Daybook for September 5 ~ Waiting for Baby Edition

Outside my window... dark and rainy. It has been raining all day long, which is great since it hasn't rained here in weeks... maybe a month! We spent a leisurely Labor Day at home, doing some light schooling, starting a big puzzle, Chris and Caroline played a 90 minute game of Scrabble while I took a nap... nice rainy day activities!

I am thinking... about the baby. The due date is next week... Sunday or Monday. I am ready. Emotionally, that is... there are still some things to do around here, but nothing major. I am at the point now where, although still enjoying her movements and subtle presence within me, I am visualizing holding her against my chest as a tiny, naked newborn. I don't remember having quite the same feeling with past pregnancies, the visualizing in my mind... waiting to enjoy her and spend lots of time relaxing with her. Maybe that's just a dream, ha ha, to get lots of time to just lay around in bed with my new baby, but I am certainly going to try to spend as much time as possible doing this, as long as I have other adult help in the home with me!

I am wondering... when labor will really begin. I have been having practice contractions off and on, hopefully doing some good prep work for me. I am also wondering how fast she will come and how stressful it will be to get the kids into other people's care before we rush off to the hospital. Our neighbors across the street said they would come over if we wake up in the middle of the night and need to go ASAP, before my mom can make the drive up here (a bit over an hour) to stay with the kids while we're gone. I called her today and reminded her to go ahead and start packing a bag!

I'm also wondering if I will be able to make it to our consignment sales this year... the three closest ones are all the same weekend - one week after the baby is due, of course! I have her set on clothing pretty much, but the older girls both need a few pairs of jeans. Even if I have to go to a sale with a one week old, I guess I can handle it just looking for a few pairs of pants and keeping my eyes open for playdresses for Caroline, something that is harder and harder to find as she gets older, but which she loves.

I am praying... for a peaceful, healthy, birth and as few interventions and interruptions as possible so that our baby can have a calm beginning to her life on the outside.

I am thankful... for each and every movement inside me. For an extremely helpful husband who will support me through the birth and take care of details at home in the newborn period: groceries, dishes, cooking, cleaning. He's awesome!

I am hearing... the sound of light rain outside, and the TV, which Chris just turned on... not sure what's on yet, though. Oh, it's The Karate Kid. Wow, that takes me back...

Learning at home... We have finished seven weeks of school now. I have been drafting some ideas for loose schooling plans once the baby is here... some reading and retelling of gentle nature stories, some lapbooking on Things We See at Mass, some picture study, liturgical year crafts, maybe some fine motor fun stuff like play-doh and such...

From the kitchen... some easier stuff for this week, mostly. We had chicken pot pie last night - yum!! Chris and Caroline made it together. On Thursday, hopefully, we'll make a blueberry cheesecake for Mary'd birthday! We had our small dinner group from church over on Saturday, and Chris grilled some pretty rockin' fajita meat!

I am reading... Bradley childbirth materials with Chris, as a refresher. Need to get off here and go read some in bed for a bit... Also have a Charlotte Mason Companion and Siblings without Rivalry lined up to read some hopefully during the postpartum period

To live the liturgical year... This month's dedication is the Seven Sorrows of Mary. We reviewed them with our photo cards which we took at the Our Lady of La Leche Shrine last year. Then we did a craft out of the Seton Art 1 book. Later this week, we hope to make a craft from the same book for the Triumph of the Cross. We'll also read about St. Peter Claver this Friday on his feast day and do some copywork and a coloring page of him. Today is the feast day for Blessed Mother Teresa, so last Friday, we used the day to read about her, locate her birthplace and follow her travels on a world map and a globe, do a craft and copywork about her, and bake a recipe with an Indian twist: chai banana bread, which we had for tea time along with banana chai smoothies.

One of my favorite things... babies!

I am creating... I think I have created most everything I need for this school year. I printed off some supplies for lapbooking yesterday, and I just need to create a few last Old Testament lessons. I also need to type up a few journal topics on a list for Caroline, and sew a decorative cuff on some pants for Cecilia so they'll be long enough for her this fall. I also created a preliminary birth announcement and have been working on a list for the baby's baptism celebration!

Around the house... cleaned out and organized my underwear drawer tonight - exciting stuff, huh? I've also been cleaning out some things and have a bag to donate. We have been keeping up on laundry... washed some nursing articles yesterday. Some things just won't happen before the birth... dusting, cleaning out the microwave, straightening the girls' closet, and cleaning the windows (which has been on the list since spring cleaning ha ha). That's okay. Our house is sanitary and not very cluttered, which are the most important things.

A few plans for the rest of the week... oh, gosh, if I wasn't in this baby-visualizing dreamland bliss, I'd be stressing right now... we have ballet lessons beginning tomorrow for Caroline. She is so excited! She'll be in class with two friends and hopefully will catch up to what the others know, as this will be her first year taking dance lessons. Then on Wednesday, our church's PSR classes begin in the evening... 6:30-7:45 every Wednesday evening. We also have an OB appointment Wednesday morning and OT at noon that same day. We'll be having all these things repeat every week or two (except OB appointments!) for awhile... yikes, it will be busy on top of having a new baby!

