Korvin's Birth Story

June 30^th, 2011. . .my due date. It was one of the few days they weren’t doing construction on the house across the street. I’d spent a lot of time praying that when I actually went into labor, there wouldn’t be construction to throw me off my game

After about 6 false labors (two of which Kathleen came over to monitor for awhile), I was a little dubious about the “signs” of labor that would tell us for sure that we were, in fact, having a baby that day. So I declared that I wouldn’t believe that I was ACTUALLY in labor until my water broke, or I saw a head come out. That’s funny now, because those two things happened nearly simultaneously. 

On Wednesday (the 29^th) by the time we went to bed, I was having uncomfortable/painful contractions again. I checked the timing, and they were at least 10 minutes apart, but inconsistent. I was tired and decided we weren’t having a baby that night, and I was going to sleep…if he wanted to come out he could do it in the morning. That’s actually what I was thinking before I went to bed. After all, we’d been through this before.

I continued having contractions that were bad enough to wake me up throughout the night, but they were anywhere from 9-15 minutes apart, so I didn’t consider it to ACTUALLY be labor, and I went back to sleep. 

About 6:30am I was woken up by a really bad contraction, and had to go to the bathroom. As I stood up and started walking to the bathroom, I felt a gush of what I knew was blood. When I got to the toilet, more came out.  The mucous plug had been gone for weeks, so it was just blood. 

At 6:39am I texted Kathleen (my midwife) and said “Either I just started my period, or we’re having a baby today.” She texted back and said that she would call when she got up.  I texted Amanda (my birth photographer) at 7:13 to let her know (yet again) that we might be having a baby that day.  Then I texted Kathleen again to let her know that the contractions were 3-6 minutes apart, and the intensity was getting worse. She called, and I told her that I didn’t need her right then, but we’d keep her posted. I still wasn’t 100% convinced that we were ACTUALLY having a baby that day, considering that everyone was positive I was having a baby on several other rounds of “labor.” She said to go ahead and blow up the birth tub so it would be ready.

Kadence came downstairs, and we told her we had to cancel plans to go shopping, because we were probably having a baby. At first she was upset, because she was tired of being stuck in the house. Her response was "No, I don't want to have a baby today, I want to go somewhere!" She settled down fairly quickly, and started to get excited. I went upstairs to get her clothes, and got her dressed for the day.

After she was dressed, I went into the kitchen and ate my last piece of chocolate cream pie for breakfast. Yeah, power food. I’d made two of them Tuesday evening because I was craving one. . .and I was also hoping that it would be my last pregnancy craving. I ate an entire pie throughout the whole day Wednesday. I figured that had just as much a chance of making this happen as anything else, and I justified that it was healthy, since it was organic. :) I had one piece left Thursday morning, and I figured it might help. We’d tried every trick in the book to naturally induce labor. Chocolate cream pie is what finally did it. That’s the story I’m sticking with. :D

Around 7:40 I went ahead and texted friends and family that wanted to stay posted to let them know that it appeared that we were having a baby that day. Marcia (my next door neighbor) texted back that I still sounded skeptical, and asked if she could do anything. I said that until Kathleen got there and said that there was actually progression this time, I was going to remain skeptical, and that I might need to send Kadence over because she had too much energy. Charlie (Marcia’s 4 year old…and Kadence’s “boyfriend”) had a swimming lesson at 11:15, so we decided Kadence would go hang out with them until then. I told Marcia “Maybe we’ll be ready to push by then. . .haha.” I actually was joking.

After Kadence went next door, I told Patrick we needed to do my weekly belly pic since it was exactly 40 weeks. I picked the one I liked, edited it, and put it on Facebook. I was trying to distract myself so I wouldn’t concentrate on the contractions. It didn’t work. I went and sat out on the front porch for awhile and ate watermelon and played Words with Friends, but I was too uncomfortable to stay out there through contractions.

By 9 I was convinced that this was the real deal. I texted Kathleen “I’m pretty sure this is gonna happen this time. . .it’s hurting much worse now.” She called and decided it was time for her to head over.

My back was KILLING me with each contraction by this point, so Mom or Patrick had to apply pressure with each contraction. I had a really bad one while we were standing in the kitchen, so I was holding onto Patrick while Mom pushed on my back. Patrick’s arm was around my front next to my head. I was staring at it during the contraction, and finally told him that I REALLY wanted to bite him. He’s such a good husband that he let me. It took my focus off the contraction just a tad, but it didn’t really help. I thanked him, and told him that biting him through contractions wouldn’t be necessary. I did point out that I was nice enough to ask before I bit him, unlike when I punched him in the face while I was in labor with Kadence.

I got on the floor and used my big blue exercise ball to help work through the contractions and try to get the baby to change his position so my back would stop hurting. That didn’t really work, and it was rather boring. The contractions were requiring quite a bit of concentration by this point. I called Felicia (a friend who is a massage therapist working on her doula certification) to tell her to come.

Kathleen got here around 10 and checked me. I was dilated to a 6, but went to an 8 during contractions. Kathleen called Debbie, her assistant, and told her to come over. I texted Amanda to tell her to head over as well. Since we really were having the baby, I posted on Facebook. "I was gonna get a manicure today. . .but I guess I'll have a baby instead. :)"

The contractions were requiring quite a bit of concentration by this point, and the painful intensity in my back was becoming overwhelming. Everything else felt fine though. Unless I was actively contracting, things were pretty normal.

Kathleen positioned me on the bed to try to get the baby to move while they filled up the birth tub. I was on the bed for about 45 minutes. That didn’t work. I had a cold bottle of Vitamin Water Zero close by at all times. By this point, when I wasn’t drinking it, Mom put it behind my neck to help cool me down. (BTW, I feel the same way about Vitamin Water Zero as I do about chocolate cream pie. . .in case you were wondering. :D)

I got into the birth tub around 11. The warm water felt good, but my back was still killing me. Kathleen had me get on my knees and lean against the edge of the tub to continue trying to change the baby’s position. Debbie arrived around 11. I hadn’t met her before, so when she was introduced I jokingly apologized, and told her that normally I didn’t meet people without my pants on.

Marcia brought Kadence back over, and Felicia got here not too long after that. Patrick and Mom had been taking turns applying pressure and rubbing my lower back during contractions. After Patrick had been doing it for awhile I asked him and Felicia to both do it so there would be one of them on each side of my back. (I don’t think I’ve mentioned this yet, but back labor SUCKS! Lol) Kadence wanted to help, and asked Kathleen for a glove. She then “helped” by scooping water up and pouring it over my arm while Patrick and Felicia rubbed my back.

Amanda arrived around 11:30, and I asked what time it was. I had previously said that I was shooting for a 6 hour labor, so at this point it had been 5 hours since I had woken up and things started happening. I was pretty happy, because I was far enough advanced that it wasn’t going to take much longer, so we were pretty sure he would be born by my 6 hour mark.

