6 days old - Precipitous Birth

Here's what BirthingNaturally.net has to say about Precipitous Labor:

Fast Labor

A Fast Labor, also known as a precipitous birth, is a labor that lasts less than three hours. A fast labor is not an emergency situation since generally a fast labor means everything is working perfectly.

Why is a fast labor a challenge?

Though it happens in only a small number of births, the strong contractions that accompany a fast labor can be overwhelming to a mother who did not expect to progress through labor so quickly. Emotionally, the mother may begin todoubt herself and her ability to cope because she is having such difficulty handling what she believes to be early labor.

Physically, a fast labor, specifically a fast pushing phase may increase the risk a mother tearing if her body is not ready to stretch. However, some experts believe whether or not a woman tears has more to do with whether she is working with her body than how fast birth happens.

It is important that the labor support and caregivers assess the physical and emotional signs to reassure the mother that she has progressed quickly. For many women, knowing that they are nearly done makes them feel more confident.

Potential Solutions

Pay special attention to the emotional signs to have an accurate picture of where she is in labor.

Do not leave her alone.

Remind her that everything is moving fast because everything is going right.

Try techniques that may slow labor, such as side lying positions rather than upright positions or walking.

Things to discuss with your caregiver:

A side concern with fast labors is the possibility of tearing the perineal skin. This happens because the baby comes out faster than the skin is stretching. Some caregivers recommend using a side-lying position to help slow down the birth. You may want to discuss your caregivers methods for helping to keep the perineum intact with a fast birth.

Although a fast labor is not an emergency, you may want to become familiar with some "emergency birth" skills. Knowing what to do and what not to do will make you feel more confident if you are unable to make it to your birth place.

Some caregivers feel it is safer for a mother who suddenly finds herself pushing to stay where she is and call for help (perhaps 911 or a midwife who will come to you) instead of risking getting caught in traffic where it is difficult for emergency personnel to find you if necessary. Your caregiver can help you determine the best course of action for you depending on the area you live and how close or far you are to help.

Women who have had a fast birth before are most likely to have a fast birth again. Additionally, fast births are more common for experienced mothers than for first time mothers. If you believe you are likely to have a fast birth, be sure to discuss your plans for handling a fast labor and the possibility of a more relaxed paced labor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So... yeah.  We weren't even close to making it all the way to Atlanta to deliver.  We didn't even try.  And thank goodness we didn't because we delivered about 45 minutes after leaving the house (less than 30 after arriving at the hospital).  We delivered a perfect 7 lb baby girl at 9:28 am at the Newnan Piedmont Hospital.  I had my first contraction around 6:30 but wasn't sure I was actually in labor until about 7:30.  From that point on, things are both extraordinarily clear and a big blur.  Contradictions, I know, but the day was pretty much the craziest I've ever experienced.  I think everyone fears but nobody expects to be the couple to deliver on the highway.  But it very well could have been us if I'd tossed common sense aside and listened to my doctor's office.  Granted, there's no way they could have known what was happening but I do kind of wish  they'd have listened to what I was saying instead of what they thought I was saying.  Once she repeated it back to me, I knew she wasn't "getting it" and I told her I really thought I should go to Newnan.  But I'm getting ahead of myself; allow me to go back to the beginning.

On Sunday, we were over at Grandma and Grandpa's house for football.  I was feeling kind of surly and tired of being pregnant, but wasn't feeling any signs of impending labor.  I boldly made the statement that I believed we'd go to our scheduled induction date of 9/27.  Grandma said that she hoped we didn't but so long as we didn't deliver that Monday (9/22), any time was fine with her.  Between those two pronouncements, we really should have known that baby was coming no other day than Monday, 9/22.  

As I stated earlier, I woke up around 6:30 and had a contraction that felt absolutely nothing like any I'd had before but also nothing like what anyone else described labor would feel like.  Everyone said that it would start in your back and wrap around to your front, that you'd feel like it was period cramps at first and then it would intensify, working from the top of your tummy down toward your uterus.  Mine started really low in my pelvis and just felt like a tight, painful knot.  I got up and went to the bathroom then had another one.  And then another one.  It was at this point that I thought I should probably start timing them.  When the next one arrived approximately 8.5 minutes later, I thought this might be it.  I was pretty sure there was no more than 10 minutes between the earlier ones, but since I hadn't been timing them, I couldn't be sure.  It was at this point that I woke up Matt and we talked for a bit about what we'd do if it really was labor.  I continued to time them and they ranged from 8.5 to 6, depending on whether or not I had to go to the bathroom.  We talked about what time it was appropriate to call his parents and give them the heads up that we'd need them that day.  All of this was discussed while we were laying in bed because we were sure we had plenty of time.  Around 7:30, we got up and I asked Matt if we could please call his mom because they were starting to get more painful, though I didn't notice that they were any closer together.  Now that they were more painful, I wasn't timing them any longer.  He told me that he'd like to wait until 8 am, that she'd probably be up but just in case it was one of those fluke days that she slept really well, he'd rather wait.  

I was getting really uncomfortable at this point and running back through all the things people told me would help relieve the pain.  I leaned over the bed and rocked my hips back and forth.  I got down on all fours and rocked back and forth.  But they just kept getting stronger.  I got dressed and called the doctor's office around 8 -- between contractions, because I was getting sweaty and having trouble breathing with each one by this point.  Oh, and I'd started throwing up.  What joy is mine.  I called the line and told the receptionst that I was in labor, that my doctor had told me to come to the hospital when my contractions were 5 minutes apart but that they'd gone from 8.5 to about 3 and that I'd never hit that 5 minute mark.  She told me to come into the office and they'd check me, that if I was truly in labor, they'd send me over to L&D from there.  I told her I wasn't sure I'd make it and she told me that if I didn't think I could get to the office, that I could try going straight to L&D.  I reminded her that I lived over an hour away and she just said the same thing again.

