Food and Knitting

A good day = fulfilled pregnancy cravings and loads of knitting.

Today was a good day.
Stephan (my knight in shining armor) not only went out of his way to get me the best tacos around....

But, he also made me a bowl of my very favorite. Tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and mint swimming in lemon juice...heaven.

And, he let me sit around knitting all afternoon while he entertained the kiddos.

I don't think I could have asked for a better husband. Or a better day.

Hope you had a happy Wednesday, too!

A Not So Everyday Kind of Blessing

A couple of weeks before we went on vacation I started to feel a little off. Odd things were happening...at one point I had to talk myself out of an extreme and very strange craving for raw beef. How gross is that?! Obviously, red flags went up. I took a pregnancy test but thought there was no way it could be positive, and it wasn't. I chalked the weird craving up to needing more protein or iron and just moved right along. But, then I missed my period, so I took another test. It was negative. The night before we left for the beach I fixed Levi the only vegetable he'll eat...asparagus. I could barely finish cooking it. The smell! Ugh. That feeling was all too familiar. The next morning I took another test. Turns out that it is indeed possible to have two false negatives.

That's right. Baby number 3 is on its way! Arrival is estimated to be June 23. We are thrilled! Now if only I could get through this first trimester fatigue and sickness, so I can get to knitting! I have 9 months worth of stuff I want to make, but at this rate I may only have 6 months of time to make it in.

A Full Belly....36 1/2 weeks

Our midwife came for a visit yesterday.  Levi was her "big helper"...measuring, and checking on the baby.  After she left, "Where's my Miss Norma?"

32-ish Weeks

Yesterday was one of those freak out pregnancy days...tell me you know what I'm talking about.  You know the ones when you wake up, and NOTHING fits, and you are unbelievably tired and maybe cranky, and then you go shopping only to find that somehow NOTHING fits, and then you are even more tired and maybe even more cranky?  Ugh.  Well that was yesterday.  I might have nearly cried once or twice in a dressing room or two.  And, I might have viewed myself more as a beached whale than a beautiful pregnant lady.  

Thankfully, today is a little different.  I am tired but not cranky.  And, although, nothing fits....still....I don't feel quite as whale like.  And, I even almost feel pretty.

You've had those days, right?

More of the Baby Belly

These first two are from 27 weeks.  Levi's stethoscope obsession led to lots of "checking" the baby's heartbeat...

And, these are from 28 weeks.  My sister was in town over the weekend, and took a few shots while we were wandering around the farm....

More here.

Baby Bump: Week 28

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since my last official baby bump update!  We had an appointment with our midwife Thursday.  Stephan's mom got to be there and to hear the heartbeat....very cool.  She also brought some of Stephan's baby things and a gorgeous old quilt (but that's for another post).  :)

The baby is growing as expected, and has turned which explains the recent wonderful lack of drop kicks to the bladder.  Although, it's too early in the pregnancy to know if s/he will stay that way, my midwife thinks it's likely.  We're keeping our fingers crossed.

And in other baby related news:

: : I have gained a whopping 22 pounds.  I'm sort of in shock.  With Levi I gained a total of 25 pounds.  I still have three more months to go before the final tally is in on this one.  The part that really has me bumfuzzled is that I am not nearly as hungry with this one as I was with Levi.  In fact, for a while there I was afraid I wasn't eating enough....um....wrong.  We're just hoping this one isn't destined to be a 10 + pounder.  Oh, and, Stephan, being the sweet husband he is, when I told him how shocked I was over all of that weight gain, said, "Good.  I was afraid you were losing weight."  Either he's just being nice, or he needs his vision checked.  Has he seen that belly?!!

: : Levi has recently revealed that he believes this baby will be moving in with Nanno and BawBaw once it gets here.  Oh, my, is he in for a shock.  There's no preparing or convincing him.  Even Nanno got in on trying to correct his view on this one.  No luck.  He's determined.  My only guess is that he remembers living next door to them, and he thinks that's what babies do.

: : This new little munchkin already has opinions.  S/he is seriously opposed to me slouching.  Apparently, s/he likes his/her room because every time I slouch, s/he kicks me really, really hard in a hey-give-me-some-more-room-in-here kind of way.  Also, when we tried to hear his/her heartbeat with the stethoscope, sh/e kicked the stethoscope every single time...dead on excellent aim, too.

: : We are still working on boy names.  I think we might be coming closer to a decision.  We'll see.  So far everybody thinks it's a girl....even strangers.  I'm going to laugh when a boy comes out, and we don't have name for it.  Any suggestions?  I tend towards Old Testament names.  Stephan tends toward New Testament and non-biblical names.  A happy medium has yet to be reached.  There have been a couple of first names agreed on, but finding a middle name is tough.  Josiah and Abel are in the top running.  But, every name we put with Abel makes it sound like a sentence.

