Here is a little snapshot of the months leading up to Sienna's arrival. WARNING: Belly pics are included and I'm in my undies in one picture!
Now I'm off for a walk! One last attempt to go into labor on my own!
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| Pregnant and Preparing for Sienna |
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Final Day!
Today is the LAST full day of being pregnant. Unless, I am in labor for a LONG time tomorrow... which I hope is not the case.
Here is a little snapshot of the months leading up to Sienna's arrival. WARNING: Belly pics are included and I'm in my undies in one picture!
Now I'm off for a walk! One last attempt to go into labor on my own!
Here is a little snapshot of the months leading up to Sienna's arrival. WARNING: Belly pics are included and I'm in my undies in one picture!
Now I'm off for a walk! One last attempt to go into labor on my own!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
279
279: Number of days I have been pregnant
39 & 6: Number of weeks & days I have been pregnant
9 & 3/4: Number of months I have been pregnant
1: Day left before my due date
6: Realistic number of days left in in my pregnancy
Either way you look at it, I've been pregnant a long freakin' time! Although I know it's not any longer than most women, when it's your body, it seems like a long time. Why do "they" say women are pregnant for nine months when it's really 10?
This morning, I was getting ready for my doctor appointment and in a very optimistic mood. Our bags have been packed and ready for a few weeks now. The only items missing are those that will have to wait until last minute such as toothbrush, makeup, deodorant, etc. So, before the doctor appointment, I packed the remaining items and loaded the bags into the car. I was sure something would happen either during the appointment or while I was running errands after. My optimism failed me.
My doctor told me I haven't had any change in the past two weeks. I'm still only dilated to 2 cm and 50% effaced. She said she would be surprised if I progressed on my own...although I could surprise her by coming in with my water broken. She scheduled me to be induced on Wednesday night. Nick and I will check into the hospital Wednesday night at 8 p.m. I will have a pill inserted that will soften my cervix, sleep through the night (if we aren't too anxious), and then start pitocin in the morning. At least I have a deadline in my head. I'm disappointed but having a set date helps.
I have joked that I have an uber cozy womb and Sienna just isn't ready to leave. My other theory is that Sienna is shy like I was as a child (I know, hard to imagine, right?) and isn't ready to meet all the people who are anxiously waiting to meet her. Either way, here I am...still pregnant.
39 & 6: Number of weeks & days I have been pregnant
9 & 3/4: Number of months I have been pregnant
1: Day left before my due date
6: Realistic number of days left in in my pregnancy
Either way you look at it, I've been pregnant a long freakin' time! Although I know it's not any longer than most women, when it's your body, it seems like a long time. Why do "they" say women are pregnant for nine months when it's really 10?
This morning, I was getting ready for my doctor appointment and in a very optimistic mood. Our bags have been packed and ready for a few weeks now. The only items missing are those that will have to wait until last minute such as toothbrush, makeup, deodorant, etc. So, before the doctor appointment, I packed the remaining items and loaded the bags into the car. I was sure something would happen either during the appointment or while I was running errands after. My optimism failed me.
My doctor told me I haven't had any change in the past two weeks. I'm still only dilated to 2 cm and 50% effaced. She said she would be surprised if I progressed on my own...although I could surprise her by coming in with my water broken. She scheduled me to be induced on Wednesday night. Nick and I will check into the hospital Wednesday night at 8 p.m. I will have a pill inserted that will soften my cervix, sleep through the night (if we aren't too anxious), and then start pitocin in the morning. At least I have a deadline in my head. I'm disappointed but having a set date helps.
I have joked that I have an uber cozy womb and Sienna just isn't ready to leave. My other theory is that Sienna is shy like I was as a child (I know, hard to imagine, right?) and isn't ready to meet all the people who are anxiously waiting to meet her. Either way, here I am...still pregnant.
Friday, April 16, 2010
With only a few days (hopefully) left of being pregnant, I have been thinking a lot about what I will look forward to when I am no longer with child. Nick and I plan to have another baby, but in the case those plans change, I want to make sure I remember the good things about being pregnant. Although I am not one of those girls who "love being pregnant," I can't complain about this pregnancy at all. Other than bouts of heartburn, typical pregnancy pains, and having to pee every 10 minutes, it's been a good ride. So, here is a short rundown of what I will miss when I am no longer pregnant.
Hiccups: Sienna has hiccups multiple times a day. It's so funny to watch my belly jump in a rhythmic motion.
