Zipper!

Check it out. They may be my fat jeans but they have a zipper. No more maternity pants.

They are also proof that I didn't end this pregnancy fatter than the last one.

Fat Friday

In the days immediately following birth, something wonderful happens. Even when you are eating pizza and chips and cookies, you still drop 2-3 pounds per day. Oh sure, you know it’s water but the scale is dropping and you can’t help but feel glee.
And then it stops. And you have to face the reality of how many pounds you gained that weren’t baby. Today was that day. For the last three days the scale has stayed the same so I think I can reasonably say that my official post-baby weight is:
227 lbs
Yuck and better. Yuck, because that means I am only 3 pounds under the 230 I was last year when I finally got in gear towards weight loss. And better, because this time I’m 16-18 pounds (depending on the scale) higher than my pre-pregnancy weight versus the 30 I gained when I was pregnant with Caroline.
And here it is, my 11 day post-partum body. Seriously, last week there was an 11 pound baby in that belly! I have no waistline at the moment but I think improvement is almost inevitable.

So now we begin. I’ll start tracking my food next week after my houseguests leave and aim for around 2,000 calories a day. I won’t be perfect. I’m a stress eater and 2 little kids can be stressful but I’ll be doing my best.
More importantly, I’m counting down the days until I can start running again. I don’t know where I’ll find the time for the runs but I’ll do what I can.

36 Weeks

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Weight Gain: 33 pounds

Aches, pains and other: Everything between my ribs and hips hurts. All the time. Especially my hips and lower abs. Rolling over in bed is excructiating.

Milestones: Less than a month to go.

I will fix this when I am on my home computer.

 I am feeling done. I'm not saying I want this guy to come early or even before 39 weeks but pregnancy is no longer fun. I hurt. I'm tired all the time. I'm so tired of constantly having to pee. My clothes aren't fitting. I'm just at that uncomfortable all the time stage and it can only be relieved by having a baby. So I just have to deal with it for another 4 weeks or so.

But the truth is I need the time. I haven't washed any baby clothes. I haven't gotten the co-sleeper out of storage. I don't have any bedding or for that matter a bed for this little guy yet. I think a shopping spree is in order this weekend if I can find the energy.

We did get our new stroller though! Baby Jogger City Select, it is the bombdiggity. I love that it can be a single or double stroller and OMG it is smooth like butter. I never dreamed I would pay so much for a stroller but at least we got it for 10% off the list price. 

So here I am- only 3 days until I am full term. Only 24 days until my due date. Where has the time gone.

34 Weeks

How Far Along: 34 weeks

Weight Gain: 27 pounds

Aches, pains and other: My pains move around randomly. Today it's my hip, yesterday my back. Somedays my cootchie-pops aches and other days it doesn't. But there is always some sort of pain.

Milestones: This is the last week that I will not have an OB appointment until he is born.

Oh yes! This was a Christmas present from my husband and I not-so-secretly love it. The brand name is "Forever Lazy" and I want to help it live up to it's name. It is warm and fleece and on a cold, rainy day like today, it is heaven. Too bad I can't wear it to work. Extra special bonus, it will fit while I'm pregnant and after I give birth. Yes, I look like Violet Beauregard and my husband keeps making inappropriate comments about the zipper in the back- but damn it's comfy.

On the baby front, all is good. I think I will manage to keep the weight gain between 30-35 pounds. A far cry from the 20 pounds I wanted to limit it to, but way better than last pregnancy's 50 pounds.

33 Weeks

How Far Along: 33 weeks

Weight Gain: 26 pounds

Aches, pains and other: Recently, he has been causing extreme pressure on my lady parts. To the point that they were swollen and painful all the time. He apparently moved a little though because for the last two days the pain has been gone. Thank you, little feller! He continues his assault on my ribs.


Milestones: He is head down.

You'll notice the tank top is required because my shirts are getting too short.

I've been absent for a few weeks. I have been busy with Christmas and stuff and just plain exhausted. I am lucky to stay awake until 9:00.


