thirty nine week [quick] update!

well, we made it. 
i really had hope that i would go early with mr. rhys
everyone telling me 'second babies are always early' didn't help either! ;)

so, what's going on at thirty-nine weeks?!
well
i could eat a skinny T-K-Y with extra pickles and hot peppers [on wheat]
from potbelly for lunch EVERY DAY
and just might.
i've been drinking raspberry leaf tea like crazy
not for 'home induction' purposes anymore
just because i really like it :)
and let's not forget the oreo's!!
<3


i'm still getting up and dragging myself to work
but don't think that i don't complain about that
every morning to the hubby! ;)
wednesday, the 14th, will be my last day though
so it's not too bad!


and now for the good stuff:
i went to my doctor yesterday!
he did a little somethin somethin 
and we scheduled an induction date for 
friday, september 16, 2011.
i will actually go into the hospital on the 15th around 4:00pm
for the ever wonderful cervidil 
and pitocin will be administered first thing friday morning!


after my doctor did his thing
i was slightly crampy but nothing too bad
the cramping as continued and i actually lost something this morning!
i am happy to have a tiny bit of progression
it makes me think/hope that this induction will be a lot smoother than kullens!
fingers crossed!!


my current view:

i like this one, i look sorta small :)

few other random updates:

i've gained roughly 35lbs this pregnancy.

my feet usually get puffy once a day.

i'm usually a grumpy gus because i'm so over being pregnant!

i'm scared to death to have another boy.

i'm scared to leave kullen for an entire weekend to have rhys.

i still want to attempt natural child birth. 

next post:

my hospital bag

and/or

my hospital playlist!

on inducing labor ...

i'm here to tell you

nothing works.

[insert negative nancy comments here]

although having rhys on his due date 

or before/after by a day

would probably work out best for everyone

i really want him now.

and since i can't have him NOW

having him on saturday - 09.10.11

would be awesomeeee, right?

what a neat birthday.

-anyway-

since this weekend was a day longer

and we got everything accomplished that NEEDED to be done

i decided to go ahead and start trying all those natural induction methods

HA.

guess who's still pregnant?

so, what did we try?

here goes:

1. raspberry leaf tea. 

i read many articles on this

and how it doesn't really INDUCE labor but helps prep

but many a woman swore after drinking it for 24-48hrs

they went into labor!

well - 13 cups later, still not in labor.

at least it tasted good!

2. chinese food.

yep, saturday night we ordered chinese

and LOTS of it

and extra spicy

and nothing happened.

3. sex/walking

not going into detail on this one

since it's pretty self-explanatory! 

4. eggplant 

[for fun]

monday night

i made eggplant parmesean

it was delicious 

within an hour of eating it - contractions began

they were 5 minutes apart and lasted over 2hrs!

i thought that i might have found the trick 

but the contractions never got closer together or more intense

actually, i was able to fall asleep.

i woke up a few times during the night to contractions

and still had them the following morning when i got up to get ready for work.

i decided to stay home, just in case.

5. pineapple

i ate an entire fresh pineapple tuesday morning for breakfast

i thought since the eggplant had jump started contractions

pineapple might just help to finish up the job

not quite

contractions actually became slower at this point and more far apart.

SO

that's my theory on self induction

NOTHING WORKS.

i have tried just about everything out there

short of castrol oil

which i don't WANT to try because it's not very safe supposedly

and causes diarrhea - which i don't want!

plus, the reality is

that it's just NOT that serious

i am not even 40 weeks yet

at this point, i realize that i'm being selfish and am just over being pregnant

the funny thing is

i told myself when i first got pregnant

that i wouldn't push induction and would stay pregnant [if i had control over it]

until 40 weeks

because there is a reason we [as women] are pregnant that long!

my rationalization was this:

say 40 weeks comes - and still no rhys

and they want to induce me, medically

i would kick myself in the tail for not trying the 'natural' ways

so i figured it couldn't hurt to BEGIN trying now that i'm full term

i guess, i just got my hopes up

especially after monday night/eggplant/contractions!

but, the fact is i'm still pregnant

and still healthy

and for that, i should be grateful!

i do have a doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon

so i will know if any of the above methods has softened/opened my cervix anymore

but knowing my luck, i'm still only 1cm

[negative nancyyyyyy, negative nancccyyyyyy]

i also think at tomorrow's appointment 

i will go over induction 

i don't wish to go PASSED my due date

so i think i will ask to be induced on the 19th or 20th or even the 21st 

i am just really OVER coming to work 

and sitting in a chair for 8hrs

while people continually ask 

'no baby yet?'

'feeling alright?'

'is the baby coming???'

i'd rather sit at home and be miserable 

than have tons of people in my face that have no clue what i'm going through! 

UGH!

