Nicolas' birth story 3-9-18

Wednesday March 7 2018 -
I took a nap under my desk after lunch.  Literally crawled under my desk and fell asleep.  That's how tired I was.
Maxwell had baseball practice, so I stayed home with Emmalyn.  I got her in bed and realized I hadn't felt the baby move in awhile.  I figured I probably felt him move around lunchtime (8 hours ago)
Peter got home and I was concerned enough that I mentioned it to him.
So he made me some chocolate milk to try and give the baby a sugar rush and I laid down on my side.
I poked and prodded the baby but nothing was working.
I texted mary ann ray, next door, and asked if she had orange juice.  She did. 
peter set an alarm on his phone to track the time
we both tried poking him.  after choc milk peter gave me 20 minutes.
while peter was putting maxwell down i went over to mary ann's and downed a glass of orange juice and came back home
the baby still hadn't moved when Peter's timer went off.  He said "do you want to go to the hospital or urgent care?"
I said urgent care.  I was just concerned that something wasn't right but still figured it probably was okay and I was just over-reacting.  
he said let's go and we got in the car
we drove to urgent care.  they asked if we had called our OB.  I said no.  They said they could admit us but it would be E.R. prices.  wanted us to sign wavers.  We decided that if we were going to pay E.R. prices we might as well go to an E.R. that would be able to help us if something was wrong.
So we left.  called babies r us on the way to see if they had a doppler we could buy.  they didn't.  called dr. boyd.  got her service.  they told us they'd contact her.  She called me back, asked me how long it had been and I really thought about it and realized the last time I consciously remember him moving was 24 hours ago.  She said to go to the hospital immediately and get monitored.
I was hoping that being in the car he would move because he usually moved in the car but still no movement.  I was so focused on my belly that whole car ride, just wishing him to move... paying attention for any little feeling.
Peter was driving urgently which made me more nervous.  We got there around 9 and he dropped me off and told me to walk in while he parked the car.  I felt that was silly because I could walk but peter didn't want to take any extra time.  So I went up to the maternity floor and before I went back he'd caught up with me.
They took me back and put monitors on my belly to monitor me and the baby in a labor and delivery room.
Immediately found heartbeat and we were both incredibly relieved.  Peter said, okay let's go home.
He thought we were acting silly and overly cautious parents at that point.  They said that they couldn't let us leave and they would monitor us.  They were in contact with dr. boyd.  They got me an iv because I was dehydrated.  They gave me orange juice too.  They wanted to see some movement of the baby with some fluids in me.
There was no movement so they said they'd monitor me overnight.  dr. boyd was worried and wanted to make sure nothing was wrong.  She also wanted me to have a sono from the specialist not just anyone on shift.
peter left to go buy a phone cord for me since I was staying.  He went home around 1 am.  we hadn't told Britt why we were leaving.  peter just said we were going out so when we texted around 11 that we were in the hospital she was shocked. I texted mary ann and let her know we were okay but staying there.  I was having contractions.  Not always continuously but that made me a little nervous
I stayed there all night...tossed and turned.  I was checked on frequently and always had to make sure the monitors were right on the baby's heartbeat.  It was comforting to hear that heartbeat constantly out of the speakers.  Every time a nurse walked in I would ask how the baby was doing.  around 3:00 when he would normally be active, he started being more active like normal and I was so relieved.  more punches and kicks which were wonderful to feel.
Peter took Emmalyn to school in the morning then came and brought me my laptop and toothbrush/toothpaste, hair elastic. lip balm,  thank you cards so I could do work and get those done.  I had nothing because we had literally left the night before with only ourselves.
After they gave me juice, they let me have water/ice that night.  In the morning, they dumped my ice/water and wouldn't let me eat or drink anything else.  (I know now that was because they thought I might need to have a c-section and didn't want any food/liquids in my stomach)
Thursday ---- I saw dr. boyd in the morning.   she said she watched my "strip" all night.  It was so comforting to see her.
Dr. Albert was supposed to come by noon.  He was the ultrasound specialist I had seen earlier in my pregnancy.  Apparently he also used to be an OBGYN.  He didn't show up until after 2:00.  came with his nurse/wife.
For 40 minutes he did an ultrasound.  He wasn't familiar with the hospital's specific equipment so it took a few minutes to acclimate.  I enjoy him and it was fun talking to him.  He didn't see the baby really moving even though he was prodding him and also the baby wasn't making breathing motions.  He said he was looking for 10 things to be happening with the baby and saw 8.  Everything else was perfect.  Baby's heart rate was good.  I'd feel him move every once in a while but for the most part not big movements, just smaller movements.  He said that nearly everything looked good, not sure exactly what was going on but that he said we should just keep watching him.  there was nothing serious enough to justify a c-section right then that we needed to wait and see what happened.  Would do another sono in the morning.  The biophysical score was inconclusive.
peter wasn't mad but worried.  He felt that we weren't addressing the issue that was causing the baby's previous condition and instead were more worried about if where he was at now was okay.  He worried about why he was where he was at and not if he's okay where he's at.
I was wanting to understand what the paths forward could be to get to the original c-section date - - Doctor Boyd said that one option was to go home on bed rest and go in to dr. boyd each week for monitoring.  Another option was to go home on bed red and come into hospital for monitoring.  Another option was to do c-section then.  And last option would be to stay in hospital for monitoring --- for WEEKS.  
dr. boyd said I could eat!  (I may have begged) So I ordered dinner.  but no food or water after midnight.
I tried to rest...did a bunch of work...and tried to stay calm.  great nurses, like really great nurses.  They were so supportive and encouraging to me.  Honestly, I felt so loved and cared for by them!
dr. boyd came back that night.  I had shared with the nurse that I was nervous about going home because if the baby wasn't moving a lot, how would I be confident he was okay?  Dr. Boyd shared that she'd never seen a case like this.  It made her nervous and she didn't feel good sending me home.  She wanted me to stay there until 38 weeks and then they would do c-section.  however, the sono tomorrow would be the final decision.  she was so nice to come back after she had been home.  she was watching me and concerned about me.  it was grey.  not black and white on what should be done.  I truly appreciate her genuine concern and cautiousness.