A picture thought I am sharing... none for now, going to get to bed!

Nesting, Nesting...

Fresh, clean, newborn diapers on the line!

I love the look of all the itty bitty cloth diapers out in the sun... Caroline and Cecilia helped me hang them up one morning earlier this week. Good fine motor work, those clothespins.

I have been getting into serious nesting mode in the past couple weeks... baby Lucy's 0-3 month clothes had all been sorted and washed and put away a couple months ago, but we hadn't done much otherwise. So I pulled all the cloth diapers out from under the bathroom sink, where they'd been stored in the cabinet there... I washed them all to freshen them up, trying something new in the wash - Bac-Out. It is a stain and odor eliminator, all-natural, and recommended by some for keeping diapers fresh, They smelled much fresher when they came out of the wash, so here's hoping it works well! I did dry them all in the dryer - high heat also helps eliminate germs - and then put them out in the sun for good measure. It freshens them up some more and gives them a good airing, and the sun also kills icky things like yeast and helps to fade stains.

All ready to make baby Lucy have a fluffy bum!

Here's the pile of diapers after I pulled them out of the cabinet before washing... while I was under there, I noticed some junk that had accumulated under the sink. Things like partially-used soaps, old knick-knacks, a mostly-empty, crusty bottle of Softsoap that my mom bought for me ten years ago when I first moved into the duplex... stuff that needed to go. So I cleaned that out while i was in there, just because.

Chris climbed up into the attic with Caroline to retrieve the bouncy seat... it had been wrapped in a large kitchen garbage bag, so it was still in good shape. I removed the fabric and put it through the washing machine. Now to get new batteries, because it plays music but does not vibrate currently... if the vibrate function is broken, hmm, I don't know if we need to do anything about that, since I don't think my previous babies have cared one way or another... they just didn't like bouncy seats much either way. But it is a nice handy place to set the baby when I need my hands free. The baby swing is still in the attic... we never got it out for Cecilia, so I don't know if we will this time or not... guess we'll wait and see.

There are also packs of newborn and size 1 disposables here for the early weeks and going out anywhere. I love the Target diapers (both for price and function), but I have never tried them on a newborn. I also got the huge crate of wipes since we have none left from Cecilia. They don't sell newborn and size 1 diapers in "family packs," apparently... I think it is hilarious that Target use to call the cases of diapers "family packs." Like you buy a package of size 3 diapers for use by several members of your family.... I think they changed the name recently to something like super pack...

Here's my beginnings of packing for the hospital. Ugh, I hate going to the hospital while in transition... not too comfy, you know? Maybe we can make it a bit before this time... doubtful, given the super-speedy labor I had last time. So, I packed several snacks like peanut butter crackers and orange juice, and now I have clothing added to the bag for baby and me. I got a new nightgown that unbuttons partway down the front for lots of good skin-to-skin contact. Hoping that if this baby is unsettled as Cecilia was in the hospital, I will have it in my brain to remember to just try some relaxed "kangaroo care" with her. I have a list of other things to add to the bag when the time comes: toiletries, shower shoes, maybe makeup in case I want to put it on before coming home, maybe?... and this time, I am taking a white noise machine so that any nutjobs walking down the hall whistling "Hail to the Chief" at 6am will hopefully be drowned out by the white noise. The hospital is the worst place to get any rest! Our hospital is working towards a more mother and baby-friendly atmosphere... they are combining the nurses so that the same one who checks on the mom also checks on the baby, meaning only one person coming into the room at disturbing hours instead of two. Unfortunately, I think that is not slated to begin until October or November... but they are working towards several changes there, like less time in the nursery for the baby (not that I let them do the "mandatory" nursery stay of four hours anyway, but good to know change is coming).

Here are baby Lucy's clothes in her "dresser" in her "room." This means they are in some available drawers in a piece of furniture in the guest room. ;) The little outfit in the bottom right corner and the one that is diagonally to the left and above it are packed in the bag now, and she will wear one of them home. It is hard to decide what to bring baby home in with this heat! Newborns need warmth, but I don't want to overdo it, you know? I wonder i she'll even get a chance to wear any of those cute little gowns... it might be too warm. I love how newborns look in those, all slug-like! But not slimy like an actual slug, of course. ;)

Baby booties and a headband... two new things for Lucy, since much of her stuff is hand-me-down. The booties should fit her well in the cooler months ahead, which is the age when my other girls were barefoot all the time since it was summer! I guess I will need some 3-6 month size socks!

