Wednesday, May 29, 2013

31 Weeks- 9 Weeks left to go

      9 weeks until our guess date...nine, as in single digit amount of weeks remaining. I'm pretty darn excited. I can't wait to have our little princess out here. I've got my fingers crossed she will be a little early but I'm trying really hard not to get my hopes up.

     We had a doctor's appointment last Friday and honestly the doctor might as well just poke her head into the waiting room and ask "Still uncomfortably pregnant? Yes? Ok, see you next appointment." Lucy's heartbeat is nice and strong, mommy's blood pressure is nice and low, weight gain is going well (looks like I'm on par to gain about the same I did with Roxas), and my tummy is measuring where it should. Our appointments have finally crossed that threshold of once a month to every other week. Once we hit July the really fun appointments start every week, the kind where you walk in and are asked to immediately take off your pants. Fun times.

     We also had our nice little babymoon this past weekend. I LOVED it. Kenny had Monday off for the holiday so we got three whole days together. Saturday we dropped off kiddo with my mom and headed to Vegas. Driving on our own with no baby in the backseat was weird. I kept catching my mind wondering why Roxas was being so quiet. Then I'd realize...oh yeah...he's not with us! We got to just do what we wanted without having to worry about working around nap times, snack times, and food times...for the whole day. I was giddy with freedom. Not that we didn't miss our little monster (and I say that with love). We went to the mall and just wandered. Wandered around with no destination in mind. To those who don't have children this seems pretty normal and not exactly something to get overexcited about. With Roxas we do not wander, going to a store is like a military exercise. Get there, get your stuff, and get out before the meltdown. There is no aimlessly wandering, there is no "hey that looks like a neat store". No, not if you value your sanity anyways. Oh and forget about the breakable stuff stores, Roxas isn't allowed in there until he's 15 and considering he does have half of my genetic klutz code, maybe never.

     Anyways, after shopping we met up with our friend Brad for lunch at this really neat little gastro pub. I wish both our friends Brad and Jenna could have come, but alas...Jenna had to go home with their own little one who was not in the mood for going out. Something I've had to do many times myself, sometimes being the mom kind of sucks. If you are a beer snob, and happen to be in Las Vegas I very highly recommend checking this place out. It's called Aces & Ales, and we never would have stopped there on our own- it's just a little hole in the wall kind of place but it's an amazing little gem. They have such a wide selection of delicious beers on tap/in bottles it will make your head spin. Of course I got my obligatory tiny taste, and then just stared with jealousy as I sipped my water. They also have really great food too, which made it a little less sad for me. With lunch over our scan was the next thing on our agenda!

     Since my husband is the best, most wonderful man on the planet and loves me so, so much he agreed to let me splurge on the full HD package. Normally we only did the 3D (those orangy yellow pictures) but for some extra money we could do the HD which I like the looks of so much better. Lucy was a great little subject, just laying perfectly so we got a lot of great shots of her face. We saw her yawning and swallowing the amniotic fluid. The tech also confirmed in glorious HD...she is absolutely, 100%, seriously there is no doubt in my mind, still a girl. I'm not going to post that particular picture though, just take my word for it. We saw her all bunched up in there, with her elbows touching her knees. It's getting obvious she is running out of room. Towards the end she was pretty over the whole thing and decided to try and get away from us by rolling over. Here is a little slideshow of all the pictures, there are quite a few.

cwgirlup's Lucy-30wks album on Photobucket

     These last weeks are all about growth, and my belly reflects that pretty accurately. I swear I go to bed and wake up bigger. She now weighs over three pounds and is about 18in long. Her brain is making new neurons with lightning speed. All five of her senses are now fully intact and ready to go. She's pretty busy getting ready to meet us out here.
     As for me, just the usual complaints. I can't breathe worth a darn, my joints are protesting under the added weight and today I noticed two new pretty purple stretchmarks on my side. Lovely. I have really conflicted feelings now. Part of me just wants her out here, and I kind of want my abdominal cavity space back. Then again...I know labor is a necessary side effect to make that happen and I'm not exactly jumping for joy at being in mind numbing pain for an entire day. Sure they say second labors are faster and easier but I like to prepare for the worst. I'm expecting the same as last time and if it's better well then, I won't exactly be complaining.

