Still here...

I really have not meant to abandon my blog or those who I follow!  I'm reading and commenting when I can and the rest of my time has been devoted to an ever growing to-do list.  My must-have-everything-in-order-before-baby mentality has been in overdrive the past several weeks.  I wouldn't call it nesting, there has not been a lot of cleaning going on.  Instead, things like getting job duty notes ready in hopes that someone will be substituting for me while I'm on leave, putting a life insurance policy in place (something I meant to do long before pregnancy), doing a consignment sale, making some coupon trips, planning baby shower thank you gifts, participating in a book study with church... yada, yada.  Busy, but I'm so missing my time right here! 

Tomorrow I go to the ob/gyn to see if baby boy is still breech.  It feels like he's in every direction in there so I can't tell.  This weekend is our first shower with PC's family.  It's a dinner/shower and I'm so happy they've planned it that way so that he is every much a part of it as I am.  The whole "women only" more formal-type showers seem kind've sad to me because you're missing your best friend/partner at a time that's really special to them too, but -alas- I've agreed to one of those too later this month.  (Hmmm... not sure if all men would like doing the whole shower thing, but still feel bad they're left out.)

I have a feeling the next few weeks are going to be fun but overwhelming at the same time.  Physically, I'm starting to give out.  My 5'2" frame is being pulled and stretched to the limits.  I don't see how the baby has any wiggle room in there but I'm glad he's finding it!  I am anemic in the 3rd trimester which has led to an iron supplement and changing my diet to add more oatmeal, greens, beans and (gross, I know) chicken livers.  I'm admitting that I'm wiped out or whimped out or a combination with 9 weeks left, uh oh!

Last thoughts for those still reading... you would think after 5 years of dreaming of baby we would have picked out a name, but we never let our hearts or minds go there.  Now, getting closer than ever to a dream come true and we still do not have a name.  For some reason, we keep leaning toward an "H" name and these are three "contenders"  Hudson or maybe Hutson for a little different pronunciation or Hampton.  We've always liked Jake and/or Beau but those are being placed more in the middle name contenders.  Any thoughts on our "H" names?  No one will hurt our feelings unless you just say 'those all stink' lol!  These are just the names that have stayed on the "list" from the beginning.  We're open to suggestions!


Hope to blog more in the coming weeks and can't wait to meet several little miracle babies who were part of the March/April IVFs that resulted in BFPs.  Forever thankful to be in that group and hopeful that those who are still waiting will get to soon say the same!!!

Second Trimester Recap

Since I skipped the weekly updates... this is my improvising with the second trimester recap!  I cannot believe I'm heading into the third trimester this week... it seems like just yesterday I got the phone call that has since set our lives in a new and wonderful direction.  Blessed and beyond words for how thankful we are to be at this point in the pregnancy! 

How far along: Weeks 14-27

Symptoms:  Pregnancy brain... putting boxed food in the fridge for example, many nightly potty trips, some acid reflux for the first part of the second trimester, stuffy/bloody nose, some swelling in ankles if I'm on my feet for an extended time and oh-so-fun hot flashes for the past couple of weeks!  Still... not complaining, just documenting:]

Baby Related Purchases:  More yardsale finds... onesies, a wipe warmer, a bumbo seat, baby carrier and some toys.  Oh, PC and I also bought the bedding, a simple but sweet brown and blue pattern (below).  I finished our registry and there are some groups of friends/co-workers who want to go in on the bigger items (pack-n-play, travel system, etc. woo-hoo!)  Grandparents bought the nursery furniture and he already has a closet full of cute clothes thanks to grandma!

    

Maternity clothes:  I hit the jackpot this trimester with being able to go through two tubs of clothes from ladies my size who are done having babies.  Pants for $5 and shirts for $3... so I now have a complete fall/winter maternity wardrobe, all for under $100... score! 

Sleep: The boppy has been a big help but the trips to the bathroom have never slowed down, bleh.  I would say a night with 5 or more hours of sleep would be called a successful night!   

Best Moment of the Trimester:  Finding out the gender!  Feeling him kick and flip around in there!   

Strangest Moment:  The movement has been strange and so reassuring at the same time. 

