Post by Pictures...

Swimming, upsate NY style...bring your own wet suit, lol.

Ian is determined to feed the boys by hand...they're not so determined. They are very timid...

Family shot, Memorial Day weekend 2007

This is First Day. He was born the first day of school. The youngest boy, he'll be a year old September 6th.

This is Jose. He'll be a year old July 7th. He's a little dirty here from the dandelion fuzz and hay in the barn.

This is Mr. Dithers. He just turned a year old a week from Monday. He's the leader of the boys, but is quickly getting fed up with the little ones following him every where.

Cousins on Memorial day...We went fishing down at the marina...good family fun!

Three new boys!

I guess we're officially farmers now. These three boys were delivered this morning and are doing great!

Still trying

To win a Wubba! Drea is having a contest/give away. Here's her link... Wish me luck!

38 Weeks

So every doctor visit is an adventure these days. Last two weeks the fundal height has been measuring under as far as weeks go. This is most likely due to the baby dropping since the fundal measurement goes from the pelvic bone to the top of the uterus.

Well, this week, we start the routine...first is weight. We weighed twice and I lost 2 pounds! What the heck! I've been eating non stop and always hungry. How could I have possibly lost 2 pounds? I ate a whole box of ice cream sandwiches this week! LOL

So we move on and the doc measures my belly. This week it's measuring at 33 weeks! Ugh, I'm 38 weeks! So, we listen to the heart beat..everything's good. The baby is moving fine...we decide to send me for an ultrasound to make sure I'm not losing fluid.

Wait and hour...

Go for the ultrasound, we measure the fluid and check for breathing movements...everything is good. Then we watched her for a while to see her moving her arms and legs and make at least one big movement. She passes with flying colors and they send me on my way.

So, here we are 2 pounds lighter (Now at a 24 pound total weight gain) and no baby yet. I was actually getting really excited because if the fluid was low then we were going to induce today, but no such luck :(

Sorry Mary, doesn't look like today is the day, but it was pretty close to being the day!

Well, it's another 80 degree day here so I'm heading back outside for the day. Wish me luck for a baby soon!

Hello world!

The Drop

Well, I could tell that she had dropped before but OMG has she dropped now! I can feel the pressure down below. It started really yesterday I could tell she was extremely low and she feels very heavy. I've been having quick bursts of energy, which I think is really just from the pure excitement and anticipation. Having a lot more back pain the last 2 days too.

I can't believe that she will be here in 2 weeks!! Hopefully, less than 2 weeks now. I'm ready for her any day! Although, we do need to go grocery shopping since there is no food in this house. I've made sure everything else is ready. So...now all we need is some food, and the baby! I can't wait! I'm really hoping she makes an appearance before the holiday, but only time will tell. I'm guessing that she is going to try and come on Tuesday since I'll be 2 hours away from home to go see Ryleigh at her dance class. I'm pretty disappointed that I might miss her very first recital, but it's the same weekend as my due date! Hopefully I can at least make it to her class....if not and the baby comes it would still be good because then I would probably make it for the recital!

37 weeks

The appointment went well today. I'm SO happy to have my doctor back!
Gained another pound this week (26 total).
The belly is still measuring small, we've always been a little behind, doc says it's because I'm a small person, just petite. The belly measurement isn't as acurate after 36 weeks anyway, since the baby has dropped it makes it more difficult.
She explained the whole placenta/ultrasound drama to me. Apparently, there are placental lakes. Small pools of venus blood in the placenta. Nothing serious, no clots or calcium deposits, the placenta isn't leaking, no placental previa or abruption. The second ultrasound rated the placenta as a 1. She says they rate them as a 1,2,3 or 4. 4 being old or used up, not good. I was a 1 so that's great. Everything is going well.
She still hasn't checked to see if I'm dialated or effaced, and I still haven't asked her to. I figure the baby's going to come when she comes anyway, so it really doesn't make a difference to me.

Here's the 37 week pic...

3rd time....

Third time's a charm right?
I've written this post three times now. I'm ready to throw my laptop out the window! It has decided to just turn off when I'm in the middle of typing....3 TIMES!!! I could just scream! I started this post last week to record what happened at the doctors appointment last week.

• My doctor's still not back (Apparently she's in Cali for a conference)
• I gained 2lbs. putting the total at 25lbs.
• my belly measurement was behind by a week. (Nothing to worry about yet, but we'll look into it this week if there's no change again)
• I saw the same doc that ordered the ultrasound last week.
• He didn't have the results
• I made him get them faxed over.
• Everything looks fine, normal.

So the appointment went ok, but I CAN NOT wait to have my doctor back this week. If you recall, she is the only reason I'm still at this office. I hate it there, but we like my doc. So 2 weeks with out her and still going to this office is like torture!

The baby has definitely dropped, I can tell. I haven't been checked or anything, so I don't know if I'm dilated or effaced or anything. I'm kind of scared of getting checked so I haven't brought it up. Maybe she will this Thursday. We'll see.