The nurse later shared (she said don't tell Dr. Boyd I told you this) that Dr. Boyd was worried that if I went home, I'd end up having a stillborn.
Also, there were two dips in his heartrate late that afternoon.  the first was less than 30 seconds and the second was under 45 seconds but they still happened.  Heart rate went back up.  They watched the heart rate for moving up and down.  It shows he is neurologically okay if his heart rate speeds up and varies.
Peter came after putting the kids to bed, he grabbed taco bell for us both and we had a late night snack. good to visit. but I felt so conflicted.  I felt okay with waiting and staying in the hospital because I wanted the baby to stay in me as long as possible... I'd been googling it and risk of breathing issues, trouble latching and nursing, even issues into their life like asthma happened with babies born this early.
The nurses were superstitious- they brought in everything early for the c-section "just in case" because now that they brought it in, it wouldn't be needed :)  They had me sign permission for an emergency c-section that night just in case (but again because they had done it, of course it wouldn't be needed).  That had me super stressed and nervous.  If an emergency c-section happened, there wouldn't be time for an epidural and I would need to be put under and Peter couldn't be in the room.
It was another rough night with little sleep but even more stress on listening to his heartbeat because now it had those few issues of dropping.  (and I heard one of them really clearly.  I questioned whether that could have really been his heartbeat).
I went pee all the time because of IV but had to drag it with me and unhook from the sensors and take them with me.  It made me nervous to unhook from all the sensors even for a couple minutes.

