Breech of security avoided

Me. 36 1/2 weeks.

Photo taken by me with my self timer.

So I had a doctor's appointment last Monday. I didn't blog about it because I am a jerk. (really I am just busy.) It was at this appointment that we discovered #2 is breech. What does that mean? At the time I thought that it meant weeks of worry ahead of me because the baby's head was firmly placed in my rib cage with it's little feet tap dancing on my bladder. (Which explains a lot.) I was told to rock my hips while on my hands and knees. I could head to a pool and do hand stands under water. I also tried lying with my hips up in the air for 10-15 minutes at a time, then standing up for 10-15 min.

As of last night I was not convinced that the baby had turned. Aside from getting up a million times last night to go to the bathroom (well a million more times then before...) I didn't think anything had changed.

At my appointment this morning it was confirmed that this baby is HEAD DOWN!!! I am thrilled! I dealt with all of this when expecting Madeline too. She was breech until 37 weeks when she flipped. (I don't remember this baby flipping, nor do I remember Madeline turning...) All the talk of the possibilities just gives me the creeps. (High risk specialist... External version... C-section... argh!) I am happy to say this baby cooperated and let's just hope that he/she stays this way.

As for the rest of my check up, all is well. I am officially 1 cm dilated, which means nothing really. I didn't dilate before being induced last time around, but I am not at all worried that I am going to drop this baby any time soon. I still have class to get through on Wednesday. Thursday of next week sure... but not until then.

Oh, and so I don't forget... I stopped wearing my wedding rings this week. It isn't that they are all that tight in the morning, but by night they are snug and the last thing I want is to have to have them cut off. I am playing it better safe than sorry. I am still not even 1/4th as swollen as I was last time. I even wore tennis shoes today, something I could not have done 2 1/2 years ago with Madeline.

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Totally unrelated but have you seen this? Thanks to Mighty Girl for introducing it to me. It made my day.

mg

My First...

HAIRCUT!

Getting Madeline's hair cut was not a decision I came to easily. (See here and here for proof.) I say I and not "we" (as in Kevin and I) because he has been telling me to do whatever I want for months now. This crazy was all me!

What was I worried about? I just didn't want to loose my "baby" or her curls. Holding on to that hair was me holding onto the last days of her as a baby and not a little girl. Although she really has been one of those for quite some time now.

I decided it was time to get her hair trimmed. I wanted that out of the way before #2 made its entrance and the ends of her hair were in rough shape. (They were all scraggly and damaged and knotted a million different ways every day.)

Before:
Not to bad, I know, but it was awfully long in the back and not very healthy looking to boot.

During:
Madeline was an angel. She sat almost completely still during her hair cut. She even looked down when the stylist asked her too.

Her good behavior may be attributed to the sucker in her hand however. (alternate post title, My First... sucker!) Although she looks nervous in this photo, it is just the face she makes when she is asked to smile.

After:
The finished product! She just wanted to keep looking at herself in the mirror.

She is looking good, and she still has her curls!

So, overall it was great. I didn't even freak out. Which was Kevin's big concern... and mine too really. She still has her curls. They are just a little shorter in the back. She loved her sucker and we may have created a monster now that she has had one...

I know she has a lot of firsts still ahead for her. As we get ready to welcome #2 it is hard for me to think about having two kids and more specifically how grown up Madeline is going to seem once there is an infant in the house. I know that I had to cut her hair before this baby got here because I am not sure I would have had the guts to do it after.

Ps. If anyone needs an awesome stylist in the STL area let me know. Anne, my stylist, is awesome...

mg

Fall, part I

Fall is my favorite season. I used to think it was the weather and the colors, but as I have gotten older I realize that it isn't so much about the big things, but the smaller things that make fall so special for me.

As a kid, Fall was all about family. We spent a lot of time with my dad's parents because all of our birthdays fell in the fall. We'd go apple picking, and make Apple crisp or pie. We'd carve pumpkins for Halloween, build a fire in the back yard (or fire place) and break out our cozy sweaters and sweatpants.

