Baby's First Photo

Today was my first visit with my nurse midwife, Ruth, who I ADORE. This whole practice is so completely different from mt last practice that I now cannot believe I stuck with the old place so long. In just one visit she agreed that three issues they (the old place) insisted on during my previous pregnancy were ridiculous, and not how she does it. I feel like I can breathe an enormous sigh of relief because I'm just 100% sure that everything she and Dr. Edwards do is for the good of the patient - what a novel idea!

The *only* negative is that she told me that if I stay with them then I will almost certainly have another c-section. This is definitely not my preference, but I'm also not willing to leave such a wonderful and loving practice for just one portion (albeit an important portion) of this event. I do have to remind myself that a planned c-section is much different than an emergency c-section - that I will be awake and will be able to hold my baby as soon as he/she is taken out; I won't (I don't think) have to go to recovery for hours while everyone else gets to enjoy my baby's first moments without me; The entire situation will be calm and prepared rather than rushed and scary as hell. I know this is okay...I just have to get over it. And I will...soon.

So, basically the whole visit was questions, lab tests, reminding me of everything I can and cannot do, etc. However the one exciting part (and my only benefit to having a child with tethered cord) was that I got to have an ultrasound today! It was amazing. How else can you describe seeing this teeny tiny baby's heart beating inside of you...a baby so small that she would be difficult to see if she were right in front of us...this microscopic miracle living inside your body. People get pregnant and have babies every day, and I think we sort of forget how miraculous it all is. But when you get to look up at that screen and say, "Look, there she (or he) is! My child!"...speechless. My mom and Lexi were in the room with me and I sort of had the urge to say, "Hey Mom! Look what I made!" My mom was happy as could be...Lexi on the other hand...well, she had a Tigger to play with, and who really cares about that blur on the screen.

Anyway, everything was perfect. The baby actually measures a little ahead at 7w3d, where she is only actually 6w6d. That's really not a big deal, so we keep the December 2nd due date. Her heart rate was 140 which the tech said was "Perfect." I told her that's my favorite word used to describe my children.

Perfect. Yes. And here is her perfect little picture.

Glory Days

This afternoon Gigi stopped by to offer a little moral support after my panicked phone call stating that I just could not find enough to eat. Gigi to the rescue as always - she has already delivered me some gluten free clam chowder, and has a list of other things that she' sure will help to fill me up. I was feeling particularly bummed about the fact that I couldn't eat a burger, or a bacon, egg and cheese from Dunks - pregnancy cravings are particularly tough when most of them are on the "no can do" list.
While she was here Lexi asked if Gigi would dance with her. So I put on some music so they could dance together. A little while later, Gigi was showing me some things she had bought earlier in the day and "Glory Days" came on. Lexi dropped what she had in her hand, pointed to the stereo and shouted, "Oh! Oh! I love this song! Let's dance!" I reminded me of a wedding when you're standing around having a drink and some great song comes on and everyone drops what they're doing to rush back to the dance floor. Yea...my kid's gonna be a party girl. :)

"After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die." ~Charlotte's Web

We're sad to report that Mr. Spider did not quite make it to spring. During the last couple of weeks his web started looking awful, and even though a bug somehow made it's way into the web, he never even ate it. This morning we found him at the bottom of the window, all curled up. I'll admit I cried a little (darn hormones!) but Lexi took it like a champ. There are a couple of little spiders in there now, so we're thinking that maybe "Mr. Spider" was actually "Mrs. Spider", just as Great-Gram suspected all along. He was a great friend, and it was really fun having a chance to watch him build his web up close. It reminds me of this other quote from Charlotte's Web:
"Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider's web?"
"Oh, no," said Dr Dorian. "I don't understand it. But for that matter I don't understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle."
We'll miss you Mr. (er, Mrs.) Spider. Thank you for being our friend.

Daddy's Little Girl

There are few things that make me happier than watching Lexi with her Daddy. She just absolutely adores him, and watching the two of them together is endlessly entertaining. They have their own little rituals, little things that only they do together, that they both take very seriously. Sometimes when Ahren is putting Lexi to bed I sit by the monitor and listen while he sings her lullabies while they rock...he's such a fantastic Daddy. This little video is of the two of them dancing in the kitchen the other night. How can you watch this and not imagine them on her wedding day...just so precious...

In other news, the first trimester nausea has set in, though it seems that sea bands are helping a bit. They keep the feeling away most of the day, so that as long as I keep myself fed and hydrated I'm okay. Before I put the sea bands on I was basically nauseous all day. Oddly, wearing the sea bands to bed actually helped me sleep better too! I've also found that I have the same aversion to chicken breast that I had with Lexi! The thought of a breaded chicken tender sounds fine, but a chicken breast makes me want to hurl. I don't know the reason for this, but Lexi LOVES chicken now, so who knows. Also, as with Lexi, I seem to crave salty things. Ahren was shocked when I came home from the grocery store with bacon the other day. It just seemed so irresistible to me that I had to buy it! And my final pregnancy note of the day - I look like I'm a good four or five months pregnant already. Honestly, my clothes aren't fitting me right, and I feel like a blimp. It's so embarrassing because that baby is just not big at all...but I guess this is what pregnancy #2 is all about!

Well, Lexi and I are off to our weekly grocery shopping...she's a great helper!

A Funny Story From My Mom

My mom sent me this e-mail this morning. It was pretty cute!

"I am still laughing over this little conversation I had with Lexi yesterday afternoon. I had dropped by for a quick visit on my way home.. Lexi was sitting on the kitchen counter “helping” her mother make supper."

Lexi: “Why you have to go home now, Gigi?

Me(Gigi): “I have to go home to feed your Poppy.”

Lexi: “You don’t have to feed Poppy, Gigi. Poppy is a big boy. He can feed his-self!”

Mommy Note #2441

When you praise less for successful potty trips, and seem discouraged more when the toddler pees/poops in the pull-up, potty training will come to a screeching halt. Check. Back to throwing a party for the slightest tinkle in the potty, and not making a peep when she pees in the pull-up just 5 minutes after she gets off the potty. We'll figure this out...though I'm really not sure if I'm training her, or she's training me...I suspect a bit more of the latter these days!
The good news is that she can control her bladder, whether she chooses to or not. This, in essence, really marks the end of the concern over the tethered cord. Yes, she may still need some PT and chiropractic to keep her moving along gross motor-wise, but we no longer have to worry about permanent neurological damage from the tethered cord. This is a very good thing.

She Knows She's Loved...

Last night Lexi and I were goofing around before bedtime - she was tickling me, I was tickling her...there was a whole lot of giggling going on - one of my favorite Lexi/Mama moments. After a few minutes I picked her up and gave her a big kiss on her head. As I smiled at her she said to me, "I'm the cutest thing you've never seen."

Yup, you sure are, kiddo!