Yes, 2 hours!

Today Liam met Santa!! Shanna and I took Cole and Liam to the Mall at Millenia to see the most beautiful Santa Claus in town. And since he is the most beautiful, we waited in line for 2 hours. It was one of those things . . . once you commit to it you just have to see it through. The boys were perfect and Shanna and I enjoyed the time together catching up. It went by really fast. Liam fell asleep and woke up right when it was our turn. I handed him over to Santa and hoped for the best. Right then this little elf-like guy started jumping around and waving things in front of Liam's face. He LOVED it and shot off one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. I think the picture was worth the wait! Cole is older and seemed to think that maybe Santa was just some creepy guy. He screamed, which made for an equally awesome picture - for different reasons. Our first Santa experience was an overwhelming success. Now we can really tell Santa that Liam has been a good boy!

Back to Work . . .

. . . and no time to blog!

Wow! Liam will be 16 weeks old this Thursday. I haven't blogged in forever! Guess that is what happens when you go back to work. Everything is going SO well. We have all adjusted and are just so thankful that my mom is coming to our house everyday. How lucky we all are . . . especially Liam!

I promise a longer post soon with pictures!

Until then . . .

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

12 weeks already!

Wow! Today is the last day of my "maternity" leave. I put the word maternity in quotes because that isn't really what it is . . . it's short term disability and I only got paid a percentage of my salary for six weeks (would have only been four if I hadnt had a c-section) and then the other six weeks I used ALL of my sick, vacation and personal time. I can't believe how fast these 12 weeks have gone by. I can't believe how different Liam is . . . he's a fun, little baby now. Not a scary "breakable" infant! He grasps my fingers, yells really loud just to hear himself, holds on while being carried with his strong head up and away from my shoulder. He laughs and smiles. Oh, does he smile. His favorite place to be is on the changing station getting his diaper changed. No matter how mad he was before he just laughs and coos when you get him up there. Why cant we go back to work week 2, 3, 4 and then have more time at the end when they are so fun! Obviously I am kidding . . . who would watch a 2 week old! ;)

I am excited to return to work tomorrow. Obviously I am not excited to not be with Liam all day long, but it is good for both of us! I love my job. I have been at the Economic Development Commission for over six years. I love what I do and I miss my work. I miss my co-workers and I miss being a part of the community. I am ready to dive back in and do a kick ass job! The family atmosphere at the EDC makes it the perfect environment for a new family! The best part of all is Grammy is going to be watching Liam . . . at our house. We are all so blessed! It has been such perfect timing that my mom retired at the end of last school year. She and I have had such a great time together during my leave and now she will be helping us out so much! I would be feeling very differently today if Liam were starting daycare tomorrow (but I know that would be OK too), but he won't be doing that for several months and for that I am grateful. Thanks Mom!!

Tomorrow we start a new chapter in our lives . . . that of working mom!

Getting some Z's!

Liam has slept seven hours straight the past three nights! I would say that three nights in a row means this is a new schedule. YIPPEE!! Just in time for my return to work. People say we are lucky and believe me . . . I know we are lucky! But I also think that we have worked really hard to get Liam on a schedule! We both read Babywise two times before he was born and several times since. I consult Erin on a regular basis and we don't mess around with his schedule! He eats every three hours, then has awake time until he fusses just a little (about one to one and a half hours), then he goes down in his crib awake. He "talks" to his mobile and we go in about 10 times to put the pacifier in his mouth and then he soothes himself to sleep. Sometimes in the early evening we put him in there and he cries for about 10 - 20 minutes (this is not fun). And at his last scheduled feeding around 9:00 pm we turn off the tv and every light . . . nighttime! We don't talk and he usually takes his bottle with his eyes closed. Then we let him go . . . 7 hours! I stick with the schedule while I am out and about during the day and he does so good. After his bottle he falls asleep in his carseat after a little while of looking around. I know that all babies are different, but I say to my pregnant friends out there . . . sleep training from the beginning is worth a try. What do you have to lose!? (Except sleep if you don't!)

This weekend we have to decide what pictures we are going to order from our photoshoot with Abby Liga. How will we decide?! If you haven't seen them yet, check them out . . .

http://shop.ligaphotography.com/portraits/dinsmore-family Password: dinsmore

It's finally Fall in Orlando!

It was finally chilly this weekend. We took full advantage . . . we ate lunch outside with friends, went to a Pumpkin Patch, made chili, and dressed Liam in footed pajamas!! It's the little things!

"There is NOTHING wrong with this baby . . . "

. . . That's what my mom says all the time while playing with Liam. He'll look right at you and flash you this big ole' smile and you can't help but think it. But then we remember that just 2 short months ago he had some head trauma and a couple of seizures. And then you go to the neurologist and the developmental specialist and they say they are concerned about this or that. And your mind starts going crazy.

Today I joined "Team Grammy" and I agree . . . There is NOTHING wrong with this baby!!

We went to the neurologist today (more on him later) for a follow up to our appointment one month ago. One month ago they told us that they were concerned that his head was growing too fast. Not that his head was too big, but that it was too big compared to how big it was when we left the hospital. Ok. What does that mean (you always have to ask this)? It meant that there was possible swelling. And if there is (you have to ask this too)? That would mean that they would have to do surgery to relieve it. So I have been thinking about this for one month. BUT Brian wouldn't believe it. You see, no one could measure his head and get the same measurement so we didnt have much confidence in the process. Today we returned to have the same doctor, in the same office measure his head one month later. And . . .

"There is nothing here that alarms me!" said the neurologist. Not sure why I put an exclamation point because Dr. Personality did not say this with any type of feeling! I cant stand this doctor. He met with us in the NICU. Sat us down and scared us to death. He talked in circles and was so doom and gloom. He's a childrens neurologist. He only works with children. How can he be so cold and matter of fact?! He wants to see us again in January and if there is no change then he will "release us from his care" and that will be behind us!! Yay!! I will sleep good tonight! (well, as good as you can sleep when you have a feeding every 3 hours!)

Two month appointment

Liam had his two month appointment at the pediatrician last Friday. Poor little guy got four shots. He cried so hard. So did I!! He was pretty out of sorts for the next two days. Here are his stats . . .

Weight . . . 13 lbs, 7 oz . . . 90%
Height . . . 23 1/4 in . . . 55%
Head Circ . . . 16 1/8 . . . 70%

He's not overweight. He's undertall!! He's our cute lil butterball!

Tomorrow Liam goes back to the neurologist. Last time we were there they were concerned that his head was growing a little too fast which would indicate swelling. So basically we are going back to have his head measured again and compared to when we were there one month ago. We brought this up with the pediatrician on Friday and she wasn't concerned so we aren't letting ourselves be either.

Brian just took Nana to the airport. She is on her way back to Milwaukee. What a great visit we had. We will miss Nana and Papa and look forward to visiting them in Milwaukee when Liam is a little older!!

It's Tummy Time!

Liam has had an eventful day! First, Abby Liga our awesome wedding photographer came over at 9:30 this morning for a family photo shoot. Remember a long time ago I posted that I had booked Amy Smith to take Liam's newborn pictures? Well, Amy's photo shoots and photos are very expensive (and worth every penny!) and although Abby is expensive too, because we used her for our wedding she waved the session fee as an "anniversary gift." So I cancelled Amy (I will use her another time) and booked Abby. I booked her for a newborn session the week after Liam was born. BUT Liam was in the hospital the week after he was born so I cancelled that and made it two weeks later. Two weeks later was when I thought I was going to die from the pain of breast feeding and I couldnt picture getting the house and the family ready for a photo shoot, so I cancelled and rescheduled once again. All the sudden I realized that we don't have a new-newborn anymore and those beautiful, scrunched up photos weren't going to happen. I called Abby and asked her if she thought we should wait and do pictures when he is sitting up. She assured me that she would get some great shots and we would be happy we had them.

