Third Time's a Charm

Foto Friday

I'm Free!

Well, released from my OB's care anyway. I'm 6 weeks postpartum and, according to my doctor at this morning's appointment, back to 'normal'.

'Normal' to me is still 12 pounds away, but I joined Weight Watchers online and my goal is to really be 'normal' by our trip to Mammoth Lakes in July. Four days into The Plan I've had no problem staying within my allotted 'Points' for the day. Being a breastfeeding Mommy helps - I get 10 extra points a day for nursing! That's 70 Caramel Quakes! (Any woman on WW will know exactly what I'm talking about.)

Now that my OB has given me the all clear, tonight I'll be doing the one thing every woman desires after months of waiting...

relaxing in the hot tub!

(What did you think I meant?!?)

Missed Photo Op

Bittyman, sitting on his bed with t-shirt raised, 'nursing' his stuffed dog!

Foto Friday

Itty is already 5 weeks old. He's grown out of 'Newborn' sized diapers and we've had to adjust the car seat to accommodate his increaseing length. He's also smiling up a storm... unless you point a camera directly in his face!

Foto Friday

Photo by Bittyman! He is the first person to capture Itty smiling on camera!

Mama's Milk - It Does A Body Good!

Itty's Stats, 3 weeks ago:
Weight: 6 pounds, 15 ounces
Height: 19 inches

Itty's Stats, today (one month check-up):
Weight: 8 pounds, 12 ounces
Height: 21 1/2 inches

Itty's not quite so itty anymore! (Although compared to his big brother he's still itty-bitty!)

Happy Birthday, Bitty!

Itty's Baptism

Itty was baptised this past Sunday. Godmother Lisa was present from Florida and Grandpa I. stood in for Godfather Damien who was back in Green Bay taking finals this week.

Itty slept through the entire Mass, only waking for a brief minute when the holy water was poured on his head - then he yawned and went back to sleep. He still has that heavenly scent of balsam chrism. *sniff*

Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious brunch at our favorite breakfast restaurant. Again, Itty slept through the festivities - which gave Mama a wonderful gift of a hot meal with no interruptions!

Foto Friday

Itty's first bath - which he really enjoyed, contrary to his expression!

Brotherly Love

I Can Bring Home the Bacon...

Stay-at-home mother's work worth $138,095 a year.

Can I get that in small, unmarked bills?

Blog Silence Day

Foto Friday

Happy One Week, Itty!

Bitty & Itty

Happy Birth Day, Itty!

I'll see you real soon, Ittyboy! Can't wait to finally meet you!

(Childbirth in the 21st century... blogging before heading to a scheduled C-section!)

Itty Eve

Very surreal to think this time tomorrow I'll be holding Itty.

Today I'm going to try to take it easy. Daddy has been cleaning all morning long so I wouldn't be tempted! Grandpa is going to take Bitty to the park so he doesn't go stir-crazy being cooped up in the house while I rest. Tonight we'll all head to Grandma & Grandpas where Bitty will spend the night since I have to be at the hospital at 5:30am. The C-section is scheduled for 7:30am PST, so set your Outlook reminder and send up a quick prayer for a healthy delivery!

Itty pictures to follow when I return home, which should be Thursday or Friday.

And Wait Some More...

Nothing new to report.

I'm very bored being on 'house rest'. So post your favorite internet time-waster in the comments section to help keep me entertained!

And Wait...

This morning I returned to my OB's to have my blood pressure re-checked and it's even higher than yesterday (148/98 for those interested). I was immediately sent across the street to the hospital where Bitty was delivered for a fetal assessment. After 30 minutes on a monitor and an ultrasound, Itty is declared to be absolutely perfect. He's even practicing 'breathing', which is only done by a small percentage of babies while in the womb. So he's just fine and ready to come out at any time.

My blood pressure lowered to 130/85 while I was there, about what it was yesterday. Higher than my normal 120/75 but not dangerous.

The Fetal Assessment nurse's recommendation to my OB was that I stay on 'house rest' for the weekend and have the scheduled c-section Tuesday morning. My OB was in surgery at the time of my assessment so I'm now back home waiting for her to call.

I'm still having random contractions... or my water could break... or the phone could ring and my OB might tell me to meet her at the hospital in 2 hours...

Have I ever mentioned that I am a fairly impatient woman who likes to be in control of most situations? This week has been a real test for me!

In the meantime I veg on the computer, playing with my new baby gift that just arrived from Uncle Tony, Aunt Cristie, Ev and Tori. Thanks, guys, you really shouldn't have! (But sooo excited you did!)

Hurry Up And Wait...

My back has been aching for several days. Back labor or too much nesting?

Real contractions began last night - the kind that actually push your pulse-rate up. 30 minutes apart until I got a few quarts of water down, then they slowed to every 45-60 minutes.

At this morning's OB appointment, the good news is I didn't gain any weight in the past week (which might indicate retaining too much fluid). But the bad news is my blood pressure was elevated, even after lying on my side for 10 minutes and checking it again.

I had pre-eclampsia the final week of my pregnancy with Bittyman so I'm at high risk again.

