30 Weeks . . . and still trucking!

I'm convinced my little head of cabbage is going to be proficient in somersaulting before he/she can hold up its head or crawl. This booger loves to move!

Other than the fact that I'm slower getting up and down from a seated position, and I need a lower-back rub every fifteen minutes, I'm feeling pretty good. The nursery is painted, and I'm starting to believe this child is actually going to fit in our house. My two year old is hugging and kissing my belly more and more; and she loves to point to my protruding bellybutton and ask, "Is this the baby?"

This has been a rough week for potty training. A has decided that she just doesn't want to tell us anymore if she has to go or not. We were doing so well, and then we fell flat on our faces. I finally started using the timer method--just set the timer and have her try when it beeps. My mom commented that it was like training Pavlov's dog, which it is . . . but, she usually won't fight the timer like she will if I ask her to to go. The timer will go off, and she'll say, "That my beep? Time to go potty!"

I asked the pediatrician about how long it's taking, and he said since we started early, don't fight her. Let her do it as she's ready. So, I was getting stressed and frustrated, but I've let it go again, and I just try to celebrate the heck out of the victories. I've given in to the fact that we'll be buying a few more packages of pull-ups (I wanted to be one of those moms that didn't even finish the first package before her daughter was potty trained. Fail.)

As far as being a work-at-home mom, I'm really looking forward to my maternity leave. I've found myself wondering what it's like to have my child take a nap, and I could take one too. (I admit, I've snuck a few more in lately but not without a creeping guilt thinking about what I should be getting done.) I fully intend to relax, not let the house and other daily chores stress me out, and really use my maternity leave as a time to rest, recover, start getting my body back in shape, create a schedule, and enjoy my family of four. I do have one primary goal that's work related for my maternity leave: set up a website for my business. I fully intend to hire someone to design and run the website; I just need to take the time to hire someone. Expect this blog to be linked to much more in January!

I'd encourage any WAHM to not shy away from taking a decent amount of time off for maternity leave. I'll be honest, I was worried about losing the momentum my business is experiencing now, but I've found that the more I commit to making my family a priority, the more projects role in. I've already turned down quite a few jobs that I just can't take because I'm booked through my delivery date. AND I've already got quite a few jobs lined up for January 1st, so I can jump right back in with plenty of work. I love being able to sow good seeds and recommend my friends to jobs I can't take. And I truly believe in the blessing of following the principle of the sabbath. I'd highly recommend taking some time to listen to this message (click on "Closed on Sunday" from July 14) which explains it. Download it on your iTunes. You won't regret it.

Nesting 101 (29 Weeks)

Photo courtesy of Alan Vernon

Ahhhhh, this is the life! I love, love, love nesting! It's almost as satisfying as moving into a new space and finding the perfect place for each and every thing. That feeling of organization. That feeling of clean. Ahhh, the good life. Wouldn't it be great if your body started nesting whenever you had to pack up your house and move? I really think the whole process would be so much more enjoyable if you were nesting . . . perhaps you could time your move with nesting . . . perhaps not.

As I mentioned before, I never nested with my first pregnancy, so this is a new stage for me. It started with the hall closets, the tiny tiny hall closets that have been overflowing since the second week we've lived in this house. It's amazing how much junk I managed to cram in those little shelves. But four garbage bags later, order has resumed and now I don't cringe if a guest comes over and happens to peek inside.

I've also carried bags and bags of junk out of the future nursery. While it may not look much cleaner, there ARE empty shelves where before there were none, and the closet can be opened without a pile of miscellaneous-don't-know-where-to-put-them items come cascading down on you. In the middle of the room is a huge pile of pillows--mainly throw pillows. I rotate my throw pillows, so I can't put them all out at once. But they're SO space-consuming! I've decided to purchase some magical vacuum-seal bags and somehow turn my mountain of pillows and miscellaneous bedding into an anthill of items that only take a small corner of my attic to store.

Today the laundry room/bathrooms were my next victims. Again, three trash bags later, order has resumed. I can't believe the stuff I was keeping. Gross! There's actually an empty drawer and half of an empty shelf leftover. I get so excited when I find ways to properly store more stuff, and I still have room leftover for the baby. Okay, a drawer and half of a shelf may not be quite enough for adding one more human, but it sure seems a lot more manageable now.

