The Birth Story...For those of you who know I want a home birth, and think I am crazy, here is why...

So today, two weeks later, I am finally able to sit down at the computer and share with you my birth story. Things did not go as planned, and I am glad that we were able to keep our minds open and just go with it. Being a nurse who often floats to the floor I delivered on, I am well aware of the complications that can happen, and am so thankful that things didn't end up how I thought they would- God was in control the whole time, He just wanted to make sure I knew that! PS-I am not sharing the doc's name or gender, because some of you know who they are, and it was the exact doc that I did not want :)

Thursday morning, 1/27, I woke up to contractions about 5:30 am. I laid in bed, and realized after waking up consistently every so often, that I might be in early labor. I grabbed my phone and started timing- about every 7 minutes apart. I stayed in bed, thinking  "today could be the day", but didn't get Jose up. With our first born, I was in labor thirty something hours. I knew it could take a while. Besides, I had my OB checkup that morning at 9:45.

I got up to use the restroom when the sun came up, was still having contractions every 7 minutes, and decided to get Jose up. We started packing some last minute things, throwing in laundry, and got all the dishes out of the sink. Micah had spent the night at my parent's the night before because I knew they were going to check me, and that's a little uncomfortable with him sitting there :)

We got to the doc a little early, and they put me on the monitor. Of course, my contractions hardly showed up, and as soon as I laid down on the table, they significantly slowed down. The PA checked me, and I was 3cm- "Alright, I'm going to send you over!" I thought she was crazy. Send me to L&D at 3cm?!? Every 7 minutes apart?! I knew my body, and I knew this was going to take a while, so I bargained with her. "Please, I live 15 minutes from Lawnwood. I know I have to have antibiotics during labor. My water has not broken. I PROMISE, if any things changes with my contractions or my water breaks, I will go straight there." She said okay, and told me to head there after lunch if nothing changed. Riiiiiiight. Fat chance of that happening. I wanted a natural labor, and the doctor that was on call was the only one that I did not like, and happens to be quite strict about being in bed, and on the monitor, pretty much the whole time. If I was going to be in labor for hours, I would much rather have been at home in my shower or in my bed, and allowed to eat and drink.

We got some Chipotle for lunch, and headed to the house. I took a bath, sat on my birthing ball, rocked, and tried to relax. My contractions increased to about every 3 minutes apart, and Jose started getting squirrly. By 1-2 pm he did seem like he wanted me staying home much longer, so I agreed to start packing up. We got in the car, and started driving towards Lawnwood, but in the car my contractions slowed again- ever 7-9 minutes or so. I told Jose to head to the ball fields near Lawnwood, and we got out and walked. After about 20 minutes, they were back up to every 3 minutes. We decided I should probably go get checked, but I had a feeling that I was not as far as every one thought. Jose thought my contractions were too close together, and my mom kept telling me that second babies are faster than first ones, so I caved.

After all that walking, we get to the hospital, head upstairs, and there are no clean rooms because so many women are in labor or just delivered. They were cleaning my room, and I was talking to my MD at the nurse's station, and then we decided to go visit my girls on 4th floor. It was so fun to chat with all my coworkers! My PCC was timing my contractions at the desk, and all my friends were there to wish me luck. We headed back downstairs, and at 3:30 the room was finally ready. I got in my gown and got checked- only 3-4 cm! I KNEW I should have stayed home. The doc would not let me leave, wanted me to stay on the monitor for half an hour and watch the baby, and then walk for an hour and see if I progressed. We got a salad (once I was admitted, I knew I would not be allowed anything other than ice chips), and proceeded outside to walk.

