33 Weeks Pregnant

I went to the Doctor today for a routine checkup. He says everything looks good so far. I was worried that the baby was transverse (sideways) due to where I feel movement. He said he's pretty sure that she's curled up on my right side with her head down and her bum by my belly button which is why I feel the movement where I do. I am glad to hear that but as time goes on we will know for sure. I was worried that I might have to have a c-section. Brad and I are finishing up our childbirth education classes. It has been a good refresher for me but thinking about the labor process gives me anxiety. My Dr. did tell me that I should be able to get some medication even if I'm progressing quickly if I request it. He also said that I shouldn't have to push for 2 hours like I did with Dawson. I sure hope I don't! It was too tiring. We are getting more and more anxious as the time draws nearer. I am hoping to have the baby between 37-38 weeks so keep your fingers crossed for me! If I have her a little early it means I can get my gallbladder out sooner. I have had a couple attacks recently that were pretty intense and resulted in driving to the ER only to have the pain disappear on the drive there. Brad has been pretty good about it and is very helpful.

Disneyland and Baby Shower

Dawson had the opportunity to go to Disneyland with Mary, Ben, and Natalie. I baby sat Cora and Asher for the weekend as a trade off. He had a BLAST and can't wait to go back. He did come down with a bit of a cold on his 2nd day there. He was exhausted by the end of the day and ended up sleeping through the fireworks show. He was very brave and went on all the fast roller coasters.
This last weekend Mary threw me a baby shower. It was fantastic getting together with a bunch of family and friends. Mary did a great job planning it and it meant a lot to me. She made an edible fruit arrangement and a butterfly cake. She didn't like how it turned out but I thought it was very cute. I am feeling more prepared for baby Jane's arrival. I do have my moments of anxiety where I am not sure I can do it (but it's a little late for that now isn't it?!) The picture of me in front of the fireplace is me at 31 weeks pregnant. I think I grow more and more each day.

Pregnancy Pains and Joys

This pregnancy started out awesome for me. I found out I was pregnant at 3 ½ weeks and kept waiting for morning sickness to kick in. I had morning sickness for 5 months or so with Dawson. I never had horrible morning sickness during this pregnancy. Sure I had my moments of not feeling great or loss of appetite but it was not bad at all. I didn’t gain any weight until the 20^th week of pregnancy. Those were the weeks.

Around the 18^th week of pregnancy my leg/pelvic region started to ache. It has not stopped since and I’m now 30 weeks pregnant. I have not confirmed it with the doctor yet (I go in next week) but am pretty sure it’s called pelvic girdle pain. It should heal itself after I have this baby. I have put in bold print the symptoms that I have. Here are the symptoms of PGP:

· Present swelling and/or inflammation over joint.

· Difficulty lifting leg

· Pain pulling legs apart.

· Unable to stand on one leg.

· Unable to transfer weight through pelvis and legs.

· Pain in hips and/or restriction of hip movement.

· Transferred nerve pain down leg.

· Can be associated with bladder and/or bowel dysfunction.

· A feeling of symphysis pubis giving way.

· Stand with a stooped over back.

· Malalignment of pelvic and/or back joints.

· Struggle to sit or stand.

· Pain may also radiate down the inner thighs.

· You may waddle or shuffle.

· Aware of an audible ‘clicking’ sound coming from the pelvis.

Needless to say it is no fun at all. It makes the smallest tasks so difficult at times.

Around 22 weeks pregnant I woke up one night with this awful pain in my ribs and back. I was scared to death and was at my parents house without Brad. I had a few more episodes like this and decided it was time to go to the Dr. I had an ultrasound done of my gall bladder and sure enough I have gall stones. UGG! So now I have to really watch what I am eating. This is the time of my life I shouldn’t have to worry about everything I am eating and now I have to be so cautious. I can not do anything about the gall stones until after I have this baby and then it will be at least 6 weeks after that. I hope to have the baby 3 weeks early so that I can it removed right after the first of the year. I will have to endure the holiday’s with this and that will be no fun!

I have also from early on experienced round ligament pain. It is also AWFUL pain to endure. It usually feels like a knife stabbing into the lower side of me. It alternates sides or occurs on both sides at the same time. It has brought me to tears more than once. Needless to say between round ligament pain and the pelvic pain I have a rough time rolling over in bed at night or getting up in the morning. It’s not so pleasant. I also get leg cramps on occasion and those are also horrible. I got them toward the end of my pregnancy with Dawson but this time around they happened much earlier on. I feel like with all this pain there is no way I can go through with another natural childbirth but then again I can’t go in thinking I can get medication since they told me I couldn’t have anything last time because I progressed so quickly. I am hoping for a very speedy labor again!