Picking out clothes for the family, getting the house photo ready, getting ready the day of (with unpredictable hair) and all that good stuff is very stressful! We pulled it together! We had a good time. I'm glad I didn't spend a lot of time picking an outfit for Liam because he wore a diaper or a blanket the entire time. It was great to see Abby again. She always makes us feel so comfortable. She said she was getting some good shots. I can't wait to see what they look like! Thankfully we waited until the end of the shoot to do the "no diaper shot." Liam peed on Brian the second he picked him up to pose. That pretty much wrapped things up!

Next we had an appointment with the developmental specialist. She asked us a lot of questions and then did several tests. These included trying to get him to track black and white flash cards. Hold his head up on his own. And lie on his tummy and lift his head. He doesn't do the tummy thing very well. Could it be the fact that when she weighed him today he was 13 lbs 5 oz . . . in the 90th percentile for weight. He also measured 23 in . . . the 50th percentile. He's a little chunker! So, she told us that we need to do a lot of tummy time with him to strengthen those muscles. I don't think anything she said or anything he did or didn't do there was alarming. All babies develop at different speeds and it is too hard to tell anything when they are two months old. We go back again in six months. I am happy that we continue to have these follow up appoinments with the neurologist and developmental specialist. It will be really nice when he is older.

Tomorrow we go to the pediatrician for two month shots. Yay! I am not excited that he has to have shots but I am excited that we won't have to worry about taking him out in public or have him around friends' kids anymore! I'll post how that goes and his official weight and height after that appointment tomorrow.

Let's do some tummy time . . .

Liam meets Nana and Papa . . .

Brian's parents are visiting from Milwaukee. They arrived last Sunday and drove down south on Monday to pick his grandmother (Oma) up. She had a short visit until they took her back on Wednesday, but it was so great to get some pictures of her with Liam. She loved feeding him his bottle* and holding him. Brian's stepdad, Kevin (Papa), leaves tomorrow and then his mom (Nana) is here until next Tuesday. They are so helpful with Liam . . . it's nice that they can get to know him!

* You might have noticed in some of my Facebook pictures that a lot of people are feeding Liam a bottle. It's true . . . I had to stop breast feeding. What an experience that was. I was having a lot of problems that were very painful including constant clogged milk ducts. I think that because I had to pump every two hours for the first week of Liam's life and my supply and demand was not regulated by a baby but instead a pump . . . I just produced too much. I tried day after day to continue. I tried feeding on one side, pumping on the other, then supplementing with some formula. Once I finished all this we had about one hour until it all started again. I couldn't believe how demanding and painful breast feeding was . . . woman don't talk about it very much! Girlfriends need to share with each other. I was literally sick, on the couch for a couple of days and I was crying every time I had to feed him. On top of that, he seemed to prefer the bottle. Finally, mom and Brian had an intervention with me and told me that it would be better for everyone if I stopped. So I called the pediatrician to ask about formula and I called the OB/GYN to ask how to shut this down. The nurse said that she wasn't going to lie, that it was going to be very painful, but that the best thing would be to go cold turkey. So I hung up the phone and realized that I had just breast fed Liam for the last time. I cried and cried. For the next two days I experienced a tremendous amount of emotional and physical pain. I mean, this was more painful than the c-section! I used frozen compresses, tight sports bras, pain pills, cabbage leaves . . . you name it, I did it. It took 2 days for the really bad pain to go away and a weak to feel somewhat normal again. After that I was a new woman!! I was pain free, could get more sleep, get help from others, leave the house, go on a date . . . Wow! I had planned to breast feed for a long time. I had planned to pump at work. It was going to be difficult but I was going to do it. Well, it didnt work out for us and that is OK! Liam is happy. I am happy. He loves his bottle. AND he loves that Daddy can be a part of it all.

I'm back!!

The post below was started 8 weeks ago while we were still in the hospital. It took me forever to finish it. I didn't want to move on with any other blogging until I got it posted. I think it is important for us to remember the sequence of events that were Liam's birth! From now on I promise to post cute stories and even cute pictures of our son, Liam Robert Dinsmore! This pregnancy blog is now a Mommy's blog! Stay tuned . . .

Disclaimer . . . I don't feel like rereading the post below right now. Beware of tons of mistakes! It will take me another 2 months to proofread it!

A Kumquat is Born!!

We have received an overwhelming amount of support from family, friends, friends of family, family of friends, strangers, etc. Some people are just hearing about the fact that our son, Liam Robert is in the NICU and they are wondering what exactly happened to put him there. I am going to do my best to tell the story here. I am going to just start typing. All grammar and spelling are out the window at this point. Just want to get the events and some of my feelings down . . .

I went to work on Wednesday, August 5 - business as usual. Or as usual as it can be when you are 38 plus weeks pregnant and totally uncomfortable. Jen and Karen both mentioned that I looked as if my belly had dropped. I knew I wasn't totally feeling myself when I refused a hug from Karen because it actually sounded like it might hurt. I had lunch plans with Fada and Kelly. I was excited to see them. I knew it would be the last time while pregnant! On my way to meet them I felt an urge to run into Marshall's and Babies R Us for some last minute items for my bag (which was packed and had been in my car for a couple of days - just in case). Shanna sent me a list of things that she had brought, needed, didn't need and wished she had! This was SO helpful. I had to get the things that I was missing. After I got my stuff, I met the girls and ALL the kids and had a really fun lunch. I went back to work and didn't feel very well but also felt the urge to get the Schwartz Awards (my part) wrapped up. I worked until about 7:00which was pretty late for me considering I have been bolting at 5:29 to get home to pjs and the couch! It's like I knew I wouldn't be back!

Wednesday night after dinner I started to have some contractions. I had them before and this didn't feel much different. I paid attention to how far apart they were and how intense. I took a bath. A LONG bath. Brian went to bed while I was in the bath. When I got out I tried to go to bed but was super uncomfortable when lying down. So I got up and went out to watch tv. It was like 11:00. At 12:00 I felt like the contractions were coming at a regular interval about 6-7 mins apart. I woke Brian up, told him to get his glasses, a watch and a pad of paper . . . I needed him to help me keep track! This seemed real (well, from what I had read.) We did this for one hour like we had learned. The contractions were pretty consistent - getting closer to 5 minutes apart and lasting about 40 seconds each. After hoing and humming we decided to go to the hospital. We thought the worst thing that could happen is that they would turn us away but at least we wouldn't be so worried. So we loaded up the car and headed to Winter Park Memorial Hospital.