I'll probably tackle more of the nursery next--need to pick a paint color and get the room painted! Then I can start craigslisting some used furniture. I also need to start stocking up on baskets. I feel so much more organized when everything is compartmentalized in baskets on shelves.

Potty Training Update:

I'm not even sure which week we're on now. We're definitely having some great successes. I still wouldn't consider her "potty trained," and I certainly don't leave home without a pull-up on (but now we're putting it over her undies so she still feels the consequences); but we're definitely heading in a good direction. I'm excited to start moving the cloth diapers into the nursery. Oh, and did you see? BumGenius (our fav cloth diapers) came out with version 4.0! Oh baby, can't wait to try them. Gotta go update my registry now.

Random Charley Horse Factoid:

If you feel a charley horse coming on, don't point your toes! Pull your toes forward toward your knees. It sounds ridiculous, but it's really helped me. In fact, I haven't had a charley horse since I started doing it.

27 Weeks

Is it possible that we're down to less than three months? The more I think about my desire to deliver early, the more I start to question my sani
ty. I really really enjoy this exclusive time with my 2 year old. I'm also booked up with work until the baby's due. Truth be told, there's a better chance of me wrapping everything up properly if this baby waits until his/her due date. Yes, that means one birthday on top of the other (my hubby is the 24th), but in the long run, it may be better to have a little more time on this end rather than on the other. Alas, the child will come when the child wants, and I'm perfectly okay with that.

Sad news. I just found out my doula is taking some time off. My hubby and I have been back and forth trying to decide if we wanted to use a doula this time. Last time, she was a LIFESAVER! Let's just say she went above and beyond (by about 12 extra hours) her call of duty. We would NOT have made it drug free for as long as we did without her. She made all the difference in the world. So why the doubt this time? Well, I'm believing this birth is going to go A LOT faster than the first (the first I clocked a solid 45 hours of awake and active labor--not to mention I'd been awake the 15 hours before the contractions began). I'd love to have a, well, 30 minute push time and pop--here's your baby! I know the reality is slim, but I will hope!

Secondly, my hubby proved to be stellar during the labor. My doula commented that she wished she could take him to all her births--his ability to stay in the moment with me and be attentive to my needs was a cut above. (I'm so proud!) Anyway, since I have an incredible hubby and will have a shorter birth, we questioned if investing the money in a doula is a priority. But, when it all comes down to it, we decided that no matter how quick the birth goes, she'll be worth every penny. Not to mention, I believe that her presence at the birth made my hubby a better person. We probably would've been lost without her.

All that to say, she (for very commendable reasons) is taking time off. Sigh. I'm not sure where we'll go from here. To be honest, I'm telling you, dear readers, before I have even had time to mention it to my hubby. I'll keep you posted on his reaction.

I had my last second-trimester checkup this week, and you all know what that means (well, if you've been prego) GLUCOSE SCREENING! Mmmm, mmm, tasty orange liquid tingling on its way down my throat. An hour of anticipating yet another NEEDLE! And then having my blood drawn. I psyched myself up for more drama than it proved to actually be, but still. Not my favorite checkup.

And then this zinger--I didn't pass! Horror of horrors. I feel like any advice I've given on this blog immediately lost all credibility. How could I boast a healthier-than-average lifestyle and then turn around and fail the glucose test? I passed last time, so this was really out of left field for me. Since then, I've learned a few interesting things:

1. If you don't pass the first time, they make you take another test to double check the results. This next test is over three hours long and requires you have your blood drawn four separate times in those three hours. Oh, and did I mention you can't eat before or during this whole process? I'm a woos when it comes to needles, but if my hubby is with me, I can make it through without passing out. But I can't justify making him take half a day off of work just to hold my hand while they stick me over and over with needles. I'll take the test sometime in the next few days . . . and I'm going to try and brave it alone. I'll keep you posted on how it all goes.

2. If you don't pass the second time, hello diet! There are all sorts of food restrictions that I would normally be excited about--forced healthy eating is a good thing, right? But since I'm prego, a lot of my food choices have been determined more by hormones and less by healthy choices. Doing a 180 in the midst of my pregnancy is not really something I'm looking forward to.