This baby girl apparently didn't feel it necessary for me to sleep at all last night. I was up until 11pm before trying to go to sleep. I got in bed and she would not stop moving! And I'm not talking little movements either. These were full blown flips and kicks and cartwheels. It feels like she's crossing and uncrossing her legs all night long. Then just for fun she'll kick and push and stretch on my ribs. It's a great time...really.

I'm going to hurry up and publish this before the laptop turns off again....

36 weeks

Ultrasound pics from today. The scanner put huge glares on them, but I thought I'd share anyway.
Everything went well. She wieghs 5 lbs. 13 oz. so far with 3-4 weeks to go!

Look at those lips!!

She has her fist over her mouth and her eyes are closed in this one.

Profile shot...look at those lips!

She is sucking her thumb in this one but the glare is so bad you can hardly see it in the scan. You can see her arm there in the middle and her eye wide open on the right like she's looking at you.

The actual pictures are better, but for some reason the scanner didn't want to cooperate today.

Let the guessing begin...

35 weeks and worry

The 35 week belly shot.

So we've moved on to the once a week appointments. This weeks appointment was beyond confusing, scary, interesting...you name it. I should have just known as soon as I walked in the office because there was only one other person in the waiting room.(Normally it's packed full on Thursdays). So I check in and the receptionist (who also happens to be our neighbor) tells me that she had me down for 9:30am. I show her my appointment card from last time that says 10:30. She says ok, let me see what I can do. Eventually I get in, only like a 20 minute wait, which is a new record! The nurse takes me back, gets my weight (up another 2 pounds, that's 23 total for those of you keeping track, lol.) and I pee in the cup. She comes in the room to get my blood pressure and says, "you know Dr. M isn't here today right?"
" Ummm, no. She's only in the office one day a week...Thursdays, that's why I'm here. I'm getting the strep culture today, what do you mean she's not here?"
"Oh, well she's on vacation this week, so another doctor will do your culture. It's a male, is that ok?"
"Yeah, whatever." (I hate this office!)

So the doc comes in and starts going through my chart, reading the notes and history and whatnot. Then he says, "So you have a cyst on your right ovary..."
"Um, no. What?"
"Well it says here that....well, it's really no big deal, a lot of people have cysts and it's probably nothing."
(Begin freaking out)
He has a strong Russian accent so I can only understand a few things here and there that he is trying to say to me. Then he says, "Have they scheduled you yet for another ultrasound?"
(What? I'm 35 weeks! What is this guy talking about?) "Um, no."
"Oh,....cause it says here that there was a concern about the color of the placenta and an area that was discolored and possibly leaking blood."

What the hell!!!
My ultrasound was back in January!!! How come no one told me about this shit until now?

He says, "Well I think we should look at scheduling another ultrasound to check it. I'll ask my boss what he thinks."
"Ok." (trying not to hyperventilate) I know the baby is good. We just saw her in the quickly ultrasound 2 weeks ago, and she's moving like crazy all the time. I manage to hold my composure and try and relax.

We measure the belly, it's measuring 34.5, which is perfect for me. Listen to the heartbeat. Sounds good. Do the cultures. Then he writes me a script for the ultrasound at the hospital and sends me on my way.
I'm half tempted to call my doctor on her cell phone and ask her what's up. But I feel confident. I mean I'm 36 weeks, technically if the baby came now she'd still be ok, this whole visit was just weird.

I called Ian to tell him what happened and he FREAKED out. He was pissed and wanted to go back to the office with me and find out what the hell is going on. I surprisingly was ok with the whole ordeal. He said he doesn't understand me. I won't eat lunch meat for fear of listeria, but someone tells me that I have a cyst on my ovary and something might potentially be wrong with my placenta and I just shrugged it off. He was pretty mad.

So, now I don't know what's going on. I know that the baby is growing, she's moving, she's healthy. That's the only thing that matters to me right now. A few more weeks and I won't have to deal with this horrible office ever again.
We go for the ultrasound on Tuesday (which is also my birthday! I'll get to see my little girl on my birthday!) and then back to my doc on Thursday.

Today I went to meet the babies doctor. All went well, she answered all my questions and really eased my mind about some things I've been worrying about lately. It was great and I feel great about it and that much more prepared.

I think the baby is starting to move down. I can feel her head pushing on my left pelvic bone. I hope she settles in right. She's also been punching me in the cervix. At least that's what it feels like. It's painful, but quick little jabs.

I can't wait for her to get here. I've been thinking she was going to come early, but now I'm trying to prepare myself for her to come late. I still feel like any day could be the day, but I don't want to be too anxious so I'm aware that it could go late too.

Ian and I went to the hospital for a tour of the labor and delivery floor. We learned a lot and are more confident about what to do when the day arrives. I'm a little disappointed that they don't let the dad's spend the night at the hospital. So the first night with my baby, I'll be alone! Well, accept for the entire nursing staff and doctors that will be there with me. Hopefully, if all goes well we'll only be there for one night anyway, so that's not too bad.

Ok, this post has gotten long enough, I have to go make dinner now....have a great weekend!