Week 26

Rebekah's update for Week 26:

So, we've made it through the wrath of Fay, and things are still flooded. Standing water can bring on some strange smells, and it is really starting to get to me. All over Tallahassee, there is water in every possible spot. It is still flowing from underneath the ground at our house (not like it was in my last post, but it's enough to be aggravating). Lake Ella (a local tree hugger hot spot) is still completely gone. I drove by it yesterday, and the sidewalks, benches, and 3/4 of the gazebo is still underwater...so are the shops around the lake, for that matter. It's a MESS! And it SMELLS!!

As for me, I'm fine. I think that I have said more times this week than throughout the entire pregnancy that I am tired of being pregnant. Blah! I just want to sleep...for ever (or at least through the night).

The doctor's appointment went well last week. All of my tests came back very good. I am not anemic, nor do I have gestational diabetes. I found out that my OB/GYN doctor is retiring at the end of November. There are two other doctors there in the practice, but I am more familiar with Dr. Wah. She has been my doctor for 6 years now. There have just been so many changes within her practice recently. I found out, three months before I got pregnancy with Emily, that the midwives are no longer at Azalea Women's Healthcare. Abby is the midwife that delivered Sam and has been there for my annuals since we moved to Tallahassee. When she left, I was heartbroken. I loved all of the midwives, and I hated to see them go, but now, my doctor is retiring too? She says that her malpractice insurance is too expensive. I get it. I'd retire too! Her last day before her retirement in November 30th. C'mon Emily!! Make it here before then!

The ladies at Azalea just love it when I come in. I make it a point to give them a hard time, but it's all in good spirits. They know the story of how Rachel came back home, and have been insistent that I bring her to my next checkup. Janet, one of the girls that has been there for a long time, tells me that Rachel can sit in her office with her. They are serious! They got mad at me because I didn't bring her to my last appointment! I told them that she was in school, and they said that I should have checked her out early! Wow. They are also insistent that they be invited to the baby shower...hmm...sounds good to me...

I had my 2nd Ultrasound yesterday. The tech was not too thrilled to be there, so that made the experience a little unnerving, but otherwise, for the situation, this visit went much better than last visit. I didn't have to go to the bathroom so bad like last time. This visit was a lot more invasive than I expected, that's for sure (don't worry, I won't delve into too much information). They still covered me in that jelly crap though. Ick!

Emily is still a girl! I was so thrilled to hear that! I just knew that Rachel would be SO disappointed if Emily turned out to be "Emilio". She weighs 2lbs, 5oz. She is still due on November 25th. It's nice to know that things are moving right along. The tech wouldn't tell me where my placenta was, or if Emily has a cleft pallet. She insisted that it was the radiologist's job to do that. Whatever...We'll find out soon enough.

I have gotten pictures from the ultrasound each visit. When Rachel and Sam were "in the oven", their ultrasound pictures turned out to be pretty good considering that there are just a bunch of black and white dots forming the "picture". You could at least tell what was what. Emily has not been very photogenic thus far. Each set of her pictures are horrible. I can't tell up from down on any of them. It's very disappointing. I guess that just means that I will have to take more pictures of her once she is born!

Week 26 has been pretty good. I was at Rachel's doctors appointment on Monday, and while I was waiting, I found a couple of pregnancy books. Yes, this is not my first rodeo, but it's always interesting to see what's going on at any given time and to see what's to come for the future.

Just for the record, I don't really like this book, but in a doctor's office, you'll read anything just to pass the time. "What to Expect When You're Expecting" says that women in this stage of pregnancy experience "increasing absententmindedness". This "symptom" is better than "bloating, constipation, heartburn, gas, etc" I guess, but wow. They must have been following me around some time recently...right on, guys! (Ok...I'm busted. I'm pregnant, what can I say?!)

Ah, "baby farts". Cody will always remember our trip to Smith Mountain Lake, that's for sure. I'll explain one day...maybe.

Good-bye, Week 26. Hello, Week 27!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**

-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the website: Week 26

Your Baby's Development
Although your baby's eyes have been sealed shut for the last few months, they will soon open and begin to blink. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first year of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes. Eyelashes are growing in, as is more hair on the head.
Your baby, weighing a little less than 2 pounds (907 grams), still looks wrinkly but will continue to gain weight steadily over the next 14 weeks until birth.