      I have been kept pretty busy with little munchkin running around here. He comes up with something new on a daily basis and I love being surprised at the new things he learns. It's a little scary how he mimics us though. I tried my hand at cutting his hair, and let's just say that didn't go well. In my defense it was like trying to give Animal of the Muppets a haircut. Try getting straight cuts when your target keeps moving. It's really not the worst cut in the world but it's just bad enough for me to retire my scissors and never try that ever again. He's also not allowed in any pictures until it grows back. With Roxas keeping me on my toes this time has just flown by and I know we will be full term in what seems like no time at all.

Until next time...

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

30 Weeks- 3/4 of the way done!

       30 weeks have come and gone. We are now in the last quarter of pregnancy! There are only 7 weeks left until Lucy is considered full term and could technically come any time. Even though I'm 98% sure she will come after her due date, since second babies do tend to arrive later rather than earlier, I'm still sticking with my plan to be ready at a moments notice once we pass that 37 week mark. Better to be prepared than not in my opinion.

     This week the key word seems to be brains! Up until now the brain has been pretty much smooth but now it is beginning to wrinkle up to accommodate the ever increasing number of brain cells being made. Her bone marrow has now officially taken over for the spleen in the red blood cell department, which is a pretty important job to take on. The thin hair that covers all baby's in utero, lanugo, is beginning to shed, and the hair on her head (if she has any) is starting to thicken. Her growth hasn't changed a whole lot, she is still about 17in long but has put on a little more weight at about 3lbs now. She should put on about half a pound a week from now until birth.

     I'm getting very excited for our scan on Saturday. I can't wait to see what she looks like now with more baby fat. I'm hoping the ultrasound tech will be nice enough to let us have another quick look in HD! I still can't believe we are going to have another baby, a feeling that probably won't go away until she is here. There is so much I'm looking forward to with having another little one, a few things to dread too, but a lot to look forward to. I would like to think I won't be quite as anxious for her to do hit all the milestones but I know I will be. Then when I blink and I'm suddenly chasing down a toddler I will long for the baby days again.

     Anyways that's pretty much all the news for now!



    

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

It's a Mommy Life

The day begins as I hear the call of our son
I roll groggily out of bed, wishing the aches and pains hadn't kept me up

I think about what I'll feed him for breakfast, ignoring my own growling tummy
I try to make sure he gets all his nutrition
Grains, fruits, vegetables...all balanced out in my head

I clean up the oatmeal off the floor
Wipe a dirty face

There is laundry piled up, dog hair on the carpet
Dishes overflow the sink and my hair is still unbrushed

We play with one thing after the next
Stacking blocks, pushing cars, rolling balls

A temper tantrum over something trivial
Maybe a forbidden object,
or perhaps a request to play with the phone was denied

I glance at the clock
It's always too slow or too fast

Change a diaper, clean up the spilled milk
Ask "where's your nose" for the hundredth time
Act as a jungle gym, make animals sounds

I venture back to the kitchen and plan lunch
A sandwich maybe, or pasta perhaps
I wonder, did I eat breakfast?

Clean the floor again, wipe a dirty face
Snag an uneaten chicken finger, lunch

An eye rub, a big yawn
I thank the Lord, kiss my boy
And lay him down to nap

Like lightning the laundry is in the washer
Dishes are getting scrubbed

I finally sit and rest
I glance at my phone
Check facebook, twitter and the like
Maybe respond to a few emails if I have the time

I look at the clock
It's always too fast or too slow

All too soon I hear my name
Mamma, Maaaaaaamaaaaaaa

Change a diaper and back to play
I try to teach my small pupil
Body parts, animals, and shapes

I wonder if he is learning enough
I wonder if he is on track
I wonder what I'm doing wrong

Stacking blocks, pushing cars
Temper tantrums thrown
Change a diaper, clean up a mess

Forget about the wet laundry
Sigh at the dust
Wonder where all those dishes came from

Look at the clock
Start thinking about dinner
What can I make with this stuff?

Plead and beg, just one bite
It's all I ask
 Clean up the floor, wipe a dirty face

Daddy comes home
The highlight of our day
Daddies are the best

We play for a short while
Then it's into PJs and off to bed
Kisses goodnight, turn on the lullaby

Gently close the door and breathe
Return to the kitchen and contemplate
What can I make for us to eat?

