Little was born when I was 27. I gained a total of 24 pounds while I was pregnant with her. At my 6 weeks post-partum check up I had lost 26 pounds. Then I lost another 20 pounds while she was nursing.

Boo was born when I was 29. I gained a total of 32 pounds while I was pregnant with him. At my 6 weeks post-partum check up I had lost 22 pounds. I lost the other 10 pounds before he was a year old, but then gained them back before my pregnancy with Baby Girl.

Baby Girl was born when I was 30. I gained a total of 40 pounds while I was pregnant with her. At my 6 weeks post-partum check up I had lost 20 pounds. And here I am, as Baby Girl turns 2 months old, holding steady at 20 pounds to lose.

So, I decided to get going this week in an effort to reclaim my jeans. I’ve teamed up with my SIL for encouragement and support, and we’re embarking on a get-in-shape/weight loss journey.

Right now I’m just doing T-Tapp, a 15 minute toning/cardio routine that I’ve had success with in the past. After the 14 day “boot camp” with T-Tapp I plan to add in some Wii Fit or walking as well.

I might have also mentioned in Matt’s hearing that I might need to do something drastic like give up chocolate. So I guess I’m doing that too. Short-term, at least.

And to further my accountability, I’m going to write about my successes (or failures) right here.

Wish me luck.

And motivation.

39 weeks 5 days

So here are a few random pieces of information concerning the baby girl

~In November we bought a minivan. You might remember that I was having a really hard time with the idea of driving a minivan; I have to admit, however, that it really isn’t bad. We ended up getting a Honda Odyssey, and I like it a lot.

~Last week I washed several loads of laundry to get all of her tiny little clothes ready to wear, blankets ready to wrap up in, and burp cloths ready to spit up on. We have approximately 3 dozen burp cloths…is that normal?

~Her crib is in her room and the bumper pads are washed, but there is no sheet on the bed, the changing table is filled with non-baby items, and Little’s name is still hanging on the wall. Guess we still have some work to do there before she moves into the crib.

~She is well stocked on diapers. We should have plenty of tiny disposable diapers to get us through the first week or two, and I’ve got the GroBaby and BumGenius stash waiting in the wings.

~The infant car seat is installed in the van just waiting to bring her home from the hospital.

~I am 39 weeks 4 days pregnant. Officially the longest I’ve ever been pregnant. And she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to make her appearance. I figure she’s waiting until later in the week when it’s supposed to snow. Or possibly for Spring.

~I alternate between being extremely ready for her to arrive and perfectly content for her to stay right where she is. I think this has more to do with the potential reactions of the 3 year old and 20 month old than the baby herself.

~That said, I can’t wait to meet her. To hold her. To see what she looks like.

And I think that about sums it up. I’ll keep you posted.

Monday I went for my last every-four-weeks doctor appointment (and passed my glucose test with flying colors – woohoo!). It always seems that once I drop to appointments every 2 weeks the rest of the pregnancy flies by; I’m sure it will be even more so this time with the holidays upon us.

At this point in my pregnancy with Little we were buying a house, preparing for a beach vacation, and packing boxes (not to mention I was working 30ish hours per week). With Boo, I was cleaning like CRAZY. Not just my usual household cleaning, or even the usual baby-prep cleaning; I was dusting baseboards and door frames, wiping down walls throughout the house, cleaning blinds, and thoroughly cleaning the refrigerator. Right now, I’m lucky to make it through the day upright (and usually that’s after I’ve taken a nap). I don’t know if it’s just this pregnancy or having a 3 year old and an 18 month old or what, but I feel like I have very little energy and can just barely keep my head above water with the laundry and day-to-day housework that needs to be done. Oh well, I’ve learned to accept it.

As far as preparing for the baby goes, we still have a lot to do. Things like buying a car large enough for all three of our children to ride in, moving Boo to his big boy bed so the crib will be available, putting Little and Boo into the same room so the baby has a spot. You know, the little stuff. She also has all of five diapers. Guess that’s the part that really matters. At least if we want to stay dry while holding her.

She does have a name. For some reason it was a lot harder to figure out her name than it was with the other two.

