37 Weeks: Happy Full-Term Point!

Your Growing Baby (from Fit Pregnancy)

Your baby is now 20-21 inches or so and weighs about 6-7 pounds; he looks very much like a newborn. In the vast majority of pregnancies, the fetus begins to move into delivery position.

Your baby is practicing her breathing, but she has increasingly less space to practice stretching and kicking. Your baby' intestines are also building up meconium, a greenish-black substance made of baby by-products such as dead cells, shed lanugo, and amniotic fluid. It'll become your little darling's first bowel movement, hopefully after she is out of the womb.

Your Growing Belly

This week, you may expel the cervical mucus plug, aka "bloody show," at any time. If you're worried about stretch marks, be patient. They'll begin to fade a few months after you deliver. Stretch marks are caused by broken collagen fibers under your skin's surface. The strength of your collagen is genetic, so if your mom got stretch marks, you probably will, too.

The hormone relaxin is causing all of the smooth muscle in your body to unclench. You'll feel like you have loose "rag-doll" joints. You're probably having Braxton-Hicks contractions, which you may or may not notice. How can you tell these contractions from the real thing? If you have to ask, they probably aren't. Real contractions grow progressively stronger, more intense, and more regular.

What About You? 

I'm still trucking along. I had my 37 week appointment today.  My exam revealed no progress.  Still at 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced.  The baby is at position -2 so I won't be sharing a birthday month with her, that's for sure.  But that's fine because I'm still only 37 weeks.  The longer the baby stays in there, the bigger and cuter she becomes! I'm still measuring right on target so she's probably 6-7 pounds just like the info says.  

But honestly I just keep growing.  They say right on target but it feels like one giant belly. It's really sticking out there, huh? I broke out the old American flag tank.  I think I'm close to busting through it! 

Fits a bit different now huh? (23 Weeks? Nearly half my pregnancy ago! Crazy!)

I definitely wasn't sticking out as much last time, was I? I was a lot more excited to hop up to the 37 week mark.  

It doesn't seem that long ago but it was almost 3 years ago.  Cannot believe it.    

 I tried to do something similar to show my excitement for reaching the 37 week point but it just doesn't come across the same.  :-)  Happy Full-Term Week! Very excited! But more excited to meet this baby!

On the Road to Becoming a Big Brother

The hospital where I am going to give birth offers classes of all kinds.  Tonight we decided it might be fun for Tommy to attend the class for brand new siblings called "Especially for Children."  It was free and we would get a tour of the hospital so we went for it.  Andrew ended up getting stuck in Fort Wayne for work so I had to take him by myself. Not a problem but taking Tommy anywhere by myself at this stage is pretty darn exhausting.

The nurse giving the class said she would fit the class to the age group that was there.  There was a 10 year old, 4 four-year olds and 2 two-year olds.  So the class was a little above Tommy's head but he did great.

The first part of the class was a movie. Sweet! It featured a pirate and a parrot named Carrot. The movie talked about what was going to happen when the baby arrived.  Or ARRRRRRRived, I guess. Ha!

 Then we practiced changing, swaddling and holding a baby.  He's a natural! Except he was poking the baby in her eyes and mouth.  Might want to work on that.

 We went on a tour of the delivery unit.  All the kiddos took turns pressing buttons on the beds to raise it up and down.  Now that's a treat!

 They also enjoyed looking out the window to the parking lot.

Since Tommy Hawk was such a good boy, we had Chick-Fil-A for dinner.  You're looking at a guy who was well-behaved AND stayed dry all through the class! I was wayyyy too afraid to let him attend wearing big boy undies so he wore a pull-up but he would have been fine. What a big boy!

I think someone is ready to take on that big brother role! Way to go, Thomasaurus!

Flint Creek Music Festival 2013

We missed the festival last year because we were in Michigan so this year was our first year to attend the Flint Creek Music Festival.

 In the past this has mostly been about karaoke but this year my dad and Andrew brought all their equipment.  We're talking 4 (maybe more?) guitars, a drum set, amps, music stands, etc.  So this was quite a musical event.

 It was also kid-friendly.  There were kids everywhere.  Musically talented kids apparently!

Here's Lower singing who-knows-what song with Harper.

 Here's Andrew playing drums and being really excited about it.

 At one point or another, everyone was on stage doing something.  I don't know what song this is either.  I must have been wasted on my St. Pauli girl non-alcoholic beverage. :-)

I think the reason most people showed up that night was to hear the debut song from the new band Six Inches of Death- Thunder and Lightning.  Here's a clip from their performance.  

If you watch the whole video, you will hear me laugh at certain parts.  I have heard this song in its uncensored glory and every time I laugh is when he has censored himself in front the kiddos.  It was MUCH dirtier than what he usually sings.  I was impressed at the censorship.  Very creative.  Also very drunk possibly.  :-) 

We had a fabulous time.  Can't wait to be back for next year, man! 

