Pictures of Harmony Grace

Harmony Grace Smith

Well you have probably been wondering where I have been? Well, I have been having a baby.
I guess I can say it all started last Wednesday evening/ early Thursday morning. I was having contractions all night and they were 5-7 minutes apart but not intense at all. So Thursday I wake up and get ready for my midwife appointment that morning. I finished packing my bag because I KNEW I was going to have the baby that day... I got to the midwife that morning and told her about the contractions and then she took my blood pressure. When she was done taking it she calmly told me that I need to get to the Hospital soon so they could run a bio-physical and a stress test on me, and then she told me to make sure I have my things because she is going to admit me. So I didnt get freaked out, I just got really excited. We take care of a few things that we needed to take care of and then we head off to the hospital. One of the things that we SHOULD have taken care of was eating lunch. The only thing I ate that morning was a bowl of raisin bran. I get to the Hospital and go into our room and I get dressed and get on the bed and they start to do all of the stuff that they do, like put the monitor on me. The ultra sound machine comes in a few minutes later and they start to check the size of the baby and what not. Then after about 5 minutes they start to freak out a little but because they can not find her head. Me personally I know for a fact she does have a head so I stayed pretty calm until the nurse puts the device on my upper stomach and says "Theres her head, shes Breech".. I was totally thrown off guard. I just froze and could not even move or speak. After a few minutes I regained the feeling in my body and proceeded to ball. Unfortunately I could not spend a lot of time crying I had to go for a nice little ride down to the Ultra Sound room so they could do the bio-physical. So I went thru 30 minuets of not only intense contractions but the tech making me move from one side to another for 30 minutes. So that was finally done and I was on my way back upstairs. Now this whole time I am praying that she just moves and turns and go back to head down. I knew it could be done considering just the week before she head down and ready to go. Ok so anyway, we sit and wait for my midwife to come back in and talk to me and well, I really wasn't looking forward to hearing what she had to say. So after waiting we finally talk to her and she tells me that I HAVE to have a C-Section. There is really no way around it. We can not turn the baby due to my blood pressure being so high, he fibroids that are right next to the sack, the fact the my water had been leaking, so there is not enough fluid in there and the fact that they said she was 9 1/2 lbs, well it didnt make for a safe "turn" . So after the midwife came in and talked to me now it was time for the Doctor to. She did tell me that because the fact that I haven't eaten since 9 that morning, she was going to do the surgery that night. So we all waited around and talked and prayed and balled, ok I balled (what a great way to bond with your friends) then at about 9 - 10 PM they come in to tell me that I have been bumped by an emergency C Section of twins and now I can eat, get a good night sleep and they will deliver me at 7:30AM. Well, I wish I could say I got a good night sleep but it was AWFUL... I could barely sleep and I was still having contractions. Well at about 3:45 AM I feel this large movement and then I felt wet. I get up and ring the nurse and she comes in to check me and to an ultra sound real quick. Well, sure enough she had moved, but she was now transverse (side to side instead of up and down) so she was trying to go head down. I decided since they had to prep for surgery starting at 5:30 AM I would get in the shower and get ready. Which I did and I am so thankful that I was able to do that. By 5:30 AM when they did the next U/S she was back breech so they proceeded with the preparation. I will save you all of those details dont worry. Well they wheeled me back to the OR at 7:30AM and Harmony Grace Smith was born at 7:52 AM and she weighed 8lbs 8 oz and was 20 inches long.
This is about all I can write for now due to all of the pain killers and anti-biotics that I am on at the moment. I will post pics in another blog. Please keep my family in your prayers in the next few weeks of this recovery process. Alot of you have already offered to help in anyway and normally I would tell you I am good and I dont need any help, but I will not be stubborn anymore.

please check out this blog

This really touched me today and I know some of us have been where she is. Please take time to read this blog. Check it out here

my 39 week appointment

was yesterday and I think it went very well. My midwife is so full of knowledge and she makes things make sense. LOL Some Drs. try and answer your questions but the do it in terms that you can not understand, but midwives are just so different.

I gained 4 pounds in 6 days, and she wanted to know if I wanted to be checked and I was so happy to say yes. The reason I have really been wanting to get checked is because I have been having so many Braxton Hicks along with some good contractions so I knew for sure that I had to be at lease 2 or 3 cm dilated. Well, I was only 1cm and 50% effaced and a -2 station. So needless to say I was a little disappointed. I know its progress but I thought I would be a lot further along. Well, I could barely walk after she checked me, it really hurt. So at about 7pm last night I decided to go soak in the tub and I was actually in there for over an hour. It felt so good and I just dreaded getting up and moving. Well I had to, the pruny look does not look good on me....... So I head right to bed and WOW was it hard to get comfortable. No matter how I laid I hurt. So after about an hour or so I get up to go to the bathroom and I let out a big scream. My hips, legs and "you know" hurt so bad, all I could do is start to cry, and I cried and cried and cried for a few hours it seemed. I cried out to God and prayed that he would put me in labor because I can not deal with this pain anymore. I came downstairs to cry some more, where it was more comfortable, and pray some more.. Well, I finally decided to go back up to bed to get some rest and well really didn't get much last night, I laid awake with this tighting in my stomach and every time it did, I kept wondering, is this it? I finally fell asleep at about 5 this morning and woke up the same exact way, in pain........ Since I woke up I had a couple of contractions that were pretty bad but now nothing. I did however go to the bathroom (Sorry TMI) this morning and well, I had the bloody show, so we shall see......

One thing, If I am still pregnant this time next week, I will be going in on Friday to have them insert the Gel......... But I am really praying that I don't have to do that. I really want to go ALL NATURAL.....

A little Project

So I am going to be starting a new project and I will post what it is a little later by I need some input or actually I need your stories. OK NOT long stories, I just would love to hear some of the best and worst (OK even stupid) questions you were asked when you were pregnant. Or, maybe you experience something that was crazy, please feel free to share. You DO NOT have to leave your name, you can add a comment anonymously. Thank you in advance for your input...

What needs to be done before I go into labor....

So I just thought I would put my to-do list out here so maybe it can keep me accountable.. I know I should have gotten a lot of this done by now but I was focusing on other parts of my house.