And just for fun, here's a picture of how huge I am now. ;) I am retaining more water than I have in the past since it is summer, but I doubt that accounts for the extra 15+ pounds I have gained. I am also hoping there's not a 14 pound baby in there... if it was twins, I think we'd have noticed by now, right?!? So, I am trying to stay cool but also enjoy the last of summer activities... I have taken the girls to the fountains several times, and I just wear as little as I can and stay in the shade or wade in the cool water! The swelling in my ankles began a week or so ago, not unusual, but I also have it in my hands. i will wake up at night with my right hand asleep, and throughout the day it will tingle after I have done something like washing dishes, writing, or gripping anything for more than a minute. I have almost dropped bottles of dish soap, shampoo, etc., since my fingers don't flex so well right now. One of the OBs said it's carpal tunnel and will go away... yeah, it sure feels like what i would think carpal tunnel would feel like (and here I am typing on a laptop...). So, energy level is lower now, having trouble getting comfortable at night, achy feet and ankles which make me give up on doing the dishes partway through (and maybe not being able to reach the sink past my belly has something to do with that as well!)... all telling me that we are in the home stretch now. Yet I am feeling the urge to nest... tonight I cleaned out the baby bathtub and cleared off the "nature shelf" which was basically covered in broken leaves and dirt at this point... I made it into a shelf for chapter books for Caroline.

Chris is nesting, too, because I asked him to install the carseat. Caroline has moved to the back bench of the van, and Lucy's seat is next to Cecilia's. They look so... big. They are identical seats with different fabric, but both rear-facing, so it looks weird to have both those seats taking up all that room in the middle of the van! Amazing that the same seat will work for a 6 pound newborn... Cecilia is a bit over 30 pounds now! Anyway, the fabric we got for Lucy's seat happens to be girly, because it was a discontinued print and therefore the cheapest of the My Ride 65 seats. Caroline wasn't even jealous this time about the fact that she's the only one without a girly seat cover, but Cecilia had to rub it in a bit that Lucy also gets two cup holders in her seat (like that will be useful to her any time soon, ha!) while Caroline just has one. But Caroline now has access to the actual van cup holders and the A/C control in the back!

So, I am also brushing up on my Bradley childbirth education stuff... Chris and I are reading through our workbook before bed, and I am going through Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way when I have time. I am hoping to be able to focus on relaxing a bit more this time, but when you wake up ready to go to the hospital and then the drive and getting checked in with all the annoyances like signing paperwork... not really conducive to relaxing! I honestly don't know which I prefer... long labor but able to relax since you don't have to rush to go anywhere right away, or fast labor where you feel really out of control! I think I liked the long one a bit more just because I didn;t like the out-of-control feelings, as brief as it was!

And, the last thing I need to be doing with this nesting urge... resting! I should be wrapping up any of the nesting stuff and putting my time toward resting. Meaning I really should be getting in bed by 11 or maybe earlier as we get toward the big day! It is so hard to do when last-minute preparations are swirling in my head (and in my to-do lists in my notebook!)... I am also wanting to plan out as much school stuff as I can so that I don't have as much of that to think about with a new baby. Most things on my lists have been completed now, though, so everything is really coming together now! There are some meals in my deep freeze, stocked up on some snacks, postpartum supplies, pretty much deciding on not even getting the co-sleeper back and setting it up (although it is an excellent place for middle-of-the-night diaper changes!)... Just need to make sure I can find my sling and wrap and wash them if needed...

To Baby Lucy

Sweet Baby Lucy,

I feel you moving inside me. You squirm and push, and I wonder... is that a foot? Is it your tiny rear end poking into my ribs? Or could it be your arm? Are you head down now? At 36 weeks, I am sure it is getting tighter in there, and you have less room to kick but plenty of room for squirming. I can see your movements... you are getting so big! One night last week, your daddy fell asleep to the feeling of your squirming against his arm.

How blessed I am to feel you moving! It is the most special feeling in the world of which I know. Of any feeling experienced, this one is the most amazing. And it is fleeting... one day soon, I will be empty inside and no longer feeling your movements. Then, I will be feeling and seeing them on the outside, also amazing to behold. But there is something very different and sacred about the feeling of movement from the inside: I'm the only person in the world who will ever feel your movements in this way. Think about how amazing that is! And each push, shift, twitch, and jab makes me smile contentedly at the reminder of your presence within me.

I know you have to come out. And of course, I am eager to hold you in my arms! Still, there will be a bit of sadness as I miss the feeling of life within me. Will I ever feel it again? No mother can ever be totally sure if she will get to experience the miracle of life in this way again... it is up to God. Being in this season of life, the child-bearing years, I want to savor and embrace these movements, knowing that they will be gone from me far too quickly.

Sweet baby, enjoy your time here inside me. Enjoy the undisturbed space, the safety and security of being in such a controlled environment. You have warmth, you have food, you have what you need to finish growing, all regulated in a controlled way. Do you feel the occasional tightening, readying you for birth? Do you sense that something is going to change soon? If you could rationalize, would you want to leave that safe space at all? I can assure you that although the world is not as peaceful on the outside, I will do what I can for you to make your transition here as smooth as possible. I will do my best to give you warmth, food, comfort, love. Life will be different once you are no longer within me, but not terribly so. I will give you my presence and physical contact as long as you need it, and, although you wouldn't believe it now, one day you won't feel the need to be touching me constantly. You will grow so quickly! I want to feel your presence against me and savor it rather than wish it away. These feelings of your movement from within are only the beginning, and that knowledge will make it beautiful for me to have you here in my arms rather than in my womb.

