38 Week NST/US and Appointment

So this week there's good news, and bad news. Let's start with the good news: Aubrey overall looks great. And we got some cute 3D pics.  So here those are!

The not good news: my c-section date got moved up from 41 weeks, to 39 weeks : ( 

So for the story on that one:

On Monday, our NST went great. Aubrey's heart rate was mostly in the 130s, and she had great movement.

We went in for the US and appointment with a new midwife on Wednesday since Thursday was Thanksgiving.

This did not go as expected.

Aubrey's biophysical profile was perfect- she had tons of movement, was taking great practice breaths, and had good tone.

However, she was only measuring at 5 lb 13 oz which is about the 6th percentile, and her head circumference and belly size were measuring 4-5 weeks behind.  

Because of these measurements, she is considered IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction or Retardation).

The US tech said that b/c she was so small, they would probably have me come back in Monday for a repeat US, so this is what I was banking on.

However, the midwife came into the room with other plans.  She wanted us to head straight to the hospital for a c-section.  I was completely taken by surprise, very disappointed, and just started crying (which those that know me well, know this is totally abnormal for me!).  

I have worked so hard to prepare for a natural, unmedicated VBAC, and here we are getting whisked away for another c-section.  I was heartbroken! 

However, after talking more with the midwife, who was in communication with my OB (who was at home sick with conjunctivitis), they both agreed that it would be ok to wait on the c-section until Monday since Aubrey looked so great and all her tests this week were perfect. 

I left the office super upset, but still with hope that I could naturally go into labor before Monday (which puts me at exactly 39 weeks).

We shall see...to be continued!

Maternity Pics!

This year I just didn't have the time or energy to find a professional photographer to get our maternity pictures done.  That being said, I definitely wanted a few of the bump, and am so glad we made time for them!  They may not be as edited and professional looking as the ones we did in Chicago with Isabella, but I am happy with the way that they turned out!

So those were my favorites!  And then you have these...

38 Week Bumpdate!

2 more weeks left officially! And unofficially she can come any day now...like today would be good : ) Overall, the time went by fairly quickly, although many of the days seemed like an eternity with how sick and sore I felt. I just can't wait to meet Aubrey and hold her in my arms. Let's get this party started little one! 

How Big is Baby: The size of a pumpkin!

*via*
Can I get an "Amen!" for Aubrey being on the small side of the pumpkin scale rather than the 9lb pumpkin!!

Weight Gain: +2.5 over the last 2 weeks, so +7.5 overall (I am officially 0.5 lb away from my "Oh I so don't want to go over this # mark"...eek!).

Workouts: Week 36 I did one prenatal yoga, one birthing ball workout, and then 2 days of serious house cleaning and painting which meant doing a ton of squats and yoga frog poses (so yes, I count that as a workout at this point!). 

Week 37 I did a 2 mile walk, two 1 mile hilly walks, one prenatal belly dance class, one day of cleaning and painting baseboards which required a bajillion squats (so yes, a workout!), and one birthing ball workout (pretty easy and light).

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Belly Button: Definitely an outie

Sleep: About half the time I get a pretty good 8 hours of sleep (with 1 pee break and a few wake ups to turn over to my other side). The other half of the time I can't go back to sleep after I pee (usually around 2 or 3 am) and can be up for an hour or 2, or for the day on really bad mornings! Unfortunately those days usually fall on the ones that we have plans, so naps are out of the question. And that usually just means I fall asleep at 8:30 that night! Too bad the last 5 nights in a row have been "half the time"...if only they'd space themselves out a bit!

Cravings: Luckily the chocolate/sweets craving has died down a little bit, but it's still there! Otherwise craving bagels with cream cheese, boneless buffalo wings or buffalo chicken sandwiches or buffalo salads (all things buffaloed!), and chowders or thick soups. 

Aversions: Still not wanting ground beef or ground turkey but that's about the only thing that makes me gag these days. 

What I Missed: I have been missing red wine and sushi these days!

Symptoms: Terrible, horrible heartburn a majority of the day! Occasional nausea, usually in the morning but subsides with ginger. Low back pain that makes walking super fun first thing in the morning or after I've been sitting for oh, you know, 5 minutes! Increase in braxton hicks/some semi-uncomfortable but certainly not painful contractions. 

Movement: I keep saying it, but she's a crazy mover and shaker, although in the last 2 days she has seemed to be more chill in her movements and less like a bull in a china shop (which I read can happen pre-labor...here's to keeping my fingers crossed!) 

Gender: It's a GIRL!

Best Moment this Week: Aubrey was showered with love at my ladies small group on Monday and it was a blast. 

Unfortunately this was the only picture I got, but the food was delicious!  And nothing like an Amazon.com giftcard and doll that eats and pees in a diaper for Bella to "practice" with while I am doing the real thing on Aubrey! Thank you ladies!