TO DO LIST:

• Clean out my refrigerator. I know a strange one but I will be doing my big grocery shopping trip next week so I will need a lot of room in the fridge.
• Finish all laundry AND put it all away. Now putting it away is the hard part, getting it clean is the easy part... I still need to wash some of the babies clothes too....
  
• Grocery Shop and plan meals. If I am adventurous enough I may even prepare some, but we will see.
• Finish packing my suitcase for the hospital. I have got it almost done (like all the toiletries and stuff) but still need to get a few more things before I can be officially done.
• Clean bathrooms. I know another odd one but really If I dont scrub the toilets they will not get done and Lord know I will not want to do it when I get home from the hospital.
• Finish Thank You cards. I am so bad at this too, so I do apologize. I totally forgot about them until a couple weeks ago so I really need to do before I have people mad at me...
• Find an alternate to take me to hospital in case Ken is in a meeting or cant make it home right away. He is really afraid that I will not be able to get a hold of him right away or he will be further away in a meeting or something.

So one of my questions is, once my suitcase is packed should I put it in the car when ever I leave to go somewhere? I have never had to think about this because we have always lived with in like 5 minutes of the hospital so we could always go home and get it and still make it to the hospital, but we are about 25- 30 minutes away and I am just worried that I wont have enough time to go home get the stuff and make it to the hospital in time...

No Home Birth

So I wanted to blog this a while ago but I never knew how to say it with out getting so upset. When my husband and I talked about a home birth we both agreed that if one of us did not want to go through with it than we would for go the home birth. Only because I believe that there needs to be a unity when you are bringing a child into this world (especially if you are going to do it at home) and if one person is resentful because they did not feel peace and we went ahead and had a home birth then I am pretty sure there would be some major tension in that room. So, one day after my appointment with my midwife, I came home and I was just so excited. I was just talking Kens ear off and was just full of joy knowing that the day was coming soon..... The day I have been looking forward to and been wanting for years... After a few minutes I knew something was up, he was just sitting there not responding and so I asked him if he was ok? I asked "are you not as excited as I am?" Then he paused for a few seconds and that is when I knew he was getting cold feet. My first instinct was to keep talking and ignore him because I knew what he was going to say and I did not want to hear it, then my second thought was. I will just get up and walk away and go pray for him to change his mind, Again I did not want to hear him say "I don't think you should do this at home". Well, I asked "are you not wanting to go through with this now?" Again, a long pause. I knew that he was trying to find the right words so I would not get upset. So all he said was "I do not feel peace about this." Holding back my tears I asked him "why do you think that is" His reply was " with all that has been going on with this pregnancy, it has not been like the first 2 and I am just afraid that something could happen to you or the baby." So with that being said, I bit my tongue went upstairs, cried for a while and then got on the computer and phone searching for a midwife who delivers at one of the local hospitals and who takes our insurance. Well, there were no midwives in our network and I knew I did not want a Doctor to deliver this baby. So we had to switch insurance networks and I was able to find a great midwife (who all of my friends are using and/or have used...)

15 more days

Ok I really am getting beyond excited and to be honest getting a little annoyed as well... I have been having contractions for what seems to be forever, but since Wednesday I have had timeable contractions... Wednesday they were anywhere from 5 -7 minutes apart just not really that intense, and Thursday and Friday I was still having them but more like 15 to 20 minutes apart. Saturday Nothing...... Saturday she was very still and did not move around alot at all. Saturday night I went to the bathroom and noticed there was some blood, well (sorry if TMI) I lost part of my mucus plug. So I got So excited.. When I lost it with my first (Kdy) I went into labor 12 hours after so I thought I would be going soon. Well, nothing happened. I did however have a very busy Easter Sunday though. Busy with contractions that is. Again timeable but sporadic, like 15- 20 minutes apart, some even longer. Well let me tell you they wore me out big time so I was in bed by like 7 still contracting.... I woke up at about 10:30 with pretty painful Braxton Hicks and pretty confused. Usually (well with the other 2) once I started having contractions they were about 5 minutes apart and I knew I was in labor, well this one is so different its not even funny.... Well, I will stop complaining and just continue to pray for patience and I know this little girl will come when she (and God) is good and ready and if it is in 15 more days then so-be-it, I will be patient and know that God is in control and I have no say so in the matter......

She Bangs........

To celebrate Easter I got a new hair do so I thought I would post a pic.... Happy Easter to all!

REALLY

I only have 19 days left of this pregnancy (well thats if I go on my due date). I must say that I am a little sad about this..... As hard as this pregnancy was I will miss it. BUT I can not wait to meet this little angel who is inside of me growing. I dream about her all the time, I dream that she is going to have really dark brown eyes and really dark hair and i know she is going to come out with a ton of hair. I can not wait for that baby smell, I really can not wait to wake up in the middle of the night for the feedings and I just can not wait to be "needed" again. Where it is only me who can *come to the rescue*............ With my 2 right now they are so self sufficient and they dont need my help at all, not even to make them breakfast so it was depressing at first but I just thank God that they are not always depending on me for everything because I see them growing and blossoming into just great kids. I see Riley as just like me.. If he wasnts something he goes after it right then and there and doesnt give up until he has it. He also is a fixer and loves to put things together just like his mommy...... He has broken a few of his toys and with out saying a word he will go grab whatever he needs and he will fix his toys. It is great. Kennedy is like me too, but I really only say a little bit. She amazes me every single day. Her heart is growing so big for her brother and she is just in love with Jesus (she tells us everyday) she loves to help me out around the house and to be honest, if it wasnt not for her than my house would always be a mess. She helps me with the laundry, the dishes, and vacuuming. AND she loves it... I just can not wait to meet this little angel and I can not believe I only have 19 more days. WOW.

On a different note. I am still waiting for things to get done and things to arrive though..... I was suppose to have my bassinet by now but it is still on back order so I can NOT go into labor until I get one.. LOL I told Ken I would have them stop contractions..... LOL I did however go to BRU last night with my dad who bought diapers and wipes and bottles, so I feel better now that we have those. Just need the room done and the bassinet and a few things from target and I will be ready...........

Am I nesting?