After hanging up, I had another really strong contraction (that came with vomiting) and then another one... and then another one... and I timed them all.  They were down to 2.5 or so, so I called back and told her I didn't think I'd make it to Atlanta, that my contractions are now 2 minutes apart, and was it ok if I just go to Newnan.  She told me that I needed to come to Atlanta.  Then I had another one.  So she went and talked to the doctor.  When she got back, she told me again that, since my contractions were only 8-5 minutes apart, I should come in to the office but I could do whatever I thought was best.  It was at that point, I decided she was going to offer me no help.  8-5 minutes apart?  Had she listened to me at all?  At this point, I was fully dressed and on all fours in our bedroom with a vomit bucket in my hands.  I was finding the most relief by putting my face on the cold tile of the bathroom floor so I kept alternating between the bedroom and bathroom between contractions.  Matt's parents were at the house picking up Henry and I really didn't want them to come in to the bedroom but more importantly, I didn't want Henry to see me like that.  He's so little, I know, but I was afraid he'd be scared if he saw me in pain like that.  I have no idea if he'd have known I wasn't just playing but I didn't want to risk it, so I waited until Matt came in again to get something and told him in my most adamant way possible, "we need to go.  NOW.  To Newnan.  We're not going to make it to Atlanta."

After that, everything just kind of gets blurry.  I know Phil and Sue took Henry and wished us good luck.  I know that Matt drove REALLY fast and I either threw up or thought I would at every single tap of the break.  I know that he pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance, ran in and told the triage nurse that we were in labor and we needed a wheel chair.  I know that I was wheeled in and left at the triage desk while Matt moved the car and that the triage nurse called up to L&D while Matt was out.  I remember him saying, "We've got a woman in labor down here.  They said her contractions are 2-3 minutes apart but I'd say they're 1-2 at the most.  You need to get down here or she's going to have this baby out here."  He took us through the staff elevators up to L&D but there was no room at the inn, so we delivered in triage.  On a cot.  Less than 30 minutes after getting there.  

I'm not sure the nurses really understood how imminent our delivery was going to be when we first arrived but they cottoned on pretty quickly.  They asked me to get out of the chair, put on a gown, and get in the bed but they seemed to have no idea what a monumental task that was for me.  I remember sitting in the chair between contractions with my eyes squeezed tightly shut, trying to shut them out and relax and rest before the next one was going to come. But I also knew I couldn't have the baby in the chair and that they were only trying to help me.  So I stood up and took off my shirt.  But that's about all I could do.  Then I had another one and I bent over onto the bed and wished I could die.  I was sure I couldn't do this.  They took off my bra for me and then my water broke.  Even in the hazy state of pain that I was in, I still was grossed out by it.  What a disgusting experience that is.  They kept telling me that I had to get into the bed because they didn't want me to have the baby on the floor.  I heard them and understood but was in enough pain that I just couldn't muster the energy or break my focus enough to move.  But of course I did eventually and a doctor arrived and Matt filled out the paperwork and we had a baby.  Less than 30 minutes after getting there.  And it hurt.  A lot.  

Afterward, I couldn't understand how anyone could possibly go through that and then do it again.  I mean, I'm all for having more babies but I'm not doing that again. I'm just not.  It was WAY too much.  It hurt.  A lot.  I didn't think I could do it.  I told them that a number of times.  Having them touch my stomach while I was having a contraction hurt.  The tool to monitor Evie's heart rate during delivery hurt.  The doctor's fingers helping stretch me so that I didn't tear hurt.  Everything just hurt.  And I don't mean it hurt a little bit.  It hurt A LOT.  This is coming from the girl who broke her ankle and ran around on it for 24 hours before realizing it.  The girl who had shingles for a week before going to the doctor.  I'm no stranger to pain, but egads.  How could someone do that again intentionally?!  But, see, the thing is that precipitous births are a lot more painful because your body doesn't have a chance to kind of level set or get used to the level of pain before they get more painful.  There's no break and no gearing up.  Things go from zero to intense in no time flat and that's just an awful lot to deal with.  But we did it.  And I shan't be doing it again.  But I wanted to experience natural child birth and now I have.  And it's TOTALLY over rated.  Goodness.  The nurses were wonderful and the doctor was great.  The moment the baby was out, I felt totally fine.  And I mean the moment.  There was no slow release or come down; it was just like gearing up.  I went from INTENSE pain to zero.  So crazy.

Anyway, long story, I know but we had our baby in less than three hours.  In the wrong hospital.  On a cot.  In triage.  But we did get a postpartum recovery room and everyone was lovely.  The cafeteria kept messing up my gluten free meals and seemed to actually give me extra gluteny ones (like a breakfast of white toast and Rice Krispies) but aside from that, it was all wonderful.  Our baby girl is just perfect.  And, while it hurt an awful lot at the time, I think it all happened just the way it was supposed to.  Genevieve Kathleen Pieper Rehbein seems as if she was always meant to be a part of our little family.  Henry loves her.  Mommy and daddy love her.  Everyone who meets her oohs and aahs about how lovely she is.  As evidenced below:

40 weeks, 0 days - Due date, schmue date

I've officially decided that I hate due dates.  No matter how much I tell myself that they're arbitrary and don't mean much, I still feel let down when they pass and nothing happens.  I know there's no fairy dust that will fall from the sky and no rainbows are going to appear in my bedroom, but I still feel like something should happen.  It should be something special.  But it isn't.  It's just another day of feeling fat and uncomfortable.  Meh.  Stupid due dates.

In other news, we had a doctor appointment and ultrasound today.  No low fluids for this baby!  Ultrasound tech said that they were just completely normal and that baby was moving great, more so than she'd even like because it made it harder for her to get pics.  Baby measured in the 25th percentile this time, which is up from last week so that's encouraging.  Heart rate was 135 so back to what it's consistently been.  Doctor checked my cervix and I'm about the same as I was last time: 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced.  She had to reach a lot higher than she ever has before, though, and the exam hurt which it never has before.  So I got to wondering if maybe she stripped my membranes and didn't mention it.  I don't feel like she'd have done that but I also couldn't figure out why she had to reach so much higher than before.  I texted Holly about it and she said that it's normal for those types of exams to hurt at this point in pregnancy and your cervix can move around depending on gestation.  Which is crazy to me.  And makes more sense than her doing something without asking or even telling me.  But I do still sort of wonder.  Maybe it's wishful thinking.  Anyway, we're still pregnant and are looking like we'll remain so for at least a few more days.  We scheduled an induction on 9/27 in case baby doesn't make an appearance before that.  We have another ultrasound next week on Thursday to check on things and make sure all is well still but we're hoping not to make it that far.  We'll just have to see, though.  

Even though, of course, I'm glad that everything was good and nothing was wrong, there was a small part of me that kind of wanted fluids to be low so that we could be induced today.  I mean, we could have scheduled an induction if we really wanted to go that route but I don't really want to; I just want to have to so that I didn't make that choice.  But in the end, I'm glad baby is doing well and that my body is nourishing him/her properly.  Just ready to stop feeling so... uncomfortable.

