Finally catching up!

Life is horrible when you're laptop is down. It's still not 100%, but at least I'm able to get on and do a much needed update!

Here's weeks 11-15!

Look how baby has grown!

"Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future."

"As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed."

"Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)"

"Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth."

"Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements."




How far along?: 15w2d. Made it to the 2nd trimester!

Maternity clothes?: Love them!

Movement:  I've been feeling little flutters! Finally!

Stretch marks?: Still the old ones.

Sleep?: I'm finally feeling rested when I sleep, but I'm still up a couple times a night to pee.

Symptoms?: Feeling pretty good actually! Being tired is the biggest thing. I'm also sore at the end of the day. Running after Eli all day takes a toll on me.

Food cravings: I want Chipotle SO bad, but have yet to get it.

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss: Not much.

What I'm looking forward to:  Really feeling movement!

Milestone:  Making it to the second trimester!

Belly Pictures:

 

 

Other updates:

Since I've updated last I've have 2 ultrasounds! The quality isn't great, but once I scan them they will be better. 

Both ultrasound went great! Baby Yoda is growing great and we found out the sex! We're doing a little reveal announcement so once we get it done, I'll post it for everyone to see! And speaking of announcements, we went FB official. Below is the link to the little video we did. Everyone is excited for us!

Our FB announcement!

Weeks 9 and 10!

Exhaustion got the better of me this past week, which is why I didn't update. But never fear, here's 2 weeks of updates in 1!

How big is baby?:

"Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!"

"With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)"

How far along?: 10 weeks today! 2 until the end of the 1st trimester!

Maternity clothes?: Yupp.

Movement:  Hoping to feel those flutters again in the next couple weeks.

Stretch marks?: Old ones only.

Sleep?: Is the greatest! I got a Boppy Maternity pillow and used it last night. I had one of the best nights of sleep in a long time.

Symptoms?: Still tired.Nausea hit me like a ton of bricks today, but I hope it leaves as quickly as it came.Emotional wreck. Skin breakout.

Food cravings: Not too many this week. Feeling too tired to eat.

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss: Not a lot

What I'm looking forward to:  My next ultrasound on the 1st!

Milestone: Making it to 10 weeks with no problems.

Belly Pictures:

9 weeks

10 weeks

Other thoughts: I've made it to the milestone of my first loss. I thought I'd be excited to get here, but I know my other loss milestone is right around the corner. I'm going to try using the doppler to see if I can hear the heartbeat. I know it's early, and I won't get freaked out if I can't find it, but I know the relief I'll have if I *DO* find it, so it's worth a shot.

8 weeks and 1st ultrasound!

8 weeks down, 4 to go! Things are finally starting to look good!

How big is baby?:

"Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy."

How far along?: 8w5d.

Maternity clothes?: Yes.

Movement:  Still too soon.

Stretch marks?: Still have the oldies.

Sleep?: Is the greatest!

Symptoms?: Still tired. Feeling nauseous all the time. Emotional. Some slight constipation - yay! *eye roll*

Food cravings: Chocolate and ice cream. Even better if they are combined!

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss:  Not too much this week.

What I'm looking forward to:  Making it to the second tri! Not too long now!

Milestone: Our *great* ultrasound today!

 

Belly Pic: 

 

 

Well, today was our first ultrasound for baby Yoda. I was terrified. Geo was there with me so he did his best to keep me calm, but nothing could keep me from shaking on the table. Thankfully, the tech got right to it and even before I got to see the screen, she told me that there was a heartbeat! Cue the tears. As she got the measurements, she informed us there was only 1 baby (Geo got off lucky!) and had me hold my breath as she got the HB, which was a nice, strong 171. (So, maybe a girl?!) Yoda was also measuring ahead at 8w5d - so my new EDD is January 15th. 

 

When she was done, she turned the screen and we got to see our Yoda - with the little flickering HB! I'm finally starting to accept this pregnancy. I'm at the point where things usually fall apart and it's great to be safe, at least for today. 

Here's Yoda! 

 

7 Weeks

Another week down!

How big is baby?:

"Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!)

 is now in place."

 How far along?: 7w3d.

Maternity clothes?: Some bottoms. No tops yet.

Movement:  Gas bubbles in full force!

Stretch marks?: Just the old ones.

Sleep?: I finally got a good nights sleep last night. It does wonders!

Symptoms?: Tired, tired and more tired. My icky feeling is showing up mostly at nights, which is great with Eli. I've gotten really moody lately too.

