27 Weeks!

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Baby Size: Child’s Lunch Box (for one more week)

Current Symptoms:  Aches and pains everywhere! If you've read my previous blog update, you know that I have been having persistent cramping caused by a separated pelvis which is apparently more common in second pregnancies. This separated pelvis most likely also resulted in me taking a plunge on the front steps of my hospital yesterday! I guess if I was going to fall…the hospital was the best place for me to do it! Needless to say, I am super stiff and my knee that took the brunt of the fall is looking and feeling pretty rough. I am hanging in there though, and am grateful that Wader seems to be no worse for wear!

What's Different: My salad cravings! Last pregnancy I couldn't get enough of Cobb salads with Ranch dressing! This time around I am obsessed with Greek salads with grilled chicken, loaded with olives and feta cheese! I order it whenever it is on a menu, and luckily there is a lunch place down the street from my office that has a killer Greek salad!

Carson Comments: Physically, I have found myself having to alter my interactions with Carson…less rough housing, less “uppies”, less crawling around on the floor, even less getting him dressed as it tends to be a contact sport! At first Carson appeared to be rather distraught and confused about my lack of physical interactions with him, and the last thing I wanted to do was create a complex regarding his little brother being the root cause. I tried hard not to say things like “I can’t carry you down the stairs because there is a baby in my belly”. Instead I would say things like “it hurts my back”, etc. Carson appears to have become more empathetic of my changing physical state, especially as my stomach grows. Now Carson corrects me when I bend over to pick him up…"No, Mama, you can’t pick me up, you’ll hurt Baby Wader!” Way to look out for your mama, Big Boy! In the meantime, we have been having lots of extra snuggles and hugs that don’t require lifting!

Daddy Updates:  We have had never ending drama concerning our water and septic system in our house since we moved in. Some of you may remember our septic exploding into our basement the day before Carson was born…we recently had to replace our well pump and ever since then our well water has seemed a little off. Ryan took it upon himself to have our water tested…turns out we have some crazy bacteria in our water! I came home from work one night last week to find an extremely distraught Ryan. He was very concerned about how much water I had been in contact with since getting pregnant, and started to rattle off questions such as “will the baby be born with three heads?” I assured him that we have consistently only seen one head during ultrasounds!! We think we have remedied the bacteria situation, and I ran the bacteria news by my doctor at my most recent checkup, and she assured me that there was no risk to the baby, especially if I have not been having any negative digestive symptoms. Phew! Ryan was very relieved….

Baby Prep:  Not much has gone on in the baby prep department this week…other than just trying to keep my body in one piece for the remainder of my pregnancy!  

Looking Forward To: Starting my third and final trimester while spending time with family over Thanksgiving! We've reached the home stretch! Also looking forward to sharing Wader’s name with all of our family, and soon to all of YOU!  Will probably do one more blog update for week 28 before Thanksgiving…then you should check back in for the big name reveal post! 

A (not so) Quick Update!

So the last 24 hours have been a bit crazy! I have been having some mild to moderate cramping over the last month or so that I have previously discussed on the blog. My doc has told me to just lay low, and avoid activities that induce the cramps such as too much walking, exercising, etc. Monday I woke up feeling crampy, and it reached a whole new level of discomfort by dinner time. Despite having an appointment the very next morning (today), I decided to call my doctor's office, hoping they would put my mind at ease by suggesting I drink some water and go kick my feet up. Instead they asked me to come in to labor and delivery....I was hooked up to the fetal monitor for about an hour. No contractions, and Wader seemed to be doing just fine. The on call doc did an internal exam and all seemed good under the hood. They also tested for amniotic fluid, etc. and everything came back negative. I was home by 9 PM, but with no explanation for the cramps.

Today I had a busy morning with three back to back appointments with my OBGYN. First was my glucose test, next was my ultrasound to check up on my low lying placenta, and third was my 28 week check up with one of the doctors at my practice. Glucose test went fine, should get results back in a few days. Ultrasound was fabulous! Placenta has moved from 1.7 to 2.3 cm away from my cervix...only needed to clear 2 cm, so we are no longer in possible need of a c-section at least due to my placenta. Wader had a crazy sugar high from the glucose test which was really fun to watch. He was yawning and smiling and stretching his arms and arching his back, all so cute! Appointment with doc was fine too, it was not my regular doctor, but it was nice to get to know one of the other obgyn's as any of them could be on call for the big day! She seemed to have a limited idea for what could be causing the cramps, but suggested that perhaps my uterus was just easily irritated.

