The Journey of the Belly Bump

Now that our precious little girl is here and I can finally start the process of losing any extra "baggage" I may have acquired a long this 9/10 month journey, I thought it would be fun to look at the belly bump pictures all together to see the changes. I did not post every week but enough to see the changes. 

10 Weeks


 

13 weeks



14 Weeks



16 Weeks




19 Weeks




22 Weeks




24 weeks





28 Weeks





30 Weeks



31 Weeks



32 Weeks




36 Weeks



38 Weeks



39 Weeks

Here I am 3 weeks since Meli's birth.  I have lost a good chunk of the weight the first week and am so excited to add to my exercise to burn the last bit.  Meli and I go for a walk each morning and sometimes in the evenings but now I think I should be able to at least add my stair stepper as long as I only do a few minutes.   I am so glad it is warm outside - that helps with motivation to get out and be active!!

Baby Meli: 2 Weeks

"Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act that two people in love can commit".  -Bill Cosby

Meli's Stats:

7lbs 14oz

Hobbies - eats, sleeps and makes funny faces at Colin

Bedtime Book - Pooh's Bees



Spending time with Grandma Liz



Meli is two weeks today!  It is already going by so fast.  In a blink.  A lot of things make this time around a lot easier.  For one, we have done this before.  We are not starting out on something new.  We have our own place and way more room to adjust.  Still...our life as we had it is changing.   We are having to adjust to this new, precious little person that has come into our lives.  Colin is actually doing pretty good with the changes.Way better than I thoughtt.  I can see some frustrations here and there, but overall he just adores his little sister.  I think he gets a little jealous that she gets attention all the time but he only seems to show that frustration when he is already cranky.  Plus, that is expected.

 It also helps that Meli sleeps better than Colin did and does not seem to any stomach issues. 



Getting ready for our walk



We have already started reading her stories.  At this age I stick with one for a few weeks and then will change to another one.  Right now we are reading Pooh's Bees.  We also try to listen to Colin's story time depending how Miss Meli is doing.

We are definitely still working on a routine. I am not yet getting as much done as I would like around the house but she is at the age where she needs to be held a lot.  So that is understandable.  Mommy and Meli did start our daily exercise yesterday.  Right now we are just walking around the block twice but will hopefully add some distance to that soon. 

"A Baby is God's opinion that the world should go on" - Carl Sandburg

Oh, and here is a recent picture of Colin.  He was fighting bad guys.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family




Here are some other pictures from Meli's first two weeks.



2 Weeks



First Bath

Our Family

Big Brother Colin

Colin is infatuated with Meli.  He is always wanting to kiss her and just look at her.  He is also trying to teach her things already.  The other day in the car Colin kept repeating "peo-ple" over and over.  Will asked him what he was doing and he responded that he was "teaching baby sister words".  If she cries he has to go check on her and tell her that she is OK.  He is going to be such a good big brother.  It is so sweet to watch him with her. 

I will admit it can be a little tiresome during feeding or if she is sleeping to have a little monkey clilmbing all over you.  It is amazing how big he looks now that there is an infant in the house.  He looks like a big kid - kinda sad.

Colin had asked if Meli would bring him gifts when she came.  So, she brought him some big brother gifts, like some movies, books and new Chuggington train set.  Grandma Liz brought him the coolest Bumble Bee helmet.  Colin has been asking for a Bumble Bee costume, which was the first time he asked for something specific. 



Colin  trying to follow posing directions and making us laugh.



Meli's Nursery

Meli's room has been mostly done for some time but I have been waiting for some finishing touches.

Here is some before pictures:

My goal was to have a cheerful room. I also wanted to use the Winnie-the-Pooh decor I had but not go overboard with it.  So, I also focused on the butterflies and bees from the blanket.  A few walls still need something but that can wait for now. 

Introducing...

Meli Anne

(May-lee)

Our baby girl has arrived!!!!



"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." - Author Unknown

On Monday afternoon, I received a call from my OB letting me know that I needed to check in at the hospital that night at 8 to start the two step induction process. This threw me for a loop, since I did not expect to find out when my induction date would be until the following Wednesday at my regular appointment. I left work as soon as I could so I could take care of a few last minute things. Then Will and I dropped Colin off at his Aunt and Uncle’s house and we were on our way.  On a side note: this was little C's (now I guess Big C) first time staying over night somewhere and he seemed to be handling this fact way better than mommy and daddy were…well better than mommy was.

