32 1/2 weeks

Today was another checkup for me and Baby Ethan. I really like the doctors here because they take my concerns seriously and I don't have to wait for a call back like I did when we lived in NC. Shawn decided to go with me since work was slow and we were meeting the actual dr. today, Dr. Allen. He was really nice and listened to my concerns regarding low amniotic fluids. This is exactly the same time that James levels began to decline and by 36 weeks I was induced. Dr. Allen wasn't going to do an ultrasound but said to ease me he would do one today. So we went back and we got to see our lil' man. He is growing well and is on target for weeks gestation. However as I feared my fluid levels dropped from 13.1 to 9.2 in just 2 weeks span. He said not to worry because it is all subjective but the same ultrasound tech has done it every time so I feel confident it is accurate. Normal levels range from 5-20 so as long as I can stay above 5 for the next 4 weeks I will feel much better. Ethan needs at least 36 weeks gestation!! Of course I am a little panicky because birth defects can occur with low fluid levels. Just trying to hydrate and stay as calm as possible. Nothing can be done to increase fluids really...just something that happens. I read only 8% of women are diagnosed with this ogliohydrosis (SP)...oh lucky me :). So they are doing another ultrasound Tuesday at 11:00 to see how they are doing.

Ethan is still breech too but dr. says he has plenty of time to flip and get into position. Dr. Allen also mentioned he could go in and turn him but tha tis something we will have to weigh b/c it can put baby in distress or can even cause kink in ambilical cord causing worse things which ultimately would still result in Csection which is what we would be avoiding initially.

Just hoping for positive thoughts and prayers for a HEALTHY baby boy.

Piggy Bank Fund

James has been watching a lot of Barney Songs lately (I know poor me :)) but is in love with the guitars on it. So he said he wanted a real guitar like "Q" aka Hugh had when he visited like 2 months ago (Amazing the memory of kids huh?) So I told him we could empty his piggy bank and use that money to buy one. Thanks to PawPaw Berryhill's visit to GA before we moved James had a lot of quarters and even two $1 coins in there. At the end he had $23 to put towards his $30 guitar. I was a bit sticker shocked at how much they were but Shawn said go ahead and let him get it. James little face lit up with excitement when we finally found it. Any mom knows it's hard to turn down that lil' face! James was so excited and couldn't wait to open the guitar in the store. He waited patiently as we made our way thru Wal-Mart. As soon as we got home he was ready to jam!! He is so funny (and quite spoiled I think :)) and loves it. It was his first purchase with his Piggy Bank Fund. Now he will have to earn more $$ for his next big purchase...mmm wonder what it will be?! he is so big now! He is 2 1/2 and all boy. He runs on energy like I've never seen! he is my big boy and so sweet!!

30 1/2 weeks

Today was my routine checkup at the doctor. They did another ultrasound to check fluid levels and make sure all was up and up. Everything looked GREAT! Fluid levels, growth, size, etc was excellent she said. I am relieved in one way but in another was hoping for an early induction...of course after 36 weeks but the sooner the better after that is what I wanted. It is just getting a bit miserable with this weight. I was surprised I do not weigh more than I did b/c I feel about 10 lbs heavier!! :). The only downfall is they said that Ethan is breech right now which scares me a bit. But the dr. also said he has plenty of time to flip and position himself correctly. I have to admit that C-section scares me for so many reasons...the recouperation time, the pain, and the fear of never losing the weight or the pooch. yes I know that sounds vain but that is how I feel. Of course I want him to be healthy and to have a safe delivery either way. I just really pray he turns around before too long. I told the dr. that I felt his head was already sometimes hitting and she said...well it's not his head..so his foot is causing the sudden urge to potty and the hardness in my abdomen :)

James seems to be taking it all still very well. He will often kiss my belly or press his mouth up to it and talk to him. It cracks me up!! He says he will share with him and love him very much!! So innocent and sweet.

i honestly worry about life with 2..I always said James was my only. I love that lil guy so much that I wonder how he do when not all of my attention is on him all the time. I know that God will help me juggle 2 lil angels. I know that later on they will be best buds and it will be worth it. I still want my lil' girl but we are done. We are going to make sure of it this time :)...Shawn is going to get snippity snipped :). If we choose to we will adopt later on...I have always wanted to be a foster parent or adoptive parent. Of course it will not happen anytime soon or might not at all...just something we talked about at one time. Plenty of sweet kids with no homes due to no fault of their own.

I go back to dr. in 2 weeks so we'll see what Ethan has decided to do. :) Please just pray that he flips and that labor is as easy as possible when the time comes.

We have entered the "why" zone

I am very bad about blogging...my blogs tend to combined many events so bare with me..sorry. Just not a lot of free time or brain power lately :)

Well that time has come where James asks the question "why?" a hundred times a day. And I find myself saying the dreaded phrase "because I'm the mommy that's why"!! Oh I said I'd never say that but I do!! It really only irritates me when i have asked him to do something and he questions me! I don't mind explaining other things to him but for some reason that gets under my skin :). James is a very smart boy and is very bright for his age. The director of his MMO program was so impressed at how articulate he is and very vocal.

