Friday, May 22, 2015

5 Weeks to Go (35 Weeks)

Five weeks to go...only five weeks to go!!!  I had my 35-week appointment this morning, and Farrah's heartbeat was beautiful (in the 140's) and she still measured a week small (34 cm).  I have gained 33 lbs and my blood pressure was 120/77, which my doctor said was really good.  I also get tested for Group B Strep today.  Because Farrah measured small, my doctor scheduled an ultrasound next week to check on her growth.


We are getting closer to being ready for Farrah's arrival.  My mom started moving some of the bedroom furniture to our house for the nursery.  Once all of that is moved, we will decide if it needs to be repainted or if it looks good enough.  Then I can decorate and get everything put away and ready.  The only things I really feel like I still need to get is the rocking chair and sheets (for the crib and changing pad).  I have begun packing our hospital bag.


Cravings: Pancakes.  I really want Keane and I to go to Cracker Barrel before work one morning before Farrah arrives, but getting up extra early may be too hard of a task for me to accomplish.


Aversions: Coconut.  Actually, I always dislike coconut, but I especially dislike it this week because it is on the icing of a delicious German chocolate cake I bought, and it kind of ruins the cake.


Symptoms: Cramping and dull pains in pelvic area, an all-around tightening sensation (I guess this is Braxton Hicks contractions), body achiness, especially in hips and pelvis, heartburn/indigestion, sleepiness, insomnia, frequent need to pee, swollen hands/feet, lack of concentration/forgetfulness, more emotional...


Mood: I've been tired lately and my body hurts, so I just want to do a lot of nothing.


Missing: Having options of clothes to wear and actually fitting into them - I really dislike getting dressed, especially for work.


Excited for: The ultrasound next week.


Body changes: A lot.  This has been the hardest week physically so far.  My body aches, my joints hurt when I walk and especially when I roll over or roll out of bed throughout the night, and I'm constantly cramping.  I am trying to drink more water because that's really all I can do to help at this point.


Sleep: I either sleep terribly, or I sleep better after being exhausted from sleeping so terribly.  On a good night, I wake up three times to pee and reposition.


Movement: Farrah moves most after I drink cold water.  She moves when she hears music or clapping (louder noises) or when I sit forward reducing her space.  I feel little body parts, but while I rub them she usually moves them away quickly.  She gets hiccups daily usually.


Friday, May 15, 2015

6 Weeks to Go (34 Weeks)





I looked in the mirror and laughed out loud to myself.  My baby is in there.  A baby is inside my stomach.  Living, curled up, growing, and waiting.  As much as I try to accept it, pregnancy is so weird to me.  I hope I can say that while still saying I like it, because I do.  I enjoy it.  But I can't picture a baby, a real baby, inside there.  I feel like I would need an ultrasound every single day to really be able to accept it completely.  That's just wishful thinking though, because I wish I could see Farrah.  I wish I could look into her eyes, kiss her baby lips, and run my fingers through her hair (if she has hair)!   


Cravings: Cold water.  And I hate cold water normally.  Ice cream.  Cookies.  Any snacks, really.


Symptoms: Being overheated.  Swelling of my hands and feet/ankles/calves.  Lighting crotch I believe it is called.  Shortness of breath.  I think I am having some Braxton Hicks contractions.  They aren't what I expected to feel, though.  They feel exactly like period cramps.  Body aches.


Mood: Anxious.  Happy.


Missing: Being able to move easier.


Excited for: My weekly doctor appointments beginning next week.  I feel like the next 6 weeks are going to fly by!  And, the nursery being almost completely painted.




Body changes: I think my belly grows each day.


Sleep: I've been sleeping well due to exhaustion.  I wake up a few times to pee and readjust my sleeping position.  And then it's incredibly hard to get out of bed in the mornings.


Movement: I love when Farrah is awake and moving.  I just want to hold still and take it all in, and that's pretty much all I can really do.  She has the hiccups almost daily.  I just feel them and hope she isn't as annoyed with them as I would be if I were to have the hiccups that often.













Monday, May 11, 2015

Birth Story of Me

For Mother's Day, I asked my mom to write out her birth story of having me.  So here she goes...

I was wanting to have another child, so I went off birth control pills in December so I could start planning.  I discovered I was pregnant within the next month.  (My sister found out she was pregnant two months after me.) 

Throughout my pregnancy, I did not have any morning sickness and no gestational diabetes.  I gained approximately 13 pounds my entire pregnancy, but I may have lost some “baby weight” from my first daughter, Kimberly, who would only be two years and two months old when Kristina was born.  My due date was September 12th.  When I started my “weekly visits” in the middle of August, I was dilated 1 cm.  My second weekly visit, I was dilated 2 cm.  Before my third weekly visit, I was awakened in the middle of the night with a contraction.  On my third weekly visit, I was dilated 3 cm.

My sister and I arranged our doctor appointments so we could travel together.   On September 9th, 1987, it was my turn to drive to the afternoon doctor’s appointment.  We did not have a vehicle with cruise control and I was just driving along and met a cop.  I didn’t think anything about it until I saw flashing red and blue lights in my rearview mirror.  I was pulled over.  The officer asked me if I knew why he pulled me over.  I said, “No.”  He said I was speeding.  I was on a 55 mph highway and I do not think I was going more than 10 mph over.  I know he saw my sister’s and my big bellies.  I told him we had a doctor’s appointment.  He gave me a speeding ticket anyway.

I was awakened during the night with another contraction a couple of days before.  So, when I was checked, I was dilated 4 cm.  The doctor said, “I don’t know what’s keeping her in there, but I am going to ‘strip your membranes.’”  I returned home and around 5:00 pm, I started feeling achy with lower back discomfort.  I never really had contractions, just mild tightening.  We made arrangements for Kimberly to stay with my sister and Gale and I headed up to the hospital around 7:00 pm just to get checked out.

I was checked and I had dilated a little more.  They had me walk the halls and put me on the monitor.  I did not dilate past 7 cm on my own; they had to break my water.  Around 6:30 am, they started a Pitocin drip and things started happening.

Gale and I took Child Birth Classes when I was pregnant with Kimberly.  Her delivery was complicated and we did not use anything we had learned with her.  But, Gale and I did remember enough and used what we had learned with Kristina.  I would focus on a spot on the wall when a contraction would start.  I would make my body relax, but was very aware of the tightness in my abdomen.  Gale was a great coach.  He would watch the monitor and when it was near the peak, he would tell me the contraction was almost over.  I knew I only had to endure the discomfort for less than a minute more.   There were times that the nurse would “check me” during a contraction.  She would have to hold my leg up and when she let go, my leg would just fall.  That’s how relaxed I would become.  She was very impressed with Gale’s coaching and my ability to relax.  She made a comment that she wished they could have videotaped our technique.

Kristina Kaye made her appearance at 7:53 am on Thursday, September 10th, and had a head full of beautiful dark hair.


Friday, May 08, 2015

7 Weeks To Go (33 Weeks)

My 33 week doctor appointment went great.  My blood pressure was 119/72 (my mom said that was great), I've gained a total of 30 pounds (4 in the last 2 weeks), Farrah's heart rate was 144, and she is measuring 32 cm which is one week small (my doctor said she won't be a huge baby, and I'm hugely okay with that)! 


We discussed how my belly is feeling tender to the touch and sore the last few days.  She explained and showed me that my muscles are stretching from the inside out and separating, so basically they are bruised in a sense.  It's all normal, and good.  I've had some cramps, and she said they're likely contractions, but as long as they occur occasionally and not often, they are fine. 

I go back in two weeks, and then every week until Farrah comes!!!


Cravings: Drinks.  Ice cream (I have had a Sonic blizzard, a Dairy Mart caramel hot fudge shake, a Hardee's chocolate hand dipped shake, and a twist cone all this past weekend/week).


Symptoms: I am tired, and achy.  And then I read this: "Abdominal or pelvic achiness is very common as your baby is rotating and lowering itself down into the birthing position."  I get worn out so quickly and even walking from point A to point B seems exhausting, and then really is exhausting.  Life doesn't slow down just because I'm 7 months pregnant.  Supper still has to be made, dishes still must be cleaned, laundry still has to be done, showers still have to be taken, activities are still important including last weekend's fishing and bonfires and flying kites and grocery shopping.  Heartburn and forgetfulness, but the kind that I am not even aware that I have forgotten things really.  Headaches, a tender pain on the outside of my stomach, and swollen hands and feet.


Mood:  I am tired of clothes not fitting, I am tired of my feet hurting from carrying extra weight by the end of the day, I am tired of the busyness of life.  I am just tired, exhausted, and overwhelmed.  Keane knows I am starting to get a little down about my weight gain and incredibly large belly that I am obviously not used to and he must have seen the way I was looking at myself in the mirror the other day, because he interrupted my thoughts and said, "Baby, you look beautiful," in the most genuine tone.  It really means a lot to have his love and support. 


Missing: Energy.  Wearing clothes for looks and not just for comfort. 


Excited for: That I purchased the paint for the nursery.  Slow steps but "progress is progress!"


Body changes: Keane even said, "I don't know if your belly can go out any further."  I don't either.


Sleep: Drinking water in the evenings makes for a lot of trips to the restroom throughout the night.  It's been warm at night, which does not make for the best sleep.  Rolling over is almost impossible - I pretty much have to get up out of bed (to pee) so that I can return in a different position.


Movement: Farrah is moving much more and regularly (not timely, though).  She makes my belly burst into wave-like movements, or her baby body parts bulge out for short periods of time.









Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Lately

This "lately" post was written in mid-February, nearly three months ago!  I better post it before any more time goes by!

Lately...we celebrated my dad's birthday (54 years)!  I got him a bucket of snap-off knives that he loves and can always be found wearing in his front shirt pocket.  My mom made him some amazing, delicious, fall-of-the-bones ribs and chocolate birthday cake.  I was able to see him on his birthday and enjoy some warm, fresh chocolate cake, and a couple hours of visiting!  My sister recorded McCoy singing Happy Birthday (his first year singing acapella) for Papa.

Valentine's Day was as sweet as ever.  Kaden intended on making a tractor Valentine's Box, so I tried helping Kylie come up with an idea for hers and suggested a basketball court.  She made hers all on her own!  Kaden changed his mind and decided to make a football field, and Keane and I got to help him on it, which was a ton of fun and it turned out pretty spectacular if you ask any of us!







Keane and I had a nice dinner at CC's City Broiler for Valentine's Day.  It is so much fun getting dressed up with my babe and fine dining.  Although we both agreed it sucks driving an hour to dinner in the same town we drive to work each day during the week.  We were told we would have a 2 1/2 hour wait (it ended up only being 1 1/2 hours) and during that time, we mingled with two other couples and enjoyed the conversations.  Our meal was delicious.  Keane got a bone-in ribeye aged ~34 days (he says it was one of the best steaks he's ever had) and I had a blackened grouper (fish).  It was delish.  I really liked the dinner and no-gift way we celebrated Valentine's Day this year.  My dad sent me a text that said, "Well don't worry about Farrah, she's having fun with Grandpa!  Oops, I was just thinking in the future!"  Haha.  Farrah decided to tag along with Mom and Dad this year, but next year, she has a date with Papa! 


This nephew of mine is growing up and getting cuter by the day (how is that even possible?)!  I love to call my sister and ask for new "McCoy stories."  They're the best.  Kimberly was laying on McCoy's Kristi Blanket and he got upset and said, "You're hurting her, Mom!!!"  About 3 1/2 years ago, I found a big stitch beginner's crochet blanket pattern and made it in my unborn nephew's nursery colors.  Never could I have imagined how bonded he would become to his Kristi Blanket, but I love it so.


Kylie needs to work on her spelling, ha!  Her and I enjoyed baking some chocolate chip cookies two nights in a row (because yes, they were that good, and yes, they went that quickly)!






Kylie's team won 1st place in the 3rd grade girl's basketball tournament, and Kaden's team won 3rd in the 5th grade boy's tournament, but we might as well consider them 2nd place winners (they're truly kicking arse as basketball this year).






I'll leave with you a couple Lenox pictures, since he's such a photogenic subject.


Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Mushroom Journal



Mushroom Season started out slow.  And teeny tiny.  See this first mushroom I found of the year?  I don't even really know how I found it, ha!




They grew in size quickly this year.  But we never found a large quantity.  For record's sake: here are our findings.  This does not include the times we went and found none.




Saturday, April 11 = 1 (Forrest)
Sunday, April 12 = 2 (Forrest)
Tuesday, April 14 = 1 (Forrest)
Thursday, April 16 = 3 (Forrest) + 3 (Buck)
Friday, April 17 = 10 (Buck)
Saturday, April 18 = 9 (Forrest) + 6 (Buck) + 2 (Premiere)
Sunday, April 19 = 1 (Premiere)
Tuesday, April 21 = 6 (Forrest)
Friday, April 24 = 1 (Forrest) + 1 (Buck)
Sunday, April 26 = 5 (Buck) + 3 (Sister)
Monday, April 27 = 5 (Forrest) + 5 (Buck)

Total Mushrooms = 64

Monday, May 04, 2015

Spring Has Sprung

This post was written in the beginning of April. 

A couple of weekends ago, I helped Keane on the farm a lot (haul hay, feed hay, etc.) and we also found an oak tree and two sycamore trees in the woods that we uprooted and planted in our yard.  I really, really hope they take off and grow.  We (Keane) put a lot of hard work into transplanting them, and they will be so beautiful in our yard!  Keane and I also went fishing for the first time this year.  I caught two little fish and he caught a couple small ones and three keepers that we had for supper!  Mmm mmm.

Kaden and Keane finished their bird mansion, I mean bird house, and it looks amazing!  Seriously, can we vacation in there?  Kaden spray painted it which he is ever so proud of, as he should be.


We also planted some vegetable seeds indoors and one plant (a hot pepper plant) has already sprouted.  We plan to transplant them to our garden next month.


I really, really love this time of the year, although summer is probably my all time favorite.  The trees that Keane and I replanted from the woods are harboring buds as of this week!  I feel so proud of our hard work!  Last weekend, we also gave my flower bed some TLC with some black plastic to help rid the weeks, mulch, and we brought in the rock border to make it a little smaller and more manageable.  My daffodils have even bloomed!  Keane and I replanted some vegetable seeds that never took off, transplanted them into bigger cups, and are tending to them hoping they will flourish.  This weekend we plan to lay down some landscape timbers and plants some strawberry plants next to our rhubarb plant!

Keane and Kylie attended a Father/Daughter Dance - the theme was Neon so they had to wear white t-shits to decorate in neon paint.  


The kids spend a lot of their time playing basketball.  The cows are calving on the farm which has been keeping Keane and his dad busy.  I am growing this sweet baby in my belly and anticipating my upcoming baby shower in a few weekends!

8 Weeks to go (32 Weeks)

Eight weeks until we get to meet our newborn baby daughter that we have named Farrah and have already begun preparing for on this Earth. 


I hear moms say that they miss their pregnant bellies and miss their babies being there with them and close to them, feeling their movements and knowing they are safe.  So I am embracing it.  I am proudly wearing my baby bump, squeezing into clothes that no longer fit, and feeling every kick and bulge and hiccup, and taking it all in. 


I hear moms say that the newborn phase is hard, yet one that we often want back, so I promise to embrace it.  I know I won't get much sleep, that I'll worry, that I may cry for no reason, that I may experience postpartum blues, that I won't be able to shower as often as I'd like, and that nursing will be a full-time job.  I know within a week, then two, and then a month, that Farrah will grow and change so much, and I will take photos and stare at her and take every bit of her newborn life in as possible, because I know I will want it back one day soon.


I hear moms say that newborns smell so delightful, even immediately.  I will take in Farrah's newborn smell from the moment she is placed into my arms, until her newborn smell is replaced with whatever it is toddlers smell like - and I'm sure I'll enjoy that scent as well.


I saw these 12 amazing partial birth photos that I wanted to share.  Please don't look at them if the whole birth process is weird or strange or gross to you.  I love it.  I love the process - the natural steps that our bodies go through to bring a baby into this world.  I'm ready.  I'm ready for my turn with Farrah.  I'm thankful that I'll have a supporting husband by my side (up by my head, he says) and a loving family waiting to hear the news and meet their new family member.  What a beautiful thing, and I have a mere 8 weeks until I get to experience it for myself.


I have pre-registered online for our hospital.  We have decided against birthing classes.  I don't plan on writing a birth plan of any sort, but I may create a music playlist.  Keane doesn't think he'll be able to cut the umbilical cord, nor watch any of the birth.  I'm not scared, just ready.


Cravings: Water.


Symptoms: Shortness of breath/trouble catching breath, RLS, thirst, very tired this week, heartburn, sensitive teeth.


Mood: Busy.  This pregnancy hasn't really kept me from doing any of the things I would normally do.  We have been mushroom hunting often, we spent most of last weekend rearranging furniture and storing things in the basement, and I still spend an hour or so in the kitchen each evening working on supper, etc.  I do notice that I get worn out quicker, though.


Excited for: Starting on Farrah's nursery...and having only 7 more doctor's appointments left!.  We now have combined the older kids' rooms, and it turned out awesome.  The room actually seems bigger now with two beds, two desks, a nightstand, a book shelf, and a TV which we will be mounting on the wall. 


Body changes: I'm feeling about the same, but I'm sure my belly (baby) is getting larger without me even realizing it.  My ankles are swollen when I get home from work in the evenings and it feels so good to lay down and get some rest and sleep.  My belly button is still in, my wedding ring is still on, and I don't have any stretch marks.


Sleep: I have slept great this week -- probably due to being more tired than usual.  I slept throughout the entire night a few nights in a row.  I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's a little slice of heaven.


Movement: This week she has been moving more.  She's always kicking around, which I can see and feel and I love, love, love, or tickling down low, and I think I've felt her hiccups now, which are little like her old kicks but at regular intervals, like a slow heartbeat perhaps.  I love to gently touch her little body parts that bulge out, hoping she can feel her momma's touch.  She always soon moves it away, and she never will move when Keane is watching or feeling.  Typical, right?







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