I know that all this pain will be forgotten and worth it the day that I have baby Jane. I am looking forward to holding, snuggling, and kissing her. I am anxious to see what she looks like and to have my whole life as I know it changed! I know she will be a great added blessing to our family. Now let us hope she shows up in 7 weeks and not 10+ weeks.

Labor Day Weekend/ Dawson's 7th Birthday

Brad and I hanging out at my parents house.
The Birthday Boy at Chuckee Cheese

Mary made the cutest cakes for the kids!
The Birthday Kids


For Labor Day weekend we headed over to my parents house on the coast. Mary and her family went as well. We had a party for the kids on Saturday. Dawson turned 7, Natalie 8, and Cora 2. It was a mellow party and the kids had a lot of fun. I can't believe that Dawson is already 7. He is growing up so quickly. I love that he is such a sweet kid. He is always full of hugs and kisses for me (as long as his friends aren't around.) He is doing an awesome job at school. He is overall such a happy kid. I am so blessed to have him and to be able to raise him.
Monday night his dad threw him a party at Chuckee Cheese. I'm not a huge fan of the place but Dawson had a great time. I just sat back and watched him and enjoyed not being the host of the party. Dawson's big present from Brad and I is a trip to Disneyland in a couple of weeks. He is going to go with Mary, Ben, and Natalie while I watch Cora and Asher. They are going to have a great time (as am I!) I don't think I could physically walk all around Disneyland.
My baby belly is getting bigger and bigger each day. I'm just about 28 weeks pregnant and everything is going pretty smoothly. I definitely have an appetite now and feel like I eat non stop some days. Baby Jane moves around a lot and it still makes me laugh sometimes. Brad saw her move my whole stomach yesterday--it freaked him out a little bit but he thought it was neat. I am anxious to meet her in less than 12 weeks (hopefully) and see what she looks like.

Back to School

School started back up on Monday. I can't believe that Dawson is already in the 2nd grade. It feels like I just dropped him off at Kindergarten. He loves his class and teacher so far. I hope it stays that way. On the second day of school he ran out of class and told me that he has a new crush. She's a new girl to the school that is in his class. She isn't as blonde as his previous crushes so I was a bit surprised but at least he is opening up to other types. The first week back is always hard getting back into a schedule. Brad starts up his musical auditions then practices next week. It's always a tough transition. I get used to having him around most of the day during the summer then all the sudden he is working 12 hours a day. We are just hoping that I don't go into labor the weekend of his musical (the weekend before Thanksgiving.)

Dawson also started his second year of soccer. His cousin, Natalie, is on the same the same team so it should be a fun season. The team seems fairly young so they probably won't do all that great but I think they will have a good time. I just enjoy watching Dawson play any sport. He has so much more athletic ability than I ever did. It just comes to him and he loves it.

I'm now 25 weeks pregnant and growing daily. The baby has days where she kicks non stop and other days where she doesn't move around much at all. I love it. The only part I do not like is all the ligament pain and sciatic pain that I have been having. I have been going to a chiropractor and that seems to help a little. We have the nursery pretty much set up and love it. It's so adorable and perfect for us. She is one lucky baby.

High School Reunion, Sunriver, and baby update

This last weekend was my 10 year high school reunion. I drove over to my parents house on Friday afternoon and came back home Sunday afternoon. Friday night everyone was supposed to meet up at the bars. Since I'm not a drinker and I'm pregnant I didn't find that appealing. Mary and I went and got ice cream across the street from the bars instead. We some some interesting characters out late at night in Arcata. We had a good time visiting with old friends and seeing people from the past. I was pretty tired by the end of the night though. In the picture above is one of my great friends, Katie, who I still keep in touch with, myself, and Mary.

Brad and I took Dawson back up to Sunriver. We always have so much fun there. Brad's parents also went. It's nice to spend time with them outside of our daily lives. We went the day after I found out I am having a baby girl so Penny (Brad's mom) and I went to a few baby stores. We found a few things that were adorable. I was a bit disappointed in some of the speciality stores with their baby girl clothing. They just didn't have any cute dresses! We took Dawson to the Sunriver mall and let him have an afternoon of fun. We had lunch, rode in bumper cars, jumped in the bounce houses, played mini golf, got a treat, and got to play in the toy store.


Here I am at 21 weeks pregnant. I feel like I wake up bigger and bigger each day. The baby is moving around a lot which I enjoy. Brad has felt her kick a few times. Mary felt her kick once and Dawson has felt her kick as well. I think it kind of freaked Dawson out because he says he doesn't want to feel it again. We are setting up the nursery (I know already!) We had found a crib and amroire that we loved back when I was only 7 weeks pregnant and last summer my mother in law had bought a red changing table and baby girl bedding that was on clearance at a baby store here. We are loving how the room is coming together. It should be complete in the next week or so and I will post a picture. I never got to set up a nursery for Dawson so this has been exciting.