Tooter

A few weeks ago Ryan woke up and "tooted". He immediately started giggling, and I thought to myself "Oh boy, here we go. I'm in a household full of boys, so I better get used to this."

Almost every morning since then, Ryan wakes up, toots, and then immediately points to his bottom and shouts "Mine!". He's claiming his stinky ways and thinks it's hilarious. I of course can't help but laugh at him because while kind of gross, it's also really cute. He gets really upset if he tries to toot and he can't. Adam calls it a broken tooter.

God, if we have a 3rd child, can it please be a girl? I'm outnumbered here!

Nesting

They say that most pregnant women "nest" right before their baby comes. They have a sudden urge to clean the house and get everything in order. I think I've definitely been experiencing this. I am constantly looking around and thinking "I'm not going to be able to do that once the baby is here, so I should do it now". My To-Do list might look strange to other people, but checking these things off my list has helped me mentally prepare for being a mother of two. At this point there is so much more I'd like to do, but am just physically unable to. Here are a few ways I've been nesting in the past 3 days:

-Mowed the back lawn
-Got my first pedicure in 5 years
-Alphabetized my spice cabinet
-Vacuumed our baseboards
-Painted trim in the nursery

If you're a Mom, did you do any nesting right before giving birth?

Dinner Conversations

The above video is pretty typical of our dinner "conversations" lately. We try to negotiate with Ryan to get him to eat a bite of dinner in order to have dessert. We feel that if he even attempts one bite, that's good enough for now. Unfortunately he will rarely take a bite of anything that doesn't resemble a cracker or some other form of junk food. On this particular night we were trying to get Ryan to take a bite of mashed potatoes, but he just wouldn't. Adam finally stuffed a bite into his mouth. Probably not the best method, but how do you force a toddler to try something? Ryan calls a cookie a "D", so that's what he was asking for, in case you are wondering. I hate sending Ryan to bed hungry, but it happens quite often! Any tricks for getting picky kids to try new foods?

38 Week Appointment

Another eventful appointment today! After Wednesday's episode of blurred vision, my midwife was a little concerned about my preeclampsia symptoms. (Rapid weight gain, higher blood pressure, low platelet count). So when she saw that I had gained 6 pounds in the last 2 days (Yes you read that right. It's out of control), she decided to send me to Labor & Delivery just to be monitored. Seriously, this water retention is so uncomfortable. Last night my cankles were so huge that I couldn't even point my foot out straight. It hurt too much, like my skin was stretched to the limit. Here is the only stat I know from today's appointment. Yes, that is a gain of 10 pounds since last week.

Total Weight Gain: 54 lbs

So I headed over to Labor & Delivery shortly after lunch and luckily didn't have to stay too long. Baby looks good, my blood pressure was normal, blood work came back normal.....all normal! I am 4cm dilated now and having irregular contractions, but they aren't painful yet. So no real labor yet. Just lots of waiting. And drinking water. And trying not to puff up any further.

Nully Nursery

The nursery is done! I really owe Adam a huge thank you for working so hard on this room. He spent many hours painting and putting up wainscoting. He even built trim for the closet and custom-built me a little shelf to hold the diaper wipes. What a guy! Here are a few pictures, although I think it really is cuter in person. 

 

The letters are part of the baby's name. I'm going to wait to reveal it on the internet once he is born, although most of our friends and family already know the name! Now we just continue to wait for the baby.

Blurry

I had a little scare while at Target this morning. I was trying shoes on Ryan when all of a sudden my vision got really blurry. I blinked a few times and took some deep breaths but it didn't go away. After about a minute it did clear up, but I decided to leave the store and call Labor & Delivery. Luckily I was about 5 minutes from Kaiser, so I went in and they did a quick check of my vitals.

Baby's heartrate was good. My blood pressure was a little higher than usual (probably because the blurry vision scared me!) and there was a trace amount of protein in my urine. Unfortunately I also discovered that I have gained another 4 pounds in the last 4 days. Major water retention and swelling going on. Along with the blurred vision these are all initial signs of preeclampsia, which I developed during the 40th week of my first pregnancy.