Earth Mama Angel Baby Review and Giveaway!

Giveaway Ended!

The kind folks at Earth Mama Angel Baby were awesome enough to send over a few products for me to try.  I ought to be ashamed of myself for taking so long to review them!!  Maybe they should consider selling something to improve one's time management skills while pregnant and tired! ;)

So, on to the review...I am newly in love with this company.  There are very few things that I would count as pregnancy must haves, but their teas definitely rank that high in my book.  If only I had known about these when I was pregnant with Levi.

My package-o-goodies got here towards the later end of morning sickness, and I can promise you that next time I will be ordering the morning wellness tea the very day that plus sign appears.

I can't say enough good about this stuff.  While I was pregnant with Levi I tried some all natural remedies.  Ha!  They either didn't do a thing or made me gag...not good while pregnant!  So, going into this I was a tad skeptical.  But, y'all this tea works.  On my worst days, it alleviated the nausea making it much more tolerable, and on better days, it actually got rid of it entirely.

This pregnancy is very different from my last.  Heartburn didn't set in while I was pregnant with Levi until the final stretch, so I was pretty stunned when I started getting heartburn in my first trimester with this little one.  Luckily, Earth Mama Angel Baby's Heartburn Tea came to my rescue.

Until now, pregnancy induced heartburn seemed rather incurable, but with a cup of this tea my heartburn was generally gone within a few minutes.  So relieving.  Thankfully, heartburn made its exit with morning sickness, but I fully anticipate its return in those final weeks (maybe even months).  I will soon be restocking my heartburn tea supply!

Not only do these teas actually work, but they are also organic, toxin-free, and safe for mama and baby.  If you're like me, putting any "extras" into your body probably gives you the heebee jeebees, so you can rest easier knowing that these products don't come with all of the "extras" that are in many other maternity and post maternity products.

Earth Mama Angel Baby also sent me a set of their Booby Tubes for easing the initial pain of breastfeeding.

Of course, I tried them out just for y'all.  :)  These are intended to be used warm or cold, depending on your needs, to help reduce the swelling and pain of engorgement.  Their shape is perfect for engorged breasts.  The design is great because the product doesn't make contact with the nipple, which is very important in those first oh so sensitive days/weeks.

The Booby Tubes are constructed of organic cotton and filled with all natural flax seed.  If you've never used heating/cooling pads filled with flax seed instead of the typical gel, you should be forewarned that there is one major difference.  Although, the heat/cold is evenly distributed with either option, the flax seed pads will not hold heat/cold for the length of time that gel filled alternatives will.  However, for those of you seeking to live greener and healthier lives, flax seed filled pads like the booby tubes are great options.  I would highly suggest having more than one set on hand, though, so you won't have to wait while your tubes chill in the freezer.

Earth Mama Angel Baby makes more than just products for expectant and new mamas.  They have an entire line of products for babies.  And, for those of you who aren't currently in the family way, you could always try out their monthly comfort tea.  If you do, I'd like to know what you think.

Now for the really fun part.  Earth Mama Angel Baby would like to give one lucky reader a $25 electronic gift certificate!! Entering is simple...

Main Entry: Visit Earth Mama Angel Baby and leave a comment on this post, telling me the product you are most interested in trying.  If your email is not visible in your blogger profile then, please, leave it in your comment!!!

Extra Entries:  You can tweet (once daily) or blog (once total) about the giveaway.  Be sure to link back to this post.  Leave separate comments with urls for each of those entries.

Contest is open to U.S. and Canada.

Contest will end Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 9:30 p.m. Central Time.

Week 23...The Bump

This pregnancy is rolling right along.  I can't believe we're already well beyond the halfway point.

And, looking mighty pregnant....

I've given up on having the energy that I had during Levi's second trimester.  Something about chasing a wild two year old and growing a life seems to be making me extra tired.  Other than tiredness, all is well.  This little one moves like nobody's business....possibly more than his/her older brother did!  And, except for all of the times that s/he drop kicks me in the bladder, I love it!  Seriously, though, note to baby #2: Please find another area to kick.  M'kay? 

Portrait By Levi

Levi is beyond fascinated by all things photography.  It's inevitable that at some point all of his toys become cameras.  He holds them up to his face, grins the biggest, most amazing grin, and says "I take pictures!"  When I took the photos from yesterday's post, Levi was itching to take some of his own.  Since it was just my old point and shoot, I decided to let him have a go of it.  (I not so secretly want a new one anyway.)  Of course, most of the pics ended up being of the blue wall or his lap, but I thought this one was pretty passable for a two year old...

If I do get the camera that I really, really want (I know, like a Rebel isn't enough!), then I'm giving this old point and shoot to Levi.  Well, giving might be a strong word for it.  I'll let him use it under supervision until he's a tad older.

