NaBloPoMo!

I have always wanted to participate in NaBloPoMo, which stands for National Blog Posting Month. The challenge is to post every day during the month of November. Every year, my issue has been forgetting to begin on November 1st, realizing I forgot on November 2nd, and accepting on November 3rd that since I've still yet to start it's clearly not going to happen.

Since I've been blogging weekly about my second pregnancy, I've tried really hard to plan to post for NaBloPoMo on the first day of November and look, here I am! I'm hoping to be able to stick to this challenge all month and not let anything--you know, like having a baby or something--get in the way of posting daily. We'll see how I do!

Weekly pregnancy posts will continue for as long as I'm still pregnant, of course. Until then, enjoy whatever additional ramblings this crazy lady comes up with this month!

number 2 [week 34]

Symptoms: My mind definitely has more energy than my body. I'm tiring out fast again, but still feeling like there are so many things needed to do. With busy weekends still ahead, plus Halloween, plus putting the finishing touches on Wesley's room, I've got a lot on my plate. I'm thankful for the moments I can move faster. I'm not so grateful for my continuing daily dose of morning heartburn, nightly back pain, and all day contractions.

Cravings: I've had a MAJOR sweet tooth. It's like your body is programmed to want treats during this time of year.

Aversions: Nothing's turned me off recently. Still highly limiting carbs.

Missing: Pasta, bread, starch, oh my!

Mood: Really happy and loving this growing baby. A touch stressed about everything that needs to be done before his debut.

Sleep: It's still been better since my massage. Last night was the first time I started to feel leg/foot cramps again for the first time since my appointment. Back pain has made some nights uncomfortable, but not horrible.

Dreams: I experienced another graphic and upsetting nightmare about an immediate family member. It was awful and kept me awake for a while in the middle of the night while I tried to erase the terrible images from my head. I was even still a little scarred from it the next morning. Why can't I just happily dream about my Wesley?

Movement: This boy continues his uterine parade. He's getting higher into my ribs and has given me a few good, painful jabs right into those delicate bones. I love him and all, but that totally isn't cool.

Best Moment: The new carpet was finally installed! Wesley's room has been completely transformed and looks nothing like the crap hole it used to be. We found baseboards at Lowe's that are almost a perfect match to those in the rest of the house, and my dad was a huge help with painting, cutting, and installing them after the carpet came. Eric brought in the crib and put it together last night, and I just can't get over how much it looks like an actual room now. I've gone in there and just sat on the new floor, daydreaming about Wesley being here and watching him grow in his room.

Baby Buys: I went back to the chiropractor for a second adjustment and went to my second prenatal yoga class with Briana. My adjustment, just 30 minutes before class, really helped me stretch better in some of the poses where my belly being in the way wasn't an issue. I do, however, fear that I was only able to make it a couple days before the back pain returned. I don't want to have to get adjusted too frequently, but this big bump isn't going to make things any easier or more comfortable while it continues to grow. We'll see how I make it through this next weekend.

Other News: We went to our 3rd and final October wedding on Saturday. Eric and I attended the adults-only affair at Gold Hill Gardens in Newcastle. Our friends, Sara and Levi, got married outside in the afternoon, and the outdoor reception followed and continued on into what became quite a brisk evening. I spent a lot of time sitting with my achy back, but did manage to get in a little dancing with my handsome hubby. It was nice being out with just adults and a large group of our friends. We took Simon to The Pumpkin Farm the next morning where we played, fed the farm animals, picked out pumpkins, and treated ourselves to some really yummy kettle corn. The boy seriously had the time of his life and made me feel like the luckiest mom in the world.

Looking Forward To: Our night away for our anniversary! Eric and I leave tomorrow evening for Tahoe. I can't believe this will be our first trip out of town together without Simon. The mommy part of me is sad to leave him, but the prego part of me is really excited to relax!

nursery paint, carpet, and baseboards completed

at Sara and Levi's wedding

with our monkey at The Pumpkin Farm

number 2 [week 33]

Symptoms: Heartburn has been pretty prevalent lately, especially first thing in the morning. I know it's because my enormous uterus is cramming all of my internal organs together and leaving me with digestion pain with the limited amount of space that's leftover. I'm still experiencing my daily Braxton Hicks and practicing my labor breathing from prenatal yoga. It really helps!

