So much development in 2 months

Adeline has made so many developments over the past 2 months! I have been writing them in a journal so that she can look back and read about herself. She sits up for at least an hour with no assistance. She's been doing that for about a month. Over the past week, she has been saying "ma-ma--- ma- ma--- maaaa maaa" etc. I'm glad I was her first word, whether or not she knows she's saying it. Sleep- She still does not sleep through the night, but wakes up every 3 1/2-4 hours to drink a 4 oz bottle. The websites say we should start sleep training, so we'll see if we can handle that. She is still sleeping in the rock n play, but is 5 pounds away from being too heavy in it. We put her to sleep in the pack n play (since she is still eating throughout the night, I'm too lazy to go down the stairs to feed her then come back up.. so the pack n play is up by our bed). After 4-5 hours of sleeping in the pack n play, she gets up for her late night feeding. I then move her to the rock n play. Napping- She has become a great napper. She takes a nap every 3 hours. She does not sleep for a consistent amount of hours, so we rush to get things done until she wakes up. Her naps range from 40 minutes to 2+ hours. Day care- Right now, my mom watches her 2 days a week, Nick stays home with her 2 days a week, and our close friend watches her on Friday's. This makes me so relieved because she is watched attentively and does not have competition for attention. Although, she is in her separation anxiety mode, so if you leave the room, she starts crying until you are sitting right next to her. Teething- She is not teething yet, but she is a drool queen. We have to change her bibs and onesies multiple times a day because she drools so much. It's cute and she is mouthing EVERYTHING! Baby-proofing- We put on the cabinet locks and a baby gate on top of one of the stairs. It will take a bit for us to get used to it, but it's better we put it up now than if she is already mobile and we're struggling to put stuff up. Giggling- She is SUCH a happy baby. She is always laughing and smiling. Everyone who meets her loves her. Strangers comment on how happy and chubby she is. I guess a well fed baby is a happy baby! I am looking forward to the future, especially the holidays.

Solid foods

On 07/12, we tried baby oatmeal cereal with Adeline. She did wonderfully! Needless to say, only half of the food made it into her mouth. She seemed to love it, though. I wonder if she'll always be so excited to try new foods. I hope to keep her on baby cereal for another month or so. I don't want to start her on veggies until she is 6 months. We'll see if she can last that long. Here is a picture for your enjoyment.

Weight loss goal

When I was right at the point of delivery, I had gained 42 pounds since becoming pregnant. (I was only supposed to gain 15-20, according to my BMI calculator). It was easy to lose the first 20 within the first few weeks. The last 22.. not so much. It took a month to lose the next 7 pounds. For the last 2 months, I was stuck at 15 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight. Over the past 2 weeks, I have felt a bit thinner. I weighed myself this morning.. only 7 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. Almost there!!!!! Unfortunately, my goal is to beat my pre-pregnancy weight since I was "overweight" by doctor's standards. So in reality, only 20-30 more pounds to lose. ::sigh:: Wish me luck!

Discovering her voice

Adeline has discovered her voice! Over the past week, she has been making grunting noises just for fun (at least, I think they are because no other results come of it)But this week, she decided to start making high pitched noises. You can tell she is enjoying making the noises. Now, every morning, she is in her crib making the noises to try to get our attention. It really is cute, even though it is hard at the time to wake up. She grows so fast.

Naps

Adeline is a decent napper.. when you are holding her, when she is driven around in her car seat, or when she is in the swing. She does go to sleep okay in the crib or rock n play (at gma Keller's house), but she does not sleep longer than 30 minutes or so. Today, while at my parent's house, she cried for 15 minutes (with calm moments when I came in to pat her stomach and soothe her with my voice) until she finally fell asleep for 45 minutes. When she woke up 45 minutes later, I knew she was still tired. I rocked her to sleep in my arms, in which she fell asleep within 30 seconds. Once I set her down in the rock n play, however, she woke right up and started crying again. What was to be done? After 10 more minutes of her not going to sleep, I decided to try swaddling her. When she was first born, the hospital swaddled her oh-so-tightly. She did well at the hospital with sleep. Once we got her home, she seemed to strongly dislike the swaddle. No matter how tightly we swaddled her, she always worked her arm up out of it. She was like a mini Houdini! She also would cry and cry until we took her out of it. She always has loved sleeping with her arms in a "surrender" position next to her head. So today, I decided to swaddle her, just to see what happened. Instantly, Addy quieted down. After setting her in the pack n play, she stared off into space for about 2 minutes before she fell fast asleep. We are one hour in and she is still sleeping soundly! Could this be the new "norm" for her naps? Whatever works!

Changes are part of growing

Adeline is 14 weeks old! I didn't think I'd say it, but I've almost forgotten what she was like when she was first born. I was looking at pictures of her as a newborn and what a difference. I have loved being with her everyday to see her changes. That said, it makes me very sad that I have returned to work. While I have only physically been back one day (Thursday), it was a hard day for me. I wasn't crying on the outside, but inside, I missed her horribly. She is with my mom while I work, so at least I know she is being taken care of by someone who loves her. That still doesn't change how hard it is. It makes me sad that I might not see her first giggle, her first crawl, her first steps, etc. My mom has tried to help fill my heart ache by sending me cute pictures and videos of Addy throughout the day. One thing we have recently started was crib training. I knew this had to be done, especially since she is outgrowing her rock n play bassinet. She has done remarkably well. She sleeps in it for about 5-6 hours, then wakes up every 2-3 hours to eat. I am not sure if she is crying because she is hungry or if she just can't put herself back to sleep. I have to remember that she is only 3 months old and might not be ready to skip out on her night feedings. Below are some recent pictures: --------------------------- Rock n play --------------------------- Crib sleeping --------------------------- tummy time -------------------------- Her first full day away from me

First Mothers Day

Time is flying by too quickly. I will have to go back to work next week. Luckily, I can start by working from home, but I will have to do full time starting early July (as opposed to end of August, which was what I originally planned). This was just found out today. Yikes! Time to scramble child care up quick! I enjoyed my first mothers day. We had brunch with our close friends and their 3 children. We then went on a hike with them. Afterwards, we were able to relax at the house for a bit, then we went to my parents house. My mom gave me a journal to write things about Adeline along with my thoughts. I simply adore my little Addy. She is getting so big. I will weigh her tomorrow, but she is definitely over 12 pounds. My boss was kind enough to buy me 8 baby boot camp classes as my baby gift. This is definitely needed to help kick my butt back into shape! I am 3 classes in. I have to jam the next 5 in ASAP!