I'm waiting on a few lab results, but hopeful that it was just dehydration that caused the blurred vision. There are so many reasons why I do not want to develop preeclampsia!

Still Pregnant

Well I'm still here and still very much pregnant. 37 weeks and 5 days to be exact. I don't remember being this uncomfortable at the end with Ryan! Yesterday I was so swollen that I could barely make a fist with my hands. Water retention is no joke....it is an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. Today the swelling was down, but I had trouble walking for part of the day due to back and pelvic pain.

Twice this week a total stranger has walked up to me an said "Oh you're having a boy!". I asked them how they knew and they said they could tell because my belly was sticking out front and not so much to the sides. Who knew you could tell?

The nursery is finally done! As soon as I buy new batteries for my camera I will take pictures for you all to see. The name has been chosen but I might keep it a secret from the internet for now.

For the rest of the week I'm trying to just spend a lot of quality time with Ryan, get some rest, and cross off the last few items on my To Do list. The anticipation is so exciting!

37 Week Appointment

I was so excited to see my midwife today, to see if anything is happening in terms of my body preparing for labor. And my appointment definitely did not disappoint! Here are my stats:

Total Weight Gain: 44 lbs
Blood Pressure: 117/70

The midwife took one look at my swollen legs and commented that I am definitely near the end, judging by my water retention. Luckily my rings still fit this time around! At this point I'm trying not to even worry about my weight gain. Yes it's a lot. Already a lot more than the 36 I gained with Ryan. But with such a short time left, I'm trying to just eat the foods I enjoy, take walks as often as possible, and not worry about it.

We started out talking about the baby's size. I told her that Ryan was 8 lbs, 6 oz, and she said this baby will definitely be smaller. My stomach is just smaller this time around for some reason. Although she did an ultrasound and confirmed that I have enough amniotic fluid for two babies! She also confirmed that this baby is still a boy!

I told her about my intense Braxton Hicks contractions. Painless, yet so strong at the same time. She said, "Well let's see if they are doing anything in terms of dilation." She did a quick internal exam and told me that the baby is sitting super low. She was actually able to poke his head. She then surprised me by saying that I am already 3cm dilated. What? I was not expecting that at all. While it does mean that my body is getting ready for labor, it doesn't necessarily mean labor will be soon. I could walk around like this for another 3 weeks without any progress. Although my midwife did say that she would be very surprised if I made it to my due date of June 7th.

So now we are in super speedy get-ready mode. Adam is literally caulking and painting the nursery as I type. Tonight I'm going to make a list of what to pack for the hospital. And a baby name? No progress on that yet.

Foodie Friday: Baby Freezer Meals

My freezer is stocked with meals ready to eat once we're home with baby #2. It was hard for me to cook right away after having Ryan, so I made sure this time to prepare some meals ahead of time that can easily be popped in the oven. Here's what is in my freezer:

Vegetable Lasagna: I have made this before, but never frozen it. I like the idea of having a lighter, vegetarian lasagna to eat on a warm summer/spring night.

Mexican Beef Casserole: My dear friend brought this meal to me after I had Ryan, and I have made it many times since. I made it with beef this time. It was hard to put it in the freezer this time and not eat it on the spot!

Turkey & Orzo Stuffed Peppers:  My absolute favorite stuffed peppers recipes. I change the original recipe just a bit, to add ground turkey and grated carrots, but otherwise it is perfect!

Salsa Chicken: I got this recipe from a friend. Basically, you combine chicken breasts with taco seasoning, salsa, lime juice and cilantro. Put it in a crock pot and cook for up to 8 hours. Shred the chicken and you instantly have a great filling for tacos, burritos, etc. Adam loves this chicken recipe.

Pepperoni Ziti Casserole: This was my first time making this recipe, so I hope it tastes good!

In addition to the above freezer meals, I also made and froze pancakes and peanut butter balls. I figured these would be good to have on hand for easy breakfasts for Ryan (and me!).

I have recipes for 3 other freezer meals that I want to make, but sadly, my freezer is full!

So what do you think? If you're a mom, did you prepare freezer meals ahead of time? If not, how did you feed your family after having a baby?