Ok I really should be doing more relaxing but it is so impossible to right now. I sit and try and relax and I think about something else that needs to be done...
I have had quite a productive weekend, I must say. Yesterday I was able to wake up early and get to the Mom 2 Mom sale before 9 AM. I was pretty disappointed though because it was a little over prices and I really didn't find anything I needed. I was shocked to see people wanting 1.50 -2.50 for just a short sleeve onesie. I was looking for really cute dresses but I guess everyone around here is a fan of gingham... Not that its bad but it is really not my cup of tea....... So, after the sale I had to run to Home Depot to get some paint and cleaning supplies and after that I still did not want to come home.. So I decided to go have some lunch. ALL BY MY SELF... It was great. I then came home to get some cleaning done and then took the kids to the grocery store while Ken patched up the holes in Kennedys walls. That was a fun trip, I mean I had been walking all morning at the sale, then at home depot and now all over the store. So I was not the happiest of person so I figured the only way to cheer up fast would be a chocolate ice cream cone from DQ, and what do ya know, I felt a whole lot better.. So we got home and I was able to finish laundry before the big game last night.

So this morning I woke up in pretty rough shape, so I am thinking I should take it easy.... rest and try and get a little nap in. Well, I couldn't. I started cleaning out drawers and dressers and such and then came down stairs and realized that the shelves in my china cabinet are dirty and the whole things needed to be dusted, so after taking ALL of the china and stem ware out, i took the shelves out and cleaned those and then had to take the glass fronts out because those were dirty as well. I figured since I was dusting the china cabinet I might as well do the rest of the house. So I dusted all of down stairs, all while waddling around. I am sure it was a great site. So I went upstairs to get some rest and decided to re arrange my bedroom AGAIN..... to make room for the bassinet and all of the baby stuff that will be in the room this week. Not like I really had to "make room" I mean our bedroom is huge but it did need to get a bit a a face lift.. So now it is 2 pm and I am exhausted but looking at all of the stuff that has to be finished. So off to get a quick bite to eat (Ken made yummy BBQ beef sandwiches) and back to work... The baby's room is getting painted today so look for pics.

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36 weeks pregger

Thought I would do a little comparison! The picture up top is when I was about 38 weeks pregnant with my son Riley. I was pretty huge. Below is me pregnant now at 36 weeks.

OK so please dont mind the hand prints on my mirror first of all, and second I really can not believe I am posting a picture like this for all to see, but here you go. Look how HUGE I have gotten.....

pics of Baby Z

one month

OK so exactly one month from tomorrow is my due date. I am getting so excited but also so nervous... Our life is going to change, I am going to be pushing out a baby with out pain medication (OUCH), I am so not ready and organized enough, and there is still so much that I have to buy. I am trying not to get so over-whelmed because I know with God all thing are possible so I just need to trust... ONE MONTH PEOPLE......

Well yesterday was our Dr. appointment and our ultra sound. The U/S went really well (besides the fact that she, the u/s tech, wants me to turn in so many different directions just to get a good picture, not fun when you are so pregnant. We got such a great picture of Baby Z's face (will post when I get it scanned) she looks like Kennedy, pout and all. She has a ton of hair and she is measuring at 5 pounds and 12 ounces. Her limbs are measuring long but she has a pretty good size belly. Really it just amazes me how detailed they can get these days with the Ultra sounds. I am really getting excited to meet her and hold her and actually see her. The fibroid that the Dr. was so worried about is shrinking so I am really excited that prayers are being answered.....

I did however have a melt down today, and I do mean a melt down. Now my first in 8 months I think that is pretty good. Ya know when you get to the point in your pregnancy where everything hurts from right below your chest to your feet, well add a really nasty cold and cough, sore throat and headache on to that and that has been me for the past few days. I have been cooped up in my hose unable to do much of anything and when I do get out of the house it is only to go and see Dr.s, just so not fun. I really dont want to go on venting and I really do not want to try and justify my behavior but I really think I need some ME time........ Especially before the baby comes... I do have a Manicure and Pedicure planned for about a week before my due date so that is something to look forward to. I will scan the 3D pic and have it posted by tomorrow (hopefully)......

What I have learned Part Deux

I posted a blog a few months back of what I have learned in this pregnancy so far you can read it here. Now that I am 35.2 weeks (oh yeah I am counting the days) I feel that there is more that I have learned so I thought I would share some more of those things.

1.) I have learned that I am addicted to my bath tub. I dont think I can go a day with out getting in there at least 2 times. I am usually in there longer than an hour too...

2.) I have learned that if its been a week since I have left the house, I am totally ok with that. It has been a week from tomorrow since I have been anywhere and I have to tell you it is really nice. I was always a person that liked being on the go but not so much right now.

3.) I have learned that I really do not care what my toes look like or what shoes I am wearing... Whats the point? I can not see my feet anyway.

4.) I have learned that contractions start alot sooner with your 3rd pregnancy. Not as intense as contractions during labor but they do hurt alot.

5.) I have learned that sleeping is over-rated... Why do I need a full night sleep?

6.) I have learned to "hold it" until the morning. I know a great talent when your this far along but if I get up in the middle of the night I am up for good..

7.) I have learned that my morning coffee is my new best friend.

8.) I have learned that staying in bed is not as glorious as it sounds... It gets old and boring.

9.) I have learned that I have the most amazing husband that God could have ever created. He has done so much, put up with so much and he has been such a trooper thru all of the: L&D visits (and those were some long nights), early contractions, crazy craving and crazy mood swings. I thank God for the patience the he blessed Ken with and pray that some day they will rub off on me.

Today I am 35 weeks

Your pregnancy: 35 weeks

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.



From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week. Sometime between now and 37 weeks, she'll do a vaginal and rectal culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). (Don't worry — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all.) GBS is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during birth, it can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection. Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's vital to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll get IV antibiotics during labor, which will greatly reduce your baby's risk of infection.

This is also a good time to create a birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who'll be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and where you want your baby to stay after you deliver. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Childbirth is unpredictable, and chances are you won't follow your plan to the letter, but thinking about your choices ahead of time — and sharing your preferences with your caregiver — should take some of the anxiety out of the process.