waterfall

This past week, Adeline may be going through a growth spurt with how much she is sleeping. It is great, but if I try to lay her down in a crib after holding her while she's asleep, I have to get ready for non-stop, body shaking crying. It's the crying that I hear other mother's talk about in mommy group. Not to mention, after she eats, it is a waterfall of spit up. Sometimes, I wonder if she throws up all of the milk. She then ends up going to sleep for awhile. When she is awake, she is happy for a bit, then comes the body shaking crying for awhile. Luckily, she has been sleeping great at night. The last few nights, Adeline has been sleeping very well! The first block of sleep is from 5-7 hours. The next block of sleep after a feeding is 3 hours, then the next block is another 2-3 hours. It is great to get so much sleep! I know that this will not last forever, so we are enjoying it while it lasts. On a side note, Nick gets to go on a guy's retreat this weekend. It involves camping with the guys. We will miss him but I am glad he is able to remember what life was like pre-baby!

8 week-doctor's appointment

Today, Adeline went in for her 8 week/2 month checkup. She is now 11 pounds 2.5 oz and 22 inches long. She is in the 65% for weight, 50% for height and 50% of head circumference. The doctor said she is in great shape and is developing wonderfully!He was impressed by her neck strength, especially when I showed him the pictures of her at 4 weeks during tummy time. He said that her slight reflux is something to just wait out on. If she was screaming in pain after each feeding, then he said he would prescribe her some Zantac. He said to stock up on some gripe water and burp rags and let her system develop on its own. So I guess the nights where she is crying out in pain due to gas, I just have to wait it out. The last few nights, she wakes up screeching from gas pain, in which we have to work out. Once we do and she eats, she is happy once again. She has been following the common "witching hour" between 5-8 PM. During this time, she is not her usual smiley self. She tends to break into tears easily and is quickly bored. Lucky for us, she is not screaming non-stop this whole time. At my mommy group each Wednesday, some mothers speak on how their baby is inconsolable for 3+ hours at a time. A few mothers even say their baby is crying 8 hours a day, starting at 3 AM. We are very fortunate to have such a happy baby. I wouldn't say she is "easy", but she is definitely not difficult. I have started giving her a bottle of formula every day. First, it's to get her used to a bottle. Secondly, it is to see which formula works in case my milk dries up or I am not able to produce enough when I go back to work. Ideally, I would like to have her on a mix of formula bottles and pumped milk bottles throughout the day, then full breast feeding at night time when I get home from work. On a personal level, I am down 30 pounds since delivery. Only 13 more to go until pre-pregnancy weight, but ideally, 30 more before I am down to my goal weight/size. How nice it will be to be healthy and fit for my daughter. I did my first baby boot camp class today and LOVED it. I am pretty confident I will be sore tomorrow, but it is good to do other exercise besides just walking.

7 weeks of Adeline

7 weeks old. She is growing so quickly. While I do miss the days that she would sleep for hours on end, I do love that she is more aware of what is going on. The downfall of that is that I'm not sure of what to do to stimulate her to help her excel. I talk to her and play music, which she likes, but I'm not dangling toys in front of her or doing anything to help her grow (as to what the books say). I feel horrible, but she doesn't allow me enough time to go into storage to get out the toys!! She does have amazingly cute outfits. This past weekend, it got really hot! It was up in the 80's! What a perfect time to put on some cute outfits on our Adeline. Below is a picture of one that I bought for her.

Also, as we go places as a family, the fact that Nick had to be pushed up against the dashboard due to lack of space in the back seat was a bit unnerving. What if the air bag popped out? Not only would it not help him, it could possibly break his knees since that is where the air bag would come out. After noticing some other things with my car (hmm what's that noise? How much to repair it??! Oh dear) I did some research for about 3 weeks on potentially getting a new Subaru. I test drove the Forester and loved it (since I was already driving a Forester, this makes sense.. even though the new Forester has much more leg room, more height, and many other features). I also drove the Outback, which I did not like as much. I felt there was too much view of the hood for my liking. So a week later (last Saturday), we went back into the dealership to get the new 2012 Subaru Forester. I originally wanted the green, but after seeing it in person, I realized I liked the Charcoal grey better. I am very excited about my purchase, not to mention that I got .9% financing, so over 5 years, the total interest I will pay is $400. Fantastic. We also talked down the dealer a great deal so that I paid the dealer invoice price. Below is a picture of it.

Sleep- so wonderful

Adeline turned 6 weeks old last Friday. Time sure is flying by. She weighed 10 pounds on Friday. She is gaining about an ounce a day, which is normal. A friend said that once she hits around 10 pounds, she sleeps longer. Adeline has proven that a few nights this past week. Some nights, she still wakes up every 3 hours to feed, but then there are the other glorious nights like last night. She slept from 10:30-4:40, then 5-8 AM. I would like to say that I slept that whole time, but the new mother instinct made me wake up sporadically to make sure she was still breathing! She was, of course. One thing that I've been worried about is that some of her breathing sounds like wheezing. I've asked the doctor about this via email and he said it may very likely be reflux. That would explain why she spits up so much and also cries after some feedings. I wonder how she will handle sleeping flat in her crib once she gets too big for the rock and play. Last Wednesday, I went to a mother support group that is offered by Sequoia hospital. It is where mothers come in with their babies and listen to a nurse for an hour talk about popular subjects (sleep deprivation, reflux in babies, illnesses, etc) then "opens the floor" for discussion for the new mothers to ask questions to all other mothers for advice. We were there from 9:30-1, and Adeline slept through the whole thing! Everyone said "what a good baby" but I was as surprised as they were that she slept for so long. She loves her car seat!! This Wednesday, I plan on going to lunch with the other mothers after the meeting. Some of the mothers seem like we could be great friends. Here is a picture of Adeline sleeping. Look at those cute chubby cheeks.