Is it silly for me to wish I could always feel a baby's presence, moving inside me? Maybe so. But it is a feeling that brings such joy and contentedness. What a privilege and a blessing to be able to take part in the miracle of life in this way!

Random Bits

The baby continues to kick and jab... at my bladder. I love it! Not the having to go to the bathroom frequently part, but the feelings of her movements. She still does not have a name yet...

My brother and his wife recently found out they are expecting their second daughter. This will make five granddaughters for my parents, and no grandsons yet! It must be payback, because on my dad's side of the family, there were 10 of us cousins, and eight of them were boys! Yes, I had only one girl cousin on that side, and she is about nine years younger than me. If you look at the children of all the cousins combined, so far the boys have all together had (or have on the way) four sons and six daughters, and then me, I have three daughters. So among the cousins, so far there are four sons and nine daughters. Apparently everything goes in phases...

I had another lovely day in the waiting room, sitting in between two people having conversations about their adult son who has to go for paternity testing on a three year old that he recently found out about, making Facebook pages for a two year old child in which the mother wrote an "about me" section as if her child had written it saying he has no use for deadbeat dads (the term "sperm donor" was used loudly and repeatedly at this point), and of course, their birth control. And one of these women, upon hearing my response when she asked the gender of my baby, was, "Three girls, oh, poor you." Yeah, poor me, but it is because I have to sit between you people who are having such bizarrely personal and inappropriate conversations! Yay me that I get to have the daughters and can teach them what is and is not socially accepted discussion matter in a public waiting room! Do you really want to tell everyone how your brother-in-law pretended to be the father of one of your children and made threatening calls to you as a joke?? Or how the mother of the father of one of your children is your friend on Facebook even though you refuse to acknowledge her as his grandmother? Had to listen to another mother say, in front of her ten year old, "Yeah, I wish he was about 14 - I'd be that much closer to him being outta my house!" Ugh. What is wrong with people? I think I need to go down the street to the coffee shop to hang out while waiting instead!

So I have decided that homeschooling moms need planning days! I used to teach 3rd and 4th grades in schools, and a whole, uninterrupted day in which to get motivated and really focus on working was always helpful. I have a whole list of things to get accomplished in the next few weeks... and the Spring Cleaning has been slow going as well. But hey, it's still spring, right? ;) Among other things for school planning, I need to select and type in 40 verses from the Old Testament... every time I get ready to start, I realize it is already 11:00 and that I should head for the bed instead! Other homeschool moms: how do you get planning time if you design a lot of your own materials and curriculum? Even going with a set, prepackaged curriculum involves planning of a schedule and tweaking things for your own homeschool!

Speaking of the next few weeks, we have a summer to enjoy as well! Among the plans: trips to the fountains downtown, trip(s) to the lake, trip(s) to Atlanta to my parents' neighborhood swimming pool (and to Trader Joe's and Target, of course!), perhaps a trip to an indoor inflatable place, backyard swimming pool, library summer reading program, Vacation Bible School...

Among the summer fun, we have appointments to fit in as well. I have to have my gestational diabetes test done on Tuesday, where I drink a super-sweet drink and they test my blood... I never have understood that test. At least the drink isn't nasty - some moms say theirs is gross, but the one they give me tastes like Sprite. Then Caroline, in addition to her regular OT appointments, has to go for a PT evaluation now. She had been complaining of pain in her thighs, so we saw her pediatrician, and she pointed out that Caroline's left leg is more muscular than her right... by looking closely, you can see that the muscles in her left leg are a bit bigger/more defined. So we need to figure out why that is and whether she needs to do specific exercises to strengthen her right leg. She is riding her bike now without training wheels, so that works those muscles. She can balance pretty well and just needs work on steering, stopping, and endurance. That is hard with this heat, and with our street not being the greatest place to ride, being at the top of a hill where some neighbors top the hill a bit too fast for comfort!

This post has been sitting for awhile, so I'd best wrap it up and post it... La Leche League tomorrow, so i should be getting to bed soon!

Baby Update

I am now 20 weeks pregnant! This photo was actually taken two weeks ago, at 18 weeks.

This baby girl is making herself known more and more lately... there will be days with little activity, and then days where she is really kicking and moving in there! With the first two, I felt them most clearly when lying on my back, but this one is a little different in that I don't always feel movement when I lie in that position. I particularly have been noticing the little thumps of arms and legs when preparing or eating food (she must like to eat, like me! ;) and when I am driving (she must like listening to Tonic, too!). Still nothing obvious enough for anyone on the outside to feel by laying a hand on my tummy... I am betting that will come soon! She was very active throughout the day today, Easter Sunday.

She is more obvious now just by my appearance, too. Surely nobody could see the photo above and not think, "Hmm, I think she is pregnant!" I'm starting to bump into stuff with my belly now... like the pew in front of me when kneeling at church. And doorways. No wait, I always bump into those anyway for some reason, ha ha. Does anybody else constantly catch their belt loops and pockets on the strike plates of doorways, and the knobs on kitchen cabinets???

