Baby is here!

I haven't had time to update.  And this will be really short because she will be waking soon for another feeding.

Keira was born November 21st at 7:38am.  We were scheduled for induction at 6am, but she decided the night before that she wasn't getting evicted, she will make up her own mind.  We arrived to the hospital at around 8pm, and ended up needing a little extra help with pitocin to get going to what they wanted.  They shut that off though by 2am.  More on birth story later.

She was 7lbs 14ozs, and 20.5 inches long.  3 day check up she dropped a pound, and we're struggling with jaundice issues.  She's had to go daily for blood work and been bordering the line of needing readmitted.  We're waiting on results from today.  She's eating and  peeing/pooping great now, so I'm hoping we are going to have lower numbers and can stop checking.  It's heartbreaking to watch.

Overall, things are going great.  Absolutely love her and can not believe she is mine to keep!  I can sit for hours just staring at her in awe.  Kristopher loves her and is an amazing big brother.

Pics and more story to come later.  Just wanted to update that she is finally here!

Closer

Half way through week 36 now.  It's getting so close!

Stats:

• Weekly visits with the doctor.
• Weight gain, a little over 1lb, total gain, 14 I think they said.  
• Baby has lowered more and is "entering birth canal."  Yay for head down but wow the pressure at times!
• BP was awesome
• Asked about birth control once she's here.  I said not sure.  I really don't know.  Take chances that breastfeeding will keep my period away?  Assume that the 12 years we've been married and this is the first surprise pregnancy means we are safer?  Really not sure.  I do know if this somehow ends in a c-section, they already have authorization to do a tubal.  I don't want multiple surgeries like that.  I've read a lot of mixed info on tubals after delivery, and I'm not sure I want to do that right away because I don't want to risk messing up the breastfeeding experience.  I'm really hoping that works out for us.
• All baby stuff is washed, ready, car seat installed, baby bag packed.  We are READY!
• Hospital bag is all done except grabbing tooth brush when it's time to rush out the door.  And I want to throw some snacks in there for while my husband is hanging out.  Last time I remember him not eating anything because he didn't want to leave me, and he didn't eat earlier in the day because I wasn't eating either.  So, snacks would be a good thing to have in there so he can get something.
• Having a lot of pressure this week, and a lot of braxton hicks.  At times, it gets time-able, and I get to the point of almost calling for the sitter and ready to head in, and it magically slows down.  I doubt I'll make it to the due date at this point, but this little girl has proved that she has a mind of her own and I have no control of this situation.  Ha.
• Food is not agreeing well.  GI issues similar to when I had gall bladder attacks.  If it's not living in the bathroom after a meal, it's reflux for hours later that nothing helps cure.  
• And final part for this week.  Sleep SUCKS.  I feel so exhausted all the time, but I can't nap.  Even when I do take the time and try.  Bedtime, very uncomfortable.  I've taken to curling up on the couch and watching tv for a while, drifting off, zombie walking to bed, then tossing and turning for a few more hours.  By the early morning hours, I do eventually crash, just in time to have that wicked alarm go off and ruin my good sleep.  I am sure I'll get more sleep once the baby comes.  

So, that's about it for now.  Next appt is next Wednesday.

Can count by days!

It was pretty exciting to log on to the tracker app I have on my tablet, and see that we are down to days.  DAYS!!  It usually says weeks and days.  Now it just said 32 days to go!  That's exciting, but scary all in the same!
This entire pregnancy, the doctors have bumped me up to the nearest "even" number of weeks.  I started at 9 weeks, they made it a 10 week appt.  This week, I'm half way between 35-36, and they called it the 35 week appt.  Either way, I'm going weekly now through the end.

This week:

• Gained 2lb.  No complaints.
• BP was higher, but still at a "normal" for their books.  I have some hand and feet swelling for sure, and don't feel 100%, but it's still a normal number so no concerns on their part.  
• Because Kristopher was early, they wanted to do the group b strep swab early.  That was tolerated I guess.  At least it is over.  
• I'm 1cm dilated, cervix is softening and not as high.  Right on target for what they want to see at this point.
• Baby is in fact head down.  I doubted this all last week, because of pressure up high, and various times that there was a lump on one side, and feet at the other.  Turns out, she just learned how to stretch those legs out.  She's low enough that they don't think she will be turning on us.
• Feeling pretty uncomfortable lately.  Pressure and braxton hicks pretty much every day, but never enough to start to count or track it as anything potentially laborish.
• All clothes are washed, pack n play is set up with bassinet feature, clean sheets, etc.
• Baby's bag is packed, mine is almost done.
• Installing car seat some evening this week!
• Baby swing brought into the living room to prepare the dogs for baby gear to be around.  They are already use to it.

So that's the baby update.

Home/cyber school update.

We have a decent routine going.  We're able to get lessons done without much struggle, and he's starting to become a little more independent with it.  Right now he's working on a live math lesson with his teacher, and he loves when they do this type of thing.  His grades are awesome.  He's in gifted and talented math & science, and then regular 3rd grade for everything else.  The G&T classes he's passing with either an A or A+ and it makes him so happy to see that score update each time we submit the tests.  

Anxiety and stress level has been reduced a lot, and he sleeps pretty good now.  The past few mornings I actually have to wake him when I come up to get Daniel ready for school.  That is actually something extremely rare.  

As time goes on, he's been sharing little parts of things that happened at school that really bothers me.  I am starting to see why he had such struggles at the end of the day.  He held it together so well there, and never let on he was not happy.  But now, he seems very happy and settled.  I hope things go just as well when the baby arrives.

That's it for today.  

