Hello everyone! Just another Mundy family update after a doctor's appointment. I no longer have monthly appointments. Once you hit 30 weeks the frequency of appointments increase (yay!). Which means I will be going in 3 weeks, then 2 weeks after that, then every week after that.
I continue to have no heart burn and surprisingly no charlie horses in the middle of the night. For that, I am incredibly thankful. Of course, those symptoms did not just disappear without replacement symptoms. During this pregnancy, I am blessed with a baby crocodile. Do you know how crocodiles kill their prey? They sneak up on the unknowing gazelle (just an example) and attack, dragging the doomed creature back into the water. This is where they kill it by "death roll." The crocodile continues to hold on to his flailing prey while engaging in a spinning maneuver designed to subdue and dismember the future meal. A death roll typically only lasts about 15 seconds, but destroys the prey's defenses or ability to function.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKKOieuk_GQ
Yes, I have a baby crocodile inside me. And this sweet, adorable, loving little fetus continues to death roll my sciatic nerve. My sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in my body which provides sensory and motor function to the lower extremities. This nerve provides sensation to the back of the thigh, lower part of the leg and the sole of the foot. Which means, when a death roll occurs, mama here basically has a shooting pain down the back of her leg followed by a tingling sensation for the next several hours. He chooses fun times to perform this act...like when I'm in the middle of the grocery store, or holding my son. Needless to say, the gasping doubled-over-in-pain motion of a pregnant woman makes other people very uneasy. Also, people do not like a 13-year-old pregnant girl, doubled over in pain and cursing in the middle of Wegmans...Go figure.
This week's appointment went well. Not sure what this doctor is talking about though, because she seems to think that this evil amphibian is actually small for his age. She was looking right at me, so she had to see the basketball-sized growth protruding from under my shirt, but she says I'm "small." She's not quite worried, because the baby is measuring 29 weeks, which only puts me 1-2 weeks behind. His heart beat is strong and steady and according to her, he is probably weighing in at about 2-3 pounds already (yeah, tiny). We have less than 10 weeks left. 69 days. Not that I'm counting. These last few weeks are really just time for him to pack on the pounds and bake until he's ready to grace us with his presence :)
We are all ridiculously excited to meet him. Well, I think so anyway. Maxson seems curious about mama's big belly, but not too eager for anything to pop out of it. Especially if that something is going to take his crib or his spot on her lap.
Wish us luck! Part of me wants the next few weeks to fly by so I can stop waddling, and the other part of me hopes it goes slowly so I can enjoy the last few weeks of being a family of 3 :)
Love you all!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Third trimester, here we come!
27 weeks already! That means we're not far from the third trimester! Crazy, I know. This pregnancy has flown by and as we approach the seventh month marker, I become increasingly anxious, because mama cannot handle 6 weeks of bed rest again (especially with a very active toddler!).
One of my least favorite things about this process (and mind you, I am not saying THE least favorite), is the glucose screen. Let me break this down for you. Between 25-28 weeks, the mama is told that she needs to be checked for gestational diabetes. Seems like it would be a simple process, but simple is not synonymous with tasty.
Here's what happens: A lovely person will walk into a room and tell you, the unsuspecting patient, that you need to drink this "orange drink" or in some cases "fruit punch" and then wait one hour before having your blood drawn. As you take the first sip of this bottle of orange hell, she will tell you that you have less than 5 minutes to finish all of it. I've been to college, I understand the concept of chugging, and this could not taste worse than cheap beer, right? Wrong. This is pure sugar and artificial flavoring. It.is.awful. After your gag reflex is checked and your digestive system takes a beating, you have to wait it out. Here is the other part they don't tell you. If you fail this test, it does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes. False positives are common. So you have to get a SECOND test. What does this mean? Even more of that nasty beverage, but this time you wait 3 hours! Try telling a pregnant woman to fast prior to a test and then wait three hours after it...we are already a moody people, this is not wise.
