Well, that's just swell

Ok, I know these baby/prego related posts are getting old, so just come back another day when I'm not posting about any such thing.

That was your ticket out, so if you are still here, I have a question. Or two.

I have had an inkling...I love that word...since I got pregnant that this was going to be a girl. I felt exactly the same that I did when I got pregnant with Makenna. Raging hormones, horrible breakouts, funky weight gain were all there. With Tracen I pretty much never felt pregnant except for my stomach the whole time. Not much else changed. When all those things started happening again this time that were not there with Tracen, I just thought it was probably a girl. I had forgotten about one minor, or huge, detail from that first pregnancy.

I was still leading worship and travelling to camps all summer long then. At twenty-something weeks I began to swell. Just my feet at first, but then just plain everywhere. I lost about 30 pounds in the days after having Makenna, and the doctor said it was total water retention. Pleasant. It would have been if I didn't have to lose a ton on top of the water, but that is another story. Everyone said it was because I was doing so much, travelling so much, standing and leading worship for hours on end, working out, and just plain pregnant through the LONG days of summer.

Last week as I was sitting at the computer, I got that old familiar feeling of tingling in my legs. I thought it was weird, and got up and walked around. Since then, it keeps on happening after I sit or stand for a bit...like 30 minutes or so. Can this really be happening again? You know I do not lead worship, it is not sweltering outside, and I do not work out at all like I did then. I have been drinking water, walking, doing Wii Fit-it can count, right?-and trying to not remain in one place very long. Each day I make it until around dinner time and I can just feel my feet and legs swelling. It is barely noticeable right now, but the feeling is still there so I know it is happening. My hands and face keep going up and down. I know some of this is totally normal, but you have no idea how bad it got with Makenna. As in I could barely open my eyes for my baby shower...what lovely pics those were...and could not tie my tennis shoes. Not your average swelling with pregnancy. They tested me for everything from preclampsia to heart junk and diabetes, but nothing was ever there. So I am kind of freaking out. I have long way to go!

Any suggestions from you guys would be wonderful to hear...

Help!

Tea for Two

It was tea time for mothers and daughters at FBC! What a fun afternoon of wonderful food, sweet friends, and getting to share some time with Makenna. Here are some pictures!

All dolled up


World's smallest teacup


Calyn, Beth, Meredith, and Stephanie


Sydney Kate, caught licking some sweet cream


Ellie with her cute nose and teacup


Mak and Mel

The Doctor is IN!

Today I had my first appointment with my potential new doctor. He had been recommended by a friend of a friend as well as by the head OB anesthesiologist at UMC, so I knew medically he would be great. So I nearly jumped up and hugged him after he started talking with us...really I asked him if I could hug him, but didn't actually do it. He asked me to talk about my last two birth experiences and what I had in mind for this one. Asked me. Wow. I explained everything from long cords, way too early inductions, prolapsed cords, to "I could feel most all of that" emergency c-sections. You know what he said?

He said he would never teach or train(UMC is a teaching hospital) someone under him to do something that could harm a mother, a baby, or increase the risk of a c-section in any patient, which is exactly what induction does.
He said they do not do inductions at UMC for convenience of patient, doctor, or hospital.
He said that will not happen with any of his patients.
He said there are, of course, times when it is necessary, like with health issues with mom or baby or being overdue.
He said that a VBAC holds the same risks, sometimes slightly lower, than a scheduled c-section, and that would be the best plan for me.
He said that it would be best for me to go into labor on my own.
He said women at UMC are allowed to labor, without pitocin, for as long as they need to, and however they need to.
Sitting, standing, walking, whatever.
He said my water would not be broken until the baby's head had come down in station and sealed the opening, so nothing like a cord can come out, too.
He said that if they do have to break my water that they do it with a tiny stick that makes it come out in a controlled manner.
He said I would be closely monitored and just be allowed to labor.
Allowed to labor!

CAN ANY OF YOU BELIEVE THIS!!!!?????

Sounds completely normal, huh? But NONE of this is what you hear at the other hospital in town. I was so amazed at the differences, and how what he was saying was backed up by all the research I have done over the past 4+ years. If only I would have done all this learning before having Makenna? I was nearly in tears just talking to him. He was very informative, very personable, and even wanted Tracen to help him hold the doppler to listen to the baby's heartbeat. I felt such peace being there, and am just so grateful to God for bringing me to this doctor.