I am also feeling pretty great about everything that has gotten accomplished over the last 2 weeks. My check list looks great and we are fully prepared for Aubrey's arrival! The only other thing I want to do is decorate for Christmas and the check-list is officially complete!! 

Worst Moment this Week: Several nights in a row of insomnia are definitely taking a toll on my energy levels!

What I am Looking Forward to: Meeting Aubrey...seriously little one you can come out any day now!!

37 Week NST, US and Appointment

The NST went great on Monday with the exception of having to wait 50 minutes in the waiting room just to get started. Luckily, Aubrey was cooperating and I ate a granola bar at the very beginning of it in hopes of getting her super active which she was.  After 20 minutes the nurse came in, said it looked perfect, and since I had waited so long she wasn't even going to wait for the doctor to review it (which usually takes at least 10 minutes on a good day...which this one wasn't seeming to be!).  Once again, I couldn't see the monitor, but her heart rate definitely accelerated with movement.

The US today also went well.  Aubrey's biophysical profile was perfect and she was moving around a ton, taking great practice breaths, and the amniotic fluid levels looked good.  

HR- 145

We didn't measure her size this week, which was a little bit of a bummer just b/c I was 37w3d today and that was when Bella was born, so it would have been cool to compare sizes.

Still with those puckered lips : )

Oh boy...it's looking like Daddy's nose and lips for sure! Hopefully Jon doesn't get 2 mini-me's...I want one : )

 Either way, my fundal measurement was 5 weeks behind (so 32.5 cm) which concerned the midwife student that was initially examining me, but after telling her I always measured 4-6 weeks behind with Bella, and the NST and US this week looked great, she was a bit relieved.  The midwife I met with today (who is my FAVORITE!) wasn't concerned either, and we will just do a weight check at next weeks visit.

She offered to do a cervical check this week as well, but I declined, mostly b/c if I'm not dilated or effaced that stinks, but doesn't mean anything. And if I am even slightly dilated and/or effaced it also doesn't mean anything, and I could walk around like that for weeks.  So to save the discomfort, we will just keep on waiting!

Glad to be here, nearing the end, and still looking so great!  The midwife did tell me today that many times women with my clotting issues are encouraged to be induced around 38 weeks, but I am not a candidate for that given how recent my c-section was, and I am ok with that. I wouldn't want to be induced unless medically necessary, and "just as a precaution b/c you have clotting disorders" doesn't fall under that category to me.  

So we will continue to wait for Miss Aubrey's arrival.  And are desperately praying that it happens before the 40 week mark, so that I don't stress about the impending c-section that was scheduled at 41 weeks.  Oh Aubrey Lynn we can't wait to meet you!!

Isabella 17 Month Update!

I realized as I was putting this month's blog together how many pictures Bella has in her jammies!  I promise she does get dress (nearly) every day, just after her morning nap. Apparently I only snap pictures in the morning time!

On a separate note, this month was the absolute best!  I know I am a broken record in saying it gets better and better every month, but it truly does!  Isabella's personality truly came out more and she is one super goofy, loves to laugh, strong-willed yet so obedient, clean-freak, funny little lady! And yes, she has her whiney moments, but she really is such a great kid! 

HAPPY 17 MONTHS ISABELLA RAE!!

17 Month Highlights:

-We went to an apple orchard that had a bunch of fun stuff for kids and you had a blast! You literally had an apple in your mouth almost the entire 4 hours we were there!  You had fun walking through the orchard, picking the apples, watching pig races, taking a hayride, and going on the Moo Cow Train!

-We went to Library Story Time every week which you continued to love, and right before Halloween they had a Costume Dance Party. You were the cutest little butterfly there ever was : )

-You now understand (to a certain degree that Mama is pregnant) and it's so cute.  You have become obsessed with my belly and ridiculous looking belly button and frequently sign "please" while trying to lift up my shirt.  When we ask you "Where is baby Aubrey?" you walk over and point right to my belly button (usually after lifting my shirt which is super cool in public!). 

-You are truly showing your girlie side this month and loving shoes, hairbows and all things sparkly!  You love for me to pile on all the bows!

-We celebrated Halloween and had a fun time carving the pumpkin together. You were the inspiration this year for the carving, and we crack up every time you do your wide mouth face!

-I can't get a good picture of it, but when you start to get slap happy or just in a silly mood, you squeeze your eyes shut really tight, flail your arms, squeal and fling yourself around like a drunken sailor! It is hilarious and we are amazing you haven't cracked your head as you fall to the ground hard!