Food cravings: Peanut butter.

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss:  My patience

What I'm looking forward to:  My ultrasound is Monday!

Milestone: Another week in the 1st tri is over! 5 to go!

Belly Pic:

6 weeks!

Half way through the first trimester - again!

 

 

 

How bis is baby?:

 

"Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin. Those little hands and feet- still webbed like paddles- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate. "

 

How far along?: 6w2d.

Maternity clothes?: Yup - busted them out. Bloat is out.of.control.

Movement:  Still just gas.

Stretch marks?: Nope.

Sleep?: Is great when I can get it. Stupid head cold makes it hard to breathe.

Symptoms?: Sleepy, gas pains, icky feeling. A little nauseous too but I don't know if it's pregnancy related or because of this cold.

Food cravings: Chocolate.

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss:  Being able to breathe!!!

What I'm looking forward to:  My ultrasound in a couple weeks.

Milestone: Had my first Dr. appointment today.

Belly pic:

In related news: I had my first Dr. appointment today. Nothing special. I peed in a cup, got told I was pregnant (woo!), had my yearly check up and got sent for blood work. I hate blood work. I scheduled my first ultrasound and the earliest they can get me in is June 10th. So.far.away! I could have gotten in next week, by my Dr. wants to see me through my 1st trimester, due to my loss history, so I had to go in when she was there. After my first tri I'll start rotating through the other two Dr.s.  But, I just look at it this way - by the time I get in there I'll be about 8 weeks along so there definitely will be something to see on that ultrasound machine.  The countdown is on until my ultrasound!

5 Weeks!

Here we are, 5 weeks! 7 weeks until the end of the first trimester!

 

How big is baby?:

 

How far along?: 5w1d.

Maternity clothes?: Not yet.

Movement:  Gas bubbles in full force!

Stretch marks?: No new ones.

Sleep?: Is ah-may-zing!

Symptoms?: Still tired, headaches.

Food cravings: Peanut butter!

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss:  Not a whole lot.

What I'm looking forward to:  Seeing Eli as a big brother

Milestone: Another week pregnant..

Belly Pic:

4 weeks!

Alright, I know I'm a little late, but such is life. Things have been kinda hectic around here so if I'm not doing something, I'm probably sleeping. Lol.

How big is baby?

 

"At 4 weeks, your baby, now known as a blastocyst, is practically microscopic -- a teeny ball of cells. She's busy settling into her new home (your uterus), prepping for all the crucial development she'll be doing over the next six weeks."

 

 

How far along?: 4w2d.

Maternity clothes?: Not yet.

Movement:  Do gas bubbles count?

Stretch marks?: No new ones.

Sleep?: Constantly. This exhaustion is killing me.

Symptoms?: Tired. All.the.time.  More nausea than I'm used to and crampy.

Food cravings: Nothing really. I'm icky if I'm hungry, nothing sounds good, then I'm still icky after I eat.

Belly button in or out?: Innie.

What I miss:  Not being tired.

What I'm looking forward to:  A take home baby come January.

Milestone: Not peeing on sticks anymore! Yay!

Belly Pic:

4th times the charm?

Yeah, I know that doesn't sound right, but maybe it'll hold true for me.

I'm on pregnancy #4. Currently due January 19th, 2014, which is 2 days after Eli's birthday.

I'll do an official update on Sunday when I hit 4 weeks - which is Mother's Day.

I'm terrified, excited, anxious and numb all at the same time. Is that even possible?

I guess it's time..

I don't want to be writing this. I wish this was all a bad dream so when I'd wake up, everything would be better. But sadly, this isn't a bad dream and here I am again. I've had another miscarriage.

After my last good ultrasound on the 10th, I was finally feeling somewhat confident. I got Eli all dressed up in his "Big Brother" t-shirt and we took family pictures for our Christmas cards. They were printed and ready to go. That weekend I had some spotting and exactly 1 week after my 10 week ultrasound, the baby had no heartbeat. Since my body had already started bleeding, I went through this miscarriage naturally and on December 21st, exactly 2 years after my first loss, I lost my second baby.  On New Year's Eve I had my follow up appointment to make sure everything passed naturally and got the all clear from my Dr. I was done miscarrying.

 For whatever reason, I took this news easier than the last time. I feel more upset about letting everyone else down, than losing another baby. It kills me to see my parents upset. It kills me to see George break down. But most of all, I feel like I like Eli down. I know he doesn't get it. He's way to young to understand. But I want nothing more than to give him a brother or sister.

