this crazy contraption that she made me stand in to take me to the bathroom to get cleaned up and ready to move upstairs to our post-partum room. It was ridiculous! I totally could have walked, but I guess they want to cover their butts. Ugh! We went upstairs and got our rooms next to each other. They wanted to put me in that contraption again to get from the wheelchair to the bed, but I eventually convinced them I could stand up and turn around. They made me take a walker to the bathroom, which was also ridiculous, but, luckily, my stability convinced the nurse that I didn't need that either. Phewf!

We tried breastfeeding, but GB was too tired from his ordeal and just wanted to sleep, so we eventually went to pumping and feeding via syringe. The next morning, DH went home to take over DD watch, so my mom could go to work. He took her to the park and then to visit me. I didn't realize how much I missed her until I was left alone and had time to think about it. When they came, I took a shower, then the OB came in, talked to me for a few minutes and said she would discharge me. GB and I both did well and were discharged 25 hours after the birth.

Labor

Let me just start this part by saying that I never had a high blood pressure reading the whole time I was in the hospital. It stayed around 130/80 for the first part and 120ish/70-80 after I got the epidural. Insert raspberry to my stupid blood pressure here;o) Luckily, everything worked out well, but grrrrrr!

First up, was the boring and tedious process of admitting me. Then, pitocin was started and you can follow most of the progression through DH's real time posts starting here.  

I really love the way Kaiser and my particular hospital handle labor and delivery. We were all really happy with the way everything was handled. It was definitely slow going in the beginning, but we just chugged along. Getting those tiny changes after several hours was really discouraging, but we were reassured several times that progress was being made and we just needed to be patient. I knew once we got to the 5 cm mark and could break the bag of water, we would be home free, but getting to that point was looooooooong. 

At Kaiser, you never know who will deliver your baby. Each doctor has about one hospital shift per week, so whomever is on duty is who you get, which is a bummer when you love your doctor, but, in reality, it is really about the nurses and the doctor plays such a small role. With DD, my doctor recommended requesting the Certified Nurse/Midwife, which I really liked, so I did the same this time and we really liked all of them. They provide a much more relaxed and personal approach. They have fewer patients, so they can spend more time with you and it just seems that they have more laid back demeanors, which is comforting to me.

We all got some sleep throughout that long night. T found a fold out chair in one of the waiting rooms to sleep on, while R and DH took turns sleeping on the couch/padded window bench in the room.

Anyway, we finally got to the magic 5 cm mark where the midwife had said she would break my water, but no go. She said there was a lot of fluid in there and GB's head was "floating", instead of being firmly on the cervix. The problem with this is that, if she broke the bag, she was afraid something (like an arm or the cord) would end up stuck between the head and the cervix. The good news was that the bag was really taut and she was pretty sure it would rupture, naturally, very soon. She was right! Within half an hour, it did just that, and then the proverbial shit hit the fan!

I was starting to feel the contractions! At first, I thought maybe we were getting close to 10 cm. I pushed the happy button they give you with the epidural, but the contractions kept getting worse. We called the nurse, who called the anesthesiologist to put a booster dose in the epidural. He said to give it 10-15 minutes to work. 5 minutes later, the nurse came in and could tell by my pain level that something wasn't right. About this time the puking started. I don't know if it was the pain or the epidural booster medicine, but it sucked! The nurse called the anesthesiologist back, who started the fun of trying to figure out if the epidural was working at all. He did this by having me compare the coldness of ice on my face and tummy. It felt the same, which indicated it wasn't working. At some point, the midwife came in and was trying to help me. By this time the contractions were lasting about 90 seconds and were coming back to back. It was BAD! The midwife checked my cervix, just to make sure something crazy hadn't happened with the water break and because they won't do an epidural at 9 cm. I was at 6 cm. Eventually, it was determined that the epidural had come out of its place. The anesthesiologist said he could put in a new epidural, but I had to sit completely still for 5-10 minutes. Easier said than done when I was in so much pain:o( This is when DH came to the rescue and suggested doing a dose of the IV narcotic to help take the edge off of the pain, so I could sit for the epidural. Brilliant idea! The IV drug worked very quickly. I felt pretty dizzy and it felt like things were moving in slow motion, but I was totally OK with that. The anesthesiologist was able to get the epidural in quickly and he added a boost of whatever they had put in my IV and things were good:o)

We were able to rest a little more and about two hours later, I started feeling the tell-tale pressure with each contraction. I knew with DD that I had labored down a bit after I was complete and it felt like it hadn't been very long and I didn't want to cry wolf, so I tried to focus on what I was feeling and waited for 3 contractions with the pressure and then we called the nurse, who called the midwife. She checked me and said something to the effect of, "OH, babies head is right there, don't push, don't move." I don't know what everyone else was thinking, but I wanted to do a happy dance! And the nurse and midwife scurried to get ready for delivery. . . 