QUESTION:

anyone have any other suggestions that i haven't tried that you swear by??

i'm willing to try it all ;)

after all - anything natural is better than pitocin/medical induction!

tuesday ten!

happy tuesday!

i'm linking up with miss mommy today

for her tuesday ten linky party!

we get to pick ten things

and blog about them!

of course, i wanted to steal her idea

and blog about 10 pinterest DIY's i'm dying to complete

or just 10 pinterest related things

[since i'm obsessed!]

but i decided to go another route!

10 things i need/want to complete before rhys is born:

1. steam clean the carpet in his room.

it's disgusting.

our cat used to like, live, in that room and after we moved everything out

we discovered a multitude of throw up and pee stains.

[i warned you it was disgusting]

so yeah, that needs to be cleaned up ASAP!

2. finish the mobile as seen here.

i picked up the paint chips this weekend

thank you, lowes

and began to pop out the circles but didn't have a chance to finish.

it will be at the top of my list 

for upcoming long weekend projects!

3. get a mani/pedi

i obviously want to do this right away

but in fear that little stubborn boy won't be here for another three weeks

i will wait a week or two before going.

i'm thinking something along the navy blue lines

so my nails will be gender appropriate ;)

4. buy a nursing bra.

i have a multitude of nursing tank tops 

but not one single bra.

i now realize that when i gave birth to kullen

i was bra-less during my hospital stay and many visits

although i'm sure nobody noticed

i don't know how i did it!

i definitely want to fix myself up a little more this go 'round

and at least be somewhat presentable during my stay

and afterwards also!!

PLUS - i don't want to send my husband to buy a bra

after rhys is born! 

that is just ASKING for trouble! ;)

5. get the last few things from our registry.

those things being:

-breast pump

-video monitor [still undecided about]

-sit and stand stroller

-co-sleeper bassinet/packNplay [also undecided about]

-curtains [not on registry but are a needed item]

*we are undecided about the video monitor because adam might want to just get a video surveillance set up - you know, the ones you put outside your house with multiple cameras. putting a camera in rhys' room, kullen's room and the other outside. so we can see all at once via one monitor. i like the idea so in that case, we'd just have to buy one more sound monitor to go in rhys' room!

we're also undecided about the co-sleeper bassinet because my dad and his wife are getting us the rock and play sleeper and we are thinking we can just use that! [which is likely what we will do!]

6. clean my house.

oh my Lord, do i need to clean.

i feel like i JUST had the place spic and span a few weeks ago

but now it looks like a earthquake/hurricane [haha] went through the place!

i really want to get this done before i go into labor

so i don't come home to a filthy house

but it's SO exhausting doing the simplest of tasks

[sweeping, bending over to pick up toys, scrubbing, organizing]

i'm out of breath just typing it. 

anyone wanna surprise me with maid services?? ;)

7. wash bottles/clothes/ninnies

even though i plan on breastfeeding,

i still want the bottles out of storage, clean and organized

just in case!

the last thing i want to do is go on a scavenger hunt for bottle/bottle parts

with a newborn and a toddler tugging at me!

basically - i just want everything out/clean/ready

so when i need it, it's there!

8. get a hair cut/trim and dye.

i haven't had a haircut since november.

yes, you read it right, NOVEMBER.

i don't want anything drastic because i really am letting my hair grow

but i need a trim and maybe a cute little style

i'm thinking this - which is really close to what my hair already looks like

and of course, the dye job i'll handle on my own! ;)

9. hang shelves, pictures and other decor in his room.

most of that is pending other things [cleaning carpets, putting away diapers, etc ..]

but shelves are bought and put together

and most decor is purchased as well

it's just a matter of putting it all up and organizing the entire room!

again, at the top of my t0-do list for this long weekend coming up!

10. finish my rhys-related DIY's!

which include:

- boppy cover [white/blue/green owl print!]

-crochet owl hat with matching diaper cover

-mobile from #2

-cut/sew/stuff sock monkey

-tie-dye/decorate white onsies from baby shower

 -make the month-iversary decals for onsies, at least 0 months to take pic in hospital

-crochet cocoon for pictures

-crochet a couple more diaper covers

so, there you have it

my ten things i REALLY want completed before labor occurs.

who knows, i may have three+ weeks

but i may only have a week

at this point

panic is beginning to set in, realizing how much i still have to do before his arrival.

don't get me wrong

if he comes today, we will get by without 

but, you know, i'd like to have everything complete!

what's your tuesday ten?

link up with us at 

miss mommy

baby bump :)

guess what?!

this mama is being featured over at

spearmint baby

go check it out

i think it's pretty neat-o!

and shout out to my photographer

Jessica

maternity pictures!

i mentioned that jessica was taking my maternity pictures last week

oh. my. goodness!

they turned out better than i could have even imagined!

here are a few of my favorites! 

which, btw, were HARD to narrow down!

luckily she made me a few collages :)

i would love to see the 'outtake' photos of kullen acting a fool and my 'fake' smiles! 

