34 Week US and appointment

Extra ultrasounds are always welcomed (as long as they aren't emergent b/c of an issue!), so the fact that we have gotten one every month in this last trimester has been great! I love seeing how much Aubrey grows and changes from month to month! 

At today's appointment I was told we now need NSTs every Monday and US every Thursday because of all my clotting issues and medications that I am on for that.  So while the drive isn't always fun (thank you never ending construction traffic), seeing the baby is!

Things are still looking good!  She is now head down (YAY no more transverse!) and the US tech kept commenting on how low she was. Yes. I am aware. I feel it!

Weight: 4 lb 12 oz (approximately 20th percentile)

HR: 145

I was able to meet with a midwife (from the larger practice that my 2 doctors merged with), and loved her! That practice actually has 7 midwives and I hear they are all great.  So from now on I will see each of the midwives weekly to meet them, and hopefully one of them can deliver me!


We were also told that most likely I won't be able to deliver at the hospital we were planning on because I am a VBAC and the practice doesn't provide 24/7 coverage, and some of the covering physicians aren't supportive of VBACs. Ugh. Thanks for now letting me know at 34.5 weeks!  So we will go next weekend to tour the main campus in Atlanta and check out that hospital.  Apparently it is a bigger unit, and they deliver a lot more babies each year, but it just isn't as new and shiny as where we were planning on.  The biggest downside is the potential drive could take 1.5 hrs to get there which I am thinking will be super fun if I labor at home as long as I want to!  So definitely something to talk to my Doula about!

Enough with the chatter...here's the best part of all...pictures!

Always puckering those lips!

Her little hand curled up by her mouth

34 Week Bumpdate!

6 weeks left just doesn't seem possible! I mean, as much as my body is ready to be done, I don't know that mentally I am there yet!  But nothing like time flying by and reality setting in to get me there : ) I know once Aubrey is in my arms the fear of the many, many sleepless nights (followed by sleepless days since I'm such a pathetic napper!) and just the difficulties that come with a newborn (and a 17 month toddler to add) won't even be a thought in my mind. Or perhaps I'll be too tired to think deep like that : ) Either way, the due date is coming up faster than I thought possible! 

 How Big is Baby: The size of a butternut squash!

*Via*
It's crazy to think that an average baby can weigh more than Bella did at birth at this point!

Weight Gain: +3 in the last 2 weeks, so +6 overall.

Workouts: Week 32 I did one full body toning session, one yoga session, and 3 walks (3 miles x1, and 2x 2.5 miles). Unfortunately my walk/run combos are now done because running was just getting too hard on me, not so much during the run but that night and the next day. 

Week 33 I did 2 full body weights session, 2 yoga sessions, a 3 mile walk, and a fun day in an apple orchard with some walking uphill (so we'll count that too!).

Maternity Clothes: Definitely needing the pants, can still get away with non-maternity shirts that were bigger, but loving the few maternity shirts I do have.

Belly Button: The top part is officially out, the middle and bottom still flat. I realize since I am bigger this time and it's now starting to protrude how truly odd my belly button is. But Bella has become obsessed with it in the last 2 weeks which just cracks me up!

Sleep: Some terrible nights of insomnia for an hour or 2 at a time, some great nights of 8 hours uninterrupted. Just don't know which one I am going to get. Overall though I feel like I have had a lot better sleep in the last 2 weeks than the previous 2, mostly b/c I have just been so exhausted!

Cravings: Milk, macaroni and cheese, creamy soup (in a bread bowl would be nice!), mixed berry Kombucha, dark chocolate, and boneless buffalo wings. It's a good thing I don't buy most of these things or I would be about 50 lbs heavier than I already am!

Aversions: Ground beef/turkey, grilled chicken.

What I Missed: Still missing ice cold fall beers, particularly a really good pumpkin one!

Symptoms: EXHAUSTION! And just tired of being tired : ) Lower back extreme stiffness and tightness which makes for interesting walks to the bathroom in the middle of the night as I think sometimes crawling might be easier.  Heartburn.  And nausea has come back intermittently...not fun!

Movement: I say this every week, but it is oh so true! This little lady is an insane mover and shaker! She moves in ways and amounts that Isabella never did. I seriously think she is going to be our crazy little lady! And despite the space in there getting so much smaller with her growing, she still thinks that she can flip around which is definitely not comfortable...and sometimes downright painful!

Gender: It's a GIRL!

Best Moment this Week: My girl's weekend to Nashville was a blast! Great to catch up with besties that I haven't seen in far too long!

Worst Moment this Week: I have been so tired this last week my motivation to get stuff done has fallen by the wayside. Just waiting for that surge of energy and nesting to kick in so that I can get Aubrey's nursery in order, and buy the things we need before she gets here (car seat, double stroller, etc).