Finally, a meal just for me
No leftover chicken fingers
No pilfered Cheerios

Dinner is done
Dishes pile in the sink
The laundry begins to mildew

Now it's my favorite part
Spend some time with Daddy
Adult conversation, what a novelty

I look at the clock
It's always too fast or too slow

Time for bed all too soon
No need to set an alarm
Just turn on the baby monitor

Crawl into bed
Thinking about bills to be paid
Laundry, dishes, and dust
Thinking about a grocery list
Clutter to be tamed, and crafts to be done

Drift off to sleep as thoughts come and go
Wake up the next day to do it all again




Thursday, May 16, 2013

5 Things to Love About Pregnancy & 5 Things to Hate

   
     There are good things and bad that all come with pregnancy. How much of each you get just depends on your genetics and whether Saturn was aligned with the third moon of Jupiter when you conceived. I might be a tad bit grumpy at the moment because I have officially reached my "that's it, lets just get this thing to 40 weeks and pass me the bag of pitocin" point. I have this weird inner monologue that likes to think in blog posts (weird I know) and my weird little inner voice is currently making a list of all the reasons why pregnancy sucks. I know, I know, I know...I'm half of the reason I'm in this predicament in the first place. Didn't I know what I was signing up for? Didn't I know the risks? Of course I did. Of course I would put myself through much worse Hell on Earth to bring our children into the world. That doesn't mean this stuff sucks any less just because it could be worse or because I voluntarily did it and yes I will still complain. Now I realize I'm being all negative nancy over here so to balance things out I came up with 5 things that are actually awesome about pregnancy so there. I'm not all doom and gloom...only half. I'm leaving out all the obvious ones too, yes I know having the miracle of life inside you is amazing and all, but lets get a little more superficial and shallow for a moment.

5 Things to Love About Pregnancy

1. Best excuse to get out of social engagements
          Now, now, I know it's wrong to lie but come on...you know you've been invited to that one thing you really don't want to go and they probably aren't going to buy that your great-great uncle Thadius passed away and you just HAVE to go to the funeral on that day. When you're pregnant you have an instant excuse that nobody can argue with! Don't want to go to that boring lecture on lined paper? Sorry boss, I have really bad morning sickness and have to carry around a trash can with me. Heck, you don't even need a solid reason. Just saying "I don't feel good" is reason enough to get out of just about anything.

2. The food
        Once you get passed the morning sickness in first trimester food becomes pretty darn awesome and the best thing is you now have license to add a few more calories to your diet. Sure, you can say they are going to be healthy choices but really? I will eat my 1,420 calories worth of chocolate extreme blizzard with glee as I proclaim "but it's what the baby wants". The other weird thing is your sense of taste and smell becomes heightened in pregnancy so things just taste SO much better. As long as you keep yourself under control, pregnancy can give you the best way to enjoy a little junk food without the whole "thunder thighs" problem. Mmmmmm.....fooooooood.

3. The free pass to be an idiot
        I have a theory: the brain partially shuts down during pregnancy. There is absolutely such a thing as "pregnancy brain" and also "pregnancy klutz syndrome". There are actually legitimate scientific reasons as to why these things happen but why involve science in this? I'm a bit spacey to begin with but when I'm pregnant I become downright absentminded and the best thing is people totally understand. You see a regular lady walking around the grocery store in fuzzy socks and you might think she's a little off, but if you see the same thing with a pregnant lady you will automatically give her the benefit of the doubt and brush it off as "oh she's pregnant".

4.  The clothes
       I am ordinarily not a "clothes" girl. T-shirts and jeans are my go to look 97% of the time, although I do enjoy a nice dress. I become a total clothes-aholic when pregnant. I absolutely LOVE shopping for maternity clothes. Granted I can't afford even a third of what I wish I could buy but the fantasy is nice. There are some amazingly cute things out there for preggy gals now. Gone are the days of giant tents you could host a wedding reception under.

5. The beauty
          Now, this is a total luck of the DNA draw here. I got half good and half bad when it comes to beauty and pregnancy. My face clears up beautifully...but all my acne relocates to my back. Eh, at least I don't have to look at it. Some of the perks that can happen include; lusciously thick hair, nails that are stronger and grow fast, soft skin, and a sweet little natural blush. If you are lucky enough to get any of these positives enjoy it!