The Back Story

Back to where I left you hanging. Sorry about that!
After Tuesday's appointment and some discussion, R & T changed their flight to Saturday, since it looked like making it to the 15th (their original arrival date) was decreasingly likely. 

Thursday (the 9th) morning, I went to have my blood pressure checked again. Honestly, it was pretty much the same as my appointment Tuesday, except I didn't get weighed. The nurse took my BP twice, did the urine dip and asked me a thousand questions checking for symptoms of a bigger problem, but came up with nothing. The nurse then reported to the doctor, who came in, listened to GB's heartbeat and checked my cervix. The two BP readings were 128/90 and 127/87; still on the high side, but a little better than Tuesday's. My cervix was 1.5 cm dilated and 0% effaced. Dr. K wanted to keep an eye on my BP and I was instructed to come back Monday morning for another check.

After Thursday's results, we were even more convinced that the change of R & T's flight was a good idea.

R & T arrived Saturday night and we had some time to hang out Saturday night and they came over for Mother's Day dinner Sunday and met my parents. It was really great to get to spend some casual time with them before GB made his grand entrance:o)

Monday morning (the 13th), R and T accompanied me to my BP check appointment. The two readings were 142/98 and 137/95. Dr. K came in and we  listened to GB's heartbeat and my cervix was a tight 2, but 50% effaced (making progress!). She stripped my membranes, hoping to encourage my body to go into labor. At this point, Dr. K wanted GB out. We had made it past the 39 week mark and my BP seemed to be continuing to creep up. She called the hospital to check that they had room for us and they did, so she told us to mosey in that direction. Dr. K did a great job of answering the guys' questions and making us all feel comfortable that this was the right decision.

The 3 of us must have been a sight, as we were each on the phone the second we left the building. R and T alerting their families and me calling my mom to come watch DD and DH to let him know what was going on. Then, back to my house we headed. The guys had to go back and pack up their hotel room, as they would be moving into an apartment Tuesday, while we prepped to be away from home for a couple of days. DH and I grabbed some lunch and we got to the hospital around 12:30 pm and the guys got there about 1 pm. And here I will leave you hanging. . .;o)

The stats

I promise I will do a birth story soon, that includes more details and my feelings about that loooooong 24+ hours. For now, the stats and a pic.

Mr. Gummi Bear was born May 14th at 10:55 am after about 22 hours of labor and 5ish minutes of pushing. He was 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20-1/2 inches long. We were both released from the hospital after about 25 hours and are doing well. T & R are falling more in love every hour and I am feeling great! Below are some pics that were taken just minutes before our jail break;o)

Update: recovery

Andrea is doing well.  She is feeling much better than she did after we had Haley.  Second time around is easier.

At this point, I will sign off and let Andrea do a detailed post in the future with all the bells and whistles y'all are wanting to know. 

Thanks for following us on this journey and all of your support you sent our way.

David

Everyone is healthy

Everyone is happy and healthly.  All of the other details are for the proud parents to share first. 

We have baby

We have a baby!

Go time

Legs up, it is go time. 

Update 1036

Pitocin at 8 and Andrea is feeling pressure

Update 1007

Andrea is doing fine.  The epidural is doing its job.  They just took some blood but otherwise wait and see. 

Update 856 things are better

The second epidural is working.  Andrea is resting.  This is better. 

Update 809am new epidural

We just had a new epidural put in and some IV drugs to help with getting it in. 

Update

The epidural came out.  She is doing it drug free.  Going to have another epidural put in.

Update 730

Contractions are very strong; the epidural doesn't seem to be working.  There has been some vomiting.

Update 715 contactions and epidural

Andrea just got an epidural booster shot. Hopefully, it will work in the next few minutes.  She is really feeling the contractions and moaning through the pain. 

Update 655 water break

It appears that Andrea's water just broke.  The epidural doesn't seem to be working all that well anymore.  Things might start to get interesting soon. 

Update 618am

Andrea just got checked and she is 4.5 - 5cm, and 90% effaced.  Pitocin is running at 15 ( apparently some elves were upping this while I was half a sleep).  Baby Top Secret is "floating" so they don't want to break the water for fear that something other than the head would come down first. 

500am update

No major changes. Just a quick good morning to the early risers.  Andrea has been able to get some rest. T found a semi comfortable place to sleep for a bit in one of the waiting rooms.  R and i have been taking turns laying down on the couch in the room. 

