27 week update

We are in the last week of the second trimester!  It's been so hard to be patient through this year- but I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are only 12 weeks away (from my 39 week induction!)  3 months sounds like just enough time to get everything ready.  I'm getting really excited and hoping time doesn't drag too much.  Babies born between 27-32 weeks have a 80-95% survival rate. so every passing week is a big deal!

Baby is opening and closing her eyes now, and waking and sleeping at regular intervals.  It is such a miracle to think about.  I had one of those breakdowns this week that you don't have a real excuse for- where you're just sobbing and shaking- hungry and tired.  It just comes with growing another person.  Afterwards I just thought, "how could I possibly be upset?"  Yes it's hard, but I am actually carrying my rainbow baby that I've been dreaming about for so long, and all the hard stuff is totally worth it!

My lows this week included super bad SPD pain (it is starting to wake me up if I try to turn over in the night) and a bad cold.  I hate not being able to breathe easily or sleep!  I always get nervous to take any kind of medicine to help because there's always controversy about what's safe- but sometimes essential oils just don't cut it!  I also had a little spotting but it seems under control now and at least I can monitor baby's movements. 

We also had some really good moments this week!

I love snuggling all the soft things for baby and daydreaming in the rocking chair

I was able to get my own blessing dress out of storage and I can't wait to have Aidia blessed in it too!  I was a really small baby at five pounds, so hopefully she'll still fit at 2 months old when we want to do her blessing.  Mostly the hole for the head is super teeny!

We were able to finish the dresser this week!  It has paint on it now and is ready to be filled up!

I have to share a funny moment from this week.  Guess what my fat pregnant butt did?  I went to get a pita (my biggest craving for the past couple months) and instead I bought TWO pitas.  Yep.  Annnnd they were out of avocado which broke my heart...so I went to the store specifically to buy avocados and added them into my own pitas.  Do I have money to go buy two pitas/ should I be spending money on cravings like this? Nope! Haha!  But I had to laugh and just enjoy it because sometimes baby wants what baby wants.  Happy memories.

I was once again spoiled this week!  I put a post up about how much I want Aidia to have this blanket so she has some keepsake of being a rainbow baby.  Within a couple minutes I literally had multiple offers of people who wanted to make it for me!  Wow!  I feel so loved. I was just going to add it to my registry, but this is even more meaningful.  It's going to be beautiful!  

I've been getting lots of belly love lately as she starts growing faster and faster.  I tried to put lotion on my bump the other night, but couldn't do it because puppy was busy snuggling it.  It was maybe the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Jack loves belly hugs too

Bonus! My Halloween costume arrived today, and I'm hoping it still fits in a month!  I love my little pumpkin <3  

26 week update

I feel like my belly has popped out yet again!  Maybe this little girl is following in Jack's giant baby footsteps after all.  We will see how much she weighs at our ultrasound in two weeks.  It's getting pretty hard to be comfortable already and she still has 13 weeks left to grow! (thank you induction at 39 weeks)

This week her eyes should open so she can practice blinking and start responding to any light that she's able to perceive.  Her eyelashes are all grown in and I can't wait to get a good look at that pretty baby face.  I'm hoping to be able to do a 4D ultrasound around 30 weeks and see what our daughter looks like.  Right now she is about the length and weight of a butternut squash!  Good thing they curl up in there!

One of my favorite moments this week was receiving a care package from my sweet friend in Idaho.  She made Aidia three hats, a blanket, and this adorable little toy octopus.  She has been calling baby Octavia or Octopus from the beginning because she is my 8th pregnancy.  I love that she made such a cute toy in honor of our miracle.  She always said 8 was her lucky number- looks like it's lucky for us too. 

I had one major scare this week.  It seems like there always has to be at least one.  I woke up with a start in the middle of the night, feeling like there was a knife in my belly.  At first, I thought it was round ligament pain from turning over and planned to just breathe through it.  The pain increased and was constant on one side.  It was a really scary feeling because it seemed like something really must be wrong.  I couldn't talk through the pain.  I thought I was going to be on my way to the hospital- but after about 20 minutes the pain changed and lightened slightly.  I watched it through the night and since there was no bleeding I was able to stay home.  Kevin looked at where the pain had been the next morning and said it went along the entire iliopsoas major- he thought I probably had a severe charlie horse cramp that started in the groin and went all the way up my belly.  It made sense- but wow, the pain was so bad.  I've been making sure to stay hydrated and I've started supplementing with magnesium to help keep those cramps down.  I'm glad baby moved a lot for me in the morning to let me know she was ok.  I haven't had another episode so I feel confident in saying it wasn't a kidney stone or burst cyst or anything else.

Jack and I have had lots of fun bringing in the fall season.  We had a family birthday dinner for him on Sunday and he is just the happiest kid!  Of course he is busy at school- but after school we've had fun dressing up the puppy in his halloween costume, Broncos jersey on game days, and of course a sweater anytime we go outside (because puppy is a big wimp.)  Plus my sister gave me an awesome halloween shirt for me and baby girl.  Haha!  I'm so excited for all the holidays to start- I think it will help the last 13 weeks go by faster.  <3

  

25 week update

We've made it to 25 weeks!  Little Miss is probably weighing about 2 pounds now and her heart sounds great!  I'm already so proud of her and all the odds she has overcome.

My doctor appointment this week was fantastic!  After hearing about Jack's birth and all the complications I had with it, he said we can do an elective delivery at 39 weeks.  I'm normally not a fan of inductions, but I have just dealt with this worry in my gut, and after hearing him say we'll induce a little early I feel much more at peace and more relaxed.  Technically I'll be 39 weeks on December 21, but I literally already have four family members that share that birthday.  So unless she comes early on her own, I'm planning on an induction for December 22!  THAT IS 99 DAYS AWAY!!  The doc said even though my weight and sugar are good, to just watch carbs and sugar to try and keep her size more normal since Jack was so big without any gestational diabetes.  He also cleared me for walks and light swimming to help prep my body and ease some of my pain.  I haven't tried either yet because I've had a really hard time walking and sitting with all my back and pelvic floor issues this week.  I'm trying to be brave about it, but I'm not going to lie, the pain brings me to tears usually at least once a day.

