Catch up time

Okay, I have been really bad about keeping up my blog, I know. I am going to try to get better now that everything is nearly ready for her arrival.

I have been having some pretty bad sciatic pain, and hip pain as well, but other than that, heartburn and getting worn out super fast everything is great!

The 3D ultrasound didn't work out as someone wouldn't move her hands out of her face. We did get another ultrasound just recently because the CNM who is covering for our regular CNM wanted to make sure Kat was head down. I thought it was silly to do this early as she could still turn, either way, but we never usually pass up the chance to see our baby girl so we did it. According to the measurements taken the tech said she is 6.7lbs (keep in mind however these measurements can vary greatly from actual baby weight). This week and last she was supposed to gain about a pound and then 1/2 of a pound per week until her due date. This means she could be over 10lbs at birth. The fill in nurse midwife,let's call her "Marge" wanted me to schedule another ultrasound for 13 days before my due date "to check baby's weight" I have so far declined to do so. My midwife will be back the first week in May and I will talk to her about it then. Marge is the first midwife I have ever met who makes me feel like pregnancy is a medical issue (read illness) to be dealt with, not a natural and joyous thing to be experienced. Sufficed to say, I do not care for her. Besides, the last time I went in she was WAY too rough when checking to see if Kat had descended, still ache and today is day 13 after that appointment.

We have completed all of our birth and baby care classes that we were scheduled to take and feel pretty confident about most if it. We are really hoping that even though the LOML is starting a new job they will let him have the time off while we are in the hospital at least.

We had our baby shower and have almost everything we need for her, still need to get risers for the cosleeper we have so it is level with our bed, the next sizes in the ecofriendly diapers we are using, a grooming/health kit for her, baby gate, and nursing stool, but other than those few things we are pretty ready.

I am nesting, but don't have the energy or ability I would like to get things done. Bending has become very difficult, and I also can't lift anything too heavy.(bags of trash, laundry, furniture that needs shifting) It is really frustrating, but my sister and niece came over a few days ago and helped me get a BIG part of the cleaning and prep done. I know once everything is ready I will get even more impatient for her to arrive. Today, when the LOML leaves for work, I am going to finish the kitchen and hopefully get laundry put up and maybe wash the windows if its nice and I don't get too chicken on the step ladder. :) I have a bit more besides that to get done but, it catches up to me pretty quickly so I don't want to task myself with too much more than I can handle or will be frustrated with myself for not accomplishing tasks.
I guess that pretty much catches you up to speed....I think but what do I know I have "pregnancy brain" or as my sister calls it "placental brain drain".
I will blog more soon.
Ciao for now~
marymontmama

We get to peek at the fidgety baby in 4 days!!!

So, part of the study we are participating in is a free 3D ultrasound! (Which we get on Monday)
We are so excited to get to peek at Miss Kat! Two of the women I know who are expecting have had there babies (both boys) and brought them home. They are filling my Facebook feed with pictures (not to mention all of the ones I already had coming in) and I gotta say, I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY LITTLE GIRL!
I am getting so impatient and yet it still sometimes doesn't seem real to me. Then she kicks me in the spleen and oh yeah, I know it's real.
Speaking of which, this is the movingest, shakingest, and kickiest baby ever. I have been around a few pregnant women in my day and have never seen the kind of tummy motion I do on a fairly regular basis. As I am typing this she is doing her Rockette impression. It is pretty amazing though, and great that her daddy can finally be in on all the hustling, and bustling she has been up to. As a matter of fact, he came home from work the other morning,(he works third shift)and she was in a particularly active state. He felt her kicking him in the side then he had his arm draped over me and she either felt it was an invasion of her space or just felt like letting him know she was there. He moved his arm up from where it had been hoping she would approve and she started even harder there. Which made him very happy, and me happy too.(feeling it is great but sharing it is better.
This is such an amazing experience, and she is teaching us so much about her, ourselves and each other.
Haven't been able to shake the illness I have had for about a month now. Have an appointment with the CNM on Friday and will talk to her about it then.
Ciao for now~
marymontmama

Birthday post

Yesterday was my birthday, I turned 38. It is my last birthday without Kat!
The LOML said I should post, not sure why other than I have been being very lax again but anyway, here goes.
I have been sick all week, gotta love the weakened pregnant immune system. Because of this I haven't gotten much done. This has been. UBER frustrating as I was finally feeling human again and was starting to get the nest.. er apartment ready for Miss Kat.
I am finally feeling better again and can start getting things squared away. The only things that I can't do alone is anything involving moving furniture or heavy lifting. My back is already screaming at me for normal day to day stuff.
We finished registering and are super excited to get things set up for our beautiful little love.
The LOML and I have been noticing adorable babies everywhere lately! But know for certain our own is going to be cutest by far. We get our 3D ultrasound (free because of the study we are participating in) on February 25th. Hopefully Miss Kat will have put on some fat by then.
I guess that's all for now. I begin my assault on the living room on Monday, wish me luck.
Ciao for now ~
marymontmama

21 weeks already??? Only 21 weeks?!