My knees were starting to hurt, so I changed positions and sat with my back against the pool. Not too long after I changed positions I started involuntarily pushing with the contractions. Kathleen checked me. I was at 9 cm, but I had a little bit of a cervical lip (not too surprising that my cervix was giving her lip. It’s in keeping with my personality. . . :D), so she asked if I could hold out on pushing for a few contractions. Turns out, I couldn’t.  Kadence kept circling the pool like a little shark, calling her baby brother out. We gave her a final opportunity to give her baby brother a name to use until we decided on one. She decided to go with her original name for him, Jack Black.

After a few more contractions, Kathleen asked if I could go use the bathroom again, since it had been awhile since I’d last gone. Good idea since I needed to empty my bladder. Bad idea because I’d already started pushing. On the way back from the bathroom I got body slammed by another contraction. If Patrick hadn’t been holding onto me, I’m pretty sure I would have ended up on the floor. Kathleen was kneeling down in front of me, so while Patrick supported me from behind, I leaned against Kathleen and pushed through the contraction.  When it was over I got back in the tub, and suddenly felt hot and extremely nauseous. We had a bowl nearby just in case that happened, and Mom put an ice pack on the back of my neck to cool me down. I dry heaved through the next contraction while I pushed, and thankfully the nausea calmed down after that.

By this point, Patrick started getting really emotional. He hates seeing me in pain, and by then it was getting REALLY intense. However, we didn’t have much further to go.

Kathleen checked me, and could feel the baby’s head. She tried to break my water, but couldn’t. It broke on its own with the next contraction when he fully crowned, and the stretching/burning sensation got much worse. (There’s a term used to describe that sensation. . .it’s called “the ring of fire”. . .Johnny Cash wrote a song about it. . .) The contraction after that, it felt like he wanted to come out, but there was just an incredible pressure on my tailbone and he wouldn’t move. I told Kathleen, and she said we needed to change positions. They moved me backwards into a reclining position, and his head came right out. The cord was around his neck holding him back, so once it was removed the rest of his body came out and he went straight into my arms at 12:15pm.

From what I’ve heard, most babies born in water come out quiet and peaceful. Not my son. He was PISSED! Not that I blame him. :) He was screaming, and Kadence kept saying “Baby! Baby Brother!”

I was SOOOO tired I felt like just going to sleep, but I had this screaming baby in my arms. . .IN MY ARMS! I mustered up the energy to REALLY look at him. . .and he looked like Kadence. . .ergo, he looked like Patrick. I was sitting there looking at him thinking I was 0 for 2 in getting a kid that looked like me, but I didn’t really care. He was so cute pouting while he cried. . .and he actually cried "Waaaaaah!"

We just sat there looking at him waiting to cut the cord when it was time. . .and listening to Kadence talk. . .and answering her questions. My favorite: “Can he fit in your va-jay-jay?”  She told him “Baby brother, we got a bed for you!” and then started insisted that he needed a diaper, because he was naked.

Once the cord was white and flaccid, Kathleen clamped it, and Patrick cut it. I then gave the baby to Mom and Debbie helped me out of the tub and into bed. When the placenta detached, it was so big it wouldn’t come out on its own, so Kathleen had to pull it out. The bigger the placenta, the better. I’m quite proud of it. . .so proud in fact, that I had Amanda take pictures of it. . .which you will only see if you want to.

Once I was situated in bed, they handed the baby back wrapped in a dry towel. Kadence had been waiting a very long time for this baby to get “mommy milk,” so she was very excited to climb up on the bed with us and watch him nurse. He had some trouble latching, but once he was latched he nursed fairly well. (A few days later when my milk came in, I realized that he had tongue and lip ties, which is why he was having trouble. Those were taken care of when he was 8 days old.) After he nursed, when he was about an hour old, Kathleen did the newborn exam. He was 8 lbs, and 20 inches long. He didn’t need the drops in his eyes, or a vitamin K shot. . .so we opted not to do them. It’s nice to have choices. 

We posted a picture on FB that Patrick took with the baby’s name still undetermined. Then we went to my bathroom to take an herbal bath, which promotes healing for mommy, and is calming for baby. While the bath was running, I got in, and my mom washed the baby's head. When the water temperature was right, Patrick unwrapped the baby from his blanket, handed him to me, and we eased him into the water. He immediately stopped whimpering, and calmed down. We just stared at each other, and I asked him what his name was.

We were fairly certain what his first name was going to be. It’s the one Patrick, and I preferred. There was one day Kadence came up to my stomach, and started randomly saying that name over and over while she was talking to the baby, and he started jumping around. But, I needed to see him first before I was sure. . .and Korvin fit him. The middle name took me a little longer. Patrick wanted Ash, and Kadence wanted Ryder. There were others under consideration, but those were the highest on the list. After talking to Korvin for a bit, I told Kadence to go tell Daddy that he won, and the baby’s name was Korvin Ash.

Kadence spent a good amount of time we were in the bath talking to the baby, touching him, and looking him over. She was sooo thrilled that he was finally here, and that she got to be there when he made his entrance. She loved him before he was born, but she’s been IN love with him ever since she first saw him. I’ve never seen an older sibling put their baby sibling’s needs ahead of their own on a consistent basis, but Kadence is all about making sure Korvin is ALWAYS taken care of and happy. He’s her baby.

After the bath I got in the shower, and my mom diapered, clothed, and wrapped Korvin up. Then Kadence finally got to hold the baby she waited 9 months to hold and sing to in person.  

(This is before she went to bed that night.)

I was told to have Depends to use for the first night, but I didn’t need them. The red raspberry leaf and alfalfa I took throughout the pregnancy did their job, and my bleeding was minimal. I also found it interesting that the 6 lb 3 oz kid did more damage coming out than the 8 lb kid did. I attribute it to the water, and the positioning.

On a final note, there aren’t words to describe what it meant for me to have Kadence there when Korvin was born. There aren’t words to describe the way I felt watching her with him. I’m not sure their bond would be so strong if she hadn’t been there EVERY step of the way with the pregnancy, and been there for his birth.

His birthday was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for it to be any better. Here's a 7.5 minute video slideshow of some of the pictures Amanda took. . .if you haven't already spent too much time on this post, and would like to see just how perfect his birthday was. . .nothing icky or embarrassing, I promise. :)

Final pregnancy pics

At 37 weeks we tried castor oil to see if baby would come out before Kathleen (my midwife) left for a week for a medical conference in Can Cun. The next day (June 10th) I woke up with everyone thinking I was in labor. It lasted 4-5 hours too...and Kathleen was out here for several of those. My brother's were in town and came over after Kathleen had left with the stipulation that if something started happening, they were leaving. We planned on going to see a movie (taking my mind of contractions was supposed to help), but the timing didn't work out for all of us to go. I thought it would be funny if I was watching the new X-Men movie with Patrick, Ben, and Nate when something actually happened. :) Patrick and I went by ourselves, and by then everything had pretty much calmed down.