3. From the little I've read online, I don't really fall into any of the categories of people who get gestational diabetes. The only things I can relate to on the lists of symptoms or people who get it are 1. I've been more hungry this pregnancy--but not insatiable, and really not that much more than my first. 2. I'm over 30 this time. 3. I haven't been exercising regularly--but I figure chasing a two year old around and maintaining a business and semi-clean home somehow cancelled out that exercising category. I don't sit around and watch TV. I'm constantly active (except when I'm writing/editing). That's gotta count for something.

4. As I mentioned in an early post--your imagination goes wild during pregnancy, and overall it's best to stay away from books like What to Expect When You're Expecting because they primarily fill you with fear. Talk about a mental battle when you read the possible side effects of gestational diabetes. Hello! These are the moments when I'm glad I keep my faith built up even when I'm in a trial. I can't imagine dealing with this and having been slacking on building my faith.

For the record, I plan to come back to you next week and tell of a successful series of pricks that didn't cause me to pass out, and a report that the first test was wrong--I'm free and clear. Until then.

p.s. For those of you interested in a potty training update, it's still going. I now have no doubt that this process would have gone a lot faster if I had waited until my daughter was older. BUT, we've made so much progress now, I don't see the point of throwing in the towel. On the victories end, we're doing really well when we're out and about. Yesterday we went to the pool, and she told me twice she had to go! On the other hand, we're having a lot of trouble making going to the potty a priority when we're home. I've changed more poopy pants than I'd care to admit.

So . . . I know she understands the concept. I know she can alert me before she has to go. I know she can hold it until we get to a bathroom. I just don't understand why she chooses not to tell me sometimes. That's where the age factor comes into play. I think if she was a bit older, that would tie up the last missing link and we'd have this mastered by now. Until then, I just have to wait until she decides to tell me every time. I also think it'll help a lot when she sees her friends potty training. Since we started early, we're all alone when it comes to hanging out with friends that also have to use the big-girl potty. I really believe it'll help her to see other kids doing the same as she. Time will tell.

**Thought I'd include some real pictures of me and my family this time =)**

26 Weeks Prego & Still Potty Training

26-Week Babycenter E-mail: 98 days to go--folks, we're down to double digits. AHHHHH!!!!

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days.

Twenty-six weeks, and I'm finally becoming a morning person again! Earlier this week I was awakened by one of those awful charley horses that could bring someone back from the dead. 5:00 AM and I felt it slowly forming in my upper calf. I literally woke up yelling, "No, no, no, NO, NOOOOOOOOO!" I mentioned it on FB and got some interesting responses. Two remedies I'd heard before: stay well-hydrated and eat bananas (lack of potassium causes the charley horses). Then, I heard one I hadn't ever heard before--put a bar of Ivory soap under your sheets at the end of the bed. Wha? I'm not a huge fan of the smell of Ivory, so I won't be experimenting to see if it works, but I had multiple friends swear it works. Have you heard of any other remedies for charley horses? Charley horses are my least favorite part of pregnancy.

Anyway, that charley horse had me wide awake, and thanks to my body practicing for nursing, I wasn't able to fall back asleep. Let's just say that was one of the most productive mornings I've had all year. Other than that morning, I've been waking up voluntarily at 6:00 AM or so. I love mornings: Quiet house. Time to do stuff I don't normally get to do (this morning I baked blueberry muffins--I love blueberry season). The cool morning air that makes it desirable to be outside. Ahhhhh.

I also have a confession to make--I never nested with baby #1. I kept waiting for it to happen--wanting it to happen, in fact. Being the Type-A that I am, I always have a to-do list calling my name. And I just knew that when I nested, I'd be superhero-size productive. But, alas, it never came. Thankfully, since it was my first pregnancy, I didn't have a little toddler running around to distract me, so I was able to accomplish quite a bit before baby #1 showed up.