39 weeks, 6 days - Last Man Standing

Derek (and his wife) had their baby yesterday evening.  At home.  They did a home birth.  Eew!  But it went great and they had a little girl and everyone looks happy and healthy.  Zero part of me wants to do a home birth, but Derek posted a picture of his wife sleeping in their bed with the new baby and I did get a little pang of wistfulness, thinking how much more comfortable that looked than a hospital bed.  But c'est la vie.  I'm not comfortable with the idea of a home birth.  Anyway, that leaves just us.  Everyone else I knew who was pregnant and due around our time or before has already had their baby!  I know of a few more due a month or more after us but we're the only ones left that I knew of in September or earlier.  Crazy.  Due date is tomorrow.  Bizarre.  I'm having lots of weird pains but nothing that I think is impending labor.  Just baby squirming around and hitting nerves.  Derek's due date was on Saturday and they delivered yesterday, so I guess two days after.  If we went two days after, that would put us on Friday.  If we're going late, I really would like that autumnal baby.  So at this point, I guess I'm hoping for Sunday... but we'll take you whenever you come, little one.

Oh goodness.  I've had absolutely the worst dreams the past two nights in a row.  I dreamed that the baby was still born.  Yesterday, I had a minor panic attack because I kept thinking that I couldn't feel baby moving so maybe my dream was coming true.  But it wasn't.  I laid down with a cold drink and sure enough, baby moved more than 10 times in about 10 minutes, let alone an hour.  So all is fine.  But I had the dream again last night and this time, it was even worse. I'd gone to the appointment alone so it was up to me to tell everyone.  Including Matt.  I woke up absolutely sobbing then I couldn't get control of myself and I couldn't go back to sleep.  I was up from 12:30 until about 5:30 because I was too afraid to go back to sleep.  It was just awful.  Baby has been super super active so I know that it's just an over-active imagination but even so, it was just so scary and sad and terrible.

39 weeks, 2 days - Baby Pool!

Well, the results are in and they're very interesting.  It seems as if there's a dead tie in gender... which is interesting.  Some of the folks who had professed one way have seemed to change their minds when things came right down to it.  Very interesting.  General consensus has us missing our due date and averages have us at about a six and a half pound baby.  So, without further ado...

It will be interesting to see who takes the prize.  I still can't believe it's coming so soon!  As with yesterday, I still haven't felt anything that has made me think labor is imminent.  I did speak to Megan about her super fast delivery and I feel a lot better about it now.  Turns out, she waited longer to go to the hospital than she otherwise would have because she was almost turned away last time and she didn't want that to happen this time.  She was 4 cm dilated when she got there this time and was afraid they were going to send her back home but they didn't.  Fortunately.  She checked in at 3 pm with non-painful contractions that were about 3 minutes apart and had Andy at 3:55 so things progressed very quickly from 3 pm on.  Anyway, it's not like she went from 10 min contractions to having a baby in an hour so I feel a little better about our chances of making it to the hospital.  It's just weird, having nothing to compare it to since I had no laboring at all before I was induced with Henry.  They told Allie she was in labor like two weeks before she was successfully induced with Lex so she at least has something to compare it to.  I've got zero idea what "going into labor" feels like and I think that's part of what gives me anxiety.  

So anyway, I've got an ultrasound at 10:30 am on 9/17.  Which is about the same time I had Henry's the day we were induced.  If that were to happen again and everything else went the same way, Nana, Aunt Stevie, and Grandpa would all be right on the date and Aunt Allie would be closest on time.  So crazy to think that our due date is in 5 days!

39 weeks, 1 day - Do you want a brother or a sister?

Henry boy is very into babies right now.  He's very very dear with them.  You may or may not recall that we got him a little baby doll several months ago and lately, he's taken such great care of her.  I keep finding her in the sweetest places.  Most recently, it's the bassinet.  How on earth does he know that babies go in the bassinet?  It's been in the basement since he was 10 weeks old.  It's not like he's seen another baby in it or anything.  He just knew.  And now that the baby's carseat is in the car next to his, he likes to have his baby ride in it, too.  It bugs him to have it empty.  Very cute.

So last night, we were talking about babies and I asked him if he liked babies.  He said yes.  I asked him if he wanted a baby.  He said yes.  I asked him if he wanted a boy baby or a girl baby.  He said, "umm... black."  After choking back guffaws of laughter (and imagining Matthew's pride at that statement), I told him that we probably wouldn't have a black baby.  So Henry, in his infinite wisdom said to me, "no black beebee.  Umm... blue!"  Then I just lost it.  I couldn't help but think of Stevie being a little kid and wanting a blue teacher and a blue sister and a blue bedroom and a blue mommy.  And now, since Henry can't have a black baby, he wants a blue one.  Haha, at least he comes by it honestly, I guess.

We wanted to get Henry a gift from the new baby but have been having some trouble deciding what to give him.  After that, we decided that the new baby will give him a black baby.  Not exactly a mea culpa but, since there's really very little chance baby will be black, he/she can help Henry get the baby he wants.  Haha, what a weird family we are.  "Do you want a boy baby or a girl baby?"  "Umm... black!"  hahaha!!

Here's the baby we got for him:

Oh, also, I almost forgot.  Had another doc appt yesterday.  Uneventful.  Weight is down a little bit but that's to be expected at this point.  Right now, I'm hovering around a 23 lb gain, which is just so weird to me since I feel SO enormous.  But I haven't even gained quite as much as they wanted me to.  Whatever.  It's fine and nobody's worried but I just can't imagine how people must feel when they gain 60 or 80 since I feel so gross and fat and disgusting at just this much.  Anyway, it's more than it was with Henry so I'm sure that's why I feel so huge.  Heart rate was 120-125 which is the lowest it's been (it's been pretty consistently in the 130-135 range).  I asked about that and she said it could be because the baby is getting bigger or maybe the baby is sleeping.  It's still a perfectly healthy and normal rate so it's nothing to be concerned about.  My tummy is still measuring small but again, to be expected since our babe is estimated to be in the 20th percentile.  Would be weird if my belly was measuring large with a tiny little nugget like that.  We scheduled an ultrasound for next week and went back over when to call and when to come in.  Dr. Lawson was very cute.  She said a number of times something about "if you make it that far."  I get the impression she likes babies and gets excited about deliveries.  Which means she's in a good career.  But she really did seem excited about it.  So crazy to think we've got less than a week until our due date!

