Birth Story of Sweet Brielle Adalyn

Nearly three weeks ago I was in labor with this beautiful soul. She came rushing into this world just minutes before midnight. I can't believe that so much time has already passed and that the first month is already nearly over. I'm desperately wanting time to slow down, especially knowing that this is most likely our last. I'm trying to absorb every tiny newborn detail and fully appreciate everything as I won't likely have this opportunity again. There's a certain sadness that comes with your last baby. It's your last first everything when it comes to parenting and mothering...

When I went into labor with Aiden, I was fairly certain from the first contraction that I was in labor. With Brielle, it was a bit different. My stomach had been slightly upset for most of that Monday morning and I had some minor cramping. I had had cramping the last week or so as my body was most likely preparing for labor (I had just seen my midwife the Friday prior). After a few hours I realized that those cramps were indeed contractions and were consistently occuring. Around 10am I decided that I should probably give my husband, Ryan, a heads up that I thought labor was imminent as he was at work. I had been very nervous most of this pregnancy about how quickly that labor could progress considering that Aiden made his appearance quite quickly (he was delivered less than 2 hours after arriving at the hospital). I told him to just keep his phone nearby in case things began to progress as my contractions were still 8-9 minutes apart at this time. I decided to give my parents a call as well to let them know that we would likely be having a baby that day! My dad was our on-call babysitter for Aiden so I wanted to be sure he had plenty of time to leave work and get to our house.

The rest of the afternoon I spent puttering around the house, trying to relax and snacking on food when it sounded appetizing. Ryan made his way home and my dad also came over so we could leave quickly if need be. For most of the afternoon my contractions weren't too uncomfortable and slowly began to get closer together and more intense. I spent a lot of time just sitting on the couch with my first baby, Aiden, soaking up the last moments of him being my only 'baby' and bouncing on a yoga ball to help ease contractions and help Brielle move into position.

We made our way to the hospital around 6pm when my contractions were less than 5 minutes apart. When we got there, they checked me and found I was only 2cm dilated and 60% effaced. I won't lie, I was disappointed as that was barely any progress from my appointment the week before and began to become a bit worried if I could handle the pain and go medicine free again. They decided to have me stay a bit to see if I'd progress and Ryan and I walked circles in the hall hoping to get things moving. I was really, really hoping that this was true labor, as I wasn't ready to go home and continue to feel this way. Thankfully, my contractions slowly moved closer together and they admitted me. After walking around for what felt like a 100 times, we ventured back to the room to relax a bit. I bounced on the ball and we halfheartedly watched The Bachelor (haha) to try to distract myself.

This was such a different experience than with Aiden. With Aiden, I arrived at 4cm and within 45 minutes was at 10cm and pushing. Everyone always tells you that your second labor is quicker, so I was expecting to have progression move much more quickly. The slowness made me begin to doubt myself at times.

At about 7cm my contractions became more intense and painful. I was regaining confidence in my decision to avoid using any pain meds or an epidural, but there were moments that doubt would sneak in. I continued to trust that my body could do this on its own and I focused on each contraction and visualized that it was working to help prepare my body and her for delivery. I really believe that keeping calm and focused helps my body to relax enough to continue labor on its own. During both my labors, I get into a deep focus and really start to tune everyone and everything else around me out. It's easier for me this way and allows me to really immerse myself in the experience and tune into my body.

I should mention that I had originally planned on having a midwife be there for my delivery. I saw a midwife for all my appointments and had extensively talked to her about my wishes and desires. That morning when I called the office (she worked under several OB's), I was informed that she had to have emergency surgery and the other on call midwife wasn't able to assist either. I was bummed and nervous because now I had NO idea of who would be taking care of me and baby. I knew that the hospital I was choosing to deliver at were open to midwifery and their practices, so that gave me some comfort. That evening at the hospital, they had very few doctors on hand and I didn't know until an hour or so before labor who would be delivering. Thankfully, we had a great doctor who didn't try to rush anything and let labor take it's own course. I never once felt rushed or that my wishes weren't respected (I did have a general birth plan that my midwife has signed). I really can't say anything but great things about the doctors and nurses that took care of us.

