Tis the Season!

Time is flying by these days! I barely have the time to write (so I'm sneaking it in at work, again). The holidays are fastly approaching and I must admit, I can't wait! I am looking forward to another 1st Christmas, even though I know little Aedan won't remember anything.

So what is our little guy getting into these days??? The answer is EVERYTHING! We can no longer turn our backs on the little guy, not even for a second. In the blink of an eye he can disappear, crawling at warp speed. We've experienced first boo-boos (cuts on the nose from pulling objects down on top of himself) and our first dirt eating episode (the basil plant, where he ate BOTH the dirt and the plant). He has learned how to crawl up stairs (but not down). He LOVES to pull himself up and stand. He is learning to move about while on his feet, but still very much prefers to crawl. Aedan is easily amused by his big brother often laughing uncontrollably at Tyler's antics. For some reason, Tyler can make little Aedan laugh like nobody else can! It must be the brotherly love.

Tyler is also keeping me busy, of course. We've moved from a very successful football season (Tyler's team one the Championship in their division) to our 2nd year of wrestling. Last year Tyler had an awesome season with a record of 11-1. Our hopes are high for this year as well, but we know that his opponents will be more challenging this year. The overall goal however is that Tyler enjoys the sport, win or lose. Tyler is also having an awesome year in school. Since moving him to a private Montessori school there has been a complete transformation in his willingness to learn! Not once has he come home from school this year and said "I hate it, its borning." (that was the standard response I received everyday last school year).

In other mom news, I went to a Tina Turner concert in November! It rocked, she rocked! I'm trying to cut out a little more "me" time (especially now that I am no longer breastfeeding). Eric is now pretty comfortable being with Aedan alone for extended periods of time, so it's giving me some of my "freedom" back and I am thoroughly enjoying every minute I get! I will try and post more often and with more pictures! Especially with the holiday festivities!

I Voted!

I couldn't think of a "good" title for today, and since today IS election day, I figured "I Voted" was an appropriate choice! But don't worry, I don't intend to get all political here . . . I'm not one to argue politics! But I do think it's very important for each and every person to vote, and that is a belief I hope I can pass down to my children.

So what's new since last post? Little Aedan is now pulling himself up and standing! It's all he wants to do! Usually when he accomplishes the task of standing he then screams with a "look at me" shriek! Aedan also has two teeth that came in on the bottom! I can't believe how quickly things change!

While little Aedan is just starting to have his baby teeth come in, Big Brother Tyler continues to lose his! Tyler lost two more teeth in the past week! And let me just tell you, he is making out like a bandit with the tooth fairy!

Another Halloween has come and gone and we are now on candy overload! Tyler went as the "Scream" guy with special effects blood dripping down his face and Aedan was a little Dragon. Aedan was completely oblivious to the events and decided that sleeping was a much better way to spend his time during the annual trick-or-treating. I've noticed that over the last couple of years, the number of houses "actively" participating in trick-or-treating has slowly declined. And by "actively" I mean you go to the door ring the bell, someone comes out with a candy dish and makes a comment on your costume and gives you candy. Now it seems that MANY are opting for a much lazier route. The new trend is to sit a bowl of candy on a chair on your front porch (unattended) and let the kiddos help themselves. Maybe we will just have to find another neighborhood to visit next year . . . one that makes it worthwhile!

Aedan has had a few nights of sleeping-through-the-night success! And I thought it would soon be smooth sailing . . . but of course we now have a runny, stuffy nose, so Mommy continues with the waking torture! One of these days I will sleep again!

On a positive note, Aedan continues to enjoy his exploration in "real food." We have successfully gone through all the veggies (he has rejected none of them, hallelujah!) and we have begun to include meats and fruits. We are practicing picking up cereal puffs and trying to get them in our mouth . . . a very tricky task! I will be so glad when the little guy can finally feed himself! It will give us both some much needed freedom!

6 Months Old!

So here here is our little man! Six months old already! He actually turned six months on Wednesday, but I held off to post until after his doctors visit today so I could report a few stats. Aedan is a whopping 18 lbs 4 oz and 26 1/2 inches long! He's growing like a weed and overall very happy and healthy!


I made it six months with breastfeeding and I'm ready to close down production! Mostly because Aedan is totally losing interest! I would gladly continue if I felt like it was what he wanted, but now that we have been eating cereal and very recently veggies, it seems like he is just sooooo over the boob! But I am completely proud of myself for making it 6 months! I only nursed Tyler for about 2 1/2 months, so this has been quite a LONG journey for me (but a total money saver)! I will continue to pump until the wells are dry, but I don't expect that to take very long. Ever since we started "real" food, it's like my body immediately started to turn off the mammaries!