Every day is a change

Adeline has been growing and changing every day. Even though I see her every day, I can see the changes. She now is able to do tummy time for 15 minutes at a time and hold her head up the whole time. (picture below). She also has the most adorable outfits. I originally told everyone "no pink", but I am realizing how striking her dark hair looks with a pink outfit. I have taken her to Target multiple times, been to a couple restaurants, even took her to Costco. I know some say it is best to keep the baby in isolation until they receive their shots, but for my sanity, I need to get out and about. Hanging out with her at home is fun, though. She is so happy in the mornings. She even enjoys "dance parties" with me. This entails turning on the David Guetta Pandora station and letting me move her arms and legs to the beat. She is all smiles throughout our "dance parties". She is also sleeping in longer stretches, but only in the late evening. She sleeps really well in her car seat. She sleeps about 4-5 hours while in it. She still sleeps about 3 hour increments at night time in her rock and play portable bassinet. Every day I fear "will she become colicky today? It could still happen", but no signs yet. She is pretty happy. If she starts to cry, she is easily distracted. Her cries after bath time, though, are pretty loud and intense. Thank goodness my hormone levels have leveled out or I would be crying with her. Nick is a wonderful father and enjoys spending time with his little girl. She adores his face and is responsive to his voice. I feel increasing love for Nick every day. I have always fallen more and more in love with Nick daily, but this new chapter in our lives has shown me how to love him in more ways. He is truly a great man and I am so lucky to have him. As for me, weight loss has plateaud. I have stopped at 15 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I am sure once I get the "all clear" from my doctor to work out, I will be doing more than just daily walks. I have lost 25 pounds, though, so I don't feel too bummed out about what the scale says. After all, it took me 9 months to gain 40 pounds.. I knew it would not come off within 5 weeks. No one is that lucky! Until the next post, here are a couple of pictures. The first one is Adeline showing her amazing neck strength during tummy time this morning. The other picture is her in one of her cute outfits on gma's lap. Even though she is 5 weeks, the newborn outfits are too short for her. She is now in the 3 month outfits.

One month old

Oh my goodness! Adeline is a month old already! So far, she has successfully gained weight to about 9 pounds, she holds her head up magnificently, and she has been smiling every morning since 3/29. Real genuine smiles! She has been sleeping in 3, sometimes 4, hour increments at night. She has not shown any signs of colicky behavior, and I hope she stays that way. I am a bit nervous about her care situation in September. We can't afford nor do we want to put her in day care. Something for us to think about and plan. I will try to post more when she lets me.

23 days old

I feel bad for ever wondering why new mothers always take so long to update their blog. I was thinking "babies sleep throughout the day, don't you have 15 minutes to update your blog?" I have been super busy with naps, thank you notes, and who knows what else. She is growing so quickly. She went through a growth spurt (I believe) over the past few days where she had to eat every hour and a half. This was really hard at nighttime because she would not let us sleep. I did ok, I think, but it was really hard on Nick. He enjoys his sleep and needs it to be aware. I do okay for a little while without sleep. The only downfall is that if I'm really tired, when Adeline cries, so do I. Last night, though, she slept in 3 1/2 hour blocks. It was heavenly! Here are some pictures for your viewing.

First time in crib up the hill

Today, I was able to pull together my emotions and courage to drive Nick and Adeline up the hill to our house. Adeline had been to our house last Friday, but Rachel drove us up. Today, we drove up around 11. It was very cold up the hill. It was even hailing. The temperature outside was 38 degrees. Thank goodness for Betsy and Bob. They turned on the heat at our house and brought in a portable heater to warm up our bathroom. Adeline did great. I was worried she wouldn't sleep in her crib (since all she has been sleeping in is her rock n play (which is an upright bassinet). She slept from 12:45-3:20. Even I was able to sleep from 1-2:30. Grandma "Tutu" (Betsy) then held her for a short time while Nick and I ventured to the hot tub... rather... Nick sat in the hot tub and I dipped my feet in. It was SO nice not to have a big belly to have to accommodate to while sitting down. I don't miss being pregnant. People say they forget about the downfalls of being pregnant, which is why they have no problem getting pregnant again. I should probably write down all the reasons I did not like being pregnant so that I don't fool myself into getting pregnant again in the short future. I'm not saying we don't want other kids, but let's see how we do with one first. :) Here is a picture of Adeline in her crib today.

13 days old

She is super cute to look at. She is the apple of our eye.

I can't wait to see what she looks like next week. It is amazing how fast they grow.

Babies are a blessing and stress

Anyone who is a parent, I'm sure, understands my heading. I love love LOVE Adeline. I find myself staring at her non-stop. When she wakes me up at night, I get a bit frustrated, but when she is calmly sleeping moments later, I forget any annoyance I had with her because she is so perfect to me. My hormones are a little bit more controlled, but I still find myself getting anxious and overwhelmed. We have only gone out in public 3 times: the doctor office, trip to get her birth certificate, and off to get food and visit family. I was on edge all three times. I'm not sure why I am so anxious, but it draws me to tears each time. Adeline has been doing well, for the most part, with sleeping. Her sleeping has become a lot better at night time ever since we purchased the Rock n Play. It is like a bassinet but is more upright. This helps with her gas. The scary part is listed in the reviews for the rock n play. Many parents have said that because there is not enough padding, their kids end up having misshapen heads that require a correctional helmet later on in life. I have been laying down blankets to try to prevent this. She sleeps so perfectly in it, but those reviews scare me. A lot scares me these days. I know that it will pass, but until then, I will have to endure. For your viewing:

She is here

What an exciting weekend! It started with Thursday night of some El Calderon enchiladas. Then we went on a night time walk with Steve. He was walking so fast, it was hard for me to keep up. Yet they say walking induces labor. That evening, I was experiencing strong contractions, but only strong enough to cause discomfort. I finally fell asleep at midnight. At 3 AM, I woke up with the strongest pain ever. I took two steps out of bed before I felt a gush of water. I couldn't believe ny water had broken!! My mom drove us to the hospital within 20 minutes. Then the contractions hit. Never have I experienced such pain! Luckily, the nurse ordered me an epidural within 20 minutes. They gave me petocin to help speed things along. I progressed from a 3 to a 9.5 working 7 hours. It was then discovered that the way she was placed, I would need a c-section. After giving me more drugs, they wheeled me in to surgery. 10 minutes later, she was born: Adeline Savvyanna Zontos. 7 pounds 13 oz and 20 inches long. Born at 2:08 PM on 3/2/2012. I didn't get to see her for two hours until I regained sensation in my body. More stories of the weekend to come.

