dearest friends and family

dearest friends and family,

http://haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com/ - clickity click.  

I will be one week late on Wednesday.  Nate was 10 days early.  This baby might be 10 days late.  These days are AMAZINGLY emotional.  I promise promise promise I will tell you (I definitely rank in The Overshare department, right?) when the baby comes out.  Thank you all for checking on us and loving us (I can't tell you how much we appreciate it) and apologies if we've been reclusive!  I have an appointment in thirty minutes!  

AND

Today is Karl's birthday!   What a good day for... uh.... a baby, right?  :)

radio silence

Oh.

Hey.

Been doing a lot of this (We call this Labor Hill):

But, alas, this morning... still pregnant:

Good thing the baby's bed is ready (Er...):

yep.

Last night was a night of multiple showers/baths and (relatively strong) contractions.

Sadly, I'm still pregnant this morning.

I'm patient but I'm getting close to the point of telling this child to:

Total miles walked this weekend: 6ish

Total spent napping: Ummmm..... lots.

I'll keep you posted!

he was wearing a red shirt today

One thing I love about school is the masterpieces that make their way into our home and onto our fridge.  

Like this guy - which judging by the, uh, blue eyes and blonde hair is, in fact, Nate.   

Perhaps his teachers are (subtly) telling us it's time for a trim? 

Or perhaps Nate is asking for us to stop stabbing him, um, everywhere?  

On an unrelated note, OFFICIALLY 38 weeks!!  Nate was born at 38 weeks, 4 days - think I could make the same happen this go round?  ;) 

If you still want to submit a photo for the labor video, please don't hesitate to send it.  Karl is just going to keep adding to it until I go into labor.  

the most embarrassing contribution photo there ever was

I need to tell you about a photo that I'm submitting (to my own) video.   It's affectionately dubbed the MOST EMBARRASSING PHOTO OF ALL TIME.   But there is an oh-so-ridiculous story behind it.  Wanna here it?  (No? Click away then.)  

FOR THOSE WHO DO: 

This is a photo taken almost immediately after Nate's birth.  I BEGGED Karl to take it.  BEGGED.  Why?  Because AT THAT TIME I felt like I looked absolutely INCREDIBLE.  Like DAMN I AM HOT incredible.   Like NO ONE IS AS GORGEOUS AS ME AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME incredible.  Like DON'T EVEN LOOK AT THAT NEWBORN IN THE BED OVER THERE BECAUSE DON'T I LOOK GOOD incredible.

If you've ever had a child evacuate your insides, well, you feel real empty on the inside.  It's completely bizarre sensation to have this big THING squashed up in there and then, suddenly, not.  For me, after Nate's birth I think that empty feeling equated with LOOK HOW SKINNY I AM NOW!  Hahahha.  I mean this was literally like an hour after birth.   I was so freaking high and amped on adrenaline and awesomeness (and w/ Nate's birth I was upright!  Walking around!  Feeling SUPER WOMAN GOOD!)  (Don't worry... about four hours later I felt like a truck had, in fact, steamrolled my entire body and could barely move.)  I really, truly thought I looked amazing.  (Hence the photo-begging.)  Plus, I had this blue swim suit cover up / night gown like thing that was all soft and stretchy and amazing and PART OF THE PLAN and I was going to labor in it and I didn't get to so I NEEDED Karl to take a photo of me in it.  CLEARLY.  

Want to see the photo?  

(You know I would not share this photo with just anyone, right?)  

(Wow.  It's going to be real hard to hit publish on this post.  This photo is atrocious.) 

Here are the questions I would like us to discuss: 

1. HOLY PALE.  Am I actually a ghost?  How much blood did I lose during birth?  Answer: A LOT. 

2. Why am I holding my hands that way?  Are my boobs leaking?  Do I have a bra on and, if not, is this my was of disguising that?  (YOU'RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE HILLS.) 

3.  Are we sure the baby is out?  Because I think I might still look a little pregs.  Or just perhaps pokeably soft(er than normal) around the midsection. 

4.  Do I actually have a black eye?  Two?  I look EXHAUSTED.  (But in my mind I remember feeling so good and awake and alive!) (Never mind that it was 3 in the morning and I had worked that whole day!)  

5.  WHY ARE THEY LETTING ME STAND UP?   (I'm sure I was told to just sit down already.... I do have many memories of people telling me to SIT STILL.) 

Sadly, this is one of the only post-birth photos I have.  I'm not advocating full on hair and makeup this time around but someone PLEASE handle the camera with more care and try to get a shot of me looking less, uh, dead.    

IN CONCLUSION, I am submitting this GEM to the video and want you to feel like you can submit whatever you so desire so send me your photos for the video!  I'm so pumped about it.  I haven't looked at a single thing anyone has sent but I couldn't resist peeking to see if ANYONE had sent ANYTHING and, shockingly, some of you have (and I love and appreciate you for it; I'm so excited to watch it!).  