On June 21th (38 weeks, 5 days) I went in for an appointment, and we decided to try the castor oil again. . .this time I puked an hour and a half after drinking it, but enough of it went through to start something. Kathleen came out in the evening for yet another false labor...felt and looked real, but again, no progression. She had just gotten home two days before, so it would have been really good timing. :) We walked several miles, but nothing happened...Kathleen, Mom and I even got caught out in the rain during our last walk. Patrick had accidentally taken too much pain medication that evening for his bruised tail bone (he had a run in with a slide), and was pretty much a zombie....so it's just as well nothing happened. Kathleen went home, and it was another night of red wine to calm things down so I could sleep.

At 39 weeks and 4 days we went in for an appointment and sonogram to make sure everything was good. We were mainly doing the sonogram to see how much the placenta had aged. It is graded on a 0-3 scale (0 being the youngest, and 3 being the oldest.) Mine was a 1, so there was no reason why we needed to worry about the baby staying in there longer. He wasn't trying to breathe, so supposedly that meant something would happen in 48 hours.

I was actually in active labor when we took the 40 week picture. . .and that's a whole new blog post. :D

God. . .and Jesus. . .and shaving legs

K: How did the baby get in your tummy?
Me: How do you think the baby got in my tummy?
K: God put it there. Jesus and God put it there.
Me: Yes they did.
K: Where are Jesus and God?
Me: They're in Heaven, and they're right here.
K: I want to see them.
Me: You can see them someday.
K: I want to hug Jesus. And I want to kiss him too. Can I hug Jesus?
Me: Yes, you can hug and kiss Jesus when you see him.
K: I want to talk to him.
Me: Ok, you can talk to him.
K: Right now. On your phone.
Me: You don't need my phone to talk to Jesus. He can hear you without one.
K: Where is he?
Me: He's right here.
K: Is he the baby?
Me: No, Jesus isn't the baby. Jesus hasn't been a baby for a long time.

Kadence seems pretty impressed by Daddy's skills lately. She asked me why Daddy shaved my legs, and I explained that I couldn't reach them very well and needed help. She asked if he would shave her legs too, and I told her she didn't need to shave her legs until she was older and big like Mommy. She called Daddy later and told him that when she was bigger and older she wanted him to shave her legs too. . .all day long. Someday she'll realize that isn't really a daddy/daughter activity. :)

Not yet!!!

It's been an interesting week. On Monday Kadence was sitting next to me rubbing my belly, and randomly informed me that Daddy and Jesus would protect the baby and keep him from coming out before he was ready. Good to know, cause things got interesting Tuesday. 

Patrick is off on Tuesdays, and Kadence had requested a "Mommy-Daddy-KK date" since we had gone on a date without her the week before. We decided that was a good idea, since it will probably be awhile before that can happen again. We decided to go see Kung Fu Panda 2, and then she wanted to "go shopping and buy treats for my baby brother." 

We went and ate breakfast at Grandy's and then went to the theater. She was so excited. There were only a few people besides us when we got there, and Kadence informed Patrick that the other kids would be there soon. He told her that he didn't think there would be more kids, and she said "No, the other kids will be here soon." The movie started, and low and behold, a whole bunch of kids showed up.

She LOVED the movie. She kept throwing her arms around with the characters trying to do Kung Fu. She was very quiet during the movie, except for one part. One of the bad guys says "Wipe those stupid grins off your faces!" and she yelled "We don't say that!" (She's not allowed to say "stupid.") We let her have a few Twizlers during the movie, and when I gave her her last one and told her that was all she was getting, she proceeded to suck on it for the remainder of the movie.

After the movie, we went to Wal-Mart and she rode around on the wheelchair with me (since I'm not allowed to walk). We took her to the baby section to let her pick something out for her brother. She chose a soft green sea turtle ice pack. I'm guessing she's anticipating that he'll need it as much as she needs all of hers. :)

We stopped to get her "chicken hands" (chicken nuggets) at Chick-Fil-A on the way home. . .and Patrick actually ordered "chicken hands" and then had to correct himself. Hahaha

I woke up from my nap that afternoon feeling weird, and was unable to eat. . .not even watermelon, and you KNOW that means something is up. Mom decided that would be a good time to go ahead and wrap my recliner in plastic so it wouldn't get ruined if my water broke.

That night around the time Kadence was going to bed, I noticed that my contractions were entirely too regular. . .so I started tracking them. 7 minutes apart, every time. Some painful, others just extremely uncomfortable. I drank a lot of water to make sure hydration wasn't an issue, and took a hot bath to see if that would help. Not only did that not help, the contractions moved to being 6 minutes apart.

Now, by this point I was pretty sure we weren't having a baby, since the intensity of the contractions hadn't changed. However, I do believe in being prepared, so I made sure things were in order and that Kadence would be taken care if in case something did happen and we had to go to the hospital. Since this had been going on for about 2 hours, I called Kathleen (my midwife) to see what we needed to do, other than just deciding that I wasn't going to have a baby right then.

She said to take at least 700mg of extra magnesium, stay on complete bed rest, and drink plenty of water. If things didn't get better she would come over, but I really didn't think that was necessary. After all, it was too early to do this, and I was refusing to have a baby.

After about an hour she called to check and see how things were going. The contractions had started to die down a little, but not enough that I would be able to sleep. So she said that I could have a beer or a glass of red wine, or take Benadryl. I don't drink beer, I had no wine, so Benadryl it was. After about an hour after that things were calm enough that I could sleep, and by the next morning things were almost back to normal.

Now, for those of you who would have said (and those of you who did) that God was in control, and I needed to surrender control, acknowledge that He was in control, and that things would happen on His time etc. etc. etc. let me say this. I'm aware of all of that. 

I fully acknowledge that regardless of what I say, what He says is what's going to happen. I have no problem surrendering to Him. . .but ONLY to Him. My body does NOT get to decide what is happening, and I am not about to relinquish control to circumstances that ARE within my control. That, to me, would be like a cancer patient dying because they did nothing about it, when there was something they could have done.

Besides, if you know me at all, you know that I want what I want, and I want it the way that I want it. This really doesn't have to do with the baby, because he will be just fine one way or another. Kadence is right. . .Jesus (and Daddy?) will protect this baby and keep him from coming out before he is ready. I would LIKE to make it to full term, but even if I don't he'll still be fine. I realized that weeks ago.