She does have clothes. I’ve gone through Little’s clothes and pulled out what I think the wee babe will probably be able to wear. I have also been given a lot of clothes (with more to come this weekend) by a sweet and generous friend who had a baby girl in January 2009.

She will be very welcome and well loved. I just hope Boo doesn’t “over love” her!

And that’s the summary for the 30 week mark. Have a great weekend, everyone!

I tried to post from the doctor’s office yesterday, but my phone and Wordpress weren’t cooperating.

Baby girl is healthy and very active. Everything looked good on ultrasound, so now we just look forward to meeting our new daughter in a few months (she’s due in early January).

I’m afraid Little is going to be disappointed about the hair pulling thing, though. I have a feeling baby sister will love to touch Little’s pretty hair as much as a baby brother would have.

Little has fluctuated between wanting a baby brother or a baby sister for the last several weeks. Yesterday she told me she wants a baby sister because a sister won’t pull her hair like Boo does.

Boo would probably like to have a baby brother. That would give him a built in, lifetime wrestling and rough-housing partner. But he’s too young to express his opinion.

Matt and I just want a healthy baby. Early on in the pregnancy I felt like the baby is a girl, but the last few weeks I haven’t had a strong feeling one way or the other. Matt hasn’t voiced an opinion (he usually doesn’t on this matter).

My two best friends are split – one thinks it’s a girl, the other thinks it’s a boy.

The extended family (grandparents, my aunts, our siblings, etc) are probably pretty evenly split based on those who’ve said anything.

Either way, we’ll know in a few hours, and we’ll be ecstatic to know it’s a healthy, growing wee babe.

Were you married at the time? Yes, we’d been married for almost 7 years when Boo was born.

What were your reactions when you found out that you were pregnant? We were a bit surprised but very excited.

How old were you? 29 when he was born.

How did you find out that you were pregnant? About two months after Little weaned, and a couple weeks after her first birthday, I began to suspect that I might be pregnant again.  There were a few days here and there where I didn’t feel all that great, and I was feeling a bit more tired than usual.  I decided to take my temperature a couple of mornings (as in FAM); the first morning it was up and I just knew that I was pregnant.  I picked up a test while I was out running errands.  When I took the test it immediately turned pink; there was no doubt it was positive.

Who did you tell first? I called Matt at work to tell him.

Did you find out the sex? But of course.

Due date? April 19.

Did you deliver early or late? A few days early.

Did you have morning sickness? Yes.  Not as quite as bad as with Little, but I threw up regularly and felt bad for most of weeks seven through sixteen.

What did you crave? Chick-Fil-A waffle fries.

Who irritated you most? I’m sure it was Little or Matt just because they are the ones I’m with the most.

What was your child’s sex? It’s a boy!

How many pounds did you gain throughout your pregnancy? About 30.

Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? So far I’ve been blessed with smooth pregnancies; no complications with this one either.  I did, however, have three stomach bugs during my pregnancy (including one the day before he was born, but that’s another story) which was not fun.

Where did you give birth? in a hospital.

How many hours were you in labor? My doc inadvertently broke my water during my weekly visit.  That was about 4:30 or 4:45 in the afternoon and he was born at 12:12 am, so about 7.5 hours.

Who drove you to the hospital? I drove myself.  I was at the doctor’s office, which is directly in front of the hospital, when my water broke.  Matt was on his way home from work (had just left the office when I called), and my mom was at my house with Little, so I was on my own.

Who watched? Matt was the only one in the room through the whole thing; my mom was there until I started pushing.

Was it vaginal or c-section? The old fashioned way again this time.

Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I was bound and determined that I was going to deliver without medication, but they started a pit drip (b/c of my water breaking) and I gave into the pain and asked for an epidural.  The epi was wearing off in a major way by the time I started pushing, so I felt much more this time around than with Little.

How much did your baby weigh? He was exactly 8 pounds.

What did you name your baby? His first name is a family name (he’s the latest in a long line) and his middle name is biblical.  We called him Boo in utero before we found out his gender and it stuck as blogging name.

How old is your baby today? He’s five months old.

Were you married at the time? Yes, for 5 years.

