Seven years ago TODAY.......

Oh my goodness- I was popping around on this blog on some of my really old posts and came across February 7, 2007.  And HERE IT IS:

holy CATS what a belly I had- I got SO BIG with Keifer!

This was 7 years ago- and it partly feels like it was just yesterday, but it also seems like a lifetime ago, at how unexperienced, nervous, and large I felt!

CLICK on the link to see just HOW big my belly got with my first born!

So yeah, it isn't a huge deal of a post, but I'm always gaping at my tummy, from back in the day! LOL

Happy April Fool's

I won't be pulling any elaborate April Fool's Day pranks on anyone today.I don't have that kind of imagination or the ease at lying. LOL.

One year ago today, I posted my favorite video clip of K dancing inside my belly. She decided she loved to dance early on. Sometimes its hard to believe that was MY belly, but now I realize why the extra skin won't go away so easily: I was BIG!

Enjoy: Click HERE for last year's post, and then you get to click again! *hee hee*

Remembering Grandma with more pics

Papa & Grandma in February, I was 33 weeks PG w/K - they were so excited that I was having our angel girl

Mom says that Grandma asks about Keifer everyday. She sure was excited about my upcoming birth, and was so happy for us that we had our K!

Meeting K for the first time, so happy to finally meet her (in May)

4 Generations Keifer made her so happy in her last few days

Dropshot/video clip of Keifer dancing inside my belly

This was tonight, after I enjoyed one of my favorite snacks - the 8 oz. bottle of OJ (genius invention for those with blood sugar issues - one bottle is equal to one snack for me and lately I've been CRAVING OJ like crazy!).

You can only see her dancing inside me towards the top of my belly and right away, the I sort of shake (like a bowl of jelly?) when I giggle over it......)

CLICK HERE to watch.

We have been trying for weeks to catch her on video and NEVER have succeeded, the little stinker. This is the best we've gotten so far.

4 days: how low (and how long?) can she go?

How low can she get? How long can she snuggle inside me? How long will she continue to push her big head against my tailbone and sciatic nerve, causing me to grimace and grumble whenever I walk around? Huh? Huh? Keifer Lynn: I love you. I cherish you inside me. But we are VERY anxious to meet you - and now that you are causing mommy more pain than giggles, please: we want you to come stay with us in the "real world". LOL. Here are the 39.5 week belly pics: 4 days until my due date. And yes, I am lubed up with lots of Vitamin E oil. *big smiles*

Transforming into an Ogre

A few years ago, CJ and I hit Universal Studios in Orlando for a long weekend getaway. We met Shrek, to the amazement of our then 4 year old neice Abby ("that just can't be true" , she told her uncle on the phone when he told her we met Shrek and Donkey). I'm beginning to wonder, if that Ogre himself slipped some "ogre" genes into me when we posed, as my ankles, or should I say CANKLES, and calves now resemble something similar to his species. LOL.

This past Monday, it was uncharacteristically warm here in MN - a hot and humid 80+ degrees. I had just purchased a maternity tank top the day before (ironically, thinking I'd have a few months until I would wear it), and the only shorts that fit me? CJ's shorts. In sickness and in health, and from the smaller waistlines to the rapidly growing waistlines, we are here for each other. He found it quite hilarious that I had them on all night, and insisted on snapping quite a few pictures, and he is the one who insisted we get the back view. LOVE the cow (or ogre) I resemble at 39 weeks. Oye.

Quick 39 week update

Here I am, blogging away, belly on lap. LOL.

No changes
*sigh* I had my OB appt this AM and nothing has changed in 3 weeks of updates.
I'm still at a 1 cm dilated and still about 75% effaced.

She said next week at my appt -the doc (I switch every week who I see - every other kind of thing) will most likely discuss inducing me then. I'm due on Tuesday - the 3rd - and my doc appt will be Wednesday the 4th.
I must have sat wrong last night, I can barely move - my tail bone is SO sore, OWIE. I truly am waddling because it hurts so much to move. I'm hoping maybe its the sign of other things to come. Ha - a girl can dream! I made a chiropractor appointment for 4 PM today - so maybe that'll help. And maybe she'll be able to adjust me and get things rolling with Keif!

OB check up and how big can I get?

I had my 38 week OB appointment yesterday afternoon. I'm still remaining about 1 cm. dilated, and not a huge change in my effacement - still at around 50-75%. He did say my cervix is starting to soften, which is a good thing - my body is beginning to prepare for Keifer's departure, but who knows as to when she'll decide to come out! I also have to say, as before, internals HURT! OWIE!

I measured my waist line again today at work. I'm at about 46 inches or so. LOL. Man I hope that changes in a few weeks when Keifer is here.

We were finishing assessing a child today at work, and his parents brought in his 1 month old baby brother. The sounds and cooing and mewing the baby was making the whole time had my heart melting and my excitement building - I could barely keep my eyes off the baby! I can't wait until it's Keif making those sounds!

Here are my 38 week belly pictures - just for giggles, I posted my "newly PG" 4 week belly pictures, to see just HOW BIG can a belly grow? The fact that my skin is stretching this much just is AMAZING to me (and a bit worrisome! LOL)

*Cluck Cluck* Nesting at 37 weeks

Ahh, yes, the nesting. It has begun. Ask CJ and he'll give you the most annoyed, sarcastic grin, and mutter swear words under his breath about me. I can't control it. I have no feelings of "we're done" about anything baby-related yet. Twenty some odd days left and the crib mattress has no cover, the sheets and crib skirt are in a pile, the changing pad is unopened, and we have shit piled everywhere STILL, not put away. It drives me bonkers. Ugggg. I know it won't matter in the long run (I KNOW THIS!) but it doesn't help my mind feeling "undone". We still need to install the car seat, and have the fire department (literally next door) check it out, I still have to actually PACK that suitcase that sits there with the pile of stuff on my dresser. I have crap on the vanity in my bathroom, ready to be dumped into a bag in 2 seconds time, if need be. Yes, I had a mini-breakdown on Monday night - which obviously perplexed CJ. But I was sore - my back, my feet, my cankles. All sore and swollen and tired. So tired. But not done. Not even close. Oh well, at least the fur kids had a bath *finally* and are soft and clean.

We were blessed with our fourth and final baby shower today at CJ's work - they had a potluck/baby shower for us. It was so sweet and we got even more wonderful baby things we needed - but my favorite is the "Womb Bear" - so soft and it sounds JUST LIKE the womb. We should know, we listened to Keifer inside there quite a bit before we sent back the fetal doppler. I hope it helps her out once she's arrived. Books are not quite the same preparation as the new bug will be once she is actually HERE to experiment with. LOL.

I had my 37 week OB check up this AM with Addie- the nurse practitioner. She gave me her top 3 picks for a Pediatrician at our clinic, and suggested that "maybe" the itchy feet I've been experiencing MIGHT be because of my Gallbladder gone wacky - so she is having my blood checked. I'm still at about a 1 centimeter dilation, and she guessed (painfully feeling, OUCH), about 50-75% effaced. Whoot - C'mon, Keifer, keep Mama effacing! LOL. I'm ready to meet you! I've been having menstrual like cramps off and on for the last few nights, but nothing that tells me "yes, this is a labor cramp".

Babycenter.com tells me: Congratulations! Your pregnancy is now considered full term — meaning your baby is developmentally ready to handle life outside the womb. (Babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 weeks are post-term.) Your baby probably weighs a little over 6 pounds at this point and measures between 19 and 20 inches, head to heel.Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children are born blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

37 week belly pics, taken last night. Yes, I look tired. LOL. I was. Exhausted. And yes, every night when I get home, the hair goes UP in a binder.

Popped and dropped: 36 week updates and pics (of course)

Popped and dropped: that's me. Notice the belly hanging over the pants- line? This week, Keifer has definitely dropped down lower, and although it's very hard to tell, my now-blackish belly button is popping ever -so-slightly out. I'm done, I'm done! LOL.
Babycenter.com tell me that at 36 week: Your baby is still putting on the pounds — about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is a little less than 19 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the creamy substance that covered and protected her skin during its submersion in amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, which will stay in her bowels until birth. This blackish mixture, called meconium, will become her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term; a baby born before 37 weeks is pre-term and after 42 is post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery, but if she isn't in the next week, your provider may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position manually, by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

I had my 36 week check up today with my OB: Keifer is head down (*yay*), I'm about 1 cm. dilated and about 40% effaced -- he said all felt well and he did a swab for the Group B Strep Test -- (and OWIE - the cervical check HURT!) The joys of being a woman.

I asked about my itchy feet I've been having - they have been AWFUL!!! My doc blames it on the swelling and the blood in there. OMG! They literally drive me NUTS! IT IS HORRIBLE- nothing helps! The only thing that will help? "giving birth" HA HA HA.

Also:
I got my call about a basal cell carcinoma growth I had removed from the front of my right ear last week: It is early stage cancer (carcinoma) but so early that we are going to treat it with an intensive cream 5 nights a week, which will apparently attack it through the immune system - then it will get really red, irritated, inflamed (oh yay), and crust over - then I'll follow up with the dermatologist in 6 weeks or so.

So never a dull moment w/my doc appointments! LOL. Between all my OB visits, the Gestational Diabetes visits, and adding the dermatologist to the mix, my calender is FULL!