37 Weeks Pregnant

Getting close! This past week I've just been busy checking things off my list, and adding more things to it! It feels like for every thing I check off (paint nursery, buy Moby Wrap, prepare freezer meals), I think of twice as many things that I need to do or buy (buy nursery trash can, pack hospital bag, pick baby name!). I like to feel as prepared as possible for anything in life, and having a baby is no exception. Getting things accomplished and staying organized is helping to calm my nerves about having a second child.

Physically I have had more energy this week. Although my braxton hicks contractions have been so so intense lately! So much so that they affect my breathing. They do not hurt, but when my stomach tightens up, I've noticed that it gets harder to breathe, and I've had to stop a few times and concentrate on breathing through the contraction. Good practice for the real thing! It's making me nervous, though. If these "practice" contractions are this intense, will I be able to handle the real ones without any drugs this time? I really hope so.

Adam and I sat down this week and discussed baby names. We've narrowed our list down to about 3 names. Our problem is that neither of us really love any of the names. Actually I do love one, but Adam definitely does not. So that leaves us with a couple names that we're just lukewarm about. I think this is the only truly important item on our to-do list that is bothering me. Once we have a name picked out I think I will really feel ready for this baby.

Tomorrow I have a check up with my midwife, so I'll try to post if anything interesting happens. And hopefully a picture, if a certain husband of mine will take one!

Water Boy

 Ryan loves the water. I've always known this, but recently I've been using it more and more as a means to entertain him. Ryan received a water table for his birthday, and he loves playing with it! I think it will be great this summer when I'm holding or nursing the baby, to be able to send Ryan out in the backyard to play with this new toy.

 

 Apparently Daddy loves the water table!

Just yesterday, while Adam was working on a project in the nursery (will post pictures soon!), I was able to distract Ryan outside with water. I got a couple paint brushes and a bowl full of water. We spent quite a while "painting" the driveway. Easy and free entertainment!

36 Weeks Pregnant

The 36 week mark in a pregnancy is considered significant because if the baby was born after this week, he probably wouldn't be considered pre-term. It's kind of scary to think I'm so close! In the back of my mind, I still think he will come closer to my original due date, putting me at just 35 weeks now. But who really knows?

Here is a picture from tonight.

I just compared it to my 34 week picture and I can actually tell a difference. My belly is definitely sticking out further. I also looked at my blog at when I was 36 weeks pregnant with Ryan, here. Wearing the same shirt and everything! What do you think? Pretty much the same?

This week I have been feeling very fatigued. Much more so than I remember from my last pregnancy! It's not a sleepy kind of tired, but more of just an overall fatigue, where the thought of doing anything, even standing up, is just exhausting. This feeling comes and goes throughout the day, and I really hate it. It makes me feel so lazy because I want to be up doing things. People tell me to just relax and rest now before the baby comes, but it's so hard to do. If I'm alone with Ryan, I can't just lay down. Even if Adam is home to help, I feel really guilty lounging around and not helping out with things. I can't wait to have my energy back!

I called our local hospital to find out about getting a tour of their Labor & Delivery department, but they're booked through the end of June! Guess Adam and I will just have to figure out where to go once I'm actually in labor. It can't be that difficult.

I think the baby has started to drop. I'm not sure, since I never really "felt" this with Ryan. But I'm suddenly finding myself needing to use the bathroom all the time. And walking around is pretty uncomfortable, yet my breathing feels easier.

Other than that, nothing too exciting going on. My next midwife appointment isn't until the end of next week. Hopefully I'll know if I've progressed then!

Mickey Birthday

 Ryan enjoyed a mickey party this year for his birthday! We really wanted to keep things simple this year, with me almost 9 months pregnant and all. We had some family and close friends over, ordered a bunch of pizzas, ate off mickey paper plates, and enjoyed some homemade mickey cupcakes. When Ryan opened his presents he kept exclaiming "Whoa!" and "Yay!" so I think he really had a fun afternoon.

 Pre-party

 I asked him to say "cheese" and this is what I got.

 Mickey decorations

 More Mickey

 Lots of balloons

 Mickey cupcakes! Argg these were so frustrating to decorate.

 Being a silly boy!

 Putting on Mickey tattoos with friends.