5 weeks left

So, I have 5 weeks left and last week I was wondering why I had so much pain and pressure on the......... ummmm we will just call it Vajajah... So as I was taking a bath the other day I notices that baby Z's head was really down low. AND I do mean LOW.... So I guess I dropped. Which with the other 2 pregnancies I have A.) felt when I dropped and B) been a lot further along when I dropped. I know this being my third all of these glorious things can happen earlier and it is not an indicator on going into labor early. Which is really fine with me. I know a lot of people are telling me that I will be going sooner for sure, but I am trying to ignore it all because I don't want to get to where I have one week to go and I am so miserable and mad because I thought I was going to go early. Anyway, Ken thinks I will go in labor on May 1..... It would be ideal if I went over Easter that way my mom will already be here and she would not have to make an extra trip a couple weeks later....

I have also been having more contractions that hurt a lot more too. I am really curious if I am dilated or effaced at all. Again I know its early but hey, everything else has happened earlier. I do have a Dr. appointment tomorrow and will have another ultra sound so I am really excited to see how big this little girl is getting. As of right now she is still posterior.
Let me tell you about her being posterior....... IT HURTS. When she moves, kicks, stretches etc. It just hurts. OK enough moaning and groaning for now..

I did have a very productive weekend.. Even though my kitchen is not finished it is cleaned and so is the rest of my house. Along with about 10 loads of laundry. I really never thought I would get back to having a clean house anymore but we did it. It hurt to do it but the pain was worth it. As of right now though we still need to paint the whole downstairs along with the girls room and the master bedroom. I am excited to get the girls room finished. We are going to be doing some great colors and stuff on the walls and I am still in search of a crib skirt along with 2 sets of curtains. Its been kind of hard to find but I am hoping to get out this week to Grand Blanc to one of the fabric stores there. I don't have a sewing machine but I am sure I can find one......................... I have so many things to get done but I also have a hubby that gets home at 5:30 -6:00pm and then he is off to either, egroup, youth, mens ministry, or something else. So that means our weekends are getting crammed full of stuff to do and I am trying not to stress about it... OK now I am rambling and I am going to stop now.

Pregnacy affects..

Altered States

Pregnancy doesn't just change your body — it affects the rest of you, too.

1. The Nesting Instinct

Many pregnant women experience the nesting instinct, a powerful urge to prepare their home for the baby by cleaning and decorating. Or perhaps you'll want to tackle projects you haven't had time to do, like organizing your garage or closets.

As your due date draws closer, you may find yourself cleaning cupboards or washing walls — things you never would have imagined doing in your ninth month of pregnancy! This desire to prepare your home can be useful because it will give you more time to recover and nurture your baby after the birth. But be careful not to overdo it.

2. Inability to Concentrate

In the first trimester, fatigue and morning sickness can make many women feel worn out and mentally fuzzy. But even well-rested pregnant women may experience an inability to concentrate and periods of forgetfulness. A preoccupation with the baby is partially the cause, as are hormonal changes. Everything — including work, bills, and doctor appointments — may seem less important than the baby and the impending birth. You can combat this forgetfulness by making lists to help you remember dates and appointments.

3. Mood Swings

Premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy are alike in many ways. Your breasts swell and become tender, your hormones fluctuate, and you may feel moody. If you suffer from premenstrual syndrome, you're likely to have more severe mood swings during pregnancy. They can make you go from feeling happy one minute to feeling like crying the next. You may be irrationally angry with your partner one day, then a coworker may inexplicably irritate you the next.

Mood swings are incredibly common during pregnancy, although they tend to occur more frequently in the first trimester and toward the end of the third trimester.

About 10% of pregnant women experience depression during pregnancy. If you have symptoms such as sleep disturbances, changes in eating habits (a complete lack of appetite or an inability to stop eating), and exaggerated mood swings for longer than 2 weeks, you should talk to your doctor.

Unexpected Effects of Pregnancy

4. Bra Size

An increase in breast size is one of the first signs of pregnancy. Breasts usually become swollen and enlarged in the first trimester because of increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. That growth in the first trimester isn't necessarily the end, either — your breasts can continue to grow throughout your pregnancy!

In addition to the size of your breasts, your bra size may be affected by your rib cage. When you're pregnant, your lung capacity increases so you can take in extra oxygen for yourself and the baby, which may result in a bigger chest size. You may need to replace your bras several times over the course of your pregnancy.

5. Skin

Are your friends saying you have that pregnancy glow? It's only one of many skin changes you may experience during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and the stretching of your skin to accommodate a larger body. Pregnant women experience an increase in blood volume to provide extra blood flow to the uterus and to meet the metabolic needs of the fetus. They also have increased blood flow to their other organs, especially the kidneys. The greater volume brings more blood to the vessels and increases oil gland secretion.

Some women develop brownish or yellowish patches called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy," on their faces. And some will notice a dark line on the midline of the lower abdomen, known as the linea nigra (or linea negra), as well as hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) of the nipples, external genitalia, and anal region. These are the result of pregnancy hormones, which cause the body to produce more pigment. The body may not produce this increased pigment evenly, however, so the darkened skin may appear as splotches of color. Unfortunately, chloasma can't be prevented, but wearing sunscreen and avoiding UV light can minimize its effects.

Acne is common during pregnancy because the skin's sebaceous glands increase their oil production. And newly formed pimples might not be the only evolving spots on your face or body — moles or freckles that you had prior to pregnancy may become bigger and darker. Even the areola, the area around the nipples, becomes darker. Except for the darkening of the areola, which is usually permanent, these skin changes will likely disappear after you give birth. Many women also experience heat rash, caused by dampness and perspiration, during pregnancy.

In general, pregnancy can be an itchy time for a woman. Skin stretching over the abdomen may cause itchiness and flaking. Your doctor can recommend creams to soothe dry or itchy skin.

6. Hair and Nails

Many women experience changes in hair texture and growth during pregnancy. The hormones secreted by your body will cause your hair to grow faster and fall out less. But these hair changes usually aren't permanent; most women lose a significant amount of hair in the postpartum period or after they stop breastfeeding.

