Sunday Bloody Sunday

Joe and Nathan enjoying some relaxing time by the Christmas tree. Now onto my story...
Sunday started off with Ella climbing out of bed and standing in her doorway behind the gate, yelling, "Mommy, I's awake." Her yelling then woke up Nathan. Super. Not to worry though, I was able to feed Nathan and then put him back in his crib for a while...until Ella ran upstairs and woke him up again. Oh well, it was time to get ready for church anyways. Somehow we got everyone ready and out the door, buckled into carseats, and backing out of the garage we went...very slowly, and with a strange noise. Something was wrong. A flat tire! So we pull back up into the driveway, I run inside to grab the extra carseat base to install into the Mazda, Joe gets Ella into her other carseat, and away we went...again. We made it to church with a minute to spare. I dropped Ella off in the nursery while Joe and Nathan went to sit down. Ella is doing much better with going to the nursery. She doesn't cry anymore, which makes it much easier to leave her there. When I found Joe and Nathan, Joe gave me a look...not a good look. When Joe took Nathan out of the carrier, his outfit was completely soaked. He had peed through everything! Bad Target diapers, bad. So Joe takes him to change his diaper, but we didn't have an extra outfit in the diaper bag. I can't think of everything! So Nathan spent all of the service wrapped in a blanket, in just a diaper underneath. I hope nobody noticed! When we got home, we ate lunch, put Ella down for a nap, and all Joe wanted to do was watch the Packer game. No such luck...he was on-call, and got called, and had to spend most of the afternoon trying to fix a problem at work. Then he took the tire to try and get it patched, but it was beyond repair, so we had to get a brand new tire. Needless to say, we were exhausted by the end of the night.

On a positive note, we were invited to dinner by a family at church Saturday night. They have 2 children and we brought Ella and Nathan. Ella had fun playing with their 2 girls and Joe and I had a nice time having adult conversation and a wonderful meal.

On a not so positive note, Nathan still isn't sleeping great and has yet to establish a good routine. Ella fell into a routine on her own, but Nathan isn't, so we're a bit clueless as to what to do. I am willing to try anything to get him to sleep for more than a 2 hour stretch. We recently purchased a Homedics Sound Spa Lullaby machine and the Miracle Blanket. We got both items on the same day, and that night Nathan slept for 5 hours straight. I thought it really was a miracle. We haven't gotten a 5 hour stretch again. I still have to get up with him 3, sometimes 4 times. He melts my heart when he smiles at me though.

Gigi and Puppa (my parents) will be arriving on Wednesday, then they will drive with me and the kids in the van back to Michigan on Friday. Joe will drive my parents car to Michigan the day before Christmas Eve. Then Joe, the kids, and myself will drive back to Wisconsin on the 28th. I am really looking forward to going to Michigan! Many people will get to meet Nathan, and I will get to see some friends that I haven't seen in a long time. I will finally get to meet THEIR kids!

Happy Holidays to all!

Holiday Cheer

Just wanted to share some pictures showing off our holiday decorations. And of course, my little elf, giving a smile for the camera!

These are The Days of Our Lives

I'm finally getting into a groove with my two kids! Yeah, it's still really difficult at times, but it's starting to become "normal." This is my life now, and even though every day is different and brings new challenges, I am so grateful for these two amazing creatures!

Ella continues to go to Miss Linda's house every Tuesday and Thursday. On those days, Nathan and I get some alone time to bond. I probably kiss his cheeks a hundred times or more! I also tend to do my errands on those days...it's much easier carting around one kid at Target. Nathan's sleep is improving, but it's still not great. He goes to bed between 10:00 and 11:00pm, and for two nights in a row, slept for 4 hours straight, and the next night, 3 hours straight. Then he was up every 2 hours until he was up for good for the day. However, last night he was up every 2 hours. I didn't get the 3-4 hours in the beginning. Darn. He seems to fall asleep about 2 hours after he gets up for the day, but sometimes not. I'm hoping in the next few weeks, we'll get on a better schedule...before I go back to work. Speaking of work, I took Nathan into work last week to "show him off." :) It was nice to see my co-workers and talk to my supervisor about my return. I will start back on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009. I will be working Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 hour days, not 10 like originally planned. I also got a flu shot while at the hospital. My arm hurt for 3 days! But...I am NOT getting sick again!

Ella is learning so much every day. She is able to recite the ABCs all by herself. It's the cutest thing to hear. She also said to Joe and I, "I wish you a merry Christmas." I wonder if they're singing Christmas carols at Miss Linda's? Ella is being much more gentle with Nathan. She loves to give him hugs and kisses, and asks to hold him. She is definately 2 years old however. I tell her to stop doing something, and she looks right at me and does it again. She also has this horrible habit of saying "HUH?" whenever you ask her a question. It is so much fun being able to do activities with her and have conversations with her. I try to do some sort of art project or craft on the days she is home with me. We made Turkeys for Thanksgiving by tracing her hands and feet, and just last night made reindeer with traced hands and feet also.

