Remember way back to a few months ago. I had posted about Baby #2, who is planned to make an arrival via scheduled c-section on August 30. Here it is. Remember how I said that baby Murphy was being a troubling fetus, testing us in many different ways. I thought once we got past the first few weeks, we'd be smooth sailing.
Boy, were we wrong!
Thursday night I was getting ready for bed when I was startled by a cramping in my lower stomach. It wasn't the most painful thing ever, but it stopped me in my tracks to let me know something was off. I've had Braxton Hicks before so I knew that the cramping was typical of BH contractions. It went away after a few seconds so I figured I'd go to bed. Well, it happened 9 more times in the next 45 minutes. Joel was ready to rush to the hospital,but I told him I was going to try to go bed and we'd see what happened. I figured if I could sleep, I was fine.
I woke up Friday morning and felt ok, although I had a few more contractions through the night, they didn't disrupt my sleep. I went to work Friday where they lingered all morning at about 10-15 minutes apart. I chugged a couple bottles of water, put my feet up, and tried to relax at my desk while working. Finally, I called the doctor, who told me to swing over on my lunch break and he'd check me out.
I got over to the OB office, which luckily is the in the same building as my work. My blood pressure was fine, the baby's heart rate was fine, my cervix was ok although dilated about a fingertip. He put me on the external monitor for a little while, then decided to send me over to Labor and Delivery to be monitored for a few more hours. I was wheelchaired through the hospital because he wouldn't let me walk (ugh, I was fine!) and promptly changed into a gown and got hooked up to monitors. I was also still supposed to be working, so I remembered to call my boss to tell her what was going on.
The monitor was picking up contractions at the same frequency I was feeling them but they weren't huge ones. I was instructed to drink a bunch more and try to relax. They were still 7-10 minutes apart, lasting about 20-30 seconds each. An hour of monitoring and they decided I'd get a fun shot called Terbutaline. This was supposed to help stop contractions. I was then monitored for 2 more hours to make sure they were stopping. Finally, by 5:15, I was allowed to go home, on bed rest.
I have still had a few contractions here and there but the frequency and intensity has slowed quite a bit so we're ok for now. If they start again, more than just a couple a day, I'm to march back up there. But for now, we're holding strong at 32.5 weeks and still have an inside baby. I want this kid to keep cooking for a few more weeks. Assuming this weekend remains uneventful, I can go back to work on Monday. I'm hoping this is the case.
July 13, 2012
July 8, 2012
Sunday Conversations
Joel: Tessa, say dog.
Tessa: God.
Joel: No, say dog. duh-og.
Tessa: God. duh-God.
Joel: Say Duh-Duh.
Tessa: Duh-Duh.
Joel: Now say Duh-Duh Dog.
Tessa: Duh-Duh God.
Medicine=Mess-ih-sins
Andrea: Tessa, do you need to go potty?
Tessa: Yep. Tessa, potty, M&M.
Andrea: If you go potty, you get M&M's.
Tessa: Potty, whip, flush, M&M.
Andrea: Yup, that's the order.
Tessa: God.
Joel: No, say dog. duh-og.
Tessa: God. duh-God.
Joel: Say Duh-Duh.
Tessa: Duh-Duh.
Joel: Now say Duh-Duh Dog.
Tessa: Duh-Duh God.
Medicine=Mess-ih-sins
Andrea: Tessa, do you need to go potty?
Tessa: Yep. Tessa, potty, M&M.
Andrea: If you go potty, you get M&M's.
Tessa: Potty, whip, flush, M&M.
Andrea: Yup, that's the order.
June 26, 2012
A night out on the town
This past weekend we were blessed with a night out. It was to a friend's wedding in Ames and we sent Tessa to Grandma's so we could have an adults only night. Granted, I ended up being the designated driver so everyone else could let loose, but we still had so much fun. The reception was at Hickory Hall which is a hidden gem in Ames, run by the infamous Hickorky Park deliciousness.
We skipped the wedding and went to the reception where we got a great table. Between the delicious food, fun with friends from the police department, and free beer, everyone was having a blast. I even got a couple photos of Joel dancing, something that is rare sight.
I was overtired and a few hours past my bedtime, but it was well worth it to be out for a night child free and watching everyone people able to let loose for the first time in a long time.
We skipped the wedding and went to the reception where we got a great table. Between the delicious food, fun with friends from the police department, and free beer, everyone was having a blast. I even got a couple photos of Joel dancing, something that is rare sight.
Dave and Roxanne, Tessa's future in laws.