The main entrance to the hospital is closed after hours so we had to go through the Emergency Room. We were the only people here. A woman asked me my name and maybe because I was scheduled for induction on Monday, I was in the system. She put me in a wheelchair and we made our way to Labor & Delivery. She did get a little lost a long the way and my contractions were getting a little more intense. I still wondered if we were going to be turned away! It was SO quiet when we arrived. They put us in a room and the nurse told me to put a gown on. REALLY? We are really doing this? She checked me and said I was 4 cm but my cervix was paper thin and I was 100% effaced. She asked if I would be wanting an epidural. Um, YES! They said they would go ahead and make the call since the anesthesiologist had to come from home. My contractions were becoming really painful now. Like crying during! I kept asking "how far away does he live!?" I wanted to see what real labor felt like and now I know! Ouch. I don't have the times memorized anymore but it had been a few hours (we arrived at 2:00 am) and I was now 6 cm. My parents were on their way.

Around this time god arrived. I mean the anesthesiologist got there. I was crying pretty much through each contraction at this point. Boy, was I happy to see him! He started the epidural and my legs got all tingly. It was wonderful. I could see my contractions ("off the chart" as the nurse had put it) on the monitor but I couldn't feel a thing.

My parents arrive and we all hung out for a few hours. The nurses continued to check my dialation and my doctor had been called. In the last blog I mentioned that I saw the nice, new, young doctor because my doctor had gone out of town. Well, looks like she would be delivering our baby after all! They said she would be around first thing in the morning. The nurses suggested that I get some sleep now and asked my parents to leave. They went to Denny's for breakfast (it was 4:00 am). Brian slept. I did not. Who could sleep at a time like this!?

Lots of checking. The doctor arrives. I am 10 cm. It's 8:00 am. It's go time!! I was so happy that I was going to be doing this with Dr. Snook. She made me feel very comfortable.

I basically just pushed for the next two hours straight. I still wasn't feeling the contractions so we would all watch the monitor. As soon as we saw a contraction was coming we took our places and I pushed through it. Usually four good pushes per contraction. They could see the top of the baby's head every time I pushed but as soon as I would take a new breath or stop it would go back up to where it had started. They were all cheering me along and saying "good job" but I could read the looks between the nurse and the doctor and it said "this baby isn't progressing." We were about to start the third hour of pushing when the doctor suggested that we take a break for awhile. She wanted me to "labor down" and see if maybe he would descend some more on his own. I also was exhausted and needed to get my strength back up.

At this time I was in horrible pain again. I kept saying that my epidural had worn off. They explained to me that it hadn't worn off but that the baby was adding more pressure to my pelvic bone and that is what I was feeling. They told me that I could have more but they explained that it would be helpful for me to try and push through some contractions while I could feel them. I agreed. At this point I would do anything to get the baby out. So we started the fourth hour of pushing. I pushed for that last hour with what felt like no epidural. It was so painful. They tried different positions and continued to cheer me on. The doctor now had a few other patients at the hospital and she left for a couple of minutes. I continued to push with the nurse.

I should mention that Brian was sitting right on the bed this entire time. He was holding a knee and doing everything we had learned in our birthing classes. I think I only yelled at him a few times for stroking my arm. He was so supportive. My parents also stayed in the room. Mom sat in a chair above my shoulders and Dad stood behind a curtain near the door!

At the end of hour four Dr. Snook came back into the room. I was now sobbing in pain. She took one look at me and said "OK, honey, we're not going to do this anymore." I agreed. It was c-section time! They explained what was going to take place now. Gave me more drugs. Prepped Brian and I for the surgery. They wheeled me out of the room and told Brian that they would come get him in just a few minutes.

Here is where the story gets blurry for me! Here is what I remember and what others have told me. They prepped me for surgery and Brian joined me in the emergency room. There was an anesthesiologist and her intern at my left shoulder, Brian at my right, Dr. Snook and another doctor down there and a couple of nurses in the room. Everyone was joking around. They were commenting on my toenail polish. I was asking if they gave me the "Michael Jackson" juice. They were explaining what they were doing. It all seemed so routine and normal. Even though I warned him not to (I was scared to death he would pass out), Brian peaked over the curtain at the start of the surgery.

Now this is where we should have the picture of the baby being held over the curtain for us to take our first glimpse. Brian cutting the umbilical cord. And then the picture of them putting my new bundle of joy on my chest and me crying at the sight of my beautiful baby boy. And then the picture that Brian would take of our son being weighed, having his footprints done, etc. But for us this is where everything takes a horrible turn.

I can feel a tremendous amount of pressure. Not pain. PRESSURE. More than what would be normal. I can hear the doctors huffing and puffing. I even heard Dr. Snook say "oh my god as she gasped for more air." I heard someone shhh her. Then someone starts yelling "get Daddy out of here." Brian is looking at me and shouting back "I'm not going anywhere." I look at him and calmly say "go on babe, do what they tell you. I am fine! I will be fine." He listened to me and I remember the scared look on his face as he leaves the room. At one point before he left I mentioned to him that there was so much pressure on my chest. That it felt like someone was standing on it. He said he looked over and the reason was that someone WAS standing on my chest. Two large male doctors have a knee on each side of my chest and they are tugging. He heard Dr. Snook yelling for someone to "push it up" "not like that" "like this" (as they tried to push the baby back up through my birth canal. I was gasping for more air as the pressure became more and more intense. The doctor was yelling for them to give me more drugs. "Knock her out! Knock her out!" I heard. "I already gave her blah blah blah cc's (or whatever the measurement was) "well, give her blah blah blah more!" Brian was gone. The room was full of people. I now knew that my baby was STUCK!

The first thought that ran through my head was . . . they have to get this baby out of me, right. I mean, they will break bones or whatever it takes but he has to come out. I knew I would be OK. They kept saying "you're going to be OK." But then it hit me "is my baby OK!?" Is HE going to be OK?! Then I started yelling "Is my baby OK? Is my baby alive?! Is he going to be OK? Someone has to tell me something." The anesthesiologist and her intern were shhing me and assuring me that everything was going to be OK. Finally I can tell that he is out. Now there is a different team of people saying things. I am so drugged out that I am not sure what is going on but I remember that I was still yelling. Finally a nurse comes over to me and says "you're baby is out. He is in distress. We are doing everything we can. You need to calm down." That is the last thing I remember until I come to, still in the operating room and Brian is there with me. They are stitching me up.

The story that my mom tells of Brian coming out of the room is heartbreaking. My parents were standing at the window of the nursery where they were told to wait to get the first glimpse of their grandson. They stand there . . .waiting and waiting. While they are waiting they notice that there are a lot of doctors and nurses coming off the elevator. Running. Running down the hall and into what my mom is sure is my operating room. She mentions this to my dad and he assures her that everything is fine. But it keeps happening. Mom has a bad feeling and starts walking that way. This is when Brian walks out of the room . . . he losses it and tells my parents that the baby is stuck. They wait together. Yuck!

They put Liam into an incubator and rushed him past his grandparents to the NICU.



Liam Robert was born on August 6, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. He was two weeks early and weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz. He was 20 in long. He was stuck in the birth canal and experienced head trauma. His apgar scores were 0 at 1 minute, 3 at 5 minutes and 6 at 10 minutes. His paperwork describes him as "depressed, floppy and gasping" at birth. He was moved to the NICU where he was put on a ventilator and feeding tube. Liam suffered two mild seizures over the next two days and was given an ct scan and an EEG. No major damage was detected. If he had one more they were going to start him on Phenobarbital. Thankfully it never happened again. Brian barely left the NICU the next two days while I was stuck in the room on an IV and catheter. My blood pressure was alarmingly low and I was stuck. Two days after he was born I FINALLY got to see my baby in person (Brian was bringing me lots of pictures). These were the two most horrible days of my life.