But all continues to go well. We had an ultrasound last week that showed him to be perfect. Like I said above he is head down, but he is currently facing forward. He really needs to turn around and face backward for em to have the best chance at a VBAC.  But he has time, and I wonder if him turning around might have something to do with the easing of the pressure and pain I've been having in my unmentionables. I hope so.


Things are coming together to prepare for his arrival. Diapers have been ordered, a friend gave me a huge tub of little boy sleepers, the nursery is done. I just need to dig all the little baby stuff out of storage and get it cleaned up and we will be ready to go.

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Aches, pains and other: Just my back still. Every night I end the day by taking and bath a putting a heating pad on my back. The flashes of sciatica are coming more frequently. I am afraid. Very afraid.

Milestones: Officially in the third trimester by any standards.

I clearly didn't pull out all the stops when getting dress this morning. I can't believe how short this shirt is already. I also can't believe I still have 12ish weeks of growing left to do.

Amazingly, this week, despite eating crappy most of the time, I actually didn't gain much. About .8 pounds. Which is about normal but for me that is an almost negligible weight gain. Maybe, maybe, maybe, my body has finished with the massive preloading of fat for the little guys final growth push. 

Honestly, I am just about to the point that I don't care about the weight gain anymore but I'm not 100% there yet. I still worry about weighing in at the doctors and showing a 5 pound gain in a 2 weeks. But Thanksgiving is coming up so, you know.

In other baby preparation news, we finished painting the new nursery and will be moving all the furniture in next weekend. I am very worried about messing with Caroline's sleep but we don't have a choice.

27 Weeks

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Weight Gain: 20 pounds

Aches, pains and other: My back is starting to ache at the end of the day so I'm taking baths every night. I assume this will continue until February. More concerning is that I occasionally get a second of the sciatica that brought me to my knees at the end of my last pregnancy. I am terrified of that coming back.

Milestones: 85% chance of survival if he was born today. ::knock on wood::

This picture is actually from Saturday but I decided to put up a picture that proves I can actually look decent and don't always look like hammered shit.

27 weeks!! By some guidelines that is the third trimester. I generally consider 28 weeks to be the start of the 3T though, so I have one more week to go.

I had an OB appointment this morning that included my glucose challenge to test for gestational diabetes but did not include any mention from my doctor about the fact that for the second month in a row I gained 8 freaking pounds. I guess they know that pregnancy weight gain has it's own pattern for everyone. I'm onto appointments every 2 weeks now and that really hit home that I am no longer newly pregnant but actually entering late pregnancy. Holy Moly!

The appointment also included a real discussion on my decision to VBAC. He is so supportive and encouraging. He told me that they won't put a deadline on me and that we won't even start discussing Plan B until at least 41 weeks. He gave me a 60-80% chance of success if I go into labor on my own.

I am so encouraged. I've read so many stories from women who's OB's are not at all supportive of their decision to VBAC and do everything to set them up for failure. Given that my OBs let me try to induce for 4 days last time around before calling for the knife, I truly believe that they understand that vaginal birth is the most preferable choice.

I still have so much to do. The baby has almost no clothing. I still need to sign up for the newborn diaper rental, my toddler needs a new bed so that the baby can have a crib. We need a new stroller but that is a post in itself.

26 Weeks

How Far Along: 26 weeks
Weight Gain:18 pounds
Aches, pains and other: My bladder currently has the capacity of a walnut. I'm already at the point where I feel like I am about to burst with only a tiny trickle to show for it. Hopefully, he will reposition soon and get off my bladder.
Milestones: We finally painted the new nursery

Today's belly pic brought to you by Halloween!

I continue to consistently put on at least 2 pounds a week despite all efforts to stave off the massive weight gain. I am really hoping it will simmer soon. I am not at all looking forward to next week's OB appointment and not just because I have to take my Glucose Challenge. I'm seriously considering taking my food diary printouts to prove that I am not dining on Reese's and buttercream frosting. But they don't care. They just look at the number and don't care about excuses.

If there is any doubt about where those pounds have gone. Check out the bagginess of the sweater at 22 weeks versus today. Umm, hello there belly. I've started measuring ahead which is no big surprise as I think he is going to be a very big baby.