This time around, since first and most of second trimester were so rough, I haven't had energy or willpower to do much of anything. The house is at a just-livable level, my nursery is far from done, etc. BUT I really want to nest this time. Think of the possibilities. I could get gobs and gobs of stuff done, cleaned out, thrown away, and take control of my house back. I got a taste of it yesterday--sorted through mountains of old mail, cleared out a junk drawer, and threw away half of a filing cabinet. Felt good. Was addicting. I'm starting to plot how to conquer the rest of my house so that it doesn't feel too small too fast. Rubbermaid storage boxes and metal shelving for our garage are about to become my new best friends. Today I may tackle a couple of hall closets. Yes! (Okay, I think it's safe to say I'm nesting.)

Potty training with my two year old continues. We've had some great victories this week--she told me she had to go, and we made it to a public restroom--that's the first time we've had a success outside of the house without me just sitting her on the potty. We've had some failures--she refuses to tell me she needs to go at the beginning of the day. And we've had some semi-victories: she tells me she needs to go, sits on the potty, but nothing comes out. And, right now our world revolves around stickers. You should hear her yell, "Sticker?!" when we check for dry pants or she goes on the potty. She gets so excited.

So, I think we're doing well. We're already into week three. We're nowhere near mastering this thing. Since I'm putting her in diapers for nap time and overnight, our time to train is limited. If she wets during a nap and at night, there's not a lot of other chances throughout the day to train. Is this normal? Should I have her nap in training pants? Plus, if we run an errand, go swimming, etc., inevitably we lose another chance because she's wearing a pull-up. Ahh, the joys.

Moms who haven't trained yet, be prepared. It could be a quick process (and I sincerely hope it is for you), but worst-case scenario, prepare yourself for the long haul. My greatest encouragement I can give you: Don't stress the accidents. It's okay if it takes longer. Just take it in stride. It only makes things worse when you're freaking out because things aren't going as planned. Plus, as many of my friends have pointed out, how many adults do you see in diapers? It all works out in the end =)

**Photo courtesy of tenaciousme**

25 Weeks Prego & Potty Training a 2 Year Old

Twenty-five weeks already? Is that possible? Three measly months until baby ninja is here? Yikes!

From my email this week:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

I have no idea what a rutabaga looks like, but I know what baby fat looks like--chubby heaven! I love baby rolls and sagging baby cheeks. My first baby had the cheeks, but her arms barely could have qualified in the "wrist chubs" category. Plus, she had long, skinny legs and narrow, narrow feet--I don't think a baby shoe fit for at least three months because all baby shoes are made for short, fat feet, not long, skinny ones. So, I'm hoping for some more chubs on this baby. I'm SO curious to see how this baby looks--will baby ninja be a clone of my first child, or will baby ninja prove to look as different physically as I feel physically compared to my first pregnancy? If my eating is any indication of how fat my baby will be, I'm well on my way to producing a cute chubby bunny this time around. (BTW, I can't wait to kick this pregnancy weight in the head as soon as possible after the baby is born--My mom told me today they say in Weight Watchers, "Nothing feels better than feeling thin." I agree!)

This week has been a huge test of pregnancy brain and hormonal overload. I decided to potty train this week, which would give me a four-month buffer before baby 2 gets here. So I read my books (mainly followed Toilet Training in Less Than a Day), bought training pants and underwear (I was shocked that most people skip training pants and just use pull-ups--that seems like it'd be confusing because they're so similar to diapers), and loaded up on treats for rewarding my daughter for dry pants and going in the potty.

Well, the day before we started, our AC went out . . . again. Happens every summer, and we usually do a semi-cheap patch to get us through to the next summer; but this time I was done. We decided it was time for our 40+ year-old system to retire and a new one that actually cools our house to less than 78 degrees be purchased.

Being a the Type-A that I am, I decided that it'd be no problem to continue with potty training plans while sweating profusely at home and entertaining various AC salesmen trying to sell me a system that cost, hmm, about the price of my firstborn. Needless to say, sticky sweaty bodies means even more difficulty for my little one to learn the fine art of pulling underwear up and down, and an overheated pregnant mama does not make for a very enthusiastic and positive teacher. Again, determined to cross potty training off my list in the timeframe I had previously decided, I forged ahead.

We ended up moving in with my parents until we could sort out the AC thing, which meant I was not there 100 percent of the time for the training; so my daughter had two teachers, two houses to learn in, and, well, let's just say we weren't trained in less than a day . . . it's been a week, and we've just hit the crying, kicking, and screaming protests when we insist she go to the potty because she's doing the tell-tale tippy-toes dance on my mom's carpeted floors.