And, for future reference, I've bookmarked this pinhole camera tutorial.  How cool is that?!! 

Halfway There!

Thanks for all of your sweet comments on yesterday's post.  Your kindness and prayers mean a lot to me.  :)  Now back to regularly scheduled blogging...

So this week I hit 20 weeks...the halfway mark!!  I love pregnancy beyond this point.  Don't get me wrong, I was glad to be pregnant during the previous 20 weeks, but pregnancy really gets fun now.
This little munchkin's teeny, tiny feet are already creating visible bumps in my belly when s/he kicks.  Stephan was even able to feel him/her move on Wednesday....so incredible!  Sigh.  I'm glad to be a woman.  I think men miss out on the whole carrying a baby thing.  Okay, maybe not in the first trimester, but still, babies are so cool!
Levi is very curious about this growing belly of mine.  He  likes to "feel" the baby.  Although, he has yet to actually feel a kick.  That doesn't seem to bother him though.

I think Levi is well on his way to being an awesome big brother.  He's already "reading" to the baby...

He takes his job very seriously.

Ha! Levi just woke up, took a look at a couple of these photos, and recognized me from my belly.  "That's mama!!" followed by, "It's a baby!!  I need to see de baby!  I need to kiss it!"  :-)

An Easter Belly

My sister, Annie, was sweet enough to do a little baby belly photo shoot this weekend.  If you want to see more you can go to my flickr page. 
I don't think it's grown much since week 14...of course there's always the chance that I could be lying to myself.  In that case, please, don't burst my bubble.  :) 

She even caught a little big brother sweetness...

By the way, we are on week number 17 now.  And, this baby is shaping up to be much like the bigger munchkin.  S/he is definitely a mover.  S/he's gone well past fluttering and straight into teeny weeny pokes, kicks, and jabs.  Sigh.  I just love, love, love it.

So far we've only managed to pick out a girl name.  We can't agree on a boy name...for that matter we also can't agree on the color of our living room.  Yikes.  Luckily, we don't get too feisty over it.  We're just left with no resolution.  Ha.  My mother has even gotten in on the naming action.  She sends me suggestions via facebook.  Still no luck. 

We've had two appointments with our midwife, and can I just say that I love the whole midwife experience?!  I feel so much more at ease this go round.  There's no one politely telling me that I'm being dumb for not wanting an epidural, drugs, and an episiotomy.  Instead our midwife is joyful about birth.  Don't get me wrong my doctor was sweet and happy, but not joyful about the actual process of birth.  She seemed much happier with surgery than with vaginal birth.  Run, if you have one of those OB's. 

One of the coolest perks of a homebirth is that you can opt to have all of your visits at home.  This, y'all, is a wonderful thing.  I cannot imagine trying to wrangle Levi in a waiting room monthly and later weekly.  There just aren't enough crayons in the western hemisphere to keep this boy in one place for that long that often.  He'd be screaming to go outside or to ride in the car...anything not to be stuck in a room full of strangers.

As far as how I'm feeling goes...uck...is the fatigue ever going to end?  With Levi I had plenty of energy by this point.  Granted, I wasn't chasing Levi then either.  I'm guessing munchkin chasing has more to do with it than the munchkin cookin' inside of me.  Morning sickness is, thankfully, long gone.  I thought it was going to last forever.  However, dry eyes and super dry skin...those seem to be here for the long haul.  Oh, and, I might be a tad overly emotional with this one...just a tad.  Poor Stephan!  He actually deals very well with the sudden springing up of tears and slight moodiness.  Luckily that seems to be slowly but surely leaving as well. 

Really, I shouldn't complain.  I'm happy to be well into the second trimester.  The first is not my cup of tea.  In fact I downright just plain ole' don't like it.  But, the second trimester...fatigue and all is starting to look much brighter.
 

Thinking Back

This pregnancy is so very, very different from my pregnancy with Levi.  But, there's one similarity that I cherish.  Both of these munchkins kicked on the same week....lucky number 14.  I think with Levi that would have been around May or early June.  I had been awake for a few minutes, but I was still lying in bed enjoying the way the light was pouring through the window.  The stillness of the morning was so very nice....and, then I felt this flutter like a butterfly had been let loose inside of me.  I thought for sure I must be imagining things, but I felt it again.  I knew it was him in there.  Floating around and kicking to his hearts content.  If I had to make a list of unforgettable moments in my life this would be near the top...right behind the first moment I laid eyes on my sweet little boy.  

It wasn't long before the flutters turned to full fledged kicks and then to complete acrobatic workouts.  Oh. my. stars.  This child could not have moved any more than he did.  He was almost never still, and I loved every moment of it....okay, I didn't love the hiccups, but other than that movement was bliss.

