36 Weeks

Size of Kian:  My little guy is the size of a honeydew?  If you say so...He feels like the size of a toddler.

Total Weight Gain:  9 pounds.  I gained 12 total with Chloe.  It should be fun how much I've gained by my next appointment on Wednesday.  I wonder if they'll be neck n' neck.

Movement:  Soooo fun and sooo uncomfortable.  He's found some nice little niches in my hips, and they're getting pretty sore.  I thought he had flipped himself around, and sure enough, he had.  We did an ultrasound to make sure he was head down, which he is, thank heavens, and he was completely backwards.  Guess what?  He flipped back last night.  How is this even possible at this point?

Sleep:  Last night was tricky.  Lots of contractions sprinkled with nausea.  My poor pelvic floor hurts so bad when I roll over.  I wake up all sore and achy.  But, I'm still getting a lot of sleep, more than I'll be getting in a few weeks, that's for sure.

Symptoms:  More and more cervical mucus.  You're welcome.  Dizziness, exhaustion, bouts of energy.  Nesting.  Sore pelvic floor.

What I Miss:  I can't remember what it's like not being pregnant.  That should be fun to experience again ;) I need to remember that this is such a short stint in life.  9 months.  Possibly my last pregnancy.  I should enjoy it.  Still...COME OUT ALREADY!

Cravings:  I still don't have much of an appetite.  But somehow I'm still gaining weight.  Again, I hope it's all going on him, because I don't think I'm going to wait until 40 weeks to fatten him up!

Doctors Appointment:  I'm at a 1 1/2 50% effaced and baby is NOT ENGAGED.  I repeat, NOT ENGAGED.  Although,  my doctor did his darndest to shove his arm up there to check.

He doesn't think we'll make it much further than 37 weeks.  I have no predictions at this point.  Last night was pretty intense, but I kept thinking, "They'll stop.  They always do." And they did.  A good five hours later.

Picture:  You didn't know beached whales wore pink shirts, did you?  And I can tell last night did some pushing down.  Pretty sure his floaty head is engaged at this point.

Longest. Day. Ever.

I thought yesterday was a long day.

And it was, don't get me wrong.  My kids just don't have as much fun with a mom who can't move without having a contraction.

As far as discomfort and bored kids goes, yesterday was a long day.  Cohen was in tears at the end of the day, he was so lonely and bored.  Ok, and exhausted.  Doing nothing can be very exhausting.

But today.  Sigh.  Today.

My little ones are at a sweet neighbors house.  They have boys Cohen's age, teenage girls for Kembry to play with, a loving, doting grandma for Chloe.  And bunnies.

I just can't compete with that!

They're in heaven while I'm...

I'm watching The Dick Van Dyke Show.  Down 32 episodes since bed rest.

Stalking Facebook.

Annoying my husband and family with an influx of emails.

Buying used Baby Suites ($20!  I'm so excited!).

I did my make up.  *GASP*

Did my hair.  *DOUBLE GASP*

And all I can think is...I wish my kids were here, being bored with me.  I need a Kembry hugs and a toothless Cohen smile and a Chloe scream of joy.  Like manna to my soul.

Boy I'm getting needy.

35 Weeks

So I'll be 36 weeks on Wednesday.  This post is a little over due...my bad.

I blame being 35 weeks 3 days pregnant =)

Size of Baby Boy:  Muskrat is the size of a coconut.  About 18-19 inches at 5-6 pounds.  I still say he's going to be a big baby.  But then, it feels like he feels every inch of my torso, when really he doesn't.  I can breathe almost fine, he's not all up in my business.  Still, he feels hukamongous.

Total Weight Gain:  Up a pound.  I hope it all went to Kian.  He needs it more than I do ;)

Movement:  His movement has turned into that painful squirming.  The worst of it starts around 8 at night, of course, just when we're settling down and I can pretend to complain to Brett about the squid he impregnated me with, when really I love it (despite the slight discomfort.)  My belly sometimes does that whole lopsided look thing when he pushes his butt up.  So cute.

Sleep:  My sleep is yet again plagued by 50 million potty breaks during the night.  Thankfully the Ambien helps me pass right back out, so I really can't complain, other than I'm super sore in the morning from all the squirming out of bed I have to do at night.

Don't you love getting out of bed when you're a million weeks pregnant?  I feel like a circus act when I do it.

Symptoms:  My contractions are revving up.  And with them, my irritability and impatience.

I also had sugar in my urine for the first time ever.  Brett says this is not so, that I had sugar in my urine all the time with Chloe.  I kind of stared him down, like, "Boy, you crazy."  But he swears.  I don't remember that at all.

Speaking of sugar in my urine, I can feel a definite physical aversion to sugar.  Well, my body had an aversion to it.  Very depressing.  I've had to cut out almost all sugar just to feel slightly normal.  I promise I'll mention something this week to my doctor.  Heh.

