Heart Attack Mac

So, after an hour wait at my doctor's office today (she was delivering twins), I had my group B strep swab test done (Yum!) and then had my first internal check which showed... Nothing... I was sure those horrendous Braxton Hicks' that I was having were doing something down there! My cervix is still zipped as closed as possible so it looks like my girl won't be arriving until after the new year. It's kinda funny but this ENTIRE pregnancy has been the exact polar opposite of when I was pregnant with Luke and I can prove it by the shocker that my doc laid on me today... Somehow, in the last 2 weeks (mind you it was Christmas people,and Christmas to my family means butter, cookies, butter, prime rib, butter, maybe some heavy cream, oh yeah, and my mom's heart attack mac and cheese that you could Spackle walls with!~) I managed to LOSE 2.5 pounds!!!! How the hell does that happen??? I walk into every appointment sure that I'm going to get a disapproving glance while teetering on the scale, but not for losing weight!! She actually asked me if I was restricting my calorie intake and I politely reminded her that I had eaten a piece of prime rib the size of a small dog for dinner Christmas Eve, if that gave her any idea of how "restrictive" I was being with my diet... Doppelganger pregnancy for sure!

She again reassured me that Brooklyn looks perfect and that she probably already weighs more than Luke did at birth as of now so we are good to go for game day anytime after now. Crazy, I'm going to be a mommy again really soon!

The mom and sis are coming over this weekendish to help me roll my protruding belly in casting material so I can decorate and hang my tummy on Brooklyn's wall.... Figure I should do it now as we have no idea how long she'll actually stay in there!!


Luvs!

Still here and still pregnant....

Well, it looks like my prophetic dream of me holding Brooklyn in front of our Christmas tree was nothing more than a dream... Not that I'm angry about that at all... She's still measuring small and I want her to stay inside and fatten up as long as she can.... Lukey Duke was born @ 36 weeks weighing 5lbs 12oz. and he was fine, but a little more time in ye old belly won't hurt the little bean one bit! I'm getting a little bit anxious about my doctor's appointment on Monday. Super doc is going to do another quickie ultrasound to check and see if Brooklyn's little tummy has fattened up at all since my last appointment. She promised me not to worry and that all she really cares about seeing is growth, even if it's only a little bit. So, I'm trying not to dwell on it and instead focus all of my attention on Capt. Duke who caught himself a nasty cold and has the cutest gruff little voice right now. He has spread his 5 billion Match.box cars and army guys all over every available inch of real estate in our living room and his play room, but he's having a blast and enjoying the week of mommy and daddy time. I haven't gotten nearly as much done as I had hoped, but I've gotten to spend some serious cuddle time with the little man as the cold has slowed him down a little. He's such a little love bug and he says the cutest things... I love that when he climbs onto the couch or bed next to me he'll squish himself really close to my face and tell me that he "wuvs mommy" and wants to pet me... He'll lay there, with his eyes half closed rubbing his tiny little hand across my forehead and then laugh when I catch him peeking at me out of the corner of his eye... I wish I could record every little moment and keep them with me forever....

Snow!!

We did it! We made the drive up the mountain just in time to be able to take the whole thing without chains, meltdowns, or any other downers. We attempted to get up early and get out of here before 10 but that didn't happen and it was probably for the best. We snagged our Starbuc.ks fix, grabbed the cute one a chocolate milk and headed out. The drive was beautiful and we finally tried out the personal DVD player with headphones in the car that Grandpa John gave us. So Cool! Lukey Duke got to watch Shark Ta.les the whole way down while mom and dad rocked out to some oldies. We found our way to a smallish snow park up past Nyack and proceeded to bundle the hell out of the little one as it was ridiculously cold and he wanted nothing more than to roll in the snow... Once we piled on the 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of socks, snowboard bib, 3 shirts, hooded sweatshirt, goofy beanie and gloves we were good to go. The Duke has always had quite the fascination with snow so it was really cool to be playing and feel the snowflakes falling... He lasted about an hour until his face was frozen, he had boogers running and was begging for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a smoosh (aka cuddlin' to get toasty). We then stripped all of the snow-caked gear off, downloaded him to a pair of green footy pj's, strapped him into his seat with a PBJ and grandma's big warm knit blankie. He was asleep before we hit the freeway.... It was a great day... I love Christmas and the snow, one day we'll have the 2 together... Until then, Merry Christmas all! Kiss your babies, and remember how lucky you are...