I was overtired and a few hours past my bedtime, but it was well worth it to be out for a night child free and watching everyone people able to let loose for the first time in a long time.
June 24, 2012
Waterbug
Tessa has discovered for her love for all things water. This includes washing her hands, bathtime, and especially swimming. Every time we get home and walk into the house, she runs for the back door and wants to go outside to go "women". She knows her little pool is out there and she would spend all day in the pool if we let her. These are from Memorial Day weekend but she swims at least 3-4 days a week. Luckily we were blessed with some hand-me-downs so she has 5 swimsuits.
Yeah, she's totally learning to pose. The attitude that comes out of a 2.5 ft tall toddler is astounding.
The hard part is getting her out of the water. It usually ends in a meltdown, so we have to time her swimming schedule so we can have another fun activity to distract her. Or food. Enticing her inside with food usually works too.
She spends her time pouring some sugar on her dumping buckets of water on herself.
The set up. All her sand toys end up in the pool.
Stopping for a drink break. Only this girl begs for milk on a 95 degree day after swimming hard.
The hard part is getting her out of the water. It usually ends in a meltdown, so we have to time her swimming schedule so we can have another fun activity to distract her. Or food. Enticing her inside with food usually works too.
June 14, 2012
28 Weeks
I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is flying by. I'm just shocked that I'm already 28 weeks pregnant, with only 11 to go. I'm still having quite a bit of sickness and many foods still don't settle well. The only real cravings I've had are for blueberry muffins and iced lattes (decaf, usually). Most of my aversions are meat, but I love eating fruit.
Tessa is very curious about the baby and my growing stomach. She knows to be gentle, but sometimes forgets she can't just plop into my lap or climb on me much. She's very nurturing though, and loves her little babies so I'm sure she'll be a great big sister.
Tessa is very curious about the baby and my growing stomach. She knows to be gentle, but sometimes forgets she can't just plop into my lap or climb on me much. She's very nurturing though, and loves her little babies so I'm sure she'll be a great big sister.
May 23, 2012
Apple chips
Thanks to Pinterest, I've been trying many new things. New recips, new projects, and lots of dreams of what I can do in the future. Last night I realized that the apples I had purchased a couple days before weren't as crispy as I'd like. I need my apples very crunchy. Any hint of mush and the apples are not edible, at least as raw apples. I already had the oven on from making supper, so I figured I'd give a recipe a shot.
I usually just peel and dice the apples, sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on them, and bake them in a casserole dish until they are soft. Then I'll eat them as chunky applesauce. I had a different idea for these apples.
I found this recipe on Pinterest, linked to the blog of some crafty lady who wanted to do the hard work for me and and just tell me how to make the apples delicious.
This is her picture, because it is far better than mine. The recipe is simple.
What you will need:
I baked mine for an hour and a half total. This made them more like dried apples, not apple chips. But if I would have left them in longer, they were starting to crisp and would have become crunchy. I also learned that cinnamon/sugar mix is not a substitute for cinnamon. We ran out of cinnamon so I used what I could find--a container of cinnamon and sugar we'd previously mixed together. They were almost too sweet and the sugar didn't dissolve in the apples. Just cinnamon would be perfect, although they'd be fine with nothing on them.
These were delicious, and only lasted until the next day.
I usually just peel and dice the apples, sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on them, and bake them in a casserole dish until they are soft. Then I'll eat them as chunky applesauce. I had a different idea for these apples.
I found this recipe on Pinterest, linked to the blog of some crafty lady who wanted to do the hard work for me and and just tell me how to make the apples delicious.
This is her picture, because it is far better than mine. The recipe is simple.
What you will need:
- 2 apples
- Cinnamon
- Remove apple core.
- Thinly slice the entire apple.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place apple slices on it.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake at 275 degrees for two hours. At the end of hour one flip them over so they bake evenly.
I baked mine for an hour and a half total. This made them more like dried apples, not apple chips. But if I would have left them in longer, they were starting to crisp and would have become crunchy. I also learned that cinnamon/sugar mix is not a substitute for cinnamon. We ran out of cinnamon so I used what I could find--a container of cinnamon and sugar we'd previously mixed together. They were almost too sweet and the sugar didn't dissolve in the apples. Just cinnamon would be perfect, although they'd be fine with nothing on them.
These were delicious, and only lasted until the next day.
May 22, 2012
Communication
I love that Tessa is at the stage where she is becoming an effective communicator. She tells us when she's hungry, when she's thirsty, when she pooped, what she wants, and where everyone is or should be.