We booked around the hospital and all the surrounding streets for an hour, the sun going down, and freezing our butts off (about 55 degrees out). By the time we got upstairs to be checked again at 6:30pm, my nose was running, I was freezing, and contracting every 3 minutes. The doc had left to go home, and the nurse checked my vitals. BP was 130/86, heart rate was 110, and I was 4-5 cm. She called him, and he was concerned about my blood pressure. OF COURSE it was elevated, I had been charging around the hospital, I was freezing, and in the middle of a contraction! Because of that, and the fact that she said I was close to 5 cm, I bought myself a room for the night. And the worst part was- the doc said they were concerned about my blood pressure, and that I was on strict bed rest; and if I didn't start progressing soon, that they were augmenting my labor with Pitocin.

I, at this point, am thoroughly enraged. I basically tell the nurse to recheck my pressure- which was 110/70 after chilling in the room for a while- and ask her to call the doc and see if I can walk. When I was stationary, my contractions slowed way down, and I knew if I could not be up, that I would for sure not progress to "their" standards, and end up on Pitocin, and then end up with an epidural because of the pain. Everything I did NOT want. The doc, after being called back, did not budge, and I was left with the choice of either signing out AMA (against medical advice) and ticking off my doctor, or staying admitted, in the bed, on the monitor, with no freedom to labor as I wished. We ended up staying, because I knew I could not sign out AMA and then face my doc when I came back in- I would end up having a C section because they wanted to smite me :)

I got an IV in after 3 tries, and then I got  my new nurse after shift change, and she had absolutely no personality. She had been there 20+ years, and did not like the fact that other nurses were coming to check on me, that the super knew I was there, and that my husband was a Trauma nurse, and that I was a nurse.  Then the lab came in and blew more veins. My blood hemolyzed, and the lab had to come and draw me again. At this point, it's about 8pm and I am crying like a baby. My contractions have all but stopped, my beautiful labor plan is out the window, my husband is getting angry at my doctor and my nurse. I texted my family with the update, and to please pray that my body would take over and start contracting again so that I would not have to end up with an augmented labor. Jose and I turned down the lights, put on some worship music, and I tried to relax. The nurse gave me until midnight, when she would check me again, as my limit for the Pitocin to start if I had not progressed. I was supposed to be having a friend come watch the birth because she wants to be a midwife, but I had Jose text her and politely tell her no. I only wanted him there, not even my mother, because everything was going wrong.

About 10pm, I started having contractions again about every 5-7 minutes apart. Over the next hour, Jose helped me get up to the restroom about every half hour because I was on fluids (I secretly tried to get up a lot because every  time I was out of bed my contractions sped way up). He fed me ice chips, and rubbed my back, but I knew he was getting tired. He dozed between contractions, and I just woke him up when they got bad. I laid in bed and prayed and prayed and prayed. They were getting stronger- but not strong enough

All of the sudden, about 11pm, I started contracting every 2 minutes, and HARD. Jose was not being much help because he was exhausted, and I was having a really hard time coping with the pain- it was much stronger than with Micah. I was still only about 5-6 cm, and I was starting to cave and possibly want an epidural. I would have never in my life wanted one, but the contractions were every 2 minutes, lasting about 100 seconds, I was getting about a 15-20 second break in between. Then the nurse told me that my white count was too elevated for an epidural. I was ticked, not about the epidural, but because hours before I had asked her how my labs were and she said "everything was fine". I threw up in the bathroom because of the pain, and then asked for some Stadol (an IV pain medication), I asked for only half of the dose (1mg) because I don't do well with pain meds, and had her give me some Zofran with it. The pain medication did nothing for the pain, only made the room spin so bad I had to keep my eyes physically closed. Then it made me start seeing things with my eyes closed- weird colors, like I was inside a kaleidoscope.