What were your reactions when you found out that you were pregnant? We were so excited; we knew we were ready to add a little one to our family.  I was also a bit nervous as I think all first time moms are.

How old were you? 27 when she was born.

How did you find out that you were pregnant? I had been charting my temps (using FAM), so I knew that having a higher temp for more than 16 days probably meant I was pregnant.  I tried to wait 21 days before I took a test but only made it 18.  The first test must have been defective because it only made part of a plus, the second test registered positive almost immediately.  We found out on Nana’s (Matt’s mom) birthday.

Who did you tell first? I called Matt at work and then my best friend, Nicole.

Did you find out the sex? Yes, I think it would have driven both Matt and me crazy not to know.

Due date? August 7.

Did you deliver early or late? a week early.

Did you have morning sickness? that would be a yes.  I threw up every morning and felt terrible the rest of the day for 8 weeks.

What did you crave? pineapple pizza from Papa John’s during the first trimester, anything spicy the rest of the time.  I went through 2-3 jars of salsa per week.  I also had a major aversion to the smell of coffee until about 17 weeks; I almost threw up one night in the cereal/coffee aisle of Target.

Who irritated you most? I can’t recall one person in particular that irritated me, but I’m sure everyone irritated me at one point or another.

What was your first child’s sex? she’s a girl.

How many pounds did you gain throughout your first pregnancy? 24.

Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? not a single one, thank God.  I didn’t even have any swelling until the very end.

Where did you give birth? in a hospital.

How many hours were you in labor? my water broke at 1:45 p.m. and I hadn’t had a noticeable contraction yet.  They started a pitocin drip about 4:00 p.m. and she was born at 10:33 p.m.  So labor was just under 9 hours.

Who drove you to the hospital? Matt.  When I called him at work to tell him my water broke and he needed to come home he didn’t believe me at first; I think he was in shock.

Who watched? Matt was there the whole time and my mom made it into town about the time I started pushing, so she got to see her first granddaughter come into the world.

Was it vaginal or c-section? she came out the old fashioned way.

Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I had an amazing epidural when I got to 7cm; I didn’t feel a thing after that.

How much did your baby weigh? she was 7 pounds 1/2 ounce.

What did you name your first born baby? she has a beautiful name that I love, but we call her Little around here.

How old is your first born today? she’s two years old.

Little was born on her Pops’s birthday.  Matt called Nana and Pops while we drove to the hospital to let them know that Little’s arrival was imminent.  They were at Nana’s college registering for her Fall semester classes, so Pops had to call us back when they got somewhere quieter so he could hear Matt.  I think he thought we were calling to wish him a happy birthday; he was quite surprised to hear that his granddaughter was on her way on his birthday.  It’s pretty neat that she shares a birthday with her Pops.

Good morning all. Just a quick note to let you know that Boo was born around midnight this morning. He weighs exactly 8 lbs. and is 20.5 inches long. Jana and Boo are both doing well and should be home tomorrow.

38 1/2 weeks. Good heartbeat. Good movement. Good blood pressure. A few more contractions. A little more discomfort. A little less sleep. Ready to pop. Waiting to see what the next few days hold.

There hasn’t been too much to report this week. Little and I have been enjoying the warm, sunny days with lots of visits to the park and outside play time. Matt planted flowers in our flower beds over the weekend and some in pots last night; it is nice to see the color outside the windows after the drab winter. Little refers to the flowers as “da-da’s fowfers” everytime she sees them. Now we’re gearing up for more rain this afternoon and tonight and a few-day cold snap (hopefully the last of the season).

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

But how do you reply when the doc says, “this isn’t going to be the smallest baby I’ve ever seen?” On one hand, this is a good thing because I’m sure she’s seen some pretty tiny ones in her years of delivering babies. On the other hand, I’m not so sure about delivering a big baby (especially since I hope to deliver unmedicated, but we’ll see how that goes).

She asked what size Little was when she was born and when I said 7 lbs 1 oz she said that Boo is about that size now and will probably be bigger than that, especially if we go three more weeks. The doc who delivered Little “guesstimated” her to be much bigger than she actually was, so we’ll see if this doc is more adept at determining size based solely on external signs.