Luvs!

I knew it was too easy

Got a completely unexpected phone call last night from my doctor's office that managed to pretty much scare the crap out of me and piss me off all at the same time. Why call a patient at home after business hours if it's not a dire emergency?

So one of the nurses from my doc's office calls us last night @ 7pm and starts the conversation with something to the fact of, "I just got a copy of your ultrasound from your appointment today, and I haven't talked to your doc yet, but I thought I'd give you a heads up that she's probably going to order NST tests." My first reaction was, why are you calling me if you haven't talked to my doctor yet and what the hell are you talking about? The tech at my ultrasound had spent 10 minutes going over every picture of every body part with me and talking about how perfect she looked. The nurse continues with, "well, the baby's abdomen is measuring smaller than we would like to see, and with your history, you are going to need routine NST (non-stress tests)until you give birth to monitor her growth." WTF???

I asked her what she meant by "smaller than we would like to see," and she replied that Brooklyn's abdomen is measuring "a few" weeks behind all of the other measurements taken during the appt (skull, femur, pelvis, you get the point). Now I'm shaking in my seat, trying to keep my voice from quivering as Matt is staring at me puzzled as to why they'd be calling after I just got home bragging about how perfect she looked on the ultrasound earlier that day. I'm kinda in a daze as I hang up the phone and try to re-tell the play-by-play for Matt without bawling my eyes out in front of Lukey Duke.

Fast forward to this morning.

My usual nurse, 2nd in command to my Doc, calls and the first words out of her mouth are to apologize for the "other" nurse calling last night and giving me info that hadn't been run by my doc yet. She then tells me that Brooklyn's abdomen is measuring 3 weeks behind in development and that she really wants me to make sure that I get my PIH blood work done today so that she can give all of the info to my doc together so she can decide how to handle this. I love her because she doesn't beat around the bush and tells me that it's a concern, but that I shouldn't stress out about it and that I'm just going to need more monitoring and hands on care than the average patient.

So, in summary, I'm pretty freaked out.

My sis talked me off the cliff this morning and helped me put it into perspective that Brooklyn is a great size right now (estimated around 4lbs. 7oz.) and that, God forbid, she were born right now, she's be FINE. So, worst comes to worst, my pregnancy gets a little complicated like last time, and I muscle through the next few weeks under constant doc supervision, and then give birth to a perfectly healthy, but probably on the small size, baby girl. Or, it ends up being panic over nothing and she hangs out until her due date... We'll see....

PIH / IUGR ultrasound screening this morning

Just got back from my ultrasound to check Miss Brooklyn's growth and make sure that there are no signs of IUGR (inter uterine growth restriction)or anything else funky going on now that I'm in the tail end of this pregnancy. All looks perfect, she's measuring right on track, she has plenty of fluid to do back flips in, and my placenta and umbilical cord look perfect. I also got a possible explanation for some serious back pain that I was having yesterday... It appears that my mini gymnast has managed to catapult herself into breech position again... Hopefully she'll wiggle herself back head down soon...

Anyway, everything looked perfect on the ultrasound pictures and showed a perfect little girl, with perfect kidneys, heart, stomach and brain. It was really cool to be able to see her so far along in development. I've never seen ultrasound photos past the gender scan as I didn't have one with Lukey Duke. It's amazing to see how big she's getting and watch her wiggle around even though she is quickly running out of real estate!

Doc Appt Today

I'm actually beginning to feel cautiously optimistic As I walk into my doctor's appointments now. Since about 30 weeks prego I was really worried at every visit that my BP would spike and I'd step on the scale and see a drastic weight gain of 10+ pounds of water and be in for hell like last time. But shockingly, my BP is steady (120/74) as well as my weight gain (5 lbs from last appt) and I'm beginning to feel like there may be a possibility that I might be able to skate through the rest of this pregnancy worry free!

Brooklyn's arrival time

Any thoughts on when you think Miss Brooklyn will be gracing us with her presence? I am "officially" due Feb 4th, despite the fact that my doc and I have been using Jan 36th since I was around 12 weeks prego, and Capt. Duke joined us a full 19 days early. I'm leaning toward early, but I'm not quite sure on the time frame... Let me know what you think!

33 Weeks

Have you begun putting together Baby's layette? Do you have an alternate route to the hospital mapped out? Time to get everything ready ... Baby will be here soon!