All seemed well and good as I exited my doctor's office which is attached to the hospital where I will be delivering. Usually I use the hospital's valet service for my car, but today I arrived with time to spare, so I decided to park in the garage. As I stepped off the curb into the street making my way to the parking garage...my feet completely came out from underneath me! I landed on my hands and knees, and luckily my stomach did not make any contact with the concrete. There were about 5 people walking by, one of which was a doctor. It was a windy day, and my ultrasound picture blew off into the nearby woods. Luckily someone ran after it! The doctor helped me up and insisted I make my way back into the hospital. Aside from a soar knee, I was feeling embarrassed by fine. Probably sensing my urge to ignore his advice, he actually escorted me back into the hospital, into the elevator up to the 4th floor, into the office right up to the receptionist's desk. They quickly rushed me back into a room and hooked me up to a monitor yet again, where I stayed for another hour for a non-stress test! They also cleaned up my banged up knee and gave me some ice, I was very well cared for!

My regular doctor happened to be on her lunch break at the time and was a sweetheart and came and sat with me during the test. I took the opportunity to chat with her about the cramping. When I further described the pain I was feeling, she suggested that it sounded like my pelvis had begun to separate and rub together when I walk, roll over, etc. which was then causing my uterus to become irritated causing the cramps. Anyway, baby seemed fine so she eventually sent me home for the rest of the day rather than back to work. Later that evening, I was chatting with my physical therapist sister about all of my adventures, and she explained to me that when the ligaments around your pelvic bones begin to separate, it is possible for your legs to literally collapse out from underneath you with no warning, and stepping down off a curb is exactly the type of motion that might cause this! So needless to say, it seems as though all of the last 24 hour's events may be connected after all...separated pelvis makes me crampy...and fall off curbs....oh the joys of being pregnant!  Glad to know that Wader seems to be totally not phased by any of these events! I was in no shape for a bump pic photo shoot this evening, so I will have to do a weekly update in a day or two.

Anyway, here is an incredible profile shot that the ultrasound tech caught today of Wader smiling in utero! Happy baby!

26 Weeks!

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Baby Size: Child’s Lunch Box (for a few more weeks)

Current Symptoms:  Rib pain! It feels like Wader is prying open my rib cage to make more room…sorry for a graphic image! Last time right around this time, my ribs on the left side started to hurt in a very specific location…and I was diagnosed with a possible rib fracture due to Carson’s kicking!  Wader seems to have is own dance parties in my belly, but it is more fluid movement and less harsh kicking…let’s hope it stays that way so I can avoid another broken rib! This rib pain is kind of an all over sensation on both sides. I have been taking a break from going to prenatal yoga, as Ryan has joined a rec volleyball league, but I think this weekend I might have to go to a drop in class and see if I can create some more room for this little (or big?) guy!

What's Different: I think I have consistently been bigger this pregnancy! To be fair…I started out this pregnancy a little bigger…but Wader has consistently weighed in larger on both ultrasounds and stomach measurements! Carson was born a peanut at 6lbs 2oz…and remains a peanut…something tells me that he might have a big little brother? My dad is 6’5…so maybe Wader will inherit some recessive height genes? Ryan and I joke that we wouldn’t even know what to do with a big baby! I have preemie clothes that Carson wore for the first week or two…will Wader ever fit in them? Will he fit in the dozens of newborn outfits that Carson wore until he was 10 weeks old? Carson didn’t start wearing 3-6 months clothes until he was almost 6 months…what are we in for with Wader? Ryan and I also have been talking about ways that Wader may be different. Carson most definitely resembled me more as a baby at birth. Will Wader look more like a Curtis? Ryan was born with towhead hair that turned into a mop of blonde curls. Will Wader follow in his daddy’s hair footsteps, or have stick straight brown hair like his brother? Only time will tell! Below is a comparison of 26 weeks with Carson and 26 weeks with Wader:

26 weeks with Carson

26 weeks with Wader

Carson Comments: Scooper loving is in full force! He has become very attached to his baby doll. We have been working with him on how to safety carry a baby via the doll, as he likes to carry Scooper around by the throat…Scooper often wants to eat certain foods….or not want to take a bath…or need a hug from time to time from Mommy and Daddy. Scooper is definitely becoming more “real”! The only odd thing that we have noticed with Scooper, is that Carson refuses to bring him up to his bed with the rest of his stuffed friends. He insists that Scooper stay downstairs at night all by himself. We have briefly mentioned that Wader and Carson will be sharing a room…is this foreshadowing to possible rejection of the baby being in Carson’s bedroom? AHHHHH! J