At 11:10 they checked me again and I was nearing 8 1/2 cm dilated and they decided to break my water (I've never had my water break on its own). I felt the warm gush and my contractions became even more powerful and intense. I'd have one extremely tough contraction and the next would be weaker. It allowed me to gather some strength and focus between those intense contractions, but my goodness, some of those contractions were incredibly tough to get through. I remember trying to vocalize and ride them out. Some of the nurses were laughing a bit because I'd almost sing through them because for some reason it made me more comfortable. I really try to avoid screaming, cursing and so on because for me it doesn't seem to help and instead makes me feel frustrated and frightened. It's always amazing to me to see the different ways that people deal with the pain and labor experience. I always feel a bit bad because I really tune people out. My wonderful husband is so helpful and encouraging throughout it all, and I feel like I barely respond.

I vividly remember feeling her move and turn into the birthing canal. It was an unreal feeling and I knew at the moment that it would be very soon that we would meet our little Brielle (unnamed at that time) would be there soon. Several incredibly intense contractions passed and the intense pressure and feeling of crowning and she was nearly here. After 14 minutes of pushing and one last powerful push that took the last of my energy, and she arrived! 11:56 PM on January 25, 2016. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces and 21 inches of adorableness.

They quickly placed her on my chest so we could meet and I was in awe. She came into this world quietly and was wrinkly and purple. The distress from labor caused her to have some issues with respiration so unfortunately our immediate bonding time was very short lived. After Ryan cut the umbilical cord, they quickly moved her to the newborn station (which was in the room with us) to suction more, do the APGAR and monitor her to make sure that she was improving. She slowly improved and after about 20 minutes I was able to hold her again and marvel at all her tiny, delicate features. It was definitely a bit nerve-wracking waiting those 20 minutes, but I was assured that she was okay and that they just wanted to make sure that she improved and to monitor her closely. It wasn't ideal, but at that moment I only cared that she was going to be okay. Due to her increased respiration we weren't able to breastfeed until about an hour after birth. This initially concerned me, but she latched like a pro and we haven't had any issues since. Daddy finally was able to hold her as well and meet his little girl.

The relief that comes after labor is immense. I felt my body relax immediately and that surge of adrenaline. I swear that getting through labor makes you feel like you can take over the world. There's such an intense and raw high that you get from it.

The last few weeks have been a sweet bliss. I can't stop staring at that sweet face and smelling her newness and newborn smell. Seeing the love that her brother has for her, makes my heart explode a hundred times over.

Welcome to the world precious Brielle Adalyn. We can't wait to see the journey you take in this big, bright world!

Midnight Mom Confessions

I was awake in the early hours the other morning just thinking about birth, motherhood and all the changes to come. There's so much that can feel out of control when you're about to give birth to another child that it can feel overwhelming at times:

How quick will it happen? Can I deliver natural again? What if I need a c-section? Can we handle two kiddos? How will our son respond to a new sibling? Will breastfeeding be as difficult to establish this time? Among many other thoughts. 

 

I almost feel as though I'm more nervous and anxious this time around than the first time. Maybe it's because I'm not so naive about how tough, yet amazing those first few weeks (months) can be or how completely primal childbirth can be. During these moments, I trust that my body can handle and knows what to do and just put my heart and trust into the birth process. It's hard not having complete control, but will be so worth it no matter what way it happens. It's funny because I really feel as though the mind forgets a lot about childbirth and now I'm suddenly flooded with all the memories of Aiden's. His birth was quick and intense and a completely empowering experience. I'm hoping to relive something similar with his baby sisters. I think that my biggest fear during this birth is that it may happen very quickly. I'll definitely be heading to the hospital earlier (I went from 4cm to 10 cm in less than an hour last time), especially as we have to be sure that my Pop's is able to get to our home with plenty of time to watch Aiden and for us to get to the hospital. I'm hoping for quick, but not too cute. I definitely don't want to worry about having this baby at home or in the car. Eek! 

