37 weeks and what a difference!

I had another BP and Dr appointment this week. I weighed in at 151 and b/p is good. More importantly, Baby Burns looks good! The tech estimated him/her to be 7lbs 4 0z. I was shocked! That seems big already. On Wednesday we have the level 2 fetal scan at the perinatologist. We should get a much better estimate of the baby's size then.

I've definitely slowed down a lot this week. I have a sharp pain that runs down my lower right back, into my butt and leg. And- how's this for weird- really sharp pains in my pelvic floor...it's the oddest feeling and very uncomfortable. Braxton Hicks are becoming more frequent, lasting longer and feel more uncomfortable. With all of this I'm still hoping and praying this baby stays put until May. I would really like to spend next week with my students and finish preparing for my sub; I really, really want to enjoy Spring Break as a family of 3 for the last time.

It's so different from being pregnant with Audrey...I could not wait for her to arrive. This time I'm so anxious and nervous and I feel so bad about that! I'm so excited to meet our sweet new child but my anxiety feels like it's overshadowing the excitement. Chris doesn't feel that way at all, so it's nice to have someone around here who feels ready :) He keeps assuring me that Audrey will be so excited and happy to have the baby here...I can only hope!

It never occurred to me that the baby could come early...but with as uncomfortable as I've been this week I'm going to finish packing my hospital bag tonight. In the event that I do get induced, turns out I'll be going in on the afternooon of May 4th. They'll give me cervidil to soften my cervix and that stays in for 12 hours. I was told by a nurse friend of mine that it can make you crampy but with the help of ambien and fentanyl I can get a good night's sleep. The next morning the cervidil comes out and pitocin is started. So we're looking at a May 5th due date :)

My in-laws are keeping Audrey and they are so great...my MIL said they'd bring her to the hospital as much as I wanted. There are no restrictions with visitors so I'm hoping they can spend some time the night I go in and then of course the next day when the baby is born!

As far as the sex, I honestly have no feeling one way or the other. Since I'm carrying differently it makes me think boy. But then again I didn't have morning sickness and everything else has been the same as when I was pregnant with Audrey. I haven't even had baby dreams! I'm just content in not knowing until the big day. The moment Audrey was born was so incredible and one of the best memories I have; I'm so very excited to do it again!


The face of a very excited soon-to-be Big Sister!

36 weeks

I had a super wonderful 1 hour massage on Friday night (thank you Christopher!!) The therapist worked mostly on my back, neck, shoulders, and feet. It was heavenly! I felt so relaxed that I started to worry about going into labor right there on the table :)

I felt great as we walked around the zoo yesterday. I hardly felt 36 weeks pregnant. Then I came home and cleaned the floors- big mistake! My back started aching so bad and although I took a long hot bath last night I woke up with the same pain this morning which resonated down my backside. Not so great when you have to go grocery shopping with a 2 year old, drop off the dog for a grooming appointment and pick up a baby mattress from the store! I started 30 units of insulin last night and when I tested my blood sugar this morning it was 78...wooo hooo!

I've been sleeping well and have no issues other than the back pain. I'm definitely moving a little slower but all in all I'm feeling wonderful! Today I set up the crib and cleaned out the remaining clutter in the nursery. I washed the infant car seat and unpacked the Stokke bassinet seat. Next weekend I think we'll install the car seat bases and set up the Pack and Play. I want to order a new swing (the Snug a Bunny) and consign our old one. I have to get new nipples for our Dr Brown's bottles and new pump parts. And I'm hoping to order a co-sleeper. Still so much to do, and that's just at home! At school I'll be busy with report cards and parent conferences...not to mention getting things ready for my sub.

I have another BP and dr appt on Thursday. Hopefully things are still looking great. I need every bit of the next 3 weeks!

To the Zoo!

Today we visited the zoo in Richmond. I was so excited to do something special with Audrey before Baby Burns arrives in (gulp) 3 weeks! We talked about it all week...we'd ask her what kind of animals live in the zoo. She'd say, "Elephants, zebras, giraffes..." She has a Little People Zoo and she plays with it all the time and knows all the animals, so she was pretty excited.


We stopped for gas and then breakfast on Main Street. Then we were off!


Our favorite part was feeding the giraffes...it was so cool how close they were! Chris fed them from his hand and got soooo slobbery lol.


Family pic!








The tigers were awesome, they came right up to the glass. She kept saying, "Here they come!"


Gators, my favorite!


She's telling the baby all about the zoo!


And giving the baby some love :) I do love the view from up here!


She thought the rhino was funny with its "big butt!"


Adorable!!






