And, Baby Girl Makes Four



Today is officially our last day as a family of three. I'm experiencing a wide range of emotions this morning --- I'm excited, anxious, nervous, and even a touch sad. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sad in an unhappy way. I'm sad in a nostalgic way, I guess. I have loved every minute of our time together as a Mommy, Daddy, and Madeline trio. Yes, I have even loved those trying times when Madeline was acting out, and I was stressing out moments! We've doted, disciplined, vacationed, played, worked, and loved hard over the last two years. It's been a season of our lives that I wouldn't take back for one millisecond. We have our groove, and it's all about to change. Well, change makes me nervous regardless of how awesome the change is. I would consider bringing home Baby Sister a pretty awesome change!



We'll get our new groove as a family of four, and there is so much to look forward to with this new chapter in life. I'm most excited about watching Madeline find her niche in big sisterhood. I'm only a tad worried about her with sharing attention and not being the only child. She's quite a compassionate little thing, and I know she will slip into her new role beautifully once things settle down. Not to mention, Little Sister plans to butter up Big Sister with a new Fancy Nancy book upon their first meeting, and I think that just might do the trick. :) We've talked and talked about Baby Sister, so we'll see exactly how much of all that talking was processed in the little mind of a two year old.



I'm a little nervous about the whole delivery process even though I know what to expect this time. I just want a calm and healthy delivery with little to no pain. :) I'm not looking forward to all those post-partum issues --- puffy belly, swelling, soreness, and general tiredness. However, I know that's short term, and I'm looking forward to cuddling, swaddling, nursing, smelling, and taking care of a new baby.

I'll be back with an official introduction of Baby Girl Stewart...

39 Weeks & Waiting

The waiting game continues for Baby Girl's grand debut! I have an induction scheduled for Saturday, December 11, 2010 if I don't go into labor naturally between now and Saturday. My hematologist gave me clearance on my platelet count, so that issue shouldn't be an issue during delivery. Of course, the doctor will have to run a last check of my blood before we proceed with any delivery festivities. My fingers are crossed that I go into labor naturally one day this week.

I am feeling good just very ready for this baby to be out here with us. We are ready for her. Even Madeline rubbed my belly the other day, and said, "Baby Sister! Come out!"

37 Weeks

Nursery completed - check
Feeling good despite the ginormous belly sticking out in front of me - check
Hospital bag packed - check
Madeline's care & "plan" in place - check
Baby Girl's clothing & newborn essentials ready - check
No more airline flights for traveling Daddy - check (I can't even begin to explain how happy I am to have my sweet husband home, but that's another blog entry for another day!)
Waiting patiently for Baby Girl to bless us with her presence - check, sort of, not exactly modeling perfect patience

Medically, things are good. My OB visit was uneventful --- weight, measurements, etc. were fine. My cervix is starting to thin out, and I'm a fingertip dilated. To quote my doctor, "Your body is trying to get ready to have this baby, but we're not there yet." All in all, not much is going on.

My platelet count is still fluctuating & lately, it's been below 100,000, so it was looking as though I am going to be put on a steroid a week before my due date to boost them. However, when I returned to the hematologist this week, my count was up to 104,000!! SOOO, I go back next week for another check. Please say a prayer for all that to be okay. I am deathly afraid of "complications" during childbirth, but I know the Big Man Upstairs will be looking out for my health, the baby's health, and our delivery.

Wasn't I Just Here?

At the doctor's office, I mean. I went to the hematologist at the end of last week and the OB again yesterday.

Starting with the hematologist --- not good. My platelet count went down over 20,000, so now in addition to going to the OB on a weekly basis, I am now going to see the hematologist weekly. My count dropped to 86,000. If my platelet count continues to drop, I will have to take a steroid to boost my count. (I'm just not a fan of medications during pregnancy regardless of whether the doctor's say it's okay. I'm weird like that.) From what I gathered, that should work. Should being the operative word here. There's nothing I can do from my end (naturally) --- it's not like eating lots of spinach to boost your iron. Right now, it's a wait and see thing, and another doctor's appointment to deal with each week.

The OB appointment went well...weight, blood pressure, baby's heartbeat, measurements, etc. The doctor checked me, and there's nothing going on down there. Based on how everything feels on the inside, the doctor said he feels like I will go to my due date. Frankly, I'm good with that even though I am more than excited to meet our newest daughter. Eric's travel is not set to slow down until the beginning of December. I have some loose ends to tie up regarding "being ready" around the house. I have a haircut scheduled that I'd rather not miss (silly, I know). We have a couple of social events that we'd like to attend. I'd like my platelet count to have some time to naturally boost itself, and of course, we are traveling this year for Thanksgiving; so I'd like little miss to just stay put for a few more weeks to grow and develop as she should.