  Happy Halloween!

A big, whiney weight vent

I am at a complete loss when it comes to my weight gain right now. It is simply impossible. At 19 weeks, I had gained a whopping 4 pounds. I was feeling smug. I'm all, "I've got this."  Famous last words. Fast forward to today, 25 weeks 4 days and I have a gained a total of 19 pounds.

What the effing eff!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If you can't do that math let me help you, that is 15 pounds in just over 6 weeks. Or 2.5 pounds per week for 6 weeks. How is that even possible?

Have I been eating fettucini alfredo morning, noon and night? No. I hate alfredo sauce.

Did I crawl into an extra large tub of movie theater popcorn and eat my way out? No. I wish because that would mean that I have both seen a movie recently and got to eat popcorn. Sadly, neither of these things have happened.


In fact, I have continued to carefully track my calories almost everyday. Most days look like this.

Where my daily goal is the number of calories required to maintain my current weight. When it should take 500 calories over and above this number to gain a pound a week, my current rate of weight gain suggests that I am consuming 1250 extra calories per day!! That is simply not the case!!

Am I perfect every day? Of course not but I am on target most days and the days I go over I do not go over by thousands of calories. For the last week, I have eaten a more gestational diabetes friendly diet which is lower in carbs and have almost eliminated refined carbs and the result, I gained 2 pounds.

I know some of this is water retention, but by looking and my hands and feet I can tell that it's not a lot. 

I don't know what to do. I am on the path to gain at least 50 pounds while I'm pregnant just like last time. And that weight did not fall off. It stuck around until I forced it off. I don't want to have to start all over again. I feel like giving up and just diving into a pizza.


I am frustrated. Very, very frustrated.

25 weeks

How Far Along: 25 weeks
Weight Gain:16 pounds
Aches, pains and other: There is no delicate way to this, my crotch hurts. After a weekend of lifting and wrangling my toddler, I am usually sore on Mondays. Especially in the part of my body bearing the weight of the little man.
Milestones:25 weeks down 15 to go.

I have gained 10 pounds in 6 weeks. Amazing. I admit that I haven't been perfect but 10 pounds in 6 weeks when I had only gained 6 during the first 19 weeks of pregnancy is astounding. I am continuing to try to keep it under control but some of it is out of my control. I'm trying to stick to a Gestational Diabetes type diet even though I don't have GD. It's a great way to eat healthy and keep calorie control. It also helps regulate blood sugar which is good for pregnant women whose metabolism is a bit altered.

I can't believe it is only 15 weeks until my due date. That seems so short but when I think it is 3.5 months until my due date that seems like all the time in the world. When I think of  much going on before then, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, my daughter and husband's birthdays, I wonder how I'll ever get ready for this little guy.

It will work at though. It always does.

How Far Along: 22 weeks
Weight Gain:14 pounds (What is happening?)
Aches, pains and other: Feeling OK, but my back gets sore after a weekend of toddler wrangling.
Milestones: Started working on the new nursery.

So, according the scale I gained 2 lbs this week. That means 7,000 calories over and above what it takes for me to maintain my current weight. That is 1,000 extra calories per day! That did not happen. Not only did I not eat that much (I know, I track) this is the first week when I have really been walking. I walked at least a mile 5 times last week. It's not a lot but it is better than nothing.

I still have 1 week to go before my next doctor's scale weigh-in. At my current rate, I will weigh in about 9 lbs higher than last time. I'll give you a minute to wrap your brain around that- 9lbs in 4 weeks. OK, it should be 7 because my last weigh-in was about 2 pounds too low. I think I must have been dehydrated. 9 pounds is going to get me a talking to. They'll make me do my 1 hour glucose tolerance test early for sure with that.

But, the baby is great. He's kicking up a storm. I love that reassurance. 

21 weeks

How Far Along: 21 weeks
Weight Gain:12 pounds (Things are out of control)
Aches, pains and other: This baby is low, low, low, low, low, low, low and that is causing a lot of pressure on my lady parts.
Milestones: Hmmm, none this week.