Daddy Updates:  Ryan has definitely noticed a decrease in his football interest and availability since Carson was born. He used to participate in countless fantasy football leagues, spending lots of time each week prepping his team line ups, trading players, as well as watching as many football games as he could. Since Carson, he has decreased the number of leagues he is in, barely gets his roster in order in time for the game, and has committed to only watching football games he is genuinely interested in, so that he has more time to spend with Carson on the weekends. One thing we both continue to look forward to is the Superbowl! If anything, it is a fun social event for us when we often have friends over, or go to other friend’s places to eat good food, watch funny commercials, and in recent years, cheer for the Patriots! (If only the Redskins made it to the Superbowl sometime soon…) While tidying up the kitchen over the weekend, Ryan casually asked me if there had been any talk among our friends about plans for the Superbowl (can you tell we love to plan ahead?). Then it dawned on us….depending on when the Superbowl is in 2014….we might be in the hospital??? The game has been on dates such as 2/6…and if I end up needing a C-Section….that could be as early as 2/7! We quickly looked it up and the Superbowl is in fact on February 2^nd this season, which puts us just past 38 weeks. Will we be watching the game on a tiny hospital screen, or actually get to have one last hurray with great friends before the baby’s arrival? Will we have to plan birthday parties around the Superbowl for years to come? So many questions!

Baby Prep:  I have started to comb through Carson’s current toy collection. I do this about every 6 months to put away toys that are no longer age appropriate. Carson got a whole bunch of great things for his birthday, so we had to make room for those new items as well. When Carson was born, we had room for all sorts of baby gear such as the pack and play, a changing table, a swing, a bouncy seat, etc. Now that room is filled with bookshelves, a train table, an arts and crafts area, a play kitchen…where are we going to put everything for Wader? We have begun to do a little rearranging to accommodate these essential baby items. The hope is that if we move some of Carson’s stuff now, he may not feel like his things are being displaced once we drag some of the larger baby items out after the holidays. We also have been bringing some things up from the basement for Baby Audrey when she is visiting with her family. Carson is often intrigued by these baby items and gives Scooper a ride, or has even attempted to climb in them himself! Curious to see how he reacts to an increased presence of baby gear around the house!

Looking Forward To: Closing in on the third trimester! Depending on the source, the third trimester starts somewhere around 27 or 28 weeks. The infamous “What to Expect When You Are Expecting” clocks it at 28 weeks, so that is what we will go with. My 28 week checkup is a big one. I have my glucose test as well as another ultrasound to see if my placenta has moved. Viability also reaches a pretty big milestone at 28 weeks, when a baby will most likely survive with no long lasting developmental issues. Just gotta get through the next week, and we should be good to go! 

25 Weeks!

 How Far Along: 25 weeks

Baby Size: Child’s Lunch Box

Current Symptoms:  Last week I was slowing down…this week I have hit a brick wall! And to think that I still have an entire trimester left to go! I have super sore and tired days where it is hard for me to walk around or get up off the couch…luckily they tend to fall on the weekends…or maybe my body finally lets go on the weekends after holding it together all week long? It has felt like Wader has been doing a nonstop cartwheel in my stomach, stretching out his arms and legs at the same time far as possible! Sometimes he is punching my stomach which makes me nauseous, or kicking my bladder/cervix which isn’t comfortable either!

What's Different: My employment situation is definitely different! When I was pregnant with Carson, I was working for a counseling agency that offered FMLA with disability insurance during maternity leave. I had team of people around me for support/coverage. I had a specific date when I would stop seeing clients, which would allow me to wrap up paperwork until Carson decided to arrive. This was a great plan that made me feel confident in terminating with my clients and tying up loose ends.  I ended up going out on bed rest with my gallbladder emergency 6 weeks early and didn’t terminate appropriately with anyone! But having a concrete game plan in place was super helpful none the less. Now I am working by myself in private practice. I have no coworkers…and I need to make money as long as possible to help pay myself while on maternity leave!  There are currently lots of questions swirling through my head….when should I stop accepting new clients? When should I stop scheduling my current clients? How much time can/should I take off for maternity leave before we go broke? I am lucky to have a handful of colleagues that are willing to cover some cases for me while I am out. My goal is to wrap up most of my clients and essentially shut my practice down for a  few months, and then building it back up again. Here is what I have decided so far: I will stop accepting new clients as of the holidays. I will stop scheduling current clients as of January 31^st, 38 weeks pregnant. Knowing I could still be pregnant for potentially up to 3 more weeks, I will keep seeing a handful of “regular” clients on a week by week basis in early February. Hopefully it will work out smoothly!