And now I don't even know if I want to try again. How much more can my heart take? How many  more times is my body going to let me down? I'm numb to losing a baby. One horrific day in December of 2010 robbed me of any happiness I can get from being pregnant. But I can't take the awkwardness that follows. Those couple weeks following a loss where people don't know what to say or how to treat me. I just don't know if I can go through that again.

Let's not forget the anxiety I'll have when I get pregnant again. I don't like not connecting with the baby right away. I don't like checking the toilet paper every time I wipe for blood. I don't like feeling so jaded and negative when I'm pregnant. With Eli I don't think I ever felt "okay" with his pregnancy until about 20 weeks when his A/S ultrasound came back good. I tried very hard to act happy and positive, but deep down I wasn't secure with him until I knew he was healthy.

I just don't know where we are going from here. If we want to try again, I have to wait until I get my period once, then we are clear medically. But are we ready emotionally? Are we ready to take that plunge. Maybe we'll never know.

Ultrasound #2...

Was a success!! It was such a nerve wracking time for me. Thankfully this is my last pregnancy because the anxiety I feel during the 1st trimester is horrible. Yes, I know anything can go wrong at any time, but when you have experience a loss, an unknown loss at that, it just doesn't get easier.

Last night before I was going to attempt to go to bed, I wiped some pink spotting when I went to the bathroom. My heart sank. I knew today wasn't going to be good. Thankfully it didn't come back at all between last night and this morning, but it didn't make me any less worried. I ended up in bed at midnight and tossed and turned and coughed myself awake multiple times. I think around 3 I finally fell asleep which meant a whopping 2 hours of sleep. The morning was hectic getting Geo up and off to work, plus getting Eli ready to go stay with my dad. The whole drive I just prepped myself. One minute I was prepping for the worst, then the next I was telling myself that it's be okay. I got there, went inside and waited. I watched TV, but couldn't really tell you what I saw. She called me back, got my prepped and I started to shake as I laid there. The tech asked me if I was okay and I just told her that this is deja vu to my first pregnancy and I was just terrified it was going to end the same way. She told me she was going to get pictures for the Dr., but then she'd let me see the screen when she was done. The ultrasound got underway and the first thing she said was "The baby is just fine in there." Immediately I just sighed this huge sigh of relief and allowed myself to relax and be happy. Everything is right on track for where it should be and again, "Today I am ABSOLUTELY pregnant and I love this baby!"

Here is little Padawan - 9 weeks, 5 days.

Weeks 8 and 9

I know I'm late, but my mind is getting the best of me. I wasn't this anxious with Eli, and I think this time around I am because it's within the same time frame of my first that I lost. We wouldn't find out for about 2 more weeks, but this is about the time when my last pregnancy ended. I go Monday for an ultrasound so I'm just hoping and praying that this pregnancy won't end like my first. Poor Eli is sick and the Christmas hustle and bustle is keeping my mind busy, but when I sit down with time on my hands, I start to think. But, never fear - here is my 8 and 9 week check in!

How big is baby:

"Now she weighs in (yay!) at about .04 ounces and measures about .63 inches.

 This week, she's growing about a milimeter each day."

" We are now a fetues! She's gaining steam! At 9 weeks, your fetus measures around 

.9 inches and weighs about .07 ounces."

How far along?: 9 weeks! 3 to go until 2nd trimester!

Maternity clothes?: I've been living in them.

Movement:  Not that I can feel

Stretch marks?: The ones from Eli are fading! Yay!

Sleep?: Still pretty awesome!

Symptoms?: Still tired. I've been getting RLP (round ligament pain) as well. Ouch! And the gas bubbles don't feel all that great either.

Food cravings: Eh.. I have a love/hate relationship with food.

Belly button in or out?: Innie still.I hope it doesn't pop out this time.

What I miss:  A good glass of wine.

What I'm looking forward to:  Monday for the ultrasound.

Milestone: We'll get to one Monday so long as the ultrasound is good.

Belly Pic(s):

7 weeks! Turkey Day edition

With all the craziness of the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm a little late here. But, I got some amazing deals in my Black Friday shopping craziness so it was worth it!

How big is baby?:

 "Your .51-inch embryo doesn't exactly tip the scales just yet but she's developing like crazy. 

She's already doubled in size since last week."

How far along?: 7 weeks! Yay!