38 weeks, 6 days - Holy belly, Batman!

So.  We can no longer say I have a little belly.  Maybe it's a little belly for 39 weeks, but it's for sure a definitive baby belly.  No joking around here.

This belly is quite a bit bigger than Henry's was, which is funny to me because I don't weigh any more than I did with him.  I guess it's because I started out weighing less.  Regardless, I've got a real belly this time.  Which, you know, I like but I also wonder how much harder it's going to be to lose than Henry's was.  Henry's belly went away basically in the hospital.  Would be nice for that to happen again.  :)  Not exactly holding my breath, though.

Additionally, Aunt Amy took some family pics of us this weekend.  I know, I know, who gets pictures taken when they're 38 weeks pregnant?  I felt so fat and disgusting and swollen and tired, but she did a really nice job and some of them turned out great.  She only sent us a few so far but here's what I've got:

I think she did a really fantastic job and they turned out beautifully.  I've since cut Henry's hair and wish I'd done it before we got our pics done, but I'll know for next time.  I just trimmed off the wisps in the back, so his curls are still there; they just look fuller and less messy.  Also, I think the family pic is really funny because these pics were taken on Saturday and I took the belly pic on Monday.  Two days apart.  Clearly, my belly didn't grow that much in two days so it really accentuates how much what I'm wearing affects how big my belly looks.  I think it looks really small in the one of Matt kissing it but absolutely ENORMOUS in the one above it.  So weird.  Anyway, we're on baby watch 2014!

38 weeks, 5 days - Full moon

According to the old wives, more babies are born at the full moon.  And you know how I love old wives tales.  So maybe today!  Unlikely, though.  I had been having millions of Tony Braxtons but then they just kind of stopped over the weekend.  I'm not sure I had any over the weekend at all.  Maybe it's just because I was too busy to notice?  It was kind of a wild weekend.  But even so, I can't believe I had the normal amount and just didn't notice.  Anyway, we'll see what this full moon has to say about our soon to be newborn babe.  Now that we missed my dad's birthday, I'd like 9/21 to be the date.  We'll see.  I'll really be happy at any time, but if I could pick, I'd have a baby to welcome in autumn.

Speaking of this baby, Amy picked up Henry at school the other day and stopped by to say hello to us on her way to drop him at grandma's house.  She hadn't seen Henry's big boy room yet, so she wanted a peep at it.  While we were in there, I told Carter that I had a baby growing in my belly.  It was one of the funniest, cutest reactions I've ever seen.  I so badly wish we'd gotten it on video.  He stopped, looked at my belly, looked back at his mom, pointed back to my belly, looked back at me and just kind of stared.  It was as if he was saying, "what the...?  Mom, are you hearing this?  She's got a baby in her where?  What on earth is it doing in her TUMMY?!!!  Have you ever heard of such a thing?"  Then he picked up his shirt to see if he had one growing in his belly, too.  His mommy tried to explain that only Aun Manna had one but he kept checking to see if maybe there was one in his.  We were over at grandma's and grandpa's yesterday for football and Carter was just obsessed with touching the baby in my belly.  He just couldn't stop.  Then he'd show me his belly, then come back to touching mine.  I meant to lie down so that he could feel the baby move, but it was kind of hectic and I forgot.  Brooklyn came over to pat my belly and tell me it was "so cute," too.  Those kids.  I just get such a kick out of them.  Carter decided that it's going to be a girl baby, whereas Brooke says a boy.  Dave weighed in with girl also.  I don't know exactly where the tally lies but here's what I heard last:

• Girl  -grandpa, daddy, Uncle Dave, Carter, Aunt Mel
• Boy - mama, Brookie

I don't think anyone else has weighed in yet and, frankly, I think Grandpa and Daddy only say girl because that's what they want.  Dave meditated on it and it came to him during his meditations so he feels very confident about it.  And Mel says that she saw it in the ultrasound so she also feels pretty confident.  I think my feeling probably just comes from old wives tales.  What I'm really waiting for is Aunt Amy's prediction because she's apparently always wrong.  Like ALWAYS.  So it'll be interesting to see what she thinks so we can plan for the other.  :)  Ha!  Poor Aie Maimee; will you ever win?

38 weeks, 2 days - Little leak?

Newp.  It was pee.  I was leaking pee.  Which I guess I should be glad about because you're not supposed to leak amniotic fluid, but I feel so foolish for going into the doctor when there was absolutely nothing wrong.  As my mom would say, you only feel foolish because there was nothing wrong; if something had been wrong, you'd be glad you went.  But I still feel silly.  Anyway.  I'm still dilated 1-2 cm and am effaced 50%.  I also got an ultrasound today and the baby is measuring a bit smaller than he/she was previously.  Still not dangerous or anything but he/she's gone from the 35th percentile down to the 20th.  I don't like that much.  I'm sure all is fine but that number made me a little nervous.  The ultrasound tech didn't send me back to the doctor or anything so it's not something that they're worried about, but I still am not crazy about it.  I guess I just make little babies.  Heart rate was again 130 and fluid looked good, so all seems to be well.  Which is great.  My next appt is on Wednesday at 2 pm.

Just as a reminder, with Henry, I had an ultrasound at 38 weeks and all was fine.  But when I had another one at 40 weeks and 1 day, there was no fluid.  I think that's what got me thinking this time.  Anyway, I suspect she'll send me for another one very shortly after I miss my due date (assuming that I do).

I brought my hospital bag with me today.  There was a small part of me that was hoping they kept me and induced me this evening so that I'd have my baby tomorrow.  9/6.  My dad's birthday.  Then I could have had my Frederick on his namesake's birthday.  Or my Evie.  But I still think it's a Frederick.  All in all, I think it's good that that's not what happened.  I've read that 39 weeks is really what you should make it to, so we want to keep this babe put until next Wednesday but still... would have been kind of cool.  I guess it's not too late to have a baby tomorrow, but I don't think it's very likely.

38 weeks, 0 days - Nervous

I don't know exactly what happened between yesterday and today but I all of a sudden got nervous about having a new baby.  Like really really nervous about it.  Maybe the reality has finally settled in?  I need to take a belly pic for this blog but ugh, I so don't want to.  I will though.  Today.  Promise promise.