Although the weather is still a little warm around here I am looking forward to the fall. I know this fall will be different then in the past. I AM only 4 or 5 weeks away from our due date and Madeline has been so much fun the last few weeks. I can't wait to do all the traditional stuff with her/them. So much so that we have already gotten underway!


After spending most of the summer in flip flops I always look forward to putting on my comfy sneakers in the fall. Of course I couldn't let the season come without getting Madeline her very own pair.

I mean really, are those not the cutest shoes EVER?!?! I am in love and honestly, I want a pair for myself! (I have a blue pair, but aren't the red awesome?!?)

When we bought our new house, in January, we had no idea what our yard would look like. Most everything was dead. But as the spring came and summer continued we quickly realized we were going to have our very own apple tree! We haven't been able to actually identify the apples, but we think they are either a very tart golden delicious, or Granny Smiths.

Regardless of what they are, they make a very tasty apple crisp. If you are in the neighborhood and need some apples come on by. We have thousands on our tree. Madeline has been enjoying picking them, but there are only so many apples three people can eat! We have already had picking parties with Madeline's friends Leo and Max and Granny and Poppy. There are plenty more to go around so come on over and bring a big bag!

mg

Is it really possible

that after TWO HOURS of reading and goofing around in her room she is finally asleep? I don't want to open the door to check because I don't want her to wake up, BUT I mean really?!?!




This photo makes her look so innocent! HA, I know better than that!! Too bad she needs to get up in about 30 minutes or I may never get her to bed tonight. This evening is going to be f-u-n!!!

Argh.

mg

Further proof she just doesn't get this whole baby thing...

Madeline: The baby is coming today?
Me: No, the baby doesn't come until October.
Madeline: We can cut it out now if you want.
(insert me running and screaming...)

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Madeline: Where is my baby?
Me: Right here. (pointing)
Madeline: No mom, (like duh mom) my baby is coming on an airplane from Florida.

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A parent at the playground: So Madeline, are you having a brother or a sister?
Madeline: NO NO! It's a baby!

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Me: Madeline, where is your new baby?
Madeline: In your baby bump.
Me: That's right. Are you ready to be a big sister?
Madeline: No way!

She could not be more right.

Day 2

This may or may not become a daily tradition. At the age of two Madeline already has a very deep sense of her own personal fashion.


She did NOT get that from her mother.



Do you see those eyes? Those eyes are saying, "mom, can you put down the camera already?" I love those shifty little eyes!

mg

Parenting Lesson #5

Never send a two year old to their room to get clothes after saying,

"You can wear whatever you want. It doesn't matter to me"

unless you are really willing to accept the consequences of that statement.



I see a wardrobe change in the near future...

mg

I'm hungry

Everything gives me heartburn. Even my beloved cottage cheese is causing me pain. I can't NOT eat... but looking through my photos, trying to come up with a post, has made me even hungrier.

Two weeks ago I stopped at Gus' and picked up lunch.


I mean who can resist a pretzel dog, (or brat or salsiccia) or those eyes?


Now all I want is a pretzel brat and some sticks. I did purchase a bag of bake your own Gus' while there two weeks ago. But my oven is broken* and the repair guy (who said he'd call late morning/early afternoon... and it is 2:30pm) is yet to appear. SO I can't even bake my own... but even if I did, it would just give me heartburn.

I honestly don't mean to be so whiny. I just want a pretzel.

Oh, and I missed you too.
__________

*we think it is the latest victim of the lightening strike almost four weeks ago. I just hadn't tried to use the oven until about two weeks ago... which isn't uncommon when the weather is warm. Then the fix-it guy had to order the part and that has taken every bit of a week to get it in.

mg

Clever title here.

My creative juices have not been flowing. I haven't had the real desire to blog in a while. I know that I am just busy with work and getting ready for #2, (t-minus 6 weeks and counting) and dealing with the fact that just before our newest addition gets here our two year old has decided that napping is for the birds. I am loosing my mind over that! I can't even begin to tell you how crabby that makes me. I wish I could just be ok with her not napping and playing in her room for an hour or two... but the girl who comes out of that bedroom is a crabby, crazy, insane little girl who needs a NAP! If she could function until bed time without a nap I wouldn't be as crazy about it, but she CAN'T and honestly, neither can I.