I'll head back to the OB tomorrow morning for another blood pressure check. In the meantime I'm on a no salt and no caffeine diet until Itty arrives. I'm also under orders to head to the hospital if the contractions get to 20 minutes apart because of all that's going on.

Babies born on Friday the 13th are extra-lucky, right?

Define 'Nesting'

Is is considered 'nesting' if a pregnant woman:

Cleans out the fridge
Does 4 loads of laundry
Fills 2 garbage bags full of items to donate to charity
Washes the fronts of all the kitchen cabinets AND
Re-organizes a shelf in the garage?

How about if you add painting the stairwell banister to that list?

Anyone want to take bets if I'm going to make it to that scheduled repeat C-section on the 17th?

Heck, anyone want to hire me to do their spring cleaning?

Easter Pictures

No Easter Itty. So now that Daddy returns to work tomorrow (and the chance for paid paternity leave is gone), our hope is for a labor-free delivery with Itty waiting until the scheduled repeat C-section on the 17th!

Happy Easter!

37 Week Update

No change from my 36 week appointment other than a 3 pound weight gain as Mommy indulged in too many scoops of ice cream this past week!

Baby seat is installed, bassinet and bouncy seat are assembled, and bags for Grandma's and the hospital are packed. Now we wait to see if Itty wants to arrive on his own timetable or per the scheduled C-section on the 17th.

Guess Itty's Birth Day!

When do YOU think Itty will arrive? Post your guess (one per person) in the comment section!

HINTS:
My actual 'due date' is April 24.
My c-section is scheduled for April 17.
Bitty was born on his exact due date (40 weeks gestation).
I had contractions for 2 hours last Monday night but none since.

The winner will receive... um... the satisfaction of knowing they are a winner! (What, you were expecting a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni?)

No Foolin'!

36 Week Update

3 weeks from today we'll finally meet Itty... if not before. Grandma and Grandpa I. arrived safely from Virginia last night and are settled in to their vacation home just a block away.

Last night around 3am I woke to my first real contractions this pregnancy. They continued for about 2 hours before stopping. Itty knows that his big brother will be in good hands with Grandma and Grandpa so he's trying to make a break for it.

Daddy was thrilled to learn I was having contractions. He's fervently praying I go into labor sometime soon as he has paid time off work from April 4-9. (His band has been preempted by a convention at the hotel where he performs daily.) Me? As excited as I am to finally meet Itty, I have a manicure/pedicure scheduled for tomorrow, my baby shower on Thursday and a haircut scheduled for April 4. So I'd prefer Itty nestle in for another week at least!

Not to mention the birthstone for April is diamond... and for March it's aquamarine. Mama wants diamonds, baby!

Friday Fun Fact

Bittyman now plays chess.

I'm not talking 'play' as in goof around with the pieces making them do battle. I'm talking pawns move up one or two on their opening move and capture diagonally.

Last summer he became obsessed with a glass chess board in the lobby of our Mammoth Lakes hotel. Every night we 'pretended' to play chess before retiring to our room. But buying him a chess set for Christmas seemed a bit silly - he's only 3, right?

For Valentines Day Great Aunt Sharon was kind enough to include several dollars in his card. So after using one dollar to light a candle after Mass (his decision, not mine), we headed to K-mart to pick out a new toy. He immediately found an inexpensive plastic chess set that fit his budget perfectly.

That evening I heard Daddy and Bitty up in his bedroom discussing how to play the game. As I was enjoying some Mommy-must-see-TV stored on Tivo, I didn't give it much thought.

The next afternoon Bitty asked to play a game of chess. After setting up all the pieces I began to explain how the pawns worked, figuring we'd work on one piece at a time in hopes of learning the intricacies within a few months.

Bitty rolled his eyes and sighed, 'I KNOW Mom! I know them all.'

He then proceeded to explain what each piece was, how it moved and how it got the other pieces.

"The horse moves like an L. The queen is the most powerful. The bishop moves diagonally. The castle moves forward or to the side. You have to capture the king to win. I KNOW all that!"

Sure enough, he did. At first he was only interested in capturing my pieces. Be he quickly realized that for every move there was a counter-move by his opponent and he started thinking ahead one move before making his own.

Humbling to know your preschooler is more intelligent than you are and it's just a matter of time before he figures that out!

35 Week Update

4 Weeks until I'm responsible for two children... if not sooner. I had my 35 week ultrasound this morning (the 36 weeks in my pregnancy ticker is the countdown to my c-section, which is scheduled for 39 weeks). Itty is currently 5 pounds, 7 ounces in weight and measuring between 37-38 weeks.

Itty is under strict orders not to appear before next Monday night when Grandma and Grandpa I. arrive from Virginia! But once their plane hits terra firma, I'm good to go. All of Bitty's baby clothes have been Drefted, the car seat will be installed on Saturday and my hospital bag is packed.

Here are Itty's latest pictures. First a 2-D profile:

Then our OB was kind enough to do a 3-D shot, which left Mama and Daddy speechless:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Foto Friday

Nothing like a refreshing dip in the pool... during 'winter'! With more record-shattering highs forecasted through the weekend, Bittyman will have a savage tan before Easter!

