We're HOW MANY weeks?

Where has the time gone? 27 weeks pregnant is coming up this Saturday. The best part about that is, if for some reason, Wesley HAD to be born, he would have an 85 % chance of survival. Good news, yes, but let's all hope he stays right where he is for the time being...

Meanwhile Grace is walking! Seriously...she is walking and sometimes RUNNING! And she's so proud of herself. And we're so proud of her, too... Its been a rough couple of weeks for her. Starting three weeks ago, when Ms. Martha (the best day-care provider in the world) called me in my classroom and says, "I'm just calling to make sure...you know Grace has Thrush, right?" to which I responded, "Ummm....what's thrush?"

So, one doctor's visit and three prescriptions later, we were treating thrush, the yeast infection that goes with it, oh...and let's not forget the ear infection that somehow snuck in there.

Flash forward about 10 days; the end of the antibiotic. Grace is running a fever and has a cough. We go back to the Dr. Seems her Thrush is all cleared up (on both ends) but the ear infection switched sides? We were prescribed a stronger antibiotic. That was Friday. Today is Wednesday. I haven't slept since then. I took Grace BACK to the Dr today, convinced she STILL had the ear infection. The kid was whiny, clingy, not eating, not sleeping.... No ear infection. Turns out the meds were making her sick. So, because the infection was gone, we ditched the rest of the antibiotic and are hoping for a good night's sleep tonight, and seriously, it would be nice to make the rest of the school year without having to take time off to take her in!

Back to Wesley: I read in some other pregnant someone's blog this past week that being very pregnant feels like being crowded. I couldn't put it any better. I feel crowded. I'm being squeezed out of my own body. Of course, this someone was 36 weeks pregnant, looked like a blond supermodel, and her 36-week belly looked like my 12-week belly, and I hate her. Yet, I digress...

I am still jogging and doing strength training. I had another appointment last week. I only gained four pounds the previous month. I'm very proud of my not getting out of control with my weight-gain. Like I said before: anything less than double the recommended weight gain and I'm golden.

I'm starting to notice the swelling, though...feet and face (I don't mind the feet so much, because I can't see them anymore). Of course I'm watching the sodium, but it doesn't help that everything delicious has a ton of sodium. AND the back pain...I feel like t his kid is ripping me apart, and he's starting at my tailbone! All I can do is stretch, because getting to the chiropractor requires extra energy and also child-swapping coordination, which Jerry and I have not quite perfected yet...

Wesley is extremely active. Grace was, too, but this is different. This kid means business. He's so rough! Maybe he's trying to chew his way out, or something?

Ok, so, next appointment is June 5th, and I'll be doing the delicious glucose test, for the second time this pregnancy, hopefully, with equally stellar results as the last time. (The only reason I can hold that glucola swill down is knowing that if I yak, they're just going to make me drink another one.)

Cravings are getting the best of me....

Let me preface, with the fact that I only gained THREE pounds last month!!! (Thank you jogging, working out, and eating..um....sensibly....)

BUT THEN, yesterday, for lunch, I splurged because McDonalds had their 1/4 pounder with cheese buy one/get one for a penny, SO, a lady I work with and I both got one and split an order of fries....I had milk to drink (ok, TWO milk chugs, but so what?) so I wasn't feeling TOO bad about it. I got home, jogged, did some squats, lunges, weights with my arms blah blah blah....

Jerry's night to cook, so we had CHINESE!!! Again, I was trying to be sensible...I ordered wonton soup (ok, it was a large, but I saved half) and chicken with mixed veggies (I really tried to eat only half, but I was SO HUNGRY I ate it all, but with only like a REAL ONE PORTION of brown rice--like two tablespoons or whatever)

So I woke up this morning with a real desire and every intention to have like a low sodium, high protein, salad kind of day.

Only THEN, I NEEDED a decaf during my planning period, so when I pulled up to the drive through my body says to me, "bacon egg and cheese biscuit. BaconEggAndCheeseBiscuit.BACONEGGANDCHEESEBISUIT!!!!!!!" and suddenly, I was STARVING (don't forget, I'd already eaten low-fat peanut butter and honey on a double fiber English muffin) So, trying to be reasonable, I ordered my small decaf with one cream and one sugar and a plain biscuit, which, I might add, was the most delicious biscuit I've ever eaten in my entire life.

Then, I ate my sensible lunch, like a GALLON of water (to stave off the hunger pains)...and just now, in rapid succession I had cravings for pickled ginger, coconut, and dark chocolate peanut M&Ms (NONE OF WHICH I ATE, by the way).

I am hoping that our baby Wes is just having a growth spurt, and the duration of my pregnancy will not be plagued with these ridiculously impossible to tame cravings!

And the survey says.....

It's a boy!
Wesley David is on the way...

We had our Level II Ultrasound scan yesterday, and everything looked good (or otherwise the tech didn't say anything different...)and there were definitely boy parts. The tech was doing her scan, and I was watching as Grace was climbing on Jerry's head (she really was such a good girl...). The baby was coming in and out of focus...I could see a little head then little arms. I saw little feet, then little legs, then the tech rotated the angle, looking at the legs from underneath...and I said, "Whoa...I see boy parts!" The tech smiled and nodded....So, its a boy.