Had a doc appt yesterday.  Saw the last of the practice who might deliver my babe.  She was wonderful, as all the others were.  Dr. Combs.  Just loved her.  Heart rate was 140, which is a little higher than it's been but still strong and great.  Belly measuring right on track... what?  Yes, that's right.  She was funny when she looked at my tummy.  She said, "you have an oddly elongated torso," to which I replied, "yeah."  Cuz I mean, really, what else can you say about that?  Anyway, she started the measurement even lower than anyone else and came up with baby being right on track.  So that's good.  She checked my cervix and had me dilated 1-2 cm, so probably the same as what Dr. Williams got last week (she measured me at 1.5 cm).  All in all, a good, uneventful appointment.

Got a surprise visit from Nana yesterday!  She was on her way home from Hilton Head and the plan broke, so she got stuck in Atlanta.  We rescued her and let her sleep in our house until her flight left this morning.  That meant she got to see a 38 week pregnant belly, which she didn't get to see with Henry.  That was kind of nice.  We don't expect to see her again until after baby is born, so it was nice to have one last brief peep at baby while he/she is still packed away.  I also talked to Aunt Stevie today.  Maybe it was seeing my mom and talking to my sister that made things seem more nerve wracking?  Like it made everything more real?  Since they were here when HT was born, maybe it just kind of gelled everything.  I don't know.  What I do know is that I'm having tons of Tony Braxtons and my abs hurt and my back hurts, but it doesn't feel anything like real labor contractions or anything.  I still think we'll hang onto this baby until after his/her date.  9/22 is the day I'm picking, I think.  For my boy.  I won't weigh in on size or time publicly until anyone else who wants to guess in a baby pool does so, but I have guesses on that as well.  So weird that baby could be here any day.  Though I don't expect him/her for several weeks.  

37 weeks, 6 days - Dilation? Yikes!

So, the trend continues.  I saw Dr. Williams last week and I feel like I liked her the best out of anyone in the whole practice.  It was like this when I was with Drs. Elliot and Lashgari, I liked whichever one I was seeing at the time best.  That's a really really nice feeling.  Especially because I'm not really very easily pleased with doctors.  Really.  I know it would seem contrary based on my ob experiences, but it's very true.   I loved Henry's pediatrician and my obs, but aside from that, I'm not sure I've even liked a doctor I saw other than my childhood pediatrician and my childhood dentist.  Anyway, I just LOVED Dr. Williams as much as I've loved Dr. Kleiss and Dr. El Gammal so it bodes well.  They had to redo my group b test to check me for antibiotic sensitivities, as I'm allergic to amoxicillin and apparently, my records don't say what they gave me in Arlington.  Dr. Williams explained that they want to use the weakest antibiotic that will prevent the infection so that I keep some "natural flora" and pass good bacteria onto baby. Otherwise, there isn't nearly as much benefit to having a vaginal birth.  Since we were doing that, she also checked my cervix because I explained to her that I live over an hour away and have a little bit of anxiety about getting to the hospital on time and knowing when to leave.  She said she wanted to check my cervix before answering because her answer would be very different based on how much I'm dilated.  "How much I'm dilated?"  I was stunned to hear that.  Apparently, it's normal for a woman to be 1 cm dilated at 37 weeks with her second child.  I was 1.5  I couldn't believe it.  I had no idea that you dilate this early with subsequent kiddos.  Pretty crazy.

So anyway, she dramatically eased my anxiety about getting there on time.  She told me to call when my contractions are consistent and getting closer together and are regularly 5 minutes apart.  If they go quickly from 10 minutes to 3 minutes, get on the road and call from the road.  If they go from 10 min to 3 min to 7 min to 2 min to 5 min to 10 min, then don't bother calling because that's still false labor.  She said that the people she's had who got there too late for an epidural, told her that they didn't call sooner because the contractions didn't ever go to 5 minutes, they just went straight from 10 to 3.  So I won't do that.

Another appointment today.  I'll probably take a belly pic tomorrow.  38 weeks.  Egads.  I haven't gained any weight in a couple of weeks, but that's normal for this point.  If I stall out right here, I'll have topped out at 23 lbs, and almost EXACTLY the same weight I was with Henry.  Which would be funny.  Not really funny funny, but oddly coincidental.  But we'll see.  We could still have almost a month until baby comes.  Yes, it could be any day now, but all three of my mom's babies were late and it's not like Henry was on his way or anything when I was induced with him.  So we'll see.  I'm still pulling for 9/21 so I can have my autumn baby.  Or 9/6 would be kind of nice to have a little Frederick, though I admit that having a baby four days from today kind of freaks me out.  In the mean time, baby is moving up a storm and seems to be getting antsy.  Grandma pointed out how low my belly is these days so again, I feel pretty confident that baby has dropped and is getting ready to make his/her appearance before too long!  Crazy!!

37 weeks, 1 day - Doctors, doctors, doctors

Meeting another new doctor today.  Dr. Williams.  Based on everyone I've met so far, I feel good about it.  I'm done with the long drive to work and am just hanging out, working from home until baby comes!  Hooray!  So exciting!  Nana picked up a bunch of newborn clothes for us at a consignment shop so we have something to bring baby home from the hospital in.  That's a relief.  Things are coming right along!

In other news, my feet and ankles have been swelling which is annoying but not entirely unexpected.  I don't remember this happening with Henry, but then again, I had a broken foot with Henry at this point and was in a boot, so I have no idea what else was really going on.  Aside from that, I'm having lots of Tony Braxtons and am super tired but feeling pretty well otherwise.  Below is a pic that shows approximately what baby looks like in mommy's tummy these days.  Pretty crazy, right?

37 weeks, 0 days - Work "Sprinkle!"

What a lovely surprise from my very lovely coworkers.  Total surprise.  The dear, sweet folks I work with got me a big cake for everyone and a little GF cake for me and gave me a really nice gift card for our new baby.  Totally surprised me.  My helper, Eileen, had asked me if I'd have lunch with her today, you know, since it's my last day on site, so that's what I thought we were doing.  As it turned out, everyone was there.  The client, the sub contractor, the Analytics team I used to manage, our partner and executives... it was so lovely.  Not a lot of pomp and circumstance but it was just so very nice and sweet.  Plus, Tricia, my client business owner, gave me a couple of books for new baby.  So sweet and thoughtful.  I am constantly amazed by how kind and caring the folks we work with are.  I guess it's the difference between working with the federal government and working with a public school system.  These folks really do seem to care about one another.  And it's nice that I get to be a part of that.  Lots of people asked me very kind, thoughtful questions and it was just so very very nice.  And the gift card was just the perfect little "sprinkle" of gifts.  I'm so very touched.