He began the summer program at a local Mother's Morning Out on June 2. I kind of regret sending him now but the lil break is nice. Plus he enjoys playing and learning with kids his age. We haven't been successful in finding a local church yet so I'm kinda having a hard time meeting people. Living near my mom we go to the pool often and there is also a great splash pad at the Marriott Hotel that is free. Good cool relief for him. I prefer the pool b/c I can actually get in and not feel like a cow around others. The only thing I regret a little is that I feel I always have to entertain him by doing something and he is very spoiled b/c of it. Sitting home is not an option lately and he thinks we always have to go somewhere. So I'm trying to limit going places so he understands it is a reward to go somewhere and not a given. Plus when Ethan arrives James little world is gonna be rocked. Going places will be a little more difficult at first b/c of breastfeeding, naps, etc.

Here are some pics from the splash pad today. Oh the Sonic drink is almost a daily thing..mainly for my sake b/c I LOVE THEM!!

27 1/2 Weeks

Whew today was a bit of a scare. I ended up calling my dr. here to see if I could get in to make sure Baby EThan was ok. After the last ultrasound in GA and the concern with ambilical cord I am so on edge. Not to mention the low amnio fluids I had with James. I hadn't felt him move much in almost in 24 hours but also know that the placenta's location can block me from feeling him move. Just to err on side of caution I went in and the dr. and her nurse were so wonderful. They didn't make you feel like a burden or like I was overreacting at all. In fact the nurse told me if I ever had concerns to call her and she rarely leaves office for lunch and she'd do a heartbeat check for me to ensure all is ok. That made me feel better. On post just getting in for scheduled appts was hard enough much less if you had a concern or emergency. Kinda like the civilian life here :). The Dr. did an ultrasound and heartbeat and all was great. Very strong and he was moving around and I just didn't feel it b/c like I said before the placenta is anterior making it harder to feel the moves. It is so different b/c with James at this point I could see him moving in my tummy but it is different this time around. Each pregnancy is definitely different. We are just so thankful all is ok..my biggest fear is having a baby that is born unhealthy or with disability. I know God will take care of us and provide us with our baby boy healthy. Our next appt is June 10, I'll be 31 weeks and will get another ultrasound and then I'll be seen every 2 weeks to measure amnio fluids until I deliver. They don't induce here unless medically necessary. I would love to go by end of July if baby is strong enough to make his appearance but we'll see. Please keep us in your prayers!

Potty Training

WE have been working on potty training ever since we got back from Disney World at the end of January. We really didn't push it but just would ask if he had to go and often he would hold it until we asked. Of course there were accidents along the way but he has done SO good. He has progressed from sitting on his froggy potty to standing up on the big potty...yes he has pulled his pants down outside and peed on the grass. I try to encourage him not to do that unless we are at our house with mommy or daddy. I guess when he has to go he has to go but he has gotten better about coming inside when playing to go potty. He has always been good about not pooping his in pullup so he has been doing that for a while which I thought was odd b/c I've heard kids have a harder time with that one. We were really proud and knew he was making great strides when he told the gym daycare worker that he had to go potty!! I was so excited!! I think we might do the big boy undies soon just to see how he does. He won't even pee pee in his shorts when he is playing in the sprinklers or pool. He will whine and say "I don't want to pee pee in my pants" So proud of our lil boy. He is now 2 1/2 and the center of our world. We know that regressions might come after Ethan is born but we are going to continue praise and positive reinforcement.

We had our 26 week appt today for baby Ethan. It was my first time meeting the dr. here in AL. All went great and she is so nice. All checked out great and fluid levels are still where they need to be. We will do another ultrasound on June 10 just to ensure because that is about the time that James started going down was around 32 weeks. We just want a healthy baby boy and we will be the happiest parents in the world!!!!!!!

"Nana Pudding"

Today James and I decided to make Banana Pudding or as he calls it "Nana Pudding". Gran and PaPaw took him to Dreamlands in Huntsville and ever since he had that taste of it he is hooked!! He asks for it all the time. I figured it is healthy (b/c we use sugar free) so why not! So I prepped everything and then let him put the bananas, cookies and coolwhip on. He was so proud of himself. I'll admit that the cool whip had me scared b/c he couldn't get it off his spoon so he was slinging it up and down but we came to compromise to shake gently. He did a great job and we'll enjoy it after dinner tonight. I am trying to involve him more in the kitchen and around the house so he feels helpful and like he did something. We are so ready for rain to be gone so we can enjoy the pools and sun before Ethan comes. Pushing James in his stroller is killing me lately! WHEW....big girl can't move. :)