I don't always get what I want, and I'm fine with that. For instance, this baby will come before 38 weeks, so the water birth that I wanted is now out. I'll still labor in water, but because his lungs will already be wet, birthing in water isn't a risk we're willing to take. See, I don't always get what I want. :)

But here's my point. It's ok that I want what I want, the way I want it. I'm not arrogant enough to assume that JUST because I want it, I can make it happen. But guess what? Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalms 37:4  HE cares about what I want, and HE can make it happen. That's why I won't quit fighting and let go of what I want until I'm told BY HIM that I need to. If that were to happen, I'm already completely at peace about it.

I spent all day yesterday in bed or lying down in the recliner, while Kadence spent the day with Ashley and Caiden. Contractions stayed about where they had been, so instead of moving our next appointment up, we decided to wait until today when it was already scheduled.

Kathleen came over to do the 36 week appointment today. I'm measuring 37cm, pretty much fully effaced, and dilated between 1 and 3. She didn't do a complete check to see exactly how dilated I am since that could trigger something, and we don't really need to know exactly.

Technically, I won't be 37 weeks until Thursday next week, but because of the way things are progressing, we're going off of the estimated due date from the first sonogram. That date would make me 37 weeks on Monday. So we are good to go after the weekend, and I'm on strict bed rest until then.

We're all certain that this will be a quick labor. Kathleen was concerned that by the time I figure out that I'm really in labor, she might not have time to get here before he's born. However, my mother is here, she's a nurse, she's had 6 kids herself, and been there for MANY other births. Just the same, I WANT my midwife and my photographer to make it in time, so I'm confident that my Heavenly Father can make it happen. If He decides not to, oh well. . .it'll be an interesting story. :D

Fish Oil, Vodka and Chocolate Milk

Today we are at 35 weeks and 4 days. This kid could possibly be born sometime next week, so BEFORE he's born I'm gonna explain something. This way, if he comes out with less than average intelligence, my reasons for blaming a certain someone will be understood. (J/K. . .sort of. :D)

On the evening of February 22nd something unfortunate happened. Now, I realize that the fact that I know a specific date for this might indicate that I'm holding a grudge, but I'm not. Really. . .I just remember things in case I need them later. :)

You may know that fish oil supplements are something that many pregnant women take as a part of their prenatal supplements. If you've ever taken fish oil supplements, you know that it's unpleasant (to say the least) when some of it makes it's way back up. Now, for pregnant women prone to nausea this presents something of a problem. 

On this particular evening I had taken my last set of supplements for the day while Patrick was pouring himself a glass of Pepsi. We then retired to the couch to spend some quality time ignoring each other while watching TV. He had his Pepsi, and I had my water.

Shortly thereafter, some fish oil started making it's way back up. (I'm starting to think this stuff came from salmon, since it keeps returning back from whence it came.) Water doesn't fix the issue. I didn't want to take time running to the kitchen to get something else, so I grabbed Patrick's Pepsi to wash it back down before I ended up running to the bathroom and losing all of it.

After I took a few swigs and put the cup back down, I realized something. He had put vodka in it. Now, you may think that he shouldn't be blamed for this, since it WAS his drink after all. However, I'm usually drinking water, and he's usually drinking something else; when he puts something in his drink, he always tells me in case this particular situation arises. . .except for this time. His explanation? "I thought you knew!" His reasoning was that since we were in the kitchen at the same time, that I had seen him do it.

In his defense, he works difficult hours (more than 40 a week), and was taking 9 hours this semester. . .so he's allowed to make mistakes. My initial reaction wasn't about to take this into account however. Hormonal reactions are rarely reasonable. (I believe I've mentioned that before.) I called my mother to tell on him. Actually I was calling to find out how much damage she thought it would do. (Hormones occasionally make me paranoid. . .) She figured I hadn't had enough to do much if any damage. . .not that that was going to make me feel better.

Fish oil and vodka were BOTH making me nauseous, and so in the best interests of the baby I decided to try and rid myself of the vodka. . .and everything else for that matter. Unfortunately, I was unable to get rid of all of it. So the nausea continued, and I was still concerned about the vodka. However, there was nothing to be done about it.

Chocolate milk has often helped the nausea throughout this pregnancy, so I figured I'd give it a try. BAD idea. The cocktail of fish oil, vodka and chocolate milk churning in my stomach made me even more nauseous. . .but refused to come back out. Turns out, they don't mix, and had I been thinking clearly at the time I probably would have figured that out. Anyway, as a result, I was extremely nauseous for the next 2 days. . .and none too happy.

This has since become something of a joke. Occasionally I'll check with Patrick to see if what he's drinking is spiked. . .even if it's just water, since if it looks like water, it might be vodka. :) 

I've taken nothing but some allergy medication and some Tylenol the entire pregnancy. I watch everything I eat and drink to make sure that myself and the baby are healthy. (My mother has taken to calling me a food snob.) This being the case, the fact that I inadvertently consumed one of the things you're absolutely NOT supposed to have during pregnancy (while disconcerting at the time) has now become rather amusing.

So if at any point during this kid's life you hear us blame something on the vodka, you now know what that means. For instance, I started having too many Braxton Hick's contractions way too early. Vodka. I ended up on bed rest. Vodka. Being at risk for pre-term labor? Yup, vodka. At this point, we might as well work it into his name somehow. . .J/K.

"KK Boy" (that's what Kadence named him for the last few days) is doing well in spite of his early introduction to alcohol, and we only have another week and a half before he's free to break out. Daddy's told him several times to stop trying to break down the wall until he's given permission to. He just doesn't seem to listen too well. Stupid vodka. . . :)

Now, lest you think I've been too hard on my poor husband, let me say this. He's wonderful. He's pulled me out of awkward positions that I've gotten stuck in more times that I can count throughout the end of this pregnancy (this includes the middle of the night when I need to use the bathroom). He's rubbed knots out of muscles whenever needed (pretty much every night at this point) to make sure I can sleep. He calls on his way home from work to see if I'm craving anything that he needs to pick up. He cut up a watermelon after midnight last night because I was craving it. He painted my bathroom blue (my favorite color.)

This is a very small list of things this man does for me. Unfortunately, the few things he gets wrong are much funnier than the many things he gets right. It's part of the entertainment value of marriage. :D By the same count, he occasionally goes into another room when I'm being ridiculous about something and he can't keep a straight face anymore.

The ability to laugh at our own, and each others mistakes is part of what makes our marriage work. It's soooo much better than obsessing over, and continually bringing up mistakes as points of contention. The absurdity of it has often diffused situations between us before they become situations. 

Besides, it keeps life interesting. :)

Happy Memorial Day!

All about Kadence. . .mostly. :)

Kadence wanted to wear her teal Ariel dress today, but the skirt has a few places that needs to be sewn up before she can wear it again. So I told her that until we fixed her "green" dress, she would have to wear her purple Tinker Bell dress. She REALLY wanted her "green" dress, and didn't want to wait for me to fix it. So she went to Patrick and asked, "Daddy, can you go to work and make money so you can buy me another green dress?"Apparently, the way I move these days, that's a faster solution to the problem. Hahaha

Last night when Patrick took Kadence to the bathroom around midnight, he told her he was sorry he had been grumpy that morning, and that he couldn't stay and play with her. She told him "It's ok Daddy. You just have to be a big boy and do what Mommy tells you." Then she kissed him and told him she loved him.