Worried about going into labor with your partner nowhere in sight? Make sure you have your cell phone charged and ready. Also, make sure you and your partner have your doctor and hospital numbers programmed into your phones.

What's Happening with Your Body
With delivery day quickly approaching, you may already be feeling some false contractions, called Braxton Hicks. At times, you may notice your abdomen tighten and then relax. Braxton Hicks contractions help your body gear up for the real thing. If you take time to relax and put your feet up, the contractions should go away. Snagging some sleep becomes harder as your belly makes it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position.

All About Baby
Your unborn baby's senses continue to develop. If you talk to your baby, she can hear you. In fact, her world is full of sounds. In addition to your voice, she can hear your stomach growling and your lungs taking in air, along with the reassuring vibrations of your heart beating. Also, your baby's skin has turned from red to pink and she has started preparing for life outside the womb by storing iron in her liver.

How Big Is Baby?
This week your baby stretches to around 12 inches (crown to rump) and weighs in at about four pounds, eight ounces.


** Can't believe how much there is still left to do before Brooklyn arrives and I continue to have this intense feeling that she's going to be here REALLY soon! I know I only have Luke's birth to reference, but he was almost 3 weeks early and arrived so quickly that I'm kinda scared that I won't be able to make it to the hospital in time!!!! I need to finish her room, fill my freezer with a few pre-made meals, finish packing my hospital bag, install the car seat, and figure out where Lukey Duke is going once I am in labor.... Oh yeah, and then there's still all of the Christmas related stuff to do!!!! I need longer days or 4 arms! **

Just to gross you out again...

Here's a picture of my cankels following a hellish day at work on Friday... Yuck!!!!

Baby shower on Saturday!!!

I'm so excited to see all of the work that my sister and mother have been hiding from me for so long! I don't know anything about my shower other than who was invited, so it's been kinda rough for me to hand over the reigns completely, but also a blessing in disguise. I've been completely exhausted for the past few weeks and have been wearing myself down to the bone trying to get my life ready for Brooklyn.

I've had more and more anxiety lately about how all of this is going to affect my relationship with the Duke. He's such a sweet little boy and a part of me is really worried that I won't have enough to love both of them the same. Is this normal? Does every mom feel anxiety like this before expanding their family? Will I have enough love/energy/time for both of my beautiful babies? Does it make me a bad mom for jealously wanting more time with just my little boy? I'm conflicted and I know I should just be elated that Brooklyn is almost here and we haven't had ANY issues with this pregnancy at all, but I can't help but feel a little sad about the impending loss of time with the Duke. I know that we'll adjust and create a new routine that will include both of them and they will be fine, but I can't help but be a little fearful of the unknown. I remember being really scared right after Lukey Duke was born that I'd break him and that I wouldn't be able to handle all of the responsibility that came along with this fragile, squirming little boy laying across my chest. And then I remember the night after he was born, Matt was passed out on the fold-out bed next to me in the hospital, I think it was about 3am, and I just lay there sore but completely and utterly enamored with the tiny baby asleep in my arms grunting as he snuggled in close to me... At that moment, I knew that I would be a great mom and that from that moment on, he'd always be my number one priority. I know that my love for my babies will grow the moment I get to finally meet my daughter and makes room for both of them in my already bursting heart...

Busy, lovely holiday

So, Thanksgiving went off without a hitch (muchos thanks to my Ma!!)... The meal was awesome, everyone's dishes came out great, and it was really nice to have everyone together under one roof and be able to have a nice meal. We were able to send everyone home with a goodie bag full of leftovers and I managed to get a huge pot of ham and lentil soup made with the leftover spiral cut ham and bone... So good!!!

I had an OB appt on Wednesday and got the good news that it looks like my BP is still staying pretty low (120/74) and I only gained a pound since my last appt which is awesome! I was REALLY worried that my BP was going to spike and the scale would reflect a massive weight gain of water from all of that swelling I've had for the past few weeks. My doc is still going to run me through a battery of tests @ 36 weeks to check on Brooklyn and make sure that all is well (non-stress test, blood and urine check, and an ultrasound to check her overall well being and my fluid levels). I'm so happy that she's taking the risk of my pre-eclampsia returning seriously. She's been cautiously optimistic since I first told her I was pregnant, but always reminds me that the incidence of recurrent pre-eclampsia in subsequent pregnancy is usually 1-3 but about 50/50 for me as I developed it during my 1st pregnancy and it was quite severe last time. I was on magnesium during labor, and for 2 weeks following Luke's birth, and not allowed to move because my BP was so high they were afraid I could possibly have a seizure.