I am thinking of possible names... noticing that her due date is actually the feast of The Most Holy Name of Mary, so she may very well have Mary, Maria, Marie, or Miriam as part of her name. A few days prior to her due date is The Nativity of Mary. Not that any baby is actually born on his or her due date... something like 5%, I think? Cecilia came close... only three and a half hours too late. Me, I was born eight days past my due date. That was in the days when they didn't flip out and induce moms once the baby was close to a week "overdue."

And below, you will see what my belly actually looks like at 20 weeks, in the same shirt for a fair comparison:

Pretty big difference for just two weeks' time!

It's a Girl!!!

Time to break out the box of baby girl clothes and see what we can use from all that we have accumulated so far!

Our ultrasound today looked great, baby moving around a bunch, and everything measuring normal. She had her feet up practically in her face most of the time!

These are actually the worst quality ultrasound photos we have ever had as far as clarity goes... they just aren't all that clear. With Cecilia. we have a perfect little profile shot with her sucking her thumb. I assumed that ultrasound technology would just improve with each baby I have, as Cecilia's was clearer than Caroline's... maybe it is because this ultrasound was done a week or two earlier than the others were in the past? But the important thing is that they could see what needed to be seen. Baby has kidneys and a stomach, a brain, all that important stuff.

When we were telling the girls about the ultrasound a week or so ago, Caroline asked, "How do they tell if it is a girl or a boy? Can they see the long hair if it's a girl?" Hee hee... still not clear on that since they don't have a brother to notice differences in anatomy! Well, I instantly saw what tells us it is a girl as soon as the sonographer positioned the thing in just the right spot. Even if they aren't the clearest ultrasound photos ever, this was pretty clear to me:

And feet - she has feet. See?

Tomorrow's the Day...

Well, tomorrow we have an ultrasound which should - hopefully - determine the gender of our third baby! I thought it might be fun to look at all the "old wives' tales" about how to determine the gender of a baby. None of these have any basis in actual reality, of course! So, for the fun of it...

1. Some people say that you have first trimester morning sickness more often with a girl. Well, no morning sickness here, but then, I didn't have any with either of my girls. According to this old wives' tale: Boy.

2. Another one is that how you carry the baby determines the gender (how could that even be true??). Supposedly, you are more likely to have a girl if you carry the baby high and get wider, whereas a boy is more likely to be carried all in front, down low. So, for me I don't know how high I am carrying the baby - it is still down below my belly button, based on the flutters and thumps I feel! - but I have the "baby bump" look up high (which I assume is just because everything has been pushed up higher in there!). I haven't gotten wider - you can't tell I am pregnant at all from the back. But that was how I was with the girls too, although I am sure one could tell I was pregnant from the back when watching me "waddle" during the last trimesters! So according to this old wives' tale... hmm, by appearances only: Boy. By facts (that the baby is not being carried "up high" at this stage), and the fact that I am not gaining weight all over (which apparently it is assumed all pregnant women do, since all my maternity pants fall off my rear end all day long!), then it is hard to tell.

3. Another old wives' tale states that if the hair on your legs begins to grow faster than it used to pre-pregnancy, then you are having a boy. My leg hair is growing at the same rate as usual, I think... in fact, it may have even slowed down lately. So according to this one: Girl.

4. There is a myth that "girls steal all your beauty." Sounds like some kind of fairy tale, like Cinderella being beautiful and the stepmother being ugly, huh? Apparently this can mean several things: your face will break out more, your nose will appear to be getting wider, and your face will become rounder. My skin has been breaking out a little more than usual, but my face is not rounder that I can tell, nor is my nose wider. My face is rounder than it is thinner just naturally, I think... so this old wives' tale predicts: Girl? Or Boy?

5. Many people claim that their husband gained "sympathy weight" during their pregnancies. Some people attributed it to his eating bigger portions or eating whenever his hungry, pregnant wife was eating! Others say their husbands gained more weight than they did! There is actually a name for it when an expectant father develops pregnancy symptoms: Couvade Syndrome. Apparently, this can affect all men regardless of the baby's gender, but the old wives' tale claims that men gain weight while their wives are pregnant with girls. My husband has actually gained some - not much, but he says he's noticed it. So according to this one: Girl.

6. The Chinese Gender Predictor Chart. This one was supposedly an ancient predictor chart used in China millions of years ago, discovered by some archeologist or something (yeah, can you tell that I am skeptical? ;). Anyway, it claims to be 90% accurate, and many people swear by it. In fact, it is correct in saying that my first two babies were girls. However, I looked back at it for my mom's pregnancies, and it was only right one out of four times... I was predicted to be a boy, and two of my three brothers were predicted to be girls. You find out your prediction based on your age at conception and the month in which you conceived. But you have to do it based on your lunar age, or something like that, so you have to find a chart that will convert it for you, supposedly. I have tried some charts online that have different results, so who knows which ones are the accurate ones? Supposedly, it is the one that converts your age for you (which I linked to, but it appears that the converter links aren't working for some reason), and according to that one, this baby is a: Girl.