This morning she crawled into bed with him and told him "I missed you."

She wanted watermelon for breakfast, but she'd already asked for and been given an apple. I told her she couldn't have anything else until her apple was gone. After she finished eating her apple, she took her bowl to Grandma Patsy to get some watermelon. Once she had her watermelon, she took her bowl back to the table, sat down, and proceeded to pray over it. "Dear Jesus, please help my watermelon have a good day. Thank you for my watermelon. In Jesus name, Amen."

Because that didn't give me enough to laugh about, a minute later she bit her tongue while she was eating, and came over insisting that I kiss it. I told her I loved her, but I wasn't kissing her tongue. She kept sticking it out and getting in my face INSISTING that I kiss it because it had a boo boo. Finally, between laughing and fending her off, I blew her tongue a kiss and convinced her that it was pretty much the same as an actual kiss to make her tongue better.

The new word being overused in our house right now is "supervised." Kadence keeps asking to play with her markers, and since I told her she can't use them without someone to supervise her, it's become her new favorite word. Grandma Patsy was sitting on the couch using the computer, and Kadence walked over to stand next to her and told her "I'm supervising you."

Flies are becoming a problem. Kadence freaks out whenever she sees one. The other night she came into our room crying hysterically, because she woke up and said there was a fly on her bed. The other day she was eating a snack, saw one flying around and started running around yelling for Daddy to "Kill it! Kill that fly before it swipes my snack!" This morning, she found one in the window (I'm pretty sure it was one Grandma had already killed), ran and got one of her shoes, and then started frantically smacking at the fly until she was sure it was dead.

I was woken up this morning by baby hiccups. I had forgotten how weird they feel. Kadence had them all the time through the last trimester. The first time this baby had them was Thursday night (the 17th) while I was trying to go to sleep. He was NOT happy about it, so it took quite awhile to get to sleep since I had to wait for him to calm down and stop jumping around whenever he hiccuped. He's had them at least once a day since then. 

According to my midwife, hiccups mean babies are getting ready to breath on their own. So hopefully that means if he comes early, his lungs will be ok. Considering his size, I'm hoping that would be the only probable health issue if he comes early. (I measured 36 cm at 34 weeks. 1 cm per week is normal.) My measurements could possibly be because of amniotic fluid level, but I choose to think it's his size due to the way he moves.

Today is our 2nd 5th wedding anniversary. I asked Patrick to bring me home some Depends for our anniversary, and my mother found that hilarious. 

I don't believe in spending money on things we don't need. Depends are on our birth supply checklist, I'd just as soon have something I really need, and since I'm not capable of going out and getting everything myself he has to do it anyway. Besides, my mother-in-law has told me several times that women should make it easy for men to get us gifts, and not make them have to guess at what to get. So I made it really easy. :)

5th anniversary is supposed to be Wood, or Silverware. . .but in this house, 5th shall be Depends. :D

34 weeks. . .3 more to go!

We had our 34 week appointment yesterday. Everything was good with the exception of one thing. I'm now 80% effaced, which is 30% more in 2 weeks. Not good. However, I haven't dilated at all, so that's very good. Unfortunately, dilation is inevitable the more effaced I become, so I'm still on modified bed rest. We're praying that we make it to 37 weeks so we can avoid health issues AND the hospital. Because of the progression, we will now be doing weekly appointments. 

I forgot to post the 33 week picture in my last blog, so here are 33 and 34. Baby's already dropped, so things are getting increasingly more difficult. I keep getting stuck getting out of bed, which is rather amusing. Imagine a beached whale. Hahaha. . .what's even funnier is Kadence trying to pull me out of bed.

Kadence and Grandma Patsy have had a lot of quality time together. I'm just glad there's someone else to read her the same 3 stories over, and over, and over, and over. . . :D

 

We went to the pool today, since walking around in the water is the only walking I'm allowed to do, and my joints/muscles were aching from doing nothing. Kadence wanted to wear her "fishy suit," which is the one that has flotation devices built into it. It's been impossible to teach her how to swim in it, but it makes it easier to hold onto her.

The video is of her NOT jumping into the pool. . . 

 

The water was a little cold, but it was totally worth it. Kadence (as usual) didn't want to leave, despite the fact that she was shivering She and Grandma ran around the "spraying things" before we left.

We were eating breakfast yesterday, and Kadence randomly asked "Is the baby peeing in your tummy?" I told her that yes, technically he was. "Why is he peeing in your tummy!?" I told her that there was a lot of water in my tummy, he drinks some of it and then he pees it out. Since he's still in my tummy, when he pees he does it in my tummy. Her response to that was "Then he'll pee on my face! I don't want him to pee on my face! It will hurt!" I convinced her that wouldn't be an issue, but she's been fixating on him peeing in my tummy since then. Every now and then she comes up and asks me again, just to check and see if he's still doing it.

One of my friends that will be here when we have the baby is a massage therapist, and is working on her doula certification. She came over the other evening when she got off work to give me a massage. (Have I mentioned that bed rest doesn't treat me well?) After we had dinner, she set up the massage table while Kadence got ready for bed. Before Kadence would go to bed, she said she needed Felicia to massage her, so she needed "her turn" first.

Hopefully the next few weeks will go by uneventfully. . .and by uneventfully, I mean nothing outside of the ordinary insanity that goes on around here. :D

Hormones. . .gotta love 'em

It was a rather rough weekend. I'm only supposed to be having 2 BH contractions an hour. Most days it's not even that many, but every now and then it gets worse. Friday evening there was one hour I had 5, and the rest of the evening I would have 3 or 4 an hour. I was feeling a lot of tension and discomfort in my lower back and pelvis (not from the contractions), and I was pretty sure that was why I suddenly started having so many. Patrick got home from work around 10pm and massaged my back and hips, and the contractions stopped for awhile.

I didn't sleep too well that night, and Patrick has to leave at 4:30am to go back to work on Saturday. I was hoping that sleep/resting all night would have kept the contractions at bay, but pretty much as soon as I got out of bed, they started back up again. . .usually 3-4 an hour. . .and these weren't the kind of BH contractions you don't feel. Patrick usually gets off work at 2:30, and is usually home sometime between 3:30 and 4. I was really not feeling well, so I asked if he could come home early. He got home around 1:30, and massaged my back again which decreased the contractions.