36 Weeks

I'm on the homestretch FOR REAL --- I'm down to the weekly appointments & feeling the "to do" list pressure. However, all is well with Baby Girl and this Mama. I have nothing terribly exciting to report from today's doctor visit. Weight gain, blood pressure, blood work, Baby Girl's heartbeat, and measurements all checked out fine. I return to the hematologist on Friday for a final assessment of my platelet count, so hopefully that will be a non-issue at this point. This sweet baby MOVES like crazy! It's a constant dance party at all hours of the day. My belly is constantly jumping around which has caused many sleepless, uncomfortable nights.

This weekend, Eric and I plan to put the "finishing touches" on the nursery, so things will be just so for the homecoming of Baby Girl. We've ordered a new glider for the nursery, and unfortunately, it won't be in until the beginning of December. It may or may not be here on time, but we're okay with that. It was a last minute decision to order a new chair for Baby Girl since Madeline has claimed 100% ownership of the rocking chair. Big Sister Madeline loves her rocking chair for before bed story time, and we just couldn't take it from her. Not to mention, Baby Sister has lots of hand-me-downs, so the least we could do is get a brand new chair for her nursery. :)

I'm feeling good, tired, but good overall. I'm starting to get those "Bless Your Heart, you are about to pop!" looks from strangers when I'm out and about, and I'm getting lots of those "You are still working out!?!" exclamations from fellow gym rats. A trainer even commented that while I didn't look pregnant from behind, I was starting to get the "pregnant girl waddle". Awesome, thanks for sharing that with me dude. Big belly, sleepy eyes, pregnant girl waddle, & all, I'm still Mommy, wife, and Type A Anne, so the show must go on while we wait on our precious bundle to make her appearance. We're ready for our family of three to be a family of four. I'm pretty sure I overheard Daddy say that he is ready for "all three of his girls" to be snuggled up to him on the sofa. How sweet is that?! And, just for the record, I'm ready for that too.

34 Weeks

I had my 34 week appointment this afternoon, and I really feel like I am on the homestretch now! All of my check-ups (blood work, weight, blood pressure, measurements) were good, and once again, my platelet count held steady at 105,000, so that's good news! The doctor estimated Baby Girl to be about 5 pounds now, so he guesstimated that her birth weight would be similar to Madeline's, around 7 pounds. I had my Group B strep swab test, so from here on out, I get to have those appointments, you know, the ones where you get checked. I hate those even though they are necessary.

I am feeling good --- a little short of breath and my meals are pretty small but frequent as I feel like all my insides are crunched up in my throat. Baby Girl has a constant dance party, so my belly is constantly contorting into crazy shapes. I'm still going to the gym 5 days a week, and I'm feeling good before, during, and after my workouts, so that makes me happy. I know I'm getting bigger and dropping lower because the random stranger comments from fellow gym goers are starting to become a regular part of my workout just like they did with Madeline at the very end.

Madeline is starting to talk more and more about her baby sister, and she seems excited! Let's hope that she continues to be excited once baby sister actually comes home with us! Eric and I sure are anxious to meet the newest member of our family!

32 Weeks


It seems like I was just announcing this pregnancy, and now I'm on the homestretch to meeting this sweet baby girl! I'm feeling good, and I'm still my usual on-the-go self. I seem to be more uncomfortable this time around, and I always have an underlying nauseated feeling. It's a yucky feeling, but oh well. I'm carrying Baby Girl very low, super uncomfortable low, but all seems to be going well from my doctor's appointments this week.


I received a great report from the hematologist yesterday. My platelet count held steady at 103,000 (still low by "normal" standards) --- this is the first time the count hasn't dropped in this pregnancy. Dr. S was encouraged by this, and he says if all things remain the same, this number will not be an issue at delivery. Whew! I return to him in 4 weeks, and at that point, any decisions that need to be made regarding my bloodwork will be made then.


I had my 8 month checkup today, and things are moving along nicely. The doctor was very happy with my weight, blood pressure, etc. I gained 4 lbs. this month putting my total at 12 pounds which made the doctor smile a big smile! We had an ultrasound, and all looked to be developing properly which always makes me feel good. This baby is weighing in a little over 3 pounds right now, and that's perfectly within the normal range. I go back to the OB in two weeks which is so exciting because that means things are getting closer to delivery time!


On the homefront, we are slowly, but surely looking like a household with two little girls, and I couldn't be more thrilled. The nursery decor is a work in progress, but nursery is stocked and ready to go with all the necessities. Madeline seems more excited about her baby sister, and I know she doesn't fully "get it", but she kisses baby sister, talks about baby sister, and pats baby sister. She seems to hold no grudges about her old room being re-done for baby sister, so that puts my worrying mind to ease.


Eric and I are blessed beyond words, and we just continue to pray for eight more weeks of health & happiness.