21 weeks today. We get another ultrasound tomorrow.
Miss Kat has been moving like a maniac, she stomps more than kicks too. She always moves when daddy talks to her, he has started reading her stories.
I am so excited! She is amazing to me now, I can only imagine how mind blowing she will be when she actually arrives.
Last Dr's appointment they took my blood for the quad screening for chromosomal abnormalities, and if it comes back elevated they will want to do an intensive diagnostic ultrasound. I am blown away by some of the things I have read on message boards...one woman was encouraging amniocentesis to another because after 3 miscarriages she and her husband had one because he "couldn't handle parenting a special needs child" and thus they would be able to terminate if there was something "wrong" with the fetus.
Their were "no problems" so her mind was put at ease. She felt this would be the case for everyone. I really hate being judgmental but having already lost 3 babies I don't understand how someone could get to this point in pregnancy and decide that this wasn't the "right" baby. I feel her squirming around in there while I am writing this, she hears daddy's voice and starts dancing, we love her beyond reason and she hasn't taken her first breath yet. I just don't understand it,there is nothing that could be "wrong" Miss Kat that could change that love and desire to be her mommy.
I am however super impatient for her to arrive. Can't wait to see who she will be, and love her so much no matter who that turns out to be.
Guess that's all for now, Miss Kat stomps her approval.(I think she is hoping for a snack)
Ciao for now~
marymontmama

It's a.......

Right, sorry to leave you hanging like that. The holidays are always such a crazy time.
We learned at the ultrasound that Miss Kathleen Carmella will be joining our family in May, and the LOML always insists on adding, possibly June.
We are very excited to be able to refer to our beloved "Bean" by her proper name, we will be calling her Kat for short.
I am still super dizzy which the nurse midwife assured me is normal and the last time I had my blood pressure taken it was 106 over 62 so yeah I guess it's understandable that there would be some lightheaded ness.
We bought Kat an outfit to come home from the hospital in for Christmas, and my sister (whose youngest is going to be a teenager soon found some adorable hand-me-downs in her daughter's doll clothes. Which of course made me cry. Being older and everyone else in the family having babies at the "normal" age, I thought no one would have any hand-me-downs left for Miss Kat. Makes me glad my niece has her mom's save EVERYTHING mentality.
We have an appointment with the nurse midwife on Thursday and will probably be scheduled for our next ultrasound, and I believe we will get the quad screen done on this visit.
We also need to find out about birthing classes, we want to take them in February I believe,although that seems pretty early to me. We shall see.
I think that's all, except I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday and wish you all great joy and many blessings in the year ahead!
Ciao for now~
marymontmama


Ps almost forgot, my resolution is to make sure to feed Miss Kat at least 3 times a day, which will be much easier to remember when she can remind me herself, during the second half of the year. :)

Ultrasound and the great gender mystery...

So, we had the ultrasound on Monday and it was truly AMAZING! The Bean was moving around like crazy and we got to see it all. The tech measured the baby's head and belly and with a bunch of measurements determined that Bean is 5 days more developed than what the due date suggests. Also, determined that Bean weighs 8ounces already....my baby weighs half a pound...Already? I am thinking we won't need any newborn sized stuff after all.
We also found out the Bean's gender but aren't telling everyone until after Christmas.
(It's part of my FIL's gift to be the first besides the LOML & I to know)
People keep trying to get us to "spill the Bean" to quote my MIL but we haven't yet.
That's part of the reason I haven't blogged about it yet. It's hard not to say Bean's real name, now that I know it. I find myself starting to type gender specific pronouns,and have to stop. I will re-read this about 50 times before I post it, just to make sure that I didn't let it slip at all.
We did pick up an outfit to bring Bean home from the hospital in and are super excited to be able to call Bean by what will be its name.
May seems ages away but my belly feels more taut everyday. Can't wait yet still so much to do.
Love my little....Bean!
:)
Ciao for now~
marymontmama

Note to self: don't research baby stuff right before bed

So, I have had insomnia for years, and now with my husband working nights and wanting me to nap with him, I have been having a hard time getting to sleep. So, sometimes I read, or blog, or write in Bean's journal. But when I do baby-centric stuff, I find I get too excited to sleep afterward. Reading up on breast feeding makes me so excited to hold and nurture my baby I become like a kid on Christmas Eve or the first day of school.
The other night I was imagining up to the first day of high school for cryin' out loud!
Can't help it, and the closer the ultrasound gets, the more excited I get.
We are now only 3 days away from the ultrasound! Which is probably part of the reason I am still up.
Today though something fairly amazing happened, I was laying on the daybed and the LOML came over and was talking to my tummy/the Bean and I felt something, kind of like how soda feels on the roof of your mouth, except in my lower abdomen. I was amazed then thought it may have been nothing, then he talked to my tummy again and it happened again. (Like 5 times) so, I felt the baby move and it was awesome!
Super excited and can't sleep again.
Ciao for now~
marymontmama