Midnight came, and the nurse checked me. I was 6 cm, maybe a hair more. She would run it by the doc, who was there for an emergency C-section of another patient, but she said that my body had progressed enough and they would continue to monitor my pressure, but no Pitocin for now. Thank God! About 12:30, the contractions got really hard. Backtobacktobacktoback. Absolutely no break in between. Jose cut the music, I couldn't stand it any more. I was gritting my teeth and biting my pillow to keep from screaming. Polar opposite from Micah, which was much slower and more controlled. I made fun of women who were vocal during labor because mine was so silent and focused the first time. Now that I look back at this labor, I knew it was because I was in transition, and it was going FAST. I knew about 1 am that I would get a break for about 30 seconds from a contraction, and I asked Jose to help me to the bathroom because I had to go so bad. I sat on the toilet, shaking from the pain, and felt the intense urge to push. I pushed the bathroom door open, and told Jose to get the nurse. "Why?" "Just get the nurse now. I feel like I have to push."

He runs out and gets her, and by then I am already maneuvering back to the bed. He grabs the IV pole, and I get back in. Ms. No Personality nurse waltzed in, and says "I just checked you 40 minutes ago, you can't be ready yet." I retorted back that I was not stupid, and I knew I was ready to push. She checked me, and SURE ENOUGH, I had went from 6-10 cm in about 40 minutes. This is why my pain was so bad, why I was so unable to focus, and so vocal. Then she tells me- "You'll have to blow, the doc is still in the emergency C-section. So I blow. And moan. And blow. And accidentally push, then catch my self and make my self blow. After 15 minutes, I tell her that I can't blow any more, this baby is coming. She gowns up, gets everything ready, and thank God, another nurse walks in to see if the first one needs help. In about 2 minutes, I have Jose holding a leg, the new nurse holding a leg, and No Personality sterile-d up and ready to catch a baby. I am pushing, and Levi is crowning, and lo and behold, the doc walks in, and says "STOP PUSHING!" so that they could gown up and help.

I saw the doc walk in, and grunted "Thanks for joining the party!" Now, I know I should have responded with grace and courtesy, but REALLY? You screw up my whole labor, leave and go home for most of it, and then waltz in at the last possible second and tell me to stop pushing?! Are you crazy?!

No one will tell me what is going on or is speaking at this point, but I know, I just know, that I am probably pooping all over the place. I am pushing with reckless abandon, because I feel like it's the biggest BM of my life. Then, the doc says to stop pushing again, but I can't, and then Jose and the nurses are telling me too, STOP PUSHING! I ask why, and Jose says the head is out. WELL WHY DIDN"T ANY ONE TELL ME?! Of course I would have stopped pushing- I thought I was going to the bathroom everywhere and that's why everyone was silent! I give one final push when asked to, and then Levi is placed on my belly. That cry was the most beautiful sound in the world. I didn't care about pushing for the placenta. Or being sewn up with not enough Lidocaine. Or Ms. No Personality. Or the fact that my ideal birth had been so far from what actually happened. All that mattered was that Levi was there, healthy, and Jose and I had made it. In the end, everything worked out- No Pitocin, No Epidural, Natural birth! It was just in a round about way, and God's hand was over it the whole time.

Levi Mateo: 8 lbs, 5.5oz; Born 1/28/11 at 0158

Levi Mateo Molinuevo was born at 0158 on 1/28/2011, which is his Abuelo's birthday (Jose's dad!) He was a very healthy 8 lbs, 5.5 oz, and 20.5 inches long. We were able to go home the next day and add him to our family!

Stuff I Love

So there are some things that I think are totally, insanely cool that I have picked up for Levi that I didn't have last time around...

Who in the world wants to squeeze diaper rash cream out of a tube, slather it all over a butt, and then have that french-manicure-from-desitin look? With cloth diapers, you can't use traditional diaper rash creams because they repel the water from the cloth. Introducing the Grovia Magic Stick!

It's a cloth diaper friendly, organic, all natural diaper rash ointment in a STICK form! It's just like a glue stick, screws up from the bottom, that you rub on the baby's bottom. No poopy hands, no salve under your fingernails, safe for cloth, and smells delish!

Next, a way to breastfeed in public, sexy fabric, and be able to see your baby at the same time...

an Udder Cover!

A one-size-fits-all cloth diaper that is ubersoft, easy to use, and will last from birth to potty training...FuzziBunz!