39 weeks

This past doctor's appointment put some changes in the birth of our baby. The pain I was experiencing was me having contractions, but unsuccessful contractions.. meaning they weren't progressing towards the birth of baby "Z". The doctor noticed that now baby "Z" is currently turned a quarter turn to the right.. she is still head down, but now facing my hip rather than my back. The doctor said that they will wait until I am dilated to a 10, then try to turn her with the vacuum. If that doesn't work, they will probably have to do a C-section. Technically, if I am getting a C-section, I would rather have it immediately rather than go through many hours of pain to try to progress to full dilation just to end up doing the C-section anyways. I asked the doctor if we could schedule me to be induced by next Monday. She said "the way the baby is currently positioned, I understand that you are in a lot of pain. Let's just say if you come to Labor and Delivery sometime over the next week because you can't take the pain, we won't turn you away and will induce you". I then said "I'm ready now.. but I will wait a few more days". The doctor just smiled and said "remember, the longer she stays in, the more developed she will be". My goal is to make it until Friday. I hope they don't turn me away!!! Now for my 39 week update. How far along? 39 weeks Total Weight Gain? 40 pounds. It must be from all those lemon desserts. Maternity Clothes? I have enjoyed not having to work since I am lounging in leggings and dresses. Stretch Marks? Discovered more on my thighs. EEK! But the doctor assures me the red/purple stretch marks go away. I sure hope so, because otherwise, I will be wearing swimming shorts rather than a normal bathing suit. Sleep? I get about 1 1/2 hours at a time. Best moment this week? Staying at my parents house to be able to have lunch with Dave and Jamie (and Annika) on Monday and then Lenessa (Maise Lou and Henry) on Tuesday. Miss anything? Being able to look over my shoulder when backing out my car. Food cravings: I think the lemon cravings are decreasing. That's good, because my weight should stop increasing. Anything making you sick? Believe it or not.. Ketchup. I LOVE ketchup but I saw some the other day and about lost my meal. Gender: Girl Labor signs: Yep, but no further dilation. Belly Button in or out? flat as a pancake. Wedding rings on or off? No rings Happy or Moody? Happy, but trying really hard to get comfortable. Everyone was not kidding when they said that the end of pregnancy is hard. It is uncomfortable to stand for too long but also to sit down longer than 15 minutes. Looking forward to: Maybe having the baby this week!

Are these signs? Or am I being oversensitive

After the doctor on Friday, I'm not sure if the increasing symptoms I'm having are real or not. That doctor has made me second guess myself. I woke up 3 times last night with the worst cramping I've had in my life, that I almost threw up. I was thinking "is this it?" but attempted to go back to sleep each time. I was able to go back to sleep. If anything, I woke up this morning feeling like I got hit by a train, but no more serious cramping. When we went on a walk today, I could barely go half a mile without bending over in pain. Yet sitting here at the computer, the major cramping has subsided, so no labor for me yet. Baby is still active, so no concern there. I am looking forward to starting my stay at my parents house tonight. It will be nice to stay there and just sit and do nothing.. :) I am off of work, so if I don't deliver, I will be able to get things done like an oil change, tire rotation, etc. FYI I hate waiting, so baby Z needs to hurry it along!

You're not my doctor, so how do you know?

I find the end of pregnancy very confusing. All the signs of labor that I've had for awhile are now seeming normal, so how do I know the true difference between "false labor" and "true labor". Usually, looking up information online has been a great help. The problem is that all claims about true labor are vague and finish with "everyone is different, so the best way to determine if you are in true labor (and your water has not broken) is to contact your physician. That's all great, except when your doctor has a day off. My doctor has Friday's off except if there is an emergency (such as a delivery). While filling out my Short Term Disability paperwork on Friday morning, I realized there was a full page that had to be filled out by my doctor. Oops! I went down to the doctor's office to drop it off and requested to ask to someone to help me with their suggestion of what the difference is between "false labor" and "true labor". The doctor that was filling in was one that sent me to the labor and delivery room last week when I was simply asking questions.. and when I said that I was just nervous, she had said "if you were truly nervous, you would already be on your way to labor and delivery". Anyways, this doctor came in and I was asking her for the differences so I could be more aware. Her first comment was "well, you are not in labor right now because you are able to talk to me". I was taken aback because I didn't say I was in labor, just wondering the differences. So I responded "ok, so pain where I can't talk.. what else?" Then she went on to say "you also aren't in labor because you haven't dropped at all". Once again, advice that made her look like she didn't care.. especially because I have dropped down four fingers width (from my sternum to the top of my bump, it has lowered the width of 4 fingers in the past week and a half). So I said "ok. Anything else?" She then said "if you are thinking you are in labor, you need to go to labor and delivery". I then had a little pregnancy hormone surge and said "I can't just go to labor and delivery with every inkling of suspicion because each visit there is $2500 since it is an outpatient procedure. That is why I am asking you what I should be aware of so that I will only go to the hospital when I am actually in labor". She said "well, better safe than sorry". The conversation was obviously going nowhere, so I just said "ok. Thank you for your help". At that moment, I had more love and devotion to my actual doctor. Even when I worry, my doctor will tell me what I need to know rather than tell me I'm being crazy and act like I'm just some elementary student who doesn't know anything.

38 weeks

Today I went in for my 38 week checkup and I am already 2 cm dialated and 15% effaced! The doctor then "stripped my membranes" or some medical activity that is supposed to "help things along". She said that I might not make it to my next Tuesday appointment, that I may deliver before then. I sure hope so because then I can get my max amount of maternity leave possible. Here is my 38 week update How far along? 38 weeks Total Weight Gain? 37 pounds. I have gained no weight! Maternity Clothes? Work clothes no longer fit. Stretch Marks? Since she is sitting on my nerve and artery, the stretch marks on my upper thighs are more serious. They should go away, though. Sleep? Still sporadic Best moment this week? Finding out I'm dilated Miss anything? Energy Food cravings: Not much since I'm always full. Anything making you sick? More than anything, just standing up makes me woozy. Gender: Girl Labor signs: I believe so! Belly Button in or out? Still an innie, but bordering to being flat. It looks like the bottom of a balloon. Wedding rings on or off? I lost the Target ring. :( Happy or Moody? Happy, but just getting tired of being prego. Looking forward to: Maybe having the baby this week!