When pregnant with Maxson, I failed the first test. It was not pretty. This time around, I was determined to pass it, but then I forgot about the test and had two glasses of sugary iced tea the night before. Convinced I was going to fail yet again, I had a "hey-do-me-a-favor" twenty in my back pocket for the lovely lady that would force feed me pure evil and then take my blood. I would say that this was like a bad version of Twilight, but that would imply a good version of Twilight....
Long story short...I PASSED! I had a doctor's appointment today and baby is measuring at 26 weeks and has a good, strong heart beat. He is a very active little man, and he is wide awake first thing in the morning and right when I'm trying to fall asleep (go figure). I eagerly anticipate being able to feel his hiccups. :)
Unfortunately, we do not have any ultrasounds scheduled, so who knows if we'll see his cute little profile again before we meet him in person.
I know these posts are not truly entertaining without pictures, so you will have to settle for his big brother for the time being...13 months old today! We could not waste the beautiful weather, so we played at the park!
Yes, he's playing a game of chicken with a duck. They went right for each other. You will be happy to know, the duck turned first. And yes, right after this picture I went running after my kiddo so he didn't actually reach the duck....
He LOVES to be outside :)
Only one caption comes to mind....: It's so FLUFFY!
Love you all! 3 months left :) Wish us luck!!
One of my least favorite things about this process (and mind you, I am not saying THE least favorite), is the glucose screen. Let me break this down for you. Between 25-28 weeks, the mama is told that she needs to be checked for gestational diabetes. Seems like it would be a simple process, but simple is not synonymous with tasty.
Here's what happens: A lovely person will walk into a room and tell you, the unsuspecting patient, that you need to drink this "orange drink" or in some cases "fruit punch" and then wait one hour before having your blood drawn. As you take the first sip of this bottle of orange hell, she will tell you that you have less than 5 minutes to finish all of it. I've been to college, I understand the concept of chugging, and this could not taste worse than cheap beer, right? Wrong. This is pure sugar and artificial flavoring. It.is.awful. After your gag reflex is checked and your digestive system takes a beating, you have to wait it out. Here is the other part they don't tell you. If you fail this test, it does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes. False positives are common. So you have to get a SECOND test. What does this mean? Even more of that nasty beverage, but this time you wait 3 hours! Try telling a pregnant woman to fast prior to a test and then wait three hours after it...we are already a moody people, this is not wise.
When pregnant with Maxson, I failed the first test. It was not pretty. This time around, I was determined to pass it, but then I forgot about the test and had two glasses of sugary iced tea the night before. Convinced I was going to fail yet again, I had a "hey-do-me-a-favor" twenty in my back pocket for the lovely lady that would force feed me pure evil and then take my blood. I would say that this was like a bad version of Twilight, but that would imply a good version of Twilight....
Long story short...I PASSED! I had a doctor's appointment today and baby is measuring at 26 weeks and has a good, strong heart beat. He is a very active little man, and he is wide awake first thing in the morning and right when I'm trying to fall asleep (go figure). I eagerly anticipate being able to feel his hiccups. :)
Unfortunately, we do not have any ultrasounds scheduled, so who knows if we'll see his cute little profile again before we meet him in person.
I know these posts are not truly entertaining without pictures, so you will have to settle for his big brother for the time being...13 months old today! We could not waste the beautiful weather, so we played at the park!
Yes, he's playing a game of chicken with a duck. They went right for each other. You will be happy to know, the duck turned first. And yes, right after this picture I went running after my kiddo so he didn't actually reach the duck....
He LOVES to be outside :)
Only one caption comes to mind....: It's so FLUFFY!Love you all! 3 months left :) Wish us luck!!
Friday, August 12, 2011
It's a......
BOY!
That's right, Maxson is going to have a baby brother! We are ridiculously excited!! One of my first thoughts? It is a good thing that we do not own nice things. I have a feelings these boys (their father included) will be wrecking our house in no time. Well, hopefully not until our house is really our own...