The Big 3-2: It's My Birthday

My birthday celebrations started a day early when Traci asked to take me out to eat. 

 Tommy came with me.  He decided he wanted to wear his big boy underpants which made me panic a little but we went for it.  Extra birthday surprise: Tommy stayed dry during the whole visit to McAllisters! AWESOME!

 Traci, Tommy and I got a quick group photo.  Heehee, so cute!

 The birthday surprises kept coming.  Andrew sent me flowers at work.  Awww!

Check the card though.  Who is Baby G? The lady at the flower shop misheard Andrew when he said Baby T and she said "Oh that's so nice that you'll have a boy and a girl."  Andrew thought to himself, "Wow, how did she know???" She thought he meant Baby Girl apparently.

 I got a super fun surprise package in the mail from a super fun friend! Are you kidding me? Stickers?? Sweet! Thanks, woman! You know who you are. ;-)

 On my actual birthday, Andrew took me shopping and we ate at Cheesecake Factory.  We decided on the featured cheesecake because the waiter was mega excited about the fact that you get to use a blowtorch on the marshmallow part of the Smores Cheesecake.  It was pretty incredible.

 After we were done shopping, my parents met us with Tommy at the State Fair.  We got our picture taken at the Glass Barn.  (Like Ashley said on Facebook, I really know how to party for my birthday.)

 Oh watch out, folks! We got TWO pictures!! :)

 We checked out the piglets and the world's largest pig.  Andrew was also horrified to see a pig eating a hot dog that someone threw in his pin.  Pig Cannibalism!!

 Tommy had a BLAST at the State Fair.  Seriously.  Animals, tractors, stuff to climb on, loud noises, train rides, the fun never stopped!

 We went to Kiddie Land.  Tommy wanted this dang red ball.  To win said ball, you had to pay $5 worth of tickets to pick 3 ducks out of water.  Then the lady said, "Oh, yep you win."  Then you get to take home said ball.  Worth it.  :-)


This video is showing you $10 worth of rides at the State Fair.  Dang, son! It cost $2.50 a person and Tommy wasn't allowed to go by himself (for good reason).  So $10 later, Tommy was quite a happy camper.

It was also worth it. Tommy had SUCH a good time.  We kept him up WAAAAYYYYY too late but he had a BALL.  He also got to take a home a giant red ball.  He loves it.  Birthdays sure do change when you get older.  I was way more content to see Tommy have a blast than do anything else.  We had a really good time all day.  It was nice to spend time just Andrew and I at the mall and at lunch.  It was also nice to have someone else pack up and bring Tommy to the State Fair! Thanks, Mom and Dad!! :-)  It's the little things.

 The next day, after staying up wayyyyyy too late, Tommy was in rare form.  LeVar Burton on Star Trek form apparently.

Later that day, it was crash time.  He was cashed out on energy and good moods.  Phew! There's a reason why you don't keep toddlers up that late.  Sheesh.  But still, we had a fantastic time and I had a wonderful birthday.  Thank you to everyone who truly made me feel special. 

32 will be the best year yet!  

35 and 36 Weeks: Two Posts in One

35 Weeks (from FitPregnancy) Your Growing Baby

At more than five pounds and between sixteen and twenty inches, your baby is becoming more ready for birth with every passing hour. She's the size of a small roasting chicken.

Her nervous system and immune system are still maturing, and she's adding the fat that she'll need to regulate her body temperature. But, everything else, from her toenails to the hair on her head, is fully formed. If she were born now, she'd have more than a ninety-nine percent chance of surviving.

Your Growing Belly 
Your size is probably making you really uncomfortable. You're carrying so much extra weight and fluid that simple things can be tiring. If your job requires sitting all day, take frequent breaks to walk around and stretch your legs (if you have the privacy to lie down for a few minutes or do stretches on your hands and knees, even better).
You'll see your care provider once every one or two weeks now. If you have other children, this can be a poignant time, because it is the last few weeks of being a family in the way that you're used to. Don't forget to arrange care for any children or pets for the two to three days you'll be in the hospital. Ask a neighbor to collect your newspapers and mail.
Your...Self? 
Did they seriously just say a roasting chicken?? I love the information they write up for this stuff.  So how am I feeling? Fine.  Good enough.  I shouldn't complain.  It's not that bad.  Heartburn, discomfort, constant bathroom trips, all the bad stuff just isn't that bad.  I'm ready to be done with this pregnancy but the discomforts are just annoying, not painful.  Now there are times when the baby's movements become somewhat painful.  I don't know what she's hitting in there but it makes me JUMP.  Like WHOA, what the heck was that?? Sometimes... this is going to sound odd... but sometimes it tickles.  Is that normal?? I jump when that happens too.  Also the constant waterbed like motions and foot pedaling that she's doing on my organs in there kinda makes me nauseous occasionally. Sort of like riding a roller coaster.  It's weird.  But again, I'm not vomiting.  I'm not in severe pain.  I'm not distraught.  So for that, I thank you, little lady. :)

I have caved in the pink department.  I finally bought something pink.  Check out these snap-on booties. I love these things.  We had a black pair for Tommy.  They don't fall off! They're wonderful! Yes I bought pink.  I'm embracing the pink.  Lord help me!