Tests

On Friday, baby Z was not as active as usual. It had been a noticeable difference of how much she did not move throughout the night. I called the doctor to just ask. Since they didn't get back to me until 4 pm, the dr demanded that I go to the labor and delivery unit again at the hospital. The first time I went, in January, all was okay but I met my medical deductible in one visit. I picked up Nick after work and we went to labor and delivery. After an hour and a half of being strapped to monitors and listening to baby's heartbeat, all was ok. It was good to hear the heartbeat and know all is okay. But, only 3 weeks, if not less!

37 weeks!!!!

I am now considered full term! If the baby decides to come today, it is most likely that she will be fine! I went in for my dr's appointment yesterday and she said that baby "Z" has dropped more (no kidding! I have felt that for awhile), has a strong heart beat, and is perfectly positioned to come out. My mom asked how fast I would post on facebook after the baby comes... I guess we will see how the labor goes. Here are my weekly updates How far along? 37 weeks Total Weight Gain? 37 pounds. I lost a pound since last week. Maternity Clothes? It has gotten to the point where my belly band falls down throughout the day since my stomach is so big. Too bad I can't wear PJ's and slippers to work. Stretch Marks? The ones on my hips are getting worse. I sure hope those go away, or else I will spend a lot of money on Mederma. Sleep? Between my clogged up nose and my compressed bladder, I get lots of exercise throughout the night getting up to go downstairs to go to go to the bathroom. Best moment this week? Training Monica, who will be covering me while I am out. She is definitely smart and I have full confidence that she will be able to keep the account running smoothly until I return. Miss anything? Being able to sit normally. When I sit at a 90 degree angle, her head moves and hits my nerve. If I lean back, my back hurts. Standing would seem like a good alternative, but then my feet hurt. Movement? She moves every day throughout the day. She is most active at night, though. Food cravings: LEMON desserts and cutie oranges. Anything making you sick? Steamed vegetables and potatoes. Gender: Girl Labor signs: definitely. As of yesterday, I'm not dilated, but the cervix is thinning. Symptoms: Cramping, running out of breath quickly, random contractions, constant pelvic pressure, etc. I am also getting sore feet and bad back pain. Belly Button in or out? Still an innie, but bordering to being flat. It looks like the bottom of a balloon. Wedding rings on or off? Even the Target ring is starting to get a bit tight. Happy or Moody? Happy, but really starting to get tired of things. If I spoke everything on my brain, I would be labeled a huge complainer and no one would want to be around me. Looking forward to: Our last weekend of doing nothing.. no plans, no obligations, just Nick and I.

Weekend and pregnancy pains

This weekend was a fun one. On Friday, I went to dinner and a movie with my female coworkers. It was fun and we saw "The Vow". I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would like, though, because I ended up getting some serious back cramps throughout the movie if I sat longer than 10 minutes. Most of the movie I spent standing down by the entrance of the theater, trying to get comfortable. If I sit for too long, I have piercing back pain and her head presses strongly against my lower abdomen. If I stand for too long, my feet get tired of holding up all the weight. With all this pain, though, I am surprised how easy it is for me to walk around. It may hurt, but I don't need to walk at a snail pace or "waddle". :) Hooray for strong legs. On Saturday, Nick and I attended a breast feeding prep class. (Nick was thrilled to go.... not) Luckily, it was free, because most of the stuff that they taught was stuff that I have already read online. Afterwards, we went to Babies R Us to finish buying all the necessary supplies: 1 car seat base for my parents and 1 car seat base for Nick's parents, a Medela breast pump (which I need for when I return back to work in May), security gates (for when baby "Z" starts crawling), a diaper pail, and a few other knick knacks. I would like to believe that we are now fully supplied with baby things. Saturday evening, our neighbors threw us a baby shower. My neighbor cooked some amazing fajitas, we played group games, and had wonderful conversations with each other. It was the perfect way to spend a Saturday. On Sunday, Nick and I went and saw "Safe House". It was a good movie, but I had the same issues as I did on Friday night at the movies. I guess it must be the movie theater seats. Then dinner at my parent's house. Overall, I would say this weekend was eventful and wonderful. This next weekend, we don't have anything planned. This will be the first weekend in months, I think, where we don't have obligations! I started training the lady who will be covering my maternity leave this last Thursday. She seems like she is catching on really quickly. Tomorrow will be the first day that she will be training with me On-Site. While I am excited for Baby Z to come soon, I hope that she will wait a week so that I can fully train my coverage. Nothing would stress me more after having baby "Z" then knowing that I have not fully prepared my coverage for when I am out.

36 week picture

Queue whale sounds!

36 weeks!

I went in for my 36 week checkup today, so I figured I would update my blog today as well. How far along? 36 weeks Total Weight Gain? 38 pounds. Waaaaah Maternity Clothes? Luckily, my neighbor let me borrow some dresses that I can wear. I am barely fitting in my pants anymore. Stretch Marks? They are either stretch marks or vericose veins, but they are at the top of my legs and hips and boy, do they hurt! Sleep? I am starting to realize that I am able to somewhat function on less than 7 hours of interrupted sleep throughout the night. I know I will have to deal with a lot worse, but at least I know I can function. Best moment this week? The baby shower with my MIL's friends. It was a gorgeous day and so much love was in the air. Miss anything? Lying on my back, being able to eat regularly, and turning over while sleeping without having it be a huge ordeal. Movement? She is now centered in the middle and in birthing position. She has also dropped a little. This has resulted in very uncomfortable movements done by her. Food cravings: LEMON desserts and cutie oranges. Anything making you sick? Steamed vegetables and potatoes. Gender: Girl Labor signs: definitely. As of today, I'm not dilated, but she could be coming soon. Symptoms: Cramping, running out of breath quickly, random contractions, constant pelvic pressure, etc. Belly Button in or out? Still an innie, but bordering to being flat. It looks like the bottom of a balloon. Wedding rings on or off? Even the Target ring is starting to get a bit tight. Happy or Moody? Happy, but really starting to get tired of things. If I spoke everything on my brain, I would be labeled a huge complainer and no one would want to be around me. Looking forward to: the chance that she might come early.