My weight gain is defying the laws of physics. I have been eating calories in the range to gain 1/2 to 1 pound per week, yet I have managed to put on 5-6 pounds in 2 weeks. I know water retention and all that but man it is crazy. This is the exact same point that in my last pregnancy I gained a huge chunk of weight so maybe this is just how my body does pregnancy. Bulking up for the growth spurt to come.

This little guy is very low. Having an anterior placenta that is positioned more at the top of my uterus is keeping the man down. When means he is right on my bladder all the time. I've got no capacity there. I can't imagine what it will be like in another 20 weeks. He is also getting very active, lots of kicks and punches. I love it. I don't think I could ever get tired of feeling baby movement. 

20 weeks

Halfway. Well, for people who have 40 week pregnancies it's halfway, I still have another week before I really think I am more than 50% done.

How Far Along: 20 weeks
Weight Gain:10 pounds (wha?!?!?!)
Aches, pains and other: Heartburn, heartburn,heartburn.
Milestones: It's a healthy boy!

Umm, remember last week when I was only 6lbs up total. Did I gain 4lbs in one week? Maybe. I didn't really track last week but I don't think I over ate by 14,000 calories. I'm blaming the pregnant lady's stand-by, water retention. My weight can seriously fluctuate by up to 5 pounds in a 24 hours period these days. Luckily, Fall has come to town and I am actually doing some walking. I've also decided to sign up for a Saturday morning prenatal yoga class.

And yet, I don't feel like my belly is really getting that much bigger. I'm not worried about the baby or anything, I know that it is growing fine. But when I look at my 16 week belly shot versus my 20 week, I don't see much difference. Not a big deal, I will be ridiculously large in no time. 

19 weeks

How far: 19 weeks
Weight gained: 6 pounds according to my scale. 4 according to the doctors
What's happening? Baby is growing, moving. I'm really starting to notice a change in my gait.

Doctor visit this morning. Nothing exciting to report. I did get the go ahead for a VBAC assuming my body knows how to go into labor. So, yay!. I really don't savor the idea of recovering from a c-section while trying to care for a toddler and newborn. I can't lie, I also just really want that birth experience.

All the water, I took on last week went away this weekend. Just in time for my Dr. visit weigh-in. My last weigh in was inflated by the salty movie popcorn I had eaten the day before. As a result I weighed in today at the same weight I did last appointment. The reality is that I gained about 2 lbs over the last month. Which is perfect. I'm really aiming for about .5 lb per week. That is plenty for the baby without adding to my already ample fat reserves. My Dr. is pleased with my weight thus far. All of my stats were good and despite being 38 and "elderly", I am having a perfectly healthy pregnancy. Just like my last "elderly" pregnancy.

7 days until the big ultrasound!!!! Pink or Blue?

How far: 18 weeks
Weight gained: 8 pounds (gah!)
What's happening?: Round. Ligament. Pain.   Oh my god, I do not remember it being this bad during my last pregnancy. I feel like I've gone a few rounds with Jillian Michaels but only between my belly button and hips. Oh, that sounds a little dirty. Not like that. The pain. The pain.

I can't believe I'm closing in on half way. This pregnancy has been flying by even though each week seems like an eternity. According to the scale this morning, I gained 2.5 pounds in a week. That may or may not be the case. My parents were in town and my very Southern mother cooked the whole time. I ate a lot of bread. We'll see how the scale looks for the rest of the week before I kick myself for those biscuits and gravy.

17 Weeks

How Far Along: 17 Weeks
Symptoms: An unwelcome return of first trimester exhaustion
Showing?: Yes.
Weight Gain: 5 lbs
Milestones: Hmmm, I can't really think of anything this week.

The face is pixelated because it is not good. Scary. Very scary.

Of course, the day I decide to wear a sundress with the intention of keeping a sweater on over it is the day the HVAC system in my building is on the fritz. So I am roasting and that is doing nothing to help the overwhelming exhaustion I am feeling right now. It is the first trimester all over again. Yesterday, I took a 3 hour nap and still managed to fall asleep shortly after 9 last night. Only to feel like I needed a couple of more hours when the alarm went off this morning. I hope this passes. I hope I'm not getting sick.