Movement:  Finally, a little each day around week 19 and usually around the same time of the day.  From week 20 to the present, the kicks and flutters have been a constant reminder of what a miracle all of this is!  I didn't feel him move much the day before a recent doctor's appointment so I left work early to go to the appointment because I (along with PC) was starting to stress out a little.  I ate chocolate, laid on my side, drank fruit juice, poked him... and could not get any strong movement.  Dr. B6 did an ultrasound and it turned out that the little guy has recently turned completely frank breech and I was feeling less movement with the new position and his longer sleep cycles.  Dr. B6 said he has plenty of time to flip back around... let's hope so.     
 

Cravings:  Arby's roast beef and curly fries,  nectarines and blueberries, mint chocolate klondike bars, captain crunch cereal, and must confess....I've had a cup of coke or sweet tea pretty much every day this trimester. 

Gender:  BOY

What I miss:   Sleeping with PC, but I would feel worse keeping him up through the night...

What I am looking forward to: Completing the nursery and holding him, getting a step closer to a long-time dream every day and it brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it.  If only we could decide on a name!!!   

Weekly (or Second Trimester) Wisdom:  Let people help!   

Milestones: Entering the Third Trimester!

Sticky Bun is the size of: As of week 27, he is 2 lbs 3 oz with his head measuring ahead of schedule and his legs measuring behind.  The ob/gyn says not to worry and it sounds pretty much like his parents' genes anyway!

(No) Labor Day!

Labor Day has started off in the recliner on a rainy day, still in pajamas, with weeks worth of catching up on blogs as the task at hand:]  PC has decided to make his work day as light as possible so he's had his nose in a book (or guess I should say the Nook) this morning too.  A rare but welcome change of pace in our home today. 

As far as news with Baby Boy (still no name)--- we're both growing!  Total weight gain so far has been 15 pounds and I think most of it arrived the past three weeks!  It's also spreading to my backside and my ankles and my hands... but we'll worry about that later, right?!?  

We haven't seen him via u/s since July but I do know he is there with all of the kicking and flipping that goes on throughout the day.  PC and I found some great bargains at a yard sale this weekend... a babybjorn carrier, a keltikids backpack carrier, a bumbo seat, a boppy, a box full of good toys, crib sheets, changing sheets- all for $70.  I know these are all things we could put on a registry, but getting these things used for a fraction of the original price means I can reduce the registry to some true essentials like diapers and such.  My mom bought him the cutest outfit, I love this...

PC and I are just working and trying to take one day at a time as we have 14 weeks left in this pregnancy... can't even believe that as I type it!!! 


Now back to catching up on what's been going on with all of you the past couple of weeks!

Viability & Vocation!

Long lost blogger here to say "24 weeks today BABY!"  I don't have to share the significance of that here... a milestone that we've been waiting on!  It feels like, from this point on, I can count each week as another big step forward in getting closer to our little miracle baby.

Maybe we should really start figuring out a name for this little guy!

No time like the present to tell you all why I've been an absent blogger since mid-July and the "name game" is so difficult.  I've never really said exactly what my job is here because the purpose of this blog has been so entirely separate from what goes on in my professional life.  I also never wanted to risk someone IRL coming across this blog and misinterpreting anything.  However, I rarely mention my work here and have no intentions of using this blog for discussing anything that happens at work so I'm not worrying about it anymore!  What a blog "mouthful" to say that I'm in the field of education.  I've been absent in blog world to get everything prepared for a new school year and then they all showed up!  Whew!  My job was tiring without being pregnant!  That's another reason it's so hard to narrow down the list of names!  Every name makes me think "that name belongs to that child" even though I know our child can share a name.  (Well, minus those of repeat offenders, lol!)  I've had a few little kids point and ask "is that a baby in there?"  I just smile and say "yes it is" and go on with business as usual.

Infertility is hard for everyone but for those of us in education, it is especially difficult to give so much of your life to taking care of other people's children every day... and wanting so badly to share some of those experiences as a parent.  It was all I could do to hold back the tears at the end of the school year when I was still keeping it a secret that I was pregnant and our Pre-K students sang about saying goodbye to their friends and being ready for Kindergarten.  I can't wait for those special moments... with camera and kleenex in hand of course:]   

Doggie(s)

I'm so behind in the blogosphere I don't know when or if I'll ever catch up!  I went back to work last Monday and the month of August continues to be a blur right now!  I did find time this weekend to have a photo shoot with our furbabies in order to put their pictures up in the nursery.  Will it be okay if our baby's first word is doggie?  :]