Leaking.  Don't you just love all the nuances of pregnancy?  This is my fourth time around and I'm still going, "What the heck is this stuff?  This can't be normal?  Is this normal?  Honey, smell this."

Anxiety and excitement.  My friend is 2 weeks further along and I keep day dreaming about her having her baby more than I do my own.  I think I'm a wee bit wary of the pain of labor, but of course.  I remind myself all the time that epidurals do exist, they do, they do, they do.  And I get them.  And I love them.  And they're not as scary as they seem.

What's so scary about having a 50 inch needle shoved into your spine?

What I Miss:  Just not feeling so huge and achy and pregnant.  I miss sleeping on my belly.  I miss rolling over without changing the tide pull.  I miss my body.

Cravings:  I have zero appetite.  Even sugar sounds yeck to me, thank heavens.

Best Moment of the Week:  Um...I don't know.  It's been a pretty calm and lazy week.  I think my favorite day was when Kembry went to play with some cute little girls her own age.  She had so much fun.

Also, being naughty and getting out of the house.  My kids start school in a few weeks, like right after baby boy can "come".  All I could keep thinking is that my kids would be the only kids in the entire school to not have any of their supplies.  Not that Brett isn't perfectly capable of going alone, but getting him to go alone is a trial in and of itself.

So, to help me sleep at night, or to shut me up, which ever, he let me tag along to the store to get their school supplies.  Awwww.  I can breathe again.  Plus, it got the kids all excited for school to start!  Make that, it got us all excited for school to start.  Yay!

Not my favorite day: today.  Chloe learning how fun it is to slam doors repeatedly.

Sibling Rivalry:  My poor kids are definitely in serious need of R&R.  Too much being babysat by the tv and iPad.  We might have some friends over tomorrow, which I hope helps them regain some of their sanity.

Photograph:  That's right.  I hate pictures of myself, but I was sad looking back at all my posts about Chloe and having zero pictures.  So, here are some.  34 weeks, I think.

34 Weeks, Ma!

Hey there, little squash baby.

Size of Munchkin:  Kian is the size of a squash, and getting fatter every second.  I can't wait to pinch those chubby cheeks (while he's sleeping.  Wake up, dang it!  It's day time!)  JK.  I don't pinch my babies...nope, never...

Total Weight Gain:  I lost 2 pounds so I'm up 4.  Or something.  I've honestly lost track of the math at this point, and I can't remember my starting weight.  I should've asked.  But I just don't care anymore. 

Movement:  Things are getting snug.  Sometimes I think he's trying to attempt a double back hand spring, but to no avail.  Poor little guy gettin' all squished like a squash.

Sleep:  Has actually improved.  The Ambien and I have found a nice system that works for both of us.  I still get up 600 times to pee, and I still have contractions waking me up on occasion, but all in all, I'd say it's improved.  Which is awesome, considering most women at 34 weeks pregnant have sleep issues. 

Symptoms:  Well, I got smart and started taking Prilosec a few nights ago and WHOA!  What a difference.  I haven't had a Tums since I started the Prilosec.  Sometimes I wonder at how slow I am.

We went in to L&D Sunday night.  It only took two shots of terbutaline to stop the contractions, and I got to go home feeling like a tried and true crack addict.  That stuff is awful.  Holy moly.

I have PUPP, which I have never had.  Super itchy little bumps on my arms and hips and buttocks and the tops of my feet.  So far lotion and aquaphor have been a major help.  Also, cold showers. 

That's helped in other areas, too ;)

Annnnyway, most of the stuff is just par for the course.  Really sore pelvic floor, which is probably due a lot to having contractions and having my squash push down so hard on me.

I waddle. 

Messy house.  Symptom of bed rest.  Well, messy bedroom, mostly.  The RS President came and straightened up and vacuumed and cleaned my kitchen.  Bless her.

What I Miss:  Freedom.  Cleaning my own home.

It's really awkward having someone else clean your house while you just lay on the couch.

I asked her if she could please say things like, "Oh, honey, how can you let your house get so messy?"  so that I could pretend she was my mom ;)

Um, not being on pelvic rest.

That's right, I said it.

Cravings:  I have a serious lack of appetite.  Some days I've only eaten apple sauce and toast, with a bowl of cereal sprinkled in here and there (mini wheat's, my hemorrhoids champions), so when something strikes me as yummy, I try to make Brett jump on it as soon as possible.  So far only spaghetti and chili beans have really sounded good.  And chocolate.  Always chocolate.

Best Moment of the Week:  It's been a pretty relaxed week.  The kids go somewhere in the mornings until 1, and then come home and Chloe goes down for a nap.  It's been pretty monotonous around here.  Probably the best part was Brett getting to go to the Temple thanks to someone bringing in dinner and cleaning the house.  So grateful he got to go.