In other news, the pounds are coming on. I am ravenous and it is what it is. I am trying to make healthy choices but I don't always succeed. The worst is when I don't bring enough food to work and end up having no options other than the vending machine. It doesn't help that people are always offering me sweet treats. Their way of helping to fatten up the pregnant chick. I'm trying though. Still need to find some time and energy for some exercise.

Only 3 weeks until the big ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. It seems like forever!

15 Weeks

How Far Along: 15 Weeks
Symptoms: Just peeing all the time
Showing?: Yes.
Weight Gain: 4lbs
Milestones: Maybe feeling a little movement

As you can see I finally got Scott to take the photo. The results are no less heinous. How many chins are there. But check out that cute little munchkin in the background.

 I had my monthly OB check this morning. Everything is as it should be. The heartrate was a nice strong 160. For the second time this pregnancy the dr. commented on how my uterus was really tilted waaay back. I never heard anything about this in my first pregnancy. Is it possible she put it back in wrong after my c-section. (I kid, I kid).

Their scale had me up 6lbs from last appt. I would be freaking out except a) I ate a lot of salt yesterday- pickles and movie theater popcorn (not together) b) I think my last weight was artificially low due to some dehydration. They have me at a net gain of 4lbs, which isn't too bad at 15 weeks.


I think I'm feeling a little dancing from this little one. There is nothing like feeling your baby move inside you. When I was pregnant with Caroline every movement excited me, it never ever got old. I'm really looking forward to feeling more from this little guy. I say guy because right now I'm feeling like it is a boy. That is based on absolutely nothing though. Next week I may think it is a girl. I won't know for sure for 5 more long weeks.

14 weeks

How Far Along: 14 Weeks
Symptoms: An unwelcome return of the nausea
Showing?: Yes. To anyone who knows what they are looking for.
Weight Gain: About 3 lbs
Milestones: Um nothing right now really.

Yes, in the bathroom at work again. (Dress from Old Navy Maternity)

 Man, all the weight I didn't gain is finding me now. This baby loves, loves, loves the carbs. I can't tell you how many potatoes I eat in a week. It does not love meat. The thought of meat, especially at lunch time just makes my stomach churn. So I find myself on a high carb, low protein diet that is a perfect recipe for weight gain. (This baby also loves watermelon and cheese. Not together.)

I need to sit down and do some serious meal planning for lunch to ensure that I get some protein. I'm seeing a lot of beans and rice in my future.

Exercise still isn't happening. I tried to take Caroline for a long walk down on the C&O Tow Path on Saturday but it was a disaster. She whined the whole time and we ended up covering about a mile in 40 minutes. Not a  fitness walk for sure.  Scott in the meantime managed to get a 4 mile run in so at least someone in the family is on the fitness path.

I am biding my time until September when the weather should break a little and hopefully I can at least do some walking.

How can I miss you if you don't go away

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Shameless

With this pregnancy I have had quite a bit of nausea, especially early in the day. Yes, for me it really is morning sickness. When it finally subsides mid-morning, it leaves gaping hunger in it's place. I thought that I was finally getting to the end of it but this morning found me staring into the toilet bowl praying that I could just puke already and get some relief.

When I finished getting ready and went downstairs, I simply couldn't pack myself a lunch. Not only did that much movement seem unthinkable, but just the concept of food and thinking about eating later turned my stomach. Scott offered to pack it for me, but I couldn't deal with telling him what to pack because I couldn't think of food. This is a rare occurrence in my life. 

Anyway, by the time hunger hit, I had nothing to fight it with so I took myself to Chick-fil-a. I give you a moment for your mouth to stop watering. While waiting in line, I was so hungry I couldn't imagine a simple combo filling me up. I was soooo freaking hungry. So I decided to make it a large. But I was embarrassed. Because, you know, supersize me, American obesity, my own fat ass, etc. So I did what any self respecting pregnant chick sporting a  bit of belly fat would do.

I arched my back, puffed my stomach out and did my best impression of a noticeably pregnant chick who just wanted some freakin' waffle fries. I probably looked a fool but faux pregnant is better than fat girl supersizing.