Your Body
Your uterus provides a safe haven for your baby before birth. But what about after delivery? Your baby will be moving about your home in what seems like no time at all. Take the time now to safeguard your home by babyproofing. Covering electrical outlets, removing choking hazards, installing smoke alarms, and blocking off staircases are just some of the steps to ensuring your child's safety. Take every precaution you can think of, but remember: No amount of babyproofing can substitute for careful supervision of your child.

Fay! Fay! Go Away!!

So, "Hurricane", "Tropical Storm", and "Tropical Depression" Fay hit Tallahassee this weekend. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE a good storm. It seems that I can get my best sleeping done in the middle of a storm, but for cryin' out loud...Could Fay have lasted any longer?

I got some pretty good (but, shaky) video of the waterfalls that were in our yard. It looks like we live in the mountains because of all of the water. It just happens that we are in the middle of a very large hill, and all of the water comes through us to get to the bottom of the hill. It's either that, or our neighbors have their gutters pointed at our house (which could easily be the reason).

It rained a total of 22 inches in Tallahassee, last I heard. The water poured down our yard like this in the video for over a day. Yes, that's a TON of water.

Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel, a.k.a. Beth's boyfriend (tee hee), visited us in Tallahassee this weekend. It's always been said that if Jim comes to town, you need to leave.

Watch how much water there is when it "POURS" over my toes!!!

We love you, Jim - - -We just don't want to see you in Tallahassee for quite some time!

Weeks 23 - 25

Rebekah's update for Weeks 23 - 25:

Not much excitement on the home front. I've been super busy with work. I went to Pittsburgh for a week or excitement on the first week of August. Let's just say that it's a good thing that I'm not a drinker, but that's another blog entry all in itself!

Rachel got really sick on her last day at Childcare Network (the kids' previous daycare). She spent all of Friday in the bathroom, sick from both ends. The poor kid! I don't know if it was worse for her or for Rusty. He had to clean up whatever mess she made. Let's just say that the washing machine was pretty tired by the end of Friday's escapades! What a trooper, that hubby o' mine. Here I am in Pittsburgh, and he's stuck with a sick kid. Blah!

So, longer story short, Rusty got Rachel's bug on Saturday night, and then I got it on Sunday night. This is the first time that I have called in to work...ever, but there is no way that I could have functioned. I stayed in bed all day, and went to bed early. Thank the Lord that we are done with that!

I've not done a good job with keeping up with these last 3 weeks, but there really hasn't been much happening. I think that Emily is going to be a pretty feisty kid, though. It seems that every time I STOP moving, she starts! Also, she has found my rib cage, bladder, and various other important body parts. I think that she's most comfortable when I am the least comfortable.

We have a Sleep Number Bed. This contraption may very well be the best invention EVER! I'm to the point that I can only sleep on my side, but I've not been able to find a comfortable pillow to shove under my tummy so that I can sleep soundly! Well, don't worry, folks! I can deflate the bed, and sink down into the mattress. Somehow, it creates enough lift so that my tummy doesn't feel like it's going to fall off. Woo Hoo!

I took the Oh So Wonderful "Glucose test" last Friday. Blah! Surprisingly enough, I was SO hungry that drinking the stuff wasn't all that bad. The part that was bad was having to sit in the lab for nearly 2 hours.

I go to the Doctor today for my usual checkup, and I have a followup ultrasound scheduled for next Wednesday. The last ultrasound indicated that my placenta was low-lying. I didn't know what it meant, but the Doctor told me that it was nothing to worry about. Here's what WebMD says: Placenta Previa - I'm not too worried about it, even though it sounds bad. We'll be taken care of, one way or the other. Emily was also hiding behind her arms, so we have to check her for cleft pallet. Wonderful! Another visit to the doctor...yee ha! I'll let you all know how the ultrasound / doctor's appointment go in next week's update.

I'm going to try to limit the website entries for the 3 weeks that I have been slacking, so bear with me. I promise...I'll do better.