Operation Keep the Baby In Until This Video is DONE

Remember how I was all "Operation Walk the Baby OUT" and I was going to walk everyday? Yea. Not so much. I am solidly (at least for another few weeks) on Team KEEP THE BABY IN. As mentioned, we've had several nights of relatively strong contractions and blah blah blah. Walking makes me have EVEN MORE contractions so I try to do as little of it as possible. (Well, as far as exercise walking goes anyway.) I feel a little dramatic about the whole thing but I would really like some more TIME (and I realize Newbaby could stay in there for plenty more time with or without me walking but I'm avoiding for the moment, k?).

I had my assessment with my OB (2 cm, 30% effaced for those concerned about the state of my CERVIX!) and we also had our home visit with our midwives this past week. I (finally) started to get really excited about the birth and the baby at the end! (ABOUT TIME, RIGHT?) With Nate, we had a baby pool going to guess his arrival date and the nursery was all done up and I basically had NO IDEA what was REALLY going to happen when that baby popped out. This time, I feel like I have a slightly better idea of how labor is going to feel and how Karl and I are going to feel when Newbaby arrives. ( Ish.) Regardless, I want to do something special to show how much love and care we've ALL put into him or her before the official OUTSIDE arrival!

As previously stated, Karl and I are of the "closed door" policy during labor and delivery and early newborn stage, but we still want to know that you all are supporting us. We talked a little in our birth class (warning: hippy-like earthmama statements ahead!) about ways to create support in your labor environment - some people had necklaces that friends had gifted beads to, some people wrote positive affirmations and posted them on their walls, some had labor music that helped, some people had nothing other than a GET THIS FUCKING THING OUT OF ME attitude.

I've been mulling over this idea of creating a video and I did some googling to see what was out there (don't do it; unless that works for you, in which case, google all the cheesy naked women and flowers and sunsets set to instramental music that your little heart desires!) Nope. Found nothing that would suit me. Because what I want is something positive but something funny. And I think you can help me with that. (You will, right?) I feel like I'm pretty realistic about the possibility of things changing (and changing quickly) during labor but, at this point, I am planning for a happy, healthy best case scenario and I feel like this is something that will make me feel both happy and healthy so go with it, okay?!)

Like I want the first photo in the video to be this (taken today):

(Apparently Nate and his golf club understand labor is SERIOUS business.)

And the next to be something like so:

I mean, really, that's what is happening, right? One way or another!

And somewhere in there I want a photo of Nate like so (just to remind me that there will be additional challenges of birthing a baby and parenting a three year old):
I even thought it would be funny to have a couple of gender photos like this to remind me to get excited to FINALLY find out: A bit cheeseball but fun, right?

So here's what I want from you (if you are up for it):

A photo (or two or three) that SOMEHOW indicates support in SOME FORM. (Specific, right?)

It could be a funny picture or a picture of you and your baby or child (or all your babies or your most recent baby w/ siblings) on the VERY FIRST DAY WITH YOU or their VERY FIRST HOUR ON EARTH. It could be a picture of you in labor or in the OR. It could be a picture of you with your sweet baby kitty or puppy.

Example: Nate: day 1, 2008

Or of you celebrating your niece or nephew or first cousin twice removed (what does that even MEAN?!) or just some random newborn baby off the street that you happened to be holding. Or perhaps a picture of you strapped up to a breast pump at 2 in the morning or an image of you removing your screaming, tantruming child from an event to remind me of the REAL FUN STUFF. (Dear childless friends intending to have childs, NONE OF THAT HAPPENS. Ever. I swear.)

See?


Or it could be a fancy Instagram filtered image with words of encouragement like so:

Or, really, whatever you want it to be.

This is how easy it is.

Step 1: Take out your iPhone or Crackberry or (gasp) a REGULAR camera.

Step 2: Take a photo of something FUNNY AND SUPPORTIVE. (Or rustle one up out of your photo archives as suggested above.)

Step 3: Email it to me.

Well, actually, I don't want to see any of them until I'm actually trying to get that baby out of me. So, if you would, email them to newbabyhills@gmail.com (Yes, my unborn child has its own email address - are you really that surprised!?) and Karl (surprise honey!) will put them into video form and we will attempt to watch between contractions or during them, or, perhaps, depending on labor not at all until the baby is actually on the outside! Either way, knowing I have them available is going to be amazing.

Additionally, as I'm officially 37 weeks on Wednesday and the doctor at my assessment said he would most likely NOT be seeing me again (he would see me at 40 weeks if I haven't had a baby), I'm going to try and make the video next Wednesday (September 7). (YOU HAVE A LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO WORK ON THIS VERY INTENSE PROJECT!!!) That would put me at 38 weeks and, who knows, maybe I'll want to resume Operation Walk the Baby Out at that point?!?


Edited to add: In case you missed it, I'm submitting this GEM! 