So, until I get my groove back I leave you with a photo of Madeline and her Daddy.

I love the fact that she looks like a little rocker in this photo. Even if it is just a Guitar Hero rocker. :)

mg

33 weeks

It is about time for a #2 update. Don't you think?

33 weeks

Although I haven't taken weekly photos like I know some people do I have taken significantly more photos this pregnancy over my last. I think I have three photos of my first pregnancy total. I have taken at least that many of this one and I still have 7 weeks to go.

It isn't just the photographic record that I feel I am lacking though. I didn't keep any real record of events during my first pregnancy. I know I first felt movement really early last time, like 16 weeks, but then didn't feel it again until 21 or 22 weeks. I also know I was nauseous for 5 or so months last time, and only about 4 months this time. Other than that I can't remember other stuff like when my lower extremities went from calves-ankles-feet to just calves-feet, when I could no longer even look at food without getting heartburn, or when my fingers turned to sausages and I had to leave my wedding ring at home. When did my walk become a waddle instead of my normal gate? When did it become impossible to tie my shoes or paint my toes? The list goes on...

I said I'd keep a better record this time. I haven't. Until now.

33 weeks pregnant with Madeline (March 14, 2007)

So I can't really tell if I am wearing my wedding rings in this photo, but I don't think I am. If you look at my face you can tell I am a little puffy. I feel like I had a lot of swelling pretty early last time. I am happy to report I am still (knock on wood) not having any issues with water retention this time. My rings are snug but no more than normal in the summer and I am even happier to report I still have well defined ankles. I like my ankles and was VERY distraught when they when AWOL during my last pregnancy and was not really looking forward to a repeat disapearance.

As for heartburn and indigestion, I have no idea when that started last time. I sort of feel like I traded my anti-nausea suckers for Tums. This time I had a few months of reprieve, but I have been battling the acid reflux heartburn for at least four weeks now. I feel like last time I could take Tums and that would solve my issues for at least a few hours. This time I can take Tums every 20 minutes and it doesn't always work. Also, last time I could avoid certain foods and avoid some of the issues. This time, everything causes me issues. Well, everything but cottage cheese.

Which reminds me... I honestly can't get enough cottage cheese. I blogged about it the other day, but I have to explain how much I love that stuff right now. I have purchased hundreds of oz. of the stuff over the past month and a half AND I am the only one who is eating it! Kevin likes it, but I think I get to it before he can. Normally, if I buy cottage cheese we finish it just before it expires. I may have a bowl or two in a week. Now, I have a bowl (or two) a day. Today I've had three bowls. THREE! And no, they aren't huge, just respectable 1/2 cup servings, but still... that is a lot of cottage cheese. I have gone for the low fat, but I also admit that last week I bought a container of the large curd (not low fat) because it is my favorite and if Kev isn't eating it anyway, why not. I think after all this talk about it I might have to have another bowl.

Last week I was waddling all over the place. This week I am back to a more normal stance. Who knows why, but I am not complaining. I can still tie my shoes, but I'd rather not. I am not ready to give up my flippy floppies. (Even though I may not be on a boat. (I hate it when I use parenthesis within parenthesis BUT the link is the edited version, yet I wouldn't suggest playing it if there are small children around.))

So that about sums it up. Things are going a long very well. We have an ultrasound scheduled for a few weeks from now, so I'll have more to say then I am sure. Until then enjoy these photos Kevin took of me when he insinuated that he ate the last of the cottage cheese.



I was ravenous. Of course he didn't eat the last of it, he knows better than to stand between me and my dairy of choice!

Oh, one last thing... when trying to come up with this month's header I explained to Kevin that I wasn't feeling too clever or creative. He came up with the following suggestion:


Although I didn't go with it, I had to give my husband mad props (yes, I am almost 30 and white and I said mad props... deal...) for this idea. I find it beyond hilarious. I think that about explains my current mental state.

mg

September 2009

It's the first of the month so you know what that means...

new masthead*! I full update on #2 coming soon.

Until then, Enjoy!

*Those using reader will have to click on over here to check it out.

mg