Some women find that they grow hair in unwanted places, such as on the face or belly or around the nipples. Others experience changes in hair texture that make hair drier or oilier. Some women even find their hair changing color.

Nails, like hair, can change noticeably during pregnancy. Extra hormones can make them grow faster and become stronger. Some women, however, find that their nails tend to split and break more easily during pregnancy. Like the changes in hair, nail changes aren't permanent. If your nails split and tear more easily when you're pregnant, keep them trimmed and avoid the chemicals in nail polish and nail polish remover.

7. Shoe Size

Even though you can't fit into any of your prepregnancy clothes, you still have your shoes, right? Maybe — but maybe not. Because of the extra fluid in their pregnant bodies, many women experience swelling in their feet and may even have to start wearing a larger shoe size. Wearing slip-on shoes in a larger size will be more comfortable for many pregnant women, especially in the summer months.

8. Joint Mobility

During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone known as relaxin, which is believed to help prepare the pubic area and the cervix for the birth. The relaxin loosens the ligaments in your body, making you less stable and more prone to injury. It's easy to overstretch or strain yourself, especially the joints in your pelvis, lower back, and knees. When exercising or lifting objects, go slowly and avoid sudden, jerky movements.

9. Varicose Veins, Hemorrhoids, and Constipation

Varicose veins, which are usually found in the legs and genital area, occur when blood pools in veins enlarged by the hormones of pregnancy. Varicose veins often disappear after pregnancy, but you can lessen them by:

• avoiding standing or sitting for long periods of time
• wearing loose-fitting clothing
• wearing support hose
• elevating your feet when you sit

Hemorrhoids — varicose veins in the rectum — frequently occur during pregnancy as well. Because your blood volume has increased and your uterus puts pressure on your pelvis, the veins in your rectum may enlarge into grape-like clusters. Hemorrhoids can be extremely painful, and they may bleed, itch, or sting, especially during or after a bowel movement. Coupled with constipation, another common pregnancy woe, hemorrhoids can make going to the bathroom downright unpleasant.

Constipation is common throughout pregnancy because pregnancy hormones slow the rate of food passing through the gastrointestinal tract. During the later stages of pregnancy, your uterus may push against your large intestine, making it difficult for waste to be eliminated. Constipation can contribute to hemorrhoids because straining may enlarge the veins of the rectum.

The best way to combat constipation and hemorrhoids is to prevent them. Eating a fiber-rich diet, drinking plenty of fluids daily, and exercising regularly can help keep bowel movements regular. Stool softeners (not laxatives) may also help. If you do have hemorrhoids, see your doctor for a cream or ointment that can shrink them.

Birth Day Surprises

10. Things That Will Come Out of Your Body

So you've survived the mood swings and the hemorrhoids, and you think your surprises are over. Guess again — the day you give birth will probably hold the biggest surprises of all.

Only 1 in 10 mothers' water breaks before labor contractions begin. Some women never experience it — a doctor may need to rupture the amniotic sac (if the cervix is already dilated) when they arrive at the hospital. How much water can you expect? For a full-term baby, there are normally about 2.1 to 5.9 cups of amniotic fluid. Some women may feel an intense urge to urinate that leads to a gush of fluid when their waters break. Others may have only a trickling sensation down their leg because the baby's head acts like a stopper to prevent most of the fluid from leaking out. In any case, amniotic fluid is generally sweet-smelling and pale or colorless and is replaced by your body every 3 hours, so don't be surprised if you continue to leak fluid, about a cup an hour, until delivery.

Other unexpected things may come out of your body during labor in addition to your baby, blood, and amniotic fluid. Some women experience nausea and vomiting. Others have diarrhea before or during labor, and flatulence (passing gas) is also common. During the pushing phase of labor, you may lose control of your bladder or bowels. A birth plan can be especially helpful in communicating your wishes to your health care providers about how to handle these and other discomforts of labor and delivery.

Lots of surprises are in store for you once you become pregnant — but none sweeter than the way you'll feel once your newborn is in your arms!

34 weeks

Ok so I am 34 weeks and now is when this insomnia is kicking in. I was really hoping that I could avoid it since I have been so tired but not at all. This week I have been waking up at either 3 or 4 in the morning and not able to go back to sleep. Yesterday morning I finally got back to sleep at about 6:30 am and then Ken had to get up for works so I was up for the rest of the day. Which is pretty funny because yesterday was my most productive day. I mean I re-arranged my family room, cleaned the kitchen top to bottom, did a lot of laundry, baked a cake, and vacuumed downstairs. To some of you that may not seem like that much but for someone who has been in bed for a few weeks, I was pretty proud of myself. Now there is still so much to do to get my house back to "normal" but all I can do is take it one day at a time. This morning I was up at 3am and decided not to get out of bed but just to try and fall back to sleep, and it worked, 2 hours later..... So needless to say I am a bit tired this morning but I have confidence in my coffee, so hopefully it will kick in soon. I do get to go in this afternoon and have a massage from a good friend and I am hoping I will be able to use my gift certificate for a free Mani and Pedi afterwards, just hoping to have the time...

So I haven't been in bed as much this week as I have the past few weeks and I have to tell you I really don't miss being in that bed. My week has been going by really fast though. Even though I feel more tired I am just so happy to be getting stuff done and to be taking advantage of the great weather outside. However something I did learn though is if I am going to have my windows open in the spring time, make sure I have some allergy medicine on hand.

Finally

I finally got up enough strength to go for a walk... It has been such a beautiful day. I have been feeling pretty good today despite all the cleaning, rearranging and organizing I did over the weekend. I thought for sure I would want to stay in bed all day but, something about that sunshine gets me motivated. Ken and the kids had Dr. appointments today and when that was over instead of taking Kennedy back to school we decided to take our lunches to the park and sit by the water and enjoy the weather and some family time. We then decided to go walk around downtown a little and man it felt so good. I mean I can barely walk now but in all honesty I am so glad I was ale to get out and enjoy this weather. The kids are wanting to go back later and fish and I am really excited to do that.