Even though I thought it would be brushed off, I tried to talk to my doctor about my fear of stillbirth.  He said to try not to worry about unexplained fetal death right now.  Even though it's been in my family, he said that doesn't necessarily increase my own risk.  He reminded me that my losses were so much earlier that it's a totally different ballgame now and baby seems very healthy.  He told me to try and stay positive.  He also said if I want, we can do stress tests the last few weeks and keep a close eye on her.  If we can do that and deliver one week early I will feel better.  I was told my Braxton Hicks contractions are normal for a second baby (since I'm having them daily an so much sooner than I did with Jack.)  It's a reminder to stay hydrated and the doc said warm baths can soothe them too.

My next appointment is at 28 weeks and I can't wait!  We get to do an ultrasound and check on her growth and development (which I'm hoping will be more relief and good news.)  I also get my glucose test, thyroid checked, and another chat with the doctor.  My anxiety goes way down when I feel like we are on top of prenatal care so I think that appointment will be good for me.

Just three more weeks until the third trimester!  As much as I've tried to enjoy this pregnancy experience (as I've learned not to take it for granted) I just can't wait for my daughter to be here safe and sound.  Kevin is counting down to graduation also (86 days)!  

Nesting is coming along little by little.  We got the crib set up this week, found a spot for the rocking chair, and put up some wall art.  I found a frame at the DI for two bucks, painted it, and made my own "mat" out of watercolor paper that I painted.  Not bad!  Building the crib was emotional for me.  It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen- fit for a princess.  I've been waiting for this moment for such a long time, and every time I see the crib I'm amazed all over again that this is really happening!

My cute boy turned five years old this week!  I could burst with pride.  He is doing so well in every aspect of his life.  I love my first miracle baby so much.

6 month update

VIABILITY!!! We've made it to a huge milestone for our sweet babe!  Now that she is 24 weeks, she is considered viable- which means every life saving measure will be taken for her.  If for some reason I went into super pre-term labor she now has a 50% survival rate outside of the womb.  While I by no means hope for a micro-preemie, it is a comfort to know that her life is considered worth saving now, and that it's possible.  However, hang in there baby girl, for at least another 3 months if not 4.

Aidia has grown stronger this week, just as I was hoping.  I saw a few kicks from the outside this week and Kevin was finally able to feel her moving around!  In fact, one morning when I finally crashed into a deep sleep after being up all night, and Kevin said he felt her kicking him right in the bum while he was trying to sleep-haha!

A this point, she has brain waves similar to a newborn.  That means she has conscious thought and memory!  It's a perfect time to be talking to her and playing music.  She is also about 1.5 lbs now and already feels heavy (uh oh.)

We're enjoying this nesting phase at home.  Her crib should be arriving soon and I've been trying to rearrange our room to fit the crib and rocking chair in it (not an easy task.)  Her name banner came to go above her crib and make that little corner of our room hers <3  I love it.  I feel so happy looking at it and thinking this dream is really happening.

My sweet friend who also happens to be an awesome artist painted me this picture for my birthday.  It fits Aidia's "yellow elephant" theme- which is what Jack told me his sister's room would be before we were pregnant. I love how cute it is and how much meaning is behind it!  One more touch of her in our home and it feels great.

We went to Idaho this week to visit my mom and step-dad, and even though it was thrown together last minute and was a quick weekend trip- it was a blast!  I was so happy to spend some time with them.  I don't think I'll be traveling any more until after baby makes her appearance, so it was perfect timing.  We went to the fair there and Jack was spoiled rotten.  So many great memories!  Aside from the embarrassing one when I had to get a wheelchair after walking a few miles because I started cramping and spotting.  Then everyone kept giving Kevin "aw" glances as he pushed his pregnant wife around for the rest of the night haha.  My parents spoiled me and baby too (naturally.)  Haha this shirt from my mom is perfect.  I'm excited to have a little girl to be my mini me, although I'm sure she'll still look like her daddy's side!

                                 

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to check up on everything and do normal prenatal care and tests- then I'll have my next ultrasound in a month. I think as we get closer to delivery I'm getting more anxious about the complications I had with Jack (with his size and the difficult delivery and the year long recovery that included steroid injections right next to my stitches.  Yes, those stitches.  Ouch.) I want to make sure we watch her size and act accordingly so I don't end up in a C-Section which I narrowly escaped last time. I am also still anxious about stillbirth and her heart stopping if we go late at all- I've just seen it happen with so many MTHFR women. Naturally I'm scared of that after recurrent loss anyway. My hope is if I talk to the doctor he can calm some of these fears, since I'm sure many are not scientifically grounded. I am normally not a fan of inducing before the baby is ready- but I think with my risk factors and since I know the due date for sure (since we did ovulation tests etc) I feel peaceful with the idea of inducing at 39 weeks. Even if that causes a longer and more difficult labor. We will have to play it by ear. I just feel like she might be safer outside the womb at that point. Jack was born the day before his "due date" and he had already had a bowel movement, was in distress, and was huge. They would have let me go a week past my due date with him if I hadn't fought to be admitted and help the labor along (I was stuck at a 1cm with contractions every 3 minutes) and the thought of that makes me panic. He would have been in a really bad situation if he had been born much later. We will see what the doctor says. I also have to have faith that the labor and delivery will work out ok and that she will be safe. <3