Sigh. I should've let this one go until the AC was installed, but now that I'm in the middle of it, I refuse to give up. I've been encouraged that the parents that are the most persistent are the most successful; plus, I've read more than once that starting and stopping potty training further delays progress.

I know, I know. There are tons of stories out there of people who stopped and started, and everything turned out just fine. I'm well aware of the fact that everyone's different. And, yes, I'd probably be fine if I threw in the towel and restarted at home. BUT, being a type-A, being less than four months from delivery of baby #2, and being stubborn, failure at this point is not an option. I will endure!

Well, for those of you who aren't scared off by now . . . back to pregnancy stories =) Got my first pregnancy-wake-you-from-a-dead-sleep-with-excruciating-pain charley horse last night. Whew, was that fun! Thankfully I'm not sore and hobbling the next day like I was with my first pregnancy. I've heard staying hydrated and eating bananas helps keep these things at a minimum--so I've got to up my intake of both H2O and bananas.

I'm really, really excited about having a fall baby. Holding my five-month-old niece and nephew and feeling their warm cheeks when I kiss them just makes me more excited. The nursery is nowhere near ready for this baby, but I know that really doesn't matter. But, we did take advantage of Memorial Day sales and bought a ceiling fan for the nursery. There's at least one thing I can cross off the list!

Off to eat a banana . . . that looks strangely similar to a brownie and ice cream =)

17 Weeks Prego

Ahhh, transitions. I've been thinking about them a lot lately. It's funny how most transitions seem unreasonable therefore we dread dealing with them; but they inevitably turn out to be easier than we imagined, and the results are something we swear we would now never live without. This dialogue parallels nicely with my new morning ritual of planting seeds and preparing my yard for the summer. I find that my little girl is not quite old enough to be excited about the new seeds sprouting through the soil; yet I'm more-than-ever-before impatient to see those little buds break through. You'd think I was the two year old here!

As a mom I'm thinking this in particular in regards to changing nap times, changing food preferences, getting rid of the paci, potty training, changing to a toddler bed, even experiencing a newborn transition from crawling to walking. I dread/have dreaded all of these changes, but without fail I've come out with a greater appreciation for the new and an unexpected willingness to let go of the old.

That said, I have three big transitions that I want to glide through before baby #2 arrives: potty training, eliminating the paci, and changing to a toddler bed. Again, moms, I implore you to offer your advice. My questions, in no particular order, are:

1. Did you follow a method/book for potty training? Did it work?

2. Which order would you do these three in? (My daughter is almost two. She's shown all the signs of being ready to potty train.) For example, a friend suggested I potty train, then get rid of the paci, and finally transition to a big girl bed. Your thoughts?

3. If I have to give up one (which would be really hard for me to accept because of my type-A-ness that screams, "If it's on the to-do list to finish before baby #2, it better be done!"), which would you recommend?

So far I've read On Becoming Pottywise. Next on my list is Potty Training in a Day which I believe is going to be very similar. Any other titles I should peruse before taking on the challenge? I must admit, with every book I read, I find myself skimming the parts of the book I know I don't agree with. I doubt there's a parenting book out there that I'd follow 100 percent, but I think it's important to do your research, glean the good stuff, and let your mother's intuition guide you.

As for baby turnip, he/she is moving A LOT. I try to get my hubby to feel it, but while the kicks are prominent in my mind, they're not quite strong enough to be felt through the layer of leftover baby fat courtesy of baby #1. I feel the same as week 16--creeping nausea; but I've decided to ignore it and continue life as if not prego. This has translated to hours of yard work followed by even longer hours of sitting, catching my breath, and self-deprecating inner dialogue for being such a woos.

On a completely unrelated note, garage sale season is upon us! I've already got my list of baby "must-haves" that I avoided the first pregnancy, wished I had, but never got the courage to drop the money and go ahead and buy. The answer: buy it all used for baby #2! I'm looking for a Bumbo, Boppy, bouncy seat, and monitor primarily. A co-sleeper in good condition would be great too. I'll probably go with new, but I need an infant carrier, crib & mattress, and double stroller as well. If you see any good leads on Craigslist, let me know! :)