Also, everyone who guessed, guessed girl.  Interesting.  Looking more and more like my "boy" gut feeling is in the minority.  Very interesting, indeed.

I was thinking, on my way in today, that if I was Allie, I'd be having my baby very shortly.  I don't remember if she was induced the day she turned 37 weeks or if it was  a few days later, but I do know that she had Lex when she was 37 weeks.  So that's pretty crazy.  We're past the premie phase so if we had the baby as of today, I don't think he/she would be considered a premie.  I believe that babies born at 37 or 38 weeks are "early term" but still considered pretty well baked!  Crazy!  Not that I think we'll have baby any time soon, but it really could be any time now!  I put the car seat in the car over the weekend and told Henry that's where his baby will go.  He kept saying "bay-bee, bay-bee" over and over, so I went in and got his baby doll to strap in.  He was happy about that.  Then, he didn't want to leave the baby in the car, so he carried it through the stores we visited.  It was very cute.  I think he'll be a good big brother.  I've asked him a number of times if he wants a baby and he always says yes.  So, game on, baby!

36 weeks, 2 days - Yet another doctor's appointment

Saw the doc yesterday.  All was GREAT.  I saw a different doctor this time and she was so relaxed about everything that it made me feel absolutely wonderful.  She measured my belly and came up with 36 cm (which is where it's supposed to be).  I told her that's the first time I'd heard that.  She smiled and said the measurement is so subjective that it doesn't really mean much.  That made me feel pretty great.  And it jibes well with what the ultrasound was showing.  She was just very non-reactionary and really calm about everything.  Much more like my doctors in Arlington.  She basically said, everything is fine and let's not worry about it until there's something to worry about.  As opposed to "well, this could go wrong or this could be a problem so let's make sure it isn't."  And I mean, that's great too but I'd prefer not to know about it, I think.  I just liked this doctor so much.  El Gammal.  Kind of sounds like Gargamel.  Loved her.  So.  Of the four docs I've seen in this practice, I was ambivalent about one, like one quite a bit, and absolutely loved two.  Those are some pretty good odds.  I see a different one next week and the last one the week after.  I hope it remains so!

Anyway, heart rate was strong and in the 130s.  Mama gained some weight so I'm now at the same weight I was when Henry was born.  Eek!  That likely means that the next time I step on a scale, I'll be in uncharted territory.  Seeing numbers I've never seen before.  That's a little scary.  I know how quickly it comes down when you have a baby but it's still a little scary since I know I started out weighing less this time than I did with Henry.

Oh also, kind of exciting, I've had a handful of people guess that this baby is a girl.  I've been so confident for such a long time that it's a boy that I kind of forgot that we don't actually know.  So that's been kind of fun, you know, to be reminded.  :)

Oh, and finally, I was talking to my mom the other day about the girl names we'd picked out.  We have five or six and probably won't decide unless we have a girl and then, after spending some time with her.  But our two front runners are Genevieve Kathleen and Mabel Ann.  My mom didn't react much when I told her so I asked if she'd heard, you know, since Ann is her middle name and that baby would kind of be named after her.  She said that she'd heard but she didn't know the appropriate way to react so she just didn't.  Then she told me she'd also noticed the Kathleen (Stevie's middle name) and I told her that we came up with that because Stevie pointed out that our Genevieve nickname (Evie) would sure sound an awful lot like Stevie.  I hadn't realized it when I picked Eve as the nickname but I liked it very much and figured, well, if we're going to name her after Stevie, we might as well go whole hog.  So that's how we ended up with Genevieve Kathleen.  My mom LOVED it.  She got to laughing really hard because she thought it was awfully hilarious that our child, Genevieve, would be named after my sister, Stephanie.  Ha!

35 weeks, 5 days - Hospital tour

We went on a tour of the labor and delivery area of the hospital we'd like to deliver in yesterday. I say, "we'd like to deliver in" because it's an hour away if there's no traffic and... well... that's kind of far.  I have no idea if we'll make it there or not.  It's possible that we'll end up at Piedmont in Newnan -- which is about 15 minutes away -- just depending on how quickly things seem to progress.  Anyway, we took the tour yesterday and I was feeling a little weird about doing it.  Just kind of stupid like I should know this stuff already.  I mean, obviously, I hadn't given birth there before so I shouldn't feel stupid about it, but I did.  But I'm so glad we went.  It was great.  It was easy and clear and really eased my anxiety about getting there and what to do once I got there.  Really glad I went.  The postpartum rooms aren't as nice as the ones in Arlington, but they're fine and the L&D rooms look really nice.  The hospital actually has this special private area where you can get these fancy suites and a personal chef while you recover.  Matt, of course, wants to do that but after I whacked him over the head a few times and explained how it really wasn't worth $700 EXTRA a night, he relented.

I also met a woman who looked to be about the exact same size as me.  She's also 35 weeks and when I exclaimed about how small she is, she said the same about me.  We then had a conversation about the weird things people say to us and how nice it is to see someone else the same size so we don't feel like complete freaks of nature.  She said she thought it was because she's tall.  I told her I've speculated the same thing.  I forgot to mention that the doctor recently complemented me on my abs.  That might have made her feel good, too.  Anyway, between seeing someone else who looked pretty small and having the doctor be so awesome and supportive on Friday, I'm feeling really good about things these days.  I'd just been feeling so blue and terrible, like I'd been doing something wrong even though I knew I hadn't.  It's hard to listen to people tell you over and over that you're not doing this or that right or you should be doing this or that without starting to doubt yourself, regardless of how sure you are in the beginning.

In other news, Amy's niece, Caden, had her baby yesterday.  That's another one off the list.  I think now Derek and I are in a race to the finish line.  His wife is due on 9/13 and then I think that's it as far as the babies I know personally.  What a crazy number of babies there are/were this summer!!

35 weeks, 2 days - Dr. Appointment and Ultrasound! Surprise!