Week 26, here we come!!!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**
-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the website: Week 23

Your Baby's Development
Even though fat is beginning to accumulate on your baby's body, the skin still hangs loosely, giving your baby a wrinkled appearance. Your baby's daily workout routine includes moving the muscles in the fingers, toes, arms, and legs regularly. As a result, you may feel more forceful movements.
By now your baby weighs a little more than 1 pound (454 grams). If preterm labor and delivery were to occur this week, a baby could survive with expert medical care, but might have mild to severe disabilities. With increasing research and knowledge in the field of fetal medicine, the long-term prognosis for premature babies (preemies) improves every year.
Your Body
The closer you get to your delivery date, the more trouble you may have sleeping. Anxiety, frequent urination, heartburn, leg cramps, and general discomfort can translate into a short night's sleep for a pregnant woman. But your baby's health and your own depend on you getting adequate rest. Try a warm bath, soothing music, a relaxing book, or a cup of herbal tea to put you in the mood to snooze.
Many doctors recommend that pregnant women sleep on their sides, not their backs or stomachs, so that blood flow to the placenta is not restricted. If you find this uncomfortable, try placing a pillow between your knees to relieve the pressure of your weight while lying on your side.

Week 24

Your Baby's Development

Your baby is still receiving oxygen through the placenta. But once birth occurs, his or her lungs will start taking in oxygen on their own. In preparation for that, your baby's lungs are developing the ability to produce surfactant. Surfactant is a substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from collapsing and sticking together when we exhale, allowing us to breathe properly.
Because the inner ear — which controls balance in the body — is now completely developed, your baby may be able to tell when he or she is upside down or right side up while floating and making movements in the amniotic fluid.

Your Body
An important prenatal test, glucose screening, is usually performed sometime during weeks 24 to 28. The glucose screening test checks for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn, such as low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes may also increase the chances that a woman would need a cesarean section because it can lead to the growth of very large babies.
During the glucose screening test, you'll drink a sugary solution and then have your blood drawn. If your blood sugar levels are too high, you'll have further tests, which your health care provider will discuss with you. Gestational diabetes usually can be controlled by eating a well-planned diet and getting regular exercise, but sometimes medication, such as daily insulin, will be needed during the pregnancy.

Week 25

Your Baby's Development
You may notice that your baby has resting and alert periods. You'll notice fetal activity more readily when you are more sedentary. Your baby's hearing has continued to develop, too — he or she may now be able to hear your voice!

Your Body
Pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects when it comes to digestion. Not only does the hormone progesterone slow the emptying of the stomach, but it also relaxes the valve at the entrance to the stomach so that it doesn’t close properly. This allows acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus. The result: reflux (also known as heartburn) that can make eating your favorite meals a nightmare. The expanding uterus puts additional pressure on the stomach in the last few months of pregnancy. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid spicy and fatty foods.

Survey Results

Well, it's been a blast! I think that The Harry Potter Challenge was a success! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have. The best part was getting people that would not normally act silly to agree to act silly...

Here are your results of the survey.

There was a three way tie for the winner!

You all thought that the best Harry Potter Look-a-likes were:

Nonee

Wally

Sam

Coming in at a close 2nd place were:

Libbie (me Mudder)

Mojo

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to everyone out there in the world that participated in The Harry Potter Challenge...even if you were forced to play along!

You all rock!

Happy 15th Birthday, Cody!!

My dear, sweet, Cody (don't tell him I said that) turned 15 today. Am I really that old? Cody is telling everyone that he turned 14 today, just for fun, so beware! He's messing with you...he's really 15.

We had his birthday party last weekend while everyone was in town, but he was pleasantly surprised when I picked him up this morning and took him to breakfast. During breakfast, I informed Cody of his "duties" as the older sibling, and I asked him to remind me of this conversation, if needed, in the future.

All "talking" aside, I think he had the most fun when I dragged him around Shoe Station looking for the perfect pair of Crocs (the Crocs were for me, no doubt). I kept making comments about his purse that he was making me carry. The security guard even commented on his purse (it's really my purse that I was making him hold). The security guard seemed suspicious of us (who knows why), so he decided to come over and talk to us. Once the guard got closer to us, he could tell that we were just having some fun, and commented on how Cody's purse matched his shoes. Please know that this is the frilly, girly purse that Aunt Corny suggested I purchase. It was hysterical! Cody would never admit it, but he turned a lovely shade of pink (Hey! He really matched the purse now).