I got up after about an hour to go to the bathroom, and since my pelvis was messed up I was walking funnier than normal. I don't look pregnant from behind. . .I just look bigger than normal. Patrick was behind me and said "You know, from the back with the extra weight, the way you walk makes you look like a body builder. Especially with those tan lines." (I've spent a lot of time at the pool since it opened.) Now, I knew what he meant (he actually intended it as a compliment. . .haha), but irrational, hormonal me fixated on the "extra weight" part of that statement and went the "I'm fat" route when I looked in the mirror. He could have just mentioned the way I was walking, but in true male form he had to go and mention weight too. . .

Now, keep in mind that I've had a couple of hard days. . .pain/contractions/lack of rest, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention I've been on bed rest for 2 weeks now, and I've been home by myself the last week. All of this combined tends to put me in a less than preferable frame of mind. . .which I happen to be aware of when it happens. So even though he didn't call me fat, nor didn't imply that I was fat, that's still what my subconscious decided.

Laundry needed to be done (which I'm not allowed to do), so the two shirts I normally wear around the house were both unavailable, and I wanted something more comfortable than what I had been wearing. When my clothes aren't an option, it's time to check out Patrick's. I had him give me one of his shirts that I had been able to wear up to the end of my last pregnancy. . ..it was too tight. We went through the rest of his clothes, and nothing worked. . .except for one. His favorite shirt. My least favorite shirt. Size XXL. It looks like a tent. . .one you could probably hide an elephant in.

As I slipped it on and it fell into place around my belly, I started crying uncontrollably. Patrick asked why, and I wailed "It fits!" At which point, I also started laughing. . .because despite the fact that I can't always control the roller coaster ride these hormones take me on, I'm still capable of admitting how absurdly ridiculous it is.

So there I am laughing and crying hysterically, and Patrick's holding me and trying (unsuccessfully) NOT to laugh. It was pretty pathetic, so I couldn't stop laughing. . .but my hormones were in the way, so I couldn't stop crying either. How's that for conflicting emotions? Thankfully, one of my shirts was discovered in the dryer not too long after that. It made me feel much better. :)

The situation didn't help the contractions any, so when I calmed down it was back to lying down. I had an appointment with my physical therapist set up for Monday, and I was pretty sure things would be resolved by then, so I just needed to try to stay relaxed until then. Incidentally, that got much easier once Mom and Kadence got home. Who would ever have thought that a hyper active 3 year old would have a calming effect. . .lol

Sunday things were much better. . .most likely because Kadence was home. The baby (whom Kadence has named "Cowboy" for the day) kept up a high level of activity though. Sunday, Sunday night, and today. I'm not really sure what his deal is.

"Fickable ferathy" (what Kadence calls physical therapy) was today, so things feel much better. . .and the contractions are exactly where they're supposed to be now. I'm hoping they stay that way for awhile. Our next appointment with Kathleen is on Wednesday, so hopefully all the bed rest will have worked and slowed progress. Especially since we still have 3 weeks before Cowboy can safely come out and play.

I ♥ my husband....more than Arby's :)

I realize this is my 4th post in a week, but put me on bed rest, and I have time to write. :) 

I have this thing about Arby's. I REALLY like Arby's when I'm pregnant, although I don't generally care for fast food in general. But somehow, the only times they have EVER messed up my food is when I'm pregnant. I'm a LITTLE more tolerant of mistakes made with my food under normal circumstances (emphasis on "little"), but I'm a little put off that Arby's waits to mess up my food when it's most important that they get it right. I mean seriously, how difficult is it to make a sandwich correctly?

When I was pregnant with Kadence, it involved a Roast Chicken, Bacon and Swiss sandwich. How do you make that? One should be able to assume (even if you dropped out of middle school to work there) that you would do so with roast chicken, bacon and swiss. It's in the name. How can you screw that up? Nevertheless, they left off the swiss. The second I said something, Patrick turned the car around, took it back in and had them remake it correctly. . .and they felt so bad about screwing up a pregnant woman's meal, they sent a few cookies out with him so I wouldn't be mad at them. :D

Now, Patrick isn't always so good at reading signals, but to his credit this one he only had to see once before he had it figured out. . .but it had to happen the hard way. About a week before this particular Arby's incident, we had gone to Sonic. I was feeling rather nauseous, and the food he ordered was put in the trunk of the car for him to eat once we got home. . .but not actually in the house. :) I ordered a blended Sprite float to settle my stomach, but waited until we got home (which was just around the corner) before I drank it. 

A blended Sprite float consist of 2 things. . .Sprite and soft serve ice cream blended together. Figuring out how to properly do this doesn't require a Chemistry degree. My float had Sprite, and soft serve. . .and banana. Bananas made me sick at the time, so you can guess how well that went over.

I asked Patrick to go back and have them remake it. After all, we'd already paid for it, I wanted it, and I wanted it made correctly. Here's the thing though. . .he doesn't like confrontation. In his man way of trying to make things better and keep everyone happy, he instead went to the store and bought Sprite and ice cream, thinking he'd just make me one himself. 

Ice cream you buy at the store is NOT soft serve. . .so it didn't matter how he tried to make it, the taste and consistency was never going to be right. Not to mention, the failed attempts cost us more money, when he could have just gone back to Sonic to have them fix the one we'd already paid for. The end result was a hormonal, and VERY unhappy me. 

Keep in mind that we'd only been married a year back then, we were both still figuring out the married relationship thing, I was hormonal, AND I was emotional about his impending deployment. I was so angry and upset with him, that I just refused to speak to him for hours. This was my frame of mind. I had simply asked him to go back to Sonic, and have them to correct their mistake, which he wouldn't do. So not only had he gotten me pregnant and was leaving me alone, he also didn't love me enough to go have the idiots at Sonic fix a mistake that THEY made to make me feel better. (Note, the word RATIONAL wasn't used. . . :D)

I didn't say I handled it correctly, nor can I claim to be completely sane at the time. (Honestly though, when would I ever claim that??) However, we haven't had this issue since then. 

So, this morning Mom and Kadence left to go to Abilene for a few days so Mom could take care of some things. Patrick was coming back home after he finished his last final exam before he had to go to work. He called to see if I needed him to get anything since I was going to be home alone all day. I had him stop by Arby's and bring me something so I'd have it to eat later for lunch or dinner. 

This was what was ordered: a Turkey, Bacon and Ranch Market Fresh sandwich without the bacon, onions, or tomatoes. Now, I realize that bacon is in the name of the sandwich, and I've asked them to remove that, which could possibly confuse an already incompetent person. However, this is what I got on my sandwich: turkey, cheese, lettuce (all of which is supposed to be there), SPICY MUSTARD AND MAYO. No ranch. 

I mentioned that food is an important issue when I'm pregnant right? Had they just left off the ranch, I could have lived with that, because I could have added it myself. . .but they substituted it for spicy mustard, and mayo. I don't eat mustard. I find it disgusting. . .spicy mustard especially so. 

