39 Weeks

The end is nigh... And I have good news—baby is head down!! You can come out anytime now, little one:)

I had another ultrasound this week to make sure. This time, the technician let me watch him/her for awhile, which was pretty incredible. I've never had an ultrasound this far along into a pregnancy. And well, you can see what I saw...

No need to strain...the above left pic looks like a baby sleeping on it's side, though somewhat ghostly.

 

Seeing it's sweet, fully-formed face ignited all this love I didn't know I had and a huge sense of anticipation for it's arrival. Not much longer until I get to plant my lips on those darling little cheeks!

I've also got this countdown (above right) going at my work desk. It had been a little crazy the last few weeks, so having this visual motivator has kept me clear-headed. Even if baby doesn't come before his/her due date, I'm hoping to spend a few days checking things of my to-do list and spoiling my dear Ruby. Her last days as an only child...don't even get me started on that.

I may be feeling a little too confident that I won't go before my due date, as I've been scheduling appointments and coffee dates for next week (!). Really, I'm just hoping to jinx myself;) Breaking news will be posted to my Instagram or Twitter feeds.

What do you think it is...BOY or GIRL?? xx

38 Weeks

Sideways. That was how the baby was laying this week. At this point in the pregnancy though, we most definitely want it to be head down. The doctor tried to manipulate it back into birthing position after a last minute ultrasound on Monday. We think it might have worked.

The words "breeched" and "c-section" were mentioned. Which is a little disappointing. It's definitely not the route I want to go, but I'm not going to put myself or the baby at risk for a natural childbirth either.

I've got another 1 or 2 chiropractic appointments before baby's arrival, which I'm hoping will get things back into alignment. I've placed my "induction regimen" on hold for now too. No use trying to jumpstart things if this little one isn't ready to come out. Until then, we watch & wait...

35, 36, 37 Weeks...

We're in the home stretch! Emphasis on stretch. This baby is running out of room and I'm pretty sure it's already bigger than it's big sister was this far along.

Baby, I'm looking forward to not referring to you as "it" for much longer. I'm not stressing out that your room is not perfectly put together. The blankets & onesies are washed, and that's good enough for me.

Still no name, but I'm not stressing out (too much) about that either. There's a list and I trust that seeing your sweet face will determine the winner.
Physically, I'm feeling pretty OK. Not really sleeping through the night anymore, but at least the back pain is at bay. I definitely think all that prenatal chiropractic work has paid off.

I've also adopted a (loose) regimen of essential oil usage, date fruit eating, and relaxation techniques that will hopefully prompt this baby to arrive earlier and more easily if possible. A little more on that:

The oils—I've been using a mixture of Young Living's "Gentle Baby" diluted with olive oil for "massage". I've been instructed to add Fennel oil to the mix at 38-39 weeks, which will hopefully jump-start things. Click here for the recipe I am referencing.

The 15ml vessels may seem pricey, but I'll be able to use the "Gentle Baby" on baby for rashes/ discomfort and the Fennel for B-feeding.

Date Fruit Consumption—Have you heard about this? Apparently, women who eat 6 date fruit pieces a day during their last 4 weeks of pregnancy are less likely to be induced. I've stocked up on the dates but have done a poor job of putting them down every day. Re-reading this article has me feeling motivated again.

Relaxation—I've been reading a bit about hypnobirthing, and though I'm a little weirded out by the technique, there were a few takeaways I've been putting into practice now and up to the actual labor/ delivery. Those include visualization, reassociating discomforts with pressure, and some deep breathing exercizes.

I've also been using YL's "Peace & Calming" oil for relaxation at bedtime and have a list of meditation verses to memorize/ focus on for the big day. Lots of prayer too:)

So, those are some of the things I'm doing to prepare for the coming event! And at this point, I'm hoping it comes sooner rather than later...xx

[Editor's Note: There is no editor. Just this lady with some serious pregnancy brain. So please have some grace if you come across any horrendous typos/ grammar in this post or previous ones. Thank you.]

33 & 34...

Not much longer now... It feels like all of a sudden, everyone (including strangers) are asking when my due date it. "July 22nd, so probably August," I tell them. With Ruby, I went a week over my due date. 41 weeks and no dialation.

I would really like to not have to be induced this time around, so I'm starting a "regimen" in the next couple weeks that might help me avoid that experience again (more details on that later). My induction wasn't horrible, but being able to labor at home for as long as I can without being hooked up to a monitor just sounds so much more appealing.

In other news, we finally moved the crib into the baby's room. Ruby got a "big girl bed" at IKEA last week and has been sleeping in it since. I've laid down with her a few nights to help her fall asleep. Only once we've found her playing with toys in her room after lights out. The transition has gone surprisingly well, even though it breaks my heart a little. My baby girl is growing up too fast...

Now that Baby #2's room is coming together, I'll hopefully assemble a little room tour blog post soon. Stay tuned...xx

30, 31, 32...

With weeks left to go in the single digits, my prenatal & chiropractice appointments are increasingly more frequent now. Baby seems to be doing well, but this Mama continues to have her share of back & hip pains to endure. Don't get me wrong, I understand this is for such a short time and for such a great purpose, but "ouch".  

Add in a 20+ lbs almost 2 year old who likes being carried around by her Mama, and well, you get it. I just can't resist Ruby's sweet little arms reaching for me while pleading "I WAHN CHOO". 

Otherwise, I'm doing pretty well. Trying to take care of myself. I put on enough weight between prenatal appointments for the Doctor to tell me to cool it on the snacks. Since then, I've been experimenting with a whole foods/ low sugar diet that hasn't been terribly strict, I must add. So far, it's helped to give me a little more energy and a lot less weight gain.

I have also been experimenting with some natural remedies, more specifically, Young Living products. A few people in my world have already been using them and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Wayde got me the Everyday Oils Kit for Mother's Day and I've been using at least one or two every day since. Maybe I'll write a review at some point...at least they smell nice.xx

28 & 29

Hello, third trimester! Sometimes, it's easy to forget that you get an actual human baby at the end of this deal. And with the more frequent aches, discomforts, and late-night bathroom visits, I am reminded how near this event is actually taking place.

TIP: If you want to speed up a pregnancy, put off the really big stuff like assembling the baby's room or picking out a name (both of which we have yet to accomplish). But I'm not stressing...yet.

Can I just say how super voluptuous my hair looks in that 29 week photo? It's certainly not due to the prenatal vitamins because I have been doing a horrible job staying on top of those.

Also, have you seen Call the Midwife? I blazed through Season 1 on Netflix this week. Such an endearing show. And such a different viewing experience to watch late into one's pregnancy.

Stay tuned to see how much I balloon in the next 10 (or more likely 11) weeks of this pregnancy. That is if I don't give up on my whole maternity series in general. So...humbling. xx

27 Weeks

So, I finally got around to scheduling a chiropractic appointment. And magically, my back began hurting less. I'm still looking forward to going though. The discomfort comes and goes, but I'm hoping it will better prepare my body for the labor/ delivery portion of this experience.

I feel like I should be doing more to train for this, but I mainly just sleep whenever I can. Since I actually know what I'm getting into this time...

The whole body-being-ravaged by pregnancy can naturally bring a girl down, so it helps to put a little more effort into my appearance. I don't paint my nails often, but this hot coral color is rocking my world. It's the little things...

I hit a mini-milestone this week too by completing the whole first page of my Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. Have I ever followed through with a New Year's resolution this far into the year? My mind is blanking. I've attempted this feat in the past with poor results, but this plan is actually the most practical I've ever come across.

For example, there are only 25 days to each month so if you miss one or two, you don't get crazy behind. It's all about grace, people. Thanks to my homegirl (in my mind), Jami Nato, for referring this plan.



In other news, this weekend marks Wayde & my 5 year wedding anniversary! Unreal. So looking forward to getting out of town, staying at a swanky hotel, and indulging in lots good food for a couple days. To be continued...xx

25 & 26

Falling a bit behind on the maternity posts...and on most things, in general. Being pregnant with a 1.5 year old while working full-time can sure suck the energy out of a person...

The nights of somewhat restful sleep are slowly dwindling. I go to bed as early as I can not knowing how many hours of uninterrupted Z's I'm gonna get. If it's not this little one kicking around inside of me, it's Ruby having trouble sleeping. And the back pain...oh, the back pain. Heating pad, you are my new BFF.

At least we have baby's room painted..? And that's about it. No other furniture yet besides this sweet rocker and a shelf. Ruby is still occupying the crib (most nights) and we'd like to keep it in her room so she can get a real sense of ownership (?) in there.

The way I see it, Baby #2 will probably be in our room for the first few months anyway. Still, I am SO ready to finish decorating this room.

Stay tuned...more to come on that project...xx

24 Weeks

I wish I was doing something cooler than taking bathroom photos to document my "maternity series", but whatever.

I have more energy now than I did in my first trimester, but the little things are starting to feel harder to do. Like putting on socks. Maybe if Spring actually started to act like it was supposed to, I wouldn't have to worry about that. It's been a long winter in Iowa, my friends. Makes me feel like the end of Summer is very far away, when it really isn't.

Also, I got my first mid-night Charley Horse this week. The kind that jar you awake and you have to stamp them out on the floor to make them go away. At least we don't have a neighbor below us this time to be alerted of my discomfort. SO. NOT. FUN.

I'm trying to embrace as much sleep as possible, being all too familiar with those days & nights where I was tired beyond all reason with a newborn. Yep, still fresh in my mind...yet SO totally worth it, if you asked me:) xx

23 Weeks

Turns out I wore this same turtleneck for my 23 week photo with Ruby in tow. What?? I SO did not plan that. I don't know what that says about me...probably that I'm cheap/ thrifty/ resourceful/ etc. Regardless, I think I'm bigger this time around.

Circa 2011.

For all of you bumpwatchers, let us analyze these two photos. It appears I'm about as high & pointy as I was when I was carrying my daughter...PERHAPS, IT IS ANOTHER GIRL?? Oh, the drama.

In other examples of how I am subconsciously carrying on traditions through my pregnancies, I am currently reading a classic—Pride & Prejudice. I read another classic, Jane Eyre, with Ruby—both period novels somewhat far from my usual tastes, but I have enjoyed/ am enjoying quite immensely. Just trying to fill the "Downton Abbey" void, y'all. P&P is turning out to be quite the worthy sub.

I've also been reading the She Reads Truth Holy Week Plan, which is so SO good. I didn't even get as far as devising a Lent strategy for me to fail this year, but have wanted to be intentional & reflective in the days leading up to Easter and what that means for my life/ faith/ etc. I was also touched by this perspective.

Peace to you...xx

22 Weeks

Not knowing the gender of this little one had been torturing me lately. Since the ultrasound, I've taken numerous gender prediction quizzes online, which have not provided any clear insight. Obviously.


During my Mom's birthday party, my brother came out of the kitchen asking if the picture on the fridge (a 14 week ultrasound photo featuring a full body shot)
was of baby #2. "It's a boy," he confidently stated. "It has a...schmekel." My mom & sisters also examined the pic. "Yep," they all agreed, "it looks like we know what you're having!"

And for the rest of the weekend, I was convinced (or at least 90% certain) that this babe on the way was, indeed, MALE. But before I started buying boy clothes, I needed one more bit of confirmation.

So, I googled "14 week ultrasound boy" to do a little photo analysis of my own...

After skimming dozens of grainy, black & white images, I settled on one that looked the most like our photo. Turns out, it was an ultrasound photo of a GIRL. Apparently, the tailbone can often be confused with another piece of "anatomy" at that stage of the pregnancy. Hmmm.

So, I am back in the boat of unknowing. And I can honestly say that I really do like it here. At least we know one thing for sure...this baby is either a BOY or a GIRL.

**I do want to add that Wayde's opinion was never swayed throughout this whole ordeal (for lack of a better word). He once told me early in our marriage that he had a feeling that we were going to end up with all girls. If you know my husband, you know that he doesn't go throwing around premonitions all willy-nilly. So, we'll see if those sentiments are on track come this July...

21 Weeks

It occured to me this week that I'm not going to see a new episode of Downton Abbey until after this baby is born. That seems all too soon & ages away at the same time...

We managed to get through the ultrasound without discovering the gender (though I kept checking with Wayde throughout the appointment..."are you sure you don't want to find out?"). At least the baby appears to be healthy & thriving. For that, we are so thankful.

I will say though that if I had any sort of inkling at all regarding the gender before the ultrasound, it all went out the window afterwards. This babe was not giving out any clues. Oh, well. It's only another 19 (give or take) weeks and who knows how many hours in labor until I find out. Yikes. And that too feels like all too soon & ages away at the same time...xx

20 Weeks

Half-way mark. Might as well start taking some bump photos, as awkward as they are. Let me document my rapid weight gain for y'all! I didn't start photographing my pregnancy with Ruby until 21 weeks, so at least I'm ahead on this one...? Trying to be conscious of the whole second child syndrome, if you know what I mean. I worry way to much about family dynamics.

If one thing is for sure, it's that this pregnancy is FLYING. We have our 20 week ultrasound today, but are opting not to find out the gender like we did last time. Just to be honest though, I wouldn't mind if our technician accidently let something slip.

Looking forward to seeing this little one swimming around on a screen for a bit today! Prayers for it's health & well-being are most appreciated...xx