So my 35 week doctor's appointment, she started doing exams.  I also had my Group B test.  Disgusting! I am half a centimeter dilated and 50% effaced.  She told me I would NOT be sharing a birthday with Applesauce.  So that's good.  It will be interesting to see how much I've progressed in a week. 

36 Weeks (from FitPregnancy)

Your Growing Baby
With one month to go, your baby weighs about six pounds and is fattening. Her full length from crown to feet is about 20 1/2 inches.Your Growing BellyHas your baby's movement slowed down? If so, you shouldn't worry. Five to ten percent of all mothers report that babies start to slow down as they grow larger and get more cramped for space. Still, you should be able to feel your baby move more than ten times a day. If you're concerned, try drinking a sweet beverage, such as orange juice, and then lying on your side for a while. Most babies will wake up and start to move. If you're still concerned, contact your healthcare provider.
Your SELF
At my 36 week appointment today, she told me I'm still only 50% effaced but I'm 1 cm dilated.  A teeny bit of progress so I guess that's better than nothing.  Heartburn still sucks.  I have random groin pains, like I pulled something but it comes on when I'm just standing there.  Weird.  The baby must be getting crowded in there because her movements can be very painful.  She still has hiccups twice a day usually.  The fatigue has really set in.  I'm exhausted. Other than that, I'm still trucking along.  

I'm sick of these belly shots but I'll be mad at myself later if I don't document it.  Here's 36 weeks.  

HUGE!

Here's 36 weeks back in 2010.

Also huge!

Annnnnddd here's how I really feel... like eating oreos in my pajama pants.  Yay pregnancy! 

First Day of School

Tommy's first day of school was today! He started in the "twos" class.  I don't know why they call it the Twos Class because all the kids will be turning 3 in a few months but that's how they do things.  It's the age they start I guess.  

We went to the Meet and Greet for the new school year last Thursday.  I took this picture which cracks me up.  Yes, Tommy had to wear his shades to the meeting.  What a stud.  His classmate Logan ended up sitting right by us.  You can see him peeking on the right side. 

So I didn't get any pictures of Tommy standing by the door wearing his backpack.  Darn it.  I wish I would have because he was coloring with a pink highlighter before we left for school and he got it all over his face.  Heck of a look to start the new year! 

 I got some action shots instead.  Here is Tommy lugging in all his first day of school stuff.  He made it from the car to the sidewalk before he decided he wanted me to carry everything.  The whole "I do it myself" thing only lasts until it's no fun anymore.

He loves his new room already.  Who wouldn't with all these new toys?? Check out that sweet grill in the background! NICE! The cool thing about this room is that there is a potty connected to the room with a tiny toilet.  Sweet! The goal over the next year is to get all the kids totally potty trained.  They have many other lofty goals but that's the crucial one.

Tommy's day went really well except for one little thing. While a couple of the kids were in the bathroom, one of the kids, we'll call him "Lucifer", decided he needed to bite Tommy.  :(  Boo.  You can still kind of see the bite marks. (Don't you laugh, Goofy! Doesn't it look like Goofy is poking fun? Jeez, Goof.) Luckily no blood was drawn.  The accident report doesn't tell us who bit him but of course Tommy has no problem revealing it.  We asked and he told.  He said, "Lucifer needs to bite his own arm."  Haha! Yes he does Tommy.

 So since I didn't get the serious first day of school pic, we'll have to go with this one instead. He's pants-less and cloned in front of Abu from Aladdin! WHAT A PIC!
So yeah, I got a new app! It's called the Clone Camera.  It's so cool. I saw it on Apps Gone Free.  It works so well.  It's so easy too.  I can't wait to really mess around with it.  Watch out for cloned preggos! Shizz is about to get real! HA!

I'm really excited for Tommy's new class.  After the first day (despite the one incident), he seems to be really excited about his new teacher and room.  I'm excited for all the new things he's going to learn.  Very exciting times for Tommy T!

Saturday with Uncle Lower

On Saturday, the Neals and the Lower ;) came over and we "partied".  

 Super Fun Uncle Lower brought TOYS! The kids loved it!

 He brought these light up rockets that shot up in the air and then floated down like helicopters.  So very cool!