Besides, how much cuter is that than a regular diaper?!

The Balboa Baby Sling

We were big time baby wearers with Micah. He had colic and would just scream, but putting him in the sling soothed him so fast! We went out to dinner for my sister's birthday the day I was released from the hospital, and our son came with us in the sling. A lady asked what Jose had in there, and he politely said "books", and went right back to eating his pad thai.

37 Weeks Down, about 19 days to go...

Sorry for all you squirmies! This update has some body changes that are a little "nurse-y". If you can't handle it, don't read it :)

How Far Am I: 37 weeks, 2 days today. Only 19 days out from my "due" date. Micah was 5 days early, and I think I am going to be a little early rather than a little late just from the way my body is changing. Don't want to get my hopes up though!

Baby's Gender: 100% Boy

How Much Weight Have I Gained: I have actually went backwards the last week or so. I had put on those few pounds because of holding on to a lot of fluid. I decided to go on leave a little earlier than expected because of my blood pressure and a couple of other things, and because of not being on my feet as much and the stress, I lost that weight. As of yesterday, I am officially 7 pounds heavier than before I got pregnant. Assuming I will lose about 15-20 pounds the first couple of days from baby/fluids/etc., I will actually be thinner after the baby than before I got pregnant. Works for me!

Baby Movement: He is becoming much more cramped. No more grandiose movements. Now, it's just squirmy, can't-get-comfy movements, which makes me have squirmy, can't-get-comfy movements. He is pretty darn low- I told Jose yesterday that I feel like he is either going to crawl out or I am going to pee everywhere. Let's hope for the crawl out situation :)

Body Changes:  SO many! Last week, I was 50% effaced, a fingertip dilated, and -2 station. Basically, that meant my cervix was halfway ready, opening a little, and Levi's head is at the top of the canal and on it's way to engaging. She didn't check me yesterday, but when she pushed on his rump and asked if I had pelvic pressure, the answer was written all over my face. She said if I don't deliver by next week that she will check me again then. I am also starting to make colostrum. I don't have the full on waddle-walk yet, but I am definitely getting there.

Sleep Habits: Jose and I have slept horribly the last week, but strangely not because of the baby. We are both sick- head cold, coughing all night, snot every where...I am praying that we get better before I deliver because I don't want a sick baby!

Labor Cues: I have been having contractions off and on. Usually they start at night- go figure. The other night, it went on for about an hour and a half of 7 minutes apart, strong, and about 30 seconds or longer. I was so excited, and then they quit! I told my midwife that I have been taking the evening primrose oil, and she said to keep that up, and then also told me to start taking red raspberry leaf tea. This promotes uterine tone- it can bring on contractions if your cervix is ready, and can intensify them if you are already contracting but it's not really going any where. I do NOT want to be induced- I made that perfectly clear when they asked if I wanted it, but I am totally open to trying herbal remedies. I will not be one of those women that gets desperate and takes Castor oil. The whole idea of having massive diarrhea to go into labor makes me sick. Why would you want to make something that is already uncomfortable even WORSE?! That, and if you don't have the diarrhea during labor, you run the risk of pushing the baby out and shooting the person catching the baby with way more than they bargained for. NOT my idea of fun. 

What Micah Thinks of the Baby:  He is getting ready! I am going to get him a "big brother" shirt, because he wants to wear one to church and tell everyone when Levi comes. I think we are going to get him a little "big brother" present from Levi to give him at the hospital, so he doesn't feel left out with all the new baby stuff.