At my appointment Friday (38 & 1/2 weeks), I was showing signs of my body preparing for labor (dilating and effaced) and I've had contractions on and off all weekend. Excited to meet and love on our little girl (still unnamed) someday soon.

Send me your labor vibes and calming thoughts mama tribe. I could use them! 

Bump Ahead!

If you haven't guessed yet from the title....we expecting Baby B #2 in early February 2016!

Here's a special announcement from his or her's big brother:

The last 2 months have been a bit rough and I've felt pretty craptastic many days. I'm finally feeling a bit more normal and functional as I creep into the second trimester....thank goodness! My energy levels were terrible, felt nauseous all the time and dealt with some pregnancy insomnia. I'm definitely glad to be feeling back to normal and hoping that with my increased energy I can get back to blogging more regularly.

The last few months I pretty much stopped yoga and running. :( I just didn't have any extra energy to give and when I did workout, I was left feeling completely drained for the day and sometimes even the next. Now that I'm feeling better, I'm slowly working into getting more active again because I really missed it.

My appointments have been great so far with Baby B2's heart rate in the high 150-160's and growing right on track (slightly larger actually). The very beginnings of a baby bump is starting to form. Life is about to get crazy with two little ones running around. Aiden will be just over 2 years old when his sibling gets here and I'm really interested to see how he is going to react. It's probably going to be tough for him to go from having all of our attention all the time to having to share it with a newborn.

Excited to share the special news with you and to share the rest of this journey!

Rolling into fitness: We're now a cycling family, toddler included!

Five years ago, my husband surprised me with a surprise anniversary trip to San Franscisco (awesome right? Major points to him). That was definitely one of my favorite destinations that we have been to and I really hope to visit again someday in the not so distant future. While there, we rented hybrid Trek bikes and it was the best decision that we made. Since we were there for a long weekend we wanted to see as much as we could in a short period of time and the bikes gave us the ability to do so. Riding bikes there reminded us so much of how freeing and fun it can be zooming around on bikes. San Francisco consists of hill after hill and provides an intense workout, whether walking or biking. We definitely got an intense workout everyday navigating those hills.

Anyways...that trip ignited our desire to have some bikes of our own and today we finally took the plunge and made the investment. Now that were settled in our home and Aiden is old enough to ride in a trailer, we felt like it was the perfect time. We bought 2 Schwinn hybrids, a tow behind bike trailer and helmets (must have!!) for everyone. I cannot wait to get out and cruise around (we still have to install the hitch and rack on the car to get them home).

A's styling ride. It's a Schwinn Echo Double Trailer.

Ryan's Schwinn Men's Suburban bike

My white beauty, a Schwinn Network 1.0 700c Hybrid bicycle

We're lucky enough to live near some pretty great trails with gorgeous scenery (Kensington in Milford, Indian Springs in White Lake and Holly Recreation are a few of my favorites) and I have a feeling that this year we will be checking out a lot more areas than ever before and these will be perfect for adventures during our trips up north this summer. I've thrown around the idea of trying out a triathlon or duathlon for years so maybe now that I have all the gear, I'll take the plunge. I just love that this adds another way to get out and be active as a family. Were so busy sometimes that I hate to take family time away by going and doing fitness endeavors on my own, so being able to do this as a family is a win-win for everyone. And as always, it's so important for your children to have a healthy, active role model in their life too so I really try emulate that sentiment for our son. 

Since it's been years since I've rode a bike consistently, I really need to familiarize myself with rules, laws and all the safety guidelines. AND I'm a bit nervous about the ride behind trailer and really, really hope that Aiden enjoys it. I'd hate to have this be a struggle each time we go out (plus, those trailers are expensive!). He loves going as fast as possible in the jogging stroller, so I'm hoping that that is a good sign. 