Weekend Update w/ Kat Hills

Settle on in (Please and thank you.) because I'm about to give you an update AND, perhaps, ask for a pregnancy favor (Possibly in this post; possibly in another of it's own as I feel a plethora of words about to pour out of my fingertips).

Last week was perhaps one of the more difficult weeks of this pregnancy. Everything is fine and good and wonderful... Here's the skinny:

Karl update:

We had some illness floating around our house (and by 'some' I mean I think that this is the sickest I have EVER seen Karl; I even made him go to the doctor). I won't say a lot about it other than we are ALL still recovering and the combination of a massively pregnant woman, a semi-sick toddler and a very sick husband is not the best. We really tried to feel sympathy for one another. I think.

Household Appliance Update:

Our fridge completely and totally broke (it's such a piece; we've paid more in repairs than we paid for the fridge and it's only like 6 or 7 years old), so we bit the bullet and ordered a new one. (We lived out of coolers and on take out for a week or so... I think our final cooler had a gallon of milk, two sticks of butter and a bottle of probiotics floating around in some milky ice water... it was disgusting.) But HOORAY new and clean fridge (that did not, in fact, come with all its parts - ha!)!

Pregnancy Update:

I am still pregnant. It's been a harrowing couple of weeks. I've called my midwife SEVERAL times b/c of the massive number of contractions I've been having at night. (Same bat time, same bat channel. EVERY NIGHT.) There was one night in particular (that was before the homebirth okayed-36 week mark) that even Karl (who rarely freaks) was packing a bag for the hospital. The night was so EERILY similar to Nate's birth that we both sort of freaked. Mostly, I have anxiety about HOW LONG this labor will take. So, every night around 10 or 11 when the contractions start up, I dutifully do a hippy dippy scent and relaxation ritual that sort of works. They usually stop around 1 or 2 in the morning and are gone most of the day (well, sort of gone. They are just less painful and less frequent during the day. Overall, they are not CRAZY strong or painful but sometimes I get paranoid about my ability to judge.). I went into labor w/ Nate around 11 p.m. and had him around 2 a.m. - a little eerie, right?? Apparently, that's when my body feels best laboring. (And, oddly, as a night owl, often the time I am most 'awake' anyway.)

(ON A SIDE NOTE, for all of those jealous of our apparent quick labor luck - this build up stage BLOWS.)

Magical bath oils, massage oil and rescue remedy:

Anniversary Update:

Uh.... insert mushy gushy lovey dovey 6 year anniversary post here. We celebrated 6 years of marriage on Saturday. We intended to go out of town on the actual day but, the closer it got, the more paranoid I have been about being even an hour away from home! Instead, I worked (coordinating a TV spot for Little Rock Restaurant Month that included prepping and dressing Polly the Purple Cow for a Saturday morning show!) (Seriously, mascot dressing is a SKILL that I am adding to my resume.) and we went to a birthday party for some friends. FUTURE CELEBRATION plan is in place. Err... loosely anyway. (We had low expectations this year given the timing!)

Look at the these babies and their OFFICIAL piece of paper:


Labor Update:

I have this totally cheesy idea. That I'm sort of obsessed with at the moment. I sort of love it. I might think it's ridiculous in retrospect but if you make fun of me for having it at 37 weeks pregnant, I will punch you in the face. I want to create something like a video of encouraging words or images. Since Karl and I have been adamant about closed door laboring and closed door newborn time, we (I) want to make some sort of video to watch during labor with (you guessed it) ALL OF YOU (that want to participate) involved. I am writing another post entitled 'KEEP THE BABY IN' and will tell you how you can (hopefully you will want to) help! (It will be up tonight.)

awkward gray tank top photo #4,552

Taken just a few hours ago.

(Adjectives: Awkward, Pointy, Stickey Outey)

Proof that I have other clothing:

But, apparently, no other shoes.

And, uh, no face.

36 weeks.

I see the OB tomorrow and have my midwife home visit on Friday.

Watch out now.

i'm back to drinking and driving

So, I have YET ANOTHER confession to make: so much of my second baby worries revolve around my first baby.

I honestly feel like (at this point) I'm MORE worried about Nate's adjustment to the new baby than I am about, oh you know, my own or, Karl's or, let's say, THE NEW BABY (who will only be coming from a 98.6 degree deliciously dark, warm CAVE of COMFORT out into the bright, scary world).

One of my bigger concerns about birthing at home has been what to do with Nate while I'm in labor (particularly if the baby comes in the middle of the night). For the actual birth of Newbaby, many have offered to come get him and neither Karl nor myself want Nate to stick around - not because we think it will traumatize him or that he won't understand what is happening but because both of us want to be able to fully concentrate on the situation at hand. Plus I didn't want ANYTHING touching me last time so I can't imagine if Nate wanted me to hold him or distracted me in any way. Mama needs to FOCUS. Basically, I want him to magically disappear when I start laboring because I also don't want anyone else coming into the house to distract me while he leaves. (We're thinking just open the door at 2 a.m. and let him hang out on the front lawn until his ride gets there? No?) I'm sure I'm over thinking it but I feel like it is an important detail in the whole bubble-up plan. (Maybe I will laugh at it later but I'm sort of adamant about intentionally shutting everyone out for awhile!)