The only question that remains (or at least the only one that comes to mind) is whether or not we’ll make it through these next three weeks. According to my “progress report” today I’m at about the same dilation/thinning as the day Little was born. Guess we better get a hospital bag packed and the car seat installed!

Anyway, we are now to the point where it is okay for him to come whenever he decides it is time.  We’re making some progress in that direction and he is confirmed to be head down.  Guess now it is just a matter of waiting patiently for our precious new son.

The other day I was thinking about this time of pregnancy with Little. At first I thought, “I don’t remember nesting like this. I wonder why this time is different?” And then I really thought about it and realized that we closed on our house about eleven weeks before she was born and moved into it about six weeks before she was born. The time in between was spent packing, painting, cleaning the apartment, and getting the house ready for move in. Those final weeks were spent painting, unpacking, settling in, and getting Little’s things ready for her arrival. No wonder I don’t remember nesting!

Anyway, I am trying to get things marked off my to-do list as I have the energy. And I’m trying not to worry about the things that won’t get done. These last weeks are better spent preparing for birth, preparing for Jack’s arrival, and spending those last “only child” times with my little bit of girl (btw – this phrase is the source of her nickname; I called her that a lot when she was a tiny girl). We’ll see how the “not worrying about things that won’t get done” part goes.

And finally…It’s been awhile since I posted a Boo-belly picture. Here is one I took on Monday before my doctor appointment; we’re 32 weeks along.

Eight weeks to go!

Yes, that’s right, yesterday marked the last of the every 4 week appointments. Around here that’s a frightening big milestone.

When the doctor appointments get closer together it’s like a light goes off that says, “This baby is really coming, and it won’t be long until it gets here!” There is a new recognition of how much we have to do to prepare and how little time we actually have to get it done. But, as I always say, we seem to function best on a deadline; at least the things that must get done will.

So here we sit with approximately 13 weeks until we welcome baby Boo. And here we sit with a pretty big to-do list. And, actually, I probably shouldn’t be sitting at all but be up getting something accomplished. But, Little is resting and so shall I.

Have a happy Tuesday!

This time around she was able to get the readings she needed on the heart and cord, but the boy had his hands over his face the entire time which was giving the technician trouble because she needed to get the measurement they do of the nasal bone (or nasal opening or whatever with the nose). His sister was like this as well – hands up by her face during the ultrasound, never in the position they expected for finding the heartbeat, moving around as they looked for her heartbeat – so I’m wondering if they will both be strong-willed outside of the womb or if my children are just the type who like to suck their thumbs and be left alone.

Anyway, once again everything was good. The little guy weighs in at a 15 ounces and has a nice strong heart rate. We were able to get a couple of pictures from the ultrasound this time and he has his hand on his head like “argh, it’s been a rough day”. It is so neat to have this type of technology available so we can “see” them before we actually get to meet them.

I am feeling good but tired at this point. Everything seems to be going along happy and healthy with this pregnancy; a blessing indeed. It seems like these weeks have flown by, and we have some things we really need to get started on after Christmas – buying boy things, creating a boy room, painting, etc.

I would love to share an ultrasound pic with you, but, alas, we don’t yet have a scanner (I know, I know, my hubby is an IT guy, what are we thinking?! ); so, I will leave you with a picture of Mommy and Boo at 22.5 weeks.

Here we are a couple of days prior to Thanksgiving and I have a few pretty significant things to post about for which I’m thankful.  Today I’ll tackle some of them in list form and I’ll have a separate post tomorrow, then I’ll be absent for a few days as we celebrate Thanksgiving with family (you would have never known if I hadn’t said something, it’s not like I’m here all that often these days:-)).

1.  I’m thankful that I took the opportunity to participate in a Bible Study Fellowship class this year; I’ve talked about joining a BSF study a few times the last couple of years, and finally made the commitment back in September.  We are studying the book of Matthew, and I have been blessed by the lectures, the group discussions, and most of all by the time I have spent in the Word of God.  I am thankful for the leaders who give so much time to make the study what it is.  I am thankful for the other women who participate (especially my group) and speak life and truth into each other’s lives.  I am thankful that God is using this study in my life and the lives of so many women across the globe to draw us into deeper relationship with him.