I hate that Tessa is at the stage where she is becoming an effective communicator. She tells us when she's hungry, when she's thirsty, when she pooped, what she wants, and where everyone is or should be.
Yep, that's right. It's the best and worst thing so far about her growing up. If she wants it, it must be RIGHT NAO. If she can't have it, it's a meltdown, of the epic variety. She gets a one track mind about what she wants, and it's not as easy to distract her so she forgets anymore.
If she's hungry and you tell her it's not quite time to eat, she will go to wherever you are and try to physically remove you from the couch, the bed, the tub, the toilet, etc. She will grab your arm, pinch you, whine & cry to get you to eat. If that doesn't work, she'll crawl on the kitchen table.
We also name everything we see at least 50 times a day. For example:
Lamp
Tessa: Lamp. Broke it. (One time she knocked over the floor lamp and I said she broke it, so now that is the official title of the lamp)
Me: Yep, that's the lamp. You broke it. But daddy fixed it, remember?
Tessa: Daddy fixed it.
At least every 10 minutes.
Ottoman
Tessa: Tessa color
Me: Yes, Tessa. You colored on the ottoman. That's a no-no.
Tessa: :::points to ottoman::: This color. No No.
Daddy
Tessa: Where's daddy go?
Me: Daddy's bye-bye. He's working.
Tessa: Dada Work. Bye Bye Daddy. ::runs to all the doors to verify he is in fact gone and waves:::
She's also incredibly particular. She knows yes and no so well, she loves telling us her opinion.
Me: Tessa, do you want supper?
Tessa: Supper!! :::runs to kitchen:: "Up please, supper, EAT!"
Me: Ok, I have to cook it.
Tessa: NO! EAT!
Me: Yes, we'll eat. After I cook it.
Tessa: ::meltdown:: EAT! NOW. Supper.
I forsee a long future full of "MOM YOU ARE THE MEANEST PERSON EVER HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!"
I hate that Tessa is at the stage where she is becoming an effective communicator. She tells us when she's hungry, when she's thirsty, when she pooped, what she wants, and where everyone is or should be.
Yep, that's right. It's the best and worst thing so far about her growing up. If she wants it, it must be RIGHT NAO. If she can't have it, it's a meltdown, of the epic variety. She gets a one track mind about what she wants, and it's not as easy to distract her so she forgets anymore.
If she's hungry and you tell her it's not quite time to eat, she will go to wherever you are and try to physically remove you from the couch, the bed, the tub, the toilet, etc. She will grab your arm, pinch you, whine & cry to get you to eat. If that doesn't work, she'll crawl on the kitchen table.
We also name everything we see at least 50 times a day. For example:
Lamp
Tessa: Lamp. Broke it. (One time she knocked over the floor lamp and I said she broke it, so now that is the official title of the lamp)
Me: Yep, that's the lamp. You broke it. But daddy fixed it, remember?
Tessa: Daddy fixed it.
At least every 10 minutes.
Ottoman
Tessa: Tessa color
Me: Yes, Tessa. You colored on the ottoman. That's a no-no.
Tessa: :::points to ottoman::: This color. No No.
Daddy
Tessa: Where's daddy go?
Me: Daddy's bye-bye. He's working.
Tessa: Dada Work. Bye Bye Daddy. ::runs to all the doors to verify he is in fact gone and waves:::
She's also incredibly particular. She knows yes and no so well, she loves telling us her opinion.
Me: Tessa, do you want supper?
Tessa: Supper!! :::runs to kitchen:: "Up please, supper, EAT!"
Me: Ok, I have to cook it.
Tessa: NO! EAT!
Me: Yes, we'll eat. After I cook it.
Tessa: ::meltdown:: EAT! NOW. Supper.
I forsee a long future full of "MOM YOU ARE THE MEANEST PERSON EVER HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!?!"
May 15, 2012
Week 24
I've made it to week 24. Only 15 to go. Technically, this baby is now viable, meaning that it could live outside the womb. However, I'm going to keep baking this baby so it'll come out a little chunkier.
My OB said I was a dream patient and he wished they were all that easy. Pshhh. It's pretty easy to show up at the appointments. I did find out that my OB's nurse is leaving and I'm so sad about that. She is so wonderful and welcoming in the office, and I'll miss her. Luckily she's still going to be employed by the hospital so I'll still see her, just not in that capacity.
I'm up a whopping 2 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I guess when you start by losing 9, there's some catch up to do. I'm feeling better most days, but some days the nausea still hits me and I just don't feel like eating much.
Baby Murph is pretty active most of the time. It's not uncomfortable yet but sometimes when I forget I'm pregnant, I get reminded with a swift jab.