I was lacking motivation to put up Christmas decorations this year, but I did it anyways, and I'm glad I did. It makes the house look festive and puts me in the holiday spirit. Joe and Ella went to get a Christmas tree over the weekend, and after much adjusting, the tree is somewhat straight. I put all the lights on last night but still need to work on hanging the ornaments. I also have been playing Christmas carols on the piano, which has been fun and brings back memories. My parents will be coming to Wisconsin on December 17th and leaving their car here. Then they will drive back to Michigan with the kids and I in the van on the 19th. Joe will drive their car back to Michigan on the 23rd to join us. Then, Joe, the kids, and I will drive our van back to Wisconsin on the 28th. I am so looking forward to seeing family and friends, many who have not met Nathan yet. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

6 Weeks Ago...

This little man came into our lives. And what an amazing, difficult, crazy, chaotic, time! Immediately following Nathan's birth, I came down with a nasty cold which lasted a good 2 weeks. Not a good start. Then I had to deal with the epidural headache which lasted a few weeks as well. Last week, I get strep throat! I haven't been that sick in a long time. I had high fevers, getting up to 103.5, the worst chills, body aches, migraines, and a severe sore throat. I was prescribed Penicillin, which has finally done it's job and I am starting to finally feel better. Normally it takes 24-48 hours to feel better once starting the antibiotics...not for me though! Nope, my body decided to take a full 72 hours to start feeling better. I was beginning to doubt that I was ever going to get better. Joe has been taking very good care of me. Over the weekend, he took the kids over to his sister's house to play and then went to visit some friends, so I could sleep. And sleep I did. All day long, as much as I could. Sunday afternoon I was still feeling pretty bad and was wondering how I was going to take care of both Ella and Nathan on Monday. Joe's parents stepped in and offered to take Ella for a few days. I miss her so much but I know it was a smart move. I need to be 100% better so I can be on top of my game! I also realized that I can't let myself get so run-down. My immune system must be pretty weak right now. I have to take better care of myself and I plan on it. Ella will be back in 2 days, on Thanksgiving. I can't wait to see her. We've been talking on the phone nightly. (Which is always amusing!)

Nathan had his 6 week check-up today. 6 weeks ago, Nathan weighed 8 pounds and was 20 inches long. Today, he weighed 10 pounds, 2.5 ounces, and was 22 and 1/4 in. long. Head measured 39 cm. For weight, he is in the 25-50th percentile, length is 50-75th percentile, and head is 25-50th percentile. He had to get 3 shots! Poor guy...he wasn't happy. He's been sleeping pretty much ever since then, which worries me for what the night ahead will bring. I gave him a little Tylenol, so that should help with any discomfort. I almost started crying myself. That part doesn't get any easier with the 2nd baby. I almost had to laugh when the pediatrician asked, "So, when do you rest?" He was genuinely concerned and I appreciated that. Right after Nathan's appointment, we headed over to my OB for my 6 week post-partum check. Won't go into details, but everything is good with me as well. My platelet count went back to normal, I've lost all the weight I gained and then some, and was told I looked tired. Ha!

We are looking forward to seeing Joe's family for Thanksgiving this year. I am in charge of making 2 pies, which I enjoy doing every year. We are celebrating Joe's 29th birthday on his birthday, this Friday, with family. On Saturday I am going to a bridal shower, and then we have a family portrait being taken in the afternoon (possible Christmas card???). On Sunday, we are becoming official members of the church we have been attending since this past May, Community United Methodist Church, where Nathan will be baptized in January. We've asked our close friends, Brian and Jenny Lerch to be Nathan's Godparents, and they more than willingly accepted.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
We have so much to be thankful for!

Strep Throat

Yep, I've got strep throat. A few nights ago I had a 101 fever, as I wrote in one of my entries. Then the next day I started to have a sore throat, and I thought it was probably just another cold. Last night, I had another fever and really bad chills. This morning, my friend Jessica (a.k.a "Lifesaver") came over so I could run over to an Aurora Quick Care Clinic. I still had a temperature and my strep culture came back positive. So now I am on a course of antibiotics for 10 days. It is 9:00pm and I am going to bed. We decided to introduce formula to Nathan, just as a supplement. I still plan on breastfeeding 90% of the time, but for those times when I want to go to bed and don't have any pumped milk stored, Nathan will enjoy a bottle of yummy Similac, fed to him by his daddy. Good night!

First Smile!

I've been so wrapped up in my own health, that I forgot to report that Nathan smiled for the first time! He smiled at Joe a few days ago and then I got a small smile myself. I'm still not completely convinced, since he's not smiling consistently, but Joe says it was definately a smile. Nathan will be 6 weeks old this Sunday, so he would be right on track for that milestone. I have my 6 week post-partum check and Nathan has his 6 week check-up on Monday. He may need several shots that day...poor baby :(

I'm finding it rather hard to update the blog lately! I've been good about posting pictures on Snapfish though! Last weekend, Joe, Nathan, and myself went to Madison for my friend Katie's wedding. She was one of my roommates in college. Ella had a blast staying overnight at Aunt Liz's and playing with Dylan and Henry. Nathan was a hit and had several nice looking ladies holding him all evening! Joe and I felt a little spacey from sleep deprevation and ended up leaving around 9:00pm. Oh well...we tried our best! It was nice to see other adults and catch up with friends.

Ella has been sick. She came down with croup and sounded like a seal barking for days. We had to take her in the bathroom and turn on the shower for the steam several nights. Unfortunately, there's no medication for croup, so we just had to wait it out. Ella woke up many times during the night coughing, and once we had her back to sleep, guess who else would wake up? Ella is feeling better now, but has started throwing tantrums at night, at the dinner table and right before bed. Joe is doing much better than me with his patience...I have to work really hard and keeping it together. Maybe it's still the hormones that are all out of whack...I'm not sure how long I can use that as an excuse though!