Carson Comments: Carson has now become accepting of our chosen baby name for his little brother although still chooses to refer to him as “Wader”. This works out great, especially since certain family members whom shall remain nameless (Alyse, cough cough!) have been trying to pry the name out of him. He has consistently responded with “Wader!” whenever he is asked! Carson had his three year checkup this week with his much loved pediatrician, Dr. Jones. She had some great recommendations for us regarding integrating a newborn into Carson’s world. She suggested creating a “nursing/pumping” basket of toys and goodies to keep hidden in a closet, only to be brought out when Carson needs a distraction…brilliant! She also highly recommended that Wader give Carson a present when Carson visits the hospital. As materialistic as it sounds, she emphasized that first impressions are everything in a 3 year olds world! Any other good ideas on helping this process go more smoothly?

Daddy Updates:  When Carson was born in late October, he had a hard time maintaining his body temperature, so we tended to keep the heat up pretty high in the house, which drove Ryan crazy! Anticipating that we may have to do the same for a February baby, Ryan is attempting to repair and insulate every little crack and draft in the house these days. He has replaced the weather stripping on both our basement and front doors of the house. He also plans to shrink wrap all of our large windows to keep some of the heat in. Our house will be nice and toasty when he is through!

Baby Prep: We’ve signed Carson up for a Siblings Class at our hospital! The goal of the class is to make siblings more comfortable with holding a baby, helping change diapers, wrapping babies in a blanket, etc.  At the end of the class, they give the big brothers and sisters a tour of the hospital’s Family Center, so they can see where Mommy and Daddy will go to have the baby. It was suggested to us to sign up for the class that is closest to your due date, so that the tour of the maternity floor is fresh in their minds. The had a February 8^th class, but we thought that might be cutting it close, especially with a potential need for a C section at 39 weeks, so we went for their January class instead. Should be a good time! I know Carson will be a great big brother!

Looking Forward To: The upcoming three day weekend! We either plan to send Carson to school and spend the day getting projects done around the house, or we may even let Carson play hooky and have a Mommy and Daddy day just the three of us, perhaps going to a fun museum or other activity. We shall see! Gotta relish the one on one time with him that we have left! J

Halloween 2013

After a successful trip Trick or Treating last year, Carson couldn't wait to go out again this year with his best buds, Nick and Dean! Nick has a pretty cool John Deer tractor, and the Moms thought it would be super cute if we rocked a farm costume theme. For weeks leading up to Halloween, I asked Carson what type of animal he wanted to be.....a cow, a horse, a piggy, and a koala were the answers he frequently gave. He most frequently stated cow, so that is what we went with! He seemed excited about it when he tried it on for the first time in early October....

Practicing his MOOOOOO!

That was one of the last times he wanted to wear the costume....he refused to wear it for his birthday party, and insisted that he would not be wearing it for Tick or Treating either!

The weekend before Halloween, Carson and Grampa Moose partook in a Moffitt Family tradition...finding a huge pumpkin at the last minute, carving it into a Jack-O-Lantern, and roasting the seeds! Carson was super excited to help out Grampa Moose with the pumpkin design!

Picking a Pumpkin!

Carson drew the nose!

Carson enjoyed reaching his hand inside the pumpkin to pull out the guts and pick through the seeds...he said it felt like "Seed Weed" or "seaweed", 

so that is what we decided to name our pumpkin!

Meet "Seaweed"!

Eventually the day came for the grand candy hunt! Once Dean  and Nick showed up to Carson's house in their respective farmer and horse costume, Carson couldn't wait to put his cow costume on! We went around to about 5 houses in our neighborhood...let me tell you, that tractor moves fast! Way faster than three 3 year olds or a pregnant Mama could walk!

A few of the houses had scary lights and music, which seemed to frighten the boys, who decided they were done after only about 5 houses. After getting back to our house, Carson decided that he wanted to one more house with Daddy so off they went by foot. Here are some fun pics of Old NickDonald and his  Carson Cow and Dean Horse!

Kiddos and parents alike had a blast, and we have already started brainstorming an even cuter idea for next year!

Carson's 3rd Birthday!

Carson's birthday was truly a marathon event! On the Friday before Carson's birthday, we made pumpkin muffins for him to share with his friends at Preschool. They were a huge hit, and Carson even bamboozled his classmates into singing Happy Birthday not once but twice. The classroom also had a dance party all afternoon jamming to a mix CD that Carson brought in of all of his favorite songs. By the end of his day, he was exhausted, and thought that his birthday was over!

Birthday Muffins!