Every couple of hours someone is coming in the room disturbing everyone.  The routine is rest for a bit, rotate Andrea, have a different nurse visist, fix concraction monitor - then repeat. 

Update 230 pitocin upped

Pitocin is now at 11. 

Update 215am slow slow slow

Andrea was checked and she isn't at 5cm yet and isn't completely effaced yet.  I have a feeling it will be a while. 

Update 1238am

Lights turned down and once the blood pressure cuff stops turning on and off Andrea will try to get some rest.  The rest of us are being entertained by tablets and phones. 

The next update will be when something interesting happens.  Until then, happy resting. 

Update 1214am 5/14/13

The epidural is in and appears to be working.  Hopefully she will get checked soon as well. 

Update 1116pm contractions

The contractions a definitely getting stronger and they are close together.  Andrea is breathing through them and doing a great job.  The shift change is taking a while, but we called the nurse and requested some food and an epidural. 

Update 1052pm epidural?

Andrea is thinking she is about to call uncle and request an epidural at the shift change at 11pm. 

Update 956pm

Guy are back from dinner.  We met the new midwife.  Otherwise nothing major. 

Correction 907

The nurse said ml/hr but it is actual ml/min according to the equipment. 

Update 858

Lights down low, movie quietly playing, trying ti get some rest.  The guys are out at dinner. 

Update 817pm

Contractions are good.  The pitocin has been lowered to 9ml/hr because the contractions are progressing nicely.

Update 804pm

Not much changing, contractions getting stronger. 

Update 714pm pitocin

Pitocin has been upped to 10ml/hr.

Update 704pm

The midwife just checked Andrea.   She is 2.5cm, and 60 effaced.  We are making slow and steady progress.  The mid wife predicts an early morning baby. 

David

Update 621pm

Andrea has had hospital food for dinner, some meat thing with potatoes, green beans and a salad.  I had a burger for the cafeteria.  The guys haven't eaten yet. 

The pitocin was upped to 8ml/hr.

We have also been enjoying every alarm in the room going off recently. 

Update 517pm

We are doing laps. 

Update 436pm

Contactions are a little more regular, andrea is feeling them more.  We might try walking around. 

David

Update 358pm pitocin

Not much happening.  We are watching Sweet Home Alabama, and the pitocin was just increased. 

Update 232 pitocin

We just started pitocin, slow and steady. 

Update 148pm

2cm and 50% effaced (sp).

David

Checked in at hospital

Hello, I am david, Andrea's husband.  We have checked into the hospital and we will be updating the blog as things progress.  We will be updating things from a phone so spelling and spacing might be a little screwy. 

This morning andrea had a 930am appointment to check her bp, which was still high do the doc sent us to the hospital.  We have checked into the room and are going through all the admin and check in stuff. 

Andrea just had her bp checked and it was normal. 

T&R are here. 

David 126pm

38 week appt update

Not quite what I hoped for, but truckin' along.

Stats:
Weight: almost 11 pounds gained
Urine dip: trace protein
BP: 142/92 and 128/88-90 (more info about this below)
Uterus: 38 weeks
GB's HR: 140ish
Cervix: 1 cm dilated, 0% effaced
GB is still head down, feet to my left.

Looking at the stats, my BP has been creeping up for the past couple of months, so I wasn't too surprised when it hopped over the "high" mark today. Although, the Dr. says this is a normal progression for pregnancy, minus today's result. They want it to be 139/89 or lower, so I was just barely over that threshold. The OB was very happy that the top number came down when she did it, but she still wasn't happy with the bottom number. I only had trace protein in my urine which I have had several times during this pregnancy and is no biggie. The concern about the BP is that I may have or may be on my way to having pre-eclampsia, which the only cure for is delivery, which, at this point, is a totally viable option, since GB is just fattening up now. So, Dr. K sent me to the lab. They are checking my liver function, kidney function and platelet counts. If the labs indicate I have pre-eclampsia, I will be sent to L&D tonight to have a baby. If the labs are normal, I will go back to the OB Thu to have my BP checked again.

I feel fine and have none of the other symptoms of pre-e, but I have a feeling this little guy is coming out or being evicted within the week. 

Lab results just came in and everything is within the normal range, except my white blood cell count is a smidge high. I will update after I hear from the Dr. hopefully, soon.