I'm sure it's mostly because I know how Nate acts and reacts and thinks and feels and eats and sleeps (and a host of other mundane details like which sippy cup he prefers and how to properly fulfill his ridiculous requests for JUST RIGHT waffle cuts to syrup ratios) (I know. I even rolled my own eyes.). We spend a lot of time talking about the baby and what he's going to help teach the baby (top answer: RUN. Of course. Something I want him to get started on as soon as possible). We've even picked up some hilarious literature:

But I'm pretty sure nothing is going to really prepare him (or any of us) for the shift until it happens. So, in the meantime, we are just enjoying the time we have left as a family of three (and the damn, currently shedding dogs!) and trying to remember all the wonderfully quirky and odd things about age 3. (Have I mention I freaking love age 3?! Cause I really, really do.)

Three means business. This kid wants to choose his clothes and put them on. He wants to walk beside the cart and/or a stroller (because GOD FORBID he enjoy being pushed around - I so wish he could push me... at least for the next few weeks!) He wants to do a lot of things himself, which, really is both adorable and amazing. And, only a little annoying when you're in even the slightest hurry.) The only thing he hates doing alone? SLEEPING. (Yea. I know. Newbaby will be up a lot. I'm a little panicked about it too.)

A few weeks ago, he requested Light Up Sketchers - specifically the brand Sketchers. Of the light up variety. We have no idea where he got either the brand or the request for light ups? (school?). Either way, they do exist! Since he's a little strange about clothing and footwear, I decided to indulge his request. We hit up Kohl's (Have I mentioned they have quite a bit of boys play clothing on the cheap at Kohl's - particularly of the plaid and khaki shorts variety; I think I've mentioned I'm anti-jean and cargo shorts for boys young and old!). We purchased the Light Up Sketchers and, for several days, he was OBSESSED with telling anyone and everyone who would listen about them.

He is also obsessed with country music. I KNOW. It's awful. For a while we listed to this CD he got from school (think Jesus, 'This Little Light of Mine' music), which was fine (though made me a little twitchy after the 3,000 time of I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE.). Until he heard a particular country song that he now requests basically every time we are in the car. He calls it "The Bottle Song" and the first line is "I'm back on the bottle..." which is about alcoholism and surely appropriate for a 3 year old. Here is a link. I PROMISE you only need to listen to the first 10 seconds. And you might hate me for even that!



Usually, after it's over, he asks me "You don't like that song, Mommy?" and I have to say I don't. Judge me as you will but there are no curse words and, really, other than the bleeding ears, I'm okay with it. Eh. It will phase out.

What else do you want to know? He starts school next week and goes to his new classroom - he and I are both beyond excited! He wants to be reunited with his friends and I look forward to taking some time to myself before the baby comes!

What else do you want to know?

scattered

Here's (some of) this week:

I showed up for my midwife's appointment on Wednesday. It was on Thursday. (Thankfully, they were able to see me.)

I washed a $5,000 check (yep) in the laundry. (Thankfully, they reissued it the next day.)

My boss emailed me a document and asked me to edit it at home. I did. And then sent her back her EXACT original and somehow deleted the TWO HOURS of modifications I had done. Highly unlike me. (Thankfully, we were able to recreate it. In a timely-ish manner.)

Nate's out of school until August 24th and the sitter situation is NOT going well. (Thankfully, my friend Erin is available to help us out next week and we can, um, not have this sitter come back. Ever. Again.)

Today I was furiously taking notes in a meeting and my friend (and co-worker) Meredith leaned over and highlighted a sentence I had scribbled:

(For the record STDs = save the dates and the Angels were actually referencing little girls dressed as angels as part of a promotion for a specific event.)

In other work related news, I do plan on returning to work after The Unnamed Child comes out. My boss wants me back; I want to come back. Working part time has provided me with a balance I need. Nate's school is solidly taken care of but we're not entirely sure of newbaby care, so, the how and the when and the details I am still working out.

ok guys it's a little tense around here

Remember how last post I was all: I love late pregnancy (puppies and rainbows and unicorns oh my)?

Yea.

That was then.

Before this morning when I sobbed hysterically for thirty minutes because of (wait for it) LAUNDRY. And not like laundry because I had to do it. Oh no. (Wait for it). Like laundry that Karl (trying to be helpful) was doing. (IN MY DEFENSE, in the same load he was attempting to wash our clothing with 10th grade boy basketball jerseys that had been sitting in his car SINCE JANUARY and some old towels. WHO DOES THAT?) Also I wasn't QUITE awake (because Karl was trying to be EVEN NICER and let me sleep in) as all this was happening - can I use sleepiness in defense of my insanity? I won't go into all the inane details, but, needless to say, it was completely irrational and I felt a little like a (very apologetic) Crazy Person after it was over. (And after I had rewashed our clothing, the jerseys and towels seperately. HA.)