The next day Carson woke up just like any other morning, not even realizing it was his birthday that he had been anticipating for weeks and weeks! Little did he know that Grampa Moose would be flying in soon!

Normal morning playing with trains

Once Grampa Moose arrived, Carson opened some family presents from Mommy and Daddy, Great Gram, and Grammy and Grampa, in addition to wonderful presents that he opened earlier in the week from Mom Mom, Aunt Deedle, and Aunt Kris and Uncle Sam!

Candy Land!

Carson loves reading cards!

Loves his suitcase from Grammy and Grampa Moose!

Just hours later it was time for the big party! We had over 40 people in our house that afternoon for a Music Together party! All the kids came in costume, except for Carson who vetoed his cow outfit 5 minutes into the party, ha! Carson had a blast with many of his friends from Preschool as well as some little ones he has known since he was a baby! Carson seemed a bit overwhelmed at times with all of the attention...but over all had a blast!

Music with Ms. Sharon!

Hello, everybody! We're so glad to see you!

 Baby Audrey and Baby Mason

Parachute fun!

Ms. Sharon brought lots of fun instruments!

Then came the moment that Carson had been waiting for...time to blow out the candles!

Mommy getting the candles ready!

Make a wish!

Blow them out now?

Deep Breath!

Everyone could barely wait for a cupcake!

Pretty Ladies!

Yummy Yummy!

Carson was exhausted by the end of the day, and was in bed within an hour of his last guest leaving! The next day, we woke up and opened all of his presents...lots of trucks, fire engines, books, and arts and crafts....he loved them all! Then we went and picked out a pumpkin with Grampa Moose and went on a hayride, before going to Carson's friend Grace's annual Halloween Party!  What a weekend!

It was freezing cold but that didn't stop Carson from wanting a tractor ride!

Carson is so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family near and far that made his 3rd birthday the best one yet!

24 Weeks!

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Baby Size: Baseball Mitt for one more week, GO RED SOX!

Current Symptoms: Slowing down…I think my energy level has started to plateau…or maybe I have just been running around like a crazy person this last week, so I feel more tired. Or maybe its my cold. Celebrating Carson’s birthday in addition to a fun visit with Grampa Moose tuckered me out!  I wouldn't call it exhausted, but definitely not the burst I have been used to the last few months. As I get bigger, I find myself moving more slowly up and down stairs, down the hall to my office, etc. I even had a client tell me that I look like I am walking differently….thanks?

What's Different: The timing of this pregnancy and Halloween! Last time around…Carson was born 5 days before Halloween, and I was smack in the middle of a major medical issue involving my gallbladder, which forbid me to consume anything remotely tasty, including candy! This year is a whole different story. We had a fairly large bowl of candy sitting out at Carson’s birthday party, some of which was consumed by guests…most of which has been consumed by this mama since the party…to the point where I had to go buy more Halloween Candy! I think I better slow down before my glucose test in a few weeks! Can you say recipe for gestational diabetes?

Carson Comments: It’s pretty cute how Carson acts like Wader is already here and a party of the family. He wanted to make sure that Wader was coming to his birthday party, wants Wader to be a “baa baa black sheep” for Halloween, and wants to know what Wader wants from Santa for Christmas. He has been quiet attentive to his baby doll whom he affectionately refers to as “Scooper” (not to be confused with Cooper, which was one of our top name favorites). He enjoys putting newborn size diapers on his doll and is constantly taking off the dolls clothes, stating that Scooper has had an accident and needs a new diaper and outfit! Play mirroring life perhaps?

Daddy Updates:  We have finally settled on a name! It was quite the grueling process! When we were picking names for Carson, this name ended up being our second choice. For this reason, Ryan wanted to toss it out as an option for Wader…if it wasn't good enough for kiddo #1, then it wasn't good enough for kiddo #2! So Ryan dove into the 100,000 baby names book and created a list. I read over the social security’s top 1000 baby names from 2012 and came up with a list of my own. My only stipulation was that I did not want a name in the top 50. (Cooper, btw, was ranked 48 in the state of NH in 2012, that helped us narrow down!). We cross referenced our name lists, and created a top 10 in no particular order. Then we ranked the ten names by our combined preference, and knocked off the bottom 5, believing that they would never beat out the top 5. For the last month or so, we have been trying out the top five names to see what feels right. Eventually, we kept referring to the same two names over and over and eventually just the one! And after all that effort, it turned out to be the same name we almost used for Carson….at the end of the day, I guess we re-affirmed that we truly love the name! We plan on sharing it with our families when we visit them in a few weeks over Thanksgiving, and then we promise to make a blog announcement! Anyway, the reason this is Daddy related is because I knew the name was officially our choice when Ryan was searching for email address options this morning J