29 Weeks

I had my 7 month appointment this morning, and Baby Girl seems to be just fine. My blood work, weight, blood pressure, measurements, & baby's heartbeat all measured well. I think this was the quickest I have ever been in and out of the doctor. It was great! Next month, the doctor wants to do an ultrasound to get an estimate of how big baby girl is and check her out. Yay! I love ultrasound appointments!

I am feeling good for the most part. I am able to continue my workouts without much alteration although I have resorted to the elliptical most of the time. The extra weight burdens my knees when I run and do other forms of cardio, and my heart rate is much easier to control on the elliptical. My weight workouts have not changed much, so that's good for my soul. Baby Girl moves A LOT, and it can be a little bit annoying during the night when I am trying to sleep. However, I can't complain because the movements do make me smile. I don't really have any specific cravings other than juicy Granny Smith apples and fresh salads full of veggies! I'm starting to fill up more quickly due to lack of physical space, so I feel like I am eating all the time!

I'm starting to get the itch to get up in the attic and get out clothes to wash and fold, re-assemble newborn "equipment", and organize all things tiny. We're using Madeline's bedding for the nursery, so I'm just having to do a little fine tuning as far as decorating the nursery goes. However, I'm resisting the urge to do that just yet since we have a few other room projects going on at the moment. I can't start a new project until I've wrapped up a few of my other projects first! It gets too overwhelming having too many "open" projects.

December will be here before we know it, and I am so excited to welcome Madeline's little sister into this world!

A Little Anxious

I went to the hematologist this afternoon, and I was a little anxious about the appointment. Sitting in the waiting room filled with obviously very sick patients, mostly cancer patients, ranging from young to old, made me a tiny bit nervous. My "what ifs" had started racing through my mind even though I know I am healthy. Luckily, the doctor I was seeing put my anxiety to rest with his demeanor, his explanation of my blood work, and his thorough exam of me.

My platelet count still reads low (not dangerously low at this point), so I will continue to see him throughout the rest of my pregnancy. As it gets closer to my delivery, my platelets will be monitored, and if I need a boost, then I will be put on a steroid. The worst case scenario is that I wouldn't be able to have an epidural at delivery time. Now, that doesn't make me super happy, but I can live with it. I'm just going to hope that it doesn't come to that. :)

Six Month Check-Up

I had my 24 week doctor appointment, and things seem to be moving along well with our little sweetie. I gained some weight (always makes those pesky doctors happy), passed the Glucose screening, and measured right where I should be measuring. Baby Girl's heart rate was strong, and she's been moving around a lot lately. Unfortunately, my platelet count has continued to drop over the course of this pregnancy, so I am having to see a hematologist next week to check things out. My doctor wants to have all his "ducks in a row" in case my platelet count is super low when I go into labor in December. I'm not terribly worried as I've always had issues with my platelet count, and I've even been to an oncologist during college. So, the bottom line is that my doctor just wants to make sure there is an "action plan" in place for a dangerously low platelet count when the time comes to deliver. Other than that little snafu, all is well with the pregnancy and Baby Girl #2.

More Pink!

I went to my 5 month appointment, and we received the news that Madeline is going to have a little SISTER! We were so sure that this baby was a boy, but we couldn't be more thrilled about adding another precious little girl to our family.

The appointment went well. Not only did the ultrasound reveal the gender of this baby, but most importantly, the ultrasound showed that this baby is growing well & properly. Maybe I don't remember from the first time or maybe because I am "high risk" this time, but I feel like I had lots of 'inspections' during this ultrasound. The ultrasound girl looked at lots of things, and everything seemed to be on track with Baby Girl. I know that things are fine because I am doing what I need to be doing, but I always breathe a sigh of relief after the monthly check-ups assure me that things are indeed going well.

The doctor, of course, made some sort of snide remark about my "whopping one pound" (yes, he said those exact words to me!) that I gained from last month to this month until he realized that my last pregnancy was similar, and I delivered a healthy, seven pound baby. Other than that, my blood pressure, blood work, and measurements seemed fine.


Meanwhile, over the next few weeks, I may have to cut back on my fruit intake since I have to take the glucola test at the six month visit. Don't want my sugar screening to be too high and be required to do the three hour glucola test again. Otherwise, I am looking forward to moving this pregnancy right along and meeting Baby Girl Stewart in December.

16 Week Appointment

Today was my 4 month check-up, and all seems to be going well with the little peanut. My weight was back to where it started since I lost 5 pounds from the initial-yes-you-are-indeed-pregnant appointment to my 12 week appointment. Did I mention how horrible my nausea was? Anyways, the doctors were glad to see that I was back on track with my weight. Even though I haven't really gained significant weight yet, it still freaks me out to see that scale tip 5 lbs. in four and a half weeks. Yikes! My blood pressure was fine as was the baby's heartbeat (143, I think).