5 Things to HATE about Pregnancy

1. Control. What's That again?
      Pregnancy = 0 control over most things. Sure you might *think* you can control certain things but the reality is you don't. Your emotions are no longer under any form of voluntary control, your body morphs into something you have never seen before, you have absolutely no control over when labor starts and your cute little birth plan all typed out will most likely go right out the window. Oh and my personal favorite, you lose partial control over once voluntary things such as your bladder muscles and bless you if you think you can exert control over the excess gas floating around your bowels. Sorry, too much info there?

2. Other people
        Much like the free pass on being an idiot, being pregnant seems to somehow knock down any wall of personal space/politeness. For some strange reason people will ask the most odd and probing questions when you're pregnant. The one that always gets me is "Was it planned?" Why on Earth do you care?! Then you have those who feel the need to voice their opinion on EVERY-THING. I had a lady at the grocery store say I "ruined it" by finding out the gender. You know what lady? I wanted to know so I found out and so help me if you say one more time how it "completely ruins the surprise" I'm going to hit you with this sack of bananas. From advice (you should really do ____ and _____) to old wives-tales (Oh, you are carrying so low! You must be having a boy, I bet that scan was wrong) people lose their filter when they are around pregnant ladies. Don't even get me started on those who touch without asking either. *shudder*

3. Discomfort
        Ever had an itch you just can't scratch? That's how pregnancy is sometimes. Your back will be aching in agony and there is no position you can find, no matter how many pillows you prop under you, that will relieve that discomfort. You'll get winded like a 95 year old 2 pack a day smoker just from taking a shower. Or there is always the lovely heartburn, intestinal distress, insomnia and sciatica too. The only remedy to these problems? Labor. and if you refer back to item number one...you have no control over that.

4. Your Body
       The weird stuff your body does kind of creeps into all of the things that make pregnancy terrible but there are some specifics that are the worst. I'll say this as tastefully as I can but pregnancy tends to make a woman slightly "top-heavy" if you get my drift. This is annoying to those of us already blessed in that area because now we have to go find specialty bras in letter sizes we've never even heard of, oh and of course with each letter size you add about $20. Then trying to wear a nice summer top without looking like a weird street walker is pretty much impossible. Then the best part is, just when you spend a good chunk of change on some new lingerie your entire body changes again. More changes come when the belly starts poppin and the skin starts stretching. I didn't get stretchmarks until at least 30 something weeks with Roxas, and so far I have only noticed a few new ones pop up recently. I am lucky. Thank you good genetics. Some women end up with tiger stripes all over their abdomen and lower body. You can call them "mommy tattoos" and "tiger stripes" all you want but they do tend to ding the self-esteem a bit.

5. The painful baby movements
       Yes, feeling the baby move is incredible and all that lovely ooey-gooey stuff. It starts off innocently enough. Just little jabs here and there, little rolls. Those are nice. Those are fun. Then you get to the point where they run out of room. Now you're getting serious punches to the ribs, bladder and other places that will stop you dead in your tracks. I actually let out an involuntary yelp once when I got a nice roundhouse to the lower ribs. I LOVE feeling her move, believe me I do but sometimes you just want to tell them to knock it off and please watch the elbows. There is a 4in x 4in spot on my upper right side that I am convinced is completely black and blue inside. When she runs her little feet across this spot I about hit the roof. I have a lot of sympathy for Bella in Twilight: Breaking Dawn.


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

29 Weeks




29 Weeks

        Only 8 more weeks until the next big milestone: Full Term! The idea that we will have a newborn baby in the house again still seems like some foggy, far off idea. I just can't reconcile the little alien bouncing around in my belly with the visions of a newborn little girl in my arms. I'm so excited for next weekend when we get to see her on the ultrasound again. Getting to see her looking more like a miniature newborn instead of an alien or blobby shadow makes it seem so much more real. We are taking the whole day as our little "babymoon" too which is exciting. Roxas is going to stay with Grandma and Grandpa while Kenny and I enjoy a day of just us gallivanting around Vegas. That's something that hasn't happened for...gosh...more than a year. Yup, now that I think about it we haven't had a whole day of just us together since Roxas was born.

