Monday, April 30, 2012

Pregnancy Update: 31 Weeks



As I find myself in my third trimester, I am coming to a very serious conclusion... I am pregnant! Not only am I pregnant, but it seems that I will actually be having a baby sometime in the next 6 to 12 weeks. Staying very healthy througout this pregnancy has been a mission of mine. So far, I seem to be doing quite well. I try to walk a mile every day that it is nice, as well as eating right (Brewer's Diet), and doing some yoga. I have been slowly nesting and getting things ready. I just placed an order for the last few things on my birth supply list. Along with the list of the few medical things, I ordered a small blow-up pool to possibly labor in. It is only $30, so if I don't end up using it, Bunny can still have a back yard kiddie pool for the rest of the summer. I want to have options, so I don't get stuck in a rut. I also have running list of things I might like to have during labor, that I am still gathering together. More on homebirth prep to come.

This weekend, I got to have the amazing expeirience of going to Sacred Mountain Midwifery School.  I was a pregnant model for the students to learn from and practice on. They each had a chance to take my bp, listen to the baby's heart rate, and try to determine what way the baby was lying. The second group of ladies even drew a picture of my baby's position on my belly (that was then confirmed by a quick ultrasound). Bunny, who had spent most of the day hanging out with her papa and Katie, was amazed when she saw the women drawing a baby on my belly. As soon as we got home that night, she got out her midwifery bag that Nana got her for her birthday, and said, "I measure you, Mommy!"


The students at Sacred Mt practicing!






 Bunny and Papa hanging out!



A very tired little midwife's helper!



I am enjoying these last months with only Bunny. She has grown into such an amazing little person. I am truly blessed to have her. She has finally become a great sleeper. She usually sleeps from 7:00pm to 8:30am. The key for her was giving up naps. I always thought I would be reluctant to give up that "free time". It just kinda happened by accident. She missed a nap one day, and slept AMAZINGLY that night. A few days later, it happened again. Now naps are a rare thing. Though I am wondering if she will go back to them as the weather gets nicer and she is able to run off her energy outside. Nighttime nursing is also a thing of the past. She nurses at bedtime, then not again till her papa gets up at 4:30am. After that she nurses about every hour until we get up. She has discovered a passion for running. She took off across the yard one day and hasn't stopped since. She is pretty fast for being only two. She plays very well and has the imagination that I would expect from a three or four year old. She loves music and sings all the time. She has a wide range of songs she likes too. From contemporary christian, to hit songs from the 60's, to the little educational songs we sing at playschool. As far as the terrible two's go, she has not seemed to be fazed by them. Of course she has her little fits about things, but she is very reasonable in them and if I just explain why, she gets over it fairly quickly. She is just a great little person, and is very excited bout the baby in Mama's belly. She likes to talk into my belly button and put her hand on my belly waiting for Squirrely to give her a high five.

I wonder what kind of person Squirrely will be. She is definitely more active inside of me than Bunny ever was, but what will she be like when she is on the outside. I can't wait to meet her, and yet I want to to keep her all to myself for as long as possible. Also, there is the tiniest part of me that is nervous about being a mama of two. But only the kind of nervous a baseball player gets before a big game. Just wanting to play my best and not strikeout too many times. Overall, I am very excited to begin this new adventure. The first of many adventures of Bunny and Squirrel. Though we did have an ultrasound at 17 weeks and found out that she is a girl, I continue to have dreams that when the baby is born, it turns out to be a boy. I am not expecting it to turn out to be a boy, but it really would not shock me at all.

Kyle is very into every aspect of this pregnancy. Much more so than when I was pregnant with Bunny. He loves to rub my lumpy belly and talk to Squirrely. We talk about how the birth might be. He says he wants to catch the baby. Last evening, we were working on building a gate for our back deck, and he disappeared to the shed to get some screws. When he didin't come back for quite a while, I wondered what had happend to him. A few minutes later he showed up with the box of screws under his arm and a pair of pliers and some copper wire in his hands. After wrenching the wire around with the pliers for a minute, he handed me a pendant to wear on a cord as a necklace. It is the silhouette of a pregnant woman. Beautiful. He gets me. I am so blessed to have him going with me on this amazing adventure called life.







I am joining in over at Happy Family Times and My Joy Filled Life

22 comments:

  1. Looks like you and yours are moving along just fine. Number One Son was two when Number Two Son was born. He did revert back to naps for a little bit, maybe a month, but then got back to no naps. We did have more two year old "fits" after the second child came along, but I think that was more of adjusting. I think you'll do great!