As I am sitting here typing, I have my daughter is laying on the floor in front of me and my son laying next to me on the couch and they both are snoring so loud I just can not help but laugh. Baby Z has the hiccups again and is just moving like crazy. I am really thinking I may have to video tape my stomach moving and post it. I love to just sit and watch her go back and forth and she feels like she stretches from one side of my belly to another. Grant it, it is not the most pain-free feeling but I cherish it and I wish I would be able to feel this again.

I have had a lot of people ask me, "so are ready for this to be over" or " I bet you are ready to just pop her out?" and I must be honest here. I am so excited to see this little girl and to hold her and feed her and all the fun (and not so fun) things, but I know I am really going to miss being pregnant. I have ALWAYS loved being pregnant. I love feeling movements, I love the fact that I am bringing a child into this world, I love that I can eat almost what ever I want and still not gain a lot, I love the extra attention I get from Ken, and I love that he thinks it is just so sexy. Six weeks from now I will (probably) not be pregnant anymore and that thought just makes me sad. We have talked and talked and talked about this and this one will be our last pregnancy. To me it is such a big decision and it is not something that we took lightly but it just makes me sad knowing that this is my last time going thru this so wanting it rushed along just to not be pregnant any more it not something I want. I really am going to enjoy these last 6 weeks and soak in everything I can from this pregnancy.

Hay cool High Chair

I just wanted to share this with you. I think it is a great idea and I just had to share it with you all. To check it out visit HERE

A little humor

Ok so with this pregnancy I have been wanting a beer... And well, I am not a beer drinker what so ever but I have been craving a pizza and a beer or wings a beer so this is just so odd for me. But anyway I came across this photo and just had to post it.....

AND, for all you strangers/weirdos who want to touch my belly and think that is actually ok to do so, well this one is for you guys ....

week 33

Week 33 of Pregnancy

Your baby's immune system gets a boost, while her sleepless mommy could use a boost of energy.

With midnight bathroom runs, leg cramps, heartburn, and your basketball-sized belly, it's no wonder sleep is elusive. Third-trimester insomnia strikes about three-quarters of pregnant women (who may also be coping with a mind that races all night long). But your body needs rest, so do your best to get comfy. Grab a pile of pillows, wedge them where you need to, and look on the bright side: Pregnancy insomnia is great training for those sleepless nights to come! Your baby is still gaining weight (about half a pound a week), and she could grow up to another full inch this week. With that much baby inside your uterus, your amniotic fluid level has maxed out, which explains why some of her pokes and kicks feel pretty sharp these days. (There's less fluid to cushion the blows.) Antibodies are being passed from you to your little one as she continues to develop her own fetal immune system, which will come in handy once she's outside the womb and fending off all sorts of germs.

ok so I really have no problem sleeping right now its just I wake up to pee SO MANY TIMES during the night. Which is so funny because I stop drinking anything at like 7 O'clock and I still pee like a river.. I KNOW TMI. But really if I didn't have to wake up to go to the bathroom I would probably sleep thru the night. I do however, wake up when I have to flip on to the other side but I go right back to sleep... I remember this point in my pregnancies with the other 2. I was roaming the halls and in the fridge and watching late night info-mercials at this point in my pregnancy. So thank goodness I am not doing that. I am so much more tired during this pregnancy though. I mean I was with the other 2 pregnancies but I can barely get dressed with out being completely exhausted now... Well less than 7 weeks and it will all be over and the sad part is, I will never go thru this again. :(

Baby Shower

Well I have to just say that this past weekend I have never felt so loved by SO many people at one time. I was very blessed to have my dear friend Miss A. throw me a wonderful shower. I received so much and I was just so overwhelmed. Miss A. thank you so much for for loving me and baby Z so much to throw us such a wonderful shower. Also, that you to everyone else who baked and helped out as well. You all did such a wonderful job and I really did feel so loved and I am so happy everyone else is really excited for this little girl to get here....

getting ready for the arrival.

I know I still have 7 weeks to go but I am a planner and I dont like anything forgotten about because then I start to stress and as we all know stress is not good for the baby.... One thing I am in major need of is a good cleaning lady that doesn't charge a lot of money and is ok with doing some major cleaning.. I know that sounds impossible but I really need ALOT of stuff done because unfortunately I can not do all of it because of being in so much pain. I would prefer not to know the cleaning lady because I feel like I am going to be really bossy during the cleaning process and well it is just easier if I dont know the person. I know that sounds really nuts but if I know the person it is so hard for me to tell them what to do. I know I can make a list of things to be done so if all else fails I guess I could know the person... Do I sound like I am rambling? Ok anyway, I am in need of a few other things so anyone reading this that may have some of these items that you can lend of even give that would be great.

• wash clothes. ( I need about 2 dozen in all)
• older receiving blankets.. ones that are not that pretty and are ok to get a little "dirty"
• Queen size bedsheets (fitted and flat) they do not have to be nice or cute just maybe something that you were going to be getting rid of or something.
• pillowcases
• a stock pot or dutch oven (obviously not to have but to borrow)
• a plastic shower curtain
• heating pad
• old panty hose or knee highs
  

I feel like this is a lot to ask for but our budget is so tight right now it makes it so hard to get a lot of these items. So I am just asking if you have any of these things laying around your house and you can part with them I would love to take them off your hands...

Hello all

I know I have been neglecting this blog so I am so sorry to all of you who really look forward to reading it, all one of you. LOL
Today I am doing a lot of research on cloth diapers. I really like the idea of the gdiaper. Anything that is Eco friendly (and less laundry) gets me excited.... I am still reading about them but I did however register for some. They seem easy and they are cute.. Also, if any of you have any suggestions about cloth diapers PLEASE leave me a comment, I would love to hear them. I have looked at the bumkins but to be honest they really do seem like a lot of money for me. I have even looked on eBay and they still seem pretty steep. I do understand that the resale value on them is great but living on such a tight budget makes it hard to buy them in the first place. I am having fun looking at all the different diapers though.

I am also thinking of making my own wipes, unless I can find a Eco-friendly wipe... When I say Eco friendly I don't mean with the ingredients that they are made of, I am looking for ones that are not only good for the babies skin but you can dispose of them in a "green" way.......

So if you have any suggestions on any of these please feel free to leave a comment. I would love it.