What a great day :)

She fell asleep on the way home and even though it was for only 45 minutes, she was happy and playful the rest of the day. I was so happy with how close we got to the animals...it was so wide open and we got to see them all. I'm thinking about making a little photo book so she can remember our trip. I'm so glad we went...next time we'll be going as a family of four!

Popping and Possibly Dropping!

I think it's amazing that I've made it to 35 weeks and I'm just now starting to feel...done! Like it's really coming to an end. It's harder to get up, bend down and walk around. The lower back pain I had weeks ago is back so every time I take a step forward with my right foot I feel a twinge of pain. I'm definitely feeling more pressure, but I'm not sure that I've actually dropped; I think the baby is just getting bigger (which is a good thing!)


I had my first biophysical profile yesterday. Everything looks great! He or she is measuring right on track and performed the essential tasks needed to complete the BP. I weighed in at 151 and blood pressure was great. Dr K was called off to a delivery so I saw Dana the midwife who was very nice. Heartbeat was in the 130s and the nurse surprised me when she said they'd be doing my Strep B test....eek! It actually wasn't bad at all, the midwife did a quick internal and I was done! My insulin was increased at my last appt to 27 units but it hasn't brought my morning numbers down. I'll have to call back on Friday to see if I need to increase the dosage again. The insulin shots hurt a little but they're tolerable.

My OB office had my peri appt scheduled for Friday at 11...which does not work for me. So I called today and had it switched to their next available day which isn't until April 20th at 2:00. At least I'll only have to take a 1/2 day off from school. I can't believe there's less than 3 weeks until Spring Break. I'm hoping I can make it through the break so that I have a nice, relaxing week to lounge around the house with sweet Audrey Cate. She's so incredible, I could eat her up!



My next appt is next Thursday...the clock is ticking!

Happy 35/35! And memories...

Today I am 35 weeks pregnant with supposedly 35 days to go...now that I know it's less than 35 days I'm freaking out! 35 days doesn't sound like very much time. I have so much to prepare for at school, so the next few weeks I really need to focus and get things done at work. I've been working on the nursery here and there and we just need to set up the PNP and bassinet. All of this preparation has me remembering the first few days after bringing Audrey home...


Holding her for the first time after they had measured and cleaned her and wrapped her up. I was so in awe that a) it was a girl and b) she was so big!


I did not think she was cute- at all...I immediately was in love with her but I was just so taken back by how swollen she was. I feel bad about saying that, but it's totally true.




So glad my mom was there to get this picture!


This is when I started to think, "Oh, she really is cute!" lol


I love Chris's expression here


I really enjoyed the hospital stay, even on Christmas it wasn't a bad place to be! Nursing wasn't going well and so I learned how to use a pump (and since my milk hadn't come in it was a whole lot of work for nothing!) I remember trying to feed Audrey breastmilk with a small cup and then a syringe. When we learned she had jaundice and needed the bili blanket I was ok, but when they told us we had to take it home I was crushed.


Getting her dressed to take her home for the first time took forever! I was so worried about being gentle and avoiding the belly button cord. She looked so adorable though, all bundled up. It was cold and dark and I was so sad to be leaving...nervous about being on our own!


So, we get home and we obviouly had no idea what the HELL we were doing! Her being on the bili blanket changed everything. The thick cord wouldn't reach down into the bassinet. She couldn't sleep in the bouncer and we didn't have a PNP yet. I had Chris bring in the glider from her nursery since we had to be stationed near the machine. I figured the best place for her was on her changing pad. I remember thinking how ridiculous the whole set up was, which is why I took this picture.


It was much easier once we got the PNP. I slept on the couch right next to her. When she was off the bili blanket I would sometimes hold her and we'd sleep together (I know, bad momma!)


She would latch on every once in awhile and I have a few pictures :) But I had already decided to EP and it worked out for the best.


Those first few days were a blur, I'm glad I have pictures to remember. I can only imagine the kind of chaos we can expect with a 2 year old thrown in the mix. While I feel prepared in many ways, I know there are more, different challenges to face with bringing home baby #2.

I keep telling myself that I can only prepare so much...the rest is to be determined. Here's to positive thinking!!

Updates!

Phew! I got a ton of info at yesterday's appt. First Dr K looked at my blood sugar numbers. The insulin has helped my morning numbers come down to the upper 90's, but we still need them to be below 90 so I'm now taking 26 units each night (which will probably increase as the pregnancy progresses.) He wrote me a rx for more syringes and insulin. Then we talked about seeing a perinatologist. He's referring me so that they can get a really good look at how big this baby is. I'll see them sometime next week, maybe twice before I deliver. But starting next week I have to see the sonographer and the dr weekly. The sonographer will do a biophysical profile on the baby. It takes about 30 minutes and they're basically just evaluating amniotic fluid levels, fetal breathing movements, heart rate, etc. The BP will probably have me all anxious until it's done (they score the baby in each category...scores freak me out.) And now that the baby will be looked at very closely, I can't help but be nervous that someone will let the baby's sex slip...I'm 110% hell bent on being surprised and my goodness, we've waited this long!! I'm tempted to listen to my ipod until it's all over :) Afterwards I'll meet with Dr K for the normal check up.