Attention: I remember after I had Eastan, I suddenly received no attention. It's a little bit of a shock because you go from everyone asking how you are doing to not even being greeted when you enter a room because people are so excited to see the baby. I mean, I can't even lift a staple at my office without some one trying to help me out. It's annoying at times, but really something I should have taken advantage of early on.
The Foot: I will miss feeling Sienna's foot as it pokes out from the side of my belly. I just picture this cute, little, perfectly round heel pushing from inside as Sienna stretches. I can't wait to see the little foot that causes me pain and joy at the same time!
The Basketball Palm: I will miss the way Nick palms my belly like a basketball with his giant hands. I'll also miss how he has this little laugh when he feels Sienna move. It's so cute.
I'll save what I'm looking forward to so if I'm still pregnant next week, I will have something to blog about. Don't judge if that list is longer and I'm not as sentimental! :)
Hiccups: Sienna has hiccups multiple times a day. It's so funny to watch my belly jump in a rhythmic motion.
Attention: I remember after I had Eastan, I suddenly received no attention. It's a little bit of a shock because you go from everyone asking how you are doing to not even being greeted when you enter a room because people are so excited to see the baby. I mean, I can't even lift a staple at my office without some one trying to help me out. It's annoying at times, but really something I should have taken advantage of early on.
The Foot: I will miss feeling Sienna's foot as it pokes out from the side of my belly. I just picture this cute, little, perfectly round heel pushing from inside as Sienna stretches. I can't wait to see the little foot that causes me pain and joy at the same time!
The Basketball Palm: I will miss the way Nick palms my belly like a basketball with his giant hands. I'll also miss how he has this little laugh when he feels Sienna move. It's so cute.
I'll save what I'm looking forward to so if I'm still pregnant next week, I will have something to blog about. Don't judge if that list is longer and I'm not as sentimental! :)
Friday, March 12, 2010
Baby, Baby, Baby
We have approximately 42 days until Sienna arrives. Here is a quick rundown of what the Hills are doing to prepare for "Sugar Bottoms."
I have entered, what I believe is the nesting period. Last week, I made a list of things we needed to do around the house before D-Day. If you were to come by our house last Sunday, you would have found me scrubbing the toilet and the shower with Nick's toothbrush. Don't worry, he had a new one to replace it! Nick cleaned the windows in the house along with the cars and garage. We still have a few more projects but nothing that can't get done in a weekend.
We started our Basic Childbirth Classes on Monday. We opted for the "basic" three week class instead of the six week, Lamaze-type class. As I didn't take classes when I was pregnant with Eastan, I didn't think I needed to learn all the breathing and coping techniques. I made it just fine without them 11 years ago. But since we are at a new hospital and this is Nick's first time in the delivery room, we decided a basic class would be beneficial. We did learn two new things.
1. Do not over stimulate the nipples. This could cause your uterus to contract and put you in early labor.
2. Do not give your self an enema. (Thanks for the advice. Don't think I would have anyway!)
To this, Nick responded, "There goes our weekend."
I also stress about money. It has slowly progressed as we get closer to D-Day. We have been very blessed with AWESOME gifts from friends and family. Even so, there is so much more to buy. I was wide awake at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning adding everything up in my head. I couldn't stop stressing. I also find myself putting items back on the shelf at the grocery store. This weekend, I'm going to attempt to make my own laundry detergent. I know, it's that bad!
I stole this from another blog. I wish I would have done this earlier on. Oh, well. There's always next time!
How far along? 34 weeks.
Total weight gain/loss: 24 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes. I can still pull off a few "regular" shirts if they are longer and have enough stretch to them.
Stretch marks? Unfortunately, yes.
Sleep: Depends on the night. Some nights I sleep really well and normally only get up once in the night to use the bathroom.
Movement: Sienna is a pretty active little girl. I think she was doing aerobics last night. Some movements are starting to hurt a little.
Food cravings: Last week, I ate a doughnut. That's really not normal for me. As always, I crave french fries.
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Wine
What I am looking forward to: Wine
I have entered, what I believe is the nesting period. Last week, I made a list of things we needed to do around the house before D-Day. If you were to come by our house last Sunday, you would have found me scrubbing the toilet and the shower with Nick's toothbrush. Don't worry, he had a new one to replace it! Nick cleaned the windows in the house along with the cars and garage. We still have a few more projects but nothing that can't get done in a weekend.