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    1. I imagine it is a quite an adjustment for little ones to have to share mamas, papas, nursies, pretty much everything LOL

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  2. I love the pendant!! what a great idea :-) good hubby ;-)
    .cortney.

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  3. What a great belly you have! I was so excited to read this, as I am planning my own pregnancy update at the end of the week! I love the pendant--have you put it on a cord?

    Are you having an unassisted birth, or a midwife? We had an unassisted one for Zia, but thought it would be fun to have a midwife this time, mostly for the visits, since I love asking questions and finding out what's going on in there!

    I'm so excited for you! That's fun that you know it's a girl...maybe! The boy dreams are interesting, too!

    Mia

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    1. We are having a midwife! I have called her "My Ruth" long before I got pregnant and am sooo happy to have found her! I have not found a cord for the pendant, yet. He just made it last evening and I don't think I have what I want, here at home.

      Oh can I pick your brain? This is my 1st homebirth. What kind of "extra" stuff.. like essential oils, drinks and food, etc would you say is great to have on hand. I want to have a variety of things available for eating, drinking, relaxing, & making the atmosphere lovely.

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    2. Sure! I have a little book of what I had on hand for Zia's birth...I'll compile a list for you. Some things were sooo helpful...like the "labor-aid" which really helped with energy, and herbal soak baths, etc. I think the only thing I didn't use was the Shepherd's Purse herb, which is for excessive bleeding. I'll email my list to you.

      Mia

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    3. P.S.
      I forgot to mention that low lights, good-smelling candles (or an essential oil diffusers, and soft music are great, too!

      Mia

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    4. I have Shepherd's Purse as well as some other herbs and homeopathics as discussed in that Heart and Hands book! I have my playlist ready. Going now to look at and print off the email. Thanks!

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  4. wow what an amazing experience to share your beautiful belly with those practicing midwives! enjoy your last weeks mama! just like with the first babe, it takes a bit to get used to being a mama of two.... but then you fall into a rythym and everything seems to fit right into place :)

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  5. ps- i didn't have a homebirth but the first thing that comes to my mind for preparation is meals for post birth- for those first couple days when you just want to stay snuggled in bed with the new babe, it would be so helpful to have pre cooked nutritious meals that no one has to fuss with other than heating them up. i just remember how grateful i was for all my meals being brought to me in the days after delivery, and then when we returned home, the meals family members dropped off for us.

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    1. I have been doubling up on some meals... so I have a few meals in the freezer PLUS our church has a meal ministry (run by my mama lol) and new moms get 7 meals, one every other day, for 2 weeks, delivered right to their door!!

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  6. You have such an amazing looking baby belly! I'm really hoping to actually look pregnant by the time I hit 31 weeks. =) (I looked 20 ish weeks at 39 weeks with my daughter.) I'm so glad for you that your daughter is cooperating well. =)

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  7. Stephanie Bragg-Student MidwifeApril 30, 2012 at 8:03 PM

    We really enjoyed you at Sacred Mountain this past weekend, thank you so much for being so wonderful! Everyone really appreciates that you are so willing to help the teaching and learning :) Hope to see you again! I love the blog :)

    Stephanie

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  8. you look fabulous! what an eventful time you had! thank you for your example ofhelping everyone learn..
    good luck too!
    I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can..

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  9. Gorgeous post :-) How nice to take the time to reflect about Bunny and the new little one you are soon to meet. And your husband is very clever making the pendant for you, and it is gorgeous!!

    Thanks so much for sharing on Happy Family Times x

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  10. What a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing with us. And thank you for sharing on Happy Family Times!!

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  11. Love the idea of them drawing the baby's position on your belly. What a great way to "picture" what's inside. Thanks for stopping by Taking Time To Create!

    Erin
    takingtimetocreate.blogspot.com

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  12. Stopping by from Sarah's link-up. Congrats on baby #2! We used a midwife and did a homebirth with our 2nd and it was a great experience. You will LOVE it!

    Tyra

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  13. Thanks so much for linking up! How fun that you got to be a model to midwifery students; sounds like it was a fun day and I love your cute, little midwife helper; how sweet she is!

    It sounds like you are planning a homebirth; will this be your first?

    Can't wait to hear more updates!

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    1. This IS going to my 1st (of many, I hope) homebirth! I have enjoyed reading about the other mamas as they prepare for their new little ones :)

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