He told me something I did not know about babies born to moms w/GD...their lungs develop at a slightly slower rate. This just means that they will try to leave him/her in there until at least 39 weeks (yaaay!!) Even if the baby is very large, a healthy baby is obv the most important. He also thinks I'll be able to delivery vaginally but assured me that a C-section is not the end of the world and recovery is not as bad as I'm imagining.

And more big news...he thinks we'll be inducing at 39 weeks. By then lungs should be totally fine and he's hoping to prevent the baby from becoming too large. We looked at the calendar and May 7th is a Saturday. He said to consider a May 3rd induction (he's on call Tuesdays and really wants to be present for delivery this time!) I'm not sure how I feel about inductions. I really like the idea of going on my own, but then again it totally takes the stress away of having surprise water breakage while I'm conducting a reading group :) I'm secretly hoping to hold until May 4th (Audrey Hepburn's b-day!)

So, I feel pretty good after yesterdays appointment. I got a lot of info which I was hoping for. With the May 3rd date in mind I have a nice little bit of time to get things done and hopefully relax a bit before the big day!

Belly Pics

It's been awhile since I posted some...on Saturday I'll be 35w but I sure don't feel like it!

33w 1d:



34w 4d:


Chris looked at me this evening and he thinks I've dropped. I feel a little more pressure, but I think it's just more weight I'm carrying around.

This baby is so high! I feel him/her right beneath my chest and frankly it's getting harder to breathe! I have to sit up very straight so I don't squish the belly. I always feel him/her on the right side. I'm so excited for my dr appt tomorrow...I want to be prepared for the next few weeks as far as appointments and our growth u/s. By this time next month we could have this baby! CRAZY!

Quick Update

I met with the nutritionist yesterday afternoon and I am now on insulin. I figured it would happen because my waking numbers are just too high...which I really have no control over. So the doctor prescribed 20 units every night to be taken at 8:00. I gave myself the first injection last night and it wasn't bad at all. This morning my blood sugar was 94 (should be below 90, but much better than my average of 110.) I see the dr on Thursday and I'm curious to see what happens next...now that I'm considered high risk (UGH!) he may need to see me more often.

But my BP is fantastic, I haven't gained any weight since last week, and I'm feeling good (I can't get over how small my tummy is at this point!) I don't see why I couldn't carry until this baby is ready to come on its own. So we wait until Thursday.

Things I don't want to forget...Thankful Edition

Because there is so much to be thankful for right now!

Family...Our very first nephew was born this week...an adorable 9lb 8oz boy! A very strong one at that. He had an enlarged heart and a murmur but luckily he is able to go home today! I can't wait to see him and kiss all over his chubby cheeks...We are all so thankful he's ok.

Pregnancy...As much as I complain about the aching ribs (OMG THEY HURT SO BAD SOMTIMES!) I am feeling so, so good! I can't even believe I'm 34 weeks...this was me at 34 weeks with Audrey. I was much bigger (all over) and I felt like I carried so low. Sure, I'm a little sore by the end of the day, but otherwise I feel wonderful and have no problems getting around/picking up Audrey, etc. I'm very thankful to be carrying this way.

Baths... I'm talking REAL baths, where you go all out with candles, music, bubbles, and pillow. I rarely take baths and when I do I just fill up the tub with really warm water and whatever bath product I have on hand. I don't stay in very long because it's pretty boring after 5 minutes. So one night last week I decided to spice it up. I lit a candle and turned out the lights...wow, it instantly changed the mood. I found the Spa station on Sirius...very nice! I remembered I had a bath pillow so I dug it out of my closet...very comfy! I nearly fell asleep in the tub and when I finally did get out, my legs felt like jello...that is how relaxed I was. I had been missing out before! I find that I can relax even more if I just clear my mind and concentrate on the music. Everything goes away for a short period of time, and it's all I need to relax and recharge.

Diet...While I'm not thankful for having GD, I am totally looking on the bright side. There's no way I'd be able to eat this way normally. I'm counting carbs and carefully choosing what I eat. I'm making healthier choices and I feel great about it. I am shocked when I check the carbs on foods I normally wouldn't think twice about eating...and that makes it much easier to turn it down. I meet with the nutritionist on Monday and I'm hoping to make her proud!