       It's funny, much of the things I've read about second pregnancies say that you tend to be more relaxed than with your first. For me, it's been the complete opposite. With Roxas I was cool as a cucumber, but then again I had an almost perfect pregnancy. This time I've become what I never wanted to be: the worry wart patient. This pregnancy has been so completely different for me and anything different makes me wonder if that's supposed to happen. Now, I like to think I'm pretty well read when it comes to pregnancy. I swear I could probably teach a course on it at this point. I have endlessly researched what is normal, and what isn't but that doesn't stop me from worrying. I'm starting to think the Dr. might have put a big "crazy preggy lady" sticker on my chart, the caller ID at the office probably reads "That patient".

       Thanks to my worrying we ended up having a little monitoring done Monday evening to check things were alright. They were, of course. Sunday afternoon brought with it some regular braxton hicks that were bothersome but nothing terrible. That evening they got worse, and I started having severe back pain and some cramping in between the braxton hicks among other things that you probably don't want to know about. I chalked it up to the stress of the holiday weekend and decided that if things didn't resolve by tomorrow afternoon I would call the nurse and get her opinion. Throughout the day on Monday I still had cramping and despite increasing my fluids and rest they didn't seem to want to go away completely. Once I talked to the nurse she really wanted me to go over to labor and delivery to get checked out. Everything checked out great, and I felt like a total nimrod for wasting everybody's time.

        Anyways, Lucy is pretty much finished with her major development so the next task on the list is weight gain. The last 2.5 months is when one half of the baby's weight  is gained! This means she needs all the nutrients she can get which is why my appetite seems to have shifted to high gear. If I'm not eating, I'm looking for food. So far my weight gain has been pretty minimal, a nice even 10lbs, but that's all about to change over the next three months. She is busily laying down layer upon layer of white "energy" fat now. Lucy weighs about 3lbs now and is around 17in tall. She's almost at her full birth height! Her head has begun to grow a little more as it accommodates her ever growing brain. Fingers crossed that her head is a little smaller than her brothers. That brain has now gained the ability to control her body temperature although she will still need a little help once born. Space in her fluid home is starting to get a little cramped so she can't do quite as many amazing somersaults but not to worry, she can still ram elbows and knees into me. She also recently tried out what it was like to hang out lower in my pelvis, but thankfully decided it wasn't as comfortable. It is really common for second babies to engage and then float back up multiple times. When they do this though it tends to make mom really uncomfortable...well more uncomfortable than they were.

       I can't wait to meet her, and I'm anxious as can be to just have her here. The last few months truly are the hardest part of pregnancy. Three months seems like an eternity when you're waiting to meet your baby. Although some of those nasty contractions bring back memories of labor and I'm not all that excited to go back to that place in just three months.

Until next time...

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

28 Weeks: It's a Special Day



     28 weeks today, and it also happens to be our "dating anniversary". It might seem silly to some to celebrate a dating anniversary still but it's where our entire lives together began and I think it deserves some celebrating.

     Nine years ago we sat in my bedroom watching the Lord of the Rings. Now that I think about it I think the choice in movie was kind of appropriate- little did I know I would one day be placing a ring on his finger and proudly displaying one on my own. You've heard the story before so I won't go into it again. I just can't believe it has been nine years, we're approaching a decade of being together! If that date nine years ago never happened who knows what would have become of our lives. Maybe we would have met different people and things would be completely different. Maybe we would have gone out another day and still end up together in the end. I don't know, but I do know I'm incredibly happy that day did happen. We were young and I really do get the skepticism of "young love" (I'm guilty of scoffing at it all the time- hey I'm human) but I think after nine years we might have proved people wrong. I love him more and more each day. I'm surprised my heart still fits in my chest since it swells with love and pride every time I see him play with our son, or the way he smiles as our daughter kicks at his hands. His love has made me a better wife, a better mother and a better person and I am blessed to have him.

     Moving on to our little Lucy: she is a whole 28 weeks old today! She is about 2 1/2lbs and 16in tall (head to toe). Her brain has now developed enough to allow her to dream, about what I have no idea though. Her lungs are now in full surfactant production mode, which will allow her to open those lungs and cry on delivery day. She has all kinds of neat reflexes now: coughing, blinking, and stronger sucking. Her bone marrow has kicked into production and is now starting to produce blood cells, her adrenal glands are also starting up and making androgen and estrogen. Maybe all that extra estrogen is why I'm so unreasonably emotional lately? Eh, probably.

