Not Just Baby Things

Pattern: Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat by KnottingHookCrochet - Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Stripes in Motion Stripes - Hook: 6.5 mm

  When I look at PassioKnit Kelsie's hats, it doesn't look like they flair out as much as mine do.  I'm starting to wonder if some of the problems I am having is because I'm using acrylic yarn and everyone else I see making bucket hats are using cotton yarn.  I switched to cotton yarn and tried an 8mm, but that would have gotten me a 26.7" hat.  I then tried a 7mm and that was a lot better, but still a bit big at a 23.7" circumference.  The next test is to compare a 6.5mm plastic hook to a 6.5mm metal hook to see if the hook material makes any difference. 

  I found out that mine was still too wavey even with the right gauge and same materials.  I did two plain granny clusters between the increases on the first brim increase round and three on the second.  I like it a lot more and I think it sticks out enough to have the brim still be efficient in blocking the sun.

Yarn: Big Twist Living in Authentic - Hook: 5.5mm

  I was bummed that I didn't get to go to Yinzcon N!at this year.  I had the yarn and hair pattern picked out for the worms since right after Rocky Takes the Garden State last year.  I saw the colors of their ad and knew what colors I wanted to use.  I happen to find this yarn at JoAnn Fabrics and knew it would be perfect.  Bill convinced me to make the worms anyway, since I've been so excited about it.  After that Ryan agreed to take them and leave them out for people to find.  I liked the idea of them appearing without me being there, since I'm still trying to be a bit sneaky about them.

Pattern: All in one OCTOPUS by Criss Wall - Size: Mini - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in various colors - Hook: 6mm

  I saw someone post about these on one of the Random Acts of Crochet Kindness groups I'm apart of on Facebook.  Being me, I altered how I worked them.  When I was adding the regular pony bead eyes, I added them on row four.  If I was adding one of the stars or hearts, I added them on either row four or five.  I also did a chain 7 for each tentacle because I added a 2sc as the first cluster instead of going right into the 3sc clusters.  I also stuffed the octopus before working the plain 8 sc row instead of after the tentacles because I found it was just a bit too tight to get in to.

  During one of her feedings I gave her the option to keep eating once we got rid of her hiccups.  She gave me the side eye and just opened and closed her mouth around the nipple.  Like she was fake eating to appease me.

  She keeps trying to suck her thumb but can't figure it out.  She opens most of her hand, but keeps her thumb tucked into her palm.  She flails her head back and forth trying to find her thumb but can't since it's hidden away.

  At her one month appointment she was: 1'9.1" tall, 7lb 15oz, and had a 14" head.

Yearly Yarn Tracker:
Yarn In: 24 (0)
Yarn Out: 35 (1)

Total: -11

A One Month Spud

  She was trying to lick more than latch for the first feeding, but new things are hard.  I thought we were starting to do better later but it still wasn't a lot.  The lactation specialist was even having problems getting her to latch correctly, so now I don't feel so bad.  She understands that she needs to put the part that releases the food into her mouth, gives one or two sucks, then gets frustrated when it just doesn't flow.

  The goal for her first 24 hours was to get one pee and one poop.  In her first change we got both at once.  She then proceeded to poop 7 more times and peed once more.  Her poop was like sticky tar, and I'm glad Bill tackled that.  She impressed the lactation specialist because Bill changed her before she got there, then again once she got there, and then there was another after she ate some.

  She tried to put the hospital into lock down twice.  Each baby has a little tracker that looks like a house arrest ankle bracelet.  If she got too close to the doors to leave, they would lock unless you had the appropriate scan badge.  If the tag senses that it has been removed, the whole woman's hospital goes into lockdown until they can find the baby in question.  At one point we noticed that she had worked it down to her arch.  We slid it back and later Kelsey found it right back down there.  She carefully tightened it down.

  Noah was so funny, he asked if I wanted to see my incision and I said sure.  He told me that it was a trick question and that I was going to look at it either way.  He also knew that Kelsey was the one to give Spud her first bath because of the hat with a giant bow on it, or as he called it "a very Kelsey bow."