Baby Prep:  I have started to make a list on our fridge of “essential baby items” that we will need to acquire by the time that Wader arrives.  We have more than enough baby boy clothes thanks to Carson, so the list is comprised of “boring” things such as diapers, crib sheets for daycare, new nipples for bottles, nursing pads, gas drops, diaper cream, really exciting stuff J We figure if we purchase one or two things each week, we will spread out the list of items between now and February. My friend Kristi has inspired me to do a little couponing. I have a pro bono client that I see that essentially pays me in Sunday papers…free coupons…score! Whenever there is a baby product coupon, I definitely clip it out. We have a decent stock up of diapers thanks to coupons, as well as left overs that friends have passed along when their babies have grown out of various sizes.  I do admit that I have had to use a lot of self-discipline to not go nuts buying more baby boy clothes! I only allow myself to grab an outfit if it is from a consignment shop using store credit. Luckily, I am going to a baby shower this weekend for a little boy, and was able to go on a great shopping spree to satisfy my shopping needs! Watch out Erin, lots of baby boy clothes coming your way!

Wader's current wardrobe

Looking Forward To: Meeting baby Adina Rose Freiman over Thanksgiving! She was born at 38 weeks via C-section the day before Carson’s birthday!  Anna and David Freiman have been dear friends of ours for years and we have shared many milestones together such as graduating college, getting engaged, married, and now parenthood!  Adina and Wader will be in the same grade, and we hope they will be great friends! Anna and I already have plans for summer vacation visits and pen pals! Congrats to Anna and David!

Anna and her daughter, Adina!

P.S. Special shout out to my sister, Dr. Kristen Brewer, who started her first physical therapy job this week following her graduation from med school! 

Aunt Kris!

P.P.S. Carson birthday party pictures coming soon! It was a blast! 

23 Weeks!

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Baby Size: Baseball Mitt for two more weeks

Current Symptoms: HUNGER! I have been absolutely starving! I am eating huge breakfasts, and I am not a breakfast person. Lunch and dinner are equally as large. I bring 4+ snacks to work with me each day and eat them all. I eat a snack around 10:30 PM before bed and without fail, I wake up around 2 or 3 AM starving again! I also supplement by drinking very large glasses of chocolate milk when I feel like I need a break from eating… sometimes I worry that I may be eating too much….but my weight gain continues to be steady, so Wader must just be craving the extra calories! I don’t ever remember being this hungry with Carson…

What's Different: My activity level compared to my energy level. With Carson’s pregnancy I felt pretty sluggish throughout my second trimester which turned out to be linked to Anemia. But that didn't stop me from getting things done….painting the nursery, putting together furniture, helping Ryan with some landscaping, going on dog walks, etc. This time around, I feel like I have all the energy in the world during my second trimester, yet I find myself fairly crampy by the end of the day, especially if I have been on my feet a lot. I ran this by my obgyn today at a checkup, and she said due to my low lying placenta and “moderately high risk” labeling due to fertility issues, that I should avoid cramping at all costs. She basically said “If walking around the grocery store makes you crampy after a long day, then you need to skip the grocery shopping”. Sounds like my body is telling me that even though I have a high level of energy, it doesn't mean I should take advantage of it all the time!

Carson Comments: Ryan and I have boiled our list down to two names, one of which we think we have settled on, and one of which Carson insists he has settled on, and they are not the same. He has been going around to everyone at his preschool telling them his version of Wader’s potential name (which by the way is no longer “Tree”!) When we attempt to redirect him to our name preference, he gets very flustered! For this reason alone, we cannot concretely decide which name to go with! We are leaning towards going with our instincts, in hopes that Carson will eventually come around. And let’s be honest, he could change his mind next week, and want to name the baby “Oatmeal” or something! To attempt to pacify him, we found a baby doll that he has thus far rejected as part of his stuffed animal collection. We affectionately told him he could name this baby his name choice, and he seemed to buy it! He snuggled up with his baby doll at bedtime and informed us that he was the baby’s Daddy. We’ll see how long this lasts!