7. Food cravings: this one says that if you are pregnant with a girl, you will crave sweets, and if you are having a boy, you are more likely to crave salty, sour, spicy, or protein-packed foods (there's a lot of variance on that one - girls are always sweet, and boys are always everything that is not sweet!). Well, my first major craving was Mongolian Beef. Then I have craved Sonic chili cheese dogs (I know, nasty, right?) and Chick-fil-A, particularly the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and their chicken salad. And burgers... oh, we had some great cheeseburgers made on the grill the other night - so yummy!! I was craving Steak n Shake milkshakes a little bit, but once I was eating them, they'd make me feel almost sick, like they were too rich. I was craving Pop Tarts like crazy, and instant apple cinnamon oatmeal (both with milk), and I would pass up the ice cream in the freezer to have those. In the first trimester, the idea of drinking hot tea or coffee was nauseating to me because of the sweetness and warmth. So overall, I would say I am craving non-sweet foods with a higher frequency. This old wives' tale predicts: Boy.

8. This one has to do with the baby's heart rate, and many people swear it is accurate, to the point that some nurses and doctors even say it to their patients! But it has supposedly been medically shown to be a myth. It says that if a baby's heart rate in utero is at 150 beats per minute or higher, then the baby is a girl. If the heart rate is around 140 or lower, it is a boy. Actually, it would seem that a baby's heart rate would vary based on whether it was sleeping or active, right? Anyway, so far the baby's heart rate was 150something the one time they measured it and told me, so according to this old wives' tale: Girl.

9. This one is nuts. It actually sounds like it could be dangerous because it produces a chemical reaction! So, I haven't done it! It says that you can mix your urine with Drano and the prediction is based on what color it turns. Gross.

10. Supposedly the Mayans would predict gender based on even and odd numbers. If the mother's age at conception and the year of conception are both odd or both even numbers, then it is a girl, and if one number is even and the other is odd, then it is a girl. I have also heard a version that states you have to add the two numbers together, and even means girl while odd means boy. Either way, 2010 and 31 years old predicts for us: Boy.

11. Another one says if you are moodier during pregnancy, you are having a girl. I think have been least moody with this pregnancy than with any of them, so according to this old wives' tale: Boy.

12. If your feet are colder during pregnancy, then it is a boy. Well, my feet are always cold, and they continued to be cold during winter to the point that I was always wearing slippers around the house. But that is normal for me. Now that it is spring, my feet are definitely not colder than normal. So this myth predicts a: Girl.

So, based on this, the results are: Boy 5, Girl 5, and one questionable result, and one I refuse to try!

Does anyone else have strange myths they have heard to predict the baby's gender? How about any predictions - do you have a guess about this baby for me?

Random Bits - Pregnancy Edition

I am currently 17 weeks pregnant. Feeling good again food-wise... I had indigestion and aversions to some foods (like breakfast ;) during the first 10-12 weeks, beginning in about the fourth week. Not too bad of a stretch to feel a little crummy. I wasn't nauseated, just not wanting to eat much. The scale showed it, because I didn't gain any weight, maybe even lost a pound. Now, I think I have picked up a few pounds here in the last few weeks. Otherwise, I have been having the back/sciatic pain I typically have during pregnancy - it began early. If I stand up and take a step too quickly, one leg feels like it can't support my weight well. I know it's all good - just the body loosening up like it is supposed to, so the joints will give correctly as the baby grows and during labor! The tiredness has mostly passed too, and I have more energy again.

Our next visit is on April 14th. We hope to be able to find out the gender then!

At the last visit, the heartbeat was 150something beats per minute.

I don't know if I have mentioned before on my blog that I love being pregnant. With Caroline, I felt better and healthier than ever - not even one headache my whole pregnancy, no colds, nothing! I did have some back pain and the normal pregnancy feelings like that, aversions to a few foods, indigestion, but nothing worth complaining about... each pregnancy has gotten a little harder, with the back pain beginning earlier and earlier. Despite that, I have not had any real morning sickness or anything like bedrest. I just deal with the back pain as best I can - it is the sciatic nerve, I am pretty sure. But to feel that little life swishing and thumping inside me is the greatest thing, and probably what I love most about pregnancy. I have always liked to wear maternity clothes... weird, huh? But I like it when that "baby bump" is visible and somewhat obvious. So far nobody has come up to me and said, "Oh, are you pregnant?" but I would hope that is because, while it is obvious to me because of how I have always carried my babies that it's not just a fat gut, somebody who doesn't know me as well might not want to assume - something we all appreciate, when others don't make assumptions about being pregnant, because it is insulting when they are incorrect (I have been the target of the, "Oh, are you expecting?" question twice when I was not pregnant! My answer, in my mind, "No, I am just still fat from being pregnant a year ago!"). But the maternity shirts seem to accentuate the baby belly more so that it is more obvious than it would be if I just wore a baggy shirt. I have been lucky to find a few maternity shirts for the summer for $1-2 dollars each at consignment sales, and my sister-in-law was very sweet to give me a big bag of her old maternity clothes, too... between that and my mom buying me some things, I think I am set for the warmer weather! And speaking of sisters-in-law, please say a prayer for my other sister-in-law, who is expecting their second baby and has had horrible "all day" sickness, to the point of being dehydrated and having to go to the hospital. She recently got a device that sends a constant flow of Zofran directly into her bloodstream, and it seems to be working more than anything else has, thankfully!