-You also have gotten the concept of cleaning up which has been SO helpful for my big 'ole pregnant body!  When we are done in the playroom for the day you help to put all the toys back, and in the bath you gather all the toys and put them in the wall basket.  I am still amazed when I say "Bella, lets pick up all the shoes and put them back in your basket" that you know exactly what I'm saying and you do it!!  ***And yes, you LOVE to play with all the shoes in your basket! That's Mama's girl : )***

Sleeping: Sleep has been all over the place this month! Every week you had a different schedule. One week you went to bed around 6:30 and woke up at 6 am, wanting out of bed almost immediately. The next week you went to bed around the same time, but didn't wake up til 7:30 or 7:45 and would play in the crib til 8.  Then daylight savings happened and seriously it all got thrown out the window.

With the different night time sleep patterns came varying nap schedules too! About half of the days this month you missed a nap because either your morning nap was long and you didn't want an afternoon one, or naps got pushed so far back and we already had plans you just skipped it.  Let's just say it made for some very whiny days b/c you certainly love your sleep. The last week of this month tended to be more "normal" so we shall see. Otherwise I can see a transition to one nap a day in your near future.

Eating: You are a good eater most days, although this month you certainly have gotten much pickier.  You still are loving your bowl of oatmeal with mixed berries or pears in the morning. Your favorite foods are string cheese, fruit and kale squeezies, greek yogurt, apples, pears, bananas, and PB sandwiches on Ezekiel bread (sometimes with pumpkin, sometimes with bananas, sometimes with natural applesauce). Getting you to eat protein is getting harder and harder b/c you suddenly won't eat grilled or rotisserie chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, or fish most days.  And then other days you gobble salmon and rice or the organic chicken nuggets up! Can't guess which one it will be when! Eggs with spinach which used to be a complete favorite are now only gobbled up about 50% of the time. Oh Bella Rae...so opinionated : ) Wonder where you get that from!?!?  

Isabella Loves:

-Moo cows with sleep (although one paci is now disconnected from Moo b/c you pulled it off!)

-Your "choncho" or "piggie" has become your lovie and fav stuffed animal

-Music, dancing, singing
-Chillin' and listening to Pandora in the morning on Dada's lap (you seriously can sit there 30 min to an hour!)

-Puppy musical toy, play kitchen and baking toys, big pink ball, musical piano, and blocks
-You love when we build tower blocks and you get to bull doze them over!

-Reading! Favorites this month: Bless Everyone, I Love You Through and Through, Pig-A-Boo, Colors book, Spanish First Words, Sleepy Time Nursery Rhymes, and Pajama Time
-You love singing (or having Mama sing on repeat) Itsy Bitsy Spider, God Made the Big Round Sun, Wheels on the Bus, and You are My Sunshine, especially if a car ride is getting particularly long

-Things that are sparkly and girlie!

-Putting on shoes or asking mama to do it by handing me the shoe and sticking your foot high in the air

-Playing Peek-a-Boo

-Bubbles!
-Bathtime

Isabella Hates:

-Still hating doorstoppers but not as completely freaked out about them as you used to be

-Not being able to do something by yourself- you get SO frustrated, throw the object down and whine or cry (or sometimes growl!)
-Walking outside with bare feet...you HATE stepping on leaves or anything on the sidewalk!

17 Month Stats:

Weight: 22 lb 8 oz (25th percentile)

Height: 30.5 in. (50th percentile)

Teeth: 6 (2 on bottom, 4 on top)

*Wearing size 3 diapers still, size 3 shoes, and clothes are a mix of 12 and 18 month things (and some jammies that are 9 months but fit much larger...so weird!). 

Isabella's Firsts this Month:

-Points to herself and says "Beba" (or "Baba" which is what Jon calls her) after pointing to Mama and Dada and saying our names, although half the time you point to yourself and say "Dada" as well, so who knows! And really "Dada" is your favorite word. It's like pulling teeth to get you to say Mama regularly! 

-You say "Ca" when you hear a loud car or truck pass by, and you say "Hiiiiiiii" with a cute drawn out ending to say hello to us!

-Climbs stairs like a pro

-You started talking up a storm (especially in the car) although we have NO idea what you are saying! It's just cute to hear you have little conversations with yourself and with us!

This Month in Pictures:

You girlies LOVE the splash pad, even when it's too chilly to run through it!

Water baby through and through!

You are always wanting something on your head...even if it is an empty wipes package!

"Ohhhh"...Halloween fun!

This one cracks me up...Bella is embarassed by us already!

You were very specific...you wanted this bow, with the flower right in the middle of your head right after you woke up!

Starting you early...what a great Mama's helper : )

Every time we try to take pics you go from super smiley to completely stoic!  Oh Bella Boo!

At the Halloween dance. Mama dressed up as a tired pregnant lady!

We love taking walks at Suwanee Town Center!

Oh these 2 : )