I was dismissed from the hospital on Sunday but they let us stay so we spent one night as "squatters." It was weird and depressing so on Monday we went home. It was a long week of back and forth to visit and bring milk to him. It was so sad when we left. We knew he was in good hands. The nurses (angels) in the NICU were so amazing. He was in good hands. He improved every day. Started to breath on his own. Eventually I was able to breast feed him in the NICU.

On Friday, August 14, Liam was discharged and we brought our beautiful baby home!! It's been two months since then and although we are still being seen my neurologists and developmental specialist, we believe that this was all just a really shitty start to an otherwise healthy, happy life!! Liam seems perfect and just melts our hearts when he smiles at us! We love him so much.

Enough of the scary saddness get ready for a blog filled with funny stories of first time parents feeling their way through this thing called life! And away we go!

38 Weeks

Had our weekly OB appointment yesterday. Our doctor is out of town so we had this new woman that has joined the practice. We LOVED her! Once we got past how stinkin' pretty and nice she was, we just thought she was so smart and inquisitive. She asked so many questions about my diabetes and how it works with me going to a specialist too (which I don't think has worked that great at all - no communication between doctors). She said she might come by and see us in labor on Monday! I hope she does. I think I might choose to go to her for my GYN after the baby. It's not like we could have had her as our doctor - she just started. Anyway, she did the pelvic exam (ouch). She looked up at me and said "how many kids have you had?" I said "this is it." And she said "wow! you are about 4 cm dilated. That is really unusual to be that far along with your first." BUT this is great news! Because if I am induced on Monday it will be so much better to be further along on my own. My chances of c-section will be considerably lower. I was so happy to hear. So here I sit at work (I have two things left to get done!) contracting and 4 cm dilated! Yikes. I do have my bag, packed and in the car!

I'm having contractions!

So I went in for my Monday morning monitoring today and the nurse said that I was having some consistent contractions. She counted on the paper that prints out and said about 8 minutes apart. She then said "you may be having this baby before next Monday after all!!" On the way out the door she told the cute lady at the front desk that they probably won't see me on Thursday (have I mentioned before that I love the women that work here). That woman said "well, Heather just called and is not coming in today because she had the baby last night!" Then they threw some voodoo on me and told me "GOOD LUCK!" I was instructed to call my doctor if they became more like 5 minutes apart. The thing is they don't hurt. It is just tight pressure. So sometimes I can't tell if it is "real" or not. I think I am having one right now at 2:15 so I will pay attention and see when it comes again.

By the way . . . I know that this could go on for a long time! And I also know that he probably won't be as big as they say! All just a guessing game. But kinda fun to guess, don't you think!?

Can we please talk about the HORRIBLE pelvic pain that I am having? How did I not know anything about this? For weeks I have been exclaiming that my vagina hurts (mostly just because it causes people to giggle) because I couldn't exactly tell where the pain was coming from. Last night it was SO bad that I started to google around and I found that it is a real thing. I am sure I have had this for a while. The things that people were writing online . . . hurts to put my pants on when I have to lift one leg, hurts to roll over in bed at night, hurts to walk up stairs . . . yep that's it. And it is getting worse everyday. OUCH!!!

Brian and I went out to dinner this weekend! It was the first time since I started the insulin. It has just seemed like too much of a hassle to me, but my craving for sushi won out and we did it! Brian packed a small cooler and got all of my things together for me. We went to Seito in Baldwin Park (a favorite!). My plan was to park close to the restaurant and then go do my shot after we ordered to ensure that I would be eating within 15 mins of ordering. Well we parked pretty far away so I decided to take a chance and gave myself the shot before we got out of the car. We were seated right away and ordered some edamame and seaweed salad as soon as we sat down. It came fast and I relaxed. I am sure you don't have to be this crazy about the timing but what do we know! I really didn't want to pass out there! We had the most delicious sushi! If you eat there be sure to try Fireworks on the Beach. It is as pretty as it is delicious. Can we go back tonight!?

We have a birthday!

If Liam doesn't come before, I will be induced on AUGUST 10, 2009!

We could have scheduled the induction for next week but we decided it would be best to wait just a little bit longer (less chance of a c-section). So I will be induced at 38 weeks, 6 days. Next week will be my last week at work. I will go out on Friday and have a baby on Monday. Just like me to not have a day off between jobs (I never have since I started working at age 15).

We have to call the hospital that morning at 5:45 to make sure they have a bed and then we will go to Labor & Delivery at 6:30 a.m.

I am so excited!!

37 Weeks . . . FULL TERM!!

That's right, Liam, you are officially cooked! If he were to be born today his lungs should be fully developed and there should be no problems!

I really don't have much to report. I am still uncomfortable. My belly is huge. I am still struggling with food and insulin shots. Still having trouble sleeping at night. Still getting monitored twice a week. Hmmm . . . good times. Haha.

We have our OB/GYN appointment today at 4:15. If I understand correctly, we will schedule the inducement (of course I thought that last week too). It could be next week or the week after. If it is my choice, it will be so tempting to schedule it next week, but I will wait and see how my cervix is progressing (it was "pretty hard" last week). If things haven't changed then I will do the responsible thing and schedule the inducement for two weeks (week 39) to lower my chance of a c-section. I will blog again tonight and let you know the outcome.

Our master bath will officially be completed TODAY! For sure! Gregg has gone on vacation, but his dad is coming by to finish up one last thing. It should have been completed last week but the floor in the shower was a little uneven and Gregg was not happy with it so the ripped it up and redid it yesterday. If you ever need a super hardworking, talented, honest renovator . . . ask me! Hopefully we will post some pictures tonight. I can't believe the transformation. And I can't believe how much I am enjoying having a bathtub!!

EDC Baby Shower

They had a baby shower for us at work today. It was amazing! Brian was able to join. We had pizza and salad for lunch. They used Brian's robots as decoration and had a robot cake made at Sprinkles! We got a VERY generous gift card for Babies R Us and lots of other gifts. Some old co-workers and wonderful friends (Sarah, John F, Eric J and Christian) came to the party. WOW! I am one lucky girl!

36 Weeks

The weeks were flying by, but have suddenly slowed down - this week is crawling! At the end of this week Liam will be considered full term! He's in head down position and ready to go. I don't feel him move around as much. I don't think he has the room. I haven't experienced any Braxton Hicks yet either.

I went Monday morning for the non-stress test. I ate a piece of cheese on the way (I had it in my purse - haha!). It worked. Liam was more alert and they got what they needed in the first 1/2 hour. On my way out the doctor walked by and looked at my chart with the nurse. He asked if I had scheduled my induction yet. I was confused. He said he sent that reccommendation to my OB/GYN the Monday before. He was suggesting an inducement be set for week 38 or 39. So yesterday I went to the OB/GYN and asked him about scheduling my induction. He said he didn't have that recomendation from the specialist, but that he agreed and would look into finding the paperwork. He said the hospital needs two doctors to say 38 weeks to induce that early. We go to the specialist again tomorrow and I will mention to him that they did not receive anything and we go to the OB/GYN again on Tuesday so hopefully we will schedule the date then. I know that inducement is controversial and looked down upon by some people, BUT in the case of gestational diabetes (especially when taking insulin) it is safer for the baby to be out in the world than to be inside with the illness! My doctor said it has nothing to do with his size (he never induces for size) but just because of the diabetes itself. I vote for the first day of week 38!!