Caroline had a dream last night that the baby was a boy. She said that she wants it to be a girl but will be happy with it either way. I have not had any baby dreams at all so far.

A Very Special Solemnity of the Annunciation

Today, the Church celebrates the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her of God's plan for her, and when she said "Yes" to God's will. It is celebrated exactly nine months before we celebrate Jesus's birth at Christmas, because it pinpoints the moment of conception, when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." What a powerful testament to being pro-life!

The Annunciation also happens to occur in early spring, when new life is bursting forth everywhere. I took these photos a few days before the first day of spring, but we seem to be having an early arrival of the season here (although it is not unheard of to have a random freeze in late March or early April in these parts!). These shots are some of the new life in our own backyard.

Then we have a new little life here within me, and I thought it would be special to tie in the miracle of new life on this day in particular. So we told the girls about the baby, that they are now both big sisters and would be able to see their new little brother or sister in September! We went to our parish's Friday evening dinner and Stations of the Cross today as usual, and we arrived a few minutes early so we could tell them there and then all go into the church, where Jesus is present in Eucharistic Adoration, and light a prayer candle for the baby.

Chris told the girls that we were going to light a candle for a new baby that has not been born yet but is with us right now. Both girls looked baffled, and he continued, "If it hasn't been born and it is with us, then where must it be?" Cecilia immediately responded, "In our tummies!" [We had been talking a lot about how this is the day that Jesus became human inside Mary's tummy, as a baby so tiny we wouldn't even be able to see him until he grew bigger.] Chris said, "Whose tummy would the baby be in?" I said, "Hmm, it couldn't be in Daddy's tummy..." and Cecilia immediately pointed at me and said, "In Mommy's tummy!" Caroline, meanwhile, was deep in thought, and several seconds after Cecilia went through this verbal realization, a huge smile spread across Caroline's face as she "got it." It was funny to see her stunned into silence! So both girls were excited and said a prayer for the new baby in the church before we had dinner and Stations.

Later, Cecilia told me, "The baby is in your skin, not on your skin, because I can't see it!" Ha ha!

Here's a photo of baby - er, my skin, that is, covered with clothing, and a baby under the layers. ;) This was about a week ago... now I am in the 15th week. I am wearing maternity clothes now, which I love. Call me strange, but I love being able to fit into them all of a sudden and appear to others to perhaps be pregnant! Plus, you can't beat an elastic waist for comfort once the regular jeans start tightening and digging in when you sit down! ;)

Here the girls enjoy their sugar cookies that we made for this solemnity. They are white, symbolizing the purity of Mary in the miracle of Jesus's conception within her womb. We also had Swedish waffles, since waffles were traditionally eaten in Sweden on this day as a celebration of the Annunciation. I read that even after Sweden became mostly Protestant, they still held this day in high esteem and continued to observe and celebrate it. Interesting tidbit. The waffles are sweet and full of whipped cream, so they make for a real treat, which is fitting for solemnities. Now, we fudged it a bit and had the waffles Thursday, the eve of the Annunciation, since we were planning to go to dinner at the church tonight.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Annunciation Day, full of new life!

Introducing....

...baby number three!!!

I figured it was about time to formally announce that we will have a new baby born into this world in mid-September! I have been dropping hints here and there, and our families and close friends were already told weeks ago... months ago? I have been to the doctor twice... I was really wanting a homebirth, but unfortunately, it costs $3000! Our insurance is very good and makes a hospital birth a much more affordable option. I'll just plan to go in at the last minute (as usual, ha!).

At this past week's appointment, the heartbeat was 150something beats per minute. I have been feeling faint movements since week nine or ten! I know that is really early, and the Baby Centers of the world will tell you that mothers cannot feel the baby moving until at least 15-16 weeks, but they also mention that movement may be easier to notice if it is not your first pregnancy and if you are "slender." Now, I wouldn't really call myself "slender," but I did lose weight - down to a pound or two less than when I got pregnant the first time. In the first pregnancy, I didn't notice a feeling of movement until sometime in the 17th week. This baby makes him/herself known with small swishes and tiny taps. :)

At first, I had a pretty strong feeling that this is a boy. Then, in the past week or so, I have been having second thoughts. So... no idea. We will find out in five weeks when we go back to the OB. At that point, I will be in the 18th week. Right now, I am at the end of the 13th week.

No "morning sickness," but indigestion and general aversion to food for several weeks. I certainly have more of an appetite lately, so perhaps we'll start to see the poundage slide up by the next appointment. I have never gained weight in the first 14 weeks, but I haven't thrown up any, either. Breakfast was just undesirable for awhile. Working on eating plenty of protein now...