    She is getting bigger and bigger, and so am I. I think I finally did find a little bit of a honeymoon in here somewhere. I really love this point because she is big enough for me to "play with" by prodding at her feet or elbows (I'm not really sure which is which). I have these brief moments of clarity when it really hits me that we will have a little girl AND a little boy. A perfect little family of four. I also have brief moments of clarity when it hits me that there are only 9 weeks left until we are officially "Full Term". Now I learned my lesson about putting a lot of emphasis on dates last time but this one is still a biggie for me. More likely that not we will go all the way to the due date, and probably over, but I would still rather be prepared just in case. Over planning is just in my nature.
     I've been getting a lot of nice little practice contractions in the past week or so. They are the kind that make me stop what I'm doing, but nothing to worry about. I'm hoping maybe this time my body is going to be able to cooperate and we can avoid that nasty Pitocin business again. I'd like to forgo the drugs this time, but we will see.

     Roxas is still pretty clueless that his world is three months away from being turned upside down. Although today I asked him where sister was and he poked my belly. I was actually pretty surprised he did that. He really doesn't grasp the concept yet, he's only 14 months old after all, so I'm hoping Lucy's arrival goes over well. I'm thinking of getting him his own little kids tablet for a "big brother" present since Lucy will be getting all the presents and most of the attention for a little while, plus it might keep him entertained for five extra minutes so I will be able to eat, or shower. Showers are good. I've had so much helpful advice from moms who have been there and done that so I'm sure we will be fine but there is always that feeling of unease when you venture into the unknown.

     We've got a very busy month with birthdays, Mother's Day and our scan (just a few more weeks!!!!!) so there will be a lot to share this month.

Until next time...


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

27 Weeks! Let the Last Trimester Begin!

      Woo-Hoo! 27 weeks and it's officially the third and final trimester. Seems like time really has flown by and there aren't all that many months left to go. I have my final for nursing class today in a few hours too, and then I will officially be off for the summer. I'm starting to get that lovely nesting instinct and have found my obsessive side again. I'm hoping to keep myself busy this summer with Roxas but there isn't a whole lot to do besides swim when it's a hundred and stupid outside. We have something special planned each month so at least I have little things to look forward to. On the 25th of this month we get to see Lucy on the big screen, and in 4D again :-D it's my Mother's Day present to myself. Then in June not only is my best friend having her baby shower, I am too. I don't get to see very many people anymore so I'm excited to have time to visit and catch up with all our friends. Finally in July there will be a "Stutler-Palooza" where all of the Stutler family is coming for a little reunion. Then we wait...and wait...and wait for little Lucy to come into the outside world. I'm hoping the months don't drag on too much.

     Our princess is about 15 inches from head to toe, and weighs just over 2lbs! Her taste buds are more developed now than they ever will be, and she asserts her taste preferences quite frequently. Hiccups are more common to feel now and I've noticed she has had several bouts of them recently. They are hilariously adorable, for a little while. Plus those little lungs that are hiccuping are also now capable of moving air, and performing the vital task of gas exchange needed to breathe. Not that I would like to test that fact. Her muscles continue to become more coordinated and even more cute baby chub is being laid down.

    I've gotten to the point where my Dr. wants daily kick counts and she has been more than cooperative with this plan. She can be very violent, but it's ok...spleens aren't really all that necessary right? I have been feeling a little bit like I'm falling apart as of late. Everything is swollen, aches, and I get winded just taking a shower. I also had another run of really nasty contractions the other night and most of the following day. Seems like the best cure for all of my issues is to rest, easier said than done most of the time.

    My mom is throwing me a baby shower at the end of June (the 30th to be exact) and I've had conflicting feelings on a second shower. If you Google "second baby shower etiquette"  you will be flooded with hits that either say you're a horrible, greedy person or that it's fine and every opinion in between. I really shouldn't listen to Google, it's like researching that weird rash on WebMD (it's cancer...it's always cancer). Alas, despite what many internet mom and etiquette gurus have to say on the subject my mom is throwing me a shower and apparently there isn't much I can do about it but enjoy it. I've made a registry so if you would like to buy a gift (totally optional by the way), you can find the link in the upper right sidebar.

     It's been fun so far and for every complaint I have there is usually something good to balance it out. I'm already anxious to just see our little girl and have a tiny newborn again. Every day it gets closer, and I can't wait.

Until next time...