Nathan has had a few great nights! Two nights ago, he slept for 4 hours straight! Then he got up, I fed him, put him right back down, and he slept for another 3 hours! It was amazing. If only this could be his schedule...we'll see! It does seem to be getting better though. I bought a sleep positioner which inclines him slightly and keeps him between two "wedges." It seems to be helping his dislike for back sleeping.

And finally, I'm sick. Two nights ago I had a 101 temperature and the chills. Joe had to pile blankets on me and I was still shivering. The next morning I called my OB because I thought I had mastitis (google it), but I went in, and it turns out I don't have it. My doctor thinks it's viral and probably the flu. Well, the temperature went away, but a sore throat came on and it's awful! I'm taking Zicam and extra vitamin C, desperately trying to stop this cold in its tracks! I can't be sick. I can hardly take care of two kids when I'm healthy!

We Made It!

It was a long week, but we made it! I am lucky that Ella is able to go to Miss Linda's two days a week. Being a stay-at-home mom of two kids (for the time being) is by far the hardest job I have ever done. The beginning of the week was great...the temps were in the 70s (in November, in Wisconsin!) so we were able to get outside for some short walks and trips to the park. So we didn't get out of the house until noon, but we DID get out! One day we all went to Target and to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I felt like "Super Mom," tackling those adventures. It actually went pretty well! All the days are blending together, making it hard to remember exactly what we did all week, but here are some highlights:
* Nathan peed on his face
* Ella managed to lock Nathan and I out of the house (luckily we have a spare key)
* While I was feeding Nathan, Ella ripped pages out of a novel I'll probably never have time to read

My new favorite word that Ella says is "computer." However, she says "pew-ka-ker." It's hilarious!

Nathan is starting to stay awake a little more during the day, but still sleeps a lot in the evening, so when I'm ready to go to bed, he's wide awake. He still sleeps for about 3 hours the first stretch, then is up every 2 hours until we get up for the day. He loves to be held! My favorite times are when he's sleeping on my shoulder, all curled up. I'm taking Nathan to get his 1 month pictures taken on Tuesday. 1 month already! It's going too fast!

The Dietrich and Truttschel Boys Meet!

Joe and I took a road trip with Nathan yesterday to Appleton to visit Paul, April, and their new son Jackson. Nathan and Jackson are 10 days apart. We've decided that since Paul and Joe have been best friends for 20 plus years, our boys are going to be forced to be friends. They have no choice! :) We hung out for a few hours, watched the Packers, fed babies, changed babies, and got very sleepy on the couch. It was so nice to be with our friends for a few hours though. It was also nice to talk with April about newborns, motherhood, and sleep deprivation!

Ella's daycare provider is on vacation this week, so that means I have both kids all week. So far, so good...but, it's only Monday! It was 70 degrees outside today, so we took advantage of the beautiful weather and got outside for a walk and some time at the park. Tomorrow I may get together with my sister-in-law and her son, so he and Ella can play, and then Thursday, our friends Alison and Sean are coming over to watch Nathan for an hour or so, so Ella and I can go to open gym at Tumbling Tykes. I think we'll be okay this week.

Nathan continues to sleep for about 3 hours for the first stretch, usually from 10:00 or so until 1:00am, then wakes up 2 more times after about 2 hours, until he's up for the day. I feel pretty good until about 4:00pm, then I start to fade. But, I'm hanging in there!

Here are some new mother (again) observations:
When you visit parents of a newborn, offer to help in any way you can, be it cleaning a bathroom or making a sandwich. Anything is appreciated! When you visit new parents, don't expect to have a relaxing afternoon/evening. The kid's gonna cry, poop, spit-up, and cry some more, and the mother will be frazzled and about to pull her hair out. Don't take this personally. Don't try to take a leisurely afternoon nap unless the mother and father can take one too. Don't, under any circumstances, talk about losing baby weight! (These are just random thoughts, after visiting new mothers recently.)

And finally, my friend Stacey and her husband Josh welcomed a baby boy, Alexander, on Halloween. After 4 plus hours of pushing, Stacey had to have a C-section. Baby Alex weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. I'm hoping to visit them next week when Ella is at daycare.

Ps...Nathan is sleeping on my chest in the awesome sling that Christine sent me. It's like a hands-free cell phone while driving!

Success!

I can't tell you what has been going on the past few days...I have been so sleep deprived, sometimes I don't even know what day it is. We're still trying to figure out our little guy...does he like to be swaddled? Does he like the bassinet or the crib? Does he think we're doing a good job? :) Ella slept pretty good early on. Nathan...not so much. He eats then gets fussy if he doesn't burp. He wakes up 10 minutes after I put him down. Some nights I got less than 3 hours of sleep! Makes it hard to chase around a very active 2 year old!

Nathan had his 2 week check-up and he's doing well. 8 pounds, 4.5 ounces, 21 inches. He goes back at 6 weeks.

We enjoyed taking Ella to the community Halloween Party ( see Snapfish) and going to a few houses for Trick or Treating. Ella was a cheatah and Nathan was a monkey.

Back to the title of this post...we had a very successful night last night. Seems like Nathan DOES like to be swaddled, very tightly, likes his crib over the bassinet in our room, and told me we ARE doing a good job. (Okay, made up the last one.) He slept 3 hours, then fed, slept 2 hours then fed, then slept almost 2.5-3 hours again. It was heaven! I hadn't gotten that much sleep in days! So, I think we'll be okay. :) We'll see what happens tonight...