Daddy Updates: Ryan says he is super excited because he finally felt the baby kick! We checked back on Carson’s blog and noted that he first felt Carson as of 21 weeks. With Wader, it was 23 weeks. I have a theory regarding the disparity between dates. With Carson, Ryan was intensely interested in things like feeling the baby move, putting large headphones on my belly and playing DJ to see what genre of music made Carson move, etc. With this pregnancy, instead of playing with the baby in utero, he plays with Carson from the minute they get home after work! He is very busy being super attentive to the kiddo we already have, which is amazing. I think he also has less patience to sit and wait to feel something he already has felt with Carson. He used to sit during an entire TV show with his hand on my belly just waiting….but with Wader, after 30 seconds he is like “eh, I’ll try again later”. A few nights back, Wader was moving around like a crazy man. I told Ryan to put his hand on a very specific location, and right away he felt a kick! And then another! He was thrilled! I think part of us is also still cautious of attaching to this little guy until he has reached a certain level of viability, but feeling baby kicks makes it that much more real!

Baby Prep:  We have been trying to think more about our birthing game plan. Not so much what will actually happen at the hospital, but more like….what will we do with Carson? The current game plan is to hope that Grammy will be here in time to keep Carson occupied. We have already started talking to Carson about coming to visit us at the hospital with Grammy, and he seems very excited. And if Grammy is not here in time, I am sure Carson wouldn't mind hanging with his buddy, Dean! But last night, Ryan asked….what will we do with Chomper? Good question!! When we had a planned induction, it was very simple to proactively make plans for our furbaby! But what if my water breaks at 2 AM, and Grammy is not here yet? We’ll have to think more about our Chomper plan! Stay tuned...

Just a quick update regarding my low lying placenta situation…I got clarification from my doctor today about just how low lying it is. She said that anything less than 2 cm away from your cervix is considered low lying, and needs to be monitored. Mine measured 1.7 cm away from my cervix at my 20 week ultrasound. We've scheduled another ultrasound for 28 weeks to see if it has moved pastbeyond the 2 cm mark. If it hasn't, they will repeat the ultrasound at 32 weeks. If after 32 weeks it still hasn't moved, then we will get a one way ticket to a c-section! My doctor seems to think that moving .3 cm between now and 32 weeks will be a non-issue, so I am not that worried about it. The silver lining of the situation is that a c-section would be a planned delivery, so we could get Grammy here in time! (unless I went super early?) This would solve our Carson and Chomper issues all together!

Looking Forward To: I think Ryan and I both agree that reaching “viability” in a pregnancy is a HUGE thing we are looking forward to. In today’s advanced medical field, a baby has a decent chance of survival if delivered after 24 weeks, but with some possible long term complications. Babies delivered after 28 weeks tend to have an excellent chance of survival with limited long term complications. So completing next week and then the next month is a pretty huge thing we are looking forward to! 

22 Weeks!

How Far Along: 22 weeks

Baby Size: a Baseball Mitt

Current Symptoms: My cravings for red sauce based food items has really kicked up a notch….still with limited reflux issues. Here is my current list…it is quite the spectrum of meal items! Spaghettio’s, Chef Boyardee Ravioli, tomato soup, paneer marsala (yummy Indian!), spaghetti (with or without meatballs), lasagna, chicken/eggplant parm, meatball subs….have any fun recipes to add to my list? This is new territory for me, as I am not at all a “red sauce” connoisseur!

What's Different: Time of year has been an interesting change for this pregnancy. My third trimester with Carson was for the most part over the summer and a little into the Fall. With Wader, my third trimester kicks off with Thanksgiving, ending sometime around Valentine’s Day! Carson’s birthday is a month before Thanksgiving, adding to a busy Fall. Usually people report feeling like their third trimester drags on…I am fearful that mine might go by too fast!! Historically the time between Carson’s birthday and New Years Day is a bit of a black hole, between the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, traveling, etc. Once 2014 hits, we will only have 6 weeks give or take before this little guy makes his debut!

Carson Comments: We continue to kick around about 4 names that we really like, and recently decided to run some of them by Carson to see what he thinks. We thought we could present them in pairs and see which one he picks, and then pair the last two names together, kind of tournament style! Well…Carson seems to think that he is quite the funny man! Every time we present a pair of names, he answers “no, the baby’s name is “tree!” followed by maniacal laughter. We can’t get a straight answer from him either way! We have explained that in no way will “tree” ever be an option…

Daddy Updates: Ryan says that although the government shutdown is unfortunate, he has been taking advantage as much as possible of his free time at home since his company is at a standstill with the National Archives being closed. So far he has fixed our French door handles, repaired the well pump cover in our back yard, oiled up our squeaky garage doors, installed a new doorbell on the house, and most impressively built new composite front steps! So productive! Ryan says that this time off has also allowed him to focus on baby names…he has suggested that we pick a different name of the four each day, and give them a test run rather than using “Wader”. So far one name keeps popping up more than others… J