To catch up on what is going on with this pregnancy you can ready here:
Baby Z 1 or here Baby Z 2

Midwife visit yesterday

It seemed like ages since I last saw my midwife, well it kind of was ages. I mean with everyone in my house going thru colds, flus etc. it was about 6 weeks and that is just too long to go with out seeing Wendy. I really do think I am so blessed to have found her. I now am going to switch doctors by the way.... I will be seeing another male doctor but it is only one instead of the 3 that I see now. For those who know me know I hate seeing a male doctor....... I was told that this Dr. will not give me his opinion at all about me having a home birth, which is excellent because I am so sick of people telling me their opinion on it. If people don't agree with it they should just be quiet and bite their tongue right??? He will give me his honest opinion about the fibroid and if it is as huge and endangering as the others say it is. I am also hoping they can do a test on me called an A1C which will eliminate the 3 hour glucose test that I am suppose to take. You see I ALWAYS have to have the 3 hours test and they ALWAYS come back and tell me that everything is fine and I am just hypoglycemic. Which I tell them at the beginning of every pregnancy and no one really ever listens to me. But anyway, being hypoglycemic it is very very tough to stop eating at 7pm the night before the test and then go to the test, drink a sugary drink and then sit there for 3 hours with an empty stomach. Every time I have done this, I have gotten so dizzy, light headed and just irritable and then when it is time for me to eat I eat a very balanced meal with extra protein but yet my heart still races and it takes a long time to "come down" from the feeling. So really it is not fun at all. So this test that I am hoping he does is just to check your blood back like 3 months ago, I am not 100% sure on all the info so when I have it I will let you all know more.

On another note I have gone 3 weeks now and have not gained any weight. Which is ok with me and the midwife and doctors so I am not going to compiling at all. I do eat, but I eat in little portions a few more times a day. In 30 weeks of pregnancy I have gained a total of 16 pounds. I was told by one of the doctors that he would be happy if I didn't gain any more weight considering my weight right now?????? Ouch kind of hurtful .Which is understandable, I don't care to gain that much more either but he could have said it a little nicer.. They baby is growing alot and is moving so much. If she would only move out of the breech position..... I do have exercised to do to get her to go head down so hopefully those will work.

I am getting more and more excited about the whole home birth thing. I can not believe I get to be in my own home and in my own bed when I have this little girl. I get to walk around as much as I want, I get to eat whatever I want, I get to wear what ever I want, I can have who ever I want with me, I mean I call the shots. I wont have a bunch of nurses coming in and out of my room to do some unnecessary stuff. I wont have to tell my "story' to 10 different nurses, I can have it as quiet as I want it and tell people to stay out if I want... Well we have less than 10 weeks left and I am slowly but surely getting ready for her arrival. Still need to do a lot of organizing and cleaning and I am trying to figure out (also freaking out alot about it) how to get it all done. I have tried this week to do as much as I can but I have been in so much pain its ridiculous. I have to paint Kdy and baby "Z's" room and get her crib and get that up. Have to find a bed for Ry I HAVE to get my kitchen finished, there is just SO much to do before she comes and I am trying not to freak out too bad.

What a pregnancy

I know it has been quite a while since I have been able to write something but trust me you would not of wanted to hear all of the negativity. OK maybe not all negativity but this pregnancy has not been as easy as my other two, that's for sure. This past Monday I got to spend 9 hours in the hospital just to be sent home telling me they can not find the source of my pain. I have had some really bad pains in my kidney area and then some in my vajay-jay area. They were able to explain the pain in the vaginal area but they did a lot of test for the kidneys and came up with nothing. They ruled out Kidney Stones, Kidney infection, a UTI, and something I called Hydronephrosis (which is a build up of urine in the kidneys) but I did get to go through ANOTHER pap and them checking my cervix and the best part was I had an audience to watch. I love interns! So I did however get to have a shot of morphine so ease the pain and that it did. I really don't know for how long because all I remember was well nothing. I slept after I got the shot...

I am going to go in tomorrow for more test and they think it maybe because of the baby and the fibroid pushing against my kidneys so we will see. To me that doesn't make sense but again I am not a doctor. I am not going to let any of this discourage me in anyway though. I will have a homebirth unless my midwife finds anything that could be at risk. I must say though it was pretty nice getting pampered that night. They were very nice nurses and they were bringing all kinds of great stuff, from warm blankets, to warm pack, to pudding and juice. ( that was when I was finally able to eat something) So I started to think oh maybe I should just be in the hospital where they are taking care of everything AND then I smelled the hospital gown, because I thought I had bad B.O. but then I realized it was the gown and not me and then I decided that homebirth would be SO much better than a hospital. LOL

What I have not mentioned yet is that I have 2 fibroids and one of them they are going to be checking every time I go in for my Dr.s appointment. It has grown a good size now so they are going to monitor it so it doesn't get in the way of the growth of the baby. I really can not believe that my other 2 pregnancies went by so good and this one just so much seems to happen. Not huge stuff but I have just had a lot of firsts with this one. I am feeling weird pains and I am ALOT more tired with this one than I was with the others. I could go on and on but I will spare you.

I am very excited however because my really good friend is throwing me a baby shower and I went to Target and Babies R Us to register and let me tell you, I had a blast. I went all pink. We never went all pink with Kdy because well at the time I was so against that color and we also did not want to have to buy all new stuff if we had a boy our second time so we kept a lot of the stuff neutral. But this time I had a blast registering for everything Pink...... I am even really excited to put this little girl in some ruffles and dresses, something I really regret not doing with Kdy.

Really?

Am I really having Braxton Hicks???? For me I usually never start having them until I am well into my 3rd trimester, usually around 32 weeks. Today, I have been having them A LOT..... Normally when I have them it is just a tightening along the me trying to catch my breath. Maybe that is not the best way to describe it but i just notice that my breathing is weird when I have them.. This time I am having a little pain with the braxton hicks, so it is very crazy.

We have been staying in a hotel for the past few days and I have been able to relax in the pool and would go into the hot tub for about 5 minutes at a time (don't worry, I didn't let my body temperature rise for all of you who want to yell at me) and was able to sit and float in the pool so I have not done anything but rest. She has been kicking but not as much as she usually does, well with the exception of last night. She decided to keep me awake for a few hours with what felt like somersaults.