Lukey Duke had his 2nd dentist appt On Wednesday and got 2 prizes for being so awesome! The hygienist was amazed that he was so happy to be there and eager to participate at only 3 years old. His teeth look lovely and we were told to basically keep doin' what we're doing as his teeth and gums look perfect.

The rest of our few days together were spent doing chores, making trips to Home Dep.ot for stuff to complete Brookie's nursery and lots-o-laziness! I don't think I've ever spent so much time curled up on our couch in front of the fire watching so many movies and cartoons! It was awesome and much needed....

Luvs!

As promised, pictures of Brooklyn's nursery (minus wall art)

Here they are.... That paint job was pretty heinous, but so worth it... It really makes the room and is my favorite part so far. Thanks again Dad...Without you, she's probably be sleeping in our walk in closet!!!! Luv Ya!!!












*** More pics to come as soon as I can muster the energy to get pictures hung, shelves installed and tiny clothes put away!!! ***

So tired and sore...

A HUGE thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for basically making Brookie's room a truly beautiful place this weekend! My mom made bumble bee cushions for my rocking chair, replaced the cushion on my ottoman to back and white gingham to match, with matching decorative pillow, made curtains, and is in the process of creating Brooklyn's "B," so she'll have one just like the Duke. My dad, the super Mr. Handyman extraordinaire, managed to turn an old dresser that once belonged to my mom as a child, into a perfect replica of a cherry red, standing Snap.On tool chest for Capt. Duke's Car.s bedroom! He also fully refurbished a solid wood toy chest for Brookie's room that is absolutely adorable and matches perfectly! They brought over the coolest piece of wall art ever. My sis bought this round 1 billion piece Mary Engelbrei.t puzzle with my favorite of her sayings on it and after 3 people took turns putting it together, my dad Hodge Podg.ed it together so I can hang it on the wall above the changing table (Thank You Mel, Mom & Nancy for your mad puzzle skills!). So, her room now has a built and waiting crib, changing table, rocking chair and ottoman, and toy chest. Pretty much all that's left is filling said dresser/changing table with clean munchkin clothes, decorating the walls, and prepping for the little princess' imminent arrival!


Promise to post pictures of Brooklyn's room tonight when I get home from work...


Note to self, marathon cleaning for 7 hours is fully possible while almost 8 months pregnant, but HIGHLY not recommended. Pretty much every muscle from my knees up is sore and I'm walking like a 90 year old today... Not a good plan! Oh yeah, got a visit from my old buddy pitting edema this weekend! Was hoping that he'd stay far, far away this time but obviously not...

Gearing up for the weekend

Here's what I've got so far for a tentative menu for the family Thanksgiving potluck shindig at my house next week:

** Bacon wrapped, apple/wild rice/prosciutto stuffed turkey breasts
** Honey Ham, maybe Prime Rib
** Mom's mashed potatoes
** Mom's candied yams
** Green bean casserole
** Rolls
** Green Salad
** Pumpkin pie & ice cream, maybe cheesecake or apple crisp too, I can't decide...


My goal for tonight is to have a set in stone menu of what all of the fam is bringing, my grocery list made and ready for a surgical strike on Walma.rt and Cost.Co tomorrow morning, and to get to bed at a reasonable time...

I also need to try to figure out a way to rotate the Duke's toys in and out of the playroom/2nd living room so that I'm not forced with trying to pick up 3 billion tiny toys every single night. Maybe I'll start a bin in the garage and just swap out loads of toys every few weeks... I need more ideas...

Matt is taking care of the installation of the trim/chair rail in Brooklyn's room tomorrow, so I should be able to start decorating (FINALLY!!!!... We also have a 4 year old's birthday party to go to Sat afternoon...

Busy Weekend. We'll see how much I can get done!!!

Swollen Cankels AGAIN

Really, really tired today as I finally gave in to my fanatical football fan of a husband who's patiently waited to buy a new flat screen TV until last night... Poor Matt had previously been relegated to watching an 11 year old 31" dinosaur so I was really happy for him last night as he signed for the new (BIG) TV, sound system and TV stand/entertainment center. It was like watching a kid at Christmas morning! Anywho... We are now proud owners of a 42" fancy schmancy flatscreen TV, rockin' Bose surround sound system and all the fixin's! It really is pretty cool and I can't wait for Lukey Duke to be able to watch Cars and Finding Nemo on the new TV.