Cravings: Pizza. It's never anything I'm actually supposed to have.

Aversions: I'm completely 100% over my regular lunchtime salads. I desperately need to find something new.

Missing: Not being pregnant. Life was so easy!

Mood: Everything's great, though. I've been getting even more excited for Wesley's arrival, I'm convinced that the days are numbered!

Sleep: I had one really, really bad night of cramps. Not only in my feet and toes and in my calves, but in my ankles, too! It seriously felt like someone was trying to rip my feet off of my body. The only thing I could do besides keeping myself from screaming in order to not wake Eric (which happened anyway), was to get completely out of bed and walk out the pain. And to have it happen twice in one night's sleep did not make for a well-rested mommy the next morning.

Dreams: Still not remembering anything, must not be noteworthy dreams.

Movement: One night during bedtime, Simon was resting his head on my belly while we sang his bedtime songs. I've noticed that Wesley sometimes wiggles around when I sing to Simon, which warms my heart because it makes me feel like I'm singing to both of my boys. This particular night was no exception, and Simon giggled with delight when he felt his baby brother pound on the side of his head. I cannot wait to cuddle both of my littles in my arms and sing to them together.

Best Moment: Exactly 11 months ago, Jenny and I bought tickets for Maroon 5 at the brand new Golden 1 Center. Eric and I had already been trying to get pregnant at the time so I was expecting to have a 3-month old at the time of the concert, much less to be 8 months pregnant. Things obviously didn't go according to plan, but I didn't let this belly get in my way of having fun and enjoying this concert. We rode the light rail there for free and met our friend, Kristen, and her friend, Ellie, when we went up to sit down. My dad had also bought me Maroon 5 tickets last Christmas, so Kristen and Ellie bought the tickets I had initially bought and were luckily able to sit with Jenny and me in the closer seats when the couple next to us left and never returned. It was seriously such a great show, and I was super comfortable getting to sit in the front row of the upper balcony (I did stand for the last two songs of the encore, though). I had lots of energy the whole night and even stayed up for a while after getting home super late. It was cool not feeling like a super old, married, pregnant lady!

Pregnancy Purchases: I went to my prenatal massage that I had scheduled at my new chiropractor's office. My appointment just so happened to be the morning after the terrible ankle cramps, and I explained the experience to the masseuse when she asked if there were specific areas on which I wanted her to focus. She did a great job of stretching out my ankles and working on my feet, and she also noted that my calves felt really tight. She also stretched out my hips (I had added that they sometimes hurt in my sleep and cause me to need to turn over) and worked on my back, arms and hands, and neck. The massage was so wonderfully relaxing, and I went home all moisturized and waiting to curl up in bed for a nap. Amazingly, I have not had cramps in my calves, ankles, and feet since getting massaged!

Other News: Our second October wedding was in the afternoon, just hours before the Maroon 5 concert. This wedding was for our friend, Renee, whom kindly gave us Simon's big brother bed. I was able to stay for the ceremony and partway through the reception until the bride and groom were introduced before it was time for Jenny to pick me up for the show. Eric stayed for the rest of the event and hung out with hockey friends and enjoyed himself.

Looking Forward To: Finishing the nursery... we're getting there!

at Renee's wedding

Adam Levine!

Kristen, Jenny, and me at Maroon 5

number 2 [week 32]

Symptoms: The magic from the chiropractor started to wear off this week. The familiar weakness in my lower back began to slowly make its return. I've also battled what seems like a small cold with a heavier running nose and scratchy throat than what's typical with my allergies. Trying to keep tissue close and imbibe hot tea is about all that can be done without the ability to take cold meds. On the positive side, I've had much worse colds than this little one.

Cravings: Chips sound good. I miss chips.

Aversions: Still not ready for any zucchini. I also think I'm done with strawberries for the season, even though I see them selling for cheap in grocery stores.

Missing: Sushi never leaves my mind for too long.

Mood: Everything is still really great. I'm feeling a little stressed about having to continue to wait for the carpet install in Wesley's room, worrying that we won't get everything done in time. I don't care so much about my Halloween deadline anymore; I just want to be ready when Wesley gets here, because I think this kid is coming early!