You THERE? LAUNDRY? YOU ARE OFFENDING ME.

I guess the late pregnancy hormone crazy is hitting me a little harder than anticipated. Maybe the heat is amplifying it?

I think mostly I'm having this problem: I don't really want to go anywhere. I want to be home. In my house. Getting it ready for the baby. CUE NESTING INSTINCT! The problem: DOING THINGS for more than five minutes is sort of exhausting for me at the moment. PLUS, well, being in your house all the time means you get it dirty with the everyday and that's driving me insane. (And I fully admit that I live with two OCD boys who put things back in their place; it is ME who leaves sunglasses in the fridge and books in the couch cushions and water cups on the nightstands.)

Plus, I've still been contracting like crazy (actually it's better this weekend but this week with The Heat and The Busy were BAD.). They are relatively mild but a few have been waking me up at night. I've had several discussions with (all of my) pregnancy caregivers. None of us are WORRIED ABOUT IT (Karl and myself included) but we all are keeping an eye on it. (Homebirths are not allowed until after 36 weeks and a risk assessment from the OB.)

My midwife did recommend timing them if they start wrapping (like around my back) and becoming patterned so I did download the Contraction Master app for my iPhone. We used the website when I was in labor with Nate in an attempt to time contractions - Karl sat on the bed with the laptop open and slammed down the space bar every time I said "start" or "stop" (which was frequently since my pattern was never regular and my labor so fast; man I still wish I had that data!). Now they have a schmancy iPhone app and I can press that little pink button all on my own if I want.

(And, on this note, I would like to say that none of this means we expect the baby to come early and/or as quickly). I still feel like I'm going to make it to my due date and/or beyond.)

The belly grows; the infamous gray tank top stretches:

32 weeks, 4 days

Pregnancy is not the ONLY thing going on right now (FOR REAL) but every time I sit down to write it consumes my brain and the words fly out through my fingers.

Here are some upcoming post goodness I intend to write (or am currently working on) for this week (ish):

Onsie-making

Girls Trip to Branson

Update on Work

Nater Tater Tot-isms post

The Power of the Bendy Straw?!

You know what I LOVE?

SUMMER!

Yes, that's right.

I don't care that I am 32-33 weeks pregnant and the heat index hasn't even ATTEMPTED to go below 100 for days and days and days (possibly a month?) on end. I don't even care that I look RIDICULOUS in tank tops and maternity pants these days. (I even broke down and bought some... maternity shorts. Shudder: I hate shorts.)

The heat is ridiculous, right? It really is. The main reason I'm loving summer this year is that people see THE BELLY they feel so sorry for me being all knocked up and enormous in this heat that's all they want to talk about and they don't even ask me questions like "Boy? Girl? Name? Nursery?" and all those other baby questions I can't seem to answer! They are just like "September? OH YOU POOR DEAR!" all the time.

See? It just keeps GROWING. Maybe the baby really IS coming out.

I had to take several pictures as a "ghost" in order to get Nate to even attempt to pose normally for me. Ahem. Like so:
I'm feeling pretty great to be honest. Like, I'm still definitely in denial that a baby could be here in the next couple of months, but I've hit this point where I'm enjoying the end of my pregnancy and we've been building up our birth bubble. Instead of a birth plan, Karl and I just decided to call it a birth bubble - deciding things like who we want at our birth (answer: NO ONE. Well, we want our midwives there this time!) and how I want to labor (answer: standing, standing, standing or really, anything but laying down) and where we would go (and at what point) if we need to transfer to a medical facility and when we want to go to the pediatrician.

We did get our birth kit in the mail this week. Nate helped me open it. Birth in a Box.


Wondering what is in a home birth kit? Gloves, gauze, chuck/bedding pads, herbal baths, a peri bottle, um... what else? A footprint kit, some other stuff I can't think of right now, A PLACENTA PAN, er BED PAN , er WHATEVER THIS IS USED FOR THAT I don't really like to think about so I'm sharing it with you! (You're WELCOME.):

What else? Bendy straws. HA. For real. There are bendy straws in there. A girl in our birth class was VERY concerned about what the bendy straws (secret hippie midwifery weapons/tools?!) were for but the midwife teaching our class assured us they really are just for drinking (and sometimes you need water or labor-ade and you're in super-weird positions or in a birthing tub (where I will NOT be) and ONLY A BENDY STRAW WILL DO THE JOB PEOPLE!) (Also recommended to have a SIGNIFICANT supply of bendy straws for outside baby nursing sessions if you are like me and feel an INSANE thirst when your milk lets down!) (What? You know you wanted to think about breastfeeding and boobies today, right?!)

I WILL be glad to get my brain back and to start remembering words like CHAIR (it's REAL awkward to be like "Hey, babe, can you drag that thing over here? You know the one with four legs and that you sit in?"). AND AND I WILL be glad to get some sanity back and stop crying when Karl does things like bring me a glass of water and THERE IS NO ICE IN IT. (The horror.)