So what is Aedan doing these days? He is sitting up and attempting to crawl. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth. He does move around pretty quickly though by doing an "army" crawl. He also has begun saying "da-da" although it is usually more like "da-da-da-da-da-da." I am trying to learn baby sign language and I bought 3 "My Baby Can Talk" videos, which Aedan absolutely loves to watch! I know you are not supposed to plop your kid down in front of the TV, but when I am trying to get ready in the morning - TV is a life saver!

On the downside - still NOT sleeping through the night! AGGGGHHHHH! I am so ready to pull my hair out! Then there are nights where not only does Aedan get me up, but his big brother does as well! Nights like last night! Big brother Tyler doesn't like to get up and go to the bathroom alone, so what does he do . . . wakes Mommy up! So needless to say, I am one tired Mommy most of the time, but really how can I complain when both of my boys are so healthy and happy. Aedan will eventually get there, and I'm sure if I was strong enough to do the cry it out method, he would get there a lot faster. But I don't like letting my little guy cry too long and trust me, I'm not sure it would work with him. The one night I did attempt the "cry it out" method he cried for 2 hours straight! Since then, I've just given it up to a higher power to decide when the "time" will be!

Almost 4 Months!

Wow, how time flies!

Our little guy is growing up so fast! I can't believe that at the end of this week he'll be 4 months old! He is changing so much everyday! He recently began rolling over from his back onto his stomach (he had mastered rolling from his stomach to his back in June). He is now quite the little mover, we definitely have to keep our eyes on him. He loves to play with his toys and everything goes straight to his mouth! We visit the Dr. next Monday and I am anxious to see how much he has grown.

Mommy is still VERY exhausted since the little one is still not sleeping through the night. Things had been getting better, but in the last few weeks Aedan seems to be regressing. We are now back to getting up twice during the night and it's really putting a drain on Mommy's energy level! We've tried just about everything! I've given the little guy formula right before bed. He's had formula with a teaspoon of cereal right before bed. I've tried Chamomile in his bedtime bottle and NOTHING seems to help! I never had this issue with my first child, by 2 months he was sleeping wonderfully through the night. It has just been very different this time around! And who would have thought that it could be so different from one child to the next! From what I've read, 4 months really is the magic number when it comes to baby and sleep. At least, I'm REALLY hoping that's the case!

So what have we been doing the last two months! We've managed to take 2 beach trips to NC, both very fun and well worth the long drive with a baby! Aedan enjoyed sleeping in his tent on the beach while big brother Tyler played in the water. Most recently, we took a day trip to Rock Hall, MD where the "boys" (Pappy, Daddy, Tyler, Uncle Pat and a few others) spent the day fishing on the bay while Mommy, Grammy and Aedan spent the day exploring (and a little shopping). We visited the Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge where we walked around and enjoyed the different scenery (especially the butterfly garden!).

Overall the past two months have gone by so quickly and I can't complain too much! Aedan is such an adorable little guy! Everywhere we go people flock to him. Word seems to travel quickly when an extremely cute baby enters a building, and Aedan usually hams it up for his admirers by giving them a grin and playfully hiding his face in my shoulder. His vocabulary (okay, baby-cabulary) keeps growing. He now loves to intertwine his ooooh's and aaahh's with a few squeals and shouts. I think he's going to be a talker - like his Daddy!

I admit I've been slacking, but it has been hard to find the time to blog, especially for someone who is already BAD at it! I'm hoping to get back on track and I am vowing to make a serious effort to keep up! So, until next time!

Baby Update!

So our little guy is growing! Not that we didn't already know that! Here are the stats from the Doctor's appointment we had yesterday!

Baby Aedan weighs 12lbs 12oz and is 23 3/4 inches long! He is very healthy and received his first set of shots :( He was a little grouchy the rest of the day :(

On another note, EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE at the Doctor's office yesterday was smitten with the little guy. Everyone who came into the waiting room while we were waiting our turn commented on how cute and adorable Aedan is. When the nurse called us back for our visit we had one lady exclaim "No don't take him! I just want to keep staring at him!" As we walked back the hallway nurses kept poking their heads out of exam rooms to get a peek at the cute baby going by. The Doctor even exclaimed that he has some of the best skin for a baby. We can't help but be so proud of our little guy! Mommy now has two little heartbreakers on her hands! What am I going to do!