At six that night, they gave me a steroid shot to try and help the baby's lungs in case he needed to be delivered

Dad and Marriann both called that night worried about me.  I didn't really tell a bunch of people what was going on.  Kimberly knew

Friday morning:
That morning, they gave me another steroid shot (This was the first time I've ever gotten a shot in my bum)
There more drops in the baby's heartbeat which really made me nervous.  The second time it happened, I heard it.  The nurse came in quickly after and asked if I was having contractions, I said no because I didn't think I was.  (they can see that on the monitors).  but then I had another one and his heart rate dropped which it shouldn't do during a contraction.  She said she thought this baby would be coming sooner rather than later.  Her face when she walked in told me that I would have a baby today.  It was full of concern.

They had me roll over and when I rolled to my side his heartrate again dropped.  

Dr. Albert and Peter got there the same time.  He watched for 15 minutes.  Again no breathing (diaphragm movement) and no other movement.  He believed at that time it might be that the placenta was starting to fail.  He said regardless of the sono, based on the strip from that morning with the heart drops that he would recommend a c-section.  I wasn't sure if he was talking about now or in a few days. So I asked him and he said now because if we waited a few days, we run the risk that we might not  have a baby.  We were still seeing the upticks in heartbeat but the longer you wait the more you will see the flatlines.  He estimated that the baby was 6 lbs 4 oz.

After he left, the nurse came in and said dr. albert talked to dr. boyd (around 9:30) and we would do c-section at 11.  I freaked out. It felt so soon.  I wanted to be able to work more that day. (ugh... what was wrong with my priorities?!)

Peter was good with the c-section that day.  It was good he was able to hear Dr. Albert.  Up to this point he had been resistant and un-satisfied with what people were saying/doing or not doing.  But because he was here this time and heard Dr. Albert, he was good with the plan.

Dr Boyd then changed her mind and decided not to wait until 11 and instead wanted to do the c-section now.  We now had 10 minutes to prep.  things moved fast then - - anesthesiologist came in.  said we were going to do a spinal with deramorph rather than epidural so that I would be able to move sooner and potentially go to the nicu if baby needed to go. and they got everything else ready.  Peter had packed my hospital bag for me that morning and brought it with him - - it wasn't a ton but enough to get me through a few days whether staying in the hospital for weeks or having a c-section.

The nurse came up to peter and said we are moving it up, here's your stuff, get changed.

I walked to the operating room while they showed peter where to put our stuff.  Weird just strolling in there.  They did the spinal  - peter watched (they made him sit down in case he fainted while watching which of course, he didn't).  I was so nervous.  I asked the nurse if I could hold her hands.  Was nice that I didn't have to do it while having contractions like the last two times.  The nurse was Kristina.  She was so compassionate, so encouraging.  I felt so lost and nervous and she kept me sane.  I will be forever grateful to her and appreciative for all her support over the couple of days.  Once I had the baby, she was no longer my nurse (but we ultimately stayed in touch and have become friends and her support and encouragement hasn't changed).
They got me all hooked up.  everyone came in the room.  I tried to be pleasant and carry on conversations just to keep my panic down.  I remember when dr. boyd finally got in the room they said she was here.  I said "oh good, dr. boyd's here" and they all laughed and gave her a hard time (what are they - chopped liver?).

I starting feeling nausea this time.  Started at a 2 on a scale of 10 and I gave the anesthesiologist a heads up so he could give me something.  Got up to a 6 and I told him again (it was creeping up my throat) but it went away.  Getting the oxygen in my nose seemed to help too.  I tried to just breath calmly.   Felt like my chest was scrunched up into my neck and they helped to straighten things out and get my chin up so I didn't feel so restricted.

Peter tried to distract me and was talking to me and touched my ear.  I knew what he was doing but still appreciated it

I was really worried about the shaking (had talked with them about it before because it had been an issue during my two previous c-sections) but it didn't end up happening this time.  After the baby was out, he gave me something to help calm me down.

When the baby came out, it was not as much pressure as I remember from last time) - - she pulled him out, head first a little and unwrapped the cord from his neck and then pulled him out the rest of the way and you could see the cord that was knotted.  As soon as she suctioned his mouth and he started crying.  (so the cord was around his neck and was tied in a knot--both are very serious things).