I have gained 22 pounds. I held steady at a 25 pound weight gain for 6 weeks and then yesterday I learned that I had lost 3 pounds. I am sure this has to do with the diet I am on . . . even though it is 2100 calories there is no room for junk or overeating! I miss food. I miss flexibilty. I hate peanut butter, cheese and graham crackers (which I was excited about until I ate twice a day, every day). When this is over I might never eat them again. Ha. I have a dream that I feel really good the night after delivering and Brian goes to the Outback Steakhouse across the street from the hospital. He brings back Alice Springs Chicken, baked sweet potato and a blue cheese chopped salad. Do you think they would let him take a Wallaby Darned in a to-go cup!?

Belly Shot!

35 Weeks 4 Days

(is it just me or is my belly button off center!?)

Things People Say #2

I can't stop thinking about what happened in the elevator yesterday . . .

I jumped into the elevator with two people that were riding together and headed to the same floor. Once the door shut I turned to face them (remember my belly is BIG!) and the woman turns to the guy and says (I should say shouts cause that's what it seemed like) "Oh! Did you hear that Alisha lost the baby!?" He replies "Yeah, that is so sad." She then says "Yeah, I guess they are going to have a funeral and everything." Really? Did you just look at me and remember that someone you know lost their baby? AND you say it . . . outloud . . . in front of me?! What an idiot.

35 Weeks

Wow! Look at that countdown on the side. Not much longer now! In addition to a weight that is wildly less than what they are predicting for little Liam, the Web site this week says that his kidneys are fully developed and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight (oh, I bet he will!).

I don't really have anything new to report. Just uncomfortable - I guess that isn't new! I go to the specialist now on Monday and Thursday's for a Fetal Non-Stress Test because of the insulin. I went on Monday and they took me into a room, sat me in a recliner and hooked me up to a machine. They look for three movements in a 30 minute time period. After about 10 minutes and no movement they zapped my belly with this alarm thing to try and wake Liam up. Nothing happened. She gave it more time and zapped again. One movement. I was in there for over an hour and they didn't get what they wanted so they moved me into another room for an ultrasound. Of course I was making up all types of terrible things in my head! The ultrasound tech took the heart rate (normal), checked the fluid levels (normal) and looked for fetal breathing movement (normal). Then she too had to see him move. He poked, probed, shooked, had me rolling back and forth. This kid was waking up for no one! She mentioned that he may be "mellow" (I guess we can only hope!). Finally he moved a couple of times and she said she got what she needed. I was like "are you sure!?" She said promised! Of course he spent the rest of the day proving to me that he would just move around on his own terms! They suggested that I eat later next time or have some juice (which I dont think I am allowed to have - I guess they forgot why I am going to them) before my next appointment . . . which is first thing tomorrow morning. Maybe I should change these appointments to the afternoon!

On his way out the door today Gregg said that he thought he would have the master bath completed by next Wednesday. One week. Yay!! They are starting to put tile on the shower walls. It is going to be pretty dramatic in there . . . the tile is dark. I think with light paint on the walls it will look really good. I will post pics soon. It is really hard to take pictures of a bathroom!!

I'm not having fun anymore.

I sure hope that I remember how relatively easy the first trimester was. And how exciting it was in the second to start to get a belly and feel the baby move for the first time. Because all I know is that I'm not having fun anymore! I am so uncomfortable. I seriously don't think Liam fits in there. It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand and lying down is absolutely the worst. Since I can't sleep standing up, that is the most difficult task of all. So here I am at 2:00 a.m. complaining to my blog about what I know "is a blessing" and will be "worth every discomfort." Can I really do this for another 5 1/2 weeks? And will everyday be more uncomfortable than the one before!?

My blood sugar numbers are now where they should be. The insulin is working. I have learned that I prefer the shot in my thigh over my stomach. We stayed in for dinner tonight after talking about going out. To go out to dinner I would have to pack my insulin in a cooler and do it in the car and then hope our food doesn't take too long. Much easier just to have it all here at home. I sure do feel for people, especially children, with diabetes! For me (oh god, fingers crossed) this is a very short term problem but for people that live with it every day - and I know several - you are my heroes!

I think our master bathroom is coming along. I stopped looking! I am having too much fun cleaning and adding accessories to the hall bath (that is now complete) to go look at the one that is demolished. I think this time next week we will just about have two completely (and I do mean completely) new bathrooms. I will hopefully have pictures to post tomorrow. Was waiting to get organized in there.

All right . . . back to the couch. Then back to bed. Then to the couch. Then to bed. Fun times all night long. Brian said I could wake him up for some Scrabble around 4:00. Ha.

Our BIG Kumquat!

Or so they think! So we went to the specialist this morning. They did the very thorough ultrasound and measured every thing. I think they use an average from the size of the head, belly and femur to estimate the weight. They estimated that today Liam is 7 lbs, 5 oz. Oh my! I weighed 6 lbs, 14 oz at full-term birth. He isn't due for another 6 weeks! I think we have the fact that Brian weighed 10 lbs, 8 oz to thank for this! She said it could be because of the diabetes or genetics. I saw on the screen during the ultrasound that his belly is the size of a 39 week 4 day baby. Buddha! They said he has hair! She pointed it out to us. I asked her if it was red and she said "we're good, but not that good!" So the bad part of the appointment . . . they were not happy with my numbers that remain unchanged after the diet and Gyburide that they prescribed to me. So I am now doing insulin shots! It's pretty complicated. I was so happy that Brian was there with me to learn about the insulin injection. There are two different insulins that you have to mix in the syringe and a certain way it has to be done. I will be giving myself a shot before breakfast and dinner. The insulin has to be refrigerated and remain cold at all times so all the sudden leaving the house for dinner out or going somewhere straight from work becomes kinda complicated. I really feel for people that have been dealing with diabetes their entire life. At least I know there is an end in sight! I have to go to the specialist every Monday and Thursday and be hooked up to a fetal monitor to make sure that everything is OK. I like that we are going to know that he is fine! OK . . . off to Publix to pick up my needles and drugs!!

34 Weeks

The web site this week says that Liam should weigh about 4 3/4 lbs (the weight of your average cantaloupe). I will report what the doctor thinks after our specialist appointment on Thursday morning. It also says that he should be about 18 in long. He's running out of room in there! I can't wait to find out on Thursday if he is head down, getting ready to descend! His fat layers are filling him out, making him rounder. Yay . . . chunky lovin' baby fat! His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. It says that babies born after 34 weeks generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.**sigh** No more fears of preterm labor!

It says that fatigue has probably set in for me again. And, it has! I am so tired. Mostly just because I can't get a good nights sleep. Between peeing 6-7 times and trying to get comfortable . . . I am averaging about 4 hours a night. God's way of preparing us for baby!! I have been taking the new diabetes medicine. Some days my numbers are fine, other days they are high. I just can't figure it out! Again, we go to the specialist on Thursday and will learn more then. I haven't had any fainting scares recently and have been carrying cheese in my purse. Haha. Not really. I carry peanut butter crackers!