I had a doctor's appointment this morning at 10 am and, unfortunately, I did not have someone to watch Henry.  Daddy was here, but he got home very late last night.  I think he got to bed around 2:30 and then had to work this afternoon at 1 so he needed to sleep and wasn't able to watch Henry.  Normally, I'd ask Grandma to watch him but I usually keep him home with me on Fridays and, just yesterday, she was telling me about all the things she had planned for today and the things she wanted to get done so I didn't feel like I could call her.  So I just decided to take him with me.  No big deal, right?  I mean, these appointments usually last literally five minutes so all should be good.  Except, surprise!  Today's was not a five minute appointment.  D'oh!

I saw a different doctor today -- Dr. Kleiss.  Loved her.  Actually loved her maybe better than Dr. Lawson.  Whom I like very much but I really liked Dr. Kleiss.  I just felt... connected with her.  Anyway, she was fabulous but surprise!  We did the group B test today.  That is a pelvic swab for anyone who doesn't know.  Lovely.  I mean, not a big deal to have my 2 year old there when I'm naked from the waist down but it's just one more layer of complexity that I did not need when I had Henry with me.  Then, of course, he freaked out when the doctor came in.  She was awesome about it and let me have him up on the table with me while she did the swab and measured my belly/listened to the heartbeat... which I just realized right now I forgot to ask about.  D'oh!  Anyway, I'm still measuring small -- no surprise there -- but I also didn't gain any weight since my last appointment so she decided to send me to ultrasound to make sure the fluid levels were still ok.  Ugh.  Usually I'm so thrilled about ultrasounds but after the melt down that Henry had during the doctor's appointment, I was not looking forward to the ultrasound.

Blah blah blah long story short, he was great in the ultrasound and all is well.  Baby is still measuring small but is growing so they're not worried.  My fluids are fine and all is well.  The tech had a tough time getting the head measurement because baby is sitting so low in my pubic bone... which explains those pains I've been getting.  She told me she couldn't say whether or not baby had dropped (since she's not a doctor) but that she thought baby was sitting much lower than she usually sees them.  I thought only first babies dropped before labor began but who knows?

Anyway, we didn't go back and see the doctor after the ultrasound because all was fine.  Dr. Kleiss did tell me that I have really strong abs and that may be why I"m measuring so small, though (because my abs are keeping my belly taut and from pooching out).  That was really really nice of her to say.  I told her so and then she said that she could feel them and showed me where she was feeling and... I don't know.  It was just a really nice thing to say and made me feel so good.  I feel like I've gotten so much news about what I'm doing wrong or things to worry about with this pregnancy and I've been feeling like I'm the worst pregnant person ever that hearing that just made me feel so happy.  And like I'd done something right.  I mostly hear how much faster you show with your second and subsequent pregnancies because your muscles are all stretched out from the first so, again, hearing that made me feel like I toned up properly and got my body back to being ready for a baby and... I don't know.  It just made me feel good.  All in all, a good doctor's appointment.

35 weeks, 1 day - Showing and dropping

I guess I'm showing a lot more lately.  I had many people at work talk to me about the second coming of Baby PR this week.  And I even had two strangers congratulate me.  Big deal!  I don't think I was wearing anything that was more belly accentuating than normal so I guess this babe has finally decided to appear to the public.  So that's kind of nice.  I remember when people first started saying things to me with Henry that I was so excited to look pregnant and not just fat.  So good for that.  :)

I'm also wondering what it feels like when a baby "drops."  I don't think Henry ever did. Well, I mean obviously he did but I don't think it was before labor started.  So I don't know what it feels like.  I've been wondering for a bit if this babe has possibly dropped because I've been getting these weird pains in my groin and pubic bone.  Two nights ago, it was absolute agony.  Didn't feel anything at all like labor, more like baby was scraping me on the inside.  So I don't know if he/she had his/her little hands up and pushing on things he/she wasn't supposed to or what but it KILLED.  And also, I frequently get these sharp, shooting pains in my groin area.  I remember those from Henry, though.  I think the doctor told me that baby's head was pressing against a nerve or something before.  It's very odd and doesn't last more than a few seconds but sometimes it's so painful that I'm afraid I'm going to fall down.  So I got to wondering, does that mean the baby has dropped?  Why haven't I been experiencing this throughout the entire pregnancy?  I'm quite thankful that I haven't been but I wonder what's different now.  I'm sure baby is bigger now so maybe that's it?  I do not know.  But I don't like it.

Finally, I've been having much more intense, frequent Tony Braxtons lately.  Dr. Lawson said to call if I ever have more than six in an hour and I haven't, though yesterday I had four.  That was a little alarming.  They weren't regular or consistent or anything.  I had one then another 20 minutes later than another 5 minutes later than another 18 minutes later then another 12 minutes or something.  So it's not like I was mistaking them for labor.  But it was surprising and conventional wisdom tells us to drink lots of water, take a walk, or change positions when you get them.  But I seem to get them when I get up out of a chair or lie down or am doing something that makes me tired.  They still don't hurt or anything but they are quite noticeable these days.  Almost as if I'm due to have a baby in the next 3-7 weeks.  Madness, utter and complete madness.

34 weeks, 0 days - Well hello belly! Belly pic

Well hello there, belly!  Nice of you to join us!

I believe that, with this photo, my belly is officially larger than it ever was with Henry.  I'm still a few pounds lighter than I was when I delivered him but I started out about 10lbs less than I did with Henry so that's no surprise.  Plus, I've still got 6 weeks to go so there's a real good chance we're going to surpass the highest scale numbers this lady has ever seen.  I didn't take any pics with Henry between 30 and 36 weeks so there's no good comparison to show and I don't want to spoil the surprise by pulling the 36 week pic too soon so you'll have to live another two weeks without a compare shot.

Baby is still moving and grooving and still hanging out obstinately in my rib.  Grandma picked up a new monitor for us over the weekend so we can check that item off our list.  So that's one of about 10k things that needed to be done.  Hooray for us!  Ha!

Oh, in other fun news, according to baby center, "...babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies."  So that's pretty exciting.  Even if baby was born today, chances are he/she would be fine!  But do go ahead and keep cooking in there for awhile, Baby.  Mommy's not quite ready for you just yet.

Henry started back to school today.  I'm very interested to hear he did with the potty today.  We forgot to have him go after he got up this morning so he went to school without going at all.  But it turned out ok.  He held it and went as soon as they got into the classroom and daddy got him on the potty.  

33 weeks, 5 days - Seriously. Get out of my ribs.