Update: Just got the email from the doctor. Labs are normal, BP check on Thursday:o)

38 weeks

I have had lots of family and friends checking up on me:o) It is actually quite funny. I tell them all the same thing. I am still pregnant and I feel fine. There is nothing else to say. And I promise, I won't leave you hanging. DH and I both have the Blogger app on our phones and we plan to post updates about labor and delivery to this blog in live time. We did it with DD and it was a huge success! Could be any day now, could be two weeks from now; your guess is as good as mine:o)


How am I feeling physically? I am feeling pretty good, finally:o) I have had some very minor swelling in my hands and ankles (no more wedding ring for me). My hip is a bit sore, as the relaxin hormone does its job preparing my joints to relax for birth. I have had some round ligament pain and moments where it feels like GB is playing drums on my cervix. I have been having some cramps. It kinda feels like menstrual cramps. I guess they are contractions (some might call them Braxton-Hicks). They are very minor and very infrequent. A little annoying, at times, but no biggie. My boss said that he looks like he "dropped" between Tue and Thu last week. That would be good because it means his head might get "stuck" where it belongs:o)

Doctor's Appointment: My next appointment is tomorrow. I will let you know what Dr. K says.

Weight Gain:  10 pounds total!

Sleep: DH hasn't been sleeping well and it was been warm, so I have been sleeping OK, but definitely getting up more frequently.

Mood: I am feeling excited about what is in front of us. R and T seem to be getting excited and making preparations for this little one. The end is in sight!

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. Most of them are higher/in the middle-feet, knees, bottom. Occasionally, I feel punches to my cervix, which is a weird feeling. GB seems to have 3 main active periods, one an hour or so after each meal. He must be feeling a little squished in there because the movements are definitely less fast and less frequent.

Exciting Moment(s): PBO was signed by the judge last week. We got our digital copies on Thursday and I got my certified copy from FedEx today!!! R&T should get their certified copy tomorrow and we will be golden. Let me just say, big sigh of relief! This was pushed too close for my comfort, but it worked out:o) We are ready.

Milestones Achieved:GB has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long. He has a firm grasp and his organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.  (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Stuff is ready for the hospital, but not quite in a bag, yet. My parents are lined up to watch DD at the drop of a hat and we have 50 (maybe only 4;-)) different phone numbers to get a hold of T or R. Looking forward to tomorrow's appointment and then the big day is eminent. I can't wait to find out what GB's top secret name is and see him put in the arms of his loving daddies:o)

38 weeks

Poll

I am too lazy/technology challenged to set up a fancy/official poll. I figure we can have a little fun guessing when GB is going to make his grand appearance. In a comment below please place your guess for as many details as you would like. My doctor has hospital duty on May 21st, so, unless my cervix is closed up tight, we will likely induce then, if we make it that far. Therefore, I highly recommend choosing a date between now and the 22nd.

Birthday
Time
Weight
Length

37 weeks

DH calls this, in the "drop zone." Basically, baby could come any time! 37 weeks is considered near-term. No longer pre-term, but not quite full-term. I still feel pretty good. I have had some slight swelling in my right ankle and my hands are a smidge swollen; no more rings for my fingers. It has been pretty warm here, so I am sure that is a contributing factor. And DH seems to think my belly has gotten huge. I tend to want to be offended, but as long as it is just the belly, I AM growing a tiny person, here, sheesh!

 

Hospital bag contents are in one location, though not in a bag quite yet. And I made a list of items that need to be added at the last minute. DD's bag is packed and plans for her care are lined up. We got out, organized and cleaned some infant stuff that T & R can borrow while they are here.

 

My next Dr. appt is May 7th, which will be 38w3d. That is the night I went into labor with DD. My Dr. has hospital duty on the 11th and 16th. With DD, it was Feb 11th that Dr. K had hospital duty and I went in and spent the day in labor, though she was born in the wee hours of the 12th. The guys are scheduled to fly in on the 15th, so I hope we make it til then, but my money would be on the 7th or 11th, if I was a betting woman;) It will be interesting to see what GB has planned:)

 

Instead of a regular bump pic, I have a rather funny bum shot I took on Saturday:o) No, not my bum, GB's bum;o) It is his favorite position!

See it?!:o)

You can kinda see the difference in my ankles

36 weeks

Happy Birthday R!!!!!!!

How am I feeling physically? I am feeling pretty good, finally:o) I have had some very minor swelling in my hands and ankles (no more wedding ring for me). My hip is a bit sore, as the relaxin hormone does its job preparing my joints to relax for birth. The weather has been really nice for the last couple of weeks and I think getting outside with DD has been good for all of us:o) 

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 36 week (35w6d) appointment Friday. Everything looks good. BP-a little higher, but still well within normal range, urine dip-fine, GB's HR-140s, uterus measurement-35 weeks. Cervix-1/2 cm dilated, 0% effaced. GB's head down. Dr. had to bring in the ultrasound to double check because his head was "floating" up away from the cervix. GB has been head down since the 20 wk u/s, so I am pretty confident he will stay that way, but please think head down thoughts for us, just in case he even thinks about turning. My next appointment will be May 7th.