I was wrong about our birthing classes . . . the last one is THIS week. Wishful thinking. BUT this week is childcare and I am excited about that! Last week we took a tour of the hospital. The teacher was very chatty and entertained EVERY question, it was hot and I was tired. At one point I asked Brian what time it was . . . I just knew that it must be midnight. He said 9:30. About this time we got to the section of the hospital that I feel very comfortable with. It is where we recently visited both Shanna and Kelly after they gave birth. While the teacher continued to talk and the question girl continued to ask questions I looked at Brian and said "I am so ready to go!" He said "Let's go!" So . . . the "C" students that we are, we ditched the class as they turned a corner, jumped into the elevator and managed to find our way out of the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised if our class is STILL up there! Ha. OH! And for this week we had to sign up for a snack for a "social" of sorts. I couldn't come up with anything on the fly so I signed up for Rice Krispy treats. Who does that? Who signs up to MAKE something they LOVE and can't even eat. Idiot. Maybe it is a good time for Brian to learn how to make these delicious treats!!

In bathroom news . . . I TOOK A BATH!!! (Brian took one too!) That's right . . . after living in a "charming" apartment complex for 7 years where I would never sit down in the tub (60 years of other people bathing on my mind!) and then moving into a house almost 3 years ago that had no tub, I got to take a bath at my home last night. It was awesome! We went for a deeper tub and what a difference that makes! It is so nice. Also, Gregg (our amazing renovator) put a dimmer on the lights in there, so it is a really relaxing experience! I am thinking I will be there again tonight!! The hall bathroom is just about done. Minor things today. It looks awesome. The granite counter is beautiful!!! They were supposed to start the demolition on our master bathroom today. That is the smaller of the two and since we are not having a tub put in, it shouldn't take as long. I can't wait to put the house back together. Pictures soon!!

33 Weeks

Thought it was time for a little fruit update. Mostly because I just pictured how painful it would be if you actually had a pineapple inside of you! Ouch. Anyway, Liam is supposed to weigh about the same as a pineapple this week . . . 4 lbs. Of course three weeks ago they told us that he weighs approximately 4 lbs 5 oz. Hopefully he has slowed down a little! Not much else is changing - he is just growing!

I sent in my second week of sugar levels to the specialist yesterday. My numbers were still too high, especially the fasting ones in the morning. So they have put me on a medication. Not insulin yet, but something called Glybeuride that I take before dinner and before breakfast. My numbers were considerably lower last night and first thing this morning. I also had a serious drop in sugar level right before lunch today. Actually AT lunch. I went to lunch with 8 co-workers for a birthday. My friend Jen called from across the table "are you ok? you look really flushed!" Right then it hit me. I didn't feel ok. I started sweating all over, got really light headed and my hands were shaking. I was curious as to what was happening so I checked my blood under the table. It was very low. After I ate I felt OK. I called the doctor when I got back to the office. She said that it was time for me to eat and that I probably need to keep a snack in my purse at all time. She suggested cheese. Cheese in my purse!? Weird. Ha. She said that my number of 82 wasnt as scary as it seemed. That under 60 is when we would worry. She said that I am just not used to that since my numbers have been so high.

No doctors appointments this week, so we will just manage the diabetes with diet and this new medication and look forward to seeing the specialist and having another sonogram next Thursday! I also have my regular OB/GYN appointment next Tuesday. Oh, and our last birthing class is tomorrow. Those were pretty good, but I am not sorry to see them end.

OH . . . in bathroom renovation news . . . the bath tub is in, the tile is down, grouting is taking place today, painting the walls will happen tomorrow and granite is being delivered and installed next Monday. So begining next Monday or Tuesday will be the master bath. That will probably take another 2 weeks and then we are done!!

Baby Shower!

Kelly, Jen, Fada and my Mom hosted a baby shower for us at Kelly's on Saturday! It was so perfect . . . ladies chatted, we ate delicious food, I opened presents, we took a cake break and I opened more presents. All the sudden it was three hours later! The perfect shower. We received so many generous gifts. I feel so blessed to have such great friends. Not only was Mom feeling well enough to attend the shower, but she stayed the entire time and even came back to the house and helped me organize things. She is super-woman!! Thank you girls, I love you all!

Liam's Super Groovy Robot Room

We finished the nursery this weekend! We tried to stay clear of a "theme," but looks like it might be "robots." Everything centers around three pictures that Brian created - 3 Friendly Robots! Brian sketched the pictures, scanned them into the computer and then finished them up in Illustrator. I served as the art director and had final approval (I really did make a change to the backgrounds that made a difference!). The robots were created after I picked the Skip Hop Mod Dot bedding - we matched the two. I love the modern glider and simple crib. The mobile is from Etsy and mom got that for us. I found the robot lamp at Urban Outfitters and the curtains are from IKEA. We bought a small, flat screen tv for the room in anticipation of 2:00 a.m. feedings. We also kept the queen-sized bed in the room. Our house is a two-bedroom and one of us doesn't always sleep very well (hey, is it 2:11 am right now!?) so we thought it would be very important at the beginning to still have another place to sleep. The only thing we gave up by keeping the bed is a changing table. We are going to create a changing station either on the bathroom counter top (something about changing shitty diapers IN the bathroom is very appealing to me) or on the dresser in our room (obviously this would just be at the beginning) . . .

32 Weeks . . . OMG!

The end goes SO fast! Good thing cause I am ready! I read that by now, the baby weighs 3.75 pounds (or the size of a jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. Well, two weeks ago is when the specialist guessed that Frank the Tank, I mean Liam, weighed 4 lbs 5 oz. Wonder what he really weighs this week!? It also said that I'm gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. BUT when I went to the doctor yesterday I learned that I hadn't gained a pound since our last appointment. He didn't seem alarmed by this and it's OK by me! I am sure it has something to do with the diabetes diet and not eating out much (and of course NO sweets!) Liam now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Yesterday was our normal doctors appointment. The doctor doesn't seem to think that I am going to make it full term. Maybe just a week or two early. Which is only 6 weeks from now. Oh my! Also, yesterday I faxed my sugar levels to the specialist. I have been on the diet for one week. I did the best I can and didn't cheat once. If I did make a mistake it was because I don't know what I am doing. The nurse called and said I did a good job controlling my numbers with the diet but she was concerned about the fasting numbers (when I take my blood first thing in the morning after sleeping and before any food). She said they were still to high. She was going to talk to the doctor and call me back if they decide to put me on insulin. If I didn't hear back from them, which I did not, then continue the diet for another week and then they will reevaluate. I have an appointment there with another ultrasound (yay!) on July 9.

Enough about me . . . Mom had her surgery last week and everything went really well. She was in the hospital from Thurs - Saturday night. She is in some pain but able to get relief from just one painkiller. She is doing better than last time and might even make it to my shower on Saturday. Yay!! What a relief that she is doing so well.

Our bathroom renovations started last Thursday. We are doing one bathroom at a time (well, we are doing nothing, but they are doing one bathroom at a time). They started in the hall and gutted the entire bathroom. There was a lot of moisture and some mold behind the tiles and then the wall paper wouldn't come off, so we have all new walls. The bathtub should be in today. I will share pictures soon. We still need to get granite countertops picked out, as well as, lighting, mirrors and toilets. Lot to do!!

31 Weeks

WARNING: I am going to complain in this email!

Come on 40! I am so ready to have this baby. These past two weeks have been too much. This diabetes thing might not be that big of a deal (like everyone likes to tell me), but they didn't sit through 4 hours of learning carbs vs. proteins and sugar levels yesterday! Understanding it all, grocery shopping, planning and preparing meals, packing 2 snacks and a lunch for work, checking my blood and recording it four times a day . . . it really feels like a lot to me right now on top of normal pregnancy things (childbirth classes, paperwork for maternity leave, NO SLEEP, multiple doctors appointments, finding clothes that fit . . . ) AND my mom is having surgery tomorrow AND our bathroom renovations are supposed to start tomorrow or Friday. AHHHHH. Calgon take me away . . . oh wait, we don't have a bathtub YET. Ha. OK, that felt good. I vented.