I can only see 2 downsides: 1) I will be outnumbered. 2) Chris and I cannot agree on a name.... Maxson has tried to help, but we don't really like Bob of Pop either (one of the few agreements Chris and I have).
I suppose we have plenty of time to come up with something :)
Baby's heartbeat is clocking in a 145 beats/minute (perfectly normal). He is weighing in around 8 ounces, tiny little champ. He was squirming like worm, but I am starting to feel it, which is amazing. I did not think I'd be in awe as much this time, but I have to say that I still love to feel my little moving around. You would not think it is possible, but I am already ridiculously proud of this kid. I suppose I am easily impressed, but you have to admit, he has had a productive few weeks!
Everything else is looking good! I have another doctor's appointment today to check on me, but assuming all my blood work comes back normal, this is looking like smooth sailing (knock on wood).
An update on Maxson:
The kiddo is a rock star. He just turned 11 months this past week. His vocabulary consists of several words: Mama, Dada, Bye-Bye, Cat, Pop, Uh-Oh, and we've discovered that he is always looking at the dogs when he says Bob. It's a little random.
He is cruising like crazy and can stand and even take a few steps on his own, though as soon as he realizes that he is sailing solo, he plops onto his bum. He is pointing to just about anything and everything. My desire to fuel his curiosity means that I'm stopping every few feet while walking the aisles of Target to see what he is pointing to and show it to him. Our outings take a little bit longer than usual as a result. His personality is becoming more and more apparent. This is a kid that loves to laugh, he loves anything kinda scary/exciting and he is fearless. This could be an amazingly terrifying combination for the future. He is constantly making goofy faces and playing around with people, he loves to chase or be chased, and he will try to climb up on just about anything.
Well, I suppose you all want to see pictures, so look below for ultrasounds from yesterday!
(above) an arm and hand! He's shaking his fists at us...
(above) The whole body. You can see the little circles on the side near his head are his little hands, and you can see his little feet at the bottom.
(above) A close up of his adorable little face!
(above) a more clear shot of him from the side. You can see his little hand against the side of his head, and a picture of his ear! This one is probably my favorite.
This one is probably Christopher's favorite. No mistaking it, she zoomed in and labeled it....this feel weird to post, but there you have it.
We love you all!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Storks, Parasites, and Baby A.
All right, so here's the deal. It's been nearly 11 months since the last time we wrote here, and there are roughly 11 months worth of baby-related excuses as to why we've been too busy to put anything here.
In order to play catch up and get to the real business, here's how I'd sum up the last 11 months:
- Babies are inherently messy, disgusting creatures. But with one laugh, all that goes away and a face covered in corn souffle becomes the most beautiful sight in the world.
- I have fallen into the trap that, I think, nearly every decent father falls into. If you ask Jules, this trap is the one that ends with her saying, "Oh, it's MY turn to change him? And how many diapers have you changed today?" But if you ask me, I've fallen into the "my kid is the most amazing and unique kid to ever set foot on this earth" trap.
- The instant joy of hearing your kid first say "Da da" can immediately be wiped away when he follows that with a seven minute speech about some wife-stealing home wrecker named "Bob".
- I probably get an unhealthy amount of amusement from putting Maxson into random scenarios, just to see how he handles it. Naked in a pumpkin. Steel pot. Large rocks in the Badlands. To be fair, he handles these situations pretty well.
- Out of the pages of the bad parenting handbook, as far as I know, he's only been hurt once. And that was scary. Seeing your kid bleed, if if just from a cut on his finger, might be one of the more traumatic early parenthood sights.
- Everyone says it, and I'll keep the trend going. Maxson has grown so much, so fast. There's not a day that I don't marvel at all the things he's learning to do. Just a few months ago, the kid could barely sit on his own. He's weeks (days?) from walking, cruising around furniture. He's on his way to complete mastery of the English language (he can say "pop!"). He's huge (well, probably average if not smaller than average, but much larger than he started). He's got more hair than I do already.
That's the short version. I feel like there are a million memories ready to be written, but those will come later.
