HE TURNED!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so happy. "Baby Duncan" as Mirabel calls him, turned all by himself we found out yesterday. We had an US in the doctor's office, one of the ancient machines that are hard to see, but we definitely saw a head down low and a bum up high. I was so shocked as i was expecting to see the head up high as we always have. I feel like a great weight has lifted, and now we really don't have too much to worry about. We got back in 2 weeks and then every week until we have him. I'm so relieved that I can have normal labor and also that I won't have to stay in the hospital for several days. I need to post a pic soon of my belly because it is sooo big, but i am not photographing very well these days. However, it is sunny and warm (~50-55 degrees) outside and so things are GOOD!

Almost 32 weeks

We've made it so far...and just a few more weeks to go. We've had a couple of prenatals in the past 2 weeks and all looks good except for the baby's position. He's still moving like a little wrestler in here, but i can always feel his little head up on top. I've been going to the chiropractor for the webster technique and it seems that the ligaments aren't in the way for him to turn, so it's not being super helpful anymore. We've also been doing moxa on BL67. I'm really starting to slow down.. these past couple of weeks have gotten more intense in terms of my physical experience. I got bloodwork done which revealed i am anemic - so that's why i've been dragging myself everywhere and feel dizzy and just plain lousy! Also, my hip and leg pain are pretty bad, it hurts to take a step and to lie on my side (which makes sleep not so good to say the least). I'm working a little less right now, it's enough to do to keep up with some patients, Mirabel, and housework. I'm also having to do all my CE credits for my acupuncture license which is a couple hours a day all month, and also doing occasional shifts in the evenings for per diem nursing.

Although we are still getting snow, we are seeing some (somewhat subtle) hints of spring. We cannot wait! We have all had cabin fever for months now. It will soon be time for sports again for Noah, which is really as much fun for Mimsy too. We just end up spending so much time at the fields and parks and both kids are happy. Mirabel's getting a little clingy, it's amazing how they can sense a baby looming on the horizon. Even Noah a little - both kids want me to lie in their beds with them at night.

We are afraid to say that we may be starting over in the name game again. We don't love any of the names we were voting on, we don't think. I would like an unusual name (not out there, just unique), and Greg, well, let's just say I get a quick "no!" a good part of the time when i offer one. I've read books cover to cover, looked online at endless lists...it is no easy task! I suppose we will find one, when under greater pressure (soon)! But we will take any suggestions...!

28 Weeks!.... The money shot - eyes open!

We made it to 28 weeks! This was our last US for awhile - his eyes are open! So we are in the clear as far as the IUD and preterm labor goes. The baby is getting big and everything looks really good...except for the fact that he's right side up. We talked to our doctor about having a natural birth and he said that was fine with him. But he said at this point he is concerned with the fact that he's breech. Our whole plan will be irrelevant if he continues this way. He said although many babies do turn up until the end, fewer and fewer babies are breech at this point. So, my new mission has begun. We are doing moxabustion on BL67, the Webster technique by a chiropractor, Pulsatilla homeopathic, and of course visualization to see this baby upside down. I'm also supposed to be doing other things like swimming in a pool, lying with my hips up (sooo comfortable!), and other similar things. We will see.. After going to the chiropractor, I was good for a day and then I went right back to how i was. But maybe if i keep going, that will help. My pelvis is all tilted and shifted which could impact how the baby is situated in there.

I feel way more zen in general, now that i'm a big Earth Mama...but i'm just a little nervous. I really want this baby to have his descent down the birth canal, and I also want to avoid surgery and the resultant recovery period for myself. I had a really hard time with having Noah with surgery, having a bad reaction to the meds, and then trying to nurse with the incision. But I'm trying really hard not to focus on that, which is hard to do. But we will do our best, and if it's meant to be for him to turn, then he will. Turn, baby, turn!
Btw, we also learned that he is in the 96% for his age, over 3 lbs already, which explains my enormous belly (i knew something was going on..)

Snow, snow, flu..

It's been a while, so i thought we'd give an update until our prenatal next week. We are in the middle of one crazy winter up here in NE. We're having roughly one snowstorm a week, and even weeks with 2-3 storms. I'm getting used to it (doesn't mean i like it!), and it feels like it will be this way forever with this immense snow. We are 27 weeks now - one week shy of our "safe" zone. I'm in bed with the dreaded flu, but so grateful to my family for helping out so much. Feels good to eat again, for the sake of the baby, i was feeling bad for him. He is still breech, kicking so hard and low, and punching and flipping all the time. At least the break from food hasn't affected his activity!

I've been in some major discomfort and even pain with my hips separating - it is the strangest sensation. It is really impacting my sleep to the point where i am tossing from each side every few minutes all night (probably why i got sick). They ache and pop in my sleep and there is no way to get comfortable. I'm thinking of wearing one of those sexy pregnancy hip braces, hopefully not the ones that go all the way up the body and cross over the shoulders and then go down and cross over the butt like a jock strap! Anyone seen those? There are simpler ones i'd be willing to wear, and hopefully would help. I am desperate at this point.