I think once I was told I would be having baby girl my contractions started on their own!When we got to the hospital (showing nerves like first timers!) I was monitored for a couple of hours and given my IV. Since I was there for a potential placenta issue I had to stay on it all night.  Not the most comfortable but a whole lot better than what was to come. Later that night I was given the cervidil. Cervidil does not induce labor but helps to soften the cervix so it is prepared to respond to the contractions. I would receive pitocin the following morning to finish the induction process. The sweet nurse gave me a sleeping aide which helped me sleep through contractions all night.

Before they gave me pitocin the next morning, I noticed that the contractions started to get worse very quickly. So, they got the necessary fluid in me so I could get my epidural. Before that my OB came in and broke my water – which seemed to put things in super fast mode. My epidural was done (the guy was very nice) but the contractions kept getting worse and all that felt like it was maybe going to get numb was my toes. This happened with Colin and they are not sure why epidurals numb everything except my stomach. Not cool. With Colin they redid the epidural right away and it worked. This time they just kept giving me more medication. I will not lie those contractions were a b****!!  They were a little less tense since I did not need the pitocin after all. I had that with Colin and am so glad I did not need it again. It makes the contractions longer and more intense. They were looking into doing another epidural (Will’s poor hand was testament that it was not working) but my OB checked me I had gone from 2 cm dilated to 8 cm in about an hour. I also felt the need to push and was feeling a lot of pressure besides pain.

I felt bad for the nurses. They were supposed to get me started and go work on another patient but they were never able to leave my room since I went so fast. They went into turbo mode to prepare everything for baby girl’s arrival. I love my doctor! It is amazing to watch her go from her so relaxed self to serious work mode. She quickly got me in the position to push and then after two contractions (less than 5 minutes) baby girl was out.

She had the cord wrapped around her neck very tightly. The doctor actually had to cut it rather than the normal process of unraveling it. After being worked over a little, I could hear Meli crying. I will admit I cried a bit after seeing her. Everything happened so fast and was a little hectic...a lot of emotions. Plus, Meli had given us her fair share of scares throughout this pregnancy. Afterwards the doctor expressed how glad she was that she was out. She kept saying how baby girl made her nervous.



With a hat one of the nurses made



Daddy and daughter



Headed home



Meli Anne



 Meli was born May 10th at 9:14 a.m. She was 7lbs 12 oz and 21 inches. 


"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new". Rajneesh

Our Baby Girl: Week 38

It is crazy to think that my OB had concerns that I would not make it to 36 weeks and here I am writing my week 38 blog, which means I am starting week 39. Yay for baby girl cooperating!! We have done all we can to make sure she stays put so she could "cook longer".  I am so thankful for all the prayers for my "aging" placenta  to hold out a little longer.  Each week, I can see on the sonograms that the aging spots have been getting worse but not enough to put move it to a level 3, which is what I had with Colin at 38 weeks. 

This week has been pretty good.  I have had contractions off and on but nothing that stays put.  Yesterday, as I was driving to work I had some extreme pain that started at the top of my belly and stayed there for about 3 minutes.  Then it radiated down to my lower abdomen and lasted another few minutes.  It would have probably felt like a normal contraction if it had not started where it did and lasted more than 5 minutes.  I also had not felt baby girl in a few hours, so I thought it was best to call.  I was sent to Triage and monitored for a little while.  Apparently, baby girl was moving but I was still not feeling her.  There may be some truth to the anterior placenta theory (that it acts like a pillow).  Although, at times I feel her very much and she is very active.  So, who knows.  I also started having some contractions while being monitored but they were every 20 minutes or so.  Not enough to keep me.  So home I went.  I was accompanied by my office mate to the hospital (thank you!) who was very sweet during the whole thing and was just taking it all in. She could have learned a lot about me with all the questions they ask you in Triage.  Good think I was not hiding anything!  Will arrived just as I was being sent home...poor guy.  All that stress for nothing.  Oh, well - we know that our baby girl will be here next week. 