The other cause for writing in this space again is that, as of mid-January, Maxson will be a big brother. We found out a few months ago, and have gone through every emotion, from shock (you're what? preg-what? who-nant? no.), to happiness (a new little peanut!), to confusion (how did this happen...? I thought...oh, there's no stork then? what's a pe...oooooh). But most importantly, we've found ourselves feeling just absolutely excited that we're able to have a second beautiful kid. Maxson has truly been a terrific kid. Which we're told guarantees the second to be equally terrific (right? RIGHT?).
In about ten days, we'll check on the gender of the kid. And from there, smooth sailing!
So far, all doctor's appointments have been great. Julia's doing great - I think we all can tell what a great home she is to parasitic beings that leech her precious nutrients away from her own organs. Baby A is doing great so far - great heartbeat, good looking ultrasounds.
There will be more details in future posts. Maybe even some pictures.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Here We Go Again!!
This time last year, Chris and I were blogging about Baby #1. Well, as my grandmother so sweetly puts it, our rhythm gets us into trouble. Who would have thought my husband has rhythm!? Well, you call it rhythm, fate, or an excitable woops, Baby-A is on the way! Yes, Baby-A, not to be confused with Baby #2. That just seems like we're ranking them. Luckily, Baby A will be the last to inhabit my body, so we won't have to come up with another way of saying "the third child."
I know what you're thinking. Sure...this is the last one...you also didn't think you were going to have this one so soon. Well, I have my ways. Actually, I don't have any ways, really, but I hear some general surgeons have their ways. ;) Sorry, babe! And for those men out there who find it inappropriate for me to even discuss such procedures, all I have to say is, too bad! I lost all privacy and sense of modesty through my pregnancy, why should Chris go completely unscathed?
I of course, had heard that every pregnancy is different. Regardless, I began this one assuming I did not need to read up or prepare myself any differently. I mean, c'mon, I JUST did this, I know what it is like. Yeah, this has been different. I like to think this just shows me a unique personality already developing in this little one. I have been utterly exhausted, while not nearly as nauseous. While in the first pregnancy I was almost always on the verge of being sick, this one goes in waves. I will feel perfect one minute and THEN be running for the bathroom in the next. While the reprieve is appreciated, the bolts of despair are ridiculous!
In the first pregnancy I also had food aversions right away. In this pregnancy, I have cravings! Weird ones. The only similarity is that I continue to be easily influenced by television. Yup, advertisements work, just not always in the expected way. For example, a commercial for all natural cheese that begins with a clip of terribly fattening, processed, cheese in a can should make you crave that all natural goodness....Yeah, I wanted Cheese-Wiz. Don't worry, I resisted that terrible urge. I also talked to myself and my son in the cookie aisle for 20 minutes trying to convince myself not to buy Chips Ahoy so that I could dip them in milk.
Christopher continues to be an adorable, doting father to both of his children. Surprisingly, I am not the only one who is experiencing a completely different pregnancy. With Maxson, he was a ball of nerves and rarely even talked about the fact that his wife was pregnant as if talking about it would jinx it. While most say to keep it quiet during the first trimester, he seemed to be playing it safe by waiting until I was in premature labor. And I think even then he was forced to tell people because they would be curious why he stopped showing up to work. With this pregnancy, however, he took the 12 week ultrasound pictures into work with him and showed them off. He talks to our son about being a big brother and asks him whether he wants a brother or sister. The responses have been difficult to interpret! It is sweet to see him so excited, even if I did make him speechless when originally breaking the news. If you thought Chris was already a pale little white guy, you should have seen him on that morning!
As of Thursday, we should know the gender, though I will be very skeptic if they tell me girl again... Regardless, pictures will be posted so keep your eyes on the blog! Oh, and here are some pictures to keep you satisfied until then!!