Now we're on to baby number two.  Where does time go?  This one's movements took me by surprise.  I thought for sure I wouldn't feel this little one so early.  I mean, really, what a fluke to feel them at 14 weeks!  But, then, one day, I was sitting at the computer browsing through blogs, and oh. What was that?  Sweetness!  Little tiny baby flutters. 

Sigh.  I just love it.  I've felt those fluttery kicks once more since then.  I wonder if s/he will be a mover like big brother was.  I hope so.  With all of the differences I hope this one thing stays the same...minus the hiccups.  Poor Levi was plagued with them even after he entered the world.

When did you feel your babies move?  I'm so curious. 

Spring!!

This is the only bit of Spring in our yard.  Me thinks we need to plant more!

On another happy note, I felt the baby move yesterday!  I just love those first fluttery thumps.  Although this pregnancy is super different from Levi's, the two bambinos are the same on this.  They both kicked at 14 weeks. 

The Baby Belly

I should probably be embarrassed to post this because I'm pretty sure that at 14 weeks this is not what I'm supposed to look like.  But, honestly, I'm so happy to be out of the "Gosh, she sure has gained some weight" stage and onto the "There's definitely a baby in there" stage.

So, here we go....baby under construction in a house under construction...gosh I hope the house gets done first!

Miscellany

Please excuse the following randomness:

:: Spring is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so very, very glad.  I've had enough of winter and cold and dreary and ick.  I am pleased as punch over the daffodils and wild flowers popping up all over.  Have I ever mentioned that I love, love, love Spring?  Possibly, once or twice, huh? Well I do.

:: I've finally bitten the bullet and started that hat.  Okay, so really, I started a hat for Levi...not Stephan...sorry, Babe.  And, yes, I know winter is over, but it seemed to be the easiest way to conquer my fear of double pointed knitting needles.  The pattern I picked is a rolled brim hat from this book.  It seems easy and straight forward....we'll see.  The first part uses circular needles, which I've used before, so they aren't so scary.  I have about two more inches to go before I have to make the switch to the dreaded double points.  Oh. My. Wish me luck!

:: Thank y'all so very much for all of the lovely comments and congrats on my Surprise, Surprise post.  Y'all made my week!  This pregnancy is definitely different from the last time...in some very good and some kinda not so fun sort of ways.  Morning sickness (although I had a rough go of it for a little while) is nothing like it was with Levi.  It's much much better.  With Levi, I lost 8 pounds in my first trimester.  With this one, I'm rapidly expanding...at a scary rate.  I promise I'm not overeating, and I've pretty much entirely nixed refined sugar.  Like Erin, I'm blaming it on muscle memory.  I think I'm more tired with this one though.  And, my eyes, oh, my poor eyes.  They are painfully dry.  I wear soft contacts, and frequently fall asleep in them.  That's so not an option anymore.  If I fall asleep wearing them they are practically glued to my eyeballs when I wake up.  I didn't even know until a few days ago that was even something that happened during pregnancy.

:: I have loads of crafting plans for this little bambino....now, if I could just shake the fatigue and get started.  I'm really excited about not finding out the sex of this little critter, but I'm not so excited about the impact that has on crafting.  There are some uber-girly baby items that I want to make...you know, just in case, but I wonder if it's kind of silly to do that.  Especially since there are a whole lot of people in my family with a whole lot of boys. We'll just see what I have time and energy for.

:: An update on my uncle...the swelling hasn't yet gone down enough in his foot and ankle for the doctor to do surgery.  The poor fellow is having to sit or lie down all day long with his foot propped up.  They'll know more on Monday about when surgery will be possible.  So, please continue to hold him in your thoughts and prayers.

:: I'm sure there's more that I intended to write here, but Levi just woke up.  He has now climbed into my lap and is telling me all about the zoo and elephants. 

Have a lovely weekend!!

Surprise, Surprise!

In Levi's words:

"Des a baby in der.  When it comes out we gonna hug it an kiss it

an change its diaper!"

~All said while grinning and pretending to change its diaper on my tummy.

That's right...barefoot munchkin #2 is headed our way.  We are over the moon excited, and a tad nervous that I'll be giving birth in a construction zone.  Oh, do renovations never cease?!

So, for inquiring minds here are the stats:

Due date: September 10 or 11...I can never remember which.  Blame it on pregnancy brain.

Sex: We aren't finding out, so your guess is as good as mine.  In case you're wondering everyone around here thinks it's a girl, so it will probably be a boy.  ;)

My Belly: Rapidly expanding but more in an "I've gained 10 pounds round the middle" kind of way...not the cute baby belly bump kind of way.  Sigh.

Sonograms: You won't see any, because unless there's an emergency we won't be having any.

Planned Location for Birth: Home! :)

Caregiver: A wonderful midwife named Norma.

Yay!