We have not told the girls yet and will do so sometime in the next couple weeks before the next appointment, when we will take them to see the ultrasound and find out if they have a brother or a sister! So, if you see them, don't spill the beans just yet! ;)

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of Your tender Mother, Our Lady of La Leche, who bore You close to her heart during those long months before Your birth, I place my baby and myself entirely in Your Hands. Free me, I beseech You, from useless and consuming worry. Accept the sacrifice of my aches and pains, which I unite to Your sufferings on the Cross. Above all, most merciful and loving Jesus, protect this child You have given to me from all harm, bestowing the health and vigor every baby needs. Implant in my heart and on my lips the words and prayers of Your Mother and mine, our Lovely Lady of La Leche. All this I ask that my child and I may live to praise forever Your Holy Name.

Amen.

Abortion: A Lie to Women

I have noticed something when frequenting other blogs and discussion forums that are of a attachment-parenting nature. It seems that there are some mothers out there who are very strongly in favor of gentle child-rearing approaches... no spanking, no circumcising, gentle births, no scheduling feedings in little babies. I particularly have noticed something in comments sections on some of the recent posts and articles that I have read regarding routine infant circumcision. I would truly hope that these few comments do not speak for the majority of people, but I am seeing also that very little people are speaking back against it... and this is the idea that while it is not morally/ethically acceptable to cut a baby's genitals, it *is* okay to have an abortion, because that is a woman's "choice."

How seriously misled must one be to hold this viewpoint? What kind of lies and catch-phrases and modern-day feminist rhetoric must've been fed to these women throughout their lives? Isn't the right to bodily integrity just that - the right of each person to maintain his or her whole, healthy body? Is abortion not also an elective surgery that is typically done for non-therapeutic reasons? How can people believe that while it is wrong to intentionally cut off a healthy body part on a tiny newborn, it is okay - and should be legally protected as a basic "right" - to intentionally kill that same baby a few months earlier? Aren't these *both* ethical issues? And while surely it is unethical to amputate parts of babies for non-medical purposes, at least those babies usually get to remain alive!

I appreciate the speaking out that others do about treating babies as feeling, individual human beings who should have the right to bodily integrity and to being cared for gently - I do it myself, obviously - I think abortion is the gravest issue of all in how we think of babies in our culture. If we want people to change their views of babies as inconvenient problems that are exhausting and draining and need to be "put in their place" and trained into not being "manipulative," then we need to start at the root... babies in the womb are a precious gift, a gift that extends into their babyhood after birth and beyond into childhood. Children are not just inconveniences - and until we stop seeing them as disposable before they are born, then how can we expect them to be treated respectfully as born babies? Babies in the womb need to be treated gently and with respect, too. Perhaps abortion does get more attention than genital integrity of baby boys... so yes, I can understand if a person chooses to raise awareness about that issue while not mentioning abortion. But because I see abortion as the worst treatment possible for a baby, I will write about it.

Abortion is also just about the most unnatural thing one can do to her baby or herself. In attachment parenting circles, there is much emphasis on natural living. Making a choice to kill an unborn baby - to disrupt the natural process - is going to have a negative impact on the body! It is not natural in the least, which is why I cannot figure out why people who focus on natural living many times support abortion as a "right" of women.

I think there are so many myths and lies that are fed to women under the guise of "choice" and "women's rights" and such. Most women who are rabidly protective of a woman's "right" to choose have never had an abortion themselves, nor will they ever have one. They want to protect this ideal that they have been fed. They think that if abortion is not legally protected, then women are somehow inferior to men, that we are oppressed. But God gave us this gift of being able to carry new life! This is a precious gift that sets us apart as women - it does not make us inferior, just different biologically. And we need to protect and cherish that special gift from God! What a privilege it is, what an honor!

What women are NOT told about abortion before they get one:

That most women regret it after having it done.

That their risk for breast cancer increases after an abortion, particularly if it was their first pregnancy. (click for source)

That the woman in the major supreme court case which legalized abortion, Roe v. Wade, is now adamantly opposed to abortion. (here's just one source)

Many women suffer from depression, anxiety, and even suicidal tendencies post-abortion.

Babies in-utero can feel pain. They often have a heartbeat and are able to move and are developing most of their body parts at the time they are aborted.

Abortion has medical risks to the mother as well. As "safe" as it can be made in a clinic, it is never completely safe - just like any surgical procedure. And it sure as heck isn't safe for the baby!

Sometimes abortions fail. The baby is born alive instead, at which point the doctors suddenly have to change from trying to kill the baby to trying to save its life, simply because of its change in location. How does that make any logical sense at all????? (Gianna Jesson is an example)

It can never, ever be morally permissible to trample upon the right to life of another. No right less than the right to life itself gets precedence over another's rights to convenience... or any other "rights" they have. When it crosses the line to killing another innocent person, then it is murder, plain and simple - not a "right."

There is much more I could write on this... perhaps I will begin another series of posts. ;)