Baby Prep So Far: Down to the wire! Cloth diapers are all prepped, our room is moved all around to accommodate a little extra furniture and our big rocker, and we are ordering the last of our needed baby supplies this week hopefully. Our insurance changed, so we are trying to see what needs ordered now and what can wait a little, because we are being hit with a $900 deductible that we were not expecting, and it has to be paid before the insurance company will pick up their 75% of the hospital bill. Yuck :(

Plus Sized and Pregnant: Realllllly feeling like a heifer right now. It is nice to see my belly moving all around, and seeing how my body is preparing for our little one, but I know this time is rapidly coming to an end. I was able to paint my toenails last week (took me almost half an hour) and I shaved my legs, but it's getting ridiculous to tie my Nike's or pick stuff up off the floor. I am definitely feeling more ready. Not miserable and "wanting this baby out," but ready.

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 :)

29 Week Doctor Visits/Updates

How Far Am I: 29 weeks, 1 day. Approximately 11 weeks to go, hopefully a little less rather than a little more. I told Jose that any day after 37 weeks (Jan 10th), we are game to start trying every home remedy there is. I will be drinking my black cohosh tea, taking my evening primrose oil, and rearranging all the furniture. As well as some other home remedies that are a little more fun for Jose :)

Baby's Gender: All the equipment is there...it's a boy

How Much Weight Have I Gained: 2 pounds since my last visit, which is right on target. That brings my total weight gain for the pregnancy to2 pounds. I am on track to gain about 10-15 pounds total.

Baby Movement: Kicking away! Right now he is head down, and has stayed that way for 2 weeks. I had a horrible dream where he stayed head down until the last minute, and then flipped breech, and I had to have a C-section, ruining all my plans of natural birth. Praying that does not happen!

Body Changes: Itchy, itchy skin! I am rubbing on the lotion like crazy. I should write a section about emotional changes. I haven't really been a bear this pregnancy, but the last week I have been insanely emotional about everything. I am on a roller coaster! As far as the doctor appointments go, I saw the endocrinologist on Monday in Lake Worth (the doc for my thyroid and my hypocalcemia). She said everything is going well so far with my thyroid. My calcium has been  a little low, but is getting better. My albumin was also low, which is a protein in your blood. This can usually be a little low during pregnancy, especially with low calcium levels. I have to increase my protein intake, which is hard because I have had such an aversion to eating it lately. As far as my OGTT/gestational diabetes screening, I PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS!!! I was so excited to hear that today. Praise God! My legs have been fairly swollen, but I am trying to keep them up. I wore heeled boots this week for about 6 hours, and totally regretted it. I won't be doing that again any time soon! 

Sleep Habits: Practically none, but that is more because of Jose working night shift than because of the baby in my belly. It's so hard to sleep in an empty bed! I tried to put Micah in with me earlier this week when Jose was working, but I ended up being "snuggled", or kicked, all night :)


Labor Cues: None so far other than Braxton Hicks...let's keep it that way.

What Micah Thinks of the Baby: This week, every time he gets in trouble, it's immediate crying, and "I won't be a big brother now!" A little bit of an emotional week for him. Jose and I have been trying to have a fun outing once a week or so and squeeze in family time before Levi gets here to make sure he knows that we haven't forgotten about him. I can tell he is starting to regress a little bit and be curious about baby things. He wants to know what Levi will eat, and how he will eat, and if he can drink mommy's milk like the baby. He wants to know if he can sleep in the crib. I have caught him going through the baby toys from when he was a baby, and playing with rattles and such. I am trying to just take it all in stride, and let him get it out. He has his moments, but I know he will make a great big brother.

Baby Prep So Far:  Nothing done since last week. I plan on buying my cloth diapering supplies on the day after Thanksgiving or Cyber Monday, because many diaper companies are having 20% off sales. With cloth being expensive, it's definitely the way to do it! I put our odds n ends baby supplies up on craigslist, hoping to get some bits so we can have a little extra to spend on the baby gear that we need. 

Plus Sized and Pregnant: Now that I have started showing more, it's nice because I don't feel like such a cow, I feel pregnant. I am trying to relish every day, eat somewhat decently, and put my nursing knowledge aside so I quit thinking I have pre-eclampsia or some crazy pregnancy related disease. Right now, I am loving life :)

The OGTT Kiss of Death

The OGTT.
It elicits so much fear in me.
And most of you probably have never heard of it, had to take it, or care what it is.