Weight Gain:  10 pounds total!

Sleep: I seem to have settled into a sleep pattern of sort that is working out OK. I seem to wake up to empty my bladder between 12 and 1 and again between 3 and 4. I can live with twice, it isn't too bad.

Mood: I am feeling excited about what is in front of us. R and T seem to be getting excited and making preparations for this little one. The end is in sight!

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. Most of them are higher/in the middle-feet, knees, bottom. Occasionally, I feel punches to my cervix, which is a weird feeling. GB seems to have 3 main active periods, one an hour or so after each meal.

Exciting Moment(s): R & T have had 2 baby showers in the last 2 weeks. Not surrogacy related, but a major exciting moment for my family this past week was DH's completion of his licensing test. He has spent the last 4 months studying and studying and studying and we are soooooo glad that he is done and we have him back:o)

Milestones Achieved:
GB weighs in at about 6 pounds and measures about 18 inches long. He's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his own. His skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid. His liver and kidneys are in working order and circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon (yes, I know I keep saying this, but it seems to be taking forever). Some time in the next few days, maybe even today, I plan to start my hospital bag and make a list of last minute things to add.


I thought it would be fun to look at the progression of my bump:o)

16 weeks



26 weeks



36 weeks

34 weeks

This is going to be a quick one.

Nothing has changed. The extra Zantac has kept the dreadful acid reflux from rearing its ugly head again. Woohoo! Otherwise, I feel good.

Mr. Gummy Bear is busy putting on weight, mostly in the form of fat. The most exciting part about 34 weeks is that, although still considered pre-term, babies born between 34 and 37 weeks gestation have a great chance of no long-term problems (as long as there is not a genetic health issue):o) We are in the "drop zone," as DH would say (though I would say we have, at least, 4 weeks to go).

The guys had a baby shower this weekend, which looked like fun:o)

I have my 36 week OB appointment is on the 19th, so I should have more to update after that.

In exchange for the short post, you get an extra treat in this week's picture;o)

32 weeks

How am I feeling physically? Yesterday was rough:o( I had acid reflux/heartburn all night combined with DD waking up crying and coming to toss and turn in our bed, I got minimal sleep. Then, I just felt like crap the whole day. Upset stomach, heartburn coming and going and exhausted. Luckily, my amazing DH was able to take most of the day off and take care of DD while I got some rest. I slept OK last night (minus the getting up every 2 hours to pee;o) and I feel quite a bit better today. I am hoping it was just a fluke thing and, if I increase the Zantac to twice a day, things will go back to normal.

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 32 week (32w4d) appointment today. Everything looks good. BP- perfect, urine dip- fine, GB's HR- 148-150, uterus measurement- 33 weeks. Yesterday's symptoms- normal :-P Basically GB is taking up more space in my abdomen, which leaves less space for food and can make food slower moving. My next ppointment will be April 19th. It will include a test for Group B Strep and a cervical exam, in addition to all of the other "normal" stuff.

Weight Gain:  7 pounds total!

Sleep: Sleeping is becoming more difficult. Especially because I really need to drink more water, but getting up every 2 hours to pee is already annoying enough. The bright side is I just switch sides when I go back to bed, thus avoiding the breaching whale effect (DH's term;o) that rolling over has. I don't seem to be having trouble going back to sleep, so that is good, too.

Mood: This weekend we bought a new Honda Odyssey. It will make a lot of things easier, as my belly continues to grow:o) And, yes, it is a "mom mobile," but I love it! I try to keep politics out of here, but it is part of my mood this week, so, if you don't want to read it, skip to the next section:o) Feeling poorly yesterday was a major mood killer, but all of the talk about marriage equality gives me hope that someday, we, as a country, will get past our archaic views. I am not a huge rallier, but I feel like I am doing my part and I hope that someday soon, R & T can get married, if they want to.

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. In the last week, I have started feeling more smooth movements and less sharp movements, which makes sense as GB's quarters get tighter. Yesterday's events definitely prove that GB is making his presence known. "Out front is still an option, Little Man. It doesn't have to be up or down."

Exciting Moment(s): Everything seems to be moving along as it should:o) 

Milestones Achieved: GB weighs in at about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds and measures about 15.2 to 16.7 inches. He's getting ready for his descent and is likely in the head-down position now. And he's probably feeling even more cramped. (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon. I know that a baby shower is in the works for the guys and I can't wait to hear about that, since I know how exciting it is to see how much love a baby has before it is even born. Then, we can sit back and relax until GB decides it is time to meet his daddies:o)

32 weeks

Happy Birthday T!!!!!