 By the end of the night, Wyatt got pretty good at doing it all by himself.

We then set off the most pathetic fireworks you've ever seen.  

 I got a few cute pictures of Serious Sally and Serious Sam sharing a chair.

 Now they're all smiles!

Couldn't get one totally in focus though.  Bummer.  But still, their cuteness overrides that fact.

Thanks for "partying" with us, everybody! We had a great time but I think the kids were the ones that enjoyed it the most.

34 Weeks: Ugh

Well here it is.  34 weeks.  Ugh.  That is one giant belly.  I literally have to carry it around like this all the time because it's so heavy.  Ok that's not true.  But it just looks so huge.  Maybe it's the stinking horizontal stripes on all maternity clothes right now.  WHY??? Why horizontal? Who is making these clothes?? Oh wait. Heidi Klum.  Jessica Simpson. Elle MacPherson. Beyonce. Nicole Ritchie. (People who don't have to worry about horizontal stripes because they are either super models or have stylists and make up artists to make them look amazing.)  Just about EVERYTHING at Target is striped. Sadly, even everything I have purchased has stripes.

Apparently everything I purchased in 2010 was also striped.  Sheesh.  This is 34 weeks last time.

So what's happening in there... 

Baby:

Your baby measures about 19.8 inches (50.3cm) from head to toe and weighs about 5 pounds (2.3kg). Baby is probably settling into the head-down position, although it might not be final. Organs are now almost fully mature, except for lungs, and the skin is pink instead of red. Fingernails reach the ends of fingers, but toenails are not yet fully grown. Baby might have lots of hair. Movements are less frequent because of the tight fit.

Mom-to-be:

Your uterus hardens and contracts as practice for labor, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, but you may not feel them yet. Your pelvis has expanded and may ache, especially at the back. Uterus is pushed hard against your lower ribs and your rib cage may be sore, and your navel is probably pushing out as a result of your abdomen being stretched.

What's happening with me? 

Well I'm getting heartburn from even water now.  That's fun.  Leg cramps are still happening every once in a great while. Nightmares are often and terrible.  I'm waking up 2 times a night.  Once to go to the bathroom.  Then the second time I'm just wide awake for no reason and I can't get back to sleep. That's also fun.  I assume that's actually why I'm fatigued and not just from the third trimester in general.

It is unbelievable that I have only 6 weeks left.  That is my first thought.  My second thought is I still have 6 weeks to go??? I'm getting to that point where I'm ready to be done.

One part that is different from my first pregnancy is that the movements of Baby T2 can be painful.  I don't remember Tommy moving around and streeeeetttccchhhhiiinnggg out and jabbing me with elbows and feet to where it hurts.  That's new.  But luckily the pain is temporary and she usually moves again to release the pressure.  Phew! Relief!

So the countdown has begun. I don't think in weeks accomplished now, only in the weeks I have left.  Viability is three weeks away.  It's definitely going fast.  That's one positive! Weekly doctor appointments start next week.  Here we go!

Adventures in Potty Training

So we've been potty training for awhile now.  We're not rushing things because we're just not in that big of a hurry.  Plus Tommy isn't really too stoked about going on the potty just yet.  But he's getting there.  I saw someone on Facebook was using the trick where you have Naked Days and it kind of helps things click for a child.
(Now I debated putting this on the blog but then I thought- Hey, this is my blog.  I'm going for it.)

So I tried a little mini naked day while Andrew was mowing the lawn. You can tell how well that turned out.

Sorry Applesauce.  Tommy has christened your room for you.  Not my greatest parenting moment but I have to say, I think the idea became a little more concrete for him.  He actually told me he needed to poop in the potty (after he did this so it didn't really help me out any).  But I think it might have a helped, if only a little.  We might have to try this again... only this time, let's stay on moppable (I wish that were a word) floors.  

Sidenote: A great description of potty training a boy (all in pictures) came from one of my favorite bloggers.  You must check out this post. Very worth it.  It's spot on. 

 So Tommy has been involving Scout in lots of pretend play lately.

 I'm not really sure what kind of pretending is going on here but he's having a great time.

But I thought it might be fun to get Scout in on the potty training action.  Here's Tommy holding Scout who's modeling his Sully pull-up.

"Say cheese, Scout!" He's enjoying the fact that he can "teach" someone else to use the potty.

 He also really gets into it.  Scout had to wear a nighttime diaper instead of his pull-up when he went to bed.

Even though this picture isn't really in focus (stupid iPhone), I really enjoyed the artistic side of Tommy's pose.  I should get on Instagram or something. He's got the talent of a Zoolander. :) 

Poor Scout.  Is that diaper big enough for ya???  

Potty Training is so much fun! I'm sure there will be more updates in the future.  Hopefully with less pictures of poop on the floor!