What I am Looking Forward to: We get another US at the next appointment this week! I can't wait to see our little lady again, and am particularly interested in her positioning...hoping for head down, and stay there!!

We also have a fun fall filled weekend with family and friends at an apple orchard that I am excited about.

Isabella 16 Month Update!

My baby is not a baby anymore! Yes, I have said it before. Several times!  But really, we now have a full fledged walking, opinionated, occasional mild tantrum throwing toddler! Oh boy!

HAPPY 16 MONTHS ISABELLA RAE!

16 Month Highlights:

-We celebrated Mimi's birthday and Mimi and Pops 40th Anniversary with a low key family dinner.  We didn't get any pictures, but you had a little photo shoot with Dani as our gift to Mimi and Pops.  The pictures turned out so cute!!

 

-We celebrated Mimi's birthday with a day in the city (which is SO different than saying "a day in the city" when talking about Chicago!). We ate at the famous Varsity (never have to do that again!), rode the Ferris Wheel, and walked in the park. You had a blast.

-You absolutely love to play in the cabinets while I cook lately.  Your favorite things to pull out are the colanders, the cheese grater, and the grease splash guard. 

-We went to a football party for the opening game of the Bears at the Leflers which was a lot of fun.  You slept the entire game, but had a blast "jumping" in the bouncy house after you woke up. I think you mostly enjoyed watching the Lefler girlies jump around you : )

-You have grown increasingly aware of the camera in your room and will wake up and just stare at it...it's a combination of creepy and cute!  When we go to get you out of your crib, you look up at the monitor and point at it, almost as if to say "I know you were just watching me in there!"

-I found a booster seat at a garage sale and you absolutely love it!  The first week, you would sit in it and stand back up, only to turn back around and sit back down about 1000 times.  You were so proud of yourself, every time you sit down you clap and laugh! 

-You absolutely love reading books, and definitely have favorites that you want us to read 5, 10, 15 times in a row!  You love books that have animals because you are really loving learning what different animals say.  You also love "First Words" books that have a big picture, and one big word, with lots of colors.

-We had a few play dates with Dani this month which were fun, although you definitely get jealous when Dani crawls into my lap.  We need to do some more prepping before Aubrey gets here!

-You took your first real, big step the day you turned 15 months, and by the time you turned 16 months you were full out walking!  I am amazed at how quickly you have learned this skill.  You no longer crawl places, but just walk (and fall still quite a bit) and that still amazes me! 

-We continued to go to Singing Storytime at the Library and you absolutely love it! You love all the singing, and the playtime towards the end, whether it be bubble day or shaker day, or fancy scarves day.  I love the way you light up and clap when we sing songs together.

Sleeping: Bedtime is around 6 or 7 depending on your nap schedule, and you usually sleep until sometime in the 6 am hour, although we leave you in your crib until 7 or 7:30 (depending on when you wake up...and we wake up!) and you are content the entire time.  

You still take 2 naps most days, although some days you veto the afternoon nap and just have quiet time in your crib for an hour or so.  On normal days, your first nap starts around 9 or 9:30 and lasts about 1.5 hours or so, and then your second nap is around 1:30 or 2:30 and lasts an hour or 1.5 hrs on really good days!

Eating: You are truly your Daddy's daughter...you LOVE to eat!  It has been nice not having to puree foods, although this has caused you to find textural issues with certain foods that used to be your favorites (like carrots, corn, and sometimes peas). That being said, you still love your oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, PB and pumpkin sandwiches with fruit and cheese for lunch, and dinner is either whatever we eat, or organic gluten free chicken nuggets with veggies, or eggs and spinach with Ezekiel bread.  You have started not liking and eating chicken (other than nuggets) and meat too so we try to get in protein in other ways.  You love Greek yogurt and Organic Puffs for snacks. 

Isabella Loves:

-Eating (especially cheese, anything on our plates, eggs with spinach, fruit/veggie squeeze pouches, and PB/pumpkin sandwiches)!

-Sparkly things or things that light up

-Music (in the car, at home, musical toys and books, doesn't matter as long as it's singing!)

-Reading, your favorites this month are Touch and Feel Animals, Animal Noises, First Words Book, Pajama Time, Jungle Boogie, and I Love You Through and Through.

-Being chased around the house by Dada

-Playing Peek-a-Boo

-Throwing or chasing balls

-Trying to walk farther and farther without falling down!

-Shoes! Wow, what a change in the last month! Not only do you love me putting shoes on you, you keep them on!  AND you are always trying to put on Mama and Daddy's shoes that you find around the house!

-Bubbles!