32 weeks, 2 days.

Nate delivered at 38 weeks, 4 days and is currently 3 years, 1 month and 2 days old.

list of lists. i love lists.

Summer is such a mix of slow and fast, right? It's flying by but the hot, lounge-y days can seem long when the heat prevents us from much outdoor activity.

I think I have forgotten to tell you several things:

(Of the important) Karl received a promotion this month at his office. For those of you that have been following this blog for a while, many know that he was reluctant to leave his last gig (startup and freelance work) to go back to corporate life but MAN this move has been good for us. It's his story to tell but I'll just leave it at: it's good. We're happy.

(Of the mundane) Some of you may remember my friend Sarah and I were sharing photos at Share Love Everyday. She dropped out somewhere along the way but I'm proud to say I posted 365 photos from March 2010 to March 2011. It (most def) was harder than one would think to post like that and I did not post each and everyone on time. (Though Wordpress allowed me to make it look like I did!) I then took a break for several months, moved the site to tumblr and am mostly posting from my phone (through the Tumblr app) and my Instagram account. Mostly they are Nate images and I do expect anyone to look and I definitely do NOT promise to post every day but I am trying to keep it going for my own personal enjoyment/record.


(Of the ridiculous) The nose ring is officially out. I couldn't handle the moms of the teen moms on MTV's Teen Mom (what? it's so good!) and the checker at Wal-Mart and, well, EVERYONE having one and my nose is spreading (oh yes. it is happening.) and it kept popping out and I've been having bloody noses (i know. it's gross.) so I had Karl rip it out this morning.

(Of the fun) Karl was in Los Angeles for a work Microsoft conference for, well, FOREVER (and a day) so when he returned (flight delayed. of course.) he was on Nate-duty for the majority of the weekend. He did convince me to remove myself from the couch to hit up a swimming hole - a lot red neck, a lot fun. (For my local friends, off Hwy 5 in Saline County.)


(Of the nerdy) Karl and I have been trying a new list share called Wunderlist. We use the iPhone app and it syncs our lists and, when you HIT THAT SATISFYING CHECK BOX, removes the task/item for both of us. So far I'm totally loving it. (It is just for lists; our calendars are synced through Google Calendar.) This morning, I noticed Karl created a "Birth Stuff" list. Ahem:

(Of the sleepytimes) My eyes are now heavy so that is all. Good night moon.

somewhere between 29 and 30 (weeks)

I started this blog post last week with the intention of Karl taking some stellar 29 week pregnancy photos.

Then he left for LA for a week for a work conference. Within the first HOUR of his departure, my dog knocked over the trash can and consumed an ENTIRE LOAF of bread. (Roxy. Clearly.) Nate also emptied an entire canister of flour onto the counter. I'm ashamed to say that, instead of cleaning it or even scolding him, I let him play in it for a solid 30 minutes while I cooked dinner. I'm pretty sure some of it is STILL stuck to the sink.

So, good intentions on the photo but, uh, you get this awkward iPhone shot instead:

That shirt is one of my REAL PREGNANT looking items! AND, erm, I had just polished off some pizza, and, um, JESUS I LOOK PREGNANT.

So, yea, about this BABY that is SUPPOSEDLY coming out. I'm not sure it's really happening. Like surely, it's not, right? Because when I tell people I could (potentially) have a real, live OUTSIDE HUMAN BEING in about eight weeks, I start to sort of hyperventilate. This pregnancy has been a weird mix of vomit (ittttttttttt's baaaaaaaaaack) and exhaustion and bad skin and normal pregnancy anxiety but I'm not sure that means I'm ready for it to be over so soon. If I remember correctly, pregnancy anxiety takes a backseat and becomes a mere distant and fleeting memory when you have to concentrate on, oh you know, keeping a newborn alive and happy.

So, what do you guys want to know? I just started swelling a little bit - the 100 degree temperatures and 110+ heat indexes this week MIGHT have a little something to do with that. I'm chugging water like a CHAMP and continuing my pledge to, if at all possible, remain near a body of water if outdoors.

I see my midwife tomorrow and I think it's my last monthly visit - we'll move to every two weeks from here on out. I will also see my OB one more time before the ejection. In other medical news, I failed my one hour Gestational Diabetes test and had to sit for the dreaded 3 hour test (which takes four hours plus and which I passed with flying colors apparently). My blood pressure is still higher than I'd like to see but it's been consistent so no one (as of yet) is concerned about it. I also take it regularly at home and it's always lower here so Karl fully believes I have a bit of white coat syndrome. The baby continues to kick me with an intensity that I did not believe was possible from something that weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. I still love the movement - though I've had some killer kicks to the ribs in the last week or so that promise to become a little more uncomfortable.