For those of you that bike often, any newbie or beginner tips? 

Anyone have any must-have jewels of wisdom for cycling with a toddler? 

Any Michigan cycling trails that we must check out? 

25 Books of Christmas

We have a wonderful free-cycle group in my local community where members of the community give away items that they no longer need and sometimes even hold giveaways for some great products. It's a great way to get rid of items that you no longer want or need and give to someone that could use it. I've been lucky enough to have given and received many great items on this site. It's always heartwarming to see others helps those in need and the kindness on the site makes me so happy to live in such a great and caring community.

Several weeks ago, a kind woman posted a giveaway on the site for a 25 Books of Christmas gift that included 25 children's books, basket, wrapping paper and tape to be used the 25 days preceding Christmas. The premise is to unwrap and read one book a day leading up to Christmas. It's a great way to promote reading with your children, grow your child's library and a great bonding experience daily. There were many, many people interested in offer so she picked a name from the long list of those interested. I WON! :) To say that I was excited is an understatement. Anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm a bookworm and I can only hope that our son follows the same path.

All the books and goodies to wrap it up!

Wrapped and ready to read! 

We've had a great time picking out a book each day and reading a new book. There have been some great ones, but so far Little Blue Truck is definitely a favorite. This is definitely a new tradition that I think that we'll be doing each year while our child(ren) are still young. I plan on making sure to pass along the random act of kindness next year and offering a similar gift to the group.

Do you have any holiday traditions that your family participates in or traditions that you're hoping to continue/start? 

10 month Aiden update!

I remember thinking when Aiden was born that I was going to update in him monthly...well, 10 months later and I've failed terribly! >:(

Life's been crazy with an active baby around the house and somehow blogging has been pushed to the back burner. Now that he's becoming a lot more independent I'm hoping to be able to focus a bit more time to blogosphere because I miss it...and all of you! So hold me accountable, ok? :)

Anyways, little man is 10 months old! Holy crap, I can't believe that I need to start planning a first birthday party soon. Sheesh, it makes me kind of sad how quickly this has all went by.  We're so lucky to have the sweetest, most good natured kiddo ever. Like seriously, dream baby (well, everything except for his sleep, but it's getting better).

How He's Grown - We finally had his 9 month well baby visit and little man is long and lean. He's weighing 18lbs, 12 oz and at a height of 29 inches. He's 30% percentile for weight and 75% percentile for height. The weight gain has slowed, as has the height. Being lean and tall, has made it difficult at times to find pants that are long enough, but not too loose around the waist.

How He's Sleeping - This is by far the most inconsistent thing in our life right now. Some nights he sleeps the whole night through, others he's up every two to three hours. Lately (the past week), he's been sleeping through the night more often. The downside, he's been up at 4:30-5:30, but I think Daylight Savings Time also is messing that up. We started having Ryan go in at the middle of the night if Aiden was waking often. He was getting into the habit of having to nurse every.single.time, yet wasn't actually hungry.  Having Ryan go in to soothe him instead of me has made a difference and helped get Aiden into the habit of sleeping longer periods at night. The sleeping through the night has made naps a bit less predictable, and he's for the most part dropped to only one nap a day. I miss that second nap, but won't complain since I'm finally getting sleep at night!

There's his froggy lovey he can't sleep without.

What He's Eating - More like, what isn't he eating! He loves food...he's definitely our child. Haha! He's definitely not interested in eating baby foods anymore and wants more texture and to be able to feed himself. This past month, he's had a large interest in using the spoon and helping us guide it into his mouth. A few favorites: Popeye's pasta (creamed spinach sauce), oatmeal with fruit, tomato soup with rice, ravioli's, black bean burgers, & hash browns.

Spaghetti...another favorite!