Oh yeah, back to why this is titled "swollen cankels!" I have, yet again, woken up to massively swollen feet and ankles. I guess "normal" swelling is supposed to fully drain after a night's rest, so I'm getting a little paranoid as mine is MORE swollen when I wake up then before I went to sleep. And it wouldn't be so bad if it had only happened once but it's happening twice or 3 times a week and has been for the past 3 weeks. I hope and pray that it is just swelling and not the beginning of Pre-E hell. I really , really don't want to deal with that crap again.

Lukey's Christmas Wish List

I have set a goal of churning out Captain Duke's Christmas List by the end of this week... It might be tough as EVERYTHING he sees on TV he has decided he MUST have.... I love toddlers =)

Migraines SUCK

What did I do in my past life to deserve 48hrs of stabbing pain in my temple and when did I become such a friggin' saint about these damn things? What happened to the hours curled up in bed, curtains locked up like Fort Knox, whining for relief? Oh yeah, I remember! A wild and crazy 3 year old hopped up on sugar like a crackhead and being 7 months pregnant happened to my self pity!!!

It never fails that Luke the Duke will come home in rare form on nights where NOTHING is going to make the pounding stop. He met me at the door of daycare with a yelp, squealing shoes on the tile, and a sing song greeting that sounded a lot like,"guessss whatttt I hadd for snnnnack!!! Misss Cawwie gave us cheeesecake!!!"

I don't think I've met a mother yet that hears something like that and reacts with anything other than a smile forced through teeth clenched so tight they might just shatter out of your head. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sugar Nazi, and I get it that it's daycare and occasionally my child is going to eat shit that is horrible for him. I just wish it was any night but the night that the sound of my shoes on the sidewalk has me inches from yakking in Miss Carrie's lovely front yard.

Enough crying over yet another migraine... At least my Excedri.n is taking the edge off a little. It's kinda nuts how good you get at functioning while in serious pain... Chics rock! Could you imagine what would happen if it were a 7 month pregnant man with constant migraines? It would be splashed all over the TV.. News at 10... Pregnant man shoves ballpoint pen through temple to end the pain...

Ready, Set, NEST!!!!

Here we go! I knew it would hit me full force eventually and I believe that time has finally arrived. I have this overwhelming, aggressive drive to have Brooklyn's room done NOW. Not in a few weeks, or a few days, but now. It's probably the realization that if she follows in her brother's footsteps in any way, she'll arrive early. Lukey Duke graced us with his presence a full 3 weeks early so I have made up my mind that I need to have our little world ready for this sweet girl by the time I hit 36 weeks, just in case of premature poppage. The craziest part of all of that is that 36 weeks is only 6 weeks away!!!! 6 weeks to finish trim, move furniture, wash clothes, decorate, fill my freezer with yummy pre-made meals, install a car seat, pack hospital bags and finally wrap my mind around the fact that for the 2nd time, my world is about to do a full 360. We will walk into the hospital as 3 and leave as a family of 4.

Wow, that still sounds so crazy... I can't wait to meet her though.... I'm so, so excited to be able to hold my little girl.

Oh yeah, all is still (fingers and toes crossed) well on the blood pressure and swelling front. My blood pressure has stayed quite low (120ish/75ish) for the last few weeks, and only a few episodes of swelling after too long shopping trips and wearing heels that I know I'm not supposed to be wearing...


Thank God for my Dad... The man has helped me so much over the past few months that there probably isn't any true way that I can thank him enough. Thanks daddy... I think you may be nesting like me!!

Where'd the time go???

I remember with Luke that his room was finished, decorated and totally baby ready long before I went into labor with him @ 36 weeks. I feel like things are far more relaxed and slow and we still have so much to do this time around. We still need to finish the trim, assemble the crib, move the dresser, decorate, paint Luke's new dresser, dig out and install the infant car seat, pack the hospital bag, get the rest of the baby stuff out of the storage unit, and wash and fold/hang all of Brooklyn's clothes. I know it might not sound like much to do, but worst case scenario, we only have 7 weeks from yesterday until I'm 36 weeks like I was when I went into labor with Lukey Duke. That means 7 weekends to knock out all of our chores/tasks and be mentally prepared for our daughter to arrive!! I can't wait to finally meet her... I wonder if she'll be blond like Lukey Duke or have dark hair like me... Maybe she'll get Matt's eyes... Who knows...

