Oh, the Nausea

I was not ever sick at all in the beginning with either Noah or with this pregnancy. But, starting last night, I have been sick as a dog with what I assume feels like first trimester nausea yet I am now 37 weeks pregnant.

My friend next door just had her third via c-section last week and she said she had it and it is your body's way of "cleaning itself out." But this stinks! I slept maybe 2 hours total last night from discomfort and sickness and I have been weak with nausea all day.

Any of you other mom friends out there ever have this? If so, how long does it last and why is it happening? What'd you do for it?

36 Weeks Appointment

Today I had my weekly appointment. And despite the major contractions I have had the past few days - regular, at that - Ellyotte is still happy and content to remain where she is! There is no sign at all that she's making her descent any time soon (don't want to get graphic, but my doctor is doing the "check" to see where we stand).

My friend, Amy Hall, said today "Are you really ready for her to be here?" And I responded that yes, I am definitely ready but I don't really desire for her to be here any earlier than 21 July. I just WISH it were the 21st already!

I love the planning one can do around a c-section. We have my mom, dad and sister coming out for her arrival (Mom and Dad will come a few days early to be with Noah and give me and Dan some time together) and then Kelly comes the day after her arrival so she can be here at our home with Noah until we come home from the hospital a couple of days post surgery.

Then my mother in law, Carol, will come out the first of August once my mom leaves and hopefully we will have a few more of my girlfriends and maybe even my sister-in-law, Annie, come out in August at some point. So, all that to say, I am happy to be able to have her arrival and our visitors planned out; something you obviously cannot do when you are waiting to go into labor!

And to be honest, I don't mind having these next few weeks to spend exclusively with "my boys." Noah's world is about to be rocked and I am enjoying snuggling and playing with my little man as much as possible. And hopefully Dan's schedule will continue to ease up so we can have some down time together as well. We have a lifetime ahead with Ellyotte so I want to be able to enjoy the two men in my life and not rush this precious time.

We have another appointment next Tuesday so I will provide another "Ellyotte update" then!

Final Product!

I added a few more touches to Ellyotte's room and wanted to share pictures of the final product." We - well, me mostly - are extremely proud of this room and are ready to put our baby girl into it!

Her closet is the most beautiful of all - I just love standing in front of it and gazing at all of her gorgeous smockings! And she's already got quite a collection of hair bows.

We set up the bassinet (where she will sleep for the first month or two) the other day in our room and have moved the dog and her nasty bed out it. The animals have been banished to the living room and I feel not one iota of guilt (despite Piper's pathetic eyes each night at bedtime!)! We want Ellyotte to be "fur free" while she is sleeping at the foot of our bed.

On a pregnancy note, I am having MAJOR contractions already. At first, they were just annoying. But they are starting to hurt and to locate themselves in the small of my back. I don't know what a normal labor feels like but this has to be a sign of something soon to come. Probably not, but that's my update nonetheless!

If she comes early, we will let you know! But... I am not holding my breath. If she's anything like her brother, she will be as late as possible - meaning that the scheduled c-section on 21 July will go as planned! I have an appointment tomorrow so it will be interesting to see what progress she and I have made in the last week.

"

Venting

I do apologize for the massive amount of blogging I have done lately. I go through phases when I am really verbal and then others when I am sort of a recluse with my communication. It annoys even me.

There are horrible, horrible things going on in the world - even in our own back yards. In fact, a girl I went to high school with (a football coach's daughter) was far along in her pregnancy and the victim of a shooting. She was sitting in the safety of someone's home when a stray bullet came through the window and killed her unborn baby. I heard she passed away yesterday from her wounds but haven't been able to confirm that yet.

And along the coasts of Louisiana, there are thousands suffering because they have lost their jobs due to the oil situation and our federal government is doing NOTHING despite our wonderful Governor Jindal's hourly pleas for help.

Despite what's going on in the world, I can't help but still get bogged down by the "hardships" I find myself facing lately. I won't go into all of the little details but things continue to be a struggle for me emotionally and now - obviously - physically. It is when the "chips are down" that you need your friends and it has been pretty barren around here lately.

One lesson I am trying to remember constantly is that you need to be willing to repay kindness when you've been shown kindness. I do my best to be sensitive to others and make phone calls or provide encouragement when needed. So, why do I feel that it isn't always repaid? I am not talking about anyone specifically or any certain situation, but lately my feelings have been wounded because I feel like I have given and given emotionally to others yet now I need encouragement and uplifting and it isn't available.

Again, this is just a venue for me to vent. Heck, I have to vent somewhere! So thank you for letting this be it. Please pray for me/us. Specifically that these next few weeks get a bit easier for me. I want to enjoy this pregnancy and it has been next to IMPOSSIBLE to do that in the past month or two. With Dan gone and Noah doing absolutely everything possible to challenge me, my body and spirit have been exhausted.

Just today, one of my close girlfriends and I took our kids to see "Toy Story 3" and after the movie, Noah ran into oncoming traffic despite my screaming for him to stop. A car was within 10 feet of hitting him.

I obviously had to chase after him (the temp was 102, by the way) and when I caught him, I had to spank him. But instead of crying over the spanking or how upset he made me, he cried for his friend Addison. I literally thought my water would break - it took a good 30-45 minutes for the contractions to subside after that. The rest of the day was shot... I had such a meltdown due to Noah's continued defiance that I even called Dan to beg him to come home just to help me get Noah to bed. He said 'No.' He couldn't. Man, did I feel alone at that point. I just wept and that caused Noah to cry and tell me he was "scary" (that means he was scared due to my crying). I felt so helpless and that is the last thing a parent wants to feel.

So please pray that I receive supernatural strength and patience in these next weeks ahead of us. We have a new human that is about to enter our lives and I am so far from ready emotionally for her that it frightens me. I want to focus on HER and all I can do is focus on Noah and his defiance.

Prayers are greatly needed - and encouragement.

My Strong Willed Child

Look at this redhead... Can you tell he's Irish?!

Before I had Noah, I think I lived under a cloud of naivete because I always looked at moms with toddlers misbehaving and thought "no way! Not gonna happen to me..." Ha. Was I wrong. I thought that parenting had to be easy; how could you not make your child do what you want him or her to do or what you tell him or her to do?

When I was pregnant with #1, we received many books on Christian parenting. We got lots of Dobson from both the Bealls and the Hawkins but the one book my mom gave me that I chaffed at was "Screamfree Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool" by Hal E. Runkel. Here we are, 2 years and 4 months post Noah's birth and I have only just started to read it. I should've begun it "years" ago.

So many times lately - maybe due to my 9 month pregnant hormones, or Dan NEVER, EVER being home to co-parent lately, or because of Noah just doing everything he can to test me - I have caught myself screaming at him in frustration. That is not good. My mom says she was guilty of screaming at me and Kelly (I remember a few times when we were screamed at) and she says she still regrets it. And I know that as soon as I have calmed down, I regret it right away.

Noah's so precious but so difficult. He is beyond Dobson's so called "strong willed child." I haven't ever seen a will as strong as his. He will look me dead in the eye while I tell him 'no,' and do exactly the opposite of what I say to do. It is maddening. Yet, he's got the sweetest spirit - I cannot get enough of that baby but I also cannot get away from him fast enough when he's in a defiant mood.

The child does not really respond to spankings - unless they are on a bare bottom and I hate having to do that unless absolutely necessary. What we have had to really buckle down on - because he responds to this - is the classic time out. We have bought a little mat that is his "time out mat" and it is small enough that I can take it wherever we go. We have just really started implementing this form of discipline so I will let you know how it goes.

I am so ready for "normal" again... Normal means that I have my husband back home and Noah has a daddy to help co-parent him and play with him; it means that I have Baby Ellyotte soon and I get to feeling "normal" again. I am a basket case of hormonal emotions lately due to stress and terrible lack of sleep. I swear I slept better in Noah's first weeks of life (because I craved sleep so desperately!) than I have in the past month. This is miserable!

Come on, baby girl! I am ready... Lots of contractions today but that means nothing to me. And even if I do go into labor, ceserean section is still inevitable (Praise the Lord! I am so thankful that will be our method of birth again).

36 Weeks

I don't think I can get much bigger! This baby's getting ready - and so am I.

Is it time yet?!

I SWEAR that I feel like this baby is going to fall out of me at any moment. Maybe that is TMI, but it is true. Several times now, I have awakened with a start thinking that my water has broken! Obviously that hasn't happened and I am most likely dreaming but it is a scary feeling.

She's locked into place and although she moves her body all around like a wiggle worm, her head is locked and loaded. I had my 35 week appointment today and my doctor checked and I am less than a centimeter dilated and she's still way high. But despite those two facts, Ellyotte is giving me a run for my money in the flattening-of-my-bladder-and all internal organs department!

My blood pressure and weight gain are all still good and on track. But we haven't had a day in weeks that has been cooler than 101 degrees here in Louisiana so that hasn't helped the bloating that I have been experiencing. And the other thing that is frustrating is the inability to fall asleep at night! Each time I settle down into bed, my legs start twitching. I guess that's due to her position as well but it is so annoying! There are nights that I just lay in bed till 2 am waiting for sleep to come.

All in all, I am still doing very well and while it seems like I have been pregnant for years this time around, we are definitely in the home stretch. I start seeing my doctor weekly. Noah is more than ready too: he's been patting my belly and asking if it is time for Ellyotte to come out! He doesn't understand why his mama is the size of Shamu the Whale!!

My neighbor had her baby girl (their 3rd child) yesterday via c-section. I went by to meet baby Molly today and to say it was surreal is an understatement. She weighed 6 lbs 15 oz and it was wild to see her in the flesh when just 48 hours ago, her mama was waddling with her in her belly. I teared up a bit when I met her because it became all the more real to me that in less than a month, Ellyotte will be here too.

Noah's been doing well. We are still going through some terrible two spurts but he's such a sweet boy. He loves his big boy room and bed so much and has gotten fabulous at entertaining himself even more. He also is 100% potty trained - yay! We honestly didn't have to do much other than let him run around naked a lot and watch us use the potty. He got the hang of it just fine. The only hurdle we have had lately is that he wants to go #2 in the BACKYARD like the dog! Ugh. That is so gross and can be a real battle when he wants it to be. He's still using a pull up during the day when we go out into public but will most always tell us when he has to go and rarely has accidents. Go Noah!

Things are going well - just suffering a bit in the heat and Dan's ridiculous work schedule. He's been working 15+ hour days for weeks now and it won't change till next week. But once he's done with this big inspection (that will go through the weekend - he hasn't had a weekend off in about 4 weeks...) he will have some time off awarded and we will get to have some "family time" as the three of us before baby Ellyotte arrives. I am looking forward to that BIG TIME! I miss my husband :)

35 Weeks!

On one hand, I can say that this pregnancy has gone by fast. But on the other, not so much. It has been in the 100s+ each day here in Louisiana and the humidity is stifling. But that's to be expected in the Bayou. The wildlife is loving this heat, too: about 7 miles from our home, a 12 foot gator was caught and killed cruising the boat ramp in the Red River. AHHHH! And snakes are everywhere - I am so petrified that Piper is going to get behind our shed and find one and think that she can play with it... My family dog, Tootsie, did that when I was 10 in Troy, Alabama and poor thing lost the battle with the water mocasin.

My sweet girlfriend, Season (who is due with her second one - Baby Keegan - in September), told me that I looked not only tired but really bloated yesterday. Leave it to your closest friends to be completely honest! But there is nothing I can do for this bloating when it is hot as Hades outside.

I have said it time and again that this past month has been extremely difficult for me. Part of the reason for that was because I had discontinued a medication that I had been on for years and the withdrawals were unbelievably overwhelming. My doctor called me to check on me yesterday and although I had been feeling completely hopeless and exhausted this time last week, I could honestly say that - starting Monday - I am back to my "old" self. Praise God. Dan couldn't be happier too; he's been the biggest worrier when it comes to my happiness and health this pregnancy.

Speaking of my husband.... What a wonderful man I married. I am tearing up right now thinking about him and all the selfless things he's done for me, Noah and Ellyotte lately so that we are as happy as possible. He is Noah's best buddy and I cannot WAIT to see what a sucker for our baby girl he's gonna be. He already loves his "daddy/daughter time" when he gets to talk to her each day and watch/feel her move about.

He's working INSANE hours these days. Last week, Noah went from Saturday - Friday without seeing his daddy once; despite Dan working 5 minutes from home. He's been under an enormous amount of stress at work and it has been tough around here as I have been trying to deal with the flooding mess/repairs, prepping for E., taking care of Noah AND teaching a course for TU. All without my husband around.

On Friday, when he got off of a very long shift, he walked through the door with an arm full of flowers! Just because. He thanked me for being patient and being a good "military wife" and taking care of our boy despite being 20 months pregnant.

The rest of the weekend he spent making sure I was rested - he got up at 7 both mornings with Noah and let me sleep in, he sent me off to see a movie with girlfriends while he took care of Noah, he took us rocking chair shopping (we moved the "Gucci" rocker to Ellyotte's room and Noah got a big boy looking chair), then he took us to dinner so I wouldn't have to cook. He mowed the grass, moved furniture back into one of our destroyed rooms, cleaned the house... he went above and beyond this weekend. I am truly thankful for my husband.

It is hard to believe that in just over a month, we will be holding Baby Ellyotte. I have most of her clothes washed and ready for her, she's got diapers galore, and her room is so beautiful. We just need her in it now! I will set up the bassinet in our room soon - I look forward to having her sleeping in our room for those first couple of months.

Physically, I feel as good as you can this far along. I am really big because of bloating but am trying to stay inside in the a/c as much as possible to help that. Nights are the worst because she is laying on nerves that cause my legs to twitch constantly! My doc gave me some Ambien in a light doseage but it doesn't stop the twitching so I just don't take it. So most nights, I lay there till about 2 waiting to fall asleep. Not fun! But I really love the fact that I now need a nap during the day so most days, Noah and I cuddle up in our bed for his naps. He's my cuddle bug so I treasure those hours of uninterrupted, peaceful time with Noah.

I doubt Ellyotte will be coming early - Noah certainly did not. But in the event that changes, I will update you guys! My mom is coming out this weekend while my dad is in China so she can help me with Noah. Dan's in the middle of the biggest event of the summer for his work so he won't be home next week and Noah's school is out of session for the week. Thankfully my mom is free to come out and give me an extra set of hands. Yay! I can't wait for Jan-Jan to get here.

This Time 'Round

Whew... it was 103 degrees here in Louisiana yesterday... What were we thinking when we decided it was time to try for Baby Beall #2 last fall?! I certainly wasn't thinking of the heat. And it is wiping me out.

So, I think I have been pretty upbeat about my pregnancy woes this time around. However, I do have a few complaints. I just finished telling Dan that I have mentally and physically reached the end of this pregnancy. 34 weeks and I do NOT remember being this worn out last time. Maybe it was because I didn't have a toddler in the throws of the Terrible Twos? Maybe it was because it wasn't this hot in Hawaii in February? Whatever the case, I am just done with being pregnant and am so ready to hold our baby girl.

At this point:

I have had to retire my beautiful wedding rings. This time they fit till almost 30 weeks. Last time, I put them up at about 16 weeks! I so miss my diamonds :(

My favorite thing to do these days is to sit in a hot bath with tons of Ahava eucalyptus bath salts. But when I get out of that deep tub, Shamu beware! It takes soo much effort.

I have only gained about 25 pounds. Still more than I wanted to gain this pregnancy but half of what I gained overall with Noah. I am pretty proud and should thank Noah for making me chase him all day. Maybe that has helped!

I am super irritable... Like, I have decided that I want to get rid of our dog. I am not sure why Piper gets the brunt of my agitation but I want her out of this house! The dog hair, the barking, the annoying staring she does all day. I want no part of it anymore. Yet, I did go through this same thing when I was at the end of the pregnancy with Noah. Poor Piper! I am sure once Ellyotte's here and Piper's entertaining Noah all day that my attitude will change towards her again. Let's hope so - for her sake!

My cravings have sort of been non-existant this time. But I do crave Coca Cola constantly. Again, maybe because of the heat? I adore that drink whereas I haven't ever craved it before. And anything that smells of eucalyptus or mint or Pine Sol, I want to eat. Seriously I have thought about tasting my bath salts. Pica disorder, anyone?! I promise I haven't tried any of the three but I so have thought about it :)

Sleeping = not happening anymore for me. I have restless leg like nobody's business! My doctor gave me a low dose of Ambien but it doesn't help much. So I lay awake with a twitchy leg till all hours of the night. Dan actually woke up the other night around 2 am to TELL ME to go to sleep! I laughed out loud and replied: "You think I am staying awake for my health!?" He then told me to try harder to fall asleep... Men.

But with all the crazy aches and pains and constant needs to go to the bathroom, nothing can take away the excitement we have to meet baby Ellyotte in about 5 weeks. I can't wait to smell her, hold her, love her and know what her hair color is going to be!! (Just kidding... but not really.)

This has been a somewhat easy pregnancy and I am thankful. Stressful here at the end, yes. But that's not because of anything "Ellyotte" related - just extraneous life situations that are resolved in time and through prayer. I am truly thankful.

What a Day!

As I said in my previous post, we have been going through a lot in our home: travel, home flooding and the serious amount of repairs and cost staring at us, my Aunt Mamie's sickness is weighing heavy on my heart, being 8 months pregnant (a praise! but a struggle, nonetheless), and Dan is facing a very, very long deployment so we are trying to make some serious life changing decisions... Add Noah hitting the Terrible Twos with such ferocity that my head is spinning - maybe he senses Ellyotte's coming soon?

On Tuesday, I took Noah to school and on my way there, I started counting the number of contractions I had been having and their length and frequency. Suddenly, my stomach seized up in a painful and constant contraction. I called my doctor and she directed me to Labor and Delivery immediately. Keep in mind I am only 33 weeks along. I called Dan and he met me there.

I was a wreck: in pain, crying, desparate to keep Ellyotte where she was. They put me into a gown and into a delivery room and hooked me up to monitors. To make a long story very short, I obviously wasn't in labor. And Dr. Gomez said - after many hours of monitoring - that Ellyotte's report was "A+", but she was really worried about me. Even while talking to the doctor, I was weeping. I couldn't control my emotions and everything that had been going on in our lives came pouring out of me.

She insisted on keeping me till Tuesday night so Dan had to go get Noah from school and take care of the people coming to the house to start water damage repairs. The doctor also told me (after running many tests) that I had suffered a major anxiety attack that caused the contractions. She put me on a prescription for a fast working anti-anxiety med that is safe for use in pregnancy.

Unfortunately, that medicine turns me into a zombie so there is no way that I can take it on a regular basis. But what I am being forced by Dan and doctor to do is to slow down and take care of me - and essentially of Ellyotte. That's hard to do with an active 2 year old who is doing all he can to get negative AND positive attention as we prepare for a new baby! But given the scare we went through on Tuesday, resting and being more cautious and taking care of myself is my only option.

Giving up all my seemingly endless worries is a tough thing to do. I am a controlling personality so I want to make sure every facet of my life and others in my life are in order. So I am praying God starts to reveal to me how to "let go." Tough to do but very, very necessary for all of us!