I know what you're thinking. Sure...this is the last one...you also didn't think you were going to have this one so soon. Well, I have my ways. Actually, I don't have any ways, really, but I hear some general surgeons have their ways. ;) Sorry, babe! And for those men out there who find it inappropriate for me to even discuss such procedures, all I have to say is, too bad! I lost all privacy and sense of modesty through my pregnancy, why should Chris go completely unscathed?
I of course, had heard that every pregnancy is different. Regardless, I began this one assuming I did not need to read up or prepare myself any differently. I mean, c'mon, I JUST did this, I know what it is like. Yeah, this has been different. I like to think this just shows me a unique personality already developing in this little one. I have been utterly exhausted, while not nearly as nauseous. While in the first pregnancy I was almost always on the verge of being sick, this one goes in waves. I will feel perfect one minute and THEN be running for the bathroom in the next. While the reprieve is appreciated, the bolts of despair are ridiculous!
In the first pregnancy I also had food aversions right away. In this pregnancy, I have cravings! Weird ones. The only similarity is that I continue to be easily influenced by television. Yup, advertisements work, just not always in the expected way. For example, a commercial for all natural cheese that begins with a clip of terribly fattening, processed, cheese in a can should make you crave that all natural goodness....Yeah, I wanted Cheese-Wiz. Don't worry, I resisted that terrible urge. I also talked to myself and my son in the cookie aisle for 20 minutes trying to convince myself not to buy Chips Ahoy so that I could dip them in milk.
Christopher continues to be an adorable, doting father to both of his children. Surprisingly, I am not the only one who is experiencing a completely different pregnancy. With Maxson, he was a ball of nerves and rarely even talked about the fact that his wife was pregnant as if talking about it would jinx it. While most say to keep it quiet during the first trimester, he seemed to be playing it safe by waiting until I was in premature labor. And I think even then he was forced to tell people because they would be curious why he stopped showing up to work. With this pregnancy, however, he took the 12 week ultrasound pictures into work with him and showed them off. He talks to our son about being a big brother and asks him whether he wants a brother or sister. The responses have been difficult to interpret! It is sweet to see him so excited, even if I did make him speechless when originally breaking the news. If you thought Chris was already a pale little white guy, you should have seen him on that morning!
As of Thursday, we should know the gender, though I will be very skeptic if they tell me girl again... Regardless, pictures will be posted so keep your eyes on the blog! Oh, and here are some pictures to keep you satisfied until then!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
A message from a proud mama!
Not even a week in, but I have experienced more intense emotion in this past week than I have ever felt in my life. I have a deeper love for my amazing husband, who (despite his not-so-convincing "you're doing great" coaching) has been nothing short of a terrific father, and friend. He has been so patient, helpful, and it is hard to describe the feeling when you see him with his son. He adores his little man, and is (not surprisingly) a wonderful father. Though my love for this man continues to grow on a daily basis, my love for my son is unparalleled. While Chris was impressed by the fact that I did not shed a tear through the pushing and the contracting...I realized I had been saving them up for the moment they set him in my arms. Words to describe it? There are none. I cannot imagine not having him in our lives.
Pediatrician Update:
- Maxson had his first check-up. The doctor said (note the quotations) "PERFECT!"
- No jaundice
- He has gained back all the weight he lost (so he is back up to 7lbs, 8oz)
- He was alert, but not fussy.
- He is in the 25th percentile for height and weight (small, but not tiny. and very much in proportion)
- Maxson was given the thumbs up for travel whenever we really feel comfortable. We decided that he would have his second check up (first week of October) to make sure he's still doing well at a month and then probably come up shortly after that! Columbus Day weekend perhaps? That way he still has a couple weeks after daddy leaves to continue building up a good immune system and we can have another check-up to see if he's good to go. The doctor's confidence was reassuring :)
Words from Maxson (or at least, if he could talk, I think this is what he would say about himself)
What you should know about me, or what I have figured out so far.
- Hands taste better than pacifiers.
- I like to mark territory. I have already peed on my doctor's table, my bedroom window, wall, and all over myself. I was perfectly content with squirting until I got myself...
- While I am unsure as to whether or not I love or hate hearing my mommy sing...I am definitely intrigued.
- My brother and sister look funny and have not stopped sniffing me.
- If I'm crying, there is an 85% chance that I just wanna strut around for a bit. There is a 15% chance that I have gas...
- I have discovered my tongue. It is delightful.
- I get mad if mommy tries to give me a pacifier. Who does she think she's kidding? I know she's got the good stuff.
- Daddy is scruffy and I like it.
- I love hats, and I look adorable in them.
- I hate socks or anything on my feet...
- I have discovered another fun thing down in my diaper. It is also delightful.
- I have a great sense of humor. For example, I think it is hilarious to wait until right after my parents change my diaper and then poop! Okay, I think it's funny...
- I didn't cry during any of my shots OR my circumcision. Beat that! I'm a manly man.
Well, that's all I've got. I have now been awake for two whole minutes and demand food. And I'm pretty sure I need my tenth diaper change of the day.
Here are pictures of me!
First one -- on my way to the doctor! That pacifier is almost as big as my face... but again, don't I look adorable in that hat? It's a little big for me, but still.
This is my infamous "poop face" picture. Right after my very first bath at home, I decided it was a good time to poop something fierce! I told you I was funny.
If you are reading this, you are most likely part of our "village" - so thank you so much for the support and love you have shown us. We are lucky to have such family and friends.
I love you all!
Pediatrician Update:
- Maxson had his first check-up. The doctor said (note the quotations) "PERFECT!"
- No jaundice
- He has gained back all the weight he lost (so he is back up to 7lbs, 8oz)
- He was alert, but not fussy.
- He is in the 25th percentile for height and weight (small, but not tiny. and very much in proportion)
- Maxson was given the thumbs up for travel whenever we really feel comfortable. We decided that he would have his second check up (first week of October) to make sure he's still doing well at a month and then probably come up shortly after that! Columbus Day weekend perhaps? That way he still has a couple weeks after daddy leaves to continue building up a good immune system and we can have another check-up to see if he's good to go. The doctor's confidence was reassuring :)
Words from Maxson (or at least, if he could talk, I think this is what he would say about himself)
What you should know about me, or what I have figured out so far.
- Hands taste better than pacifiers.
- I like to mark territory. I have already peed on my doctor's table, my bedroom window, wall, and all over myself. I was perfectly content with squirting until I got myself...
- While I am unsure as to whether or not I love or hate hearing my mommy sing...I am definitely intrigued.
- My brother and sister look funny and have not stopped sniffing me.
- If I'm crying, there is an 85% chance that I just wanna strut around for a bit. There is a 15% chance that I have gas...
- I have discovered my tongue. It is delightful.
- I get mad if mommy tries to give me a pacifier. Who does she think she's kidding? I know she's got the good stuff.
- Daddy is scruffy and I like it.
- I love hats, and I look adorable in them.
- I hate socks or anything on my feet...
- I have discovered another fun thing down in my diaper. It is also delightful.
- I have a great sense of humor. For example, I think it is hilarious to wait until right after my parents change my diaper and then poop! Okay, I think it's funny...
- I didn't cry during any of my shots OR my circumcision. Beat that! I'm a manly man.
Well, that's all I've got. I have now been awake for two whole minutes and demand food. And I'm pretty sure I need my tenth diaper change of the day.
Here are pictures of me!
First one -- on my way to the doctor! That pacifier is almost as big as my face... but again, don't I look adorable in that hat? It's a little big for me, but still.
This is my infamous "poop face" picture. Right after my very first bath at home, I decided it was a good time to poop something fierce! I told you I was funny.
If you are reading this, you are most likely part of our "village" - so thank you so much for the support and love you have shown us. We are lucky to have such family and friends.
I love you all!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Pictures
Just so everyone knows, Julia and I are posting all of our Maxson-related pictures out on Webshots. Feel free to browse!
http://community.webshots.com/user/AdmlTolwin
http://community.webshots.com/user/AdmlTolwin
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