Sleep: There are good nights and not-so-good nights. I've been falling asleep early, really taking advantage of the opportunities while I still have them.

Dreams: My schedule's been so chaotic, I can't remember any!

Movement: Wesley's hiccups now vibrate my entire belly. I remember when Eric couldn't feel the hiccups from the outside, and now my whole stomach leaps with the repetitive hiccuping motion. Wesley feels huge, again making me think we're not going all the way to 40 weeks.

Best Moment: This was an exciting week with Eric's 31st birthday and our 6th wedding anniversary! On the night of his birthday, Simon and I surprised Eric with delicious Ciro's Pizza for dinner. That Friday night, we were able to have an adults-only date night with dinner at Sammy's inside Stones Gambling Hall and a round of arcade games at Dave and Buster's. Our meal was absolutely fabulous, and we really enjoyed sitting outside at the end of what was a gorgeous evening, chatting and just taking some time for ourselves. On our anniversary, Eric brought home a bouquet of beautiful flowers for me, and we took Simon out to eat with us for a casual meal at Applebee's. Our real celebration will be at the end of the month when we plan to spend a night away in Tahoe. This will be a first for us since becoming parents!

Pregnancy Purchases: My friend, Briana, from work just recently announced her first pregnancy and invited me to try out a prenatal yoga class with her. She found a studio called Herself Moms, which offers health and fitness and educational classes that support the prenatal and postpartum journey. The workout felt really great on my slowly, re-tightening back, and it felt really good to stretch out certain joints that I've been slacking on doing on my own. My favorite part was learning a pose called the frog, which is a really comfortable labor pose used with labor breathing. Briana and I really enjoyed the class, and I'd like to commit to going once a week until Wesley graces us with his presence.

Other News: We attended the first of 3 (that's right, I said three) weddings we've been invited to during the month of October. My friend, Cristin, from high school had a lovely wedding ceremony at Monte Verde Inn in Foresthill where we were able to visit with many close friends as well as some I don't see often. Simon was a little bit of a handful having not taken a proper nap that afternoon, but he received many compliments on how handsome he looked and was whisked away to dance by some of our helpful friends.We surprisingly stayed until the end of the wedding and were so grateful to be included in this lovely affair.

Looking Forward To: More October events to come, stay tuned!

the birthday boy with his COMPLIMENTARY dessert

our family at Cristin's wedding

photo booth fun

number 2 [week 31]

Symptoms: Contractions have become a daily part of life. We got really close to calling Labor and Delivery, since my doctor advised at last month's appointment to call in if I had 6 in an hour. On one night I had a total of 15 contractions in a 2.5 hour period, varying in length and frequency. Eric helped me walk around the house and got me a small snack, which helped slow the Braxton Hicks until they eventually stopped. I knew I wasn't actually in preterm labor, but the idea of calling into Labor and Delivery really scared me in case there was really something wrong. Contractions have continued to occur, less consistently, in the days since.

Cravings: Ice cream has sounded heavenly.

Aversions: We ate a TON of zucchini over the course of the last week. I finally had to tell Eric that I needed a break!

Missing: The ability to break into a jog haha.

Mood: My mood has actually been really great. My emotions and attitude toward my new diet are better and more relaxed. My back is still pain-free. I'm feeling pretty good and focusing on positivity!

Sleep: We were out and about this weekend, so there were no opportunities for naps. Nights have been fine for the most part, with the exception of crampy legs and trips to the potty.

Dreams: Nothing horrific or emotional to report this week! I did have a really random dream, but I don't remember enough of the details to retell it.

Movement: I feel like I'm gestating a linebacker. 'Nuff said.

Best Moment: I attended what was technically my 32-week prenatal appointment (based on my first EDD of November 29th), and Simon joined Eric and me for the first time. Simon was excited to come and was looking forward to hearing Wesley's heartbeat. He asked lots of curious and intriguing questions, like where the doctor would sit, if I would lie back on the table, and "Why is there a sink in here?" Eric had to keep the boy entertained with magazines while my doctor and I ran through the boring stuff of reviewing my birth plan, and we almost struggled to redirect Simon's attention when it was time to use the doppler. I wish I had recorded Simon's expression when he heard Wesley's healthy beating heart; he smiled with wonder and was clearly enthralled with the fascinating sound of his brother's life. The moment was so touching and created an even deeper connection between my two boys.