I just remember them saying there he is and he started crying but I wasn't sure what I was hearing so I said is that him?  is he out?  and peter said yes you can hear him crying.  They held him up for me to see and he looked so great to me.

So at that point peter goes over to watch as they work on the baby and I lay there while they work on me.  I don't remember it being awful from that point on.  They gave me "ver-sed"?  to help calm me down after baby was born as a sedative.

peter brought the baby over to me.  We didn't have someone taking tons of pictures this time like we had in the past.  one of the nurses did take a picture of us though.

baby stats?  5 lb 14 oz 19 inches long

we went into the OR at 10:15 he was born at 10:47 and recovery room at 11:28.

recovery - got to do skin to skin, nursed for the first time and got him to latch (wahoo).  they offered me a cup of ice and I quickly downed that.  My legs were totally numb, they sat me up and it felt like I was in a seat on an amusement park ride where when I moved up, my legs swung down and so while I could see that they were flat on the bed, it felt liked they had fallen below the bed.

nurse came in and took the baby's sugars which were low.  they had just changed their procedure/policy on the sugar levels the day before.  If it was before the change he would have gone straight to the nicu based on his sugar levels but because of the new policy, he would be given another chance when he tested next to get his levels up.  his temperature was a little low.  He got his first bottle of formula in the recovery room.  

27 blood sugar for the first read
breathing good
sucking good
nursed well
apgar score was 8/9 out of 10 but no one ever gets a 10.  8/9 is normal.  for him it was coloring and muscle tone

first day was focused on his blood sugars, they immediately wanted to start supplementing with a high calorie formula.  so I would breast feed and then give him the bottle.
also focused on keeping his temperature stable so lots of skin to skin with mom.  I got up and walked around 1 am (so a little more than 12 hours after surgery!) and it was good.  Overall ability to move after surgery was great.  they'd unhook me from leg massage things and iv so I could go to the bathroom and walk around.  My first time doing a lap down the hallway was awesome.  Moved at a good pace and not hunched over.  That was from the dermamoph (sp?)

After a day, we started pumping so then it was breast feed, peter burp him peter give him bottle of formula, I would pump, then peter burp him and wash the pump parts.  From the beginning I got more milk then they expected.  Brought in little syringes for any pumped milk but from the start I was pumping little golden colored bottles of colostrum/ then transitional milk and the lactation consultants nurses and my nurses all amazed.  They brought me tons of empty bottle and labels and we would pump, give them the pumped milk from last time for the fridge and leave the recent one out until his next feeding.  so then it turned into nurse one side, give him 20 ml of breast milk, then give him formula until he was done and I'd pump both sides.  If it wasn't a good nursing session, would pump for 15 minutes but if good go for 10 min.

Once they stopped the IV meds and went to oral meds, my pain increased and my mobility decreased.

day one of not being pregnant (Friday): peter went home at night to tuck kids in and then came back.  I had clear liquids (broth) for dinner and popsicles and pudding. I did it without peter but it was hard.  Emmalyn had a soccer game that Katherine took her to.  The kids facetimed with the baby - they were excited.  decided not to have them come up or anyone else to limit his activities that would take energy away from keeping up his temperature and regulating his sugars (like being passed around between people or dealing with the extra stimulation from having people/energy/noises).  I did my first walk when peter was at home putting kids to bed.

that night we sent him to the nursery and they would bring him back when it was time to eat and then we'd feed him and send him back.  I probably got sleep in one hour increments.  It was tough.  went on my first walk with peter at 1:26 am.
I still had my bruise around the outside of the grounding pad just like the last time I had a c-section but at least this time we eventually remembered it had happened last time and were able to explain that to the nurses.

I was concerned that the baby would go to the nicu without a name, felt like I needed to be able to call him by his name and connect with him so even though I wasn't ready to decide his name.  So, I pushed peter to figure it out.  We looked at our top names, what they meant, how popular they were.  I like the meanings of Nicolas and Alexander and they weren't super popular.