Now I KNEW there was no way that's what Patrick ordered. . .but I called him anyway to let him know. Yes, I called just to tell him that there was mustard on my sandwich, even though he was at work and there was nothing he could do about it. He said he would stop by Arby's on his way home from work (at 11pm tonight) and get me another one. About 20 minutes later he called me back to let me know that he'd called Arby's, talked to the manager, and when he stopped by tonight they would give him the replacement sandwich free of charge, since they screwed up the other one.

I didn't ask him to do that. Honestly, I was a little surprised that he did. But that's how well my husband knows me. Even though I didn't say anything, he knows that I don't like paying for something twice, when it should have been right the first time. So he fixed it. 

I love my husband. Not only does he understand my quirks, but he goes out of his way to work with them. . .even if I don't say anything.

Edit: When he went to pick up the replacement sandwich, they also gave him a coupon for a free combo meal. . .because they screwed up. :)

A mother's musings on Mother's Day

My children already have a bond that amazes me. Kadence is obsessed with her baby brother, and loves "playing" with him, talking to him, singing to him......and especially loves feeling and watching him move. Nearly every day now she comes up to me, puts her hands on either side of my belly and says "You're tummy is even BIGGER! He's growing up!"

In turn, Alishus Gary (Kadence said that's his name today) responds to his big sister in a way he responds to no one else. Last month I made a trip to Abilene, and Kadence slept at Grandma Patsy's house that Friday and Saturday night, while I spent those nights with my best friend Ruth. Kadence wakes up around 7:30 every morning and comes to wake me up. Those two mornings though, since she wasn't there, that didn't happen. At 7:30 both of those mornings the baby started kicking hard, and moving around a LOT......as if he was asking where she was. His activity level remained high until Sunday morning when I met up with Mom and Kadence for church. When he heard his big sister, he settled down. He doesn't react that way for me. He doesn't react that way for Patrick. He only reacts that way for Kadence.

The other day she climbed up in my chair with me to talk to the baby. She bent down and told him "Ok baby, kick!" Then she looked up at me and said "He's going to kick you really hard now, ok?" There have been several occasions where his little butt have been sticking up, and she tells him "Don't shake your little butt at me!" She's very protective as well. She camped out by my recliner the other evening, and told me "I will protect you Mommy." Patrick had told her that I had to stay lying down or sitting to protect the baby so he didn't come out before he was big enough. I guess she decided that I needed protection as well.......however, she doesn't realize that she would be the only reason I need protection. :)

This morning she came down, went potty and then came into our room to tell us "We're out of toilet paper. Can you toss me a roll?" (She thinks that commercial is hilarious, and can't wait for the toilet paper to be gone so she can say that.) The baby started kicking, dragging his feet back and forth across the top of my belly and jumping around. It would seem that he thinks that's funny too. She climbed up on the bed to talk to and play with the baby. She got her baby doll and put her baby on my tummy and said "Baby Adyline, this is Alishus Gary. Do you want to play with Alishus Gary? Ok. Mommy, Baby Adyline wants to play with Alishus Gary." So she put Baby Adyline on my tummy, and Alishus Gary started moving her around. Kadence said indignantly "Alishus Gary is pushing Baby Adyline!" I can already imagine the ridiculous fights and arguments these two are going to have as they get older.

When I was ready to get out of bed (after Kadence finished singing rock-a-bye baby to her brother), Kadence decided she would carry the baby for me. She told me "I will pick him up." and put her hands on either side of my belly and tried to pick him up.....then walked into the other room holding an imaginary baby in her arms.

By this point in the pregnancy, most people are ready for it to be over. Granted, there's a lot of discomfort involved, and sometimes the baby's movements are downright painful. Not to mention, bed rest certainly isn't my thing. However, I'm going to be sad when this part is over. I won't miss the bed rest, the heartburn, and not being able to dry my own legs and feet when I get out of the shower....but I am going to miss feeling his little movements, and his punches, and kicks. I'm going to miss the way that Kadence puts her head on my tummy to see if she can hear him. I'm going to miss using all of the ridiculous names she came up with for him......Jack Black, Flynn Rider, Alishus Gary, Kato, Green Hornet....

On the other hand, I can't wait to see his face. I can't wait to hold him, and give him an actual name. I can't wait to see how my children interact in person. I can't wait to see my husband hold his son.

Each stage has it's blessings......and it's discomforts and annoyances.  I've heard too many women complain about just wanting their pregnancy to be over already., or wanting their baby to pass a difficult stage so they can move on to something better. Wishing one stage would pass just to get to the next seems like such a waste of experiences that you're not going to get back. Besides, wishing and complaining has never made time go any faster.....and usually just makes it go slower for those who have to listen. :) I hate being on bed rest, but each day that I am brings us one day closer to the end of this stage, and the beginning of the next. I'm not thrilled with the stage we're now in, but I'm cherishing the little moments that I won't get back once this stage ends.

Kadence drew me a picture this morning when we got up. She told me "That's your belly, and your silly face." She loves that she has a little brother in my tummy. :)

I love being a mommy! Happy Mother's Day!

3rd trimester....and other stuff. :)

I planned on updating at least weekly, but so far it seems to be more like a monthly thing.

Things have been progressing well with the pregnancy. I've actually been doing so well in Physical Therapy, that I am now just going in as needed, rather than scheduling an appointment every week. I've managed to continue going to the gym regularly, which has helped quite a bit....with everything EXCEPT weight gain. At my 28 week appointment I had gained 28 lbs. Apparently, not going to the gym = less weight gain. Seriously. The one week I didn't go AT ALL because my hips were hurting, I only gained about half a pound. Next week I was back in the gym, eating the same amount, and gained twice that. Should be interesting to see how the backwards progression happens after he's born. :)

I currently have a 4 inch separation between the edges of my abs, so that's making things difficult...it's not being helped by the baby in the least. He insists on lying transverse at this point...which wouldn't be a problem, except that when he's stretching out, he's pushing the edges of my abs further apart.

Health wise, other than allergies I couldn't be better! I've had no edema at all so far. My wedding rings (which were on my necklace LONG before this point last time) are still loose and easy to remove. My blood pressure has stayed roughly around 110/70 give or take a few points...with the exception of one evening when it dropped to 102/62 causing some dizziness, but adding more salt into my diet took care of that.

Speaking of allergies, they've been making me completely miserable. Yesterday Kadence asked me if I was ok. I told her not really, because I couldn't breath, and my head and tummy hurt. She said "Ok I will build you a purple airplane with sparkles, and take you to the hostible (hospital), and the doctor will make you feel better." :)

I've mostly been taking pictures every 2 weeks. Now that I'm in the 3rd trimester though, I'll be doing it every week.