Maternity clothes?: Still in the jeans! I live in my yoga pants too.

Movement: Not yet.

Stretch marks?: Just the ones left over from last time.

Sleep?: Still pretty awesome!

Symptoms?: Tired, tired and tired! The heartburn is coming back too.

Food cravings: I had one today! Grilled cheese.. Yum!!

Belly button in or out?: Innie

What I miss:  My energy and nice hair.

What I'm looking forward to:  The end of the 1st trimester!

Milestone: Getting through Black Friday shopping intact!

Belly Pic: This is from Thanksgiving, which is why it's a day late!

We have a heartbeat!

I am so excited!! I know a HB doesn't mean that things still can't go wrong, but at least for today, I'm happily pregnant. We got to the office right at 730 and sat and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Obviously the u/s tech was running late because I didn't even get back until almost 8. Anyway, I got undressed and sat and waited. I was shaking I was so nervous. I don't think I'll ever be able to get over my anxiety when I go for ultrasounds. So, the tech came in, someone new this time, and explained how this would work. In my head I'm screaming "I've done this already, just get on with it!!!", but I was polite and kept my mouth shut. She informed me that the earliest she's ever seen a HB on this machine was 5w6d. Well, I'm happy to announce I beat her record!!!

 

(The little speck in the red circle is Baby Padawan!)

Little Padawan was measuring  5w5d and had a HB of 104! I was a little nervous at first since I know 104 is low, but she assured me that it's perfectly normal since HB probably started beating within the last 24 hours so it was acceptable. *huge sigh of relief*  I go again on 12/10 for another ultrasound, so hopefully *crosses fingers* everything will still be good and we can announce this pregnancy around Christmas!!

Today I am ABSOLUTELY pregnant and I LOVE my baby!!

6 weeks!

Tomorrow at 730 am, I have my first ultrasound. I'm feeling so conflicted. I'm excited and terrified all at the same time. Even though my pregnancy with Eli was smooth sailing, the terrifying feeling of a possible miscarriage never goes away. I'll be back tomorrow to update on how it goes.

How big is baby?:

 "The average embryo at week 6 is about .25 inches and will double in size again next week. Wow!"

How far along?: 6 weeks! Half way through the 1st trimester!

Maternity clothes?: Still in the jeans.

Movement: Not even close.

Stretch marks?: Just the ones left over from last time.

Sleep?: Is a-mazing. I can't believe how tired I am. Was it this way with Eli?

Symptoms?: Sleepy, nauseous after I eat.

Food cravings: Still none. Nothing sounds good.. :-(

Belly button in or out?: Innie

What I miss:  My energy!

What I'm looking forward to: My ultrasound tomorrow.

Milestone: Making it half way through the 1st trimester!

Belly Pic:

5 weeks!

It seems like I was just doing my 4 week check in. Guess time flies when your due date gets moved forward!

How big is baby?: An appleseed!

"Your embryo is now measurable -- though at week five, it's a wee .13 inches -- and she's gearing up for much more growth. In fact, in the next week, she'll almost double in size. Grow baby grow!"

How far along?: 5 weeks.

Maternity clothes?: The jeans are out. I can still wear certain non-maternity jeans but they are not as comfy.

Movement: Just my gassy kicks! Lol.

Stretch marks?: Just the ones left over from last time.

Sleep?: Is good when it's here. I can't seem to unwind at night.

Symptoms?: Sleepy. Crampy again. My stomach is always icky.

Food cravings: None. Nothing sounds appealing which sucks when I know I have to eat. Blech.

Belly button in or out?: Innie

What I miss: Enjoying food!

What I'm looking forward to: Shopping on Saturday. Hoping to score some cheap summer maternity clothes.

Milestone: Making it to 5 weeks.

Bump Pic:

First Baby Dr. Appointment!

First off, I just have to announce we've nicked named this LO! Since Eli was Spock (To "Live long and Prospure") and a Star Trek reference, we've decided to go with a Star Wars reference this time. We chose Padawan! We chose this because a Padawan is a jedi in training and this LO is currently a baby in training! 