I go back at the end of July for my 5 month check-up and ultrasound. I'm so looking forward to seeing if we have a little boy or girl. I have my "gut" feeling regarding the gender of this baby, so I'll share if I was right or not in that pregnancy update.

Now that my nausea seems to have subsided for the most part, I'm feeling good. It's definitely a different kind of being pregnant the second time around since I have an almost two year old running around, and the hubby is traveling a good bit. I'm not sure the grocery store I use will be able to keep enough produce on hand for me ~ I buy lemons and limes by the the ginormous bagful to "spice up" my water. Nothing other than ice cold water with a lemon or lime squeeze tastes good to me although I have yet to give up my morning java. I'm so addicted to caffeine, but I have limited my cup size and the number of cups I drink. :) I crave juicy, cold fruits; fresh, crisp salads; and ice cold protein shakes. I know, I'm weird. I'm not sure if it's the pregnancy or the heat or both, but meat, sugary foods, and hot meals are just not yummy.

My working out has not been affected of course. Those of you that know me well know that it would take an awful lot to affect my gym time. I'm still running a few days per week, and most days I do this crazy stair master machine that I call "the stairs to nowhere". (It's like escalator stairs with different programs to vary the intensity.) I do cardio about an hour each day & lift weights for about an hour. It feels good to get the old bones moving even on those days that I just want to sit on the sofa with a big bowl of ice cold, juicy grapes and watch morning TV.

I'm starting to show although I'm not needing maternity clothes right now. However, I made my big tankini purchase last week after our beach trip. I felt like an official mom buying a practical suit from Lands End, but I feel much more comfortable at the pool. Not to mention, the suits are super cute and much more sturdy than my cheap suits from Target! And, they were 50% off! Now that I have a little bump, Eric will probably want to get out his measuring tape to record how big my belly gets. He thought that was so fun when I was pregnant with Madeline. I loved it, let me tell you. ;)

All in all, things are going well in this pregnancy, and I can't complain. I'm healthy, the peanut seems to be doing well, and I'm looking forward to meeting our newest babe in December.

The Picture Says it ALL!
Yep, that's right, Madeline is going to be a big sister later this year! I am about 12 weeks along, and things seem to be going well with the little peanut. I saw him/her on an ultrasound just bouncing around, wiggling, and heartbeat-a-thumping. It was a relief to see for myself that everything was so far, so good even though I've been more run down and nauseated with this pregnancy. But, no time for Mama pity parties when you have an almost two year old, a traveling hubby, screened porch & patio construction, and day-to-day life to handle.

My due date is December 10, 2010, one day after my 35th birthday. As a result of that, my doctor has labeled me "borderline high risk" which just cracks me up. Really, he says I'm not "high risk" as far as my health, weight, habits, etc., but it's just the number "they" use to determine high risk category. I guess it boils down to my eggs being a little older which puts me at more of a risk for chromosomal issues. All that doctor speak and those extra tests just make me nervous. I like to leave things up to the Big Man Upstairs...He knows what we can handle. I've decided that if Madeline and this little peanut can handle my during pregnancy work-outs, then I think all is well. Yep, I'm THAT pregnant girl in the gym about to pop still doing squats, lunges, crunches, running, & stair stepping all in the name of "bouncing back" once the baby is born.

Eric and I are beyond excited to expand our little family, and we look forward to these upcoming months of pregnancy, changes, transitions, and enjoying our last months as a family of three. From the looks of these pictures, Madeline looks pretty excited too.

Tagged

My friend, Nancy, tagged me for this, and what fun! The instructions were to post the tenth picture in my first picture folder. So here is the picture...

Wow, this picture was taken one month before Madeline's birth---July, 2008. Eric and I were at my brother's house --- my oldest brother, Pat, and his wife, Kim, LIVE on their deck in the summertime. They invited us over for cocktails and dinner. Well, I enjoyed ice cold, refreshing tap water while my husband enjoyed cocktails. Kim was so excited to have a niece that she showered me with presents ALL THE TIME. It was pretty awesome!

In this picture, I am opening a sweet little picture frame that she had "stolen" a 3D ultrasound picture from us and framed. I came across that picture and frame in our move, and I just marveled at the fact that our sweet Madeline really did look like that when she was born. Technology is amazing.

I also look back at this picture and am reminded of how easy my pregnancy was --- no sickness ever, no complications, hardly any weight gain (only 15 lbs.), no swelling, easy labor and delivery, no crazy aversions or unusual sensory issues, no nothing, and we were blessed with a beautiful, "easy" child. I think about little Madeline now, and yes, she tests boundaries, but she is just a sweet and easy going as can be. I am also reminded of how I used to get my nails done every two weeks in a French manicure (look closely), and NOW I am lucky to even notice that I have nails. :)

I enjoyed this little "tag" because I ended up looking back through pictures that I had not looked at for the longest time. It was a lovely trip down memory lane.