Kadence has started asking repeatedly if her baby brother can come out now...and usually gets upset with me for being mean and telling her no. She interacts with him a LOT...always rubbing my belly, singing to him, talking to him. One morning she crawled in bed with me asked to watch a show, and kept her hand on my belly for an hour waiting for him to wake up and move so she could feel him.

She and I were talking about him the other day, and I referred to him by one of the names we've been considering. She looked startled and very confused and asked "What did you call him?? I thought his name was Jack Black!!" I told her that his name wasn't really going to be Jack Black...that was just a nickname we were calling him right now. She thought about it the rest of the day, then came back with some alternatives. Flynn Ryder, Bad Guy, and Alishus Gary. Yeah....we're just as likely to use Jack Black as we are one of those 3. :)

She found my nursing wrap one morning, and I found her "being a maker food" for her baby.

There's a local farm where I get my eggs and honey. They have a strawberry field, and they let you come pick your own strawberries. Kadence and I went and picked a boxful, and she had sooo much fun. Granted, she squished quite a few before she got the hang of it. :) Between the picking and the eating after they were washed, she was covered in red...and refused to eat anything else that day...not that I blame her...they're REALLY good.

We were on our way to the gym a few weeks ago, and I received an indignant lecture...from my 3 year old. I had to slam on the breaks and go around someone who stopped in the middle of an intersection. Kadence asked if we were on a roller coaster, and I said "No, someone was just being stupid." Her response? "Mommy, we don't say that! We don't say stupid!" then she muttered disgustedly "Someone was being stupid." and then resumed her lecture...."We don't say that! I'm not upset with you, I'm just 'pointed with you. Don't say that ANYMORE!" Getting through that without laughing was actually painful.

At one of my appointments with Kathleen (our midwife) Kadence had to go to the bathroom with me, so she was in there when I used the strip to test my urine for glucose and protein. The next day she was in the bathroom and told me "I need a stick. Can you go find me a stick to pee on?"

She has quite an active imagination. She brought me one of her play plates with a rubber floppy frisbee disc that has "hair" around the edges. She told me "I made a tomato hat. It's not for looking at. It's just a tomato hat. It's for God." She also makes up quite a few of her own songs...one of which went something like this..."And I will shout! And I will shut my mouth! And I will born the baby! And I will cut the baby, because I'm Spiderman!" I asked why she was going to cut the baby, and she said "Because that's how you born it." Apparently, she meant the cord...but I never did figure out how Spiderman was involved.

Speaking of Spiderman and her imagination...She was pretending to be Sleeping Beauty the other day...and she was waiting for Spiderman to come save her.

For that matter, she wanted to be Superman when we were at a playgroup, and since there was no Superman outfit, this is what she came up with.

I was letting Patrick sleep in a little one Sunday morning...but Kadence had other plans. She went and woke him up rubbing a handful of cold lotion on his back. The resulting reaction had me laughing the rest of the day.

We were on our way home from the gym, and Kadence was playing with a piece of paper. She folded it up all nice, and then held it up for me to see...and informed me "This is 20 bucks for Starbucks and the bookstore." She's only 3, and she's already blowing all her (fake) money on books and coffee...good girl. haha

She FINALLY had her 3 year checkup...4 months late. She had to get one booster shot, after which she informed me that her blood hurt. She kept trying to play me with it...whenever she wanted something and I told her no, she'd say "But I have a boo boo! My blood hurts! It will make me feel better!" I'm not that easy...but I do appreciate the effort. :) Her excuse for not taking a nap that day was "I got shot. Taking a nap will make it worse."

We were in the car, and Patrick had given Kadence a licorice stick. She started misbehaving shortly thereafter, and he told her "Dad gave you candy, so you at least need to be a good girl." I told him "Yeah, you can't bargain with her AFTER the fact." and Kadence said "Stop trusting me." I think we got him straightened out. lol

I overheard an short adorable conversation...

Kadence: Daddy, I want you.

Patrick: What do you want me for?

Kadence: I want you to be a prince.

We had a short, but very bad storm the other night, which included a lot of hail. Patrick went up to Kadence's room to get her when it started hailing so that she wouldn't freak out when she woke up. She was perfectly calm, and cuddled with him in the living room until it passed, and then went right back to sleep when he put her back to bed. The next morning I asked her about it, and she said "I was scared cause it was really loud, but Daddy was a good saver. He came and got me." Guess Daddy is her prince after all. :)

Baby update

We had our 2nd sonogram on Friday, February 18th at 21 weeks, 1 day. It's a boy!! Poor Kadence...she really wanted us to have "Princess Sparkle," not "Jack Black." (Those were the names she had picked out for the baby.) When she called Grandma Patsy to tell her that she was having a little brother, she told Grandma that "It's Jack Black, but I'm sorry it's Jack Black."

I looked at the sonogram picture of Kadence from the same time...and compared the two. Looks like he has a bigger head.

Kadence alternates between being upset about "Jack Black" and being happy about him. Not too long after we found out, Patrick was carrying her up to bed and she yelled back downstairs "Goodnight Mommy! Goodnight Jack Black!"

For an entire day she kept telling me "I'm so sorry I have a brother." I told her that it was OK, Jesus really wanted her to have a brother...to which she responded "But WHY??"

We were at Children's Place and I found this shirt...I read it to her and she kept grinning, and said she needed it. Some day's I'll be getting her dressed, and she specifically asks to wear it.

When she's happy about him, she sings to him, and talks to him...and blows raspberries on him. We were cuddling in bed one morning and he was kicking, so I put her hand on my stomach so she could feel it. He kicked her, and she pulled her hand away and told me "Don't put my hand there! Jack Black will kick me!" She also told a lady at the store that "Jack Black is in my mommy's tummy."

She was sitting in my lap earlier (which doesn't have that much room anymore) and he kicked her back. She turned around and said "Baby, stop kicking me!" Then sighed and said "OK, you can kick me."

I've been making such a big deal about her having a little brother that she's finally getting excited too...the other day we were in the car and she told me "I'm so cited to have a baby brother." She's been telling me she's going to teach him how to play, and asking him to come out. "Baby, come out! Baby, come out!" I told her he couldn't come out yet because he was still growing. So she turned back to my stomach and said "Grow baby, grow! Grow!"

I started Physical Therapy last week...specific issues being pelvic rotation, and my sacrum not moving the way it's supposed to when I walk. However, I made it longer this time before ending up in Physical Therapy than I did last time, so yay for that. :) Because my pelvis is being kept where it's supposed to go now with the appointments and exercises, it's basically made more room for "Jack Black"...and since my first appointment with the physical therapist, his activity level increased significantly. It may be unrelated, but the Braxton Hicks contractions have also gotten more frequent and more uncomfortable. 

Speaking of BH contractions, I didn't feel them until the 3rd trimester with Kadence. This time I started feeling them around 20-21 weeks. So things have continued to happen WAY earlier this time around, so I'm still hoping for earlier delivery, and shorter labor. :)