  We had a really rough 6am on her second day.  She wants to start to cluster feed, but still isn't totally understanding how to feed on the colostrum.  She will suckle 2-4 times and then just sit there and fall asleep.  We did some hand expressing to get something into her.  We called the lactation specialist and she tried to get her to latch and suck.  Turns out she has a bit of a lip-tie.  She was just using it to self soothe and wasn't actually eating enough, so she was tired and hungry.  They got her to settle in the nursery so we could all get some sleep.  They didn't want me to start pumping too soon, but after we all got 3 hours of sleep and she was too tired for her next feeding, we went over how the pump works.  It was so easy and I got 20ml of a milk and colostrum mix for her to eat.  It is so relieving to be able to easily get some food inside of her.  Once she's bigger we can try directly nursing again, but with the lip-tie it might not happen.

6lb 8.21oz = 7% weight loss 

  She's only 3 days old and if we don't have her swaddled well enough, she can turn herself on her side.  She impressed one of the pediatricians by how she just tried to lift her head when she was put on her belly.

  We were told that we were the least demanding of the new parents.  We asked some good questions, but I also didn't freak out when she cried every time anyone took the swaddle off or Bill changed her diaper.

  I was worried that Tank would try and lay on top of her or try and make biscuits on my belly.  He has been very gentle with me and has laid either on the pregnancy pillow or touching my back when he is near me.  Otherwise Bill has become the person to snuggle with.  He was really unsure of Spud when he first saw her, but now he's fascinated by her and will watch her when she makes sounds in her sleep.

  On the way to her first pediatrician appointment she had a blow out.  As Bill finished cleaning her she had another poop that might have been a second blow out.  Doc said to start aiming for 45mL today and 60mL by Saturday.  Her little tummy wasn't quite ready for that amount and we had a rough time.

  The Internet says that babies should be able to roll themselves from their back to their side around the age of 3-5 months.  She started trying to do that about day 3 and managed to roll from one side to the other on day 4.  I don't think she could roll all the way from one side to the other reliably and she even startled herself and made herself cry from doing it the first time.

  We are all learning how to communicate together.  We are getting better at recognizing her hunger and full signs.

  Around day 7 she grabbed her umbilical cord stub and ripped it off.  It was supposed to fall off on it's own between 10-14 days.

  They were hoping that she would be back to her birth weight by two weeks, but she managed to do it by 10 days.  It'll make it easier to take her places once she's over 8lbs and can fit into the wearable carriers we have.

  She likes having the bottoms of her feet rubbed.  I wonder if she remembers that from when I would rub the spot when she would kick out and hold it.

~ Dr Kusic

  Had my two week check up and was told that everything looked good and like I was about 80% healed.  I was cleared to take a bath, drive, do stairs as I felt.  He said that the first two weeks were the hardest.  He showed me how big some of the incisions were.  He mentioned that the tenderness, and tug/twitching is all very normal.

  She hates to have her mouth wiped.  If you take the cloth and use it on your finger to wipe out the inside of her mouth, that is less of a big deal than wiping her face off.

  We've been calling her poops "making mustard" because of the color and consistency they have become on milk.  It also helps me because I was most worried about diaper changes.  At some point they are going to get bad, probably once we start adding solid foods.

  I think it's interesting some of the reflexes they are born with that they then have to learn how to do.  At some point she is going to lose her grab reflex and have to learn how to grab things.

  We got her a play mat with dangling toys.  So far she has been able to hit the high contrast ball.  I'm pretty sure at two weeks she doesn't know she's the one doing it, but she's having fun with it anyway.  She really doesn't like it when she is trying to look at the high contrast ball, but someone keeps hitting it with a tiny fist that looks a lot like hers.  Tank also really likes the play mat.

  At one point when she was having tummy-time during week 3 on Bill's chest she moved her elbows in on her own.  I also learned that all the movement she does with her limbs is something she would normally be doing at an older age.

  It was interesting to watch some of her arm movements become more intentional.  She was feeling her own hair, though to be fair, it is very soft.  She watched herself grab my finger or her chew-raddle a few times.

  Waking up in a panic has also gotten a lot better and less frequent.  I woke up thinking that I fell asleep with her in the bed and was laying on her so many times.  I also thought a skein of yarn was her crying, but not making a sound, so I panicked then too.

  She was having troubles getting her food straight from the source, so we were really trying the nipple shields.  The most recent lactation specialist, Megan, says that bottle feeding and breast feeding are two different skills for them.  The shield would make it seem more like a bottle to her and it would make it easier for her tall palette to get stimulation to cause her to suck.  However, she didn't seem to be the biggest fan of the shield.  I decided to go bare again and even though she's probably not a lot bigger at 3 weeks and 3 days, she successfully fed.  I think all the pumping had helped to make things more malleable.  I'm also hoping that adding direct feeding along with pumping will help prevent blocked ducts.  They feel like sharp rocks are under your skin.  Unfortunately now I get to feel her mighty chomping along with her powerful suction.

  To celebrate her one month she rotated while swaddled in her bassinet.  She also started sleeping almost or over 4 hours a few times.  I love it so much when she smiles because she doesn't know what a smile is, but feels so happy that they just happen.

The Spud Report

  About halfway into first trimester my chest was super tender and sensitive.

  I think the closest thing I had to morning sickness were the times that I would eat a few bites of food and feel super full.

~ Dr. Moore (2/14)

  Got my first appointment at 12 weeks and 5 days.  For a few weeks I had been feeling small cramps on my left side.  During the sonogram I felt one of them and saw It move on the screen.  The internet said I shouldn't be able to feel anything yet, but who actually knows.  I'm thinking that I'm not directly feeling the movements, but how the movements might be causing the area around it to move.  Like how you wouldn't feel the movement of the person tugging on your sleeve, but you would feel the sleeve move on your arm.

  She had to do a transvaginal ultrasound to get a good picture to measure limbs, but Spud wasn't cooperating.  After I got home I had spotting badly enough that if I didn't know what else was happening, I would have thought I was starting my period.

 The small left-side cramps are getting more noticeable around week 15 and 4 days.  Every once in a while, I'll feel something on the right side, but it's usually left side.

  At 16 and 2 days Bill and I tried the 2x Spicy Ramen challenge.  About 3 hours later, I felt like there was a mosh pit in my insides.  I don't know if that's a good reaction or bad.

  At one point I took a meat thermometer into the shower with me to make sure I don't turn the water temperature up too much.  I was within the safe limits.

Foods that got big reactions before week 17: 2x Spicy Ramen, green grapes, University Mall Theater popcorn, 7-11 Horchata

  Going to the gym felt a lot harder to do, but I wasn't sore the next day.  So I am probably not losing muscle, but they got tired a lot faster.  It was suggested that I take more Vit D to combat this.

~ Dr. Hibshman (3/21)

  Doctor right before week 18 said my tired muscles could be Vit D deficiency.  She also liked how I said I accidentally stopped doing exercises and that she was going to use that.  She also said that though it's early, she doesn't doubt that I've been feeling some movement.  

  I also think I felt the first actual movements one day before week 18.  It felt like soda bubbles, which the internet says might be "baby flutters".  Bill teased me for being carbonated.  It was only that day though, possibly because we had an appointment to hear the heartbeat that day and things got shifted around to do so.

  She said that my lower back/upper butt discomfort on my left side could be a sign that my pelvis is tilted a little or possibly because where the baby is might be annoying a sciatica muscle.  She said that if it gets worse I could see a chiropractor, which I've been considering before all of this, but it's nothing to worry about if it doesn't get worse.  She also mentioned that I'm going to be sleeping less deeply.