29 Weeks & 5th OB Appt

Fetal development in pregnancy week 29:
If you’ve been feeling butterflies moving around in your belly, it’s not just your run-of-the-mill pre-birth performance anxiety. No, it’s your amazing baby with a case of the hiccups: a fairly common occurrence at this point resulting from practicing breathing for their big birthday. In addition, to getting a round of butterfly-like hiccups, your little swimmer has arduously managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of their overall body weight. Yeah, compared to we adults, it’s not a lot, but when they’re little like that—it’s certainly a healthy (and warming) accomplishment in its way. Another fantastic accomplishment: your baby's spleen is now in charge of hematopoiesis—the 10 dollar name for the process involved in building up certain important blood components. Another fantastic-accomplishment: your little monkey has been peeing into their amniotic sac for a little while now (this is why potty training takes a while) and if you didn’t know, actually swallows it along with the rest of the amniotic fluid. Although the concept is nasty, their urine is sterile and as part of the amniotic fluid base, is replaced several times throughout the day. So if you didn’t know before, now you can tell people, that yes, you drank your own urine—you were still in the womb, but nonetheless, you’ve been there.

And how's mom doing?
Here’s another new-parenting-issue that you probably don’t have the time or energy to handle: the decision whether or not to breastfeed. If you thought this was one of the obvious ones (stick out breast, attach child, feeding commences!), think again. Right off the bat, there are women that simply the vain reason to breastfeed: all that charming excess body fat you’ve gained is used for milk production, thus making it MUCH easier for you to return to you pre-pregnancy weight cannot breastfeed for medical reasons—and have no choice in the matter but to opt for formula-feeding. Then there are the women who attempt to breast-feed and run out of milk, or the baby won’t latch on (they even have breast-feeding classes because despite the apparent animal-easiness of the behavior, some babies just don’t take to breastfeeding).

Now, if you are planning or deciding whether or not to breastfeed, here are some of the big reasons why it’s a great thing for you and your little “sucker”: breastfeeding actually releases a hormone that will help you relax (and if you don’t nurse milk production will actually cease: i.e. use it or lose it!). If you choose to breastfeed, your body will produce oxytocin—(no, not Oxycotin, Rush Limbaugh already took care of that), which actually increases uterine contractions to decrease post-birth vaginal bleeding.

And the vain reason to breastfeed: all that charming excess body fat you’ve gained is used for milk production, thus making it MUCH easier for you to return to you pre-pregnancy weight. Also, nursing mothers’ bones re-mineralize faster than those who don’t and are less likely to contract ovarian or uterine cancer before and after menopause. Not to mention the fact that breastfeeding means you’re directly bolstering your baby’s immune system. For even more reasons why your child will benefit from breastfeeding, visit womenshealth.gov.


** My OB appointment this morning was pretty much uneventful like usual... She said that I'm measuring on track, Brooklyn's HB was in the 140's, My weight was 183 (Damn!) and my BP is still low @ 120/62. She also gave me a heads up that she's going to run me through all of the tests that she ran last time around the same time that my BP started increasing rapidly, just as a precaution. That means a couple of non-stress tests a week with fetal monitoring and constant BP readings, followed by urine tests once a week and bed rest if my BP goes crazy again. She seems pretty confident that I might make it through this whole pregnancy without a flare up.... Lets hope!

We've created a monster!

So, most of my family knows this but I have a slight addiction that verges on madness when pregnant for Ben & Jerr.y's Ice Cream. During my pregnancy with Luke it was Pistachio, Pistachio flavor and this time it is shaping up to be Oatmeal Cookie Chunk. No, I don't sit down and plow through a quart and them feel sorry for myself. I really don't have a very big sweet tooth so I can usually only stomach around a half a cup or so before I am fat and happy. Well, last night Luke and I had to make an emergency run to the grocery store to grab two huge jars of peanut butter so I could bake 80 cookies for a potluck at my work. As we were getting ready to check out, the ice cream aisle started calling to me... I grabbed my usual and then Luke and I made an awesome discovery! At the bottom of the freezer shelf were these tiny, half cup mini cartons of a few of B & J's most popular flavors!! EUREKA!!! Luke's eyes were as big as saucers as he stared at the munchkin sized containers.... He turned his best,"mommy pleeeassee" eyes on me and I couldn't resist. He picked out Cherry Garci.a, another of the household favorites (Matt's actually)and then was an angel as we checked out and headed home... The look on his face was priceless as he sat next to me savoring every bite of his tiny little ice cream.... Ahhh, the little joys in life!