We decided on "Nicolas Alexander" and put it on social media and told the nurse and she asked how to spell it but none of the ways she asked was the way we had actually decided on.  Which freaked me out.  Had I chosen to spell it wrong?  I then found out the name was WAY more popular than I knew if you looked at the most popular way to spell it (which wasn't our way and so we hadn't been looking at it like that).  At first it felt like a good name but then we started using it and I wasn't sure (for some reason I wanted to call him Patrick a few times...which was not even on our list).  I wanted to make sure peter was ok and wouldn't razz me about it forever.

Day two: got to have real food for breakfast!  That morning he got his first bath - the nurses had put it off so that he didn't burn energy doing that the first day.  The nurses were not as stingy on pushing me to stay on liquids until I farted, which was appreciated.  Peter went home. My friend Katherine Lemons took Emmalyn to her soccer game again (she had fun with Katherine's son and her friend Hudson) We skipped Emmalyn's Kindermusik, it was just too much to make that happen.  Peter took Maxwell to Kindermusik while Katherine took Emmalyn to a little boy in the neighborhood's birthday party.  Peter brought Max up before Kindermusik to meet the baby.  He held him but didn't want to.  Said he'd rather hug him.  He was really attentive and liked watching him in the bassinet but didn't want to touch him or kiss him.  He was very hesitant.  He was more interested in getting a snack and watching tv.  After Kindermusik, Peter brought Maxwell back since the hospital was on the way to/from Kindermuisk.  (he also got the car washed), Maxwell ate the lunch I had ordered for him and we had to keep him entertained for  awhile.  Our neighbors, Mary Ann and Chris Ray brought Emmalyn up to meet the baby.  She walked in immediately ready to hold him.  I was giving him a bottle and she just kept giggling at everything the baby was doing.  Totally into it.  Wanted to rock him so she sat on the rocking chair but wasn't big enough to make it rock so would lean forward to get it to rock but that made it look like she was going to roll him out of her lap and so we rocked the chair for her.  Then Chris and Mary Ann held the baby.  Emmalyn wanted to hold him again before he left.  She kept saying "it's okay, Emmalyn is here" and she loved her badge from checking in that said "big sister", loved kissing him.  loved that he was little and he would make noises.  he was adoooooorable. Emmalyn helped bottle feed him, Maxwell took a ton of pictures.  Emmalyn wouldn't stop kissing him.  she asked if I could stand up very well without him in my tummy.

His blood was checked a total of 6 times but after that first one kept getting better each time.

I took my first shower.  by myself, different from first time when nurse helped so much. 

mary ann and chris took the kids home for a sleep over at their house.  They stayed there until 1 the next afternoon.  they sent us flowers - beautiful yellow and white flowers (lilies).  We sent baby to the nursey again at night and they'd bring him back when it was time for him to eat. but he hadn't passed his jaundice test so they put him under lights for like 12 hours.  we'd only get him to feed him (and they'd push us on timing so that he wasn't out from the lights for long) and had to send him back.

saw his pediatrician for the first time (I had just met her on tuesday...in her office because I wanted to switch from the Pediatrician Emmalyn had) and she was pleased with him.

today was the first time for pumping - went awesome. wasn't sure I'd get anything out got 1 oz.  got to keep the baby log of time spent feeding plus ounces and all the diaper changes, feed him every 3 hours,

talked to more family this day (Julianne, grandma nelson) just overwhelming to try to have conversations with everyone, love that they care but it takes energy and also delays the schedule

Day 3: after breakfast peter went home to watch all the kids so Britt could come up and see the baby.  She spent a couple hours up there just me and her.  Appreciated her help and nice to visit with her.  peter brought all the kids up that afternoon.  Hayden had to stay in the lobby because he was sick.  Landon was sweet and quiet when holding him.  My kids were more excited about getting ice cream from the snack room.  Emmalyn again held him, Maxwell didn't.  That night we had our celebration dinner.  he didn't pass his first hearing test because it was when he was under the lights and he was done being under them and wouldn't stay still.