3.14

Happy Pi Day!

(A pregnant woman will use any excuse to indulge in dessert - and what better way to celebrate Pi Day than apple pie a la mode!)

No I didn't...

just turn the air conditioning on. I held out as long as I could, but when the thermostat read 88F inside the house, Mama had to cool down.

The local weatherman just informed me we've broken an all-time high for this date as it is currently 90F. In mid-March. At 5:00pm. At 34 weeks pregnant. And the forecast for the next 10 days is more of the same.

Anyone know where I can buy an inexpensive maternity swimsuit?

Who is the Patron Saint of Ear Infections?

Daddy is out of town performing at a jazz festival so of course Bittyman woke up this morning and exclaimed, "My ear is on fire!" After a quick tug on his left lobe (and a yelp in response) I immediately called our fantastic pediatrician who saw Bitty just a few hours later.

While I was not surprised to learn Bitty did indeed have an ear infection (as we've all been coughing and sneezing with allergies ever since spring sprang in our part of the world last weekend), I was shocked to learn he is now 42 inches tall and 38 pounds. That's a gain of 4 pounds and 2 inches since our last infectious visit to the doctor in December! Holy growth spurt!

Bittyman is feeling pretty well, all things considered. Of course the Happy Meal dinner and picking out a new toy while waiting for his prescription to be filled helped soothe his ear ache. (As a 34-week-pregnant single parent, I'm quite the pushover!)

"I'm King of the World!"

Or so James Cameron continues to think. I'm blogging of his documentary, The Jesus Tomb, which will air right before Easter on the Discovery Channel.

I won't waste my precious third trimester energy debunking the issue when other bloggers have already done so, far better than I could:

Amy Welborn, open book - Okay, the Jesus tomb
Hot Air - Titanic Director Aims to Sink Christianity

We'll be adding the Discovery Channel to our list of things we're giving up for Lent.

Photo Blogging by Bitty

Bitty took this picture of Mommy yesterday. When he saw the picture in the viewfinder he exclaimed, "Mommy, you're so CUTE!"

Hey, at 32 weeks and feeling like a Teletubbie, I'll take any compliment I can get!

Foto Friday

National Pancake Day

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday or National Pancake Day. So head on over to your local IHOP and enjoy a free short stack!

We'll be doing pancakes for breakfast then a stuff-your-belly 'Pigs Dinner' complete with Kings Cake! (OK, it's really an Oreo cookie cake off today's 1/2 price rack, but I'll stick a plastic baby inside... or a Little People - got plenty of those lying around.)

Happy Birth Days!

In the past two weeks, Bitty and Itty have gained three more cousins!

Dade Andrew, born to Aunt Esme and Uncle Andy on February 5
Adam, born to Aunt Zoryana and Uncle John on February 11
Lucia Marie, born to Aunt Gina and Uncle Tony yesterday morning

Bitty and Itty now have a total of 16 first cousins, with another one due next fall!

Congratulations to all of Dan's brothers and their wives on their new little blessings!

Childbirth in the 21st Century:

Receiving a letter via Certified Mail informing me that Itty will be born on April 17 at 7:30am. (I'm having a repeat C-section.)

Due to an obstetrician shortage and off the chart malpractice insurance rates, OB's in our state will not attempt VBAC's. Honestly, I have no problem with a repeat C-section. I don't believe for one contraction that a Mother's worth is based on how her child comes into the world. With drugs or without, in an operating room or a bathtub, through your birth canal or another woman's. Being a Mom means enduring a lifetime of heartbreaks every time her baby is hurt or upset - so I'm all for lessening the physical pain associated with delivery!

Which is not to say a c-section isn't painful. For Bitty's birth I had 9 hours of labor at home, 3 hours of labor without drugs at the hospital, followed by 12 more hours of labor (albeit with an epidural) before an emergency c-section was performed due to failure to progress and Bitty's decreasing heart rate. At that point I'd been awake for over 36 hours and was utterly exhausted.

The following morning when the nurse forced me up out of my hospital bed I thought I was being punk'd. Sitting, let alone standing after having a 6-inch incision through my stomach? Dan said he'd never seen anyone is such utter agony. (I now know to ask for more pain meds BEFORE the first dose wears off!)

I told my OB that my goals for this birth were: 1) a healthy baby and 2) to not feel one darn contraction. If I have to deal with the recovery from major abdominal surgery, then I should be spared any of the discomfort of labor!

So my pregnancy ticker now reflects my new 'due' date since my c-section is scheduled for 39 weeks gestation. Mark your calendars!

Wish You Were Here!

Current temperatures for some of our family & friends:

Washington, DC: 20F, Wind Chill, 4F
Buffalo, NY: 11F, Wind Chill, -9F
Green Bay, WI: 3F, Wind Chill, -13F

Our Part of the World: Sunny, 72F

Feel free to gloat in August when we are sweltering at 115F, but for today we're loving this part of the country!

And All Is Right in Our World

Favre to Return in 2007