Today is T's birthday and, almost exactly a month from now, it will be R's birthday. I thought it would be fun to give them one last 2 dimensional peek at Mr. Gummy Bear, so I went and had an ultrasound done. The cool part about paying for them is you get lots of pics and a video with the sound of the heartbeat. Below, you will find a couple of my favorite pics. I will wait until Wednesday to do the 32 week update, since I have an OB appointment that day. For now, Happy Birthday T! and here is Mr. GB, who is very definitely still a boy, but I won't share those pics;o)

30 weeks

Sorry this is a bit late. It was a whirlwind weekend. Saturday we had a shopping day with my aunt and cousins. I spent most of last week doing stuff to help prepare for my grandpa's funeral. Sunday night through yesterday, I traveled with my mom to her hometown, to help her pull everything together for the memorial service, which turned out perfectly. It was exactly what he would have wanted. A few tears were shed, but, mostly, we laughed over the awesome memories and antics of the 75 wonderful years of his life (though he lived 84 years).

How am I feeling physically? Zantac continues to be good to me:o) The weird tongue thing I had with my daughter seems to be virtually gone (for now)! That cold I had seems to be completely gone. I feel like that cold zapped my energy, so, hopefully, some of it will return as time passes and my activity level increases. I seem to have some annoying sinus drainage, but it is just annoying. Otherwise, I feel well and am looking forward to Spring and what it brings.

Doctor's Appointment: My next appointment will be March 27th and will be the last same ol', same ol' appointment! Cervical checks and other fun stuff after that.

Weight Gain:  9 pounds total!

Sleep: I am a tummy/side sleeper. Sleeping is becoming more difficult. I usually read in bed before sleeping and I can't lie on my back that long anymore. I have to lie and sleep on my side, so my hip gets sore from lying on it so long with the extra weight, so I have figured out how to prop the pillow under my knee/leg and rotate forward just enough and switching sides is a chore. I am working it out, but it is definitely decreasing the quality of my sleep. The waking up to empty my bladder at night is here to stay, but luckily it is 1-3 times per night and not too disruptive, yet. Overall, not too bad.

Mood: I am starting to wrap my head around the fact that this journey is coming to an end, and all that entails. I have come to terms with the fact that no labor and delivery go exactly as planned and I am prepared for a myriad of situations. R & T live so far away and that significantly increases the chances that they won't be here at the moment their son is born, which is a bummer, but I am super excited to see them hold their little Gummy Bear in their arms. It is also fun to get a glimpse of them getting ready to welcome this sweet little one.

Movement: Mr. GB has changed yet again. He seems to be down low again, but I feel kicks and punches all over. In the last week, I have started feeling more smooth movements and less sharp movements, which makes sense as GB's quarters get tighter. You would think this is a good thing, but it feels a little weird and, occasionally, hurts. I did get some video, but DH was having trouble uploading it, so, hopefully, he can do that soon.

Exciting Moment(s): GTT- PASS! I have started compiling a list of important contact numbers that I am going to include in a folder, along with all of the important legal papers and birth plan to go in my hospital bag. For Christmas, the guys gave me a gift card to a local spa and I finally got to use it last week. I felt so loved and pampered:o) Thanks again, guys! It was exactly what I needed after this last month of sickness, busyness and emotions.

Milestones Achieved: GB is about 15.7 inches long now, and he weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)(Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon. I know that a baby shower is in the works for the guys and I can't wait to hear about that, since I know how exciting it is to see how much love a baby has before it is even born. Then, we can sit back and relax until GB decides it is time to meet his daddies:o)

30 weeks 3 days

GTT

I passed the Glucose Tolerance Test! Yippee!

28 weeks

I want to take a quick second to give a quick shout out to my DH, David. I might be the one growing the human being, but he deserves his props because I could not do this without him. He is such a huge support for me, especially over the past few weeks, when I was sick. Add to that, the fact that he is studying really hard for a HUGE test that he will take in April over 3 days. I have the utmost confidence that he will crush it because that is what he does:o) For now, he is doing a great job of supporting me, spending time with his daughter, working full time and studying for this obnoxiously huge (in breadth) test. I love you, Honey!