Today is our last day of summer with Cody '08. Rusty and I dread this day for about 2 weeks prior to taking Cody back to his Mom's house. Our family is never complete unless Cody is there. We don't really know what to do with ourselves once he is gone!

We'll definitely miss you, Codissa.

I hope you've had as great of a summer as we have, and I hope your birthday is one for the books!

Cody is 15! Wow. Am I really that old?

Bright side??

Rusty will always be older!

Happy Birthday, kiddo. We wuv you!

Week 22

Rebekah's update for Week 22:

I think I've figured out that my itchy legs are a result of playing in the dirt at Wakulla Springs. Good grief. I think that it's my favorite part of going to the springs now because it's entirely too cold for me to swim. Normally, I'll be one of the first people to jump in, but when I'm preggers, my body can't handle the cold...it hurts too bad! So, it looks like I am done with Wakulla Springs for the summer. I can't swim, and now I can't play in the dirt with the kids. Blah!

Week 22 has been very good. There were three days in there somewhere where I thought that I was going to explode! My stomach has just popped this last week! I have been able to feel Emily moving around in there, doing the backstroke, or whatever it is that she is doing in there, for quite some time now, but I've not been able to feel her from the outside. Last night was a different story!

Sammy was always so "camera shy" it seemed when it came to Rusty being able to feel him move. Every time that I could feel him, on the outside, I'd call Rusty over to feel him too. By the time Rusty got there, Sammy would quit moving. Little booger. I think Rusty may have felt him 10% of the times that I tried to get him to feel it.

Last night, Emily was just tearin' it up in there. She WAS NOT KIDDING. I think she was moving around for at least a solid hour! I went to bed a little bit later than normal last night, and as I was lying there, I put my hand on my oversized tummy. I could feel her moving around, but I didn't expect to feel her from the outside already. I soaked in this moment for a good 5 minutes, and the I called for Rusty.

I didn't want to move for fear she would stop, and we would have another "Sammy" on our hands, so I called out for Rusty. Of course, Rusty and Cody are sitting in the living room watching T.V., so I had to call for about 5 minutes. Finally, Cody heard me. He thought that I was Sam, so they both listened very carefully. I can see them sitting there, staring into space like Susie would stare at the bottom of the door when she heard something unfamiliar!

Rusty came in just as Emily stopped moving. Of course. That's the way it has always been. *Bonk* OOO...There she went again, and this time, Rusty was there to feel it. He stayed there for about 5 minutes just enjoying the moment. Looking back on it, I think it ended up being more special for me to see him feel her than it was for me to feel her. Of course, I teared up, like I do, but the pride on his face made it all so special.

I'm so glad that Emily has perked up for him. Hopefully, she'll keep up the good work, but keep in mind that I am still here. We don't want her to put footprints in my kidneys or anything!

What an AWESOME Week 22!

**WARNING TO THE SQUEAMISH**
-This quite possibly is too much information for you-

This is the update from the website: Week 22

Your Baby's Development
The senses your baby will use to learn about the world are developing daily. Taste buds have started to form on the tongue, and the brain and nerve endings are formed enough so that the fetus can feel touch. Your baby may experiment with this newfound sense of touch by stroking his or her face or sucking on a thumb, as well as feeling other body parts and seeing how they move.
Your baby's reproductive system is continuing to develop, too. In boys, the testes have begun to descend from the abdomen, and in girls, the uterus and ovaries are in place and the vagina is developed.

Your Body
If you haven’t felt them already, you may soon notice your uterus practicing for delivery with irregular, painless contractions called Braxton Hicks contractions. You may feel a squeezing sensation in your abdomen. Don't worry, though: Your baby may be able to feel the contraction as it squeezes the uterus, but Braxton Hicks contractions aren't dangerous or harmful. If, however, the contractions become more intense, painful, or frequent, contact your health care provider immediately because painful, regular contractions may be a sign of preterm labor.