We started our Basic Childbirth Classes on Monday. We opted for the "basic" three week class instead of the six week, Lamaze-type class. As I didn't take classes when I was pregnant with Eastan, I didn't think I needed to learn all the breathing and coping techniques. I made it just fine without them 11 years ago. But since we are at a new hospital and this is Nick's first time in the delivery room, we decided a basic class would be beneficial. We did learn two new things.
1. Do not over stimulate the nipples. This could cause your uterus to contract and put you in early labor.
2. Do not give your self an enema. (Thanks for the advice. Don't think I would have anyway!)
To this, Nick responded, "There goes our weekend."
I also stress about money. It has slowly progressed as we get closer to D-Day. We have been very blessed with AWESOME gifts from friends and family. Even so, there is so much more to buy. I was wide awake at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning adding everything up in my head. I couldn't stop stressing. I also find myself putting items back on the shelf at the grocery store. This weekend, I'm going to attempt to make my own laundry detergent. I know, it's that bad!
I stole this from another blog. I wish I would have done this earlier on. Oh, well. There's always next time!
How far along? 34 weeks.
Total weight gain/loss: 24 lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes. I can still pull off a few "regular" shirts if they are longer and have enough stretch to them.
Stretch marks? Unfortunately, yes.
Sleep: Depends on the night. Some nights I sleep really well and normally only get up once in the night to use the bathroom.
Movement: Sienna is a pretty active little girl. I think she was doing aerobics last night. Some movements are starting to hurt a little.
Food cravings: Last week, I ate a doughnut. That's really not normal for me. As always, I crave french fries.
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Still in.
What I miss: Wine
What I am looking forward to: Wine
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Challenge is on!
My friend Carrie recently wrote an entire blog about doughnuts just because her husband challenged her to do so. He really didn't think it was possible, but she rose to the challenge and far exceeded all expectations.
I was thinking about this random challenged and emailed Carrie a challenge of my own. Twice a month, Carrie and I will give each other a word and within three days, we will have to post a blog based on that word. We hope this will remedy our habit of neglecting our blogs and improve our creative writing skills.
I think we were both a little easy on each other for this first round. You will have to read her blog to find out her challenge word. Mine is VACATION. So, here goes!
As I sit here, almost 27 weeks pregnant, I have to admit that vacation has actually been on my mind quite often. More specifically, the lack of vacation Nick and I will be having in the next few years. If I had to guess, our trips to all-inclusive resorts in Mexico will soon be traded in for more family-friendly vacations.
As most of you know, our circle of friends is experiencing a small baby boom. With us having kids around the same age, it should make for some great group family vacations. We have already discussed trips to Florida and Colorado. Both excite me, but Colorado holds a special place in my heart.
My family, along with three other families, traveled to Colorado every year from the time I was in second grade to about high school. I have so many memories of these trips. In an effort to not make this the longest blog entry ever, here is a list of my top six memories (in no particular order).
1. Ski School - As a shy child, I never liked ski school. As an adult, I'm glad my parents enrolled me each year until I was able to master my mad skiing skills. I was always the best girl on the slopes at our church ski trips. When Nick and I went skiing for our honeymoon, I was able to show him up on the slopes. Sorry, Sweetie but it's nice to be better than you in ONE sport! My most memorable ski school moment occurred when I was around eight years old. I was on the ski lift with another little girl and when she leaned over to do something, she fell right out of the lift! I was horrified! Afterward, a few people from the resort asked me questions about the incident. Being only eight, I thought I was being questioned. I was worried they thought I pushed her or something. Looking back, I know it was probably for their own liability reasons. Luckily for the little girl, we were on the bunny slope and I believe she only had a sprained arm.
2. French Toast - My parents' friend Larry made the most awesome french toast in the morning before we hit the slopes. Yum! I wish I had some right now!
3. Limousine - My parents' friend Rick owned a company that built and restored limousines. One year, we actually took one to Colorado. All of us (just the kids, not the adults) were so excited. We thought it was the coolest thing ever that we were riding in a limo to Colorado. It wasn't a fancy limo or anything because it was one that needed to be restored, but we didn't care! It was a LIMO ... with a TV! I think we even put "Colorado or Bust" on the outside with masking tape.
4. "We're Walking" - Most of our parents had their own ski equipment but the kids always had rentals. It didn't make much sense to buy boots and skis for kids that would outgrown them each year. The men in the group would always work to get the best deal at the rental shop. (needed background information: of the four dads in the group, two were used car dealers and all four were pretty tight with their money) One year, we had all been fitted for our skis, poles and boots but Larry didn't like the price we were given. He told the guys at the rental place if they didn't give us a better deal, we would walk. A few minutes later we heard, "That's it. We are walking. Come on, kids." All seven kids dropped their skis, poles and boots and we walked out the door.