34 Weeks!

I'm getting a tad bit nervous.  It's getting so close.  I'm very ready to meet this little girl, but at the same time, scared of all that comes with that.  Not ready for the labor part.  Not ready for the recovery.  And bleeding again.  I'm already sleep deprived, and moody, so I'm assuming adding the baby to that is going to just make me sleep deprived but with a baby to snuggle, so I should be ok.

Appt on Monday went well.  Since Kristopher is no longer in an actual school during the day, he went along.  It was the first time he got to hear the heartbeat, and he found that pretty cool.  Baby cooperated this time and we got to hear a good solid minute of it.  Then, I got my flu shot.  First time ever.  Had to brave it though because he had a lot of anxiety about getting his, and he has asthma so it's beneficial for him to have one each year.  I guess the shot wasn't too bad.  Hopefully it helps keep the house germ free this winter.  The boys both got theirs on Thursday.  Kristopher kind of panicked when it came time and cried more than he has since he's been a toddler.  He also tensed up, and had some soreness after.  Daniel did fine.
Back to baby appt.  No weight gain, and a big lecture about eat more snacks.  She told me to snack before going to bed, which I can not do because of reflux issues.  I have to have a few hours between eating and bed before I can comfortably lay down.  The other night we had a late supper at almost 7:30, and I was still suffering while trying to sleep at 3am.  It was a long night.  Either way, I eat all day, and do not restrict calories or types of food.  If I was not pregnant, this kind of eating would seriously make me gain 10lbs a week.  The baby had "awesome growth" in the 2 weeks, so she let it go at that.  This week, she's head down, and seems to be staying.  I've probably just jinxed myself by saying that.  Size wise, she is definitely running out of space at this point, and movements have slowed a lot.  It's amazing the difference a week makes.  Last weekend she was still doing the hard pokes and jabs, and you could see my belly jiggling all over the place pretty much all day.  Now, it's slowed, and I feel more pressure towards the crotch movements, or feet kicks into the ribs.  Not that I'm complaining....This way, I can actually feel the shape of those tiny feet when I put my hand against, and I find it completely amazing.  Her nickname this week is little foot.  :)
The weather has finally turned to fall here, which was extremely welcomed.  The feet and hand swelling has gone away.  I actually feel kind of chilly lately, and we've had a lot of rain this week so I broke out the sweatshirts.  Oh and that's another thing.  Pulling out winter clothes, I've discovered I have NO shirts that fit.  I don't wear stuff that is tight to begin with, and always covers enough that it didn't rise up and expose my belly while not pregnant.  I assumed that stuff would fit now, just be kind of close to riding up.  No.  It's exposing the belly at least 2 inches.  I have a ton for after baby, but as of right now I have 2 hoodies, and one maternity shirt.  I am torn on if I should buy a few more to hold me over the next few weeks, or just tough it out in short sleeve and wear a light jacket when I get cold.  I know as soon as the bulk of this belly deflates, my shirts will fit and I won't need anything new for winter.

Cyber schooling is going well.  We got caught up on lessons this week since all his books arrived.  He has an awesome laptop as well that they sent, and I've found it a little easier because he can have some independent time learning to use that, and in a central location on things that require independent work.  Before, he was restricted to our desktop and in a more distraction filled place.  He really enjoys math, next in line appears to be social studies and science, and language arts is his trouble area.  He gets annoyed by that because there is a lot of writing, and yesterday he had to write a report for me to scan and submit.  He struggles with the writing side of things.  Overall though, he's really liking the new school approach and his night time anxiety has pretty much vanished.  I still feel it's the right choice for us.  I'm just hoping to get into a steady routine for it by the time the baby arrives and steals most of the day.  Must get this to be more independent starting, so he doesn't have to wait on me while I get her settled....

Mixed updates

This was our school change week.  It happened a lot quicker than I expected and to accept our new journey, we had to unenroll from regular public school on Wednesday.  We got acquainted with the cyber program on Thursday, and Friday, finishing a couple lessons and then just filling the rest of our "school" time with other educational things.  Reading, trip to the library, setting up our work station, etc.  We took a long walk to the park and came home and researched the types of ducks we found and both learned some new things.  Already, his anxiety has improved so much.  He's actually sleeping awesome again as well.  Monday we have the big evaluation that I've been waiting on for a good year now.  They will finally give him the aspergers diagnosis from the person who needs to do so, and we can finally get the extra help and support we need for him.  I'm going to push for an IEP even though we are doing cyber school, just in case he decides he wants to go back to public school in the future.  That way the fight is not an option if it's already in place.

Baby related.  I'm 33 weeks.  Wild child turned breech again and is loving the fact of hanging out at the top of my belly.  I have to sleep with 3 pillows as support or I wake up with vomit in my mouth from the crappy digestion I have going on, and her crazy flips at night.  Still love the movements, I just wish we could get them a little bit lower and not make me feel like vomit all the time.  She is so strong.  The movements are always to the point of seeing my belly wiggle and jiggle around.  The only person who has yet to see is my mom.  Something about her around makes the baby just stop moving.  It doesn't matter how long she is here, the movements are non existent, or very very slow like she's trying not to be seen.  My "34 week" appt is Tuesday.  I am debating about asking to be rechecked, because the occasional pressure and pinching feeling is back more frequently.  I still have a few braxton hicks per day, and they are starting to become a little painful at times.  They told me to watch for 4 in an hour, and I'm not near that yet.  I'm just nervous because of how early I experienced stuff like this with Kristopher.  And especially if the baby is going to remain breech, I'd like to know what's going on.  We're about 45 mins from the hopsital, with good traffic.  I know every labor is different but Kristopher's was pretty quick for a first time, and I was 3 cm dilated from 35 weeks till fully hit at 37 weeks.  He was born right on the 37 week mark.  We're just getting close and I'm a bit parinoid.