The plan is, as of this moment, to birth this baby in our home (I haven't picked a specific ROOM yet but you can sure as hell bet it won't be the 4x4 smallest room in our house!). I (obviously) can't predict what will happen but I hope that turns out to be the case. He or she is already in an excellent head-down position and we're hoping he or she stays that way! (PELVIC TILTS Y'ALL!) We haven't decided what exactly to do with Nate while I'm in labor but, most likely, he will go to Karl's mamas.

Several people have asked if I think this baby will arrive early like Nate (38 weeks, 4 days) and I just don't believe that will happen. Mostly because Karl got this invite to a developers conference in Kentucky that is "ALWAYS" in November but, magically, this year begins September 26. When he got the invite, he said "Maybe you'll go early" thereby SOLIDIFYING the fact that I will most definitely, 100% make it to my due date and beyond. Nevertheless, I've started my walking regimen for the 3rd tri - dubbed "Walk the Baby Out" and is an attempt at a minimum 1 mile per day. It's not quite as easy this pregnancy as any form of walking in this heat starts up the contractions so I'm more cautious and WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY slow.

Other than moving Nate into his "big boy" room we still have nothing purchased and nothing set up. We continue to discuss names we hate instead of names we might actually use. As most of you know, our girl name for Nate was Nora Kate and it's still a contender. Neither Karl nor I have a good feel for the baby's sex - we thought girl all along but as it gets closer, I'm thinking perhaps this child has boy parts.

What do you guys think? Should I just call the ultra sound tech and have her pull our images and find out?

the 4th (also known as the holiday I most often threaten to divorce my husband)

I really hate the Fourth of July.

(SORRY BUT I DO.)

Drunk people and fireworks? It just doesn't seem like a great combination to me.

Also, every year Karl decides he wants to host a party.

Every year it involves an adult slip and slide (which I roll my eyes about every year!).

(May I remind everyone that I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and that we hosted a birthday party last week?)

(May I also remind - or perhaps share with you for the first time - that last year's event ended with Karl and one of his friends eating disgusting charred and lighter-fluid flavored pizza from the grill?)

So. Yea. It's his thing. I do not cook. I do not clean. I do not shop. I do not invite.

To his credit, it all gets done.

And, to his credit, I have to admit this year was an excellent, relaxing event.

There was even some solid kid curling:
Plus, we were in bed by 11 and I didn't have to clean up a bunch of beer cans and other drunk people litter the next day!

SUCCESS!

i'm here for the party and i'm not leaving till they throw me out

Just wanted to share a few more images from the party. You know, for funsies.

RAINBOW FRUIT TRAY!! Pretty, right?
The birthday boy with friends in the background: (I swear they looked like a little pile of jumping beans, all hopped up on juice boxes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.)
Some superhero sprinkler action:
A family shot! YES! Thank you to my friend Katie for insisting. Please ignore the enormous water spot on my super classy tank top - I was lifting kids in and out of the pool all morning. (No lectures about lifting please and thank you. IT'S FINE.)
Post nap present opening:
I think that about covers it.

Superhero Lifegaurd Explorer

June 26.


Nate's official THIRD birthday.


I don't know if it's because I'm all pregnant or what but this birthday seemed more emotional than his previous ones. I went back and forth about throwing him a party and/or who to invite and we finally wound up with a small(ish) group at the house... in the backyard... in the pool... very similar to last year. I sent out (on Facebook - ha! All my prim and proper friends are all aghast!) invites like seriously a little over a week out.


I SWORE up and down I was going to keep it low key. And I think, honestly, that we did (Chic-Fil-A Party Tray y'all).


(But even low-key parties at your own home take some work so praise me as you see fit for doing it whilst baby baking.)


On Wednesday (yes, of this week) I decided, well, hey, I better get the kiddos some party favors. I found these super cute magnifying glasses at a local teacher store and decided they needed capes to go with. (Which makes no sense I know - the theme of the day was clearly not well thought out.)


(LEAVE ME ALONE I'M PREGNANT AND KIDS LOOK CUTE IN CAPES.)


(Side note: Capes are homemade and I could not have done that without my friend Erin and my mother-in-law. "Super easy" cape tutorials found on the internet are, apparently, too difficult for me!)


(Also, the life guard thing is in no way related to the party favors. Do you really think I would pass out SHRILL whistles to a bunch of toddlers? No, I would not. It is, however, Nate's latest 'pretend play' obsession (we only whistle outside dammit!) and he's been wearing his whistle most of the week. He frequently runs around the back yard blowing his whistle and calling out "ADULT SWIM! GET OUT OF THE POOL!")


SEEEEEE HOW CUTE THOUGH?

Exploring for bugs...



What I did not realize is that Karl would teach Nate to set things on fire with his magnifying glass. WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?

So, yea, we have A THREE YEAR OLD.

oh internet we'll never be over

Some days I want to break up with The Internet.

THEN I have a week of GOODNESS LIKE SO:

Exhibit A: This lovely photo tumblr site: http://dearphotograph.com/

Exhibit B: My friend Amy's post about her son's reaction to her emergency.