5. Kudos - My dad always had a backpack filled with snacks when we were skiing. Kudos were always included in the mix. I can't look at a box of Kudos without thinking about our ski trips.
6. Hot drinks - Before the boom of Starbucks and speciality coffees came to Springfield, Missouri, my mom and I discovered two delicious drinks called Latte & Cafe Mocha. For a few years, the only place we could find them were at the base of the mountain in Keystone. It was a special treat each year!
Thanks, Mom and Dad for all the memories! I hope Nick and I will be able to provide many great vacation memories to Eastan, Sienna (and others).
I was thinking about this random challenged and emailed Carrie a challenge of my own. Twice a month, Carrie and I will give each other a word and within three days, we will have to post a blog based on that word. We hope this will remedy our habit of neglecting our blogs and improve our creative writing skills.
I think we were both a little easy on each other for this first round. You will have to read her blog to find out her challenge word. Mine is VACATION. So, here goes!
As I sit here, almost 27 weeks pregnant, I have to admit that vacation has actually been on my mind quite often. More specifically, the lack of vacation Nick and I will be having in the next few years. If I had to guess, our trips to all-inclusive resorts in Mexico will soon be traded in for more family-friendly vacations.
As most of you know, our circle of friends is experiencing a small baby boom. With us having kids around the same age, it should make for some great group family vacations. We have already discussed trips to Florida and Colorado. Both excite me, but Colorado holds a special place in my heart.
My family, along with three other families, traveled to Colorado every year from the time I was in second grade to about high school. I have so many memories of these trips. In an effort to not make this the longest blog entry ever, here is a list of my top six memories (in no particular order).
1. Ski School - As a shy child, I never liked ski school. As an adult, I'm glad my parents enrolled me each year until I was able to master my mad skiing skills. I was always the best girl on the slopes at our church ski trips. When Nick and I went skiing for our honeymoon, I was able to show him up on the slopes. Sorry, Sweetie but it's nice to be better than you in ONE sport! My most memorable ski school moment occurred when I was around eight years old. I was on the ski lift with another little girl and when she leaned over to do something, she fell right out of the lift! I was horrified! Afterward, a few people from the resort asked me questions about the incident. Being only eight, I thought I was being questioned. I was worried they thought I pushed her or something. Looking back, I know it was probably for their own liability reasons. Luckily for the little girl, we were on the bunny slope and I believe she only had a sprained arm.
2. French Toast - My parents' friend Larry made the most awesome french toast in the morning before we hit the slopes. Yum! I wish I had some right now!
3. Limousine - My parents' friend Rick owned a company that built and restored limousines. One year, we actually took one to Colorado. All of us (just the kids, not the adults) were so excited. We thought it was the coolest thing ever that we were riding in a limo to Colorado. It wasn't a fancy limo or anything because it was one that needed to be restored, but we didn't care! It was a LIMO ... with a TV! I think we even put "Colorado or Bust" on the outside with masking tape.
4. "We're Walking" - Most of our parents had their own ski equipment but the kids always had rentals. It didn't make much sense to buy boots and skis for kids that would outgrown them each year. The men in the group would always work to get the best deal at the rental shop. (needed background information: of the four dads in the group, two were used car dealers and all four were pretty tight with their money) One year, we had all been fitted for our skis, poles and boots but Larry didn't like the price we were given. He told the guys at the rental place if they didn't give us a better deal, we would walk. A few minutes later we heard, "That's it. We are walking. Come on, kids." All seven kids dropped their skis, poles and boots and we walked out the door.
5. Kudos - My dad always had a backpack filled with snacks when we were skiing. Kudos were always included in the mix. I can't look at a box of Kudos without thinking about our ski trips.
6. Hot drinks - Before the boom of Starbucks and speciality coffees came to Springfield, Missouri, my mom and I discovered two delicious drinks called Latte & Cafe Mocha. For a few years, the only place we could find them were at the base of the mountain in Keystone. It was a special treat each year!
Thanks, Mom and Dad for all the memories! I hope Nick and I will be able to provide many great vacation memories to Eastan, Sienna (and others).
Monday, January 11, 2010
Holy Cow!
So, I decided it was time for me to blog again. I just realized that I haven't posted a blog since OCTOBER. I'm sorry to all my loyal readers (all four of you).
Really, a lot has happened since October. I think about blogging about it but then wonder, "Who really reads this that I don't see on a regular basis?" Then I move on to something else in my day and forget to blog.
I can actually give you several reasons for not blogging on a regular basis. Number one reason being that I'm pretty OCD when it comes to writing. I worry about everything making sense. I worry about my grammar. I worry about not being creative and entertaining. Because of this, by the time I post my blog, two hours have past.
Why do I worry so much about this, you ask? Mainly because I over think EVERYTHING I write. I've always been this way. In college, Nick and I would write a paper at the same time and you would think the communication major would always finish before the computer information systems major. Not in this case. Nick would ALWAYS finish before me and not by minutes but hours. I used to call him the King of BS because he just pulled stuff out of his butt where I would over think and make sure everything was perfect. I do the same with my blog. I know of at least four people who read my blog that would catch all my mistakes.
1. My sister-in-law Angela, the writer
2. My best friend Jessica, the English major/former English teacher/proofreader extraordinaire
3. My friend Aubrey, the BRAIN and Super Mom (just kidding, Aubrey. I couldn't resist)
4. My mom who always read my papers before I turned them in
I could go on, but I'm writing this to say that a resolution of mine is to not let my OCD hold me back from writing on my blog. If I have mistakes, I know you all will love me anyway. If each post doesn't flow, you will keep reading....right???
So, to make this quick, here is a run down of the last three months.
1. Nick finished his marathon in Memphis. He is truly amazing. He wanted to complete it around 3 hrs and 45 minutes. His final time was 3 hrs and 48 minutes. Not only is he the King of BS, he is a machine!
2. Eastan worked very hard raising his grades from 1st quarter to 2nd. He went from no A's and a few F's to no F's, a few A's and mainly B's. Nick and I are very proud of him.
3. We found out that we are having a girl. I will blog about that later!
4. Eastan's winter break ran an extra week because of the weather. He was out for three weeks instead of two. Today is his first day back!
5. Our friends Micah and Jessica had a baby girl in December. Emrie is so precious and I can't wait for her to meet her best friend in April!
I'm sure that something is being left out...but I'm going to hit the "publish post" button now instead of worrying about it. Actually, I will re-read the post, spell check and then publish. OCD can't be cured in a day!
Really, a lot has happened since October. I think about blogging about it but then wonder, "Who really reads this that I don't see on a regular basis?" Then I move on to something else in my day and forget to blog.
I can actually give you several reasons for not blogging on a regular basis. Number one reason being that I'm pretty OCD when it comes to writing. I worry about everything making sense. I worry about my grammar. I worry about not being creative and entertaining. Because of this, by the time I post my blog, two hours have past.
Why do I worry so much about this, you ask? Mainly because I over think EVERYTHING I write. I've always been this way. In college, Nick and I would write a paper at the same time and you would think the communication major would always finish before the computer information systems major. Not in this case. Nick would ALWAYS finish before me and not by minutes but hours. I used to call him the King of BS because he just pulled stuff out of his butt where I would over think and make sure everything was perfect. I do the same with my blog. I know of at least four people who read my blog that would catch all my mistakes.
1. My sister-in-law Angela, the writer
2. My best friend Jessica, the English major/former English teacher/proofreader extraordinaire
3. My friend Aubrey, the BRAIN and Super Mom (just kidding, Aubrey. I couldn't resist)
4. My mom who always read my papers before I turned them in
I could go on, but I'm writing this to say that a resolution of mine is to not let my OCD hold me back from writing on my blog. If I have mistakes, I know you all will love me anyway. If each post doesn't flow, you will keep reading....right???
So, to make this quick, here is a run down of the last three months.
1. Nick finished his marathon in Memphis. He is truly amazing. He wanted to complete it around 3 hrs and 45 minutes. His final time was 3 hrs and 48 minutes. Not only is he the King of BS, he is a machine!
2. Eastan worked very hard raising his grades from 1st quarter to 2nd. He went from no A's and a few F's to no F's, a few A's and mainly B's. Nick and I are very proud of him.
3. We found out that we are having a girl. I will blog about that later!
4. Eastan's winter break ran an extra week because of the weather. He was out for three weeks instead of two. Today is his first day back!
5. Our friends Micah and Jessica had a baby girl in December. Emrie is so precious and I can't wait for her to meet her best friend in April!
I'm sure that something is being left out...but I'm going to hit the "publish post" button now instead of worrying about it. Actually, I will re-read the post, spell check and then publish. OCD can't be cured in a day!
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