30 Weeks!

How Far Along: 30 weeks

Baby Size: a Loaf of Bread

Current Symptoms:  Puffiness! I feel puffy all over! My face looks rounder, my fingers are like sausages, and my ankles are cankles! I thought this sort of swelling would only happen in hot humid weather, but apparently it happens in the freezing cold, too! People keep asking me about my sodium intake…have I been eating more salty foods lately? If you know me well enough, you know that I have been eating significantly salty foods since day one of my pregnancy…and for years for that matter! So I don’t really think I have been eating more salty things than usual. I always have very low blood pressure, occasionally almost too low. Last week it was 98/60. I once had a nurse tell me that perhaps my salty preferences were actually my body’s way of ensuring that my blood pressure stayed within a healthy range. My low blood pressure greatly pleases my doctor during pregnancy, as high blood pressure is often a red flag. Anyway, for now my swollen feet have been wearing moccasins 24/7; thank goodness they are kind of trendy at the moment!

What's Different: Physical therapy! I started last Thursday and have had two sessions to date. My OBGYN suspected that I have a prematurely separated pelvis thanks to pregnancy hormones that relax the ligaments that hold my pelvis together. The physical therapist confirmed this was the case, but also informed me that my pelvis was completely out of alignment, most likely from my fall a few weeks ago.  My official diagnosis is “Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction”, great name, huh? To learn more about this horrible condition, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphysis_pubis_dysfunction.  Because my pelvis is completely misaligned, the PT suspects that I have been compensating my movement and posture with my back, creating a secondary problem of quite the messed up lower back and sciatic nerve pain.  I am so grateful that my doctor referred me to physical therapy, as it appears that I am all sorts of screwed up at the moment!

I think all pregnant women should receive such services! I basically get a back massage twice a week! Its AMAZING! And I do legitimately feel physically better between sessions. The physical therapist is also able to “click” my pelvis back into its appropriate alignment each time I see her. I do have “homework” that I am supposed to do in-between sessions, which I have been trying my best to stay on top of. She has taught me pelvic safe methods of doing simple tasks such as rolling over in bed, getting in and out of bed and chairs, getting in and out of my car, etc.  In theory, these changes to me physical activity should allow my pelvis to stay in place as much as possible between therapy sessions. My physical therapist also recommended to my OBGYN that I acquire a temporary handicap parking pass as she does not want me to walk any further than I need to. Dr. Turer filled out the appropriate form, and I now have a pass in hand! I am very grateful for this accommodation.  Having to walk across a big parking lot wears me out before I have even had the chance to attempt grocery shopping. It won’t hurt when it comes to Christmas shipping either J The good news is that all of this should clear up on his own once the baby is born if I keep up with PT – the things we put up with for our children!

Carson Comments: Baby doll “Scooper” update – he is no longer “Scooper” and has officially been renamed “Crosby”. Carson loves to carry him around and refers to him as “my brother” – so cute! He says there are two Crosby’s…his doll, and the one in my belly. He has been using either Crosby towards his advantage. When wrapping a fire truck toy for his friend Dean’s birthday he said, “Mama, maybe we should keep this nice fire truck, Crosby needs his own fire truck too.” Already using his brother for manipulative purposes!  

Daddy Updates:  Ryan is trying his best to be sympathetic with this pelvis situation, as he is back to needing to be 1.5 parents when it comes to caring for Carson and keeping our house running smoothly. We often go back and forth about whether we want 2 or 3 children. He jokingly suggested that perhaps 2 kids is the way to go…as my body tries it’s hardest not to get pregnant, stay pregnant, or be comfortable while being pregnant! Between the gallbladder issue with Carson and the pelvic issue with Crosby…what else might be in store physically for a third pregnancy? I am not sure we are willing to find out! Maybe we will feel differently once this chapter is behind us.

Baby Prep: We have not done very much baby prep lately, but Christmas prep is in full swing! There are lots of baby prep items I would like to do, such as setting up baby gear…but I want to get through the holidays first. Its more important to have the Christmas tree up and decorated, than the pack and play taking up space at this point! This past weekend we cut down our Christmas tree, strung up Christmas lights on our house for the first time, and bought a beautiful new wreath for our front door. Once the holidays are over, we will have ( give or take) 6 weeks to unearth the swing, bouncy seat, pack n play, and all that other fun baby stuff! My nesting instincts have definitely kicked in, so for now I am funneling them into decorating for Christmas.

Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to continuing to feel more and more physically comfortable thanks to physical therapy, keeping in mind that my discomfort will not completely go away until after the baby is born.  I am definitely starting to have that “can I have my body back, please?” feeling that women often get in their final trimester. The single digit weekly countdown is officially in full swing, less than 10 weeks to go before Crosby makes his big entrance! 

29 Weeks!

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Baby Size: a Loaf of Bread

This makes me laugh because shortly after he was born, Grammy and I actually compared Carson to a loaf of bread…according to various resources, Crosby is about 15 inches long. Carson as 19 when he was born! Looks about right!

Current Symptoms:  Lots of movement! I am guessing Crosby doesn't have much room to move around these days, but that doesn’t stop him from trying! I had a checkup today with my obgyn and based on what she was feeling during my exam, she is guessing that he is already head down, so that is great! Let’s just hope he stays that way! I continue to feel a lot of pelvic discomfort, and am officially waddling so my doc has referred me for physical therapy. This was also recommended by my PT sister, so its nice to know that my doc knows what she is talking about! J  I also have seen an increase in swelling in my fingers and ankles, but it might have been from flying over Thanksgiving. My blood pressure was normal today, so no concerns regarding swelling and preeclampsia.

What's Different: Baby size! And therefore Mommy size! Let’s just say that a significant amount of weight gain occurred over the last two weeks…but is a post-Thanksgiving weigh in really fair for us preggo ladies? Dr. Turer said that my stomach had grown tremendously suggesting that the surge was almost all baby. She also said that an increase in swelling means an increase in water weight. I also have not been to the gym the last few weeks following my fall and increase in pelvic pain, so that has to make a difference as well! I can dole out all the excuses that I want, but my “skinny” maternity jeans were a little tight when I put them on this morning! And to think I still have the rest of the holidays to tackle…At the end of the day, Dr. Turer was not at all concerned, and let’s just say that we are officially predicting a larger baby at birth than 6 lb 2 oz Carson!

Carson Comments: Carson had a blast telling everyone his little brother’s official name – Crosby Quincy Curtis! He was so proud! He loved all the attention he was getting from our family about what a great big brother he will be. And I truly think he is excited! He has become rather enamored with my belly, and loves to hug it and kiss it and pat it. Not gonna lie, it feels a little awkward at times!  I am excited that he appears to be embracing this little brother concept, as when I was first pregnant and he became upset, he used to pretend to snatch the baby out of my belly and throw it away! Very curious to see if this enthusiasm is maintained once we are home from the hospital!

Daddy Updates:  Ryan was excited to make his one and only blog post pertaining to Baby Crosby this past week! When we had chosen a name for Carson, he decided to announce it to the world via his own blog post, so he wanted to do the same for Crosby…consistency in parenting is key he always says! :o)

Baby Prep: We were super excited and surprised to have a little sprinkle with our good friends from college while we were in town for Thanksgiving. We got together for dinner with three other couples whom we are close with and they surprised us with a few baby gifts – so thoughtful and fun! It was also fun because for once we were not the only ones there with a kiddo, as Baby Adina Freiman joined us for the occasion! It was wonderful spending time with such good friends who are also now awesome parents!

Meeting Baby Adina!

The Lovely Ladies that sprinkled me with fun!

Guys can sprinkle too...

Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to gearing up for Christmas! We are going for a ride on the Polar Express this weekend to see Santa at the North Pole, as well as cutting down our Christmas tree! I am also looking forward to picking out our annual Curtis Family ornament for 2013. I have always wanted to get a pregnancy themed ornament but it has never lined up! I wasn’t with child at Christmas during my pregnancy with Carson, but three years later I most definitely am!

Hey Wader...what's your real name?

Wader,

We have enjoyed calling you by that name but Carson no longer refers to you as such! In fact, he is starting to spill the beans about your new name to anyone who will listen! So before he learns to spell and type this post himself, let me be the one to tell you what your formal name will be:

Crosby Quincy Curtis

 

Carson is very excited that your name will start with the same letter as his name (and Chomper's for that matter!) He also likes that your name has the letters "r, o, and s" in it! He is not sure about the "b and the y" but we are sure it will grow on him. 

We love you and are excited to meet you in a few short months!

Love,

Your Daddy :o)

So there you have it! The office baby name we have chosen for kiddo number two! We told both sides of the family over Thanksgiving. Everyone seems excited about our choice, although frequently has asked where we came up with it, as it is not a common name. Here is a brief explanation.