How am I feeling physically? Zantec continues to be good to me:o) The weird tongue thing I had with my daughter seems to be virtually gone (for now)! That cold I had hung in and I think I am really almost over it now. It was a rough one and over 3 weeks later, I am glad that it seems to be almost gone, finally. Hopefully, I will regain my strength and energy quickly, especially with the gorgeous weather and a baby girl who loves to get outside:o) Some may find the next bit TMI, so skip to the next section now, if you want. I developed hemorrhoids after giving birth to my daughter. I know they are never "gone", but they had left me alone. They have been back for a month or 2 now and seem to be getting ever so slightly bigger as time goes on. Luckily, they don't hurt and only itch, occasionally, but they are just gross and I am worried that they will get more obnoxious (bigger, painful, more itchy) as time and weight progress and I give birth to another baby, but I guess I will deal with that as it happens.   

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 28 week appointment today. Everything still looks great! My BP, urine dip and weight gain are all perfect. GB's heart rate was 158, which is a bit high for him, but he was hyped up on sugar from the GTT drink;o) We should get the results from the GTT tomorrow or Wednesday. The lab was a zoo today! I waited 40 minutes just to check in and drink the stuff and I was 10 minutes late for my OB appt:o( Luckily, after that, I was a timed draw, so they had to take me when it was time, but the room had gotten even fuller while I was upstairs at my appointment. I need to remember to avoid the lab on Mondays, other days are not nearly as bad. DD did a great job:oD By the time we left, it had been almost 2 hours and she hung in there. We also scheduled all of the rest of my appointments! That means we are getting close to D-day! My next appointment will be March 27th and will be the last same ol', same ol' appointment! Cervical checks and other fun stuff after that.

Weight Gain:  7.5 pounds total!

Sleep: I am a tummy/side sleeper. Sleeping is becoming more difficult and was even harder when I was sick. I usually read in bed before sleeping and I can't lie on my back that long anymore. I have to lie and sleep on my side, so my hip gets sore from lying on it so long with the extra weight, so I have figured out how to prop the pillow under my knee/leg and rotate forward just enough and switching sides is a chore. I am working it out, but it is definitely decreasing the quality of my sleep. The waking up to empty my bladder at night is here to stay, but luckily it is 0-2 times per night and not too disruptive yet. I have started having a little trouble falling back to sleep after getting up because it is hard to get comfortable again. Overall, not too bad.

Mood: This has been a rough 2 weeks. Several days ago, I was almost in tears because I was sooooooooo tired of being sick and saw no end in sight, add hormones and bad combo. Then, Friday, my Grandpa passed away after a loooooooooong battle with dementia and declining health. It was time and I am so thankful that he is no longer suffering, but it is hard to think about all that he endured in the last, almost 10 years, of his life (again, add hormones, and tears are guaranteed). I choose to think about all of his accomplishments and contributions to his family and community:o)

Movement: Mr. GB has changed his hang out zone. I am feeling a lot more and a lot stronger movements and most of them are above my belly button, though I feel him in various places at different times. It is fun to watch my belly moving and I am determined to get video of it soon for his daddies.

Exciting Moment(s): Our birth plan is complete and things are starting to fall into place and get ready for GB's grand entrance.

Milestones Achieved: Mr. GB weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: The last little hurtle is passing the GTT, which I am pretty confident we will. Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon. Then, we can sit back and relax until GB decides it is time to meet his daddies:o)

28 weeks

26 weeks

Officially in the third trimester:o) Yippee!!

How am I feeling physically? Zantec continues to be good to me:o) The weird tongue thing I had with my daughter seems to be staying about the same. It gets worse for a day or two, then a little better for a few days. I have had a cold for the last week. The first 3+ days was just a scratchy throat and cough, which was no biggie. Just when I thought it might be on its way out, Friday night, the congestion, sneezing, sinus pressure started. It almost seemed like maybe a new virus right on the back of the other, but who knows. Last night, I finally got an OK night's sleep and I definitely feel better today than I did this weekend, so, hopefully, I am on the downward side of this and on a path back to healthy. Being sick sucks in general, but add to it pregnancy, motherhood and a husband who is trying to study for a HUGE test, and it is especially no bueno. If this is the end of it, we survived!

Doctor's Appointment: My next appointment will be February 25th and will include the dreaded (which I say because a lot of ladies dread it) Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT), which I really don't mind. The drink isn't my favorite, but it isn't too bad. The worst part is having to sit there for an hour and wait to have blood drawn. Lucky for me, I can go to the lab first, drink the stuff, then go upstairs for my OB appointment, then go back down and have my blood drawn. This should get rid of or significantly decrease, my sit and wait time:o)

Weight Gain:  7 pounds total!