2 Months Old!

Baby Aedan is 2 months old! It's so hard to believe! He is growing and changing so much everyday! Oh . . . and still not sleeping through the night! My "breakthrough" from my last post hasn't spawned into a miracle, and I am still seriously sleep deprived! Once or twice a night, it all runs together anymore! We go to the doctors tomorrow, so I'm hoping for some useful advice on what to do.

Now, what can Baby Aedan do at 2 months old? He has developed some serious "focusing" skills. He is focusing on objects and showing interest in "playing" with them. He also likes to sit in his carrier and hold his feet in the air to "check them out." He will also use his feet to reach and touch things that are dangled in front of him. He is beginning to get a little more control of his arms. He can lift his head very well when he is laying on his tummy and has become quite a talker, making lots of ahhhh and oooh sounds! He smiles and laughs, when he doesn't have his serious face on. And much to Mommy's dismay, we suck our thumb when the binky is not available for comfort! We just love watching him discover his own little world . . . each day is something new!

I'm still hoping that soon we'll experience a full night of sleep! Until then I'm investing in toothpicks for my eyelids!

I will update with details from our doctors visit tomorrow!

A break-through (sort of)!

Just a quick post to say that I have had two nights of Aedan sleeping from 10pm until 4:00am (actually 4:30 the first night and 4:00 the second). Consecutive nights, nope, not even close! But hey, I'll take any night where I can get more than 4 hours of consecutive slumber, I don't care if it only happens once a month! It's better then nothing! Now, if I can just figure out what is making him sleep longer on these rare occassions.

In other "mom" news . . . today is my little man's last day of 1st grade! School's out for summer! I can't believe that Tyler is graduating to the 2nd grade, god how that makes me feel old! Not to mention sad! My first baby is no longer a baby! Soon it will be school dances (do they still have those, I wonder?) and driver's licenses, Prom and graduation, college . . . I'm just not ready for this! I'm not ready for how it makes me feel. Just the thought of watching my first go through all of these events in life brings tears to my eyes! Aedan is just a baby, but I know that in the blink of an eye, he'll be a busy-body 7 year old, just like his big brother is now! If we could only freeze time and keep them small and cuddly forever!

Here's a picture of my two boys on T's last day of school!

Pictures!

Here I am at six weeks!
I hate when Mom puts me in stupid poses!
I really did not appreciate this one!
Tubby Time!
These guys just mesmerize me!

7 Weeks Old!

Okay, so I'm not very good at finding time to keep up with my blog! I started writing this post last week and I am just now finding time to sit down and finish it!

So, my little guy is seven weeks old! I can't believe how fast the time goes! The little one is doing so well. He is definitely growing, which is sad but exciting at the same time, I love watching him become more alert and aware of the world around him. We've had a few milestones in the past couple of weeks . . . some smiles and attempts at laughing . . . and the biggest of all . . . WE ARE ONLY WAKING UP ONCE AT NIGHT! Okay, really it's still hit or miss, but Aedan is finally finding a groove and adjusting to a "schedule" of sorts. He'll go to bed any time between 9:00 and 10:00 and sleep until some time between 1:00 and 3:00 when he gets up for a "short" feeding, and then goes back to sleep until somewhere between 5:00 and 7:00. It's still exhausting for me, but SOOOOOOOOOOO much better then the unhappy nights I've spent on the couch and the every 2 hour night feedings I had been suffering through the first 5 weeks! I've managed not to spoil Aedan like I did his big brother . . . Aedan will easily drift off to sleep on his own if I lay him down. The only thing . . . the little guy sleeps on his stomach . . . even though all the "rule" books say, back is better. I tried so hard to get him to sleep on his back. I even tried the swaddle blankets, but NOTHING and I mean NOTHING would work. When I lay him down on his back he's awake within 20 minutes. So, I finally gave up and tried the stomach . . . and Voila! He sleeps like a champ!



There have been a few nights where little Aedan has slept too well and Mommy has had to get up anyway to pump her breasts. So, even though the middle of the night feeding deprives me of sleep, it brings me comfort in the boob department! I guess I should be glad that I have such wonderful milk producing breasts, but sometimes it's a real pain in the ass. For example, the other night Aedan went to sleep kinda early . . . 9:00pm . . . and I went to bed as well. Around midnight though, I was waking up to rock hard boobs and a wet shirt . . . so off I go to pump. I pumped a whopping 8 ounces before heading back to bed. I already have a freezer full of milk and the little guy isn't even 2 months old!