Today I had my first appointment with my OB. I got weighed, peed in a cup, got my blood pressure checked. The nurse talked to me and declared a due date of July 10th. I'm going to do my check in's based on that date, but I know it will probably change when I get my first ultrasound. Then my Dr. came in and had the biggest smile on her face. Her first words were "I'm so happy to see you here!! I love it when my nice patients come back with good news!" This made me smile. I had a rough start with my OB with my first pregnancy and I'm glad we've gotten to this point. I voiced some questions I had and we chatted for a bit. I got my blood work script and my papers of Do's and Don'ts during pregnancy and I was on my way. Pretty much what I was expecting for a first appointment. I'm too early to see anything on an ultrasound so I'm going back on the 15th. With the due date of the 10th, that will put me at 6w 1d. Still a little early but we should be able to see something. Then it was off for the dreaded blood work. Ugh. I knew they'd take a zillion, well only 5, vials of blood from me and I can't stand getting my blood drawn. It's not even the losing of the blood. It's the feeling of the needle in my arm. And to top it off, it moved every time she switched the vials! I'm getting nauseous just thinking about it. The lady was really nice and put me in the reclining chair and gave me some OJ to sip on. Thankfully this is the last time they'll take this much from me. Be back in a few days with my 5 week check in!

4 Weeks

Here we are, 4 weeks! Only 8 to go until the 2nd trimester. It still seems surreal to be pregnant again. I took at test today, at 16DPO, and the test line was darker than the control line! I go for my first appointment tomorrow so I'll be updating again on how it goes.

"At 4 weeks, your baby, now known as a blastocyst, is practically microscopic -- a teeny ball of cells. She's busy settling into her new home (your uterus), prepping for all the crucial development she'll be doing over the next six weeks.  "





How far along?: 4 weeks! (Well, 4w2d)

Maternity clothes?: This bloat is killing me. The jeans may be coming out soon.

Movement: Way too early.

Stretch marks?: Just the ones left over from last time.

Sleep?: Is great. I can't kick this tiredness.

Symptoms?: Still sleepy. My boobs have been hurting too.

Food cravings: None yet.

Belly button in or out?: Innie

What I miss: Energy

What I'm looking forward to: My appointment tomorrow! Can't believe it's almost here.

Milestone: My test today! I love seeing the test line darker than the control.

Bump Pic:

Ick! I didn't realize how dirty the mirror was! Guess I need to go clean it. I'll be back tomorrow to update on my appointment!

What did we get ourselves into?

Here we go again!

I just found out yesterday that I'm pregnant with #2! As of right now, I'm 3w3d (I found out at 9dpo) and due July 12th. I'm really hoping this July baby sticks! If so, this LO and Eli will be 18 months apart. My first appointment is Monday. I'm so torn between being excited, nervous and anxious all at the same time! Where did I get it in my brain that I could handle 2 little ones? Will Eli enjoy having a baby brother or sister? Where did I get it in my brain that I could handle 2 little ones?! I just hope that baby #2 is just as amazing as Eli. If so, I should be able to stay sane. Here's my first check in with baby #2!

How big is baby?

 

Poppy Seed!

How far along?: 3 weeks, 3 days

Maternity clothes?: Not yet

Movement: Way too early!

Stretch marks?: Just the ones left over from last time.

Sleep?:  Is beautiful. I've been taking naps when Eli naps.

Symptoms?: Just sleepy and a little crampy.

Food cravings: None yet.

Belly button in or out?: Innie

What I miss: I'd say sleep but I haven't slept well since my last pregnancy!

What I'm looking forward to: My appointment on Monday.

Milestone: Getting pregnant again!

Bump Pic, or left over baby pooch:

He's here! Eli's Birth Story

This picture was taken the day I went into labor. Needless to say, a lot has happened since then! Let's start with me going into labor 3 weeks early.