Exhibit C: (warning: long, lots of cussing, not suitable for, um, many situations): DRUNK KITCHEN cookie bakin'!

....and I remember why I could never stay away for too long!

official: 26 weeks

Lookey! Here's one of those super-awkward and overdone FEET pictures! With my baby belly in it!

So, holy hell, next weeks marks the 3rd Trimester of this pregnancy. (Right? I don't actually remember from my obsessive reading first time around but I'm pretty sure 27 weeks is it. If not, well, it's close, right?)

I best be writing some details down, yes? YOU ARE MISSING IT ALL.

First of all, this baby is bananas. As in, he or she moves CONSTANTLY and for long periods of time. This is new territory for me. Nate was a chill little babe on the inside. (Not so chill on the outside - perhaps I can hope for the opposite effect this time around?)

I've been seeing, um, many people this pregnancy. Since we're aiming for that whole home birth thing, I've sort of been obsessed with fetal positioning (I know, I know, it's early) so I've been doing some well visits at a chiropractor (about which I have mixed feelings but am going to continue with for the time being. I know some of y'all swear by The Chiro, but for me, not having much pain to deal with, it still seems foreign). I've also been seeing my OB and my midwife and (don't hate) a good friend who gives the MASSAGES. (Seriously she's amazing.)

I'm sad to report I really haven't had any crazy food issues this pregnancy. Well other than the fact that I absolutely can not eat chicken. Shudder. The aversion is BAD and I refuse to go near it or prepare it. (Other than heating the occasional chicken nuggets for Nate - though even that makes me gaggy.) There's also a small issue with lasagna as I prepared it SEVERAL times in early pregnancy and the thought of the meat mixing with the sauce is UNACCEPTABLE. So, yea, never mind... some of these things might be sounding a little borderline insane to you.

My only real food CRAVINGS have been toast w/ butter. Like this:AHHHH yep. This picture is pretty much is like PORN to me.

We decided, additionally, to take another 8 week child birth class like we did last time. We had our first class last night and I had the PRIVILEGE of wearing this endearing, awkward double name tag with our due date emblazoned on it. (They were short name tag holders.)

We debated on whether or not we should take the classes - Karl was in favor as he feels that Nate's birth could have gone differently (well he feels our level of panic would have been far greater) had we not taken them last time. We both liked the idea of a refresher course. Plus, you know, we haven't really put a lot of time and effort and energy into talking about this pregnancy and the classes give us the opportunity to do that (for two hours once a week!) AND we get to meet some other couples who are due right around the same time and all have similar mind sets and goals regarding birth.

What else? Maybe we should talk about what We. Don't. Have. We don't have a nursery. (though we did move Nate into his NEW bedroom - more on that later.) We haven't gotten the crib down from the attic. We don't have ANY names picked out. We don't have any clothes - well, we do... but those are all in the attic as well. In boxes. Somewhere. With some other things from Nate's infancy - a swing, a few slings...I'm pretty sure one friend or another has my pump. Honestly, other than the whole Name Thing, I feel like I could go buy a pack of onsies and call it good. Is that ridiculous? I know people say the second baby gets the shaft sometimes, but, for me, honestly, it's just about realizing there was so much of that STUFF I didn't really and truly need to love a little itty thing and keep it alive and well in those first precious weeks.

shirts: we don't need no stinkin shirts

Here's what we've been doing mostly:

When I said I didn't want to be outside much without being around a body of water, I was not lying. I'm pretty sure my skin and hair are constantly rocking the lovely scent of sunscreen and chlorine and sweat. (Side Note: My hair is a serious wreck and I'm getting ready to chop it.) I'm also pretty sure pool water DOES, in fact, occasionally qualify for bath time for Nate.

I ALMOST didn't let Karl set up the 'backyard pool' this year (we also have a "real" pool in our neighborhood we go to) but I have NEVER, EVER been so glad that I relented. He can get nerdy about obsessively cleaning and chemicalizing it ANY DAY provided I can get in it every day until this baby comes out. On my days off we usually pack it up, pack it in to the big pool but on days I work we usually get home around 3 or 3:30 and almost immediately pop into the backyard pool, leaving various articles of clothing trailing across the backyard. I'm still rocking my one-piece from last year but I'm breaking down and buying a maternity suit SOON.

When we're not in the pool, I'm obsessively trying to keep both myself and Nate hydrated:

Currently, this is the wallpaper on my phone:Most of you know my troubles giving up the Soda Sauce (on and off addict) and I've been trying really hard this pregnancy. (And forever.) (BUT DAMMIT I love you Coca Cola.)

Water, water, water. All this talk about being in it and consuming it makes me THIRSTY. (Also, it's confusing to an almost 3-year old that we can drink out of the hose and the faucet but not the pool! Nate now asks if there are 'chemicals in it' every time I fill his glass with water. Do I say yes? No? I mean, technically....)