Finally! An Update!

Disclaimer: For all of you who were following this regularly, my deepest apologies for not updating in 6 weeks, but if you know me and my family, you know what there have been some things that have taken precedence which I will blog about later today or tomorrow. Here are the updates-- 6 weeks have gone by; so much has changed since the last time!

Christmas Day

How Far Am I: Exactly 36 weeks today. I am due in 28 days! Micah came a little on the early side, and I am hoping that this baby knows that to be early is to be on time...Started taking some evening primrose oil to help with this :)

Baby's Gender: All boy! Jose and I have started reading some boy parenting books that our parents got us for Christmas, and I am realizing how different this is going to be than growing up in a house of all girls. It's going to be a rowdy house, and I will probably never buy new furniture again, but that's all good :) We already know that we aren't stopping having kids here unless there is some medical reason why I can't, so we can always try for a niña later. We're young!

How Much Weight Have I Gained: In 36 weeks of pregnancy, I am proud to say that last Wednesday at the doctor, I had totalled 12 pounds of weight gain so far. I think most of this is fluid, because from my knees down are swollen. We'll get to that...

Baby Movement: Constantly moving, except for when Jose's poor aunts from Spain try and feel. He has been head down since about 28 weeks, and it is so funny because I always know he is head down when the hiccups are in my pelvis. He really favors the right side of my belly, and I try to lay on the right side to get him to move over. He does NOT like this, and kicks me back. I don't have elbows or feet up under my ribs this time, but his little tush is always pokin' out.

Body Changes:  You'd think that with as horrible as my skin with stretch marks from the last pregnancy, I wouldn't have gotten any this time because it was already stretched. Good in theory, I guess. I only have a couple new ones this time, on my upper abdomen. Otherwise, not much has changed except for my lower legs. I bought some compression stockings to wear at work (they help a little) but lately I have gotten used to the fact that my toes look like little sausages.

Sleep Habits: Sleep is becoming impossible at this point. I remember when I was pregnant with Micah, a friend told me that you don't sleep the whole last month because God is preparing you to get up every hour or two with a newborn. She was so right. I am never able to get comfortable until about midnight, and have to shift every hour or so to the other side (can't sleep on your back). I have taken to sleeping in the rocking chair some nights because my heart burn has gotten so bad that I can't lie down very well. It's actually quite comfortable, even though I feel like a total old woman sleeping in a rocker. It's okay- I am going to be using that rocker all the time when Levi gets here to nurse!

Labor Cues: Braxton Hicks are pretty much a daily occurance. Sometimes I have them fairly regularly (every 10-12 minutes apart) for an hour or so, and then they disappear. I sang on Saturday night at church, and the whole last 2 songs I was contracting. Jose and I ended up heading out after music because I was so uncomfortable with them, and they kept up for a good hour or so. Someday soon, they will turn into the real thing! It's crazy to think that on Wednesday, I have my first pelvic exam to see if I am dilating/effaced at all. I started taking some evening primrose oil, which is chock full of prostaglandins. Those help to thin the cervix out so it can dilate. Can't hurt :)

What Micah Thinks of the Baby: Lately, he has good days and bad days. There are days where he says he can not wait until his brother is here so he can teach him things, and then there are days where he is super rebellious and is starting to regress. The other day he went #2 in his pants (the 4 year old who has been potty trained for 2 years). He wants to "be a baby again". We are taking it one day at a time, and trying to find ways to make him feel special too. It's got to be difficult for him, because he has been the only one in the limelight for 4 years. I know Jose and I had to wait for our next child because of Nursing school, etc, but I really regret that they couldn't have been closer. Hopefully they will be what Levi's name means- "joined in harmony," which is why we picked it.

Baby Prep So Far:  I went from having NOTHING prepped to having most of it done. I never had a shower thrown or anything, and realized that we were really winding down on time, so the last 3 weeks have been total insanity. We have (prepare yourselves): Moved furniture. Vacummed under furniture. Washed all our cloth diapers. Gotten the baby room ready. I sewed our cloth wipes on the sewing machine. Put together a playpen/bassinette to use as a changing station in our room. Washed all the linens from the Moses' basket. Read the entire book "The Nursing Mother's Companion." Researched more of the Bradley method of childbirth. I started working on my squats and butterflies to open my pelvis up a little and get stretched. I don't want to get into the middle of labor and not be flexible enough to push- THAT would be humerous later but not at the time! Tonight, I went through all our music and made a labor mix that is 3 1/2 hours long- everything from Flyleaf to Coldplay to Crowder to Switchfoot to Mumford. The last few things we need to do are get our room totally cleaned out (it's the last room in the house we have not attacked), and pack my bag. Last time, I refused to pack a "baby bag" for the hospital a month early like everyone else. To me, it was exciting to run around the house, grabbing cameras and pajamas and toothbrushes and stuff. Jose and I are way to spontaneous to have a bag ready and waiting. Besides, with Micah I was in labor for 30-something hours. I am SURE I will probably have 20 minutes to throw a bag together before we head to Lawnwood, 15 minutes from our house. I am not one of those women who has babies in the car because her labor goes so fast.

Plus Sized and Pregnant: So far, things are swell. No complications really to shake a stick at as of yet. My body is doing exactly what God intended it to do, and hopefully that will continue all the way through delivery. I know I will not be leaving the hospital in skinny jeans. Or feeding my baby with overly perky bikini worthy boobs. Or showing off my post baby belly in June at the beach- lets be realistic, they make coverups for a reason (for me it's all the time, not after a baby). But I am so thankful that God has kept me healthy, and is letting me journey into being a mom for a second time. It's scary, but awesome at the same time :)