State of the Uterus: 26 Weeks

How far along? 26 weeks.

Due Date: January 6, 2012

Total weight gain/loss: I have gained about 10 lbs so far.

Maternity clothes? Yep, pretty much all the time now.

Sleep: I've been falling asleep on the couch watching TV in the evenings before I even make it to bed. Waking up to pee sometimes, but overall sleeping pretty well.

Best moment this week: It's been kind of a tough week for my family and me, but it always makes me happy to feel little Reid move around in my belly.

Movement: Almost constantly. He seems very strong, just like his brother.

Food cravings: Still wanting sweets, and occasionally something spicy. 

Food aversions: No aversions this week.

Gender: It's a boy! Reid William Vaughan.

Labor Signs: I've had less Braxton Hicks contractions this week, maybe because I've made an effort not to do too much. Just trying to relax and enjoy this pregnancy without stressing myself out unnecessarily.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: Not peeing myself. We're not talking full on pants-wetting, but pretty much every cough or sneeze results in a little trickle. 

What I am looking forward to: Making it to the third trimester, and everything that follows. We are almost into October and fall is my favorite season, so I'm pretty excited.

Milestones: According to whattoexpect.com, baby's eyes should now be open when he is awake, and his brain activity has kicked into high gear. Not only can he hear sounds from outside the womb, but he can respond to them.

Please excuse my just out of the shower look.

On an unrelated note, I want to thank you for the thoughts and prayers throughout this difficult week. My "Nana" went home to be with the Lord last night. My dad tells me she slipped away peacefully, which is a relief, but of course we are all sad to see her go. I will be traveling to Phoenix this week to attend the funeral and to spend some time with my family. Thanks again for all the love.

Praying for Nana

I keep trying to think of something clever, or funny, or interesting to write, but I'm struggling. Many of my thoughts right now revolve around my 86 year old "Nana" (my Dad's mom) whose physical health is quickly deteriorating. She had a heart attack last week when my parents were here visiting, which definitely changed the tone of the rest of our time together. Apparently Nana recognized the symptoms she was having and knew it was her heart, and since she was alone, she called 911. An ambulance came and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she had emergency double bypass surgery. We weren't sure she would make it through the long surgery, but she pulled through.

Nana, last summer when we all had a great visit in Michigan

Since then, she's had a lot of ups and downs. It was days before she could handle being off the ventilator, but once they removed it her blood oxygen level plummeted and her heart rate dropped, so she had to go back on it. Being intubated gives her so much anxiety that she has to be heavily medicated to keep her from pulling the tubes out, so she isn't awake very often right now. As if that wasn't enough, all the medications she's on have to be filtered through her kidneys, which were weak to begin with and are now starting to fail. She has also developed jaundice over the last couple days.

She has been firm about not wanting to be on dialysis or a ventilator for life, and has signed a do not resuscitate order. She doesn't want any "heroic measures" taken from here on out. My dad, brother, and aunt are there with her now, and this morning they are meeting with her doctors to get some more answers and talk through her options.

I realize that at 86 years old, this is just so much for her body to deal with, and it doesn't seem to be handling the treatments very well. She is a fighter, but she's only as strong as her mortal body, and I know we won't get to keep her here on Earth forever. It's so bittersweet to think that this might be the end. I don't want her to be in pain or to suffer, and I know that the love of her life is waiting for her in heaven. So even though I don't want her to die, I know that something far better than this life awaits her. If you can spare a prayer, dear readers, please send one up for my Nana.

Wordless Wednesday: Million Dollar Smile

State of the Uterus: 25 Weeks

How far along? 25 weeks!

Due Date: January 6, 2012

Total weight gain/loss: Nearing the 10 lb weight gain mark.

Maternity clothes? Yep! I've gotten a lot of "oh, you're so small for 6 months!" comments, but trust me people, this belleh is growing.

Sleep: The last couple nights I've slept so well I woke up with drool on my face, haha.

Best moment this week: Being able to spend time with my parents! We had a fun visit, and Colin very much enjoyed having them here, too! He started calling them Pepa and Mamaw (rhymes with Grandma, which he couldn't quite say).

Movement: Oh yes. I've even seen my belly move a couple times already!

Food cravings: Bring on the desserts! Funny story: One evening when my parents were here, I said that pie sounded really good. Mom suggested that maybe Dad should go pick up a pie from the store, and I responded, "No, it's okay, Dad. You don't have to cater to every pregnant whim I have." He started laughing and said, "uh oh, she said the word 'pregnant.' Now I have to go get her a pie." And he did, and it was glorious. The end.

Food aversions: At this point in my pregnancy, I basically just LOVE FOOD. No aversions at the moment, and I can pretty much eat a grown man under the table. Yesterday Mom and I went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch, and I shamelessly ate a ton of chips and salsa, followed by chicken enchiladas and rice. So. good.

Gender: It's a boy! Reid William Vaughan.

Labor Signs: Still having Braxton Hicks contractions, but at my last appointment, my doctor did a quick cervix check. It's still "thick and closed up tight," which is definitely good news.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I really do miss being able to carry and chase around my very active 20 month old son. Colin pretty much never stops moving at this age, and it isn't easy for this pregnant mama to keep up! 

What I am looking forward to: Getting Reid's wall letters in the mail from a dear friend who has done an amazing job on them!! Look for a review of her Etsy shop in the near future. :)

Milestones: From whattoexpect.com: Don't look now (as if you could), but your baby's skin is turning pinker. No, not because he or she's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping your baby at an always comfortable temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin and filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in your baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity — and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air.

SmartBones Review & Giveaway!

Show of hands: how many of my blog buddies are dog owners? Just kidding, don't raise your hand. Or do, but I won't see it. Anyway. This review is especially for those of you who have a four-legged fur-baby in your life. When a SmartBones marketing rep contacted me recently about reviewing their new line of rawhide-free dog chews, I was eager to let Ellie try them out!

So, why rawhide-free, do you ask? Well, rawhide is essentially leather, and it's not exactly easy to digest. Rawhide can also present a choking hazard, and as if those weren't reasons enough, some rawhide bones are treated with chemicals that can be harmful to your dog, and to the environment in the long run.

SmartBones has two new products, both of which are made from great ingredients like chicken and vegetables. They are completely rawhide free, but they have a similar texture to rawhide. Chewing these treats are great for your dog's dental health, so that's a nice added bonus!

For the purpose of this review, I received one package of chicken flavored SmartSticks and one package of peanut butter flavored SmartChips.

SmartSticks and SmartChips both have real chicken filets on the inside, and chicken or peanut butter flavored vegetable chews wrapped around the outside. As soon as I opened the packages, Ellie knew they were for her. She sat impatiently as I teased her for a minute or two. You know, just long enough to take this photo.

When I gave her the first treat, a peanut butter SmartChip, she dug right in! The chew actually smelled just like peanut butter. I imagine it tasted pretty good to my Ellie girl, as she devoured it in a couple minutes!

 

After finishing her SmartChip, Ellie jumped up and put her paws on the kitchen counter where I had left the treats, hoping for more. I let her have a chicken SmartStick, which she seemed to enjoy just as much as the SmartChip. I'd say these were a huge success!

Do you think your pooch would enjoy these yummy treats? Good! Because the awesome people at SmartBones want to give 1 package of SmartChips and 1 package of SmartSticks to not one, but two of my fabulous readers! You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Sorry, international friends, but this one is only open to US readers. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

State of the Uterus - 24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks, aka 6 months. Holy crap! Only 15 weeks until baby Reid's eviction date. We're scheduling a c-section for 39 weeks, if I make it that far this time.

Due Date: January 6, 2012

Total weight gain/loss: I keep forgetting to weigh myself, but I think I'm still up about 8 lbs total. We'll get an official number at the doctor's office tomorrow morning.

Maternity clothes? I am exclusively wearing maternity pants, and mostly maternity tops, too.

Sleep: I am having a lot of trouble falling asleep most nights, but thankfully last night I slept like a baby (figuratively speaking, of course. We all know babies don't sleep).

Best moment this week: Finishing the nursery, except for the wall letters that will go above the crib. A dear friend will be doing those for us. I can't wait to show you once they're done!

Movement: Still feeling movement every day, but some days I feel him more than others. I am also feeling movement up above my belly button now. I wonder if he's still breech?

Food cravings: I have really been wanting some ice cream. Might have to satisfy that one today.

Food aversions: Nothing in particular this week.

Gender: It's a boy! Reid William Vaughan.

Labor Signs: I've had some more Braxton Hicks contractions this week. The worst ones happened while I was walking quickly through Wal-Mart for some groceries.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: Not peeing myself a little bit every time I cough or sneeze. Yep, that's happening already. Sorry for the TMI.

What I am looking forward to: My parents will be here tomorrow evening, and they will be staying all week long. I'm so excited!!

Milestones: Little Reid is undergoing a ton of changes right now. His eyes should be fully formed at this point, and little sacs of air are forming in his lungs (all the better to cry once I'm born, Momma!). He has even developed fingerprints. Isn't that amazing?

In the beginning, it felt like this pregnancy was dragging, but now I feel like everything has suddenly sped up. We are already into September, and despite my early January due date, we are planning a scheduled c-section for late December. Most likely New Year's Eve, in fact! So we may be ringing in the new year with a sweet baby boy. Or, if he's like his brother, he may decide to come even earlier than that.

Honestly, other than a few minor annoyances, I don't really "feel" pregnant this time. I had a relatively uneventful pregnancy last time, too, except for the carpel tunnel and heartburn I developed at the very end. Thus far, the two pregnancies have been very similar. I am happy to be feeling movement on a daily basis now, because some days that's the only thing that reminds me there's a little person in there!

More to come. ♥

 

Wordless Wednesday: Boy Mom Moment

You know you're a boy mom when...

...your child starts scratching his little butt inside his diaper.

We won't talk about the other body parts he's been exploring. Ahem.