So Liam was 31 weeks yesterday. Again, the fruit is not important because he is supposedly bigger than the norm (but if I did put it on here it would be 4 navel oranges to represent the weight). He moves around SO much. It's fun to sit at my desk and poke at elbows, knees, hands or feet all day. Things really poke out now. I can watch something move from one side of my belly to the other and then back again. Very cool!

We had our first childbirth class last Thursday night. They are every Thursday from 6:30 - 9:00 for four weeks. We had a good time. Brian had to introduce us and tell the group our due date, the sex and name of the baby, favorite and least favorite things about the pregnancy and if we planned on using drugs or not. He did a very good job! Thankfully he didn't refer to me as his "lovely wife" like the guy before him. The same guy that scolded us all for wondering if we would be out in time for the start of the Magic's NBA finals game. He said "priorities people!" Yuck! I hope he sits somewhere else tomorrow night! We learned a lot about relaxation, breathing, contractions and labor. Brian took notes so he will be very prepared. I enjoyed lying on the floor at the end of the night, in the dark and participating in the relaxation . . . that is until I rolled over and realized that I had a direct crotch shot of the girl that decided it would be a good idea to wear a dress.

Mom is having her surgery tomorrow. I am very nervous and wish I could do more to help. She should be in the hospital for 2-3 days. We might be celebrating Father's Day at another time. Maybe I can at least take some food over.

Belly!

(Left to right: Week 17, 21, 25, 30)

Week 30 . . . where to start!?

You will notice that I did not post the picture of the "head of cabbage," representing how much Liam should weigh this week. This is because at yesterday's appointments we learned that he is "big!" and it doesn't make much sense for me to say that he should be about 3 lbs (like a head of cabbage), when the ultrasound showed that he probably weighs closer to 4 lbs 5 oz.

We (have I ever mentioned that Brian has not missed ONE appointment!?) went to the specialist yesterday morning for the gestational diabetes. First we had an ultrasound with a nurse and she looked at EVERYTHING. Liam is indeed still a boy, with two legs, two arms, hands, feet, a perfect spine, a normal lip, what looks to be a cute nose and some pouty lips. The ultrasound was 2D and not much more impressive than what we saw at 20 weeks. After the nurse checked him from head to toes the doctor came in and went over everything with us. He said he wasn't very concerned. That I do indeed have gestational diabetes but my numbers aren't very alarming. He said with the new scale lots of people have diabetes these days that wouldn't have five years ago. They are sending me to a three hour diabetes class where I will learn my new diet (don't you think that is a bad word when you are pregnant!?) and how do check my blood. I will have to check my blood first thing in the morning and after every meal and then send it in to a nurse at the drs office. If it looks good for about 3 weeks then the dr thinks I can just check once a day. My class is next Tuesday from 12 - 4.

Later in the afternoon, we had our normal appointment (which is now every two weeks) at my OB, but we met the doctor for the first time. I think I mentioned before that we have always seen the nurse midwife. We really like her but since she won't be delivering the baby we thought it was probably time to meet Dr. K (he is pretty good looking in person! but very serious - which I guess is a good thing). He measured my belly and also mentioned that Liam was "big" . . . I asked him when they would decide that a c-section would make more sense for me and he said they usually start to talk about that around 9 lbs 14 oz. HELLO!! Yikes! I talked to him about my cold symptoms and the sore throat I have had for 2 weeks and he suggested some OTC drugs. You can take a lot more things in your third trimester.

Not on the topic of baby . . . my Nana died on Sunday. She had really been failing. Couldn't walk, couldn't breath, couldn't see. See was 93 years old and her body just gave up! If you can say this or make sense of it . . . it was time. No one should have to suffer like she was. Brian and I were at Mom and Dad's on Sunday celebrating Mom's birthday and giving her retirement gifts when we got the call from California. It was nice that we were all there with Dad and able to talk about what a blessing it was that she was no longer in any pain. We had a wonderful dinner together and played with Mom's new retirement toy. Dad bought her Wii and Wii FIT and a ton of other things to go along with it. Dad beat us all in bowling and my arms are still sore from boxing (which Mom beat me at!). It was a nice family day!

Mom was supposed to have her surgery tomorrow, but because of the service in California she postponed it until next week. She probably won't be able to attend my baby shower, but being strong and healthy when Liam arrives is much more important!

Diabetes, death in the family, surgeries, bathroom renovations, childbirth classes, normal social activities, work . . . I'm a little stressed right now! EXHALE.

(I took a belly picture last night - will post later. I dont think there is a huge difference since last time)

Oh no . . . I have gestational diabetes!

The nurse called this morning with the results from my 3 hour glucose test on Friday . . . I actually have gestational diabetes. I am very surprised! Only about 3% of pregnant women get it and I for sure didn't think it would be me!

I am being referred to a peranatologist (is that it? specialist for high risk pregnancies). They are supposed to call me today to set up an appointment. I will be put on a special diet and will have to check my blood several times a day. If the diet itself doesn't work, then I will have to use insulin. I will do whatever they tell me to ensure Liam is as healthy as possible!

Stay tuned . . .

29 Weeks

This week Liam should weigh about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger (not too big now - love you mommy!) to make room for his developing brain. Not much else is going on. He is just growing and growing.

I am sick! I have a bad cold. I went all winter without getting sick (while everyone around me did) and now that I am getting uncomfortable and into the heat of the summer . . . I get a cold! I called the Dr yesterday and learned that I can take Tylenol Cold, Afrin, Chloraseptic throat spray and cough drops. Of course there is Benadryl too. I have been taking that the past few nights to dry me up and sleep a little better. Last night I learned an ugly fact . . . Benadryl makes restless leg syndrome (RLS) worse (it's all over the Internet - Tylenol PM too! This actually explains why these drugs don't work for me). And RLS is worse during pregnancy anyway. So I had so crazy jimmy legs from about 12 - 3 am! I am really tired and wish I could go home and curl up in bed. MUST. SAVE. SICK. TIME.

Random thoughts . . .

In the past I would hear people complain about how much a baby costs and I thought to myself . . . "how much can diapers really be!?" Well, Brian just called and told me the cost of having our security system updated (over $800), add this to bathroom renovations (need to add a tub for baby), add another person to our health insurance, purchase life insurance, enroll in Florida pre-paid college, future daycare bills, etc. etc. etc . . . OH! Having a baby IS expensive. Buying diapers IS not!

I left a funny story out of the post below. I had to get "permission" before mentioning. It took Brian about three hours to put the crib together on Saturday. He was very careful to do it correctly so that Liam would sleep safely for a long time! Somewhere at the beginning of this three hour project I made a suggestion . . . well, here is how the conversation went . . .

Amy: Do you think that you should put the crib together in the room?
Brian: Why?
Amy: In case it doesn't fit through the hallway or the door.
Brian: No! It'll fit.
Amy: OK

Fast forward three hours later.