Happy V-Sick-Day!

Well, as I was joking with some friends last week, we have never been well on Valentine's Day. I was so hopeful this year! Those hopes were dashed, once again. It's almost comical that it happens each and every year. Poor Tyson, though! We never get to do anything, and I am always stuck in the house with a sick kid, or with my sick self, and he never gets a prize, either! I think I might have to officially move Valentine's Day to another month for our family. If you start getting V-day cards from us in March or April, you will know why! Tracen had bronchitis/close to pneumonia all last week, and now I have it, too. I hated it for him because he was going to have his first Valentine's Party experience at Pre-K. Leslie brought all his little goodies by, and before she got there he was asking me what a valentine was anyway. How pitiful is that! He knows we give him a little prize because we love him, but he had no idea what Leslie was bringing him. Also, when he opened up the cards, he was even more confused by the Disney Princess ones from the girls. He wanted to know if they knew he was a boy! He just could not get that they chose the ones they liked and then gave them to everyone in class. He declared that Makenna would just have to take all this girl stuff. We ran up to Makenna's party on Friday to take some pictures since he was better. I hated missing her party! On the actual day we gave them a few prizes along with Bubba and Sarah's package and Mim and Pop's, too. They had a great time opening and playing with everything. Thanks to our sweet family for loving my kiddos. You are amazing! Here are some pics of the last few days, minus sick pics. Love all of you, too, in sickness and in health...heehee.

Tracen checking out his loot

Makenna's party


Cookies we made for Makenna's party


Sweet basket the kids made us for that morning, filled with some crazy stuff, but how sweet of them!

Tracen with the bouncy balls he made with the kit from Bubba and Sarah, during his breathing treatment

4 Weeks later...22 weeks

Here is the bump 4 weeks later. My camera warns you when you rotate the picture that the original one will be deleted and that the replacement one will be, in so many words, squatty. So I think I am a little squatty in my 2 bump pictures, but oh well! That can be my excuse, huh? I love how my friend Brie took a picture once a month and you can see it on her slide show. I have never really taken bump pics, only the night before I went in with both of the kids, and this time I wanted to remember how I am growing...and growing...and growing!

More From Tracen

"So, is today the day that doctor will tell us how that baby will get out of you?"

"I'm done pooping. I think some are regular poops, but some of the last ones have some of the runs on them."

"I am waiting and waiting for you to do my benoshunal(devotional)!"
"In just a little bit I will be in there, Tracen."
"But it has been a wittle and a wittle and a wittle bit. Three wittle bits!"

"I want a sister because I am your only boy."

"Why are the donut stores all closed? That one way over there with the green lights is still open. Now we can always go over there. All the time." (found out the secret about krispy kreme, darn it.)

"A movie is not tv, so I can watch a movie when my tv time is over. Movies are not tv!!"

"I want to name my Webkinz eagle Scary."
"I am not sure that is a nice name, Tracen."
"But mom, look at his eyes!"

After waiting and waiting to go feel the "snow" we had a few weeks ago:
"Aww, this is not real snow. It is just little ice balls. When are we gonna get the real snow?"

Meet Our Girl!

Here are a few pictures from our sonogram. It was so great to see her...and she was rolling around everywhere! She changed positions constantly and kept on doing this backbend thing. It was hilarious! I asked a ton of questions, and the sonographer wanted to know if we had any trouble with previous sonograms. YES! Seeing her little brain without any sign of hydrocephaly like Tracen had was so reassuring. His fluid went away one month before he was born. (God is so great!) I just needed to know the answers to a lot of things after all the weekly visits with him. Because she was all over the place, we got to see her for a long time. We will go back in a month to see if she will be still for some better pictures.

Her name is Mailey Leslie...the Leslie after my sister who passed away when she was 3 months old from complications from Downs. I have always wanted to use her name, and we are so happy we can! Also, Leslie is the name of a dear friend here who was able to come to the sonogram with us. She can just pretend to be family!

So, meet Mailey everyone!