Baby Buys: I'm gearing up to buy Wesley's Christmas stocking and artwork for his room. Trying to get organized!

Other News: With the change in my diet, I discovered during my doctor appointment that I've lost a pound since my last visit. I wasn't too surprised since I'd noticed my stomach looking tighter in a different way, and two pairs of pants seemed looser in the waist. My doctor wasn't concerned about the lost pound and reassured me that my weight gain has been on track thus far. She did, however, apologize for unintentionally scaring me with my blood sugar results after I explained how emotional the news and changing my diet has been. She complimented me for doing such a great job in taking care of my health and reassured me that eating carbs is fine--and healthy--in moderation as long as they're not simple carbs and are included with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. I realized that I honestly freaked myself out on my own, but I felt so much better after talking with my doctor. My appetite continues to still be kind of small, but I am no longer completely afraid of what to eat.

Looking Forward To: Celebrating the Fall festivities of October!

number 2 [week 30]

Symptoms: The big 3-0! Celebrating this sort-of milestone has included the onset of Braxton-Hicks contractions. It's funny because at my 28-week prenatal appointment, my doctor asked if I had been having any practice contractions and explained that I was probably having a bunch that I couldn't feel and that it was totally normal. I'm feeling these ones now; they're not really painful, but rather feel just like pressure as my uterus and stomach tighten. Not completely comfortable, but not agony either. Just a taste of what's to come, I suppose!

Cravings: It's hard not eating carbs, for real. Cheesecake sounds good.

Aversions: I've been scared to eat the wrong thing, probably avoiding more than I should.

Missing: A carefree diet. And chocolate.

Mood: Changing my eating habits has been extremely emotional. I was concerning myself over every carb, constantly worrying about my blood sugar and how it's affecting Wesley. Hopefully I'm done crying about it for now and can just focus on being healthy. I didn't anticipate this whole thing being so scary.

Sleep: It's been difficult lately with the combination of leg and feet cramps, waking to go to the bathroom, dreams, and overall discomfort. Not having a restful night's sleep is obviously hard on me in the morning and later in the day.

Dreams: Another bad one, but not involving Eric leaving me. (Yay?) I dreamed that we were in a car accident; Eric had been driving erratically through a parking lot and lost control, resulting in hitting a parked car. We weren't injured at all, but the damage to the other vehicle was pretty extreme. I was furious with Eric for driving so irresponsibly and for how the accident would affect our finances. Simon was with us in the car when it happened, so I was terribly worried about him even though he seemed visibly fine. This dream had me awake for a while afterward, the adrenaline from the anger toward Eric and the concern over Simon rushing through me. This is the first dream I can remember that's involved something "bad" happening to Simon, and it was completely nerve-wracking.

Movement: My little bear has been busy, beating on me all week. He sure is a strong one!

Best Moment: I finally had it with the constant back pain and discomfort and looked into chiropractic options provided by my insurance. I found out that I can see Complementary Care providers (chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, nutritionists) at a discounted rate under my health insurance plan. My friend, Kristen, recommended her new chiropractor to me, whom just so happened to be on the list of eligible providers. I was able to make a same-day appointment and went in to meet the chiropractor and get an adjustment. Oh. My. Goodness. I felt a million times better! And not only was my adjustment successful, but the doctor was amazingly nice and knowledgeable about the causes of misalignment related to pregnancy and gave me some great tips for my labor experience. His office also offers prenatal massage, so of course I booked an appointment for one and plan to schedule another adjustment when I feel like it's needed. So far, I'm still feeling really great and love not having my entire spine crack when I get out of bed in the morning. I've seriously been on a chiropractic high!

Baby Buys: Simon and I went to Once Upon A Child looking for items to put together his Halloween costume. We came up empty, but did manage to find some newborn jammies for Wesley. There just so happened to be a sale, and I scored 3 for the price of 4, including some adorable Christmas pjs! My little babe will definitely be snug as a bug in all of his warm, fleecy footies this Winter.

Other News: Nothing much else to report; I'm still impatiently waiting for the carpet install for Wesley's room. I've received no word for an earlier available appointment. His closet still needs to be cleaned out and repainted, and I need to start thinking about wall decor. We'll see where we land with my Halloween deadline of having a finished nursery.