35 weeks (and more belly pictures, of course)

Thirty-five weeks! I am literally GIDDY at the thought of being able to meet our daughter in 5 weeks or less! It almost brings me to tears!

Babycenter.com tells me:
Your baby's getting big. He weighs a tad over 5 pounds (think bag of sugar) and is just over 18 inches long from head to heel. Of course, he's still curled up inside you: It's getting so snug in your womb that your baby isn't really floating anymore and he isn't likely to be doing somersaults. But tighter quarters don't mean less frequent movement; your baby should still be kicking at the same rate he always has. If you notice a decrease, call your health care provider. Your baby's kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete the next few weeks are all about putting on weight.

She's kicking, alright! Kicking, and punching, and thrashing about. And I love every minute of it! It makes me giggle and I try to imagine just WHAT is she doing in there? This AM, as I was lubing up my belly with the lotions and oils, I think I MAY have saw her foot kick out! She really didn't like me rubbing her that early in the AM, I guess! LOL.

The belly button has not popped at all - but if you touch it, it's actually a bit sore -and brown! LOL

Nice laparoscopy scar underneath the belly button, huh? And the ironing burn to the side of that! (*sigh*)
It is actually getting heavy to walk around with! 40 pounds, can you believe it? The ladies at work all tell me I look thin, and that's it is all baby-- I could kiss them when they tell me that!

is it a Watermelon? 33 1/2 week belly pics

Over the weekend, we visited my Papa & Grandma Gina, as Grandma wasn't going to make it to my baby shower on Sunday. They were both VERY excited (as you can see by Papa's face) to "meet" Keifer again, and Papa asked me if I had a watermelon under my shirt? LOL. They are so excited to meet Keifer in person!

Shiny, lotioned belly - 33 1/2 weeks

32 weeks and OB check up

I had my 32 week appointment scheduled for tomorrow, but after yesterday's crash, CJ and I were so nervous that I rescheduled for today instead. I'm glad I did - for my peace of mind. I honestly DO think Keifer's actions and movements were slower than usual last night - but I'm not sure if that's because I spent the day lazing around, or if she had a bit of trauma from my emotions herself. Either way, things are fine. I got to see Addie, and she first measured my uterus and things are "right on" for 32 weeks, and we heard Keifer's heartbeat right away. *whew*. Then, because of the accident, Addie hooked me up to the fetal monitor for stress/distress monitoring and heartbeat/movement monitoring. Every time Keifer moved, I had to squeeze this little button. I was fascinated by the fetal monitor- all the little jagged lines going up and down and every time Keifer's heartbeat started to rise, sure enough, she would do a little moving and shaking. LOL. She was FINE. Thank God. Thank the angels who watched over us yesterday as we went sliding into the sign and ditch.

Babycenter.com tells me: By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long. Her toe and fingernails have grown in completely. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz. Your baby is taking up a lot of space in your uterus, but those tight quarters shouldn't reduce her activity level. You may have heard that it's normal for babies to slow down later in pregnancy, but that's not true. If you notice any reduction in your baby's movements, call your healthcare provider.

For some reason, knowing Keifer has little, tiny, miniature toe nails just makes my heart swoon! I can't wait to kiss her tiny fingers and toes! *sigh*. Here are the obligatory 32 week belly pictures.

Some rambling, thank yous, and 31 week update

Well, I've once again flown through another week and have hit the 31 week PG mark. Thank goodness. I keep growing and growing, and the past week has definitely been a growing week for Keifer, as I can really feel her flips and wiggles and her kicks are getting more pronounced. As always, I love it! I love that sometimes when I lie down to sleep, it feels like she is literally dancing and my whole belly starts to shake. But when I call out to Chris to come and feel, or I talk to her, she quiets down and is performance shy for others! LOL.

Babycenter.com reports:
How your baby's growing: This week, your baby measures about 16 inches long. He weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and he's beginning to accumulate a layer of fat underneath his skin in preparation for life as a newborn. As a result, his arms, legs, and body are filling out.

Here are my latest 31 week belly pics - fully clothed, thank you very much *wink*.

In other news, I had dinner with some old friends/co-workers of mine last night and it was wonderful to catch up with them. We all chatted to our hearts content and probably could've chatted even more if time hadn't been getting too late for me. LOL. *Hi, Linda! I miss working with you! SO MUCH!*
I want to say THANK YOU to Linda and Sue for 1) treating me to dinner - honestly, had I known they were going to pay for me I wouldn't have splurged on all that food like an insane hungry piggie. And, 2), THANK YOU for the wonderful belated baby shower gifts. CJ and I are SO grateful and thankful for good friends like you, and we are so touched that you got us all the cool/wonderful stuff! They treated us (well, Keifer) to her infant to toddler rocker, a new bathrobe and matching towel, some onsies *yay*, and a new book that I've never seen -- and I can already tell you will be one of my favorites, it is SO sweet! *yes I am a book fiend*. I can't wait for Keifer to enjoy each and every gift from you two! *sniff*.