2.  I am thankful that we will be able to spend time with Matt’s family this Thanksgiving; his parents, sister, and brother live about 10 hours from us, so we don’t see them as often as we would like.  I’m sorry that we won’t get to spend time with my sister-in-law and her family; they will be missed.  However, I’m thankful that the reason we won’t see them is because she is about 4 weeks from delivering a brand new, healthy, adorable nephew for us.

3.  I am thankful for good friends.  Over the last several years Matt and I have lived in cities where we are not near family, and our friends have become like family.  I am thankful for my friend Nicole who I left behind in East Tennessee, but who I still talk to regularly and see when we have the chance.  I had a very tough time when we first moved about 2.5 years ago, so I am thankful for my friends in our current city who have made living here a great experience.  I am thankful for the chance I had to eat lunch with my friend Diane last week.  I am thankful for the time I was able to spend with several of my girlfriends on Sunday.  I am thankful for the way our lives touch, the way we interact, and the way God has blessed my life with such wonderful women.

4. I am thankful for the precious Baby Boo who is growing and developing inside of me.  I am thankful that we had a good ultrasound yesterday and that Boo is happy and healthy in there.  I am thankful that God has chosen to gift our family with a precious baby boy this time around.  And on that note, here is a picture of mommy and Boo at 18.5 weeks (and yes, those would be short-sleeves and shorts I’m wearing today):

Day 3, Saturday: A fresh laundry room – My wonderful husband spent Saturday afternoon painting our laundry room the loveliest shade of green.  It is called “pea pod” although Matt refers to it as “grass”; that should give you an idea of the color since I was unable to get a good picture.  The best part is that he did all the work while allowing me to lie on the couch napping.  I’m telling you, he is a great catch!

Day 4, Sunday: A beautiful day –  The weekend and Monday were gorgeous days.  We had clear blue skies, temps in the 70s, and a nice little breeze blowing.  It was a great weekend to be out and about running errands and playing.  Although those won’t be the last days in the 70s here (it is supposed to be warm again this weekend), they were wonderful days before our days in the 50s on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Day 5, Monday: A healthy girl –  Little had her 15 month check-up on Monday and got a great report.  All of her milestones have been met or exceeded, she’s grown an inch and three-quarters since her 12 month check-up, and she is gaining weight (although she is still on the small side based on growth charts, oh well, she’s been consistent).  Right now she is fighting a yucky cough, but we have no long-term health or developmental concerns, and that is a great blessing.

Day 6, Tuesday: A stay-at-home Mom – I am so blessed to be able to stay home with Little – and baby Boo in days to come.  I try to step back from time to time and realize that I am only able to do this because God has blessed Matt with a good job and Matt and I have been committed from the start to me being at home.  I love being home, and even though the days get long and hard from time to time, I wouldn’t want someone else to enjoy all the fun that Little and I get to have together.   I am also grateful for my stay-at-home friends with whom we can hang out.

Day 7, Wednesday: Smoke without fire –  Yesterday afternoon I was very thankful that there doesn’t have to be fire for there to be smoke.  I was preparing to make a chicken pot pie for dinner and thought I could boil the chicken while Little and I went outside to play with the neighbor’s children.  Apparently I did not watch the time closely enough, because when we came home I opened the front door and was greeted by smoke and a nasty smell.  The pot had boiled dry and the chicken was quite burnt, but fortunately, it had not caught fire.  I immediately took the pot off the stove and put it outside, and we spent the next hour or so trying to air out the house with windows and doors open.  We are dealing with a lingering smell, but no serious effects.

Day 8, Thursday: Tiny little movements –  I’ve begun to feel the first tiny little movements that let me know Boo is kicking and doing okay.  This is so reassuring for me during the time between morning-sickness subsiding and the big ultrasound.  We go for the ultrasound a week from Monday, and I’m so excited to see this little one for the first time.

For all of these things and so many more I thank God.  He has truly been good to me.

So, right now there is a load of pants in the wash that includes my new maternity jeans and a pair of black maternity pants. On the laundry room floor, awaiting their turn in the wash, is a load of maternity shirts.