Epidural Headache

Since I had such an easy labor and delivery, with no painful complaints to follow, I am now suffering from a headache, caused by the epidural. They can come on 1 day to 1 week following having an epidural. Mine started about 5-6 days after my epidural, and has been going on now for 6-7 days. It feels like a mild migraine, but my migraine medicine doesn't work. Lovely. I called my OB, who told me to call the Anesthesiology Department at the hospital. A nice doctor called me back and spent some time talking with me about options. Basically, I can wait it out, sometimes taking 2-3 weeks and drinking caffeinated beverages, or go in for a procedure, called an epidural blood patch. This is where they take some blood from your arm and then "re-do" the epidural, but they inject the blood into the epidural space. It works 9/10 times, but causes low back pain. The headache is caused by a "leak" from the epidural catheter. So, I'm going to wait it out, avoiding getting another epidural. I guess I'll just be hopped up on caffeine for the next few days. Maybe it will help with my severe sleep deprevation.

My parents are back from their South Dakota vacation and are staying through the weekend. I actually got to sleep in a few extra hours this morning. It was amazing!!!

On to some friends and family news:
Our friends Paul and April welcomed their son, Jackson Adam, on Oct. 22nd. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 19 inches long. Just a little peanut. We're going to introduce our boys next weekend. Ella will get to play with her cousins for the day while we travel to Appleton. My cousin, Kristen and her husband Brian, welcomed their daughter, Aubry, on Oct. 23rd. She weighed in at an impressive 9 pounds, 7 ounces, and was 22 inches long. Holy cow! Now I'm just waiting to hear the news from my friend Stacey. Let's see...is there anyone else expecting a baby in the next few weeks? I'm having a hard time keeping track!

I may create a new webpage at www.totspot.com, but I have to look into it a little bit more. I'll keep you posted. More pictures to come, I promise!

We're Surviving

Today is my second day being home alone with both kids. Let me tell you, it's a really hard job! Both Ella and Nathan are sleeping right now, and I probably should be too, but instead I'm trying to get some things done. I was so proud of myself today because we actually got outside and walked to the park. Ella didn't run away or anything, and I wasn't seen sprinting down the street with a stroller. Thank God!

We've been home a little over a week now, and most moments are really great, while other moments are chaos. I'm still dealing with crazy hormones, making me super emotional. I have very little patience at times with Ella, and then I feel so guilty afterwards. I think about how I'll probably never be pregnant again, and that makes me sad. Weird, I know. Then again, I know that we only want two kids. Confusing! Nathan wakes up every 2 hours at night, on the dot it seems, so needless to say, I'm tired. He makes the cutest faces and sometimes really looks like Ella when was she was a baby. Speaking of Nathan, he just started to cry, so I'd better go. I'll update soon.

Nathan's Birth Story

I thought I would give some more details about Nathan's rapid arrival, so here it goes. Our day on Sunday, October 12th, 2008:
We arrived at the hospital at our scheduled 8:30am time. It took almost 2 hours to answer questions, give insurance information, and get hooked up to the monitors. I wondered if they took this long for someone who is in active labor? I would've flipped out! The nurse put in an IV and started Pitocin at 10:15am to get the contractions going. It took about and hour to start working, and my contractions became uncomfortable around 11:30am and were about 2-3 minutes apart, sometimes closer together. The on-call doctor came in and broke my water at 12:30pm and told me I was a good 3 cm and shortly after that my contractions became very strong and painful. I tried just breathing through them while Joe and I watched "The Butterfly Affect" on FX. Weird movie. Anyways, I asked for some pain meds at 1:30pm and my nurse gave me Nubane or Nubain through my IV. Awesome stuff! I felt drunk and happy...although it didn't really help the pain. But, I just didn't care as much! :) I was given an epidural at 1:45pm but it was only working on my right side, which didn't help much. The anesthesiologist came back in about 15 minutes later and gave me a "bolus" which increased the medication and ended up working. I was told to lay on my left side to help the medicine get to that side, and it worked. Around 2:30, my nurse checked me again and I was 5-6 cm. I continued to lay on my side and took a brief snooze since the Nubain had made me drowsy. A few minutes later I started to feel pressure, like the baby was getting lower. At 2:52 pm, just 22 minutes after I was 5-6 cm, the nurse checked me again and I was 10 cm! The baby's head was visible. Then things got crazy. My nurse put on the emergency light, called for any available nurses to assist, and called for ANY doctor on the floor. My doctor was at Target since she thought she had a while. Joe called my mom and his mom, since they were supposed to be in the delivery room for the birth. I pushed 2 times at 2:57 pm, and baby Nathan was born at 2:58 pm. Needless to say, our moms didn't make it. My doctor arrived shortly thereafter to check on me. I didn't tear at all, which thrilled me! Nathan was placed on my chest immediately and I cried of course. Our moms arrived and were disappointed that they missed the actual birth, but they were so excited to see Nathan, and to be grandmas again. Nathan's apgar scores were 8 and then 9. He weighed 8 lbs. and was 20 inches long. He passed all the tests, and his blood counts were normal. No jaundice! He was circumcised and the doctor said he didn't even cry during that. (I wonder if they tell that to all the parents?) Besides having a cold, I feel wonderful. I do not feel like I gave birth 3 days ago, that's for sure. With Ella, I was sitting on one of those "doughnut" pillows for days! I was outside playing with Ella yesterday when we got home from the hospital. It's definately an adjustment, bringing a 2nd baby home. Ella is very curious and needs to be reminded quite frequently to be gentle. Nathan is eating very well, especially since my milk came in over night. He spits up a lot, but the pediatrician said not to worry at this point. Nathan did lose weight, like most babies do. He's now 7 lbs. 8 oz. He sleeps a lot, but when he's awake, he seems very content. He just looks around with his wide eyes. I thought it would be weird having a boy, since I'm only used to having a girl, but it feels completely normal. My parents are leaving for a vacation to South Dakota tomorrow, Ella will go to daycare, and Joe is going to work for a 1/2 day, so it will be just Nathan and I in the morning, and then Joe will join us in the afternoon. We'll have a little time with just Nathan, Joe, and I before Ella gets picked up from daycare (which we are still completely thrilled with!) Joe is taking Friday off as well, so it will be the 4 of us. Ella will continue to go to daycare Tuesdays and Thursdays while I am on maternity leave. Monday will be the first day I have both kids on my own. I am a little nervous! Well, this got very wordy, but I wanted to share all the details and excitement. Please call if you'd like...I'd love to talk briefly if I'm available! :) Look for some more hospital pictures on Snapfish, taken by my dad.

We're Home!

We are home and trying to get settled. It was a roller-coaster ride that I will describe in more detail tomorrow. I came down with a cold and that's really the only thing that's bugging me right now. We have to watch Ella like a hawk, as she doesn't really understand "gentle." It's going to be a challenge. Nathan is perfect and we are so thrilled to finally have him at home. I have posted pictures on Snapfish, so look for the link in your e-mail. I will make updates on the blog as well, but most pictures will be on Snapfish from now on. Nathan has his first pediatrician appointment tomorrow. I will post more tomorrow. For now, I'm going to play with Ella and try to keep my eyes open. I will also answer phone calls in the next day or so. It's just been crazy!

Nathan Gerald Dietrich

Welcoming to the World Sweet Baby Boy

Introducing to Everyone,

Nathan Dietrich

HOUSTON...WE HAVE A BABY!!

HOLY COW! Things sure progressed fast after I spoke to Joe the first time. He talked to my husband and it sounded like there was a lot of family celebrating on the other end of the line. SO we just got the quick info to share with everyone...

Nathan Gerald Dietrich
Born: Just before 3pm (don't have an EXACT time)
Weight: 8lbs.
Length: 20 Inches

As far as we know, both baby and momma are doing well.

If I am able, I will get a photo an here if one comes through.

CONGRATLUATIONS TO MOMMY AND DADDY AND BIG SISTER ELLA!!

Won't be long NOW!

Allison's friend April here, doing what I can to keep everyone informed!
I have been unable to sign in to the blog for the past few hours, so I apologize that this is the first post. Here's my update:

8am - Joe and Allison arrive at the Woman's Pavillion at Aurora Hospital in West Allis

10am (or so) - Allison was started on Pitocin to induce her labor

12pm - (When I received Joe's phone call), he told me that Allison's contractions were about 3 minutes apart, but not too painful yet. She has not begun the epidural at this point. THey are doing what they can to make the time go by. Both the Murphy's and Dietrich's are at Joe & Al's with Ella. Mrs. Murphy & Mrs. Dietrich are eagerly waiting their call to join the excitement when Allison begins delivery.

That's the news as of noon today. I will be posting again when I hear from Joe. Won't be long now!!

No Baby Yet...(but a new addition to the family!)

We are now the proud owners of a Honda Odessy mini-van. That's right...a mini-van. And guess what? We LOVE it! We put the car-seats in (yes, plural now) and I didn't even have to bend over. There is so much storage space and it's very comfortable. It's more of a bronze color, even though it looks silver. Joe still thinks it's silver.

We will be leaving the house tomorrow morning at 8:00 for the hospital. We will be calling our friends Paul and April with any updates and April will post on the blog. It seems very surreal that our baby is going to be here tomorrow. I think we're ready. I hope we're ready!

Well, I'm going to go watch the instructional DVD on my new baby sling and see if I can figure it out. Here's one last picture of me...39 weeks! I'll try posting as often as I can, but most pictures will probably be on Snapfish for a while. Thanks for reading my blog. I hope it helped out-of-town friends and family feel closer.

Full-term!

Just a little humor to brighten your day. It's appears as though my belly is hitting Ella in the head. But there it is...my 37 week, full-term, baby belly. Labor won't be stopped at this point. I went to the doctor today while Ella spent some time over at my friend Alison and her husband Sean's house. Typical stuff...weight, blood pressure, baby's heart-beat, measurements...all good! Measuring at 34 weeks, but that isn't a concern anymore since we know the baby is a good size. I've gained roughly 22 pounds, which I think is less than with Ella. Maybe that means it will come off super quick! (I can always dream, can't I?) Last week I was dialated 1 cm, and that hasn't changed as of this week. More blood was taken to check my platelet count as usual. I go back in a week. I'm beginning to have a nice relationship with the valet parking employees! I'm sure they start to recognize all the pregnant ladies that come every week!

We've decided to send Ella to an in-home daycare provider starting tomorrow. Ella and I went over to "Miss Linda's" house this evening and played for a while, so Ella could get to know Linda a little bit and become familiar with the new environment. I think it will be a much better fit. We just didn't feel comfortable with the big daycare Ella attended all last week. Joe and I feel much better about this arrangement.

I steralized all the bottles and breast-pump parts today while Ella was taking a nap. I feel better now that that's done. You'd think I would be more on top of getting my bag packed, but I keep putting it off. One more week and I'd be okay with this baby coming. No sooner though.

All of my pregnant friends/family are doing well. Everyone is out of the hospital and pre-term labor has been stopped for now. Fingers crossed it will stay that way.

One more little note: my friend Christine, who has the cutest little boy named Danny, has become the queen of motherhood. She's knows so much and is so involved in playgroups and whatnot. Well anyways, I received a very thoughtful gift in the mail today. A baby sling! It comes with an instructional DVD...that frightens me a little bit. I hope I can follow the directions. It seems like it will be a lifesaver once the little man is here, since I will still need 2 hands to take care of a very active 2 year old! Thanks Christine!!!

My Baby Turned Two!

Here are some out of order pictures. You'd think I would have figured out this whole blog thing by now. I haven't. The two top pictures are of the baby's room. I haven't moved in the rocker yet because we still read books with Ella on it. Otherwise, it's done! Yay! Pictures 3, 4, and 5 are of Ella's big birthday party. She got a new bike from her Aunt Liz and Uncle Brian, and we haven't been able to get her off of it since! What a big girl! Ella enjoyed her cake and was kind enough to pose for a picture with her mommy and daddy. Curious George was the theme. Ella received lots of nice gifts and actually was excited to open them this year!

New baby update:
I am now 36 weeks and 1 day. I had an ultrasound today to make sure the little guy is growing okay. He is! He is estimated to be 6 pounds, 7 ounces at this point. After my ultrasound, I had my 36 week appointment. No weight gain since last week, blood pressure was good, platelets were stable...all good things! Still measuring small, but the doctor is no longer worried about that. He said it's because the baby is positioned so low. I was tested for Group B Strep and will find out in 48 hours if this will be a problem. I also found out that I am already 1 centimeter dialated. The doctor said that he would expect that I might deliver earlier than October 19th. If I were to go into labor now, they wouldn't try to stop it. So, now we just wait. I'm hoping to make it until after October 6th, which will allow me to be on maternity leave until after Christmas, so we can travel to Michigan and not worry about going back to work before that. Keep your fingers crossed!

Ella had her 2 year old check-up today. She's the size of a 3 year old. I asked what percentile she was in for height and weight, and the doctor said there really wasn't one that she fit into, since she's off the charts! But, at least her head is porportionate to the rest of her body! :) She received the Flu Mist vaccine, and that was it. We go back in 1 year for her 3 year old check-up. Ella starts daycare tomorrow. Joe will drop her off and I will pick her up. I just hope that she does okay. If I think about it too much, I get sad, just picturing her there, not understanding why she's there and where mommy and daddy are. I'm sure she'll do great, but I'm just being a mom. My parents will be leaving tomorrow. My mom has been here for 3 weeks taking care of Ella and my dad arrived last Thursday in order to be here for Ella's birthday. They'll be driving back to Michigan together tomorrow, probably just to turn around and come back for Nathan's birth!

Two people to keep in your thoughts:
My friend Stacey, who is 32 weeks pregnant, went into pre-term labor last week and was hospitalized for a few days. She is home now, but on bedrest. And also, my sister-in-law, Julia, who is only 21 weeks pregnant, also began having contractions and was hospitalized Saturday night. She is still in the hospital receiving medication to stop contractions. So far, they have stopped, but she will stay overnight to make sure. She's not sure yet what her restrictions will be at this point.

I'll keep posting short updates (unlike this novel) every week.

35.5 weeks

I just wanted to update everyone briefly. Sorry no pictures this time...soon, I promise. The fatigue has set in, as well as being uncomfortable most of the time. 4-5 more weeks to go, and I know I can do it! I went to the doctor today and again my platelets dropped, this time to 91,000. As a reference, a normal platelet count is 150,000-450,000. No big worries or interventions unless they drop to under 50,000. I am also still measuring 3cm behind. At 35 weeks, I am measuring at 32 weeks, so the doctor decided to schedule another ultrasound in the next 1-2 weeks to double check the baby's growth and development. She made sure to tell me that she is not concerned. I actually saw another doctor in the practice today and she was very friendly, so I would have no problem if she ended up delivering the baby. There is one more doctor joining the practice on October 1st, so my appointment on October 6th will be with her. Then I will have met all the doctors. On an exciting note, I have made my last 4 appointments before my due date. I have to go weekly from now on, so my late appointment scheduled is Oct. 13th, 4 weeks from now. At that appointment, I'll have to make another appointment for the following week, but hopefully not! :)

My mom is still here helping out with Ella before she starts daycare. This is her last week at our house. My dad will be arriving this Thursday and staying until September 23rd, when he and my mom will drive home for a few weeks, before coming back when Nathan is born. My mom has been wonderful...cooking, cleaning, keeping me sane when Ella is testing my nerves (which is happening a lot lately.) I went to visit the daycare today and dropped off some items for next week. Everyone was very friendly and all the kids looked to be having a good time. I'm still a little anxious and I'm sure it will be an adjustment. Ella turns 2 years old in just under a week, which is unbelievable to me! I can't believe it's been 2 years since she was born.

I will update weekly, after my appointments and after my ultrasound. I'll take some pictures of the nursery, since I finally painted all the circles.

I'm Due Next Month!

Now that it's September, I can officially say that I'm due next month. How exciting! The baby's room is almost complete...just a few more little details on the walls and it should be done. I bought some newborn diapers, since I figured Ella's size 4-5 diapers might be a little big on Nathan. My mother-in-law is painting wooden letters that will spell Nathan, just like she did with Ella. I have the perfect wall space for them. I'm feeling pretty good and got through the heat wave we experienced the past few days. This next week is supposed to be in the 60s and low 70s...much more comfortable. I am still sleeping very well and Joe hasn't been kicked out of bed yet, which happened near the end of my pregnancy with Ella. Work is getting a little harder, especially being on my feet most of the day. I just keep telling myself, "6.5 more weeks!" I can do it!

I was 33 weeks on Sunday and had an appointment today. I met with a different doctor since my usual doctor didn't have any openings this week. It was a good thing, since this doctor may be on call, depending on when I go into labor and deliver. As usual, my platelet count continues to drop. I had to get blood taken again to check the level. My platelet count is 99 and the doctor said they wouldn't start to really worry unless it dropped below 50. At the end of my first pregnancy, it had dropped to 92, and I didn't have any complications from it. Hopefully it will turn out the same this time. My blood pressure and weight were normal, and the little guy's heartbeat was strong, in the high 140s. The doctor was able to determine that he is head down (yea!) and his knees are what's getting me all the time on the right side!

My parents came to visit this past weekend (see the Snapfish link I sent) and we enjoyed avoiding the 105th Harley Davidson Anniversary Fest. I've never seen so many motorcycles in my life! (Except for maybe 5 years ago at the 100th Anniversary when Joe and I lived downtown.) Of course we now live less than a 1/4 mile from a Harley dealership. We could hear the bikes and live music from our backyard. Crazy! My mom is now staying with us for the next 3 weeks, until Ella turns 2 and can start in the 2 year old room at the new daycare. She is stringing more and more words together and says the funniest things. She has also learned how to peddle a bike which is the cutest thing to watch! I also went to my friend April's baby shower this past Sunday and had a blast. I LOVE seeing all the new baby "stuff" that is out now. You wouldn't believe all the new stuff that comes out in only 2 years! Speaking of baby stuff, last week I went to Babies R Us with my friend Stacey, who is due 2 weeks after me. I helped her add some essentials to her registry. I had so much fun...I think Stacey was overwhelmed. It's her first. I feel like a pro now! (That may change in a few weeks when I have TWO children.)

I'll update again in 2 weeks or so, unless something really exciting happens in our lives. My guess is that I'll update in 2 weeks or so. :)

Some pictures from events described below...

Lots of updates!

Where do I even begin? It's been a few weeks since I've updated everyone, so I'll try to remember everything that's happened. I had my 31 week appointment this afternoon and everything is still going well. I measured at 28 weeks, so still growing! The doctor said the baby is hanging out in a sideways position, which may be why I'm measuring small. That would also explain the kicks I keep getting all the way on the right side of my waist! My blood pressure was normal, weight was fine, passed the glucose test (which I think I already reported) and my platelets continue to be low. Since I go every 2 weeks now, I'll probably give a blood sample each time. The one complication is that if the platelets get too low, an epidural may not be an option, but my doctor said it all depends on what the anesthesiologist feels comfortable with. As I'm sitting here typing this, the little man is doing flips non-stop! :)

Two weeks ago, Joe, Ella and I went to visit our friends Paul and April. We had a wonderful time staying at their new house. I hope we didn't stress them out too much with Ella running around. She was into EVERYTHING! We had a nice dinner out (near the mall, so April and I just HAD to visit Motherhood Maternity!) April found some cute things, I did not. Oh well. I only have 2 more months until my due date. I can live with the clothes I have for 2 more months. Back to our visit...we went to a state park where Ella had a chance to swim in Lake Winnebago. April and I got to take another preggo picture, me at 30 weeks, she at 29 weeks. April's baby shower is coming up in 2 short weeks already!

Joe, Ella, and I went to the zoo this past Saturday and had a blast! I think Ella enjoys looking at the other kids and climbing on the railings...who cares about the animals? Ella had a blast riding on the carousel (so did mommy!) More on Ella...she has slept in her toddler bed for 3 nights now, without any problem at all. I can't believe it...I thought it was going to be a huge deal. She doesn't even get out of the bed. I hope this good luck continues! I'll end this entry with my favorite quote from Ella thus far:
"Mommy, booger out nose, in mouth."
GROSS!!!!!

Just a Little Scare

Here I am at 29 weeks. In a few days, I'll be 30 weeks. All I have to say is, "CRAZY!" I'll give some background now about the title of this blog. I went in for my 29 week appointment on Monday. The doctor now measures my belly while I'm laying on the table. In centimeters, it should roughly equal the amount of weeks. So, at 29 weeks, I should be measuring approximately 29 cm. Well, not the case. Just like last time, I measured small, at only 24 weeks. Just to make sure everything was going okay with the little man on the inside, I had to schedule an ultrasound for the next day. Joe and I went at 10:00am on Tuesday and guess what? The little guy is measuring just fine! In fact, his head is measuring a bit larger...super! :) The ultrasound tech plugged in all the measurements (head, belly, thigh bone, arm bone, etc) and all looked fine. He's in the 51st percentile, which she said was perfectly normal. The heartbeat was 154 beats per minute. It was neat to be able to see him moving around, almost 10 weeks later. Unfortunately, we didn't get many good pictures, since he was so active.

I have finished painting Nathan's room. I painted one wall at a time, and completed the 4th wall last night. Now I am planning on stenciling some different sized circles midway up/down the wall in accent colors. I'll be glad when it's all done. Our new carpet comes tomorrow for the family room and I am thrilled! I'll post some pictures once we have everything back into place.

I now start going to the doctor every 2 weeks, so my posts may be more frequent (depending on if I have the energy...which is lacking, to say the least.) Ella is doing well, she put 5 words together while we were driving in the car today...and it made sense! She continues to use her potty and prefers a purple skittle for her treat. We're running out of purple. This weekend may be transition time to "big girl bed." I'm a bit nervous to attempt that, but we have to sooner or later. (At least before October, so Nathan has a place to sleep!)

My Wonderful Week Off

Last week was my much needed vacation from work. Ella and I took the high-speed ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon, MI, where my parents picked us up. The ride was smooth and Ella enjoyed running around the boat...for 2.5 hours. I think we sat for maybe 15 minutes total. During our 5 day stay in Northville, I was able to see some friends and family who I hadn't seen in a long time. It was so nice to be "home." Ella really enjoyed swimming, riding her bike, and walking with "Puppa." "Gigi" made wonderful breakfasts and allowed me some much needed relaxation. Ella and I boarded the ferry for our ride home and had a whole new experience. It was really windy and wavy, which made it slightly dangerous to walk around the boat. So after 1 or 2 tantrums, Ella had to sit on my lap for 2.5 hours. We read books, played with stickers, and ate LOTS of snacks, or "nacks" as Ella calls them. Joe was waiting for us in Milwaukee, and we were both excited to see him.

When we got home, I had a big surprise waiting for me. While I was gone, Joe had painted the entire family room, which included 1970s panneling and a dark brick fireplace. I was a bit confused however, since we had planned on completing that task while Ella was up at her other grandma and grandpa's house the next day. Well, little did I know, Joe had been planning a special weekend get-a-way for quite some time. There were many "parts" to the surprise. I was told to pack for 4 days. The next day we left for Stevens Point, where Joe's parents live, since Ella would not be joining us the whole trip. We stayed overnight and left for Green Bay the next morning. We stopped over at Joe's sister and brother-in-law's house for the night. We enjoyed seeing a movie at the theater...a rare treat these days. We saw "Step Brothers" and it was hilarious...if you like that kind of humor! The next morning, after a nice breakfast, we headed to Door County, specifically Sturgeon Bay, where Joe had made reservations at a beautiful resort. We walked around the small downtown area for a little while, until Joe told me I had to be somewhere at 2:00. He had scheduled a pre-natal massage for me at a spa! What a wonderful husband! It was, of course, amazing, and I didn't want the massage to end. We enjoyed a nice dinner at a restaurant over-looking the bay and then took a dip in the pool later on that night. We headed back to Stevens Point the next day to pick up Ella (who I was really beginning to miss!) On the way, we stopped in Appleton to have lunch with Paul and April, which is always a treat. Since they moved from Milwaukee, we don't see them as often, so any chance we get, we take it. It was the perfect long weekend, all planned by my sneaky husband.

As far as baby news goes, I am experiencing heart-burn, brought on by...anything! I am also starting to get sciatic pain. I'm still sleeping okay (despite getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.) I'm definately feeling pregnant now, especially being on my feet all day at work. I'm trying to take it easy, as much as I can, leaving the heavy lifting of patients to my PT partner (sorry Jessica!) This little guy must be practicing karate or tae-bo, because he moves NON-STOP! He's starting to drag either his elbows or heels and it feels crazy. Time is still moving fast and October is rapidly approaching. My 29 week appointment is on Monday. Less than 90 days to go...and I haven't even started to paint his room. Maybe tomorrow...

The following pictures are from Door County, April and I at 27 & 28 weeks, and my 1 completed baby room project. I'm not going to post our Northville visit pictures since my dad posted them on Snapfish, and they were all taken with his camera.

Orange Crush

There was a time when I absolutely loved Orange Crush, or really any orange soda. After completing the gestational diabetes screen yesterday, I don't think I'll be drinking any orange soda for a while. First of all, I had to go the outpatient part of the hospital and check in. After waiting for a few minutes, a nice lady brought over the small bottle of orange yumminess and poured it into a cup. I had 5 minutes to drink it. It was kinda flat, warm, and WAY too sweet. When I had finished chugging, I then had to wait an hour until my blood could be drawn. (All part of the testing process.) After reading my book, looking at a magazine, and watching Martha Stewart give tips about how to have a home and share it with pets, it was finally time for my blood to be drawn. For those of you who don't know, my veins are IMPOSSIBLE to find. The lab tech stuck me once in my arm without success. Surprise surprise. She tried my hand instead, which worked, although my blood was slowly creeping through the tube. We finally got enough, and that was it. I kinda felt sick after all that. Then I had to go out in the 90 degree heat. Luckily, our air conditioning has been working like a charm!

Tomorrow is our big boating adventure. The ferry departs at 12:30pm, and with the time change, arrives at 4:00pm. We then have a 2.5 hour drive back to Northville after that. It's gonna be a long day, but hopefully a little fun. I've packed tons of snacks for Ella and some little books that she's been reading lately.

The pictures are from this week, 26.5 weeks and counting. According to some books and websites, I am now in my third trimester...can you believe it??? I can't.