And on the Gestational Diabetes update - it's been a week now that we've met with the doctor , nurse, and dietitian. I've been doing my special low-carb diet for one week now, and so far it's been going pretty well. I have to check my blood sugar 4 times a day (once in the AM when I get up, and one hour after each meal), as well as make sure I have a snack 3 times a day. I have a range my blood sugar should be in and I'm allotted a certain amount of "points" in carbs per meal and snack. Its not hard, it's just limiting to the foods I really love -like rice and pasta *cry*. But, Keifer is worth it - hell, we went through hell and high water with needles and special doctors, procedures, and so on just to conceive her, so I figure: what's a few more weeks of needle pricks, doctor visits, and special procedures? *sigh*.

As for our weekend, it looks like CJ may actually be painting the nursery FINALLY! YAY! We have our dresser on order, and our rocker/glider as well, both expected to arrive within the next 2-3 weeks. We'll be getting our crib from my friend Smitty at the end of the month, and hopefully all the baby clothes on the floor in the "pit of despair" (as I like to refer to the nursery right now) will be neatly cleaned and organized, ready for a new baby to come home to.

HOLY CRAP, I'm having a BABY in 9 weeks or less! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

30 weeks! The final countdown has begun!

Yesterday marked the countdown: 70 days to go (well, 69 today). I am officially 30 weeks PG. Unfriggingbelievable. I have 10 weeks left. *insert silent scream* Holy CATS, where did the time go? Oye, the things we have to do......

I had my 30 week check up today and I'm measuring (with the tape measure, pubic bone to top of uterus) 29 1/2 weeks exactly. The doctor said the good thing about having the Gestational Diabetes (as I do apparently) is that they won't let me "go over" in case Keifer decides she is really snug inside me. My blood pressure was 120 / 80 , which is apparently a bit higher than average for ME. I wonder if the Gestational Diabetes has to do with that? And maybe THAT is why my ankles are a bit more swollen lately and my right ankle is VERY sore for some reason. And the other nice thing: I've only gained 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks, which is right on for what I "should" be gaining.

When the Doctor went to listen to Keifer, there was no kung -fu kicking the doppler today, LOL; however, she did squirm around as soon as the doppler hit my belly to listen to her heartbeat (I could feel her squirming) and the doctor said, "wow, you've got a wild one in there". Oh boy! Ha! I guess she is tired of that doppler -even though we shipped the one we rented back a few weeks ago.

I've been hacking my lungs out for a week and a half now - and every night is an adventure in sleeping, as I keep waking myself up to *cough cough cough* after the Robitussin I've swigged has wore off. I actually feel like the right side of my ribcage has muscles that are pulled! Ouch. So, the doc prescribed me some cough medicine with Codeine to take at night to help with that. He said having higher blood sugar levels and a cold as nasty as I do is sort of like the chicken or the egg: the sugars can cause the virus to hang around more, and the higher sugars can lead to a virus. So it's a no -win situation. Luckily, my head has been fairly "clear" , other than the usual forgetfulness that has been happening with me more and more frequently. LOL.

Tomorrow, CJ and I go to the Diabetes clinic up in a different area of town for a 2 1/2 hour appointment. So we'll see what my protocol for this end up being.

(*and in daycare news, I have 2 potential leads for in-home daycares. CJ and I will be meeting with both of them, and figuring out how we feel. We visited a center yesterday and walked out feeling sad for the infants that attend there. **sniff** We're also touring another center on Monday after work. So keep praying for us that we find something we both really like and feel good about sending our precious angel to in the Fall when mommy has to go back to work*).

Here are some 30 week (exactly!) belly shots:

Here is how I go to bed every night: yes, I'm a pillow whore these days! LOL. I need one (or two) under my head, one behind my back so I don't roll over onto my back (dangerous for baby!), one between my knees, and two at my feet, so I can elevate my "cankles" and hope for no swelling in the mornings - LOL. Good thing CJ and I got that King size bed, huh?

Picture post - - call me an AW (attention whore) - 28 week belly shots and more!

28 week belly shots, not sure if you can see, but in the front view- the belly button is crooked

Treble resting with his paw protectively on Keifer - LOL

Instead of "Where's Waldo", this is "where's the furkids?"

oh, they love their new blanket from Nana (which ironically has puppies on it!)

Mommy in her new Milkbone PJ's, the puppies checking her out
CJ has Mason testing out his new stroller!