What He's Doing - He's speed crawling, pulling up on everything, taking a few steps behind his walkalong toys, cruising along furniture, opening drawers, "reading" his books and really enjoying us reading to him. He's started to really become attached to a few toys and we had a minor blip when I left his lovey at my parents house! Thankfully his Papa came and dropped it off the next night! Phew! His favorite word is still "Mama", but "Baba" (dada) is following closely. Also starting to say "Hiiiiii" and "buh buh" for bye along with waving.

What He Loves - He absolutely adores his frog lovey from Carters. He has to go to bed with it each night. Also, his tiny tiger toy from Garanimals, Kohl's Cares dolphin stuffed toy, soft blocks, ball table and anything with wheels. It's so cute to watch him push the cars and trucks around. He's still digging his Fisher Price rain-forest Jumperoo as always.

What Else - Him and Maverick, our shihtzu are starting to become friends. Mav's still a bit reluctant at times, but Aiden's trying his best. Aiden's taken to feeding him from his high chair and always trying to give him toys. It's adorable.

We celebrated a good friends daughters first birthday! I always like to say that this is Aiden's future girlfriend! ;)

He also spent a day in downtown Detroit with his daddy watching me cross the finish line at the Detroit Free Press marathon where I ran in a relay team.

We also had a fun playdate at the beginning of the month at the Pumpkin Patch with a bunch of friends at Spicer Orchards. It was so great to see everyone and get all the babies together. I'm hoping to continue this and hopefully not go so long without seeing everyone.

I can't believe that we are less than 2 months away from a first birthday. I wish we could slow time down because it's flying by in a blur. I'm not ready for my baby to be a little boy!

Week in the life...with my Sarah Wells "Maddy" Breast Pump Bag!

I recently started using this bag and I LOVE IT! It seriously has made life so much easier with trying to balance my return to work and continuation of breastfeeding while I'm away from Aiden. I've used this stylish bag not only for carrying my breast pump to and from work, but also girl's days, gym sessions, and while working from home. This stylish, discreet and functional bag is incredibly useful to be used as a diaper bag and there have been several occasions where I've switched to using it instead of my normal diaper bag. The Sarah Wells breast pump bag provides ample space for your pump and accessories, plus the side pockets are so convenient for putting pumped bottles of milk with a ice pack (instead of feeling awkward using the employee fridge to store them).  If used as a diaper bag there is plenty of space for diapers, blanket, cover, toys and change of clothes. There is even a zip pocket to put the smaller items that you want easily accessible (like your wallet, keys, pacifier, etc.).

Monday & Tuesday:

It was my first few days back to work after maternity leave and I was definitely having some reservations about leaving Aiden at home. It was nice to have the bag to be able to pack everything up in so I wasn't running around last minute trying to find a bag that could safely hold everything and then be able to store everything I pumped at work.

But first, let me take a selfie!

It was comforting to have a private, accommodating spot to pump at work. I'm so thankful to work at a company that is fully, supportive of breastfeeding and make it easy for their employees to pump while at work. The Sarah Wells Breast Pump Bag had plenty of room to hold my pump, all it's parts, 6 bottles, hands-free bra, baby onesie (for scent to help letdown), magazines, deodorant, makeup, and even a padded pocket to hold my iPad to prevent damage...and there was still plenty of room.

Pumping station at work for all the pumping mamas!

Wednesday:

The morning was spent doing some quick work to help out my husband with his home business before running some errands and going to the gym. I knew that I was going to have to pump before starting my workout so this was perfect for taking my pump discreetly around town (used as purse too) and into the gym. The bag is convenient because it fits my pump and it's accessories in the side pockets when on the go so I can use the large middle compartment for extra clothes. My favorite thing is that I don't have to remove my pump to use it either (which is great when in a locker room to avoid germs). I can just pull out the flanges, attach and pump while keeping the pump inside the bag.

Little desk work to start the day!

Great looking, right?

Isn't it fabulous? The perfect size for breast pump and other essentials.

Thursday:

 Another day of work. :(  It's starting to get easier to be back at work, but I dread the days I have to go in. Working second shift makes it tough because I miss bedtime and the evening bath too. I'm sure that it'll get easier over time though and I'm determined to continue breastfeeding. 

This bag is really convenient for saving time. It's large enough that I can easily put my breast pump and all of it's parts in it already assembled so that when I need to use it at work I can pull it out and starting pumping ASAP, instead of spending time putting everything together. I love that it doesn't scream, "HEY, I have a breast pump in here!!", since I have to walk through the whole hospital going into work and to the pumping rooms. Haha! I had quite a few co-workers compliment me on it and they couldn't believe that it was a breast pump bag because they were used to the frumpy, obvious pump bags that they've seen and used before. 

Friday - Spent the morning catching up on some work and then GIRL'S Day! Spent the day out with friends shopping, dining and catching up! It felt so good to have a day to just relax with the girls since it hasn't happened in forever! Used the bag as purse and pump bag through the day so I wouldn't have to use two separate bags. Less bags = less to lug around and less to lose (sleep deprived mom equals scatter brained). 

Saturday - Spent the day visiting with parents so we were on the go a lot. On days when I have Aiden with me throughout the day I nurse him, so on the weekends I use the bag as a diaper bag. It has plenty of room for all your diaper bag needs with the separate compartments. If we're bringing bottles I just put them in the side pocket with a ice pack to keep them cool for 4+ hours and the water resistant exterior and interior lining is a life-saver when you have leaky bottles - which we did. :( Nothing hurts more than wasted breast milk, but at least clean up was easy with a simple wipe with a towel. The large interior is perfect for extra change of clothes, diapers, wipes and some toys to keep Aiden smiling. The zip pocket is perfect for throwing in my wallet, a pacifier and sanitizer for quick and easy access. 

Packed and ready for a day with family. 

Obligatory baby Aiden pic! ;) 

If you're a working mom or currently pregnant and planning on being a working & pumping mom, I highly recommend this bag! It's high function, discreet and fashionable as well. An added bonus is the versatility because not only is it useful for a breast pump bag, but also as a diaper bag, purse, and overnight bag in the future so it will serve to be useful for a long period of time, not just while breastfeeding and pumping.

For more information check out Sarah Wells Bag website or buy directly on Amazon.

P.S. Don't forget....Mother's Day is right around the corner! ;)

Welcome to Parenthood - Advice from a New Mom

Happy One Month Baby Boy!

I can't believe that it's already been a month since Aiden has been born. In that moment our life completely changed in so many ways, but I can say that it's worth it, but also has been one of the hardest months of my life. I don't think that any amount of reading, preparing and conversations can prepare you for the way that becoming a parent can affect you.

You spend 9 months imagining and preparing for this little person to enter your life and once they do, life is turned around completely. The moments following are some of the most challenging moments, both mentally and physically, however also the most rewarding and fulfilling. It's surreal the moment they hand your child to you. It's a moment of disbelief that YOU made this child and that he/she is yours to keep and raise and hopefully mold into a decent human. Talk about responsibility.

This past month has been a learning experience. I think most people go into parenthood with pre-conceived notions of what it will be like. Media shows parenthood to be this simple walk in the park of cute, sleeping babies (which they are...sometimes, and pretty much never at night), perfectly clean homes, easy & pain free breastfeeding (think again...it's hard), and so on.

Each person's experience differ, but the following are the few bits of advice I have:

Be prepared to be flexible - That first month is pretty much dictated by baby, and that's okay. Just go with it. There's no point fighting it because at that point you and baby are both learning this whole new thing. I know that I went into this with certain ideas of what I would and would not do. I've already reneged on more than a few things and I'm sure as time goes on there will be more.

Sleep when baby sleeps - Everyone says this...but honestly do it as much as you can. You never know how the upcoming night will go and you'll really regret not sleeping that extra hour when you've been up between 12-6am with a fussy baby. Those dishes will get done, laundry washed and house dusted...just maybe not today, or even this week.

Get over bodily fluids - You will be spit on, pooped on, peed on and leak everywhere before it's over. The sooner you get over being grossed out by it...the easier life will be.

Ask for help, and accept help -  If you need something ask. People aren't mind readers. And when others offer help...accept it. It's amazing how refreshing an hour to yourself can be, so take up people's offers to watch the baby for an hour or two, and accept all offers of free, prepared food.

You know your baby better than others do - Everyone loves to give advice. Listen, but don't feel obliged to do everything others say. They mean well, but sometimes people get diarrhea of the mouth and don't know when to just stay quiet (however, I do recommend listening to your pediatrician, but don't be afraid to ask questions and research your options).

Don't take anything personal said between the hours of midnight and 6AM - I had a close friend tell me this the other day and it's true. You and your significant other are both in this together, but sometimes after four nights of little sleep and three hours of a crying infant, tempers can flare. Being angry and resentful will only lead to more issues in the end. Make sure to keep communication open.

Lastly, give yourself a break - Being a parent is hard. Suddenly you're thrown into taking care of a human being that is completely dependent on you and sometimes you feel like you've lost a part of yourself at the same time. Everyone always said that it gets easier, and it does. It's only been a month for us, but I can tell you that each day gets a little bit easier than the previous day. And even if it isn't easier, those baby snuggles make each and every day worth it.

What words of advice do you have for new parents? 

Did you have a hard time adjusting to becoming a parent?

Welcome Home Aiden!

We're all doing great! I'll be sure to update soon on our birth journey. Thanks everyone for all your support and love through the last 10 months. 

Bumpdate: 36 weeks!

Guess What?! I hit 36 weeks today! Officially hit the 9 month mark and holy crap, that means Baby Boy is going to be here SOON! It blows my mind that if labor starts next week that they won't try to stop it. Eeek!!

Bumpdate Stats:

Weight Gain: About 28 pounds at 9 months. I was hoping to not gain anymore than 30 so we're getting close to that mark. I've honestly ate pretty well throughout the whole pregnancy and stay active at work. I was hoping to get some more workout's in, but by the time that I'm done with work, I'm pretty spent for the day and crash once I get home. I really can't wait to be active again and to have some energy after pregnancy. :)

Baby Size: Head of Romaine Lettuce (18 1/2 inches long and almost 6 pounds). At this point baby gains about an ounce a day.

What I've Been Eating: Little meals at a time because there's no room for much more. Still eating lots of peanut butter, fruits and veggies. Been digging nuts lately too. And of course lots of Turkey this week. :)

How I've Been Feeling: Tired and getting a bit more achy. Work kicks my butt when I stand all day (back aches). Still no swelling though so that's awesome! I feel like he's moved down lower so that's becoming uncomfortable to the point that it makes me wince at times. To be honest, for being 9 months pregnant I thought that I'd feel a lot worse so I'm pretty thankful.

Am I Showing Yet:  Duh.

I can't really tell if I've dropped...can you?

Any Other Symptoms: Occasional Braxton Hicks contractions and some insomnia. I think a lot of it has to deal with my work schedule kind of being all over the place (some days I work 1st shift and then others I'm working 2nd shift)

Best Moment of the Week: We had a great Thanksgiving with family. We had my parents over and Ryan's as well. It was great to not have to travel on the holidays like we have done for the last 10 years. Lots of great foods, company and celebrating. My sister got to feel the baby move too, so it was a pretty good feeling too. We also did lots of relaxing on our days off and Christmas decorating.

My sis and I

Ryan and my mom helping out in the kitchen and carving the bird.

The dads hanging out by the fireplace

The turkey apron my grandma made has been passed down to me. :) 

Anything Else: I have a work baby shower on Friday so that's really exciting. I feel so lucky and thankful to have my co-workers do this for me. I'm sure he'll be spoiled. :)  Also started my week OB visits this week. His heartbeat was strong and steady at 150. And we FINALLY told family what his name is going to be.

At this time next week there could be a baby?!?!?! WHOA! 

Any last minute labor and delivery tips that I need to know/remember?