Sleepless night...

Tuesday night Matt and I were awakened by Capt. Duke tugging at his right ear and telling us that there was a bubble in his head and it hurt really bad. Now I don't know about you, but there are two sickies that I hate dealing with: croup (aka The Devil) and ear infections. Maybe it's the amount of pain that they both cause that makes me worried just hearing the words come out of his sweet little lips. Anyway, into bed with us he crawls, Tylenol is given, and then comes the trial and error of what will comfort him enough for all of us to be able to get some sleep. He settled on a hot washcloth pressed over the offending ear, which soothed him quite well but proceeded to keep mama bear awake and having to re-heat a wash cloth every 20 minutes or so. Needless to say, come six hours of no sleep I realized that work wasn't going to happen and that Tylenol sucks! We swapped to kiddie Motrin, Duke finally fell asleep and I passed out. Woke up around 8 to call work, daycare and Matt to make sure he got to work on time and up bounces my sweet little boy looking well rested and ready to play. He cheerfully announced that his ear didn't hurt anymore and he wanted to watch the Smurfs.... So much for the sleepless night! Not sure if he just has a cold that caused some pressure in his head or he just wanted a little lovin', but all is well in Lukey Duke land as of this morning. We decided to not do the doctor thing as most ear infections clear up on their own and antibiotics don't do anything but create resistant bacteria... His doc said it was fine to put it off as long as he gets better not worse and there is no fever involved. So, cross our fingers, it looks like it was a false alarm....

Belly Shots.. No Laughing!!!

Finally got the succession of pictures that I've taken so far loaded on the computer... No laughing at my stretch marks (aka battle wounds) from Capt. Duke!

Thanksgiving

I still need to chat with the rest of the fam to see if it will fly, but I really want to host Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. There's plenty of room for everyone, Matt gets to watch his beloved football, and it saves us from having to do the annual house crawl where we end up having to eat 3 or 4 times and spend all day driving around to all of the different houses. I found this yummy recipe bacon wrapped stuffed turkey breasts that I'd love to try and then maybe get a honeybaked ham for any non-turkey lovers. I figure we could probably pot-luck out the rest of the fixin's so no one is stuck having to cook the entire meal and we get to try a little of everyone's cooking! We'll see what everyone thinks!

28 weeks.... and counting...

A few snippets from my favorite pregnancy websites...

What's Happening with Your Body
Added baby weight is taking its toll on your body. Chances are you're feeling aches and pains all over! Your feet, ankles, and hands may be swollen. Cramps may cause intense pain in your legs, especially at night, and it may be hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. You may also be experiencing false contractions (called Braxton Hicks) where your abdomen tightens, then relaxes. Hang in there—you're getting closer to your due date!

Your uterus is around three inches above your navel. If you are Rh negative, you'll be getting a RhoGam injection right around now. And those tightening sensations? Braxton Hicks "practice" contractions.


All About Baby
Your unborn baby's survival rate outside the womb increases as each week passes. If he didn't open his eyes last week, chances are he'll take his first peek this week. Your baby-to-be's skeleton and muscles are maturing quickly. This week he can turn his head from side to side.

Most of the lanugo has disappeared at this point and your baby may have a full head of hair by now.

How Big Is Baby?
Your Baby weighs in at around two pounds, seven ounces and stretches to 10 inches (crown to rump).

Fetal development in pregnancy week 28
You know how you’ve been feeling a bit like a barn with legs? Well, that feeling won’t subside before… well, you know, when you finally give birth. For the time being, you’ve got yourself a baby in the business of collecting fat and lots of it! In spite of the dubious joys of being a human-barn, this baby fat business is very serious and you’ve got to put up with it because it’s going to keep your little porker warm and healthy after birth. Other good stuff from inside: their eyes are doing lots of blinking this week because they’re now able to respond to light and dark. Also, their industrious little bone marrow is now a major construction site for developing red blood cells, while their super-cute adrenal glands are actually producing androgen and estrogen—which will stimulate your hormones to begin milk production. Can you say, “Moo?”