Second baby shower!?!

How lucky is baby Z? This last Saturday, a second baby shower was thrown for baby Z by the friends of Nick's mom! The shower was held in Menlo Park and it was a gorgeous day. There were about 18 women there that have been long time friends of Nick's mom. The majority of the women have watched Nick grow up and were really excited for him to become a daddy soon. Baby Z received lots of adorable clothes, toys, and even a car seat that she will fit into until she is 70 pounds. It was great company, great food, and great presents. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by great people who care so much about Nick, me, and baby Z. Baby Z.. we are ready for you now! :)

Letter to baby Z

All the baby books suggest that I write a letter to our baby. What to say, though? And how cheesy would it seem to her? I bet if my mom showed me a letter when I was a teenager that she had written to me pre-birth, I would have rolled my eyes. I'm sure it would have a lot more meaning now, especially since I am about to have my own child. Will our baby girl only cherish a letter from me that far in the future? If I were to write her a letter, it would go something like this: Dear baby Z, Daddy and I are looking forward to your arrival. We don't really know what to expect, but we are ready to take on anything that is thrown our way. We are blessed to have friends and family that love us and already love you. You have already received so many great gifts to help mommy and daddy raise you. Mommy has set up your baby room, folded all your clothes, and prepared everything necessary to prepare for your arrival well in advance. We want you to come ASAP, but we also want you to grow as much as possible to be a healthy newborn. You will arrive when you are ready, but know that you will be received with much enthusiasm by all. We love you unconditionally Love, Mommy

35 week update

35 weeks. Holy cow!! (I look like a cow). Here is the weekly update. How far along? 35 weeks Total Weight Gain? I think I am leveling out. I would say about 40 pounds. Yikes. I've been told it's mainly in my stomach.. but I know it has definitely been in my butt and upper thighs. Maternity Clothes? My work pants are starting to separate (the belly band from the pants). I have to make them last since it looks like I will be needing to wear them when I go back to work in late May. Stretch Marks? On my hips and inner thighs. Sleep? Sleep? What's that? I thought I was supposed to only be losing sleep after the baby is born. Between getting up to go to the bathroom every hour and her kicking, I get about 4 hours of sleep (even though I am in bed at 8) Best moment this week? My baby shower last Saturday. It was filled with friends and family. It was great to see everyone and to receive wonderful gifts to celebrate baby Z. Miss anything? Lying on my back, being able to eat regularly, and turning over while sleeping without having it be a huge ordeal. Movement? She is definitely trying to maneuver, but is running out of space. I am a bit worried she isn't moving as rapidly, but I still feel her move (more like see her move) Food cravings: LEMON!!! Lemon poppyseed cake, lemon bars, lemon bundt cake, etc. Nick is so sweet and brings me home slices of lemon cake whenever they go to the store. So thoughtful. Anything making you sick? Steamed vegetables and potatoes. Also, watching TV specials on bbq. I about threw up watching "America's best BBQ events" on the Food Network. Gender: Girl Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks are still prominent, but there has been a couple of times where I have to stop dead in my tracks and do deep breathing because the pain is so intense. I believe those are real contractions.. where you can't breathe and any position you consider moving into is too painful to consider. Symptoms: Cramping, running out of breath quickly, random contractions, etc. Belly Button in or out? Still an innie, but bordering to being flat. It's funny that you can see the scar of where I had my belly button pierced for a short time. Wedding rings on or off? Even the Target ring is starting to get a bit tight. Happy or Moody? Happy, but today, I am overly upset!! Really upset about this maternity leave issue, but I am staying surprisingly calm externally. I hope I don't explode! Looking forward to: Coming up with a solution to care for baby Z when I have to return to work so early.

Maternity Leave misunderstanding

When I converted to a FTE in October 2011, I was excited because they stated that my start date as an internal employee would be "grandfathered" back to my original start date in 04/2007. Looking at the benefits packet, I would get 26 weeks of Short Term Disability payments while I was on maternity leave (since maternity leave is paid for through Short Term Disability)plus two weeks of paid maternity leave! When looking for my coverage while I am out, we told the girl that I would be back in August. That worked perfectly for her since she is going to law school in September. My expected leave date is 02/24/2012. Everything was coming together nicely!!... Until I received the explanation of my leave in the mail: 2 weeks of paid maternity leave 5 weeks of Short Term Disability 5 weeks of UNPAID FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) To return to work on 05/21/2012 Surely, there must be a mistake! I wrote the benefits adviser immediately and reminded her that my start date that should be in the system is 2007 (since the information must've been confused thinking I started in October, 2011, correct?). She responded back and pointed out that in the benefits packet above the information box for Short Term Disability, there was an insert that stated "if Short Term Disability is used for maternity leave, the leave is up to 6 weeks pay; C-section is up to 8 weeks. FMLA will be used for the remainder of time up to 12 weeks, unless an extension is requested". This definitely throws a curve ball. What are we going to do? I am sure that we will find a solution, but it may cost us a LOT of money! Time to go back to the drawing table and restructure the year.

Baby shower

This last Saturday was baby "Z"s baby shower. Sarah did a fantastic job organizing the event. She ordered delicious food, got a lemon cake (lemon has been my most current craving), and organized some fun games. It was a gorgeous day with lots of friends and family. It was truly a happy day! Baby "Z" received so many cute gifts, both clothes and necessary items. I can't wait to dress her in all the cute outfits and use all of the baby supplies. I was sad when the day was over, but I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family. Here is the food table:

Here is the cake along with the cupcakes Sarah made:

Here is my baby shower photo:

baby clothes

I told myself that I would not buy baby Z any baby clothes until after she is born. I am told lots of clothes are given at the baby shower and up until the birth. Yet when I went shopping last night, I couldn't resist two things. 1) a cute Denali North Face coat from Nordstrom. It was free for me because I had a gift card to Nordstrom.

2) cute feetie pajamas with monkeys. It was so cute and a good price (from Target), so I just couldn't resist.