all images taken and edited by:

jessica

thirty-five weeks :)

gosh, only five weeks left, this is crazy, right?!

the crazy part is that it could be less

or more, ugh.

i really don't want to be induced this time

but i also don't want to go past my due date ...

mainly because my dad is off the entire week beginning the 19th

and i want him to be here when rhys is born

or at least shortly after!

oh well, time shall tell!

no big updates.

still working on mister rhys' room 

and thinking about packing a hospital bag, just in case!

next week - on kNa's 5 yr wedding anni - i have my last two week appt

then they start weekly!

i will also begin to get 'checked'

which will let me know if i have progressed at all! 

on to the pictures!

me now:

and me then [with kullen]:

i'm beginning to think that i'm bigger now!

ah!

double three's!

thirty three weeks!

and things are FINALLY coming together!

mandee threw me [and rhys] a sprinkle over the weekend

and we got spoiled with goodies!

[pictures/blog to come later!]

and on sunday, adam put together all of kullen's furniture 

and we moved the 'baby stuff' into rhys' room!

i put the bedding on the crib and am very happy with it

[just need to get a more color-matching crib sheet!]

i still have lots of decorating to do to make it complete

but that surely won't take long!! ;]

this picture was taken at my shower, just a few days of 33 weeks!

this is me at 33 weeks pregnant with kullen!

bigger then? or now?

i think it's really hard to tell, because the angles are different.

i will try to get a better/matching picture of me now to compare to then!

i think i'm roughly the same size actually!

anyway! 

ultimately, things are going good!

with only seven [or so] weeks to go, i am not COMPLETELY miserable.

we've had horrible heat here lately and i haven't swollen one bit

which is AMAZING!

i still have the occasional pelvic pressure, usually when rising from a sitting position

and still urinating like CRAZY

but rhys is still super active in there so i know hims alright :)

aside from a few aches and pains

this pregnancy has been pretty laid back!

i have waited until the last minute on everything and slacked on so much

ahem, pictures! :(

but i have also done [or *ahem* intend on doing] things that i did not with my first!

it's true what they all say

that the first baby is a learning experience!

i feel bad for kullen but then again, i was a first child and i turned out okay ;) 

although i will love my children equally [i mean, i hope i will]

they will be different and have different things done to/with them

and they'll argue about it when they're older

and i'll laugh ;)

kullen: mom, how come you didn't take super cute pictures of me in the hospital?

rhys: HAHA kullen, that means she loves me more!

me: no boys, it means that i didn't have a super nice camera or a crochet talent when kullen was born!

<3

i can't wait!

thirty weeks!!!

another week down!

& reality is that i'll only have like TEN more of these posts! 

woah!

[they painted the bathroom at work so no more bright orange stalls!]

things are good round these parts!

rhys has moved up slightly 

so that horrrrrible pressure that i was having

has ceased a bit! 

it has caused a different type of pain/discomfort though.

as he has shifted, his kicks are now super high

and HURT! 

either that, or this kid is a giant that is already like 2ft in length! 

his room is ready to be painted!!!

adam stripped/mudded/sanded over the weekend

so all we have to do is pick paint [and a ceiling fan]

and get 'er done!

i am REALLY excited about it

[not that it hasn't already BUT]

it's REALLY starting to feel real now! :)

still suffering from:

indegestion/heartburn. [ugh]

middle-of-the-night leg/calf cramps!

frequent urination.

pregnancy brain. & it seems to be getting worse.

moodiness.

exhaustion. [though, not as bad as 1st trimester]

& probably plenty of other things that i can't remember and will attribute to pregnancy brain!

&& for s's and g's:

 30 weeks pregnant with kullen                                    30 weeks pregnant with rhys

29 weeks

not much to update over here, unfortunately.

no real progress on the room -

just need the paint [& maybe a few other things] and time to do so!

i passed my glucose test, horray!

not that i was worried 

BUT i was worried i'd have to suffer through the 3hr test again

but i was smart this go round and avoided the sugah!

i begin bi-weekly appointments next week!

EEK!

i'm going to ask/beg my doctor for a sonogram at my next appointment

because i really feel like i'm housing a giant.

most people fear they will have a midget baby or something

but nope, not me - i fear the exact opposite.

he is just entirely too large right now.

i feel him ALL over my entire stomach

and don't understand how it's possible at only 29wks!

i would be worried that he is an octopus baby 

with eight extremities 

but we've already had a sonogram that confirmed otherwise, phew!

i have been having braxton hicks contractions a lot lately.

i remember having them with kullen

but not nearly as early or often!

they aren't extremely bad but definitely a pain, literally. 

weight gain is definitely picking up!

i think the norm is 1/2lb a week so consider me beating the norm! ;]

at this rate, i will be 200lbs by september! 

so yeah, hurry up baby rhys!

even though your room isn't nearly done

i wouldn't mind an early arrival ;]

[as long as you're healthy anyway!]