The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, or OGTT, is a hellish one hour test that almost all pregnant women are put through between 24-28 weeks to screen for gestational diabetes. The basics are as follows: go the the lab, drink one of the bottles shown, wait exactly one hour, and have your blood drawn.

It truly is, for me, one of the most nerve wracking, stress inducing, worst parts about pregnancy. There are only three things I loathe about being pregnant, and they are, in order: vomiting repeatedly, having stitches after delivery, and the OGTT.

See, I am already predisposed to diabetes. It runs in my family- 3 of 4 grandparents have it. My mother could end up having it. I am overweight. It is something that I have always been afraid of. Type II Diabetes, to me, is a great disease to have if you have to pick one, because you can control it. But it's also a stupid one to have, because for the most part, it's completely preventable with they way you treat your body. My last pregnancy, my OGTT was within normal range by 5 points. It needs to be less than 130 to be okay, or they make you take a challenge test and drink twice as much,

This time around, I was prepared to do my own reading. Tuesday morning, armed with my own pocket glucometer (blood sugar checker), I tested my fasting glucose. 79. Not to shabby, The lemon lime drink can't touch me.

I go to Quest, lab sheet in hand, at 8:30. No breakfast, no water, the way-too-chipper gal hands me a 50 gram glucose drink, and I have to stand there in front of her and chug it. It is like drinking a flat Sprite, but WAY sweeter. A Sprite, I found out, has 38 grams of sugar. This is like drinking 1.3 Sprites in 10 seconds, but making it flat and warm. And for someone who doesn't buy soda, and drinks her tea in the south UNSWEET, it is enough to make me start getting nauseated before I even get back to the waiting room. "See you at 9:35!" she says. I don't even turn around.

I pace for a while, start reading my book, and decide to head to the car and read. At the half hour marker, I can't take it any more and whip out my glucometer to see how high I am. I can FEEL that it's high- nauseated, hands shaking from the sugar high (or nerves??), and I psych my self out to poke my finger. 166.

I AM DOOMED. Here I go. I am a raging diabetic. I knew it. Now I am having to give my self insulin every day. And have a grotesquely huge, 11 pound baby. And probably have a C Section. And my life is over as I know it. (This is where being a nurse and knowing the complications make me crazy)

I sit in the car for the next 30 minutes, and hover between crying, praying, trying to read, singing to the radio. I know things could be worse, it's not like I am waiting for a cancer biopsy, but to me, this is a big deal. I walk back in at 9:35 promptly. This little blonde brings me back to draw my blood, and I know she is new there. As in, totally inexperienced, and is in NO WAY hitting my troublesome veins. After digging around in my arm with a needle, she goes to find someone else more experienced to do the same. This lady gets me on the first try, I fake a smile, and waddle back to the car, mid-Braxton-Hick from all the stress. Levi is wiggling around in my belly, turbo charged from the sugar rush, and it's making me want to ralph.

I whip out my glucometer, and see the reading for my 1 hour marker: 122. Somewhat relieved, I am counting down the days to this Tuesday's appointment for my results.

Please, God, let it be less than 130!

28 Week Update- We made it to the 3rd Trimester!

How Far Am I: Starting the 3rd trimester today! 28 weeks down, roughly 10-14 to go depending on when God decides our bun is done baking.

Baby's Gender: Totally boy. So excited to have a rowdy house :)

How Much Weight Have I Gained: 0 POUNDS! I am finally back to pre-pregnancy weight! I lost a bunch in the beginning from so much vomiting, and it took me until last week to break even. So from now on it's going to be gaining time.

Baby Movement: Our little Levi Mateo is constantly moving, it seems. He is a very active baby- which means he will probably be a very active boy, just like his older brother. At night it takes a good hour of me laying down and being still before he will be still and I can sleep, sometimes longer. And it's not the graceful kind of movement either. It's the jabby, "let-me-outta-here" kind. Sorry, Levi, you have to stay in there!