We've been thinking more about the birth lately. We're going to plan for a natural birth again, but this time in a hospital, one of the biggest in the country at that, Brigham and Women's. We've begun Hypnobirthing classes which will allow Greg to be my support person, which we're excited about-it will be a twist on the homebirth. I have some apprehension about birthing naturally in a hospital setting, with all the potential for interventions, all the nurses, the environment, etc. But i'm confident that I will be prepared and do my best to have a good experience. I have some stuff to work through with Mim's birth, since it was more painful than i expected. But i believe that that just means i can learn from it and I also know that every birth is different. We also had a lot of stress in our lives before that we don't have now, me finishing school and us just moving days before M's birth. I think stress plays a huge role in childbirth, and therefore the lack of it too.

Otherwise, everyone's doing well here. I'm still working and getting new patients but the desire is definitely waning, at least for work that requires me to leave the house. The kids are great and both healthy for now. Mims is really looking forward to holding our baby and showing him her little babies. It will be something to see how she responds to the real thing. Noah's birthday is coming up so we're going to have a party and then he will leave for a week with his dad. Greg is still the biggest trooper, maintaining his high needs job and coming home to his high needs family everyday. He comes home to dinner and Mirabel singing and dancing the Wizard of Oz (she's obsessed with it, a little dorothy), doing the princess dance, and playing Yugioh cards, baths, cozy time with books, and bed...ahhh.

24 weeks!

Here he is, our little trapeze artist. If i didn't know better, i would swear there was a trapeze in my uterus. He moves all the time. He doesn't just move a little either, he is flipping around and kicking all over, pushing all over the place. He is breech now so he is kicking low, dancing on all my organs. I think he's just posing here for the US "camera", tricking us that he's a calm boy!

Anyway, we had our prenatal and it all looks good! The IUD is staying put in that corner and the baby is growing as he should. They are pleased. I've been having some pain due to the pressure but the doctor said there's nothing that can be done, aside from resting and getting off my feet. I was also concerned about him being breech because Noah was breech and I had to have a c-section. The doctor said we have until week 36 to see what he will do. At this age, it is totally normal. We are 4 weeks away from being "safe" in terms of premature birth. We have one more US scheduled in 4 weeks. After that point, the doctor doesn't feel we need much more monitoring besides the normal prenatals. If I go into labor at that point, it will (should) be ok. And in a way, an early labor sounds good at this point, just not too early. I've gained a ton of weight since the last visit (it was Christmas after all), and it all feels so heavy. I do tend to gain a lot with each pregnancy, so it's probably ok. But I am going to be just enormous by the end if we go all the way. As long as the baby isn't too big.. We are getting excited as it is becoming more real (sort of) as time goes on. I still can't believe it is happening in a way, and that we are going to have three children. Three.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a really great holiday. I had to share this picture of us sisters because we haven't been together in so long, over 3 years. Shaley is 18 and about to graduate from high school. Rhiannon and Mark drove up from Miami - it was so great to spend time with them all. We had such a great time in Savannah, except for Greg getting the flu for 2 days. He was so sick and had to stay in bed, but then got better about a day before we were to leave. Savannah is absolutely beautiful, the huge oak trees and spanish moss draping all over the place and the gorgeous architecture...it felt so good to be in the south again. I could not get enough sweet tea and fried catfish (sorry baby, had to do it). I also had some oysters! Dad had them ready when we got there and although I know it's supposed to be bad, I just had a few :) Greg got to have BBQ a few times which he loves. We even had some drive-thru BBQ, so funny. I ate it all up, our family, the sunny warm weather, the people, the atmosphere, and the food. It was so hard to leave, mostly because I didn't know when we'd all get together again. But it was such a great time, so great for us all to be together. The kids had a fun Christmas. They were a little disoriented to be away, especially for Mims. But they loved being with family and loved the warm weather. The ride wasn't bad either, the kids were so good. It was hard to sit for the 20 hour ride with the belly. I hurt my lower back somehow on the ride and now when I get up, I have to do it very slowly.

21 weeks

Moving along... The holidays are here and time is going by so fast. Here I am at 5 months and I feel so very big. A patient actually told me that I look bigger than I should look for 5 months! We had a prenatal appointment last week and we had good news. The placenta has moved out of the way and is no longer below the baby. They said it won't move back to where it was so we don't have to worry about that anymore. We were so happy to hear that. The baby is growing normally and is moving so much that all the pictures were blurry! I can feel him move practically all day long... well, he picks up at night and really starts kicking as i'm lying in bed. Then I feel him kicking as I'm waking up in the morning. Greg and the kids can watch my belly shake and move as he moves around. I am having some pain in my pelvis and legs from the pressure (already), and already have pitting edema. Oh yeah, lovely. And we are only half way through! I think that once your body has 2 babies, it's got to be a greater stress for it to have more. The doctor advised me to sit down more. Ha!

We're leaving in 2 days to drive to Georgia to spend Christmas with my dad and family. We're very excited. We just had a big snow storm and its still snowing 24 hours later. It's been beautiful and the kids are having fun. But we are really looking forward to the trip. It will be Greg's first official trip to the south (not counting Nashville when we drove Noah there this summer). The family moved to Savannah, Georgia a couple of years ago and we still haven't been there to see their new home. I know that I won't want to come back once I step foot in Savannah. I miss it more than I ever thought I would. We will meet Jamin and Rachel in Savannah and they will take Noah back to Nashville for New Years. About this time, we are also missing Portland. I know it's hard for Greg to be away at the holidays. It's also Greg's birthday on the 23rd, so I hope he has a great time.