Crosby

 - Technically our second choice name for Carson! After a long, complicated name search for Wader...it was still at the top of our list, so we decided to go with it!

  - You may recognize it from the TV show "Parenthood", as it is the name of the youngest son in the television family. This is a show that Ryan and I often watch together with enjoyment, hoping to some day have a fun quirky family that values spending time together as we all grow old.

 - This time of year reminds us of all the great holiday hits sung by the famous "Bing Crosby" (White Christmas, etc), who is a Moffitt family favorite artist to sing around the piano at Christmas time! Mom Mom has already started to call Crosby "Bing" as a nickname!

 - Our parents' reactions were "Oh! Just like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young!"

 - In the baby name book, it lists the name's origin as "Nordic". This intrigued me, as my family has a close connection to our Norwegian foreign exchange student, Christian. I did run the name by Christian and he said he has never heard of it used in Norway, Ha!

 - Like Carson, Crosby does not have a formal nick name, which we wanted to keep consistent between our sons.  We also think its suitable for a young child, but also an adult.

 - We though Carson and Crosby where cute brother names together :) Although we did not purposefully go with C names for both of our boys, it is a happy coincidence that Carson is quite pleased with!

Quincy

 - This name was always on my top ten list for both Carson and Wader, as I think Quincy Curtis sounds adorable, but Ryan was never completely sold on it as a first name.

 - Carson's middle name was a nod to the Curtis side of the family, as it is also Ryan's and Pop Pop's middle name, all first born Curtis males. Therefore, I called dibs on Wader's middle name, so I felt like I was able to push for my Q favorite!

 - Quincy is derived from the Latin root word "quint" which refers to the number 5. The number 5 has made frequent remarkable appearances throughout our long trying journey to become the parents of two kiddos, so we felt it was fitting to use the middle name Quincy in recognition of such. If Wader had been a girl, her middle name would have been Quinn! 

 - Quincy also reminds me of Massachusetts where I grew up, and we consider it a fairly patriotic name, used frequently throughout American history, which we take great pride in!

 - Last but not least, we thought Q would be a super cool middle initial ;)

So there you have it, Crosby Quincy Curtis - we hope it will grow on you as much as it has grown on us! We can't wait to meet this little guy!

28 Weeks! Happy Thanksgiving!

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Baby Size: last week of Child’s Lunch Box!

Current Symptoms:  Pelvis pain! Now that we have figured out this separated pelvis situation, it has been a constant symptom for me, so much that I have gone out and gotten when of those maternity support bands at my doctor's suggestion….so sexy! I usually wear it under my clothes, but below is a picture of just how fabulous it is! I was skeptical of how well it would work, but I do admit it cuts my discomfort level in half. Not totally gone and by the end of the day I am ready for it to come off, but still worth it! I also almost fell off another curb yesterday, confirming this whole “increased chance of legs collapsing” scenario, so I have been trying to be extra careful when moving around!

What's Different: Once again I must highlight the ups and downs of being pregnant during different times of the year compared to my first pregnancy. Last year for Thanksgiving, I had a 4 week old, and was one week off gallbladder surgery. This time around, I am super psyched that I will be wearing maternity pants to the big event, and can’t wait to eat as much as I possibly want with no guilt!  

Carson Comments: Carson has become somewhat attached to a quilt that his Grammy made him when he was born, and he uses it as his blanket every night in his big boy bed. One night while tucking him in, he asked me if he was going to have to share his Grammy blanket with Wader, or will Wader get his own Grammy blanket? Good question, Carson! I made sure to pass the inquiry along to Grammy, wink wink ;)

Daddy Updates:  Ryan is really looking forward to seeing his family over the holiday and finally filling them in on Baby Wader’s chosen name. He has been thinking of all sorts of creative ways to spread the big news…tune in on how it all goes down!

Baby Prep:    I got nothing. Another week of limited baby prep, just coasting and preparing for the holidays!

Looking Forward To: Thanksgiving and time with family and friends! I definitely feel like I am in the home stretch now that the holidays are upon us, and I have officially entered into my 3^rd trimester! I ran into Carson’s pediatrician today and she told me I look HUGE and asked me to remind her when I was due! Ha, so clinical of her J I told her I still have a ways to go, and she said for my sake, she hopes I go early…but not too early! As far as I am concerned…get me through to 2014, and we’ll go from there! 

P.S. Passed my glucose test with flying colors! Doctor said she couldn't have asked for better lab numbers!

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!