On Monday the 16th, I had a Dr's appointment that included an u/s, a NST and my first internal exam. Geo was with me and it was my longest appointment yet. They started with the u/s. Everything looked good, but part of my u/s was that the tech had to watch for Eli to practice breathing. It's a completely random act and Eli decided to be stubborn. After a good 20 minutes of waiting, we decided that he wasn't going to "breathe", so off to the NST it was. 15 minutes later everything was looking good then it was time to get checked. I was only about a fingertip dilated and pretty much had zero progression. My Dr joked as she did the internal that "Maybe this will get things started for you." Little did she know that within 3 hours I was going to be admitted. After my Dr's appointment Geo and I headed to the mall to get some running around done. As we walked around Home Depot, I was on the phone with my mom and told her that "Pretty much between now and the next month, he'll be here." But, realistically we thought we had at least another week since I had an appointment then where I was going to discuss being induced with my high risk Dr.  We hit a couple more stores and then headed to the food court for lunch. We were sitting in front of the pizza place and it happened. We were just getting ready to go get our hair cut (and for all those who know, I was looking forward to that hair cut!) and my water broke. Right there in the food court. Thankfully I got my meal in before my water broke because that would be the last thing I ate for the next 24 hours. We headed home because I thought I had just peed myself since I gushed fluid, then nothing else happened.  I made it in the house before another gush occurred and then it didn't stop this time. As I started to panic, I called my mom (not even 2 hours after our last phone call) and she answered with "You can't be going into labor already.." Well, yes I was! I changed, grabbed my hospital bag (Thank God I had it ready!) and car seat and we went to the hospital. On the way we called Geo's parents and told them we were headed in, but not to leave yet since we weren't sure if I was going to be admitted. We headed into L&D where they took me to a room and checked to make sure that what I was leaking was really amniotic fluid. The first time she tested me, the strip came back negative, but we were both confused since something was seriously going on down there... She tested a 2nd time and the strip came back black and by 520 I was all admitted. My bags were brought in, Geo's parents were getting ready to leave and we weren't leaving the hospital with a baby!

Over night nothing excited happened at all. My dad stopped in on his way to work to wish me luck and give me a hug. I was upset that he wasn't going to be there for Eli's birth but, this was so sudden he couldn't make arrangements. I stayed about 2cm dilated but was making no natural progression on my own. Around 6am on the 17th, they started the pitocin. For the first few hours I still wasn't progressing any further than 2cm but I was starting to feel the contractions more. By then my mom, Kristine, Nina and Austin had come up to see me and keep me company. Around 4cm the contractions were consistent and strong and I opted first for the IV meds to help with pain management. The started me on nubain which worked great, but Eli didn't respond to it well in the womb. Every time I would contract, his heart rate would drop. Nothing too serious, but they monitored me closer and only gave me the one dose. By 5cm and a few hours later, I was asking for the epidural. At first they wouldn't give it to me because of how Eli reacted to the nubain, but finally, my Dr. cleared me and it was epidural time. By the time the anesthesiologist got there, the contractions were taking my breath away. They sat me up and got me all positioned and attempted to get the needle in SIX, yes SIX, times before they were successful. At that point, I didn't know which was worse, the contractions or the needle being stuck in my back. My spine curves slightly and apparently that throws everything off. My labor nurse was SO amazing during this time. She held me still, breathed through my contractions with me and comforted me the best she could. FINALLY they got the needle in and I laid back on the bed, involuntarily pushing through the contractions. Breathing through them at this point had gone out the window and I was ready to push. My nurse was getting the epidural medicine all hooked up to my line and decided to check me one more time before administering the medicine. Well, within the half hour it took to get the needle in me I had gone from 5cm to a full 10cm and was ready to push. So after getting stuck 6 times, I never got the benefits of the medicine and was doing this natural. She went in the hall, grabbed George, told everyone else that I was getting ready to push and called my Dr away from her lunch.  They broke the bed down, told George how to hold my legs and I was pushing. As weird as it sounds, pushing felt great. It was so hard to NOT push through the contractions that when I got the green light to actually push, I wasn't stopping!  My Dr showed up about 10 minutes later and from start to finish I pushed for 20 minutes and Eli was here. He weighed in a 5lbs 4oz, was 18 inches long and perfectly healthy for being small and 3 weeks early.

Weeks 33 - 36

So much has been going on recently! Here's a collective update to week 36!

How big is baby?

"He's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his own. His skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid. His liver and kidneys are in working order. Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too."

How far along?: 36 weeks - 4 to go! Ahh!!

Maternity clothes?: Are aaammmaazziiinngg.. I may never go back to regular clothes!

Movement: Has started to hurt. He's so squished in there that it's actually painful sometimes when he stretches.

Stretch marks?: Oh yeah - they came out of no where in the past week or so. Booo..

Sleep?: Sucks. I hurt when I lay on my side for too long, I miss sleeping on my back and stomach and every time I move I wake up and have to pee.

Symptoms?: Heartburn is still a bi*ch, Braxton Hicks contractions hurt and I'm sore all over. I'm d.o.n.e!

Food cravings: No big cravings.. I've never really had any this pregnancy.

What I miss: Good sleep and wine!

What I'm looking forward to: This up coming week to be over - it's my last at work!

Milestone: Weekly appointments, getting everything ready for Eli and a possible eviction date!

Bump pics: