38 Weeks

I am now 38 weeks pregnant.  In the home stretch, or as my Great Aunt Althea says, I'm "a short-timer now."  Ha.

The baby center post for this week states that baby is nearly 7 lbs and that his organs are matured and ready for life on the outside (maybe... I've always read that boys in particular need extra time for their lungs, and the March of Dimes has been leading a campaign to alter thinking on "full term" so that folks realize even babies born at 37 or 38 or 39 weeks may have signs of prematurity).

The post also discusses baby's eye color.  We've been talking about that at home lately; Bradley knows his eyes are green and so are Daddy's but that they both change color.  I've been wondering if baby-to-be's eyes will also be green, or if they might be blue or brown (mine are brown but as my father's are blue, I have two different alleles, hence why Bradley was born with light colored eyes), or maybe just a slightly different shade of this green-blue-honey brown mix that Bradley inherited from Daddy, who inherited them from B's Grandma Sarah.  Time will tell!  For those who don't know, a baby's eyes can change up until they are around three years old, and by six or nine months you generally know what color they'll stay even if the shade hasn't settled completely yet.

We are still debating baby's middle name, though we've finally firmly settled on a first name: Sean.  Bradley's been calling his brother Sean for a few weeks now, so hey, I guess it's going to stick!  It is the Irish spelling of the name John (Pat's father, and also a name that shows up on my family tree) and sounds a lot like the "Shea" portion of O'Shea (Pat's mother's maiden name), which is why we chose it.  I went out and bought the letters for his name sign in his room and painted them, so that settles that, haha.  Some middle name contenders: Reed, Caleb, Joseph, James, Charles, and Lee (my father's name, which he doesn't love).  Bradley says his little brother's middle name will be Sean, so therefore his name will be Sean Sean.  That's helpful, heehee.

Here are some pictures from this week:

Kitchen Art

Bradley began examining the ends of an onion and asking about it last night after dinner, so we decided to explore a bit.  We divided the layers up and ended up with what he deemed a little onion family (Bradley, the baby, Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Alison, and Uncle Mark).  We then pulled out the ketchup and mustard and made some artwork by stamping with the onion pieces.  It was pretty fun, kinda smelly, and (B decided) actually fairly tasty!

36 & 37 Weeks

I am now 37 weeks pregnant.  I have been busy wrapping things up around the house, so I haven't had much down time lately.  I missed making a separate write-up for 36 weeks so this is a combo post.

The 36 week baby center post states that baby is about six pounds and growing steadily.  It discusses the baby beginning to drop, and I do feel that's starting to happen.  I have been feeling more pressure lower down, though not enjoying any lessening of heartburn or shortness of breath as the article suggests.  Darn!  It mentions not traveling too far from home, and that's definitely something I agree with.  We have tickets to the aquarium in Mystic, CT but I'm not even sure I am up for it right now, so it'll have to be a post-baby excursion I guess.

For the 37 week baby center post, it of course declares happily that I've reached "full term" status.  If Bradley is any indication (induction at 42 weeks), this baby has some cooking left to do.  It discusses sleep being even harder than before, and that has certainly rung true.  I am still getting a nice, deep sleep until I first wake in the night, but getting comfortable in general is harder, I'm back to waking quite frequently, and sometimes I find myself awake for the day around 3 AM.  It's frustrating, to say the least; it makes my whole day more difficult.  They go on to list some signs of labor.  I'm not really having any yet, other than feeling baby a bit lower (midwife says he's not yet fully down and engaged, but he is staying head-down so GOOD BOY!) and I do notice the Braxton-Hicks contractions more than last time around, but I think that's probably just because I know what they feel like after having had a baby before.  So in conclusion... I think we have a while yet to wait.

We are pretty much ready for baby at this point.  I finished most of the diaper sewing repairs (and broke my machine in two different ways... hoping my mother or mother-in-law can bail me out when they visit after the baby's born!) and got them laundered and stuffed and into the changing table drawer, which felt amazing.  Pat and I have some things we would like to get done before the baby's here (mulching the garden beds, washing the windows, stuff like that) but they're not MUST DO things so really, I guess we're ready.  Now we just wait.  :)

My last run took place on May 1st, when I was 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant.  On Friday My 3rd I went to BJs to pick up some groceries and household items and (stupidly) hauled a 40 lb box of kitty litter without any help.  I wound up feeling VERY sore for the next two days, and unable to run all weekend.  I felt much better upon waking on Sunday May 5th, and when running didn't feel comfortable that day I walked instead. This still gave me a decent workout and I was able to break a sweat walking at between 2.5 and 3 MPH, so at least I felt like I got a good workout in.  I'm really sad that running is over for me, because I anticipate bubs won't be born for another 6 weeks and then I may need 6 more weeks postpartum before I am cleared to run again, which means about 3 months off of running altogether.  I've never taken a break since I started in October of 2011... so this is new for me.  I already miss it.

Whether I'm done with yoga or not remains to be seen.  I skipped it this past week because I slept poorly the night before and was still a bit sore.  I'm hoping to go next week, but we'll see how I feel.

My co-workers signed a beautiful card with lots of lovely well wishes for us, threw a great little party at work, and gave us a few quite generous gifts, including some cash.  I'm debating using it to buy the few things I want or saving it to establish the baby-to-be's savings account... we'll see.

I'm going out for dinner with my good friend, Gwen, as one last hurrah.  I'm also penciling in the MOMS Club activities this month because they may be my last chance to get out of the house at night for a while (Moms' Night Out is a planned screening of The Great Gatsby, and there's a Coffee Talk meetup later too).

Here are some pictures from the week:

35 Weeks

I am 35 weeks pregnant - 5 or so weeks to go!  The baby center post for this week states that baby doesn't have much room left to maneuver now that he's about 18 inches long and 5.25 lbs (and who knows how big our little man actually is!)... well, baby sure doesn't give up trying easily!  He rolls around, turns from side to side, and kicks - and seems he's trying to do hand-stands quite regularly, much to my and my bellybutton's chagrin.  The rolls and undulations across my belly when he moves are quite strong and visible.  It's amusing and an odd sensation at the same time.  Sometimes his slight head movements are actually strong enough to make my back audibly crack.  Sort of creepy!  I think he's going to be a strong one.

I think his development is pretty much there at this point, other than some finishing touches.  I read once that boys in particular need some extra time for their lungs to mature.  But it's neat to think he's pretty much whole and formed and just hanging out, maturing!

The linea nigra appeared recently and has darkened a bit further this week.  I was wondering when that happened from last time, and thought maybe this time it wouldn't.

Sleeping's been getting both better and worse.  I've been doing some exercises that are helping me relax before bed and so I'm getting a nice solid block of restful sleep before I have to wake up for the restroom, AND I'm waking less frequently for those potty breaks too.  That has been nice.  What is getting worse is the stress on my joints (shoulders, hips, ankles) from always sleeping on my side, and the logistics of flipping over to the other side in the middle of the night are more complicated with a bigger belly.  That has been not so nice.

Yoga and running continue... I think!  My neighbor, Deb, has been going to yoga with me and I have told her and my instructor that I'll just keep going, because even if I can't do a think everyone else is doing I can still get into child's pose and practice some relaxed breathing!  My yoga teacher, Lisa, has been so kind as to play my favorite song (Nature Spirits - it just relaxes me and reminds me of sitting alone in the forest... ahhhhh!) and is very willing to modify poses for me, etc.  Running on the other hand... I have been continuing with mixed results lately.  I've had to back off of my 5.0 mph pace down to 4.5 or even lower some days (or parts of some runs) because my belly is experiencing a muscle soreness at times.  After I run, my back is pretty tight for a good day or so.  Pat suggested it's not really worth it anymore, but for now I'm toughing it out.  Not sure how much longer though!

I am feeling NEARLY ready to meet him.  I have my paperwork in order (other than his birth date, social security number, and OH YEAH name), the cloth diapers are nearly finished with the rehabbing I've been doing, his room is set up... we're getting there.  I need a little more time to finish machine sewing the Velcro closures onto the diapers, wash and put away his clothes and bedding, maybe make some freeze-able snacks that I can grab easily for after the birth (muffins, oatmeal cookies, etc.).  Then I think we're pretty much set!  If he's anything like his older brother, he'll keep us waiting another 7 weeks or so.  Two months.  Yikes!

Here are some pictures from this week:

Big Apple Weekend!

Over the weekend we met Uncle Mark and Aunt Alison in Boston to take Bradley to The Big Apple Circus.  It's a place my parents brought my siblings and I a few times while we were growing up, and I have very fond memories (mostly of Grandma the clown and the fabulous horse trainer, both of whom are sadly no longer with the circus).  They're a not-for-profit arts organization that gives back to the community via special performances for sick, needy, and handicapped fans.  We were really looking forward to it (okay, mostly me?) and it was certainly something we were glad to have attended, though both Pat and I had to admit it wasn't as good as we remembered from a few years back.  We're glad we went, but we realize we definitely won't be making it an annual trip.  Maybe when the next kiddo's about three...?  :)

After the trip, we played some soccer in the back yard and explored the big rock under a maple tree that Bradley calls his "tree house."  We gathered some sticks which he dubbed cooking utensils and we played for a bit at making soccer ball soup.  He refused to let me take a posed picture ("Because I do not feel like having my picture taken right now."  Well, okay then.) but I snapped on on the sly anyway.  What a "cool dude" in his ball cap and babiators!

P.S. If you're curious about life behind the scenes, or the Big Apple specifically, I'd highly recommend a PBS documentary Pat and I were fortunate enough to catch a few years back: Circus.

34 Weeks

I am now 34 weeks pregnant.  The baby center post for the week states that baby's closing in on five pounds of weight and 18 inches of length.  Grow, baby, grow!  It also mentions that babies born due to preterm labor at this point rarely have lasting health complications, so that is wonderful.  I have definitely been feeling contractions starting.  Mostly they are painless, but I had one where I felt pain the other night.  My body is warming up for the big day.  The midwife says these types of sensations happen earlier and stronger the second time around (and are easier for mothers to identify), so while part of me wonders if this babe won't be as late as his big brother was (induction occurred at 42 weeks 1 day for Bradley), part of me just thinks I'm more aware of and/or having more intense Braxton-Hicks contractions.  Time will tell, I guess!

I hope we have a little more time before baby decides to arrive.  We do have some prep work left to do, and hope to get that wrapped up within the next two weeks.  It's time to install the carseat bases and get clothes and supplies ready to go.  I also need to wrap up some paperwork to start this little one's college savings plan and to claim the 6-8 weeks of temporary disability insurance payments I'm entitled to now that I've been working in Rhode Island and paying into it for a few years.  That'll be a nice improvement over last time, when I was ineligible as I'd been teaching in Massachusetts!  It's not a lot of money, but I believe it's salary-based and capped at around $300/week, so it could be around $1,800.  Not too shabby!

My mother's recent visit during her school vacation week (she's a special education teacher) helped with a major baby prep accomplishment: the diapers are almost totally done!  She was able to sew the Velcro-style closure tabs and laundry tabs onto about a dozen of the diapers, after she helped me hand sew their new elastic in.  I now have 17 of Bradley's old bumGenius diapers ready to use, 2 new Happy Heinys, 2 new Fuzzibuns, plus about 5 flip covers that Bradley uses for overnight only when he's out of overnight underwear-style cloth pull-ups.  This means we could change the new baby boy for 2 to 2.5 days without having to do laundry.  There are about 9 more bumGenius diapers for me to finish rehabbing, and that will stretch us out to every 3 days I hope.  We haven't bought any disposable diapers, but probably should at some point...  Anyway, I'm thrilled that we will be able to start using cloth right away with all of this help I've received from my mother-in-law and mother.  Yay!

The post mentions the return of fatigue, and I am definitely feeling that way.  I get up 3-4 times per night to use the bathroom, or maybe because my joints are tired and I need to change sleep positions, plus sometimes noises or baby's kicks wake me.  I'm trying to get to bed between 9-10 PM but I wake at 5 AM on work days, and Bradley hasn't been letting us sleep past 6:30 on non-work days, so I am racking up a sleep debt.

Here are some pictures from this week:

33 Weeks

I am now 33 weeks pregnant.  7 (or so) more weeks to go!  The baby center post for this week states that the baby is over four pounds (similar in weight to a pineapple) and 17 inches long; I wonder how big our actual baby is?  That's not a lot of length left to gain till birth.  I think Bradley was 20 inches long.  At our last appointment on April 10th, the midwife said baby boy was in pretty much exactly the position in the picture this week - head down but not engaged, bum and knee and leg just as in the picture.  I do feel what I think is a foot moving from side to side once in a while, and it seems like baby is stretching trying to extend his legs sometimes, because I will feel simultaneous pressure on my belly button and my hips (or bladder, not fun!).  She also said his heart rate sounds great, my blood pressure is great, and we're measuring a tad big (35 cm fundal height, where it should match the number of weeks we are, so we're effectively two weeks ahead in growth - not surprising considering Bradley's size).  I expressed a little concern over feeling swollen fingers and feet (rings are starting to feel tight, I saw a line from my socks at the end of the day last week), etc.  She said it's a tad bit early for those end-of-pregnancy woes to be getting to me, but that as long as the swelling's not first thing in the morning it is probably just normal.  I also mentioned my back still bothering me quite a bit, and she recommended looking up some Spinning Babies moves because perhaps little boy is resting his (probably large) noggin on my spine.

The post also mentions carpel tunnel syndrome.  I was affected by that pretty badly last pregnancy (and joint pain in general), and to this day my wrists and thumbs are not as strong as they once were.  But my symptoms haven't gotten worse with this pregnancy at all so far.  I hope that continues!  It made work pretty impossible last time and I ducked out at 39 weeks, no longer able to type or take handwritten notes.  Maybe I can avoid that this time.

I have been doing "kick counts" for this baby every night when I go to sleep for about a month now at the midwife's suggestion.  She says staying in tune with that activity and baby's movements at the end will help us know if baby should be induced or not.

The article also states it's time to wash baby's clothes and bedding, but I'm holding off on that for now.  We are aiming to have everything ready around May 1st, when I'll be 36 weeks.  We have about 2-3 weeks left!

The diaper rehab is plugging along.  My mother-in-law, Sarah, was able to sew three more Velcro-style sets of pieces on so we have four completely rehabbed dipes waiting for baby's bum.  Couple those with the four I purchased (new in their packages for less than half price!) at the consignment sale in March and we've got eight.  If I can get a few more done before baby's born we should at least have enough to get through a day. I am of course hoping to get them all done, but they are time-consuming, let me tell you!

Our next appointment with the midwife is April 23rd.

Here are some pictures from this week:

Spring Adventures

My mother visited for a few days this week (off from school as a special educator), which made for a lovely visit.  She cooked some lasagnas to stick in the freezer for when baby boy arrives, went to breakfast and hung out in the back yard with Bradley and I on my day off (we opened up the sand box for the first time this season, to Bradley's delight), and even babysat Bradley so Pat and I could go out for dinner one night.  It was really nice to have her around, even for silly stuff like watching Chopped with me while I got in my treadmill run on my day off.  We don't get the opportunity to just hang out as much as I'd like, living in different states.  Pat and I both took an extra day off during the week to go with Mom and Bradley to our first PawSox game of the season.  The Sox lost, but it was a decent game to watch all the same, and David Ortiz was down for some recuperation time, along with an entourage of personal attendants and/or trainers.

Here's a picture of Bradley greeting Paws, the mascot (whom he was afraid of last year), and a random little girl who wouldn't move when Pat took the picture (haha):

New York

Over this past weekend we drove to my in-laws' in New York.  We had a formal funeral service for my Grandma Bea in Corinth, NY where her husband and my paternal grandfather was laid to rest many years ago.  My mother, aunt, and uncle ventured out on their own Saturday morning and laid Grandma's ashes to rest beside their father's grave - something Grandma wanted very much.  The service was lovely, and Grandma would have been very happy.  It took place in the same church I was baptized in.  My father-in-law stayed home with Bradley, which meant Patrick and I could both attend and feel whatever we needed to feel; this allowed for some nice closure for both of us.  The tears really started when my uncle and his wife gave a lovely eulogy that completely captured Grandma's spirit and personality - both the serious and amusing traits - and really called to mind the special woman that she was.  I'm very lucky to have known her and been able to have such a nice relationship, especially considering she didn't live anywhere nearby for most of my life.  It was touching to meet more of our extended family, many of whom still live in Tupper Lake where my grandmother grew up.  Maybe we (my parents and siblings and I?) will go visit for one of their annual summer parties some year, and get to spend a little more time with them.

32 Weeks

I'm now 32 weeks pregnant.  The time just keeps on marching along!  I have reached the uncomfortable stage... my belly button is sometimes sore at the end of the day from kiddo pushing (kicking?) on it, and what little sleep I've been getting throughout the pregnancy is just that much harder to come by.  I'm waking 3, 4, sometimes 5 times per night.  The sleep I do get is not very deep or restful.  I feel tired pretty much every day.  I need to go to bed before 9 PM in order to feel even slightly rested by the morning (waking at 5 AM on work days).  It means that by the time Bradley's in bed and the kitchen's cleaned up for the evening, I have about an hour and a half of down time.  Not much time to fit in TV and relaxation time with Pat, diaper repair sewing time, and pre-birth exercise time.  :/

The baby center post for the week says baby weighs near 4 lbs.  It also talks about crowding going on and associated shortness of breath and heartburn.  Check and check.  Going up the stairs is difficult, especially if I'm holding a basket of laundry or anything like that (hint, hint, husband!).  It's also getting harder just to eat and drink, because I literally don't feel there is room for much!  Smaller, more frequent meals help but that translates to me feeling like I'm constantly eating.  Ha.

The diaper repair is coming along!  They are completely all prepared for sewing back together, and I've finished one and a half.  The Velcro sewing with the machine should be pretty quick work, and after picking up some decent thread with Bradley in tow (needed $2.50 spool of thread, yet somehow left the store with $14.50 worth of stuff!) I have started the long, fairly painful process of sewing the new elastic into the legs and backs of each diaper (ow, my thumbs!).  I have plenty of time to keep chugging away at it, if my thumbs cooperate.  I'm psyched if it all works out, because that will mean I have done this for the price of a spool of thread versus the $400-$450 it would have cost to buy a new stash of diapers.  Savings, ka-ching!

We'll be getting packed up and ready for birth in the next month.  Wow!

Our next prenatal appointment is scheduled for this Wednesday, April 10th.  They're getting a little bit more frequent, these appointments, as we reach the end.  I also have an annual physical scheduled with my general practitioner on April 29th.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the heck she'll do with the wellness plan forms from work, which ask her to measure my waist circumference, heehee.  :)

Here are some pictures from this week: