36 weeks

How far along?  36 weeks, aka Ashland can handle a baby born at this gestation
Total weight gain/loss:  Somewhere around 28 pounds
How big is baby?  Baby's now around 6 lbs, like a ... crenshaw melon...?  Umm....yeah. Length somewhere around 18.5 inches.
Maternity clothes?  Yep!
Stretchmarks?   I think they've grown a little but they're hard to see from my vantage point here.
Sleep?  Actually ok.  I'm always tired though.  I could really use a daily afternoon nap.
Best moment this week?  Getting baby stuff purchased.  Good check up showing progress. 
Movement?  He's calmed down a little in the movement, but still going.  He currently has his bum stuck up under my left ribs which really stinks, but at least he's head down!
Food cravings?  Orange juice.
Bellybutton?  No change.
Boy/Girl?  Boy
Labor signs?  Well, I'm at 3 cm, contractions on a daily basis, but that doesn't really mean anything as we learned with Everett.  I could go into labor or I could stay this way for four weeks.  However, if the boy doesn't move that little bum of his soon, I'm going to start poking him.  He's head down and ready to go!
What I miss? Being able to sit up straight.  Being able to sign myself up for a class or anything because who knows, I might be in labor, have a newborn, be overdue....
What I am looking forward to? Getting our room organized so I can get the baby's room organized.  Having diapers prepped and ready.  Being done with this whole day care certification ordeal.
Milestones: Ashland's hospital could take care of a 36 week baby so there would be no staying an hour and a half away!

How Did I Know

I went in this morning for the first of the weekly checks (technically only 35 weeks, 5 days today, but it's my 36 week check up).  Wouldn't you know - 3 cm.  Juuust like with Everett.  I knew I would be 3cm.  There is no way it could be less with the way this boy is pushing on me.  Pretty darn sure he's head down too, so no extra ultrasound, no external version, just more kicks up in the ribs.  I do have to give this boy some credit though - he's not nearly as mean as his brother with the whole "feet in my ribs at all times" thing.  In fact, he generally keeps his feet curled up nicely and just stretches out to kick me in the side sometimes.  Everett never let his feet leave my ribcage area.  So anyway.  Yep, still have to keep the butt in gear to get everything done in time.  I'm trying to finish up my day care course TODAY so I can schedule my exam before I have a newborn in arm.  I'm also scrambling to get everything done for the county to certify me.  I need to take a 2 hour SIDS prevention class, sign up for a shaken baby syndrome class, get the cats some rabies shots....I got a TB test started today and need to have it read on Wednesday and still have a bunch of paperwork to finish and checks to write.  I also need to make laundry detergent and banana bread today and call my doula to reschedule our missed appointment last week when I was dying.

In baby world, I still need to:
-put together the crib and see if we can't manage to side-car it in our room
-rearrange the bedroom and move the desk upstairs in preparation for more baby gear and daycare downstairs.
-prep all my new diapers
-MAKE some new diapers
-set up more storage in the baby's closet
-pack the hospital bag and an overnight bag for Everett (just in case)
-get and install the infant carseat
-make a winter hat for baby

EEK!  Yeah.  But first, I am le tired.  So I shall take a nap.  And then FIRE ZEE MISSILES!  ahem.  yeah.

Baby Shopping

Today we made an all-day trek to Duluth for baby supplies (a mostly Target trip!).  It was quite successful.  Spendy, but successful.  I got my registry welcome bag full of coupons and used my 10% off completion coupon to buy some more stuff.  Here's the list of things bought today for baby #2.
-Infant acetaminophen - 2 pack!
-Diaper cream
-Johnson's Naturals baby wash
-Baby book
-Halo fleece blanket and swaddle set
-Milk storage freezer bags
-A 4oz bottle intended for BFed babies
-One pack of newborn sized disposables
-Pacifiers
-A FREE six pack of premade newborn formula bottles (I figure we might as well have it around in case we need to supplement again, and if we don't use it, I give it to someone or the food shelf - it's free!!!)
-A Sit N Stand double stroller on clearance for $65!  That's half price!

More for the mama side
-Nipple shield (being prepared this time)
-White nursing tank (they were out of the cute lacy ones in small!  grrr!)
-Lanolin

So yeah....expensive, but I am thrilled.  We also got a look at the Fisher Price Rock N Play Sleeper that I was thiiiis close to ordering on amazon and decided I am not going to get it.  I love the idea and it's a very nice little product, but I don't think it's different enough from the Boppy seat we already have to spend the money on it.

We also made quick trips into Hancock Fabrics, Kohl's, Old Navy, and Eddie Bauer, coming away with very little.  We should have just done Target and home!  Got Erbert and Gerberts for lunch and Culver's for dinner so I am set for fast food for quite a while now.

Pictures

Realized I hadn't linked to my awesome maternity photos taken by my awesome friend, Colleen.  Not sure if this will work, but here's the album on facebook.

And here's a 35 week shot today.

 

And for comparison, Everett at 34w2d

Home recovering from a stomach virus.  I decided it wasn't worth it to go into work, possibly infect everyone, and overdo it when both doctor and husband are still out of town.  Yep, now Brian's staying at least one more night so we won't see him until at least Thursday afternoon.  Luckily, I'm functioning, just very very tired and moving slowly.  I took Everett in to daycare since he has no symptoms and would benefit more from his organized schedule and playing with his friends than sitting at home watching daytime tv/wiggles with me all day.

And some cute shots that were still on the memory card.

Our cutie listening to some Dave Matthews Band.

35 weeks

How far along?  35 weeks, aka 35/35 (35 weeks along, 35 days left!)
Total weight gain/loss:  Unsure.  With this week's stomach bug, I'm guessing I haven't gained any.
How big is baby?  Baby's now around 5 1/4 lbs.  That's about the weight of a honeydew melon.  Length is probably over 18 inches.  Like I couldn't tell from the jabs, kicks, and rolls.
Maternity clothes?  Yes.  Well, I'm still in regular fleece jammie pants (which I've been in for the past three days)....actually, Tuesday night I am non-maternity everything lounge clothes!
Stretchmarks?   No changes I've noticed.
Sleep?  Decent last night but I was exhausted from being sick.
Best moment this week?  Everett has started telling us stories (we catch a word or two here and there).  He's also fallen in love with his first Dr. Suess book - Mr Brown Can Moo!  
Movement?  Strong and constant...even when I am nauseated.  At least he's reassuring me that's he's doing just fine.
Food cravings?  Coke.  With ice.
Bellybutton?  No change.
Boy/Girl?  boy
Labor signs?  Nothing new.
What I miss? This week, being healthy.  In general, energy.
What I am looking forward to? Getting totally healthy again, Brian coming home from his work trip.
Milestones: About a month to go!  All that's left now is really to put on weight and mature the lungs.

Stomach bug

Since I am all alone in my big house and all the interwebz is apparently off living real life, I figured I'd blab here for a bit.  Remember how I got a stomach virus in December, got a zofran prescription, and survived?  Well I got another one.  This one was worse.  I woke up at 2 am this morning and had to run to the bathroom, sick as a dog.  I slept on the floor outside the bathroom (because at least there's carpeting there), facing the litterbox because I most definitely could not lie in any position other than on my right side without puking.  This also led to a very sore right hip.  Poor Brian got whined to but there really wasn't much he could do to help besides bring me a water bottle, zofran, and blanket.  Oh, and I've decided that you haven't truly felt a stomach bug until you have all the symptoms in the stomach and intestines and are trying to just stay still and not puke and THEN you have a 4-5 pound baby squirm and kick every inch of your abdominal cavity.  Oh. my. goodness. child. 
By the time Ev woke up, I was no better.  Brian took total Everett duty and packed him and an overnight bag and shipped him off to my parents' house.  There was absolutely no way I could have taken care of him today....who knows what would have happened if I had a newborn.... So he's been there all day while I've been lying in various positions on the couch, watching old tv shows on the tivo and trying to stay hydrated.  I've been taking zofran and sipping water all day to try and prevent any contractions since both Brian and my doctor are out of town this week.  Yes, Brian is gone.  In Sault Ste. Marie.  Until Wednesday night or so.  He really wanted to stay home and take care of me but this was a major project that he had a whole lot of involvement in and needed to go be there for some bridge building/fixing. 
So now, Everett's still at nana and papa's (I'm sure having a blast) and will do his second overnight trip ever.  I've managed to consume a clementine and handful of cheerios, probably 3-4 oz of ginger ale, and somewhere in the vicinity of 20oz of water.  We'll see if I can manage some dinner....
Already called in to daycare and work (which kind of sucks because I still have to pay for that day of daycare, but now that she knows this bug is in our midst, she really doesn't want him).  I'm hoping I'll just start feeling miraculously better soon, can retrieve Ev tomorrow and spend the day recuperating, and be back to our regularly scheduled programming on Wednesday.

Being 2 = emotions gone wild

You always hear about the terrible two's and the horrid tantrums associated with the toddler age.  Boy are the tantrums true.... But what you don't always hear is that two-year-olds have the tantrums because everything about their emotions is just so extreme.  My little two-year-old monster experiences every emotion to the highest degree possible.  That includes anger and frustration, but it also includes kindness, loving, sadness, pride, and happiness.  He's trying to learn to do everything we do and at the same time, he is learning how to react when we say no or praise him for doing well.  The smiles and giggles that come from his little mouth make life worth living.  The tears that fall when he hurts himself or someone hurts his feelings make you cry too.  The anger and frustration he exudes when tired and upset make your eyes wide with horror.  And the snuggles and hugs he slathers on his yet-to-be-born baby brother melt your heart into a puddle.
Brian is not a morning person.  Once he finally drags himself out of bed, it still takes him a while to really wake up.  Everett, on the other hand, comes bounding out of his bed and room, happy as a clam and starving.  This morning, he was using some old sudoku and crossword sheets on my nightstand to color and showing me the pictures (as I continued to half-snooze and say, "oooh, pretty....very nice....").  Well, he had drawn a whole little sheet of creatures and things and took the paper to show daddy in the bathroom.  Daddy was not paying attention, took the paper from little E man, and threw it away.  You should have heard the heart-wrenching sob, "MAMA!"  I jumped up, thinking he must have drawn blood on something, but no.  Daddy starts apologizing profusely and saying that he didn't realize it was a picture and he got it back out of the trash and it was pretty and thank you!  Everett was fine 30 seconds later, but for about 5 seconds, daddy had completely devastated his entire world by throwing his artwork in the garbage.  Now obviously, if someone took my hard work and threw it in the trash without even looking, I'd be horrified too, but this was just so much sadness, I had to chuckle a little to myself (one the boy was consoled, of course).
Being two must be so hard sometimes.  And for parents, the bad is really really bad, but the good is so amazing.  We'll keep him.

You never know!

Since one of our coworkers is having a scheduled c-section today and doesn't yet know the sex of baby, we got talking about baby brother and how "you never know" and he could turn out to be a she.  I told them, "no.  Nope, it's a boy."  They doubted me, so I pulled up the picture again.

Yeah....pretty sure they all agree with me now.  That's either a boy or a girl with some massive strangely shaped tumor between her legs. 
We now have all the newborn and 0-3 little boy clothes washed and ready.  Smallest things hanging in the closet, bigger things sitting in a laundry basket waiting for more little hangers.  I also want to get a second shelf or bar put into the closet since baby clothes only hang about a foot down and that leaves a large blank space that could be put to much better use.
I really am thrilled to have a second boy.  I was a little disappointed at first just because I had it so stuck in my head that it was a girl.  I have always wanted boys though.  Especially listening to a friend recently talk about her two little boys who are two years apart and how they are just the best of friends and know each other so well.  I am really excited to have my two little guys grow up together, helping each other, wrestling, playing, going to school together.... It will be awesome.
Everett already loves his baby brother so much.  If ever my belly is showing, he runs up, pulls up my shirt, and slathers his baby in hugs and kisses.  We're still working on not pushing babies over (but those are generally 9-12 month olds).  In fact, at a birthday party, Brian was holding a two-week old baby and Everett didn't really have a huge problem with it.  He wanted daddy to hold him but he wasn't requiring that daddy put the baby down.  And when daddy gave the baby back to his mommy, Everett nearly had a fit.  He cried and asked for the baby back.  I think he may have thought that it was our baby and that lady was taking it away!  It was awfully precious.  One interesting thing though - whenever Brian was holding Ev and the little baby, Everett somehow ended up with his thumb in his mouth.  He NEVER sucked his thumb as a wee one!  I have a feeling we may be in for some regression (which is why we're not pushing the whole potty training issue right now either).
Anyways.  I should probably get back to work, eh?  :)

34 weeks

How far along?  34 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  Up around 26-27 lbs now
How big is baby?  Baby's now around 4.75 lbs.  That's about the weight of a cantaloupe.  Length is close to 18 inches.  Getting big!
Maternity clothes?  Yes and I may have just won a lot of 5 maternity shirts on ebay (less than $20!).
Stretchmarks?  Still just the ones above my belly button.  Yes, above it.
Sleep?  Horrid.  I really don't remember sleep being this bad with Everett.  Maybe that's because I didn't have to try and sleep and hear a crazy 2 year old a couple times per night knocking on his door.  (Not every night, but most.)
Best moment this week?  Everett was super cute at the doctor on Monday.  He was very excited to go through his routine of moving the chair over to the exam table, climbing up, helping measure the belly, hold the doppler, point out the goo....  We also had a lot of fun at one of Everett's friend's 3rd birthday party (too bad he was the only boy over the age of 12 months there!).
Movement?  Painful the last couple days!  I think this is going to be one strong baby (which is good because Everett is still having troubles understanding that it's not ok to push people over).
Food cravings?  Grilled cheese.
Bellybutton?  No change.
Boy/Girl?  Super strong boy.
Labor signs?  BH contractions have not increased, but I still have them regularly.  He feels low already.
What I miss? Sleep, deep water brews, energy
What I am looking forward to? Finishing my day care course and getting that stuff figured out.  Being done with work.
Milestones: Babies born at 34 weeks generally do fine.  Some NICU stays, some short term health issues, but generally fine in the long run.  My minimum goal is 36 weeks because I sure as heck am not delivering in Duluth.

New Videos!

Let's just say there was a very simple fix to my problem of downloading videos from my new camera.

Here are a couple videos from christmas break.

Ev opening his pillow pet Bee!

Skiing at Mt. Ashwabay

33 weeks

How far along?  33 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  Haven't weighed myself in a while....not sure!
How big is baby?  Baby's now likely up to over 4 lbs!!!  That's about the weight of a pineapple (which I also brought as a snack today....ooohhh).  Length is topping 17 inches.  What a big baby!
Maternity clothes?  Yep.  And many layers to try and hide skin.
Stretchmarks?  Same.
Sleep?  No bueno.  I woke up around 2 am last night because I was having a suspenseful dream (too much Bones before bed...) and couldn't fall back asleep for a long time.  I wake up many times a night, find myself on my back, and am just generally not well rested.  Sigh.
Best moment this week?  Having daddy home for three days straight was really nice.  We got a lot of projects started/done and Everett got lots of daddy snuggles.  We all had a nice quiet breakfast at the BC on Sunday morning and Everett's back to taking his afternoon naps without too much fuss (most of the time).
Movement?  Still a bunch!  Every now and then I will get a soccer kick to my right side and go OW!  Other times, he's just wiggling and squirming, rolling and turning, and pushing his head(?) really hard against my bladder.
Food cravings?  Leftover christmas chocolates.  What?
Bellybutton?  No change.
Boy/Girl?  boy
Labor signs?  Besides having to use the bathroom every.single.time. I stand up?  I believe he's slowly dropping and think that he will be born before Feb 23.
What I miss? Good sleep.
What I am looking forward to? Getting my coursework for this day care stuff and getting it done before baby comes.  Getting the nursery finished.  Getting started on my many sewing projects that need doing before baby arrives (diapers, diaper covers, boppy cover).
Milestones: We've officially reached bad sleep, annoying bladder pressure, and ribs getting squished.  Yay for third trimester!

Ok, here are my new year's resolutions

It seems like every blog I read has been posting new year's resolutions today, so it has been on my mind and I decided I'd just go ahead and throw them out there while I'm waiting for my bread to finish rising.

1. Have a baby
Pretty self-explanatory.  Should happen by the end of February, so that resolution will be taken care of!

2. Start the day-care process
I have sent in the paperwork for taking the necessary course for county day care certification.  Now I just need to wait on my book and assignments, get those done, and start on the county requirements (TB test, rabies shots for the cats, lots of fees, background checks, house check, etc.).  I am hoping that I will be up and running by summertime.

3. Build a fence
Isn't it nice of me to include my husband in my resolutions?  You know I'm not doing this one on my own!  Kind of essential for a day care and would be reeeeally helpful for my own crazy toddler.

4. Start running again
You may remember that I started running last spring.  Then I got pregnant and tired.  As soon as I get the doctor's okay, I plan to join a gym and start running on the treadmill until the weather is nice enough to go outside.  This may also require some sort of double baby jogging stroller....

5. Run a 5K
I'm making it a reasonable goal and hoping to run a 5K sometime this year.  Maybe in the summer, maybe for Whistlestop.

6. Read more books
I feel like I read nothing this year.  I am currently soaking in a bunch of pregnancy/birth books, but I want to make better use of my kindle this year and spend my spare moments reading.

7. Get on a cleaning schedule
With two kiddos and possibly day care children, I will need to have a strict cleaning schedule.  I have found some ideas, now I just need to sit down and figure out my own personal schedule, write it down, and start on it.  Really loving the resources at simplemom.net.

and of course, the continual
8. Work on relationship
Because relationships are never perfect without work.  I am still working on being a better communicator and taking care of my fair share of duties.