During my first pregnancy I didn’t wear maternity clothes until 17 weeks; I knew it would come sooner this time around but thought I might still have a week or two. Little was a late-summer baby which means my wardrobe consisted mainly of shorts and summery tops. This pregnancy requires me to start basically from scratch; that’s a good thing because it means lots of new clothes, but a bad thing because I haven’t done much shopping yet. I guess it’s a good thing that Fall is being slow coming to West Tennessee.

If you happen to know of a good source for petite or short-length pants, I would love to hear about it.  Pants are the hardest part because several places don’t carry petites at all, and the ones that do usually only have a couple of styles.

Anyway, on to a bit of this and a bit of that…

~Last Monday I visited the doctor for my first prenatal appointment. I was able to hear the baby’s heartbeat, which is always fun. Everything is going well, and the due date is set for mid-April. I thought it might be a little less awe-inspiring this time since I’ve been here before, but I was wrong. I can’t wait until my next visit and the opportunity to hear that sweet sound again. (as an aside: the baby is currently known as Baby Boo and will be referred to as such for the foreseeable future)

~The morning sickness seems to be letting up. I still have my moments, but overall I’m feeling better. I’m very glad at this turn of events.

~Little and I contracted a head-cold last week. I hate having a stuffy nose. Little didn’t sleep well at all on Saturday night because she couldn’t suck her thumb and breath at the same time, which means none of us slept well. Needless to say, we didn’t do much this weekend.

~I finished Memoirs of a Geisha, the first book from my Fall Into Reading list. I really enjoyed the book and found myself caught up in the narrative of the peasant-girl-turned-kept-woman to the point that I didn’t want to quit reading. Arthur Golden does a great job of story-telling and presenting exotic places and people in a such a way that I could picture them in my mind. If you haven’t read this one yet, I would recommend it (but be warned that there are a few parts that are quite risque).

~The “Bookshelf” portion of my sidebar is being updated to contain the books I’ve chosen to read this fall. If I add anything to my list, I will also add it to the bookshelf.

~I love to read on recommendation. If you have a favorite book, or a book you’ve read recently that you really enjoyed, I would love to hear about it. Please leave me a note in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by, and hopefully I’ll meet you here again soon!

For example, last night while giving Little a bath Matt asked me to hand him the shampoo. I sat there a second then started to hand him a towel thinking he needed to dry his hands. He looked at me like I was crazy (and can you really blame him?) and said he needed the shampoo, so he could wash the baby. I honestly thought when he asked the first time that he had looked at me and said “boo”. Yeah, it’s that bad!

So, I leave you today with nothing. I just wanted to check in and say that we’re making it around here. Hopefully I’ll be able to put a couple of thoughts together in a coherent way again soon.

The thing is, I’ve been so tired that Little’s afternoon naptime (when I usually find time to blog) has turned into naptime for me as well. What is it that is causing this tiredness you ask? That would be the tiny one growing inside of me.

Yep, last week Matt and I found out that we are going to be parents again. I think I’m about 6-7 weeks along, but I won’t have a definite due date until I see the doctor in a few weeks. So far fatigue is the major “symptom” I’m dealing with, but I do experience some queasiness from time to time. And cravings? Just about anything that isn’t good for me – chips, brownies, french fries, Taco Bell tacos.

Needless to say, we are very excited; although, I do find myself wondering sometimes how I’ll handle two children under two years old.

Life is often uncomfortable at this point (as any of you who’ve been here can attest). It is nice for temps to be in the low 90s this week instead of the temps right around 100 with 105 degree heat indices that we went through last week! I’m retaining some fluid (evidenced by the fact that my rings are a little tighter than usual), having a few contractions (mostly braxton-hicks), and not sleeping real well. But life is good!

Everything is now purchased and washed for Little’s room. We have to assemble the changing table and get the bedding on the bed, but it is all ready to go. Hopefully, M and I can get some of that done this evening and have some “completed” pictures of her room to send out before too long. We are pleased with the way it has all come together.

Thanks for continuing to keep us in your prayers as we near the end of this phase. Lots of love to you all!