Brian: ARE YOU *@#$ KIDDING ME?!
Amy: What!?
Brian: (staring at crib in hallway)
Amy: It doesn't fit?
Brian: (still staring at crib and turning it upside down)
Amy: I knew it wasn't going to fit (WRONG thing to say)
Brian: (staring at hinges of door)
Amy: Just take it a part and start over
Brian (staring at windows of bedroom for outside "delivery")
Amy: What are you thinking?
Brian: Would you please just stop talking

The rest is kind of a blur but I know that it took about 45 mins to take the crib apart and put it back together again IN THE ROOM! We are laughing about it today. We are still married. And we do still love each other!! ;)

28 Weeks!!

Well . . . hello 3rd trimester! How'd you get here so quickly!? This week, Liam should weigh two and a quarter pounds (You know, like a Chinese cabbage. Um, ok.) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now have lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb (once Brian reads this I am sure I will have a flashlight on my belly tonight!). He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. Get chubby little one!!

Brian and I spent the entire 3-day weekend getting Liam's room set up. It looks great! I love the crib. The room is really inviting. I think I could live in there . . . and I am sure I will! We left the queen-size bed in there and it fits perfectly in its new spot. This is so we don't have to head to the couch during restless nights and we still have a place for guests/helpers that come to visit the new baby. I'd rather have it and get rid of it later than wish I had it. I think it will be a nice place to hang out and roll around with our little guy! I will post pictures soon, but not until Brian's paintings are framed and on the wall and the lamp arrives!

I have a prenatal massage (finally!) this afternoon, followed by our 28 week appointment. Last week I learned that I failed the glucose screening. You can't have over 139 and my number was 141. I now have to do a 3 hour test. UGH! I am going to try and make the appointment for this Friday. I am sure I will pass it since my number is so close. The nurse said it might just be what I ate the night before (geez - a sandwich!). More to come on that . . .

27 Weeks

OMG! How is it possibly Tuesday AGAIN. Another week down. Next week begins the 3rd trimester. WOW! Soon we are gonna have a baby. Are we ready for this!? No turning back now.

This week, Liam weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, his brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now (not yet, baby boy!). He seems to be positioned on my right side, way up high, tucked into my ribs. I don't know if it is feet, hands, a head, a butt, or all of the above, but at the same times everyday he tries to snuggle in closer and if I am sitting at my desk I have to stand up and try to get him to shift down a little. Brian has finally been able to feel him move a lot and we spend a lot of time at night staring at my belly while it jumps around. Brian narrates with the "whoa's" and "wow's" and the "did you feel thats?" I sure do feel it. I love it.

I am feeling good this week. I haven't been swelling like I was and my hands and wrists are not bothering me at night. Maybe I had too much sugar, salt or not enough water that week. Who knows. I do feel like my stomach might pop open. It pulls SO tight. Especially after I eat. It's like sucking your stomach in for a picture, but not being able to let it out.

Brian and I went to Amelia Island this past weekend. We left work early on Friday, drove up and stayed until Sunday. Mom and Dad kept Miso at their house and that worked out great. It was a nice relaxing beach get-away. It was different than our usual get-away, which might include a cocktail or ten! We didn't explore the local bar scene. But we did sit at the beach all day and we had two delicious meals. Nice and relaxing - just what we needed.

Now it is . . . back to work! We have bathroom renovations to start (meeting with the contractor again tonight at Lowe's), a baby's room to decorate (putting the crib together and organizing this weekend) and baby stuff to register for (that's on the agenda for Thurday night). It's all fun, exciting things so I am not going to let it stress me out!

26 Weeks!

This one's for our friends across the Pond! Liam is 26 weeks old today and approximately the length of an English Hothouse cucumber (14 inches). These fruits and veggies still make me laugh! He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and I weigh about 300 pounds (oh, it sure feels like it!). The network of nerves in his ears are better developed and more sensitive than before. He may be able to hear our voices as we chat with each other. So he may or may not know that I think Donald Trump was unfair at times during the Celebrity Apprentice and winner Annie Duke is way too self consumed! He also may have learned some booty rap song that Brian was singing to him last night until I made him stop! He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. Here's the big news of the week . . . his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days. Oh lord, testicles and scrotums!? This is all new to me!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

That's Mom and me yesterday at Harper's 1st birthday party (doesn't Mom look so tiny next to me!!). I have the BEST mom! We are best friends. We talk EVERYDAY . . . SEVERAL times a day. I often wonder who I would call with the silly little things that happen to me if I didn't have my mom to talk with. Luckily I do!! Thanks Mom for all you have done to make me who I am today. I love you SO much! I can't wait to share motherhood with you very soon . . . you can teach me the ropes!

We are headed to the beach today - Mom's choice! We will spend a couple hours this afternoon on the beach and then eat some deliciously fried seafood and listen to live music at Down the Hatch. What a perfect day! Brian had breakfast ready for me this morning. There were flowers and a card from him and one from Liam! So cute.

Yesterday was a strange day for me . . . full of sadness and celebration. Early in the day Jen, Trisha, Kristen (all the way from the Caymen Islands - so nice to see them!) and I attended the beautiful memorial service for our friend, Tall Chad. We call him Tall Chad so that we don't get him confused with our shorter Chad. Tall Chad was a unique guy. He loved nature and the outdoors. He is what you might refer to as a "dude!" What a cool dude he was!! He was only 31 years old when he was killed on his motorcycle last week. His memorial at the beautiful Leu Gardens was attended by hundreds of friends and family. The guys wore shorts and flip flops and the girls wore sundresses and capris. True Chad style. His parents and brother Mark greeted each guest at the door with long hugs and kind words. I am heartbroken for his family. His brother Mark is a dear friend that I hope I will see often, especially after his lose! The world was a better place with Tall Chad and I know that he is now enjoying the ocean and sun everyday! Here's a picture of Tall Chad (left), his Dad, Mark and Mom. Please keep the Schneider family in your thoughts!

I mentioned celebration . . . and I already mentioned Harper's birthday party . . . well, later in the day Mom, Dad, Brian and I attended Harper's 1st birthday party. Harper is Erin's daughter. Erin and I were very close friends in middle and high school. We have remained close and have recently begun to see each other more often. Back in the day our parents used to hang out a lot together, but they had lost touch. The party was a great opportunity for everyone to reconnect! It was the perfect party . . . calm (unlike a lot of little ones parties - i liked this!), good food, fun conversation! Thanks to Erin and Russ for including us and HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARPER!!

I guess I had a lot to say today! And I'll leave you with . . . HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mother's in my life!! You make the world go round!

Holy Moly

Week 17












Week 21












Week 25












I thought I was big week 17!
What was I thinking!?

25 Weeks

I think I will make this one a guessing game! It's week 25 and Liam weighs about the same (1.5 pounds) as the vegetable above. Or is it a fruit!? Who knows what it is!? Head to heels, he now measures about 13 1/2 inches and is beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat (yay! Chunky baby love - my favorite!). As he does this, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture. OMG, is it red!? I can hardly wait to know.

We didn't get a chance to put the crib together this weekend. We were too busy with a Kentucky Derby party! One project a weekend is about all I can handle. We DID put the glider together and I really like it. Here are a couple of pictures from the party . . .

That's Sofia, Fada and Derek's eight month old. She is scrumptious! She is such a well behaved baby. We all just pass her around.

Wouldn't it be fun if women still wore hats!?

So this weekend is Mother's Day! Someday soon I will receive a little hand print with "I love you Mommy." Or something equally adorable for Mother's Day! I can't wait. This year we are going to the beach! Mom's choice. I am looking forward to it. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mommy's that read my blog!!