Body Changes: I have horrible, non-elastic skin, so last pregnancy, I got a million stretch marks even though I only gained about 15 pounds. They started around my belly button, then my breasts, then hips, and then by my bikini line. And you would think that since none of my skin really unstretched back, there would be plenty of room for my belly to expand. In theory, this is all good and well, but in real life, my belly is itching like crazy, and I know this is the precursor to having my belly look like a watermelon again with big ol' stripes on it. I am rubbing on the lotion like crazy, especially after the shower. It's amazing how your body changes being pregnant. I never lost my belly button last time, and I don't think I will this time either. That's a skinny mom thing :) My hands have been swelling a little, but nothing like last time. My legs are another story- especially if I work. I have to put them up at night. And I know if I have overdone it, because my normally cute toes expand to little vienna sausages that have no space in between them. I am going to start wearing support stockings on days that I work to keep the swelling down. It should prevent getting so many spider veins too.

Sleep Habits: Lately, with Jose starting night shift, it's hard to sleep by my self in a big lonely bed. I get in bed around 10:30-11, and my belly stops doing the disco around midnight. Usually I have to wake up at least twice to empty my bladder (Levi seems to think it's a stool to sit on in there) and then I can sleep until about 7ish, depending on when Micah gets up or Jose gets off. So I am averaging about 6 hours a night when all is said and done. I think the last trimester, God slowly starts shaving off the time you sleep at night to prepare you for being up with a little one every few hours.

Labor Cues: Braxton-Hicks have started becoming a little more frequent. Not every day, but when I am at work running my butt off, or moving stuff around in the house, I get them. Usually 2 or 3 in a row, and then they settle down. Last Tuesday and Wednesday I completely overdid it, and had them off and on all night.

What Micah Thinks of the Baby: So far he is taking things really well, but I can tell there is a little jealousy starting to pop up. We have been trying to do things around the house for him and keep in included. Like setting up his bunk beds before putting the crib up. Or having a Mommy-Micah date. And talking about going to Disney after the baby is born, so he and Daddy can ride the big boy rides together. Almost every night, he kisses my belly good night. Lately, he is wanting to put his hands up my shirt and "snuggle Levi", which is fine at home, but at the football field this weekend, not so much :)

Baby Prep So Far:  We finally got all the junk cleaned out of the baby's room, and got things set up after a trip to IKEA that unloaded our bank account. We now have a crib set up, the changing table in the room, a dresser, and a few other little things. I went through all Micah's baby clothes (thank God I kept some), washed the 0-3 month ones, and got them into the dresser. We also got our diaper sprayers set up in the bathroom. They are kind of like the sprayer attachment on your sink to spray dishes with-- except they attach to the toilet. Itcan be used to spray diaper waste into the toilet, instead of having to swirl them around and get your hands dirty, or worse, have that end up in your washing machine. What we need to do so far is buy our cloth diapers, get our baby toiletries, breast feeding supplies, and a few other big items that we gave away, like a stroller, play pen, etc. Little by little! I feel like we are finally becoming a little more prepared, and the earlier it's done, the earlier I can relax and  move on to other house projects, like putting in floors!

Plus Sized and Pregnant: People are so funny when it comes to what I look like pregnant. I have gotten everything under the sun...
"You're pregnant?! I thought you just put on a little weight, how far are you?!"
"When are you going to start showing? Are you sure you are eating enough?"
"Are you sure there is just one in there? Because you look huge already!"
I know that my body is changing, and has changed from last pregnancy, but I am proud to say that 4 years later, I am wearing the same maternity jeans as I did with Micah. And I know I will probably get more stretch marks, but it's an awesome price to pay for being a mom. Besides, I know after I deliver and start breast feeding, the weight will fly off and I will be back to normal quick. Maybe better than normal...