Tessa is still loving this baby, even though she thinks the baby is my belly button. It's pretty cute though.
My OB said I was a dream patient and he wished they were all that easy. Pshhh. It's pretty easy to show up at the appointments. I did find out that my OB's nurse is leaving and I'm so sad about that. She is so wonderful and welcoming in the office, and I'll miss her. Luckily she's still going to be employed by the hospital so I'll still see her, just not in that capacity.
I'm up a whopping 2 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. I guess when you start by losing 9, there's some catch up to do. I'm feeling better most days, but some days the nausea still hits me and I just don't feel like eating much.
Baby Murph is pretty active most of the time. It's not uncomfortable yet but sometimes when I forget I'm pregnant, I get reminded with a swift jab.
Tessa is still loving this baby, even though she thinks the baby is my belly button. It's pretty cute though.
May 8, 2012
18 months
We had Tessa's 18 month appointment last week. She is still a runt, at 23 pounds and 30.5 inches tall. But, she's a very healthy and active gal! While speaking to the doctor, she decided to open the door and explore the office. Since we're familiar with the office and know everyone, we weren't worried. Until she didn't come back for 10 minutes. I went to find her, and the front office girls had put her to work. She was sitting in the desk chair, wearing only her diaper, typing a document in Microsoft Word and eating animal crackers. What a silly girl!
She is such a ham these days and is quite a social little girl. It's fun to watch her string together words to make phrases and sentences, and everyday she seems to pick up something new.
She loves to pick up my purse, fling it over her shoulder and try to walk out the door, all the while hollering, "Tessa bye-bye. Love you." Well, ok then dear.
Bath time is still her favorite part of the day, and all of a sudden, she's become very clingy with her blankey. It doesn't matter which one she has, but when she starts to get mad, she needs a blanket. Oh well. It's a small request.
She is such a ham these days and is quite a social little girl. It's fun to watch her string together words to make phrases and sentences, and everyday she seems to pick up something new.
She loves to pick up my purse, fling it over her shoulder and try to walk out the door, all the while hollering, "Tessa bye-bye. Love you." Well, ok then dear.
Bath time is still her favorite part of the day, and all of a sudden, she's become very clingy with her blankey. It doesn't matter which one she has, but when she starts to get mad, she needs a blanket. Oh well. It's a small request.
April 29, 2012
Our new niece!
As of early Friday morning, we have a new niece! Joel's brother Brett and his wife, Ashley, had their 2nd girl! Brynn is Tessa's buddy and they are 6 weeks apart, so I was curious to see how Tessa and Brynn would interact with the new baby.
Kiernan Reagan was born early in the morning on Friday. We made a trip down to Des Moines Friday after work to see them and boy, she's cute! Ashley and I went through our first pregnancies together and also, this one, so it's fun to see what my life will be like in a few months.
Tessa was instantly smitten. She just wanted to hug and kiss the baby the whole time. We let her rocky-bye (rock in the rocking chair) and then we let her hold her. I was very unsure about this, since I had no idea how'd she would treat a newborn. She has a couple babies at home, but they sometimes get drug around by the hair and usually end up being put "nigh-night" in the couch, face down, covered in a blanket.
She was listening very carefully to Uncle Brett's instructions. She takes her cousin role very seriously sometimes. She just wanted to give hugs and kisses the whole time and was very gentle with little Kiernan. I was very grateful for that.
After a few minutes, she decided that this was pretty cool! Granted, Kiernan didn't come home with us. I can only hope she reacts this well when Baby Delaney comes home! August 30th, we'll know!
In other news, we've decided on names. We opted not to find out the sex this time, since I've got a c-section scheduled for August 30. But, we've chosen names. If it's a boy: Colton James. If it's a girl: Norah Ann.
Kiernan Reagan was born early in the morning on Friday. We made a trip down to Des Moines Friday after work to see them and boy, she's cute! Ashley and I went through our first pregnancies together and also, this one, so it's fun to see what my life will be like in a few months.
Tessa was instantly smitten. She just wanted to hug and kiss the baby the whole time. We let her rocky-bye (rock in the rocking chair) and then we let her hold her. I was very unsure about this, since I had no idea how'd she would treat a newborn. She has a couple babies at home, but they sometimes get drug around by the hair and usually end up being put "nigh-night" in the couch, face down, covered in a blanket.
In other news, we've decided on names. We opted not to find out the sex this time, since I've got a c-section scheduled for August 30. But, we've chosen names. If it's a boy: Colton James. If it's a girl: Norah Ann.
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