Aedan is growing and we are guessing his weight to be around 12 1/2 pounds. Since we don't have a scale at home which we can put Aedan on to weigh him, we use the "subtraction method." First I stand on the scale with Aedan in my arms, then I stand on it without him (a number I hate seeing). Then we subtract to get a "guess-timate" of how much the little guy weighs!

I'm really looking forward to the next few months of discovery and watching Aedan take in the world around him. He has changed so much already I can only imagine what is next!

I hope to post some pictures on here later today!

One Month Old!

I’m tired . . . no, not just tired, DEAD ZOMBIE TIRED! My little guy is one month old and has successfully deprived me of so much sleep that I feel like a walking zombie (and for that matter, I usually look like one as well!) Don’t get me wrong, Baby Aedan has brought so much joy into our lives, he has blessed us and is a wonderful addition to our little family . . . BUT . . . he doesn’t like to sleep at night! I should have known! When I was pregnant with him, he was the most active at night when I was trying to sleep. He kept me awake then, why should it be any different now!

I think my husband has developed a newfound respect for me, or at least he seems to be a bit in awe of my “newborn mothering” skills. He has made comments on several occasions that sound like this, “I don’t know how you did this when you were 21” and “How did you do this on your own with Tyler.” My response has been- there is no other choice! Even on the most sleep deprived day I still have to put one foot in front of the other and function, even if it appears to be in a zombie-like trance!

Our little guy is up an average 2-3 times per night, and when he is up, he isn’t very fond of going back to sleep right away. Little Aedan has been sleeping in our room thanks to a bassinet that is on loan from my friend Lindsay. But when he awakens in the middle of the night I take him out of the room so I don’t disrupt my husbands slumber (too much). Many nights I end up staying on the couch after that first initial awakening, simply because little Aedan does not particularly want to go back to bed. I’ve learned that there are some great re-runs on in the middle of the night, but that at 5:00am everything and it seems to really be EVERYTHING turns to info-mercials! WHY is this???? I have no desire to see the latest and greatest gadget on sale for 3 easy payments of 19.95!

Not only do I have to be the mother to this precious little newborn, but I also have to keep up with my very active 7 year old, which exhausts me even more. That whole “sleep when the baby” sleeps advice is no good when you have more than one child at home! I would love to sleep when the baby sleeps, but how do you do that when your 7 year old is begging for your attention! I feel incredibly bad some days. Because I am so sleep deprived, my temper is short, and I often snap at poor Tyler. The one good thing – the weather has been pretty nice and Tyler has been able to go outdoors and play with the 2 children who live relatively nearby.

I have to tell you though; I love the fact that I currently have boobs! It has to be one of the nicest and best “perks” of motherhood! I finally broke down and went to Target to purchase some nursing bras . . . I had to buy 34C!!!!! I’ve never been a C-cup in my life! I know it is a short-lived luxury, so I am trying to enjoy it while I can! After I quit nursing with Tyler my boobs shrunk to a smaller size then they were before I was preggo with him! I’m just waiting for the same to happen this time around . . . I fear that I will end up an AA!

Birth Day! April 15th, 2008

I know, I know . . . it’s been ages since I have written! Well, baby Aedan is finally here! He was born on April 15th at 12:52pm. He weighed 8lbs 8.2oz and was 22 inches long. Everything with the delivery went VERY well and smoothly, mostly because of the fact I ended up being induced. And let me just tell you . . . since his arrival, I’ve become thoroughly sleep deprived beyond belief! But first, let me give you the play by play of delivery!

Monday, April 14th. I woke up and went through the morning routine as normal, got Tyler off to school and then headed for the shower. After getting undressed and as I was standing the bathroom preparing to get in the shower, I had some leakage of fluid. Not sure what it was, I thought possibly that my water could have broken, but I wasn’t 100 percent sure because it wasn’t anything like I was told it would be (no gush, no continuous “trickle” of fluid). So I got ready for work. When I got to work, I told my mom what happened and she encouraged me to call the Doctor, since by this point I was thinking, “random leakage” of something . . . but not my water breaking. So I called the Doctor and they gave me orders to go home and rest and to call them back later in the day to give an updated report on whether I had any more fluid leakage. To make a long story short, I ended up going into the Doctor’s office around 3:30, just to be checked out and to make sure all was well.

At the Doctor’s office, I was checked out and it was determined that my water hadn’t broken, HOWEVER when she checked my cervix it turns out I was 5-6 cm dilated and 90% effaced. The midwife I was being examined by was stunned, “You aren’t having any contractions?” “Nope,” I said, “at least not any that have become regular and consistent.” By this point I had been have random contractions for a couple of weeks or longer, but no real labor. It was starting to REALLY get on my nerves! Anyway, the midwife, became concerned. “you are so close to delivery now, that if you did go into labor, I’m not sure you would make it to the hospital, which concerns me.” Ha ha ha, I thought, just my luck. The midwife excused herself from the room and said she would be right back. After a few minutes, she came in and said, “how about we give you another option.” I was like, “yeah, sure, what?” “How would you feel about being induced?” I was like, “that is the best news I have EVER heard!” So she said, “be at the hospital at 7:00am tomorrow, they are expecting you.” So, I left the Doctor’s office happier than a pig in shit and VERY ready to have our baby!

Tuesday, April 15th. I get up early, take a shower, get my husband up, get my son Tyler up and dressed for school (His Pappy would have to be in charge of getting him on the bus). But we made sure to give him extra kisses and hugs and told him that by the time he got home from school, he would be a Big Brother! We grab my bags, the camera and jump in the car for the hospital. I was feeling a little nervous, but more relieved that in a few hours, pregnancy was going to be behind me! We (Eric, my Mom and me) get to the hospital and head to the maternity ward, where we check in and get settled into our room. We flip on the TV and I change into the dreaded and not-so-flattering hospital gown. My nurse comes in and introduces herself and she begins to get me “hooked” up to all the necessary machines. We are all so relaxed and calm, since I wasn’t in labor, there was no pressure, no pain, nothing. Eventually the midwife comes in, “So, you want your tubes tied, right.” “Ummmmmmmmm NOOOOO!” I said. “Oh, well you are Mrs. Walker right.” “Yes.” Luckily, my nurse came to the rescue, “there’s another Mrs. Walker on this floor.” “Oh, ooops, sorry,” replies the midwife, “I’ll be back shortly!” So again we wait. I discuss getting an epidural with the nurse, my concern was that an epidural would slow down progress, and since I didn’t have one the first time around (I had Tyler au-natural) I was prepared to go that way again. The nurse said, “Nah, it won’t slow anything down, if it does start to impact the progress, we’ll just up the amount of the drug we give you to induce.” So I decide to go with an epidural, I’m a little scared, since this is new territory for me, but I’m willing to do anything to make this experience pleasant!

Around 9:30, I think, the midwife comes in and breaks my water, I have a ton of fluid and it just keeps coming and coming, the midwife was impressed with how much fluid I had, especially because at one point they thought I didn’t have enough. With my water broken, I finally start to have contractions! Nothing painful, more discomforting, but totally bearable. I’m told that I’ll get the epidural shortly, now that “labor” has started. A little while later, I get the epidural. Eric takes a walk at this point (he doesn’t like needles), so it’s just me and my mom. As I sit up on the edge of the bed, I’m still gushing fluid, it’s on the floor, and just basically everywhere. It’s actually kind of humorous. My mom gives me support and lets me hold her hand, which I squeeze the shit of, and the epidural is over in a matter of minutes (and about 4 needles later, so I’m told). The medicine begins to kick in, and I start to feel the effects. A total relaxation falls over my body, and an ENORMOUS uncontrollable itch (a side effect). I begin to scratch and dig at the skin on my body, but it’s an itch you cannot scratch. Despite the constant itchy feeling, I decide I really like the epidural and exclaim how much I wish I had felt like this for the last few months, then I could have possibly gotten some sleep!

The epidural is great, I couldn’t feel any contractions, I had to be told they were happening. And so we just sat there together hanging out and watching TV. Around 12:00 the nurse checks my cervix, “almost there, you’ll have a baby 1:00.” I am beyond excited now, I can’t feel a thing, and in about an hour, I’m going to get to meet my baby! The midwife comes in and she pulls up a chair and joins in as we watch are watching the Tyra Banks Show. Finally, it’s determined that it is time for me to push. I had a little difficult with this. When I had Tyler, I had no drugs, I could feel EVERYTHING. With him, my body said “it’s time to push” and I just went with it because it was impossible not to. This time however was completely different. Since I couldn’t feel my contractions, I had no idea when to push, so the nurse had to tell me when to start and stop. I couldn’t even tell if I was pushing correctly or not, and it took me a few tries and some coaching from my nurse to get the hang of it. Once I did though, the pain started. Minor pain, when compared to having Tyler, but still enough pain to make me cry. But, with the encouragement of everyone around me, things went rather quickly. And soon there was that huge relief and release of pressure when baby Aedan made his debut!

Daddy cut the cord, Mommy cried (from relief and happiness) and then it was time to deliver the placenta and finally put me back together! The little guy did some damage as he was coming down the birth canal. He decided to descend with his fist under his chin. So, I ended up with quite a few stitches. After all was said and done, we started the round of calls and texts to friends and family. Big Brother Tyler came to visit us in the hospital and was very excited to meet his new little brother! We had a few other visitors that day, but by evening, things had gotten quiet. I sent Tyler and Eric home to get rest and Aedan and I settled in for our first night together!

Still no baby . . .

Well here I am one day short of 39 weeks and still no baby! The little one just doesn’t want to make an appearance and Mommy wants to hurry up and get this whole thing over with! My comfort level is zero. I swear I’ve tried everything I know of to “induce” labor, but nothing is working, despite the fact that I am 4cm dilated! It’s just my luck to be stuck in this state. Most of my friends have had the opposite problem, they go into labor but then can’t seem to progress past 1-2cm and here I am walking around at 4cm with no action! UGH, these last weeks are so frustrating!

On a different note, the cat is out of the bag! The nurse at the Doctor’s office spilled the secret to Eric on the sex of the baby! It was totally an accident, she didn’t know that he didn’t know, but his desire to be surprised is now officially ruined! I felt so bad for the both of them; Eric because it’s so close to the end and the surprise is ruined and the poor nurse was in tears when she learned that he didn’t know and that she just blurted it out. She felt so bad, that it made me feel so bad. But oh well, everything happens for a reason. So the big secret is now free to be told . . . We’re having a boy! Little Aedan Patrick Walker will soon (we hope VERY SOON) make his appearance into the world!

Baby Please Come Soon!

Uncomfortable is an understatement at this point. I’m downright miserable! I keep hoping and praying that this child will hurry up and decide to join the real world! My whole body is sore, my back is killing me and my right leg feels like it’s about ready to fall off. I’m guessing that’s due to the “loosening of my joints.” My crotch hurts like nobody’s business and I keep having contractions that amount to a whole lot of NOTHING! I’m getting less and less sleep at night, and so is my poor husband. Between my frequent trips to the bathroom and the fact that I can’t find a comfortable sleeping position and my obnoxious snoring (I usually do snore, but it has been amplified 1000 times because of being pregnant), my husband also has to deal with the fact that every time the baby moves inside of me, it shakes the whole bed. We aren’t just talking minor movements here; we are talking bed shaking that wakes the both of us up.

On a positive note, I am totally ready. I’m stocked up with all the necessities and thanks to our friends, we had a small “baby shower” over the weekend . . . okay it was more like a party (complete with keg) and some baby gifts for us. Tyler enjoyed the gift portion . . . we left him open everything; it was the quickest gift opening that has ever taken place at a baby shower, of that I’m sure! He had everything open in 5 minutes flat, I had a hard time keeping up with him, as I tried to read cards and make a mental note of who bought us what. It was actually kind of nice not having to go through the “ooohhhs and aaaahhhhs” of a typical baby shower. Both guys and girls were invited and there was food and booze for everyone (no booze for me) and as my friend Ang stated, it was the most un-awkward baby shower she had ever been to! So I thank my good friends Jenny, Sarah and Michelle for pulling it together and for making it a fun night!

I go to the Doctor today, and I’m hoping for some good news . . . like “hey why don’t you just drive on over the hospital now.” Of course I’m sure that is some VERY wishful thinking, but really, I’m just not sure how much more being pregnant I can take!

Any Day Now!

I can’t begin to say how excited I am! I went to the doctors yesterday and learned that I am already 3cm dilated and 50% effaced, so the baby could decide to come at any moment! Yeah! I’m going to try and get outside to do some walking (if the weather ever cooperates) in hopes of “helping” things along. I am just so anxious! I guess maybe I should consider packing my bag for the hospital! Of course last time I waited until I was in labor and having contractions at home before I concerned myself with getting anything ready for the hospital, and things worked out just fine.

I am so glad that this pregnancy has gone well; even though I have found it much more painful at the age of 28 then I did when I was 21. I hope that the delivery goes smoothly and our little one is just a happy, healthy bundle of joy!

I went on my first (and probably only) secret shopping trip to purchase some clothes for the new baby. Since my husband doesn’t want to know the sex, I haven’t been able to splurge and buy stuff, simply because buying it meant I had to hide it. But, I finally couldn’t take it anymore, so I broke down and took advantage of a sale at JCPenney’s the other day! I’ve managed to wash and hide everything, so the new clothes are just patiently waiting like me!

Roughly 45 Days To Go!

Let me just tell you . . . I am REALLY hoping it’s less! I’m not sure I can survive another 45 days of being pregnant! I am so incredibly uncomfortable! But even more then being uncomfortable, I am SOOOOOO tired of the random outbursts and comments that come from complete strangers when I venture out.

It seems that no matter where I go, or what I do, someone has a comment. I’m tired of being asked if I’m due “any second” because frankly the answer is “NO!” I have at least 3 ½ more weeks to get through. I’m tired of being asked if I “know” what I’m having and I’m even more tired of people offering up their opinion as to what I am having! Everyone claims to “know” exactly what I’m having based on my size and shape. I’ve had some very convincing arguments from random strangers for each sex. For example, while television shopping with my husband a couple of weeks ago, one older couple swore up and down that I am having a girl. Their reasoning – their daughter is due with their grandchild around the same time I am due and I am carrying my child exactly like she is! But I’ve also had the “oh, its definitely a boy” comments as well – One prime example, this past week we went on our annual ski trip to Vermont (I didn’t ski L). While driving to Vermont, we stopped at a rest area on the New York Thruway. As I am entering the plaza and looking for the only thing on my mind – the bathroom – I am startled by the someone shouting in my face, “oh, you are so having a boy.” It’s beyond rude, it’s borderline psychotic! All I can do is grit my teeth and smile when all I really want to do is scream, “just leave me alone!”

Aside from being miserably uncomfortable, things are going really well. I’ve had no major problems during the pregnancy, my “watch list” in my medical folder remains empty – something my doctors keep applauding me for, and I’m actually pretty prepared! This past weekend, Eric and I put together the stroller and crib, the car seat is ready to go, and I’ve been cleaning and organizing like crazy! I completely rearranged my son Tyler’s bedroom, cleaned out his closet and dressers, packed up all of the clothing he can no longer wear and organized the clothes he can. If baby came tomorrow, I think we would be okay. There are a few things I need to purchase, but the necessities are all in hand. AND – we’ve even settled on names! Taylor McKenzie if it’s a girl and Aedan Patrick if it’s a boy!

I’ve found a local photographer who has a special “Belly to Baby” portrait package, so this weekend I’m going to get my “belly” shots and once the baby is here, we get to do the baby shots! I think it’s such a wonderful way to document things this time around! As soon as I can, I’ll post the belly shots on here for all to see!

Only 79 days to go (or less, we hope)!

Can you tell that I am counting down the days? I am so ready for this last trimester to be over! And I don’t think I’m the only one! I definitely think Tyler misses his “mom” a little. The bigger I get (and let me just tell you, I feel like I’m incubating a hippopotamus) the less “fun” I am for Tyler. I wouldn’t mind being able to move with a little more ease, either! I clipped my toenails the other night (it will probably be the last time until baby arrives) and it was such a challenge! Finding a bent-over position that is comfortable and conducive to allowing me to actually see what I am doing isn’t really possible at this stage. Tying my shoes isn’t easy either, I’ve had everyone (my Mom, Dad and even my 7 year old) doing the tying for me (that is, when I choose to wear sneakers, most days anything that slips on is the easiest thing for me to wear). I feel like that slow kid in elementary school who just never learned to tie their shoes, and so I run around looking for someone to take pity on me.

Overall, I feel pretty good, albeit HUGE. I have had several inquires as to whether I am having twins, (“are you sure there is only one in there”) or am I ready to give birth tomorrow. Each time, I hang my head and reply “no, no twins” and “I’m not due until April 18th.” The look of shock on people’s faces is usually quite humorous. I’m really not sure how much more my skin can stretch, by the end of the day it usually feels like it’s going to explode and give up trying to hold in whatever’s in there. I’m very loyal to my lotion, slathering it on at least twice a day, if not more. My belly button is protruding outward and I have developed the “unexplainable” line down the middle of my stomach. Damn the celebrities for making this all look like it’s supposed to be glamorous and easy! Christina Aguilera gets to pose for Marie Claire and look flawless, Nicole Richie proudly pounces around 2 weeks postpartum looking fabulous and a lovely size 2, and then there are us “real” people! We the average people who suffer! Which makes me even more ready for this to be over, so I can begin the transformation back to a “somewhat” normal and youthful body!

Okay, enough with the complaining, because it’s not ALL bad. Leaky boobs, backaches, and stretch marks aside, I do enjoy being pregnant. I LOVE feeling the little one moving around inside of me (except when it’s doing karate at 2:00am). And I absolutely can’t wait to hold a newborn in my arms again! Which is another reason I am so anxiously counting down the days! While I am not exactly looking forward to child birth, I am really looking forward to those first few moments of bonding with our brand new little one.

Enough rambling now, let’s report some statistics. I went to the Dr. Friday, and everything is looking good! I only gained 4 pounds (yea me) in the last 4 weeks and my blood glucose test came back free and clear! The baby’s heart rate was in the 150s, which is good, and my blood pressure remains a steady 106/60. I’m now in my last trimester and that means going to the Dr’s every 2 weeks instead of every 4. I’m hoping that the more frequent Dr visits will help the time go by more quickly!

26 Weeks . . . Less than 100 days!

The countdown is really beginning now! There are only 95 days left until my due date! I can’t wait! Our friends Adam and Jen just had a beautiful baby boy (Luke) on January 4th and visiting them in the hospital made me so excited for our own bundle of joy to get here! I’m starting to feel just the tiniest bit uncomfortable and I know it’s only going to get worse from here on out.

Baby Walker is moving A LOT these days! Especially at night when I am trying to sleep! Some nights between a restless husband and a restless baby, I feel like I don’t get to sleep at all. I try to take as many naps as I can, simply because I know the sleeplessness is only going to get worse before it gets better. Overall though, I can’t complain too much. I’m still dealing with pain issues, but now that I am down to less than 100 days, I know that soon the pregnancy portion will be all over and I’ll have new pains and issues to deal with! (Like losing the weight and hopefully getting my body back!)

Today I am going for the dreaded glucose testing! I’m not looking forward to downing my bottle of orange liquid that tastes like a can of flat orange soda. All of these tests are the one thing I could really do without during this whole pregnancy thing!

I think I am doing much better with my eating habits, and I am hoping that when I go to my appointment on the 25th that the scale doesn’t show another 12 pound increase! I’ve been weighing myself daily at home, and there hasn’t been any dramatic weight gain, so I’m crossing my fingers that I can hold steady over the next 2 weeks. I’ve been walking on the treadmill at home. I managed 3 times last week and the week before. I am going to try and up that to 5 times this week and next. I really have to push through the pain in my ass, hips and legs, and I usually ache when I’m finished, but they say the exercise is beneficial, so as long as I can stand it, I’m going to push myself.

In other “mom” news, Tyler is turning 7 this week! I can’t believe it! My baby is going to be 7 years old and is quite the little man! He is really looking forward to becoming a big brother and talks to the baby constantly. We keep telling him that it will be his responsibility to change all the diapers! He says “no way, you’re the mom that’s your job!” I’m sure he’ll be willing to help out with all aspects once the baby is here!

You gained 12 Pounds in 4 Weeks!?!?!?!?!

So much for the theory that I won’t gain as much weight as the last time! And, needless to say, my Doctor wasn’t too pleased with me at my last check up. Apparently, I somehow gained 12 pounds over the last 4 weeks. (I’m sure it had nothing to do with the holiday meals and frequent dinners out celebrating the season.) I tried pleading with her, “But it was JUST Christmas.” She didn’t look amused. As she flipped through my chart (all the way back to when I was pregnant the first time) she continued to look at me with accusatory eyes and that “how dare you expression.” I tried to convince her that you can’t compare this pregnancy to the last, AT ALL. For starters, I’m seven years older and I started out heavier this time around (about 15 pounds heavier). She tsk tsk’d me when she said, “well you didn’t even hit this weight until the END of your previous pregnancy.” At that point, I just gave up; I hung my head and said, “Yes, I know.” I then listened to the “More weight gain, higher risks of this and that” speech.

And so, that brings me to my New Year’s resolution . . . to REALLY start watching what I am eating! No more junk food in the house because I can’t control myself and I definitely don’t want to give birth to a 10 pound baby (6 lbs 15 oz was tragic enough). Now that the holidays are over, I have no more excuses, no more reasons to splurge on dessert. And I need to try and get more exercise in to my routine. I have really been immobile because of the hip and tailbone pain, but I am going to have to force myself to push through it and get moving.

Overall, I really find this amusing, simply because I don’t feel like I’ve packed on 12 pounds. I admit that I haven’t been the best about watching my diet, but I also don’t feel like huge whale either. Everyone says that I look great, just all belly. Oh well!