So with all of this relaxing that I have been doing i thought I would be rejuvenated and ready to get a bunch of stuff done but I am absolutely EXHAUSTED. I was getting all the stuff ready to go in the hotel room and I am just ready to close my eyes and sleep for a few hours. Who knows I may just have to do that when I get back home...

Meaning of the name

OK I know I said I wasn't going to tell the name, and I still wont. But I want to share the meaning of it. We have been searching for the middle name for awhile. The first name we have known what it was going to be because she is being named after my Grandpa, but as far as the middle name goes we wanted it to just be revealed to us and when it was, there was a little light that went off and Ken and I both looked at each other an knew that was it.

So the meaning of our little girls name is: In covenant (agreement) with Gods will.

This says a lot about our live over the last year or so too. We finally feel that we are walking in Gods will and we have such a strong covenant with him so when this name was given to us I knew it was going to be a girl...

What else I learned at my Ultra Sound

OK so as you may know now we are having a girl. I must tell you I was crying and I believe
that if I didn't have my 2 BFF's with me, Ken would have been crying as well.
I don't know if we wanted to cry because he was hoping for a boy or if he was happy. She was 100% sure because well there was not a "kickstand" (as my mom calls it) and we got a good look
at the "va- jay jay". We also learned that my due date will now be April 28 not April 19..
Also, we learned that I have fibroids, I guess its not that big of a deal (they are pretty tiny) and with my estrogen and the babies estrogen well, it is inevitable that they would be growing.
I will find out more at my next Dr.s appointment. We were able to see the heart which was
very good and even though she did not want to cooperate we were able to see everything
but the hands and fingers. The ultra sound tech wants me to come back in a couple
weeks for another one, why really I don't know. She says she wants to get a good look
at the hands and fingers.... Anyway, we are keeping the name a secret so don't try and
pry is out of me, because you know I will give in. LOL

ITS A .....................................

GIRL!!!!!!!

Lots of firsts

with this pregnancy. It is so funny but everyone I talk to says its because I am in my 30's now so everything is going to be so different. At first I really didn't believe them but I must say I am a believer now. Now this maybe TMI for some of you so I apologize in advance. One thing that just happened was, the baby kicked my bladder and I peed my pants..... (I am pretty embarrassed but had to share) I was trying to wait it out since I have been peeing every 5 minutes (or so it seems) and I thought if I wait a little longer I would be OK, well I think that my bulging bladder was getting in my little peanuts way... I tell ya, it was a very weird feeling but I have learned my lesson, go to the bathroom as soon as you have the urge.

Also, the other night I had heartburn for the first time too... I know, I know two kids already how did I not have heartburn with them??? I really don't know how I managed to go heartburn free, but I am so glad I did. I tell you what, I was miserable. I didn't get it until I laid down to fall asleep, and let me tell you I was exhausted, but I was awake for a long time with it and was not a happy person.. I do think that it caused my throat to be sore which I am still dealing with that today.

I have also been so much more hormonal with this pregnancy. I mean so hormonal that I will cry for absolutely the stupidest thing. I am not just talking a little tear here and there I am talking, a full out sob fest. There is one day that I just laid in bed and cried.... and cried..... and cried. When I was pregnant with my other two children I would sit there and almost brag that my pregnancies were so good. All of those crazy things that everyone else was going through in their pregnancies.......... Well I laughed at and said thank you Jesus its not me. Well guess what, it is me this time...

I, however, am embracing every part of this pregnancy. I would not change a single thing and I thank God that I am carrying this baby and I thank God for this miracle every single day. So a lot of this stuff I have learned to just laugh at, well with the exception of the bloody nose last night. That is another first. I have had a lot of nose bleeds with this one. I even have a humidifier upstairs and downstairs and I have still been getting them. Last night it took a while for it to stop but it finally did 20 minutes later.... So didn't laugh too much about that one, but all of these things I am not complaining about one bit, I am just so thankful that I get to experience them because I know in 14 more weeks it will not just be for nothing.

WOW I cant believe

I have time to sit down to finally post another blog. I really can not believe that my life right now is revolved around a stupid kitchen for crying out loud........ We are redoing our kitchen because of water damage. The valve on our sink was not working right so it cause a bunch of water to leak and it ruined our floors and our cabinet. So now we are replacing floors, cabinets, counter tops and we are adding peninsulas and more cabinets and a desk...... AND we are repainting......... Just in case you didn't know, my wonderful hubby has way different taste than I do, so to get us to agree on EVERYTHING in this kitchen is next to impossible so I have learned to trust him in certain things but I have also stood my ground in the areas that I think are important........... So anyway, I will post pics soon of when it is all finished. Just pray that we make it through this with lots of love for each other at the end. :)

Today, I finally get to just chill............... These days have been very few and far between so I am going to take advantage of this BIG TIME...... Sunday was suppose to be a day of relaxing too, but when you are only home to eat and sleep, your house gets really messy and I am not the type of person that can relax when my house is an absolute disaster. So I cleaned and did laundry and then rested (for an hour) before going to church.........

Yesterday was my appointment with my midwife and after the appointment that I had with the nurse practitioner last Tuesday, I must say that I was SO excited to see Wendy. I love actually feeling like a real person walking into her house. I love the way I am treated by Wendy and Christa, I mean they really do care about their patients. At a Dr's. office I just feel like another number. I feel like people are being herded through there like cattle. They didn't take their time with me I had to sit and wait on them and they make you feel weird for having some questions.... ALSO, when the NP felt for the baby last week she said "oh here is your babies head, can you feel it"....... Well this being my 3rd baby, that I have gotten this far along with, I kind of thought it was strange that she could "feel the head". I was only 24 weeks at the time and knew such a small baby in a big sack would not be able to be felt like that yet......... Anyway, this blog is not to knock my Dr. or the NP but I am just very happy that I have such a great midwife.
I will be seeing the Dr. (well not really, just the US tech) one last time on Monday, Jan 12 at 12:30 to find out the sex of the baby and then I will not have to go back to that place again.

Don't worry I will post on Monday what we are having, just not the name............