I will be good going forward, I swear. :)

34 week update

According to babycenter.com, the average baby at 34 weeks is "almost 18 inches long and weighs 4 3/4 pounds (the weight of a cantaloupe). Babies who are born between 34-37 weeks who have no other health problems are generally fine". How far along? 34 weeks Total Weight Gain? not sure. I will find out at my doctor's appt tomorrow. Maternity Clothes? I look like a balloon in everything I wear. Stretch Marks? I found a couple marks on my hip and my inner thighs. Guess I should go get some mederma. Sleep? I have had horrible sleep this week. I even went home from work early yesterday to try to get some sleep. She is so active at night time that she keeps me up. Best moment this week? Finding out what the issue was on my car (wheel bearing). Even though it was a hefty price tag, my car has now had all the maintenance done that it needs. My car is baby ready. Miss anything? Lying on my back, the hot tub, and walking decent distances without breathing like I just ran a marathon. I also miss sleep. Movement? When is she not moving? All day and all night! There are 30 minute spans where she isn't moving, but once I change position, she is active again. Food cravings: "Nothing Bundt Cake" lemon cake. OMG so good. I just found a close location in San Carlos. Anything making you sick? Steamed veggies, fish, Indian food, BBQ, cigarette smoke, body odor, etc. Gender: Girl Labor signs: Every day. I am having constant contractions, but the doctor says they are just Braxton Hicks. I have started to record the frequency, just in case. Symptoms: Cramping, headaches, trouble breathing deeply, pain from her moving around. Luckily, I do not have swollen feet or ankles (yet). Belly Button in or out? Still an innie, although it looks like it is trying to become flat. Wedding rings on or off? Still wearing my fake Target ring Happy or Moody? I'm happy, except things that annoy me REALLY annoy me. I would go on a rampage if it wasn't for my intuitive husband who has amazing advice. Looking forward to: My baby shower this Saturday. I was worried that baby would make me go on bed rest before the shower, but it looks like all will be ok.

Mountain living

Over the weekend, we experienced some high winds and intense rain storms. This resulted in our power being out on and off throughout the weekend (and yesterday). The storms at night kept waking me up as a result of huge branches dropping on the roof. It is somewhat relaxing to listen to the rain while you are awake, but while sleeping.. not so much. Also, baby Z is becoming more and more active at night time. I hope she doesn't keep up that habit after she is born. Ideally, she should be active during the day and calm at night. Let's hope this is what happens.. On a positive note, we have narrowed down the person who will be covering me while I am out. Let's hope that the regional On Premise Manager approves a higher pay rate so that she will accept the offer. With how I am feeling, I don't know if I can make it until the 24th. I could also be overly sensitive and should realize that all pregnant women feel this way in the last month or so of pregnancy. I will discuss with my doctor on Thursday as to whether or not baby Z will be on time or if she is big enough to induce earlier. We shall see. Only 6 more weeks!

33 week update

Good morning. We have successfully reached 33 weeks!
How far along? 33 weeks
Total Weight Gain? not sure. I hope not much
Maternity Clothes? I am starting to not fit in most of my maternity clothes. Especially the shirts. They are getting too short.
Stretch Marks? I found a couple marks on my hip, but I'm not sure if those are stretch marks or indentations from my pants.
Sleep? I have been having vivid dreams that keep waking me up. Also, I am back to the frequency of bathroom runs as the first trimester.
Best moment this week? Bringing all the baby stuff down to my parent's house to keep there for the first two weeks after Baby Z is born.
Miss anything? Lying on my back, the hot tub, and walking decent distances without breathing like I just ran a marathon.
Movement? She scared me a bit the past few days by her lack of movement, but once she heard her daddy talk, she woke up and moved a lot.
Food cravings: I am loving my morning pumpkin spice latte. I just finished the last of the latte mix this morning and it is no longer in stores. :(
Anything making you sick? The smell of the elevator at work. Today, it was a mix of cigarettes and B.O.
Gender: Girl
Labor signs: many Braxton Hicks contractions and pelvic cramping. My body just getting ready!
Symptoms: Cramping, headaches, trouble breathing deeply, and today, the numb legs. She must be sitting on my siatic (sp?) nerve.
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie
Wedding rings on or off? Still wearing my fake Target ring
Happy or Moody? I'm happy, but starting to get a bit tired of being pregnant. I wish the end of February would come already.
Looking forward to: the potential of hiring my coverage contractor while I am out. Once I have the person trained and out here, I will feel a bit more at ease. And here is my 33 week picture for your enjoyment.

49ers game

On Saturday, Nick and I drove to Scotts Valley to visit his mother's side of the family. It was a fun get together for his uncle and aunt's birthday. It was an enjoyable time and a gorgeous day! Afterwards, we drove to my Gma's house to watch part of the 49ers game. This game was one of the most exciting Football games I've ever watched. The game was against the Saints. The game was exciting, but really got intense during the 4th quarter. Within the last 4 minutes, 4 touchdowns were made. The final score: 36 (49ers) vs 32 (Saints). What an exciting game. All the intensity, though, led to some bad cramping and contractions. Perhaps that much stress was not good for the baby. Thank goodness I'm not one of those people that calls the doctor at every weird symptom I have. The next day, I was tired, but felt much better. I ended up cleaning the house, packing the hospital bag, and getting clothes ready for the stay at my parent's house after the baby is born. It was quite a productive day. I believe my productivity was high due to the weather. On Saturday, it was gorgeous weather (64 degrees), but on Sunday, it was overcast and 42 degrees. I am looking forward to the next 7 weeks. They will be quite an adventure!