that morning peter sat by the window with the baby to get him some sun (the nurse said that wouldn't work because the windows had UV protections).
that afternoon saw his pediatrician again - asked her if, due to my milk supply, if we could try just doing breast feeding and then bottle feeding with breast milk and she said yes.  as long as his weight stayed good.  (So again I tried to protect his energy and not have him get exhausted with trying to breast feed and then not have energy to drink milk or keep temp up etc.)
so gassy, it was making me uncomfortable.  passing little gas. decided to do suppository to help with first bowel movement (awful on previous pregnancies) so joked about it with nurse but did it and it was so much easier.  whew

Day 4 - Monday - passed his hearing test, did photographs with a photographer which were sweet but we didn't buy, showered again, tried to walk each day multiple times but it was crazy how time flew by and things like showering/walking just got pushed back and we didn't have a ton of visitors (glad we did that).  I had friends who wanted to come up but told them we were holding off for the baby) it just makes it hard to stick to his feeding schedule when you have people coming up... plus it's stressful.
dr boyd came to see me even though spring break.  love her.  appreciate her support of me - everyone loves her, she's the best.

peter went home in the afternoon and I worked to wrap everything up since I couldn't on Friday.  my leave will officially start tomorrow 3/13.

saw pediatrician again

Emmalyn had play date with friends, and my neighbor and friend Allison took her to gymnastics
face timed with kids (mainly Emmalyn)
boys on spring break

did car seat check test and heart test
I worked a little too.

Day 5  - Tuesday . waited for results of jaundice testing because the last one was high but not enough to do lights again.  this was still high but not enough to keep him there.  His pediatrician would check it when we would go see her on Thursday.  packed up, had breakfast, went home.  sad.

put clothes on for first time to go home

came home and it was just us because britt took the boys.  tough to adjust home.  peter went and got meds, put together the bed, Nicolas had time in the sun - he was looking yellow.

I stayed for 4 nights instead of 3 after the birth, but so grateful for that.  LOVE the nurses.  Wished I could be friends with a few of them.  Had a few we had from before, not sure when but they were familiar.  Always felt totally taken care of and the baby was loved.  great lactation specialist who I used each day because of the changes we were making in his feeding and I didn't want to screw up the ultimate goal of breast feeding him at home even though he was drinking from a bottle now too.  They were always so impressed with his latch and how good he was sucking/swallowing and my milk output.

peter supportive.  stayed every night even though super uncomfortable for him.  By last night I wasn't having him help as much and the nurse would help more and I'd just let him sleep.

great food
groggy in the hospital.  hard to stay awake for both of us
lots of support and messages from friends.




max kissd my belly :(

February 2018 - Notes from my phone

 Feb 2018-

21- Maxwell’s plays with Landon almost every day at recess. At home Landen and Emmalyn play really well together most of the time. He gets the best giggles out of her. She has started talking about her dreams and will tell us about nightmares she has had (she seems like she has always had nightmares because she has always had issues with whimpering and crying out at night). Some of her nightmares - almost getting run over by a car or losing daddy when he got in a car and drove away from us. 

Max and Emmalyn both are super picky on dinner lately. It’s annoying. 

We moved max into his own new room. Emmalyn is excited for her new room too. They have more moments of playing together and treating each other nicely. I love it. 

Maxwell's 5th tooth is about to come out and he’s excited about it. Works on wiggling it a lot. He loves learning the recorder. Really improved at soccer this last season. 

Emmalyn is great at soccer when she tries. Usually scores 1-2 times a game if she gets into it.