Sibling Rivalry:  The kids have been doing so well, getting along and not killing each other or driving me insane.  Kembry's medication is really helping, and her moodiness is starting to calm down.  After only less than a week, I'd say that's a freaking success! 

We do chore charts with them, and it's been so helpful.  Cohen changes the kitty litter and feeds him and it really encourages Kembry to eat all of her meal (yes, that is one of her chores.  Her medicine can be an appetite suppressant, so we're trying to keep her on track with meals.)  They have other chores, but I think it's just so cute that Cohen diligently cleans the kitty litter every day.  Mothers.  We're so easily impressed.

And Chloe continues being the perfect little angel she's always been.  She's my favorite.  Except that she doesn't give me enough kisses or hugs.  We'll have to work on that.  Maybe add that to her chore chart ;)

SCHOOL STARTS AUGUST 8TH OH MY GOSH I'M FREAKING OUT WITH EXCITEMENT!!!!!

Hopefully we'll have a brand stinking new baby then ;)

PS

I think Brett's nesting, but I can't tell if he's doing it to please me, or if he's just super cute.  Or both.  Cause both are cute.  He's cute.  Sigh.

Who Wears Mink Stoles, Anyway?

It is hot.

I'm locked away in my dungeon, the coolest room in the house.  The window unit here says it's only 70 degrees, but I think it's a big fat liar.  In fact, I told it as much.

My hair sits on my neck like a mink stole, and I wonder if it's possible for a pregnant woman to go through menopause. 

The book says I'm hot because my blood vessels are swelling, and there are 50% more of those vessels rushing through my flushed body.  Also, my metabolic rate has increased to make my body more efficient.

I can tell you this: it better me digesting everything more efficiently.  Every little piece of loose fat rolling around my body, making itself at home in my butt and thighs and, sigh, boobs.  Digest!  Digest away!  And if not, MELT, MELT AWAY!  How is it not melting in this heat?  How am I not melting?

Does Kian feel this uncomfortable in there?  Short of running around in the nude, I can't figure out how to stay cool.  I experimented yesterday with a box of Popsicles.  Didn't work.  Oh well, it was a good try.

The good news: Brett picked up my books from the library that I had on hold.  One, I've already read, and I remember loving it.  I'm so glad I can barely remember it.  It's like reading it for the first time all over again, knowing I'll love it!  "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" by Anne Tyler.  Highly recommend.

Second, "Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man" by Fanny Flagg, who wrote "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe".  One of my favorites.  Dad recommended this one to me.  It's written from the point of view of an eleven year old girl and I think it's just adorable that he wanted me to read it.  Love my daddy.

Hope you're all having a cool, Sunday afternoon!

Kembry

Kembry started taking ADHD medication.

She talked for 74 hours straight today.

She cried because there are no pyramids in Arizona.  The only desert without pyramids.  The inhumanity!

And she just wasn't in the mood for most of went on today.

Ummmm...is it too soon to switch her medication?  Or possibly get something for mommy?

Like Xanax?  Or just an ax.  

Sometimes vodka sounds so appealing.

Here We Go Again

And breathe...

Well, I'm on bed rest.

Again.

I can't complain, though.  Shoot, I can do 3 1/2 weeks standing on my head.  But instead I'll do it lying in bed.

I rhyme all the time.

"Anyone want a peanut?"

My LEAST favorite thing about bed rest (WHAT?!  You mean there's something you DON'T like about bed rest?  Odd...) is asking people for help.

Since we're out in the middle of nowhere, and scorpions don't make great babysitters OR bbq, and because we keep killing them, we have to rely on other human beings to help us.

*CRINGE*

I hate asking for help.  It's so humbling.  Yuck.

Can't I...just walk down the street naked?  Now THAT would be humbling.  And terrifying.  For everyone.

I'm super grateful for all the help we've been offered.  By people that have families of their own to worry about.  Thank you thank you thank you.

So here's the low down on my being down...down...

A few weeks ago, I was having contractions.  I know, shocking.  So they did the usual tests, one of them being the fFN, which "predicts" (not very accurately) if a woman is likely to go into labor in the next two weeks.  I tested positive.

Two and a half weeks ago.

*Rolls Eyes*

However, testing positive also puts me at a higher risk for my membranes breaking.  And other stuff.

It all comes at a very convenient time, as I am having more and more painful and consistent contractions.  Just like with Chloe.  And I plan on using them, oh yes, just like with Chloe.  I will have this baby by August 2, as OB's everywhere are my witness.

In the meantime, I'll be doing a lot of reading, sleeping, crying...the usual bed rest entertainment.  Feel free to stop by and say Hi!  I can't promise I'll be wearing a bra...just saying...