Christopher & Audrey...I just love them so much. They are my entire world. My favorite parts of the day include them, from saying our goodbyes in the morning to finally getting home and settled at night. I just don't know what I'd do without them. I can't believe in just a few weeks we'll be adding another bundle of love to the mix. My heart overflows just thinking about it!

Yes, many things to be thankful for :)

Gestational Diabetes...I has it

I got the official news on Monday and wasn't too surprised based on my appt with Dr. K. I was able to go that afternoon and see another doctor to get more info (also, I weighed in at 148.) She was really great and gave me an order for the Diabetes Management Center. Usually you have to go to a 2 hour class but I got lucky and was able to snag a one-on-one consultation with a dietician Wednesday. Audrey and I met Chris at Panera for dinner (the last time I ate without counting carbs, lol) and we headed over.

LeAnn was very nice and easy to talk to. She didn't mind that Audrey was there and running/talking up a storm :) She explained everything...how GD works, what I need to do for my diet and how to test my blood sugar. We went over my current diet and it seems like I won't have to change too much. I just have to watch the carbs so that means cutting down on portions mostly. I do have to give up my morning glass of chocolate milk, Starbucks, and eating out at the usual places (Chic-fil-a, so sad!) I felt really good about everything when I left. Then I tested my blood sugar the next morning...

My waking level should be between 60-90. It was 114! So I already started out high for the day. An hour after my breakfast (2 slices of toast) it was 199 (should be <140 after a meal.) 2 hours after lunch it was 138 (but should be <120 after 2 hrs.) Ugh! I felt pretty defeated...I was sticking to my carb intake but not getting good results (and I was very, very hungry!) I had a ginormous salad for dinner and was relieved to see my level at 116 (a little less than the 120 mark, but I'll take it!) The way LeAnn explained it is that my morning fasting levels are very important. If those don't get under control it's likely I'll need insulin. Fingers crossed that's not the case...I go back 3/28 for my first follow up.

All in all, the finger pricks aren't too bad. I'm excited about the conscious effort to eat more healthy. And I feel great...despite the swollen ankles and occasional rib pain. Tomorrow I'll be 33 weeks!

Early Easter pics

It was gorgeous outside today. I'm in full nesting mode. Baby Burns is probably going to be here right around Easter. I have a credit to use at Shutterfly before next week. All perfect excuses for our Easter photo shoot!










So different from last year! She actually wanted to keep her hat on. She was very distracted by things going on...a cat ran across our yard; "Cat! Running!" A car drove by; "Red car!" The moon was slightly visible in the sky; "Moon! Tickle, tickle!" Yes, she wanted to tickle the moon :)

Some out takes:


There goes the cat!


Where'd he go?!


Moon!


Tickle, tickle!


She wanted to "dig"


Before we even began taking pictures she fell and scraped her knee pretty badly. She was so tough, didn't cry at all!

And finally, a picture from last year's shoot.


Love her!

3 hour test, not so bad!

I had been dreading it, of course. The thought of sitting anywhere for 3 hours immediately puts me off (unless it's on my own couch for a 48 Hours marathon.) I had contemplated bringing Audrey since she's such good company but at the last minute I decided against it. When they called me back, I had my blood drawn by a very nice lady who had no problem finding a vein (unlike the last woman who butchered my arm for the 1 hour test...) Then she gave me the drink...and it was COLD! Oh, so much better. It was also fruit punch flavored. For the 1 hour the lady at the front desk handed me a warm orange drink and I nearly puked as I tried to get it down. I was on my way back to the front waiting room when the lady offered to let me sit in the back waiting room. "There's a back waiting room? Like a secret waiting room?" "Oh yes, and it has recliners and you don't have to be out there with the waiting room drama." Ummm, sold! So I got to sit in a nice recliner, all by myself, equipped with my cell phone, ipod, and a good James Patterson book. It was actually really nice to have nothing to do but sit and read and text Chris. So, not a bad experience at all.

Then I headed up to see my dr. My bp was good and I weighed in at 145. Dr K came in all happy- and then he saw my 1 hour test results. He was not happy. In fact, he is almost positive I have GD and he even wondered if I had it with Audrey since she was so big. He worried me a bit...he said that babies born to mothers with GD don't do a great job of thriving when they are born. They are so used to getting sugar and when that immediately stops, it's a bit traumatizing. Babies sometimes need to go to the ICU. That got my attention. Basically when my results come back, if I fail two of the tests, I'll need to go to diabetes training where they'll teach me how to manage my diet & record my blood sugar 4x a day.

Well, all I can say is that this is certainly not the worst thing in the world and I can manage this. I'm very thankful this has been the only complication. So many things can go wrong with a pregnancy, so I'm counting my blessings.

I am 32 weeks, 2 days pregnant.