32 week picture

32 week update a day early

I had my doctor's appointment today, so I thought I would update my blog a day early.
How far along? 32 weeks
Total Weight Gain? 33 pounds. I lost 2 pounds!
Maternity Clothes? My maternity clothes are falling apart! The belly band that attaches to my pants is starting to come undone on a few pants. Yikes!
Stretch Marks? I found a couple marks on my hip, but I'm not sure if those are stretch marks or indentations from my pants.
Sleep? I am waking up multiple times throughout the night to go to the bathroom, but I haven't had the problem of waking up really early. It's almost getting hard to wake up at 6.
Best moment this week? Receiving the paperwork today for filling out information to apply for a birth certificate and register for the hospital.
Miss anything? I definitely miss my long 3 PM walk. It's getting harder and harder to walk the whole loop without cramping.
Movement? She must be a swimmer. She flutter kicks constantly. She also turns over throughout the day.
Food cravings: I actually craved a spinach salad today! Crazy! I've also had a weakness for snickerdoodles. yummy!
Anything making you sick? The constant cramping. It makes me feel like I have a bad tummy ache.
Gender: Girl
Labor signs: many Braxton Hicks contractions and pelvic cramping. My body just getting ready!
Symptoms: Cramping, headaches, trouble breathing deeply, you know... the usual.
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie
Wedding rings on or off? Still wearing my fake Target ring
Happy or Moody? This was an emotional week(mainly weekend) for me. One little thing set me off on Saturday and I ended up crying multiple times for a few hours. Ahh hormones.
Looking forward to: the meet and greet to find our future daughter's pediatrician. I hope we find a good one.

Car seat shopping

Car seats are a mandatory thing to have when leaving the hospital and for the next 12 years of the child's life. Every car seat has pros and cons that make it hard to decide. When you think you found the "right one", one user's bad comment makes you think twice. I decided to go to babies r us and try out the three I narrowed it down to: Graco 35, Chicco 30, and the Britax B-safe. All are about the same price. After feeling like the Britax fit my body best, I researched the price on Amazon. Turns out, Amazon had it for $45 less than babies r us. When my mom met me to help me look at car seats, she was surprised to find out I had made my decision and found a better price. I look forward to using this infant car seat for the first 35 pounds of our baby girl's life.

31 week update

I am actually doing my 31 week update on time! YAY!
How far along? 31 Weeks
Total weight gain: A staggering 35 pounds. I'm pretty sure I will gain a total of 45 pounds for the whole pregnancy. That means I will have to lose 65 pounds to get back to my goal weight. This should be an adventure!
Maternity clothes? The shirts are all fine, but the pants are starting to get tighter. Only 7 1/2 more weeks of having to fit into my work pants.
Stretch marks? there are some random ones in different places, but none on my belly!
Sleep: sleep is difficult. When I am not awake from rolling over multiple times throughout the night, I am awake from my active brain. No fun!
Best moment this week: We put up the crib and decorated the baby space. I am so pleased with the results.
Miss Anything? I miss not hurting whenever I stand too long, or bend over to put on shoes, or simply breathing at times. That is why I am choosing an epidural.. I'm a wimp when it comes to pain.
Movement: more like shifting around rather than kicking. Sometimes, she flutter kicks for about 15 seconds. Really crazy to watch my stomach when she does that.
Food cravings: I am getting full a lot quicker these days, so my food cravings are reduced since I can't fit much in at one time.
Anything making you queasy or sick: the smell of steamed vegetables. Also, I was watching a show about the best BBQ in America, and I about threw up.
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: some (review previous post)
Symptoms: Heartburn, out of breath every now & then, stomach pains, and starting to feel like I have to pee but then not much comes out (aka baby is resting on bladder)
Belly Button in or out? It is still somewhat in.
Wedding rings on or off? off. I now have to wear my fake Target ring.
Happy or Moody most of the time: For the most part, happy, but when it comes time for me to eat, I am one grumpy person (ask my sister about that!)Looking forward to: my prenatal massage at Watercourse way this week. Thank you, Nick, for the wonderful Christmas gift.

Observation hospital tests

The Braxton-Hicks contractions have been starting earlier in the day and lasting until bed. I started wondering if it was normal. I spoke to the advice nurse and she advised that I go to the labor and delivery department at Sequoia hospital (where I will deliver in the near future). This was a bit unnerving for me, but I know they prefer to be safe than sorry. When I got to the hospital, they put two straps around me: one to monitor the baby's heart rate and I guess the other is to monitor my heart rate (?). I sat for an hour and a half listening to baby "Z"s heart rate. It was really interesting to hear that when I felt some pain (which I found out were contractions), her heart rate increased. It turns out that I have about 3-4 contractions per hour. The RN's stated that this isn't cause for concern, but I do need to be more aware of how frequently I get them over the next few weeks. My only thought is "Please don't deliver before we are able to find someone to cover me at work." I guess one of my worst nightmares is for me to have the baby before fully training someone and coming back from maternity leave and have to clean up and re-refine my job. Also, I would like to have a baby shower while I'm still pregnant! :)

Baby space

While Rachel is here in town, I felt very strongly that she should help me decorate the baby space. I am sad that she won't be here when the baby actually arrives, but I want her to be a part of getting things ready. What better way then to get her creative expertise! She found the wall painting idea in the Pottery Barn Kids catalog. We went with the color that the magazine stated, but it turned out a bit lighter than the magazine. I still love it. Then we painted polka dots on the wall to add some fun! The crib set up was fairly easy and we bought a great mattress from Costco (thank you dad for the gift cards to Costco to enable us to purchase the mattress). Rachel made the baby a blanket for Christmas, which now sits right on top of the crib. The end result: a masterpiece that was made even more special because my sister helped me do it!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I forgot to do the 30 week update, so I will summarize by saying all is about the same as the 29 week update! I have been, however, experiencing Braxton Hicks at night time after a long day. I would compare the contraction in my stomach and lower abdomen to the tightness you get in your chest when you have an allergic reaction: tight and uncomfortable. She is now getting big enough that my lungs feel they have to work harder for me to take deep breaths when lying down.
The past week has been wonderful with my sister in town. It has been great seeing her everyday and doing.. anything. Even trips to Target have been fun. We also decorated the baby space! I will do another post with the wall painting change, the crib, and the crib sheets. Rachel had an awesome idea from the Pottery Barn Kids magazine and made it happen. Rachel truly is amazing!
For the New Year, not many resolutions were set. I couldn't set the standard resolution of "lose 15 pounds" since I can't start doing that until after baby arrives. I did set a year long goal to not only lose the baby weight, but also get down to the weight I was when I met Nick (I am really aiming high). If I gain 10 more pounds by when baby comes, I will have to lose 60 pounds by December. Hopefully, the first 30-40 will be a breeze with breast feeding and your body's natural weight loss after having a baby.
My only other resolution is to be a good mom and enjoy the time off I get to spend with her. When I go back to work in September, I know I will feel remorse for leaving her, but I will do my best to look back at the first 6 months as a success.