Dear Mom

I'll be honest, I wish you hadn't taught him to say cheese.  Now look what my photos are like:

The smile and the dead eyes - not the haircut.  That was all my fault. ;)

Head Down!

We went to see Charlotte today. I'm still barely alive by my blood pressure, but gaining weight like a zombie champ. Ha!

Good news of the day: Baby is now head down! After my first yoga class I thought (and told T.J.) that she had flipped. My belly is much lower (got 3 comments on it this week) and less wide. And, the kicks are up high now. On the negative side of that, I don't breathe as well. I have a feeling that this baby is going to come out large and in charge.

Right now she's ROP - not ideal, but I'm pretty sure that's what Joseph was, too. I just spent 20 min looking for my blog post about that and couldn't find it. (Remember the awesome picture I drew of the baby positioned in my belly?) I've been reading up on it, and it sounds veeeery family given Josephs super-slow labor. Anyway, I'm not too concerned so long as she's not breech. I know there are safe breech positions, but I think that'd be my personal breaking point for the hospital.

Big plans for the next couple of weeks - we're heading up to South Bend on Friday for the first game of the year! Then we're off to MN for a family visit and my niece's wedding. Should be a fun time.

Cloth Diaper Update: Toddler Edition

Well, obviously Joseph is not potty trained yet. Bummer.

On the other hand, cloth diapering is easier than ever. He doesn't go quite as often, so we have plenty of extra diapers for the days I'm too lazy to do the laundry on time.

The biggest change from last time is that I went and got a diaper sprayer shortly after his 2nd birthday. You do have to be careful not to spray crap all over the bathroom (literally), but besides that, it's pretty nice. Toddler poo is just... not something you want to deal with for longer than you have to. The kid can clog a toilet like a grown man. Maybe #2 will be more into early potty learning?

What we're using:
Fuzzibunz size medium diapers
BumGenius 3.o (though I had them converted to snaps)
Green Mountain Diapers brown edge workhorse fitteds w/ Thirsties Duo size 2 covers

We use FB and BG during the day, and BG at night w/ the two microfiber inserts and a hemp doubler. I tend to just put the GMD workhorse fitteds on when we're at home, and I leave him coverless and pantsless most of the time. I'm hoping that together we can be more aware of his bathroom habits. So far neither one of us is paying attention!

Our plans for Baby #2 include orange edge prefolds and kissaluv size 0 with prowraps and thirsties covers, just like we did with Joseph. As baby gets older and I sell off my stash, I'm planning to buy more pockets for the older stages. They are nice when the poop gets stickier, and I'm not as adamant about having natural fabrics near the baby's skin.

My Son, the Midwife

Tonight as we're sitting on the couch, Joseph asked to put our bellies together. He started doing this shortly after he weaned (which was when I got pregnant). Frankly, I find it adorable, if not slightly uncomfortable now that I'm enormous. After a bit he pulls away the following conversation ensues:

T.J.: "Whose belly is bigger? Joseph's or Mamas?"
Joseph points to mine
Me: "My belly is so big because I have a whole baby in there!
Joseph begins pushing gently on my belly
Joseph: "Charlotte. Charlotte's house...a....a...a...baby"

("a...a...a..." is standard Joseph sentence structure and replaces all non-noun forms of speech. I'm told it's normal in 2 year olds)

Me: "Are you pretending to be the midwife?"
Joseph: "Charlotte...a...a...a...baby!"

Well, I guess so! He's so cute. He was feeling around for the baby, just like our midwife when she is checking baby's position! I wonder if they have play fetoscopes. Haha!

In other funky/funny/strange toddler and pregnancy news, I've been reading a book called "Mama's milk" to Joseph to prepare him for the baby, and it shows how all mammals nurse their babies. Lately he's been asking for mama's milk. I told him I won't have any until the baby comes. Ooooh boy. This could get interesting.

No FO

Well, it's been 2 months since I finished a knitting project. I have no real excuse... I've just had a hard time working on my current project outside of my knitting night. I think it's a combo of being tired of the pattern, having a million other things to think about (house, baby, move, packing, labor, delivery, etc...)