I'm not kidding, Baby.  Get.  Out.  Of.  My.  Ribs.  I don't know what it is with these babes, but it's the exact same spot that Henry used to get stuck in.  I don't know if it's a foot or a knee or what but it's high up on the right hand side of my rib cage and it's so uncomfortable I can't stop poking and trying to readjust Baby so that he/she GETS OUT.  I've got to be bruised.  Silly little thing.

In other news, we're almost 34 weeks.  So crazy.  Just over 6 weeks until our due date.  Can you believe it?  6 weeks still sounds so far away but when you say that it's next month, it just sounds mad.  Simply cannot believe it.  Still no real problems to speak of.  We went down to Callaway Gardens this weekend with Grandma & Grandpa and the Terlizzis and on the way there, I was thinking of Allie and the troubles she'd had by this point.  Baby Lex came on 1/7 and the last time we saw her before she delivered was on Christmas eve.  So about two weeks before Lex came.  She was induced at 37 weeks.  So the last time I saw her before she delivered him, she was about a week and a half past where we are now.  And the poor thing was sooooo uncomfortable at that point.  She'd been in and out of the hospital with different cramps/contractions and kidney stones and she had undiagnosed pre-eclampsia so she was absolutely crazy swollen.  Every time I get to feeling sorry for myself about being so tired, I think of what she went through and feel so fortunate that I haven't had to deal with anything like that.  Both she and Amy said they had crazy heart burn toward the end of theirs, also.  Another thing I haven't had to deal with.  So, Baby, in the scheme of things, I guess you sticking in my ribs isn't really so bad.

It is getting uncomfortable to sit slouched over now, though.  I'm more comfortable either leaned way back or sitting up perfectly straight. I'm assuming it's because I'm crushing my lungs against my uterus when I slouch.  I don't remember that with Henry at all but I've also gained several more pounds already than I gained with him.  So maybe that has something to do with it, too.

Speaking of Henry, I'm very excited to see how he does with new baby.  He seems to love babies.  Every time he sees a little person his size or smaller, he points it out and says "bay-bee, bay-bee!"  And he's very interested in them.  Yesterday at the beach, he wanted to make sure we were all quiet because he saw a little baby sleeping.  Sweet little thing.  Montessori starts again this week on Wednesday and he's mostly potty trained.  We didn't have any accidents at the beach yesterday (that we know of) and he went pee-pee in the potty three different times while we were there.  I'm hoping that carries over to school.  We'll see.  He put his potty in his bed with him the other night. That was a little distressing for mommy.  I don't know if he's overheard me saying that he's not potty trained over night yet or what, but he was carrying his little Elmo potty around with him at bedtime and wanted it in his room with him during story time.  I didn't see an issue with it, so I let him put it where he wanted it.  Which turned out to be on the ottoman.  Fine.  Whatever.  Who cares?  We sterilize it after every time he goes so it's not really as gross as it could be.  So we read our story and put him to bed and he went to sleep right away, perfectly quietly.  Or so I thought.  I checked on him maybe an hour after I put him down (we still have a video monitor in his room) and saw an object in his bed that I did not recognize.  At least not at first.  After some staring, I came to realize that it was none other than his Elmo potty.  He must have quietly gotten out of bed, picked up the potty, put it up in his bed, climbed back in, and then moved it to where he wanted it.  All perfectly silently because I didn't hear it on the monitor.  Hahaha, crazy boy.  We did sneak in and remove it from his bed, but not without spending several long moments laughing and pondering what it was that he was thinking when he did it.  Silly, silly boy.  :)

Ok, back on topic.  Still feeling fine.  Still tired, but surprisingly less so.  I've read that many women get a burst of energy before they go into labor but I don't think it's generally 6 weeks before so I'm not sure what that's about.  Not complaining, though.  It feels so much better not to want to cry at any given moment because I'm so very tired.  Lots of Tony Braxtons.  Never more than maybe 3 in an hour but surprisingly, I get them when I change positions (from sitting to standing, rolling from one side to another, getting up off the floor) whereas they frequently say the way to stop them is to change positions.  Weird.  Anyway, Dr. said to call if I ever have more than 6 in an hour but I haven't gotten even close to that, so no worries.  And they don't hurt.  Sometimes they're uncomfortable but mostly, they're just noticeable.  And surprising.  I still can't believe how frequently I have them.  Can't believe baby will be here in just a handful of weeks!

33 weeks, 1 day - Dr. Appointment and ultrasound

What weird things 3d ultrasounds are.  Really.  Check it:

Look at the schnozz on this child!  Matt kept reminding me that Henry had a big nose when he was born, too but my goodness!  It's so weird to see that much detail.  Baby's hand was up near his/her face so it was hard to get a good shot but the ultrasound tech was so awesome and kept trying until she got something we could use.  I'm not exactly sure how I liked seeing the 3d stuff because it's so weird.  The ultrasound tech kept asking if we noticed any resemblance between this baby and Henry.  I was trying to tell if there's a dimple in his/her bottom lip like Matt and Henry both have, but I wasn't able to tell.  The pics are mostly just so monstrous, freakish and weird that the idea that it could look like my sweet beautiful boy alarms me.  I'm much more comfortable with the sweet 2d profile pic below: 

Anyway, baby is little but not worrisomely so.  It's measuring in the 35th percentile and since Henry was in like the 3rd when he was born, the doctor thought this was just fine.  She said that my fluid was perfect at this point, though again, with Henry, it was fine when we got the 38 week ultrasound and was too low two weeks later so that doesn't mean too too much at this point.  Other than there's nothing to worry about, which really means a lot.  And I gained a full two pounds since my last appointment which is exactly what she wanted so she was happy with that and said she's no longer worried about my weight gain.  Hooray!  I'm now up a full 20 lbs from where I started so if I can continue on with about a pound a week through to the end, I'll be right on target.  Perfect.  :D  Heart rate was a strong 132 and the best part... we got to see the baby yawn!  Or do something like yawning.  I don't actually know if babies in utero actually yawn or not but boy, is this video cool...

Or would be if it would actually load.  I thought it was up there but Aunt Allie pointed out that it didn't load.  I wonder why.  Annoying.  I'll keep trying but rest assured, it's very cool.

I wish I could crop it like I do with photos but I don't know how to do that so you'll be stuck with this once I get it up.  Again, the ultrasound tech was so awesome and, not only caught it for us, but backed it up so we could get good video of it.  So what you'll see is the tail end of the yawn then her backing it up to catch it again.  So very very cool.  Next dr. appointment in two weeks then we're on to weekly after that.  So crazy that we're so far along!!