33 weeks -2/21/18

2/21/18

Starting to have some really uncomfortable days
tired
insomnia a little better
still not horrible heart burn
i don't think i waddle yet
people see me and they assume that I'm ready to pop and then i have to tell them, nope...still 6 weeks left (to c-section date anyway)
at least they say I look good
So many things to get done around the house and prep for the baby yet I struggle to get little things done each night and on the weekend
got a second cold sore
yesterday and today looked like my feet were a little swollen

crossmark NOW (network of women group) threw me a baby shower this week...surprise, so nice!
still haven't really prepped anything for the baby
after the shower I did register on amazon so if anyone coming to my neighborhood shower wants to do something besides diapers, at least they will have some ideas

kids are really excited - - they give the baby hugs and kisses all the time.  love to feel him moving.  "he booped me" is what they will say
Maxwell said he was excited.  I asked him why and he said because of the "gender".  Which makes me again really glad this is a boy.
emmalyn knows that they will cut me open to get him out.  she says she doesn't want to watch .  wants to know how soon she will get to see the baby
they love watching the "what to expect" video each week and remember the fruit the baby's size is compared to
emmalyn is fascinated by all of it....how things are working now and how they will work once the baby is out.  She thinks it's hilarious that he's naked right now.  understands the umbilical cord ("Velical cord" to her)
names are going to be tough.  peter and I just like different things

week 29 1/24/18

29 weeks pregnant!

Booops

Emmalyn calls the umbelical cord "Velical cord"

Emmalynn is so excited to see videos and know how big the baby is.  She’s loving looking at pics and videos from when she’s a baby, too

28 weeks, my blood work came back anemic so I have to start taking iron

I also didn't pass my glucose test so I had to go in and do the follow up 3 hour test.  It was awful.  At first it wasn't so bad but a few hours in I felt soooo sick and so tired.  It made total sense why they won't let you leave and you have to stay there because it would have not been safe for me to be driving.  I could even walk around the grocery store that the testing office was in by the end of it.  And then it took me a few days to really feel normal again.  No Fun!  Luckily I passed that second test.

Insomnia is kicking in too.

Jan 4, 2018 - Week 26

I did not pass my first glucose testt and so I have to go back in and do the longer test.

The kids like watching the weekly videos from the "what to expect" app and hearing how big the baby is (papaya, ear of corn, eggplant, etc) and learning about the baby.  They are both so interested and excited.

Emmalyn wanted to write a note to the baby so she had her dad help her.  It was filled with "I love you's" and sweet things like that.  Maxwell likes to come up to me and push on my belly to find where the baby is at and then he gets excited when he thinks he's found him.

It's time to get started on things for prepping.  I've put everything off until the new year

We still have no name, we are not registered at the hospital, and I haven't thought about things like a car seat or gotten out clothes.  I still need to switch kid's rooms, etc.  Ugh - there's so much to do!

December 22 - 2017 24 weeks

Last week (23 weeks) saw my belly move when the baby moved for the first time.
I've had more energy - - - many nights I'm up past 10 (and sometimes even make it to 11:30!)
I've only had to do a tums in the middle of the night twice so far this pregnancy.
I'm certainly starting to feel uncomfortable more now.  It's been no more sleeping on belly for weeks.
The kids are so excited and focused on the baby...
Emmalyn always asks if he's awake.  She's felt him move once and it shocked her :)  They both want to feel him move but because his movements are unpredictable, they lose interest in waiting pretty quickly.  They both like to hug and kiss the baby.
Emmalyn still says his name is Maxwell Jr but this week she added that he could also be named "Charlie Brown".  She's so into being a big sister and taking care of the baby.
Always lots of questions...she was shocked this week when she asked if he was wearing pjs (it was bedtime) and I said he was naked.  She thought that was hilarious.   She wishes there was a hole in my belly so she could see and poke the baby.
It's nice because I've gotten quite a few compliments from people when they see me and say I look great and am super cute pregnant.  I don't remember that happening much before.  I still have my maternity clothes from last 2 but they are all XL so while I can wear them, they aren't flattering and just make me look bigger than I am.  I get the compliments when I'm wearing the few new clothes I've bought that are smaller sizes.  It makes me want to go get more so I look better but I don't want to spend the money.