I always tell people how "easy" cables are, but they are doing me in. Not because they are hard, but because I'm finding this pattern tedious. Now all the lace-knitters are rolling their eyes, but that's how it is for me. Where's my stockinette?

Anyway, I finally sewed up the shoulders on Joseph's cable-knit hoodie, and started on the first sleeve. I'm modifying the pattern so it's knit in the round instead of in pieces, so hopefully it turns out!

I *really* need to crack down and get this done, so I can start a Christmas stocking for Baby Girl! If that's not enough of a reason, I don't know what is. I'd say I'm about 60% done with this.

Leg Cramp Conundrum

One of the less glamorous and more annoying parts of (my) pregnancy has been severe leg (and lately, foot) cramping. This lovely side effect usually comes on around 3-5am, and varies from a standard charlie horse in the calf to a full blown calf-shin-foot knot that is impossible to work out because if you stretch one side (calf) the shin muscle tightens (think where you get shin splints from running). It is excruciating and time consuming to deal with.

I'd had good luck keeping these torture nights at bay by drinking tons of gatorade. But, that's making me blow up like a balloon, which my healthcare providers (and I) don't especially care for. So last week I went cold turkey after calculating that I'd consumed 5,000 calories worth of gatorade in 2 WEEKS. Yes, that would explain my excessive weight gain the last couple of months. Ahem.

Buuuuttt... the cramping is back, and frankly, it pisses me off. What is it in gatorade that is keeping me from cramping up? The electrolytes, orange food dye? Just the fact that I can drink a lot more water if I have a little flavor in it? What is a good replacement, if it IS the electrolytes? Artificial sweeteners are out.

30 Week Belly Pictures - Then and Now

Here we are, in all of our glory. That's right, WE. I'm not taking all the blame for this!



Here I was at 30w1d with Joseph.


Oh, to be young (and thin) again...

Cross

Are you feeling cross? The panda bear is cross. Toby is cross. James is cross. So is Diesel 10.

Oh, you don't know what I'm talking about?

When you read a 500 page book to a toddler (twice) written in British English, he's bound to pick up a few words.

Once, he even said that *I* was cross. He was right.

For Your Entertainment

Back by popular demand: The baby name poll!

Click this link to vote. Feel free to add a comment with the name that *should* be on the list and is not. T.J. and I have not been spending a lot of time on this!

28 Week Appointments

We're a little behind this month - Tomorrow we're 29 weeks! I had my gestational diabetes test today (passed) and they drew a CBC. At first I thought my platelets looked better than with Joseph, but when I looked back at my old records I realized that I'm about in the same boat as last time. Der. So that means nasty chlorophyll, nettle, and vitamin k. Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.

Other than that, the baby looks good. I've gained ::cough::29lbs::cough:: so far. A bit much, but pretty much the same as with Joseph. Guess I'm not going to have a dainty baby this time, either. Oh well.

We're now on a 2 week schedule at the OB office, and 3 weeks with Charlotte. Lots more baby appointments coming up!

Dear Baby Girl

Dear child,

You cannot escape. Especially not out of my belly button. Please, stop pushing! It's cute for a second, but then it starts to hurt! Your little feet and legs are boney!

Love,
Mama

Baby girl seems to be quite a bit more active than Joseph was... not sure how that's going to bode for life "outside"!

Also, WTF is up with my underwear. They cut into my bump and it's so very uncomfortable. Same with my pants (maternity). I don't remember this with Joseph, either.

I think I'm going to have to start wearing more dresses. This will still require some sort of underwear solution. Sigh. I always wondered why women needed special "maternity" underwear. I assume this is it.

Another pregnancy fail

So, last week when I said that I missed the "99 days to go" post? I *should* have been posting that I was entering my 3rd trimester. Apparently it starts around 26w6d. For some reason I had it in my head that it was 28 weeks.

Sorry baby!

And - HOORAY - 2 down, one to go!!!