Sleep: I am a tummy/side sleeper. So far, I can still sleep in my comfy position- on my tummy with one leg bent, so slightly off to the side, but I can tell that the comfiness end is near. The waking up to empty my bladder at night is here to stay, but luckily it is 0-2 times per night and not too disruptive yet. I have started having a little trouble falling back to sleep after getting up because it is hard to get comfortable again. Overall, not too bad.

Mood: This past week has been rough physically, but I think I held it together pretty well, though I know I was a little grouchy. Things are moving along well. I can't wait to see R & T holding their little Gummy Bear. I really wish that R & T lived closer, so they could be a little more involved in the pregnancy, but I totally understand the cost and logistics involved in flying halfway around the world, when you have a baby on the way. We had a Skype date about a week ago. It is always nice to talk to the guys face to face. We have our third trimester video conference call this Friday with GG.

Movement: Mr. GB definitely likes to play down low, which can be a problem, if I am sitting in the car or trying to sit forward to eat. It seems like he is trying to tell me, "Quit cramping my space!" ;o) I have been feeling and even seeing him move a lot more frequently and with more power, which is fun. He still likes it down low, but I have been feeling more higher up, above my belly button:o)

Exciting Moment(s): 2 trimesters down, 1 to go:o) More movements in more places.

Milestones Achieved: The network of nerves in GB's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both my voice and the voices of those near me. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. His testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days. (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: The last little hurtle is passing the GTT, which I am pretty confident we will. Then, we can sit back and relax until GB decides it is time to meet his daddies:o)

26 weeks

As promised, some pics from a special photo shoot by Holli Horton when my sister and her family were visiting a couple of weeks ago.

All 9 of us

The grand parents with the grandkids.

Haley flying- probably my favorite:o)

My sister's family- Troy kissing his baby sister <3

24 weeks and the Land of Viability

How am I feeling physically? Heartburn is my biggest complaint. I finally decided to give Zantac a try, and so far, so good:o) The Tums was working, but Zantac is safe during pregnancy and prevents the heartburn instead of treating it after it starts. The weird tongue thing I had with my daughter seems to be staying about the same. It gets worse for a day or two, then a little better for a few days.

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 24 week appointment today. Mr. GummyBear had a heartrate in the high 140s, my bp was 120/80, which is perfect and urine dip was normal.
From here on out, at each appt, The Dr. will use a tape measure to measure the height of my uterus. The number of centimeters should correspond to the number of weeks gestation and, basically, indicates the rough size of the baby. It is definitely not an exact science. Today, she measured my uterus at 25 weeks, so, maybe a smidge big, but basically, right on! My next appointment will be February 25th and will include the dreaded (which I say because a lot of ladies dread it) Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT), which I really don't mind. The drink isn't my favorite, but it isn't too bad. The worst part is having to sit there for an hour and wait to have blood drawn. Lucky for me, I can go to the lab first, drink the stuff, then go upstairs for my OB appointment, then go back down and have my blood drawn. This should get rid of or significantly decrease, my sit and wait time:o)

Weight Gain: 6 pounds total!

Sleep: I am a tummy/side sleeper. So far, I can still sleep in my comfy position- on my tummy with one leg bent, so slightly off to the side. When I can no longer sleep on my tummy, it will take some time to adjust. The waking up to empty my bladder at night has started, but luckily it is 0-2 times per night and not too disruptive yet. I have started having a litlle trouble falling back to sleep after getting up. Overall, not too bad.

Mood: Things are moving along well. I can't wait to see R & T holding their little Gummy Bear. I really wish that R & T lived closer, so they could be a little more involved in the pregnancy, but I totally understand the cost and logistics involved in flying halfway around the world, when you have a baby on the way. We thouroughly enjoyed visiting with my sister and her family last week. It is so much fun to watch the 2 year olds play together and to see DD interact with a newborn. So sweet all around:o)

Movement: Mr. GB definitely likes to play down low, which can be a problem, if I am sitting in the car or trying to sit forward to eat. It seems like he is trying to tell me, "Quit cramping my space!" ;o) As a matter of fact, he is kicking down there, right now, as I am sitting at the computer to type this.

Exciting Moment(s): We are in the treasured Land of Viability! I don't remember being this excited about this milestone with DD, but it is super exciting to me this time:o) We have passed all genetic screening and anatomy scan with flying colors and we have rounded third base and are headed for home. Hopefully and likely, we still have 3-4 months left, but I say it is smooth sailing from here:o) But, it is nice to know that if GB decided to make his debut now, he would, very likely, be OK.

Milestones Achieved:GB is growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: The last little hurtle is passing the GTT, which I am pretty confident we will. Then, we can sit back and relax until GB decides it is time to meet his daddies:o)

24 weeks
 

P.S. I will post some pics of the cousins playing next time;o)