 Eating pizza with friends.

 He actually tried his cupcake this year!

 Ryan ate most of the frosting and then lost interest.

Playing with some of his new toys.

I hope you enjoyed your Mickey party Ryan!

Foodie Friday: Up in Flames

This is what happens when I try to BBQ.

35 Weeks

I had my 35-week appointment this morning with the midwife. Everything's looking good.

Total Weight Gain: 39 lbs
Blood Pressure: 118/68
Baby's Heartrate: Unknown

She asked about the baby's movements, and I mentioned that I've been feeling him very loooow. She reassured me that this was normal, particularly with 2nd pregnancies, and that with the baby being lower my "bones are coming apart". Well great, that sounds wonderful. I guess it's just my body's way of getting ready for labor. Still though, I don't love the idea of my bones falling apart.

She was able to feel the baby's head just by touching my stomach, so she's almost positive he's head-down at this point. My belly is measuring at 34 weeks, which could mean that my original due date of June 15th is more accurate. We'll just have to wait and see!

I asked if I should be concerned about my rapid weight gain. She basically said no. She asked what kind of milk I drink. Nonfat. Do I drink lots of juice? No. Do I eat a lot of potato chips or french fries? Rarely. OK, she said, then you're fine. My body is apparently doing what it's supposed to do. She did encourage me to walk at least 30 minutes every day, so I will try to make that a priority. It's hard when a certain little boy does not enjoy sitting in his stroller.


At my next appointment they will check to see if I am dilated yet. She said I can expect labor this time around to be shorter, which sounds good to me! I can't believe I'm getting so close to meeting my 2nd son!

Two

My sweet boy Ryan, you are two years old now!

This past year we have seen you grow into a determined, stubborn, and adorably sweet big boy. In fact, you have been acting like a two-year-old for quite some time now. Tantrums occur, but generally pass quickly. You love yelling "No" and "Mine" and have a hard time sharing. Yet at the same time, I am beginning to see a really nurturing side to you. It bothers you to see other people sad. If you witness another child fall down or cry, you will often go over and give them a hug and a kiss. My favorite moments during the day are when you wrap your arms around me for a hug.

I often find myself looking at you, wondering what your personality will be like when you grow up. You have always had a shy side, taking your sweet time to warm up to new people (and even people you know well!). But lately you seem to have come out of your shell a little bit, giving others a glimpse of the silly boy that I know so well. You strut around with such confidence at times. You swing you arms like you know where you are going, and nothing is going to slow you down.

And nothing does slow you down! You are on the go all day long. Getting in to things, making messes, climbing on furniture, running up and down the block....you are happiest when you are doing something physical, preferably outdoors.

You fit the stereotype of a little boy in so many ways. You don't play with toys much, but you do love your little cars. You zoom them along the windowsills and push them off of tables. You stop and say "whoa" when a loud car drives by, and of course you love playing in the garage with Daddy. Getting dirty or falling down doesn't phase you one bit.

You are slowly becoming more verbal. You do not say very many real words, but you have developed your own versions of words that only Daddy and I completely understand. It is so fun to have mini conversations with you, and I can't wait to talk to you more as your language skills develop.

Your eating habits have finally gotten better this past month. Your favorite foods at the moment are goldfish, ground meat, smoothies and peanut butter, although your tastes seem to change day by day. You have started trying small bites of new foods, which is huge progress for you! You recently ate broccoli and watermelon for the first time. It only happened once, but I was so proud of you.

Sleeping still isn't your strong suit. You resist going to bed at night until Mommy and Daddy just want to give up on ever getting you to sleep. You usually fall asleep around 9:30 and end up in our bed every single night before midnight. I can't remember the last time you slept more than 3 hours straight in your own bed. Naps still only occur if you are driven around in the car. You have a really hard time settling down and just relaxing. You are an early riser, always up by around 7am at the latest.

Being your Mom is such a blessing. Challenging at times, yes. Frustrating and confusing, yes! But worth it. Being able to stay home with you and watch you grow and develop into a big boy is such a rewarding experience. I know you will be a great big brother and I am so blessed to have you as my first son. Happy Birthday my big 2-year old. I love you!