So there it is...

I guess that's what I'm supposed to be feeling/growing/doing right about now during my pregnancy. It's funny but I really don't remember much of anything other than being righteously swollen, grumpy and uncomfortable from about this moment on in my pregnancy with Lukey Duke. I've had everything crossed for a few weeks now that the somewhat bothersome swelling that I've been having is actually normal swelling and not an impending sign of crappy things to come. I have my next doctor's appointment next Monday and am hoping that I haven' gained a bunch of weight, there's no protein in my urine, and my BP is average and steady like it has been up to this point. I believe that after this appointment I will "graduate" to appointments every two weeks instead of ever four like I have been doing.

She is calm and chill like she has been, kicking and rolling in response to my Decaf Peppermint Mocha in the morning and then she will settle in for a long nap until lunch time when she'll wake up and assault my insides again for another hour or so... I hope I'm not jinxing myself but she really doesn't keep me up at night like Capt. Duke used to do. She'll move around for about 20 minutes or so when I first lay down and then she is totally quiet until I wake up in the morning. Maybe this awesome skill will stick around!!! Anyway, off to work land... Maybe it will be busy today so my time will fly...

Happy Halloween!!

I'm so excited for Halloween!!! Not only is this my favorite holiday but it's rainy and gloomy out and I'm overjoyed!! I'm totally one of those people that LOVES rain and clouds and generally gloomy days... Everything just feels so much cozier and it's fun to listen to the rain hit the car or the porch while all wrapped up in sweaters and blankets... Oh yeah, and it helps with that whole hot body thing that I've had going on this entire pregnancy... This is the 1st day in a long time where I don't feel like I'm going to pass out from the heat! Anyway... Lukey Duke woke up all excited this morning because we've been prepping him for wearing his costume tonight. He can't wait to be able to run up to Grandma and Grandpa's house in his batman suit with his groovy new batman flashlight that Grandpa gave him last night. Matt and I have agreed that he's allowed to go to 3 houses on our block for his first venture into trick-or-treating... I'll probably take too many pictures tonight like I usually do, so be for warned! Have a great, safe Halloween!!

Growing a circus performer...

So,little miss Brooklyn has fully changed positions about 3 times this morning! From Head down to side-to-side to head up all in the span of a few hours... She is either partying like a rock star in there or just can't seem to get comfortable! Either way, it's super uncomfortable... Anyway, enough whining... I ordered some super cute clothes for both Duke and Brookie and they finally arrived today... It is just way to much fun to buy tiny little clothes for tiny little ones. I found Luke a sweatshirt that says "Brooklyn" across the front of it and got a bunch of cute Halloween stuff for Brookie for next year for three or four bucks a piece... I love Old Nav.y's clothes so much!! They are super cute, cheap and sturdy... Can't get better than that!





I'm really looking forward to snapping a few pictures of Capt. Duke in his awesome Batman costume tomorrow as he makes his first venture into trick-or-treating. We're only going to let him go to Aunt Melanie, Grandma & Grandpa's, and 2 houses in our neighborhood, but he should still have a blast. I'll post the pictures as soon as I get them uploaded...

Luvs!

First Inaugural Blog Posting...

So I thought it only appropriate that I create a place to share my thoughts (aka. PICTURES!) and everyday life with my beautiful babies. It still feels so weird to say that out loud. I can't believe that we're going to have a second child, and so soon! This pregnancy has flown by so quickly that I haven't really had much time to dwell on the fact that I'm going to be a mommy of two in less than three months! I'm so excited to meet Brooklyn but at the same time I have this nagging sadness that I only have a few more months left of just Captain Duke, Matt & I. He's such an amazing, loving little boy and I only hope that, as everyone always says, our hearts and our love expand to include Brooklyn, taking nothing from our relationship with the Duke.

Everyday I seem to get caught up in these tiny moments of pure Luke... He'll run up to me out of the blue and give me a huge hug and look so deep into my eyes... It's amazing how innocent they are... Anyway, I'm having an emotional preggo mommy moment, but I really hope that he adjusts well to having a little sister... And I hope you enjoy the chronicles of life with the Dobbers...


And for your viewing pleasure... A few pics of Capt. Duke and the Fam...