Baby Prep:  I took Columbus Day off yesterday since we were able to still send Carson to daycare. Ryan and I did a bunch of projects around the house in the morning before spending the rest of the day together.  When we prepared the nursery for Carson, we had his crib in the room along with a double bed, so that it could be used as a second guest room when necessary. Now Carson has his own twin size big boy bed where the double used to be. I spent yesterday morning reassembling the crib so that it is no longer in “toddler friendly” form, with the mattress raised to its highest level. Carson found it amusing when he went to bed last night, because “Wader won’t be able to get out of his bed!”  We didn’t have the heart to tell him that that was the whole point of a crib! We have also moved the double bed down to our guest bedroom, so now there is a queen and a double in one room, hotel style! This will definitely come in handy when all of our family comes to meet the new baby!

Looking Forward To: Carson’s 3^rd birthday! Grampa Moose is able to make a last minute appearance due to an overlapping business trip in the area. It will be fun to have one last huge celebration for our kiddo before his little brother takes over our world for a while! We are planning a Halloween themed dance party for him with some of his closest buddies. 

21 Weeks and counting!

Black is slimming! ;)

How Far Along: 21 weeks

Baby Size: an 80’s fanny pack (really??)

Current Symptoms: The symptoms theme of this week is lack of symptoms! Earlier in my pregnancy, I would have been worried about symptoms disappearing, but Wader likes to move constantly to remind me that he is very much ok! I think I have gone at least two weeks without a headache…whooo hooo! My acid reflux, which has been an issue essentially since I was pregnant with Carson, followed by the removal of my gallbladder, is the best it has been in probably 3 years! Oddly enough I have also been craving very heavy acid inducing foods such as tomato soup, lasagna, etc. and don’t even need to pop a Zantac! I still have really great energy, and can’t say enough about how much I am enjoying this second trimester.

What's Different: Weight gain has been different this time around. With Carson, I did not gain a single pound until after 20 weeks. I then gained 28 pounds total from 21 weeks until 34 which is not necessarily ideal. Medical professionals believe that rapid weight gain is a common trigger for gallbladder issues during pregnancy. Its not often that people gain 28 pounds in 3 months! I am not sure why I gained weight the way I did…I ate plenty and didn't have any morning sickness with Carson. With this pregnancy, I started off with no gallbladder, so that was a plus! I did have a decent amount of morning sickness, but still have managed to steadily gain weight each week at a healthy speed. So far I am up about 10 pounds. The goal is somewhere between 25 to 35 pounds by 40 weeks. I am pleased with my healthy pace this time around!

Carson Comments: Carson has taken a break from his focus on becoming a big brother this week, because he started PRESCHOOL! This has been a super exciting milestone for him, and so far he has transitioned fabulously. He loves is new teachers, is very pleased to be learning about letters and the sounds that they make, and is grateful to be back in the same classroom as some of his favorite buddies. We have heard from his teachers that he has alerted them to the baby in Mommy’s belly a few times in conversation! So proud of our big brother!

Daddy Updates: Ryan has been consumed with Baby Names!! He has been reading the baby name books during every moment of free time, creating quite the list. I have created a list as well, and we have cross referenced our list, boiling it down to 4 names that we are currently contemplating. Ryan is a master analyzer and thoroughly exploring which name might be best fit for our little guy! I am feeling content with any of the 4 names, and it changes each day as to which one is on the top of my list. We shall see how this all plays out!

Baby Prep:  Baby prep has reached a new level this week as well, as Ryan is on an unofficial furlough! Ryan works for a company that does research out of the National Archives, which is a federal building and has been closed due to the government shut down. Without a place to conduct research…there was only so much “catch up work” Ryan could do at his office. With lack of activities to keep him busy, his boss was gracious enough to send him home as of today, with the understanding that Ryan is to be checking email throughout the day and responding to clients accordingly. This has paved way for Ryan to tackle a bunch of projects around the house – things that we want to get done before the baby comes! Although grateful for this opportunity, as well as the support from his employer, let’s hope he is able to get back to work soon!  

Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to a three day weekend! I did not schedule any clients for Monday (Columbus Day) and Ryan has that day off as well (not counting the fact that he is on furlough!) We hope to take advantage of open daycare that day and have a grown up day, just the two of us! Since Carson’s birthday (October), Thanksgiving/Hanukkah (November), Christmas (December), and New Years (January) bring us right up to when the baby is due, we figure this might be the closest thing to a “babymoon” that we can squeeze in! Looking forward to spending some time with my hubby!