12/22
Emmalyn Update:
Emmalyn is the absolute best and the absolute worst.  She will be so tender and loving - say things like when we are cuddling in the morning "mom, I wish we could cuddle forever" and "I love you so much" but then she's also started throwing big fits.  Throwing things like her shoes, stomping her feet, and running way when she's supposed to go on time out (in which she screams and cries for 20 minutes).  She's loving soccer.  Each day when she wakes up she asks if she has school that day, do I have work that day, and what does she have (meaning other activities) that day.  If it's the weekend and neither of us have work or school, she goes "yay!  that means we can hang out together".  She is singing all the time and has an amazing memory for songs and melodies. 

Maxwell Update:
Maxwell is so whiny and resistant especially when it comes to food.  Feel like all the kid wants to eat is mac n cheese and pizza.  It's so annoying at dinner time.  We got him a sonic care toothbrush after his last dentist appt and it's made a huge difference in the cleanliness of his teeth.  So great!!!

10-30 pregnancy update

At week 10: I told Brittany that I was pregnant
At week 11: I met with an ultrasound specialist.  They did an ultrasound.  It's early, but he think it's a boy, no sign of downs.  We also did blood test for genetic testing to make sure everything else is okay (and will also tell us the sex of the baby).  Since I'm so old (ha!) this testing is recommended due to the higher risks of complications for babies with an old momma.
I felt the baby move!  It just feels like something moving in my belly, not distinguishable.
Week 12: On Monday, we got a call with results from the blood test, there are no sign of chromosome issues, and confirmed it's a boy!

With that good news, we went home and we decided to tell the kids.
We took a video and told them they were going to have a little baby brother. Their reactions were so cute.  Emmalyn was over the moon!!  Max came over and asked if he gave me a hug would it make the baby happy??  He immediately gave suggestions for what we could name the baby.  It was super sweet.

The kids both are so excited.  They are asking lots of questions.  Max wants to give the baby kisses nearly every day.  Emmalyn asks questions as we are doing daily things...we are showering so she asks :will the baby use baby conditioner?  where will the baby shower?" or "where will the baby sleep?"  She did NOT like that I said he would sleep in her bed and she'd get a new bed.

The kids have been very attached lately...lots of cuddling.

Max asked if the baby can hear and I said yes so he got close to my belly and loudly said "I love you baby".

About week 12 really started to notice a lessening of nausea and basically gone by 13 weeks.

I feel like I started looking pregnant about 13 weeks.

At week 15, Peter felt baby move for the first time.

How's my second trimester so far? (I'm just at 17 weeks) I'm just exhausted...always tired. still falling asleep watching tv before 10 pm. I could take a nap at any time...  also overwhelmed and negative about everything.
Now I am getting winded when going up stairs.
I have no real aversions anymore but like to eat like a child (mac n cheese, pasta, bread, pizza, etc.) My cravings have been frozen lemonade, pizza rolls, I love pickles (and one day I DID have pickles and also ice cream) it's hard for me to drink enough water.  I also want to drink soda so badly!  I've been adding a little bit of Simply Lemonade to my water to give it a little flavor.  I have no energy - hard to get excited about baby.  The thought of what it means and the extra work just overwhelms me.  I have had a few minor headaches.
Just this week I am breaking out with zits
My hair is thinner and not stopping falling out - - so much for that pregnancy perk.


KIDS update:
Emmalyn - waking up often in 5 am hour last few weeks and not tired anymore.  She likes a light on when she goes to sleep.  In the morning she asks 3 questions, "What do I have today?"  "Are you going to work today?" "Whose choice is it?" (we go back and forth whether she picks her clothes or I do)
She still is clingy when I drop her off at school (after first week she hasn't been super excited to go but she does like it).
On 10/17 when counting she said "16"  she has skipped it FOREVER.  like always.  BIG DAY
She scored her first goal on Saturday at soccer!
Maxwell had eye dr. appt last week and his doctor said that if things stay like this that next summer, when he has next appt, he can probably stop wearing his glasses.  He will still will be minorly blurry in that one eye but it won't affect anything and his vision won't get worse.  He can wear his glasses only a few hours a day now but we will still have him do it all day.  He likes playing goalie at soccer.