Not much other excitement right now. We took Grace to the beach last weekend. The weather was awesome (a little windy) but the water was much too cold to get in. Let's call this picture my 19 week "belly shot" because no one needs to be scrutinized THAT much, right?
















Anyway, after the beach, we went home and had lunch on the lanai. Here is a picture of Grace after she's eaten an entire banana popsicle....

Boy or Girl?

Ok, so Jerry and I are on pins and needles waiting to find out if Grace gets a brother or a sister. The appointment is scheduled for Monday, 3/30, at 3:30! In my aggitation, I found this cool game that will let you all guess for us! Have fun.

Flu season is upon us

There is a flu epidemic in Southwest Florida. How do I know, you ask? Well, when I brought Grace to the pediatrician to find out why she's fussy, uncomfortable, and running a fever, the Doctor told me, "Your baby has tested positive for Influenza B. Not surprising; there is an epidemic."

Hmmm. Good to know.

So, poor little Gracie has been battling the flu. Friday night, she ran fever up to 103.9 before I quit taking it. I called the on-call nurse who told me that as long as she is responsive, to continue to treat the fever at home. So, after a tepid bath and a dose of Motrin, the thermometer read 103.9 and I decided that I was only scaring myself. It was a rough night that turned into a rough weekend, that turned into a rough week.

She can't go back to daycare until her fever has been gone for 24 hours. Today is Wednesday and she has been running a consistent temperature of between 99.5 and 100.7. All we can do is give her Motrin. She is coughing all night and leaking vibrant colors. She is so miserable, but still manages to smile with us and play. Jerry stayed home with her yesterday and today. He's such a good dad.

So, this past Monday, I had an appointment with my OB. I am currently in my 17th week (we switch on Saturdays). Baby bean is still right on track. She didn't do an ultrasound, just listed to the heart rate with a Doppler. Everything looked good. I did have to do my sugar test (blech), and the results should be in by Thursday. My weight gain was more than what I expected, but hey...it wasn't double, so I'm proud. Exciting news is I scheduled our level II ultra sound (where they tell us the gender) for March 30th at 3:30!

On the subject, I guess I should mention that I'm defintitely "showing." I'm carrying a lot different with this one, though. With Grace, I gained weight everywhere--and lots of it. With this one, although I'm gaining more than average, I'm carrying most of it in my belly. I'm still out walking/jogging to keep in shape, and I'm doing toning exercises to try to stave off the flabs.

I am occaisionally feeling Baby Bean move. I can feel lights taps and flutters a few times a day. I like the reassurance that comes with feeling him/her jump around. According to my books, he/she is developing inner ears and can sense light, even though his/her eyelids are still fused shut. All very exciting stuff.

So far, so good...

We went for another checkup today. The doctor says everything looks great and the little bean is measuring right on schedule for his/her August 23rd due date.


They also did an "interview" Jerry and I call the Department of Children and Families interview. It goes like:

Nurse: Do you ever go to bed hungry because there's no food in the house?

Me: Does it still count as "yes" if I have eaten all the food in the house in the two hours before bed?

Nurse: Do you feel safe in your home?

Me: Um....yeah, (twirling hair) we, like...have an alarm.....

and you get the idea.



Because we were scheduled to see the interview nurse and the financial counselor AND the doctor, our appointment lasted about two hours. Grace was such a trooper. She finally had a melt down as we were looking at the ultrasound. Poor thing. She was just tired, bored, and ready to get the heck out of there. I felt the exact same way, and if I could have gotten away with a screaming fit, I probably would have thrown one, too...


Anyway, the long and short of it is, Baby Bean looks great. I feel great. Everything is going great. I do have to do an extra sugar test (yum yum) at the next visit because Grace was so big (8 lbs, 9 oz). But hey--I'm watching what I eat and trying to gain a more reasonable amount of weight this time (anything less than twice the recommended would be fine...)


So, in four weeks, I go back for the sugar test/blood work and to check the baby with a doppler. But the NEXT appointment, four weeks after that, is the BIG ultrasound, where we find out if Baby Bean will wear blue or pink! We're totally excited about that. I can't imagine not wanting to find out the gender. I'm way too much of a planner.

Don't feed the Preggo

I am ravenously hungry. All the time. And believe me, I'm eating. I am aware that I need enough calories and protein to breastfeed a 7-month-old and grow a human. I get it. I eat well. But my body is trying to mutiny. Apparently, it doesn't agree with my "wise" choices for how I get my calories. I eat fruit, cheese, soy milk, granola bars, oatmeal, and herbal tea during the day. I usually have some lean protein wrap or salad for lunch. I eat normal, healthful dinners.

My body wants to eat everything it sees and/or smells and/or thinks about. Unless its a carrot, then my body wants to projectile vomit. I understand that I am pregnant and that comes with some cravings, so I am trying to be compassionate to my body's demands. I would love to choose one craving to acquiesce per day, but I can never choose one thing above the others; I simply want to eat everything. All the time. I am never full.