T minus 100 days!

"Well the time has come that my gestation is crossing from triple to double digit days. Not as amazing as crossing to single digit days but 100 days means just over three months . . . that light is getting brighter.

As I get closer to the third trimester, more and more pregnancy symptoms are cropping up. The acid reflux is here to stay. I'm sad to say that I do think sweets, mostly chocolate, cause a more significant flare-ups than other foods . . . sigh.

I've also had some crazy almost charlie horses in the middle of the night . . . I wake to roll over and in doing so usually stretch my legs a bit. Lately when I do this, my calf muscles will cramp up, that only ceases when I curl up into a ball again.

Acne, achy back, and exhaustion are all rearing their ugly heads again. At least these symptoms will go away after the baby is born, right? 100 days to go. . ."
--Clare

Does it come with a shake?

"I had another dream last night. It was short and very simple, and I'm thinking not very realistic . . .

Ross and I are at the hospital ready to deliver BITB. There is no pain (don't know if I have drugs because I can fully move my body but there is no pain). I'm told to just let my body do the work and when I feel pressure to call in the doctor because it's time to push.

I guess I feel pressure so we call the doctor in.

Now in the dream I, the dreamer Clare, becomes a nurse at the foot of the bed, while Ross is holding my, the in-labor-Clare, hand.

Labor Clare pushes once, ONCE!, and out comes the baby. Nurse Clare helps deliver the baby, who is very clean and perfectly formed and about 11 pounds, and places her (it's a girl) on Labor Clare's chest. We all marvel at how big she is.

I then become Labor Clare, gaze lovingly at my new daughter, amazed at how perfectly formed she is, how clean, how big . . . Ross and I are thrilled but aren't crying at all like we did with Jackson. I wonder if we should be more emotional . . . I wonder what time I delivered our daughter . . .

I try to ask Ross what time it is, I can't read the clock on the wall, and he is talking with the doctor about something exciting. When I finally get Ross's attention he brushes my question aside saying that the doctor told him that even though doctors say you shouldn't eat right after delivery, in reality you can eat anything now that the baby is out.

The doctor said that I can have all the water I want and that we can even go to McDonald's! Ross is super thrilled about this and is glowing more about the fact that I can eat burgers and fries than the fact that we just had a girl.

I look at our baby and think, 'guess we should name you now . . . .mmmm, McDonald's.'


That's a realistic dream right?"
--Clare

Maybe it's all the cookies I'm baking . . .

"Woohoo! 7 lbs.!

I just had my 24 week appointment and am glad to say the weight gain has begun! Now for those of you who think I'm crazy for cheering on my new poundage, I'm really not. It seems that in pregnancy I am a late weight gainer. This isn't bad, isn't good, it just is; some people gain early, some gain steadily throughout, I gain in the end. BUT when all is said and done, it is best to gain some weight because that means the baby is getting fatter and all is growing well with room and board.

The recommended weight gain (20-30 pounds, though some say 25-35) is as follows:

Baby: seven to eight pounds

Placenta: one to two pounds

Amniotic fluid: two pounds

Breast tissue: one to two pounds

Uterus: two pounds

Extra blood: three to four pounds

Increase in body fluids: three pounds

Maternal stores (i.e. fat as baby protection and momma energy): five to twelve pounds

Add it all up and the range is 14 to 35 pounds.

I gained 30 with Jackson . . . wonder what will happen this time around. Though, what I think is funny about my seven pounds is that it is EXACTLY how much I gained each month once I started gaining with Jackson!

Here is what Babycenter.com says about BITB at 24 weeks: 'Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up.' So that accounts for one of those seven pounds . . .

Also exciting at this appointment was that BITB had a very steady heart beat (156 bpm) that sounded so strong. Ahhhhh! It’s all so invigorating, this little life just thriving inside me . . ."

--Clare

Getting a sister?

"Though I said that Jackson frequently refers to the baby as a 'he' ("When baby comes out he'll have a pacifier," was mentioned the other day, as an example), a new trend has developed.

When ever we are looking at things of 3, say a picture of tigers, Jackson will always point out that 'Mommy tiger, Jackson tiger and Daddy tiger' are there. HOWEVER, if there are 4, 'Sister tiger' is added to the mix.

I think this is just adorable. I will say that the fact that we read The Berenstain Bear's New Baby a lot, where Little Bear gets a baby sister might have something to do with it."
--Clare

Just call me Mrs. Butter-fingers

"Today couldn't be more telling of the fact that I'm pregnant.

It's been said that a tell-tale sign of a pregnant woman is her clumsiness, her "butter-fingers", so to speak.

Today I have spilled milk (twice), dropped my knife multiple times (maybe I should avoid cutlery from now on), knocked over my opened contact case (sending me to my hands and knees searching for my precious lenses), among a myriad of other things. I feel like a total klutz.

I think I need to go to bed and hope for a better, more coordinated day tomorrow."
--Clare

A pain in the back side

"UGH! This is so not fun.

I've had a consistent pain in my lower back/upper buttock for the past 16 hours . . . I never had this when pregnant with Jackson. But "they" say that every pregnancy is different. Anyone else experience a difference like this?

I have a call into my doctor to see what she says it might be (my first thought was the elusive sciatica pain but possibly it's another pregnancy related pain, as described below) and what I can take for it.

My other theory is that I stretched too far in yoga class on Sunday. But I'm not really sure that's a legitimate possibility given that the pain doesn't feel like something I've experienced before due to exercising.

Here is what babycenter.com has on the subject (which really describes my case):

'You can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back.

The extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why your back may feel worse at the end of the day. [Mine is all day long, fun.] Your growing uterus may also cause back pain if it's pressing on a nerve.

In addition, hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things. [So, pretty much anything, great!]

Experts describe two common patterns of low back pain in pregnancy: Lumbar pain occurs in the area of the lumbar vertebrae in your lower back [not my case] and posterior pelvic pain is felt in the back of your pelvis [hmmm, that sounds more like it]. Some women have symptoms of both types of low back pain.

. . . more pregnant women have posterior pelvic pain, which is felt lower on your body than lumbar pain. You may feel it deep inside the buttocks, on one or both sides or in the back of your thighs. It may be triggered by activities such as walking, climbing stairs, getting in and out of a tub or a low chair, rolling over in bed, or twisting and lifting.

Positions in which your hips are bent — such as sitting in a chair and leaning forward while working at a desk — may make posterior pelvic pain worse. . . When low back pain radiates into the buttocks and thighs, it's often confused with sciatica — a condition that's actually relatively uncommon. True sciatica, which can be caused by a herniated or bulging disk in the lower part of the spine, affects only about 1 percent of pregnant women. [So maybe that's not me . . .]

If you have sciatica, your leg pain will usually be more severe than your back pain. You're likely to feel it below the knee as well, and it may even radiate to your foot and toes. And you'll probably feel a tingling, pins-and-needles sensation in your legs or possibly some numbness. [Not me for sure, guess it's the posterior pelvic pain that I've got.]'

I swam this morning thinking that the motion and floating would help me, but it did not. I bought myself a nice hot/cold pad that was useful for the time that it was on my back. But so far the only thing that alleviated the pain was taking a walk. . . that is, until I sat down again!

I hope my doctor calls soon with advise on what pain medication she approves of, in the mean time I think I'll try soaking in a hot bath. Again, I say, UGH! This is so not fun."
--Clare

Apples to Cider

"This past weekend we had a fun fall family outing. Everyone was excited to go apple picking with some family friends and celebrate the arrival of October!

The weather cooperated for 20 minutes, just enough time for us to arrive at Terry's Berries, check out all the produce growing, see chickens, goats and horses, help Daddy fill a big bucket with apples and scurry over to the pressing station.

The "gentleman" teaching about pressing apples into cider wasn't the kindest of men, but he did wear red suspenders and a straw hat which made me think he at least looked the part of an ole time cider presser.

The Dads got the job of pressing the apples while the Moms tried to keep the kids under the tent (it was now pouring down rain) and not get too muddy.

Apple picking is one of my favorite fall activities that I pretend is done for my birthday. Even though it was a very quick trip, every one had a wonderful time and I hope that it becomes a tradition. BITB however slept through the whole thing!"
--Clare

BITBs inheritance

"So Jackson is really getting it now. He is starting to fully understand that the baby in my belly will eventually join us in this world. Luckily not to the extent that we have had to do a 'where do babies come from' talk. Jackson does think that BITB will just pop out of my tummy ('can we get him out now?' -- Jackson also uses the masculine pronouns way more than the feminine) to join us and I am okay with this line of thought for now.

This morning Jackson said two different things that really let me know he understood:
1. While I was getting dressed Jackson thought my top was too tight for my belly. 'Don't hurt baby!' he admonished me.
2. When getting into his high chair to sit at the table for breakfast Jackson looked to me and stated, 'when the baby in your belly comes he'll get to sit here and I'll get a big boy chair.'

Ah, I fell in love with my kid all over again for his concern and perception of the baby situation. He also mentioned that he can't do raspberries on my belly because it might hurt baby, but I replied that baby in the belly likes them as long as they're gentle.

So I think we are in the clear for some of Jackson's items to get handed down to BITB without much of a fuss from our first born. Hopefully he'll continue to sound happy about passing off his "baby" things once BITB has arrived."
--Clare

Let's hope it was a fluke

"Last night, as I was trying to fall asleep, I felt it: a dull burning sensation in my throat that was all too familiar.

Acid reflux!

Oh, please, just let it be what I had for dinner last night and not the beginning of a trend. Though it was about this time in my pregnancy with Jackson that it began. Ugh.

Thank goodness for TUMS: calcium and an acid reducer, what more could a pregnant lady with acid reflux ask for (besides not having acid reflux)?"
--Clare

With 4 months to go . . .

here is my latest belly picture. I have noticed a big increase in belly shape in the last few weeks (though it may not look like much in this photo) and expect that with the next doctors appointment I'll have increased in weight gain as well."
--Clare

Strange cravings

"So people have often asked me if I have any strange food cravings with this pregnancy, and the answer is no, not really. I tend to not want cooked veggies . . . their flavor becomes too potent when cooked. I'll take my veggies raw this time around.

So while there's no food that I crave, it seems that the only thing that I really want is Coke. But not just any can or bottle of Coke will do, I hanker for Coke of the fountain soda variety with ice and a straw. Mmmmmmmmm."
--Clare

Second baby of the baby count is here!

"Our college friends Katie and Dan have welcomed into the world their precious little girl (their first child) Evelyn Rose. Cute name. (The pressure is really on for us to pick a darling name for BITB.) Congratulations!

Here is what the new and proud parents had to say: 'Our baby was born on Oct. 3 at 2:45pm. She is the sweetest little thing. Her name is Evelyn Rose and she weighs 7lbs., 2oz. I don't know how long she is yet. She has downy, reddish hair and blue or brown eyes depending on if you ask me or Bird. Her favorite activities are sleeping, holding my index finger, sleeping, eating, sleeping, crying, sleeping, and pooping (after which: sleeping).'

--Clare