I cannot really complain because I know (unless something changes) that I will not being going past my due date or even to my due date for that matter.  I would imagine being overdue would not be cool, especially when most people at this point are so ready to have baby out (for comfort reasons and just to meet the little person).  It is like waiting for Christmas!

Now we want to make it to Monday so my doctor will be available.  So, I am resting, cleaning a little bit, and then resting again.  I am glad I made all my meals to freeze last week.  We are pretty ready for baby girl's arrival.  As ready as we will ever be.

I love that at my biggest during this pregnancy I am not even wearing maternity clothes!  Now that it is warm I can wear my dresses, skirts and tank tops that work for an expanding belly. I have not weighed in a bit but the last time I checked I was at about 20 lbs.

That Silly Little Easter Bunny

Colin was so excited for Easter this year.  We explained how the Easter bunny comes to little kids houses who are really good and leaves a basket (or bucket) filled with goodies.  He also likes to take they colored eggs and hide them to help them find where he hid their basket.  To prepare for the Easter bunny's visit we made cupcakes and colored eggs.

Colin painting his in new watercolor book

We made cupcakes as a family.  Everyone helped.  For those who enjoyed some of these treats - no worries we caught Colin before he had a chance to lick anything!

Colin patiently waiting to devour his Easter treat.  For some reason we decided to give it to him after his bath...

Colin for sure thought that the Easter Bunny would wake him up in the morning.  He did something close...The Easter Bunny woke up Colin by fixing his Encore Elmo and setting it in his doorway, pushing the button and hopping away so he could deliver more Easter baskets.  Colin woke up to Elmo telling him a story about the three little pigs. 

After breakfast we headed down to spend time with Bill and Patty.  Colin got even more gifts there from the Easter Bunny; like a Donald Duck dressed like a bunny.  Colin loved him.  He would wabble around singing a song and if you grabbed his ears he would start throwing a very Donald Duck type fit.



Colin playing with one of his Easter toys.





The Easter bunny left a wooden airplane in his bucket too



Then we headed to Grandma Liz's house for dinner and some Easter treats.  Colin must have been such a good boy because the Easter Bunny left another basket (one for Billy too - the name the Easter Bunny remembers Will as).  Colin got a cool bubble sword, a puzzle (which he put together with Grandma), pajamas and some cool trains! 

Dinner was delicious!  I definitely ate my share.  My appetite has increased the last few weeks. 

What a wonderful Easter!

Our Baby Girl: Week 37

I am 38 weeks today!  Yay - I made it!  At my appointment on Wednesday, my doctor said that she would not let me go past 39 weeks.  So, no matter what baby girl will be here at least by May 9th or so.  My 37th week was OK.  My doctor checked to see, if needed, could she break my water - which was kind of painful.  I also have to take a non-stress test each week and get a sonogram.  My doctor just expanded her office so the nurses were having issues finding the paper for the non-stress test.  Another trip to the hospital.  Actually that is not so bad because it is right down the road.  So, I went to ATC and had that done.  Well, during the test I started having contractions (my belly had become uncomfortable after my doctor checked me out) every 7 minutues.  They were not too painful but more so than the Braxton Hicks were.  They did my sonogram to check my fluids, which were OK so I was sent home.  The technician was nice and did a 3D picture of baby girl's face which was smashed because of her position.  It was nice of her because I would not pay to have that done, since I still find them a bit creepy looking.  I was going to tell her not to do it because I did not want to look at it but baby girl still managed to look cute.

Ever since Wednesday I have been crampy and not feeling well at night. The crampiness feels like menstrual cramps.  Plus, I have felt pretty nauseous.  This went on for a few days (I was still getting my kick counts that I needed) but on Friday I just felt really bad.  So, I called my doctor since they were closing early.  I described my symptoms and was told to go home and stay off my feet all weekend if I want to avoid having baby girl right now.  I do want to make it to next week so here I am laying on the couch with my feet up typing away.  Luckily, I have a husband who is so good at taking care of me!

Will and I failed to take a belly picture this week.  So, I borrowed one from Grandma Liz.  It is not the most flattering of me but pregnancy is not the most flattering situation.  You can see my legs are swollen - they go off and on with being that way.  Mostly depending if I am walking around or not.  This was on Easter Sunday.