-Library singing and story time

-Picnics, or just being outside in general

Isabella Hates:

-Being in your carseat when you are tired (although this is probably noticed more now that we don't give you Moo Cow except in your crib to sleep)

-Doorstoppers (you get so scared and cry when Dani hits them and they "boing")

16 Month Stats:

Height: 31 inches (just a little over the 50th percentile)

Weight: 21.5 lbs (25th percentile)
# Teeth: 6 (4 on top, 2 on bottom)

Isabella's Firsts this Month:

-Learning more animal noises (pig and lamb)

-WALKING...finally!  First step was on 9/13 (the day you turned 15 months), and over the course of 4 weeks you have really gotten the hang of it. You still fall a lot, but you can get to where you want to go walking rather than crawling now.

-You have really mastered signing this month too which has made life so much easier! You say "all done", "more", "thank you", "please", "hungry/eat", and "sleepy"!
-You can point out where your tummy, belly button and nose are

Confused as to why you couldn't find your belly button when I asked where it was : ) Stinkin' onesie!

This Month in Pictures:

Mini-Daddy

LOVE our picnics in the park after Library Story time!

We love taking walks in the park...and you loved the $2 thrift find of the push car I found!

"Ohhhh" - you love looking out the windows and so does Dani

This face!!! One of your favorites!

At Suwanee Food Festival

Eww stinky Dada shoe : )

You absolutely love to sit in Daddy's lap and listen to Pandora in the morning...you are so chill!

32 Week Bumpdate!

We are officially down to the 2 more months to go mark! What...what!?!? 

Nothing like having to take a bump pic in the bathroom b/c the bedroom lighting is terrible and it's so early in the morning that it's still dark outside!

Baby is the Size of: a squash!

Via

Weight Gain: +2.5 over the last 2 weeks, so up 3 total over all.

Workouts: Week 31 I did 4 workouts: upper body weight training session, a 3 mile walk/run, and 2 prenatal yoga sessions.  Week 32 I had an insane amount of Braxton Hicks towards the beginning fo the week and put workouts on hold; I was able to do one short, slow 1 mile walk, and 2 prenatal yoga sessions.

Maternity Clothes: Definitely needed with the exception of tops b/c I have such a short torso...just need bigger sizes : )

Belly Button: It's definitely a flattie...and if this belly keeps getting bigger we will have an outie any day now!

Sleep: Meh, about half the week I get pretty good 8 hours with just the occasional wake up to roll over, or pee once.  And the other half of the week I sleep terribly over the course of the 8 hours or so that I am in bed. Gotta love a wake up at 4 am unable to go back to sleep!

Cravings: Milk...holy moly I have never wanted so much cold, white, cows milk in my life!  So bizarre coming from someone who has NEVER wanted to drink milk...ever! Also craving Indian food with naan and rice, clam chowder (particularly in a bread bowl, thank you San Fran trip!), and chocolate chocolate chocolate!!
Aversions: Most meats and poultry most of the time. Except boneless wings...those are almost always ok : )

What I Missed: Really been craving cold fall beers, particularly a really good pumpkin beer!

Symptoms: My whole body hurts, like a lot!  But mostly my lower back just always feels super stiff and makes walking a lot of fun.  Heartburn is also tons of fun, especially b/c I get it bad after drinking sparkling water and eating tomatoes...2 of my go-tos : ( And pregnancy clumsiness has certainly set in in a major way; dropping things, ALL.THE.TIME!
Movement: This little lady is gonna be a dancing ninja or something b/c she is always moving! Always! And not just little kicks and jerks, but like full body slams, flipping over, arms and legs flailing all about the belly!

Gender: It's a GIRL...Aubrey Lynn!

Best Moment this Week: I have really been enjoying my time with Bella these days, she just gets easier and more predictable as she gets older. And, I am equally been enjoying my time with Jon in the evenings as we throw together a quick dinner, catch up on our shows, or just relax.  I know both of these things are going to be drastically different in just a couple months so I am truly embracing the time now!

Worst Moment this Week: Finding out my chiropractor (and her massage therapist) don't take the insurance that we just switched over to...so now I have to find another good chiro stat!

What I am Looking Forward To: I have a girls weekend coming up in Nashville that I am SO excited about!

30 Week US and Appointment

Things are just going so smoothly with this pregnancy, it's almost bizarre.  Because I am considered "high risk" with all my clotting stuff and last pregnancy issues, we get to have a few extra ultrasounds in the third trimester, and I can't say I'm disappointed!

Aubrey is looking great at 30 weeks. She is measuring about 3 lbs 4 oz, which is approximately 20th percentile for weight at this point. She was butt down (boo!) but still has plenty of time to turn. 

HR - 145

And the best part of all, pictures from the Ultrasound! 

Look at those lips all puckered and ready to give kisses!