Looking Forward To: Relaxing before gearing up for our full calendar of festivities for October!

number 2 [week 29]

Symptoms: This week has been a bad combination of charlie horses and foot cramps and what apparently is called restless leg syndrome (RLS). I've been waking during the night with horribly achy legs, looking for comfort in rolling onto my opposite side and/or changing my leg position. One particularly bad charlie horse woke me in near-screaming pain, frightening poor Eric awake as well. According to the information in the link, iron deficiency may be a cause for RLS. I just started taking iron supplements twice a week since my blood count from my last prenatal appointment was low, so we'll see if those help with both issues over time.

Cravings: The Olive Garden. When doesn't that sound good?

Aversions: I'm trying to eat more protein in the morning, and of course eggs come to mind. And of course, fully cooked eggs are still kind of blah.

Missing: Those dang runny eggs. Eric makes the best fried egg sandwiches! Wah!

Mood: I've been quite emotionally hormonal lately. The water works have been present, as has the 'tude. Oops.

Sleep: Lots of napping occurred over the weekend. I had a week of 2-hour trainings after school Monday through Thursday, which left me feeling super tired on some days. Luckily I had that Friday off and enjoyed a 3-day weekend complete with 3 days of naps. I would've loved to sleep in on one of those days, but that just wasn't in the cards.

Dreams: The break-up dream returned again with an ugly vengeance, visiting this week 2-3 times. The last dream was the absolute worst, causing me to wake up at 4:00 am and leaving me awake for what felt like almost an hour. It was so emotional that I laid in bed and cried, a reaction I've never had before. These nightmares can really just go away and jump off a cliff any time now. I'm so done with them.

Movement: I've been routinely tracking Wesley's kicks and filling out my Kick Count Card as instructed by my doctor. Baby Boy is doing great and making his 10 movements in well under 10 minutes most nights. His rolls and jabs are getting stronger and stronger, making my belly look like a science experiment. Simon and I played with Wesley before bedtime one night, poking at the hard spots where Wesley was parked so that Simon could feel his brother nudge back in response. Those sweet moments make me look forward to the days our boys will spend playing (and no doubt roughhousing) together as best friends.

Best Moment: The week felt like it dragged with extra hours at work, so nothing of noticeable delight really happened. I think I was just super happy to have Eric home over the weekend. I was absolutely fine with him being gone in Tahoe the weekend before and had a lot of fun spending time with family, but for some reason I just missed him so much. Maybe it was just that emotionally hormonal side that I've been experiencing or my subconscious feeling partially insecure with him being so far away while being so pregnant. Whatever the reason, I'm relaxed in knowing that we won't be spending any more nights apart again before Wesley comes--and for a long time after, too. It was comforting having Eric home, and he happily took excellent care of Simon and me.

Baby Buys: Our extra car seat base for daycare came in the mail from my dear friend, Kerry! She wasn't able to make it to my baby shower, but kindly sent a gift from my registry. This will be greatly needed when I return to work, so I appreciate Kerry's sweet gesture so much.

Other News: I've mentioned my low blood count and eating more protein for a reason. Along with my CBC results, my glucose test numbers came back and showed my blood sugar tolerance higher than the normal range. My doctor recommended me for the 3-hour glucose screening test, which required fasting for 8-10 hours and a total of 4 blood draws, one upon arriving at the lab and 3 at the 1-hour, 2-hour, and 3-hour marks after drinking the delicious glucose beverage. My results all came back within the normal range, but my numbers after ingesting the drink were at the high end of 'normal.' As a precaution, my doctor suggested I follow a gestational diabetes diet to help my body in keeping my blood sugar steady. It sucks to be limiting delicious carbohydrates in my diet, but it's better than having to poke my finger to check my blood sugar several times a day. It's been most surprising to me because my sugar levels were completely normal with Simon, but of course every pregnancy is different.

Looking Forward To: Just thinking about meeting my dear Wesley. I catch myself rubbing my belly where he makes his bigger movements, imagining that I'm rubbing his back while holding him in my arms. I know I've still got a considerable time left to wait, but this mommy is growing anxiously excited.