  We told my parents on Easter morning.  Bill put the sonograms on the table in the middle of breakfast.  My dad looked at the sonograms, and nodded before putting them down, but must not have really read them.  My mom asked about them and asked why we didn't tell her.  I mentioned that that is what we were doing right then.  Later in the conversation she had to tell my dad about what he had already looked at.

  I've also started to notice that my armpits are getting more stinky.  It's a smell I've not made from them before.

  I think on day 1 of week 20 I started feeling direct movements again.  But it was faint and I wasn't totally sure.  The top area of my stomach is also feeling tighter.  It feels like a beach ball when I press on it, firm but like there is only air inside of it.

  During week 19 and 20, I had problems with my arms going numb when trying to sleep, even the top one.  I also found out that sleeping with a pillow between my knees helped my lower back pain.  I was having troubles rolling over and keeping the pillow where I wanted it.  It was suggested that I get a U-shaped pregnancy pillow.  I wasn't sure which shape to get and Bill surprised me with one.  I was nervous that I wasn't going to like it after he did something so nice for me.  It took me about 5 minutes before I discovered that I really like it.  I still haven't figured out where to put my arms for both sides, but it already helped me to sleep better.  It feels like I'm in a little cozy pod.

  Spud is definitely letting me know when they think we should eat.  If I get hungry and take too long then Spud will really start kicking.  So far Spud has all the same opinions on foods that get a reaction.  Spud feels a lot more centered.

~ Dr. Nunes (4/17)

  Most of the appointment for week 21 was spent with the sonogram specialist.  She was very nice and was talking us through what all we were seeing.  It seemed that none of the babies she was checking were cooperating.  She told us to not tell her what Spud was going to be if we had gotten the genetic blood work done.  I'm guessing so she could see if what she saw matched without any biases.

  Spud was being very active and shy.  Since Spud is going to be a surprise, she had us close our eyes when she was checking the bladder area, but I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to tell even if we had been looking.  We got to see Spud open and close their mouth a few times and also saw that they were trying to put their fingers in their mouth but weren't quite getting it.

  The doctor answered a few questions and reported that everything looks good with Spud so far.  We got some information on pediatric options.

  I've noticed that the effects of eating salt, thirst and bloating, are more intense that before.  However, things don't taste saltier.

  On the first day of week 22 I felt some movement on the outside.  It was really weird.  I tried to get Bill to feel it too, but Spud was done moving for a bit not long after I felt it.

  During my mom's and Jamie's birthday dinner, Spud let it be known that they really liked Tom's artichoke and spinach dip.  I tried to get Bill to get the recipe for me, but Tom had to look for it.

  On a Wednesday knit-night I wore my "I'm so crafty I make people" shirt.  Jen was the first to read it but didn't understand it.  Other people looked as well and it took some of the people a bit to understand it while others got it quickly.  It then became a game to have anyone who arrived after that point to read my shirt and see if they got it or not.

  At the end of week 23 I could start to feel the kicks on the outside without having to lay down and press in.  They feel like really big muscle twitches.

  During week 24 the kicks are becoming more and more noticeable from the outside. Lisa (from my knit group) has already started knitting for Spud.

  In week 25 Tank started trying to sleep with his lower half on my sleep pillow and his upper half on my belly.  Spud would start to feel really crowded and would kick and punch until I was woken up and moved Tank some.

~ Dr. Hibshman (5/14)

  More sonogram pictures.  Spud was not cooperating again and kept trying to face my spine.  They were also folding themself in half, or doing a "yoga pose" as the sonogram technician called it.  Spud is in the 52% and is measuring 2 days older than we guess they are.

  Spud is growing well enough that she said we didn't have to take another sonogram to check on anything for either 4 or 6 weeks.  We picked 4 weeks because I was supposed to be in for an appointment anyway.

  The doctor thought it was funny when I mentioned that I felt round.  She also thought it was funny when I mentioned that Tank has been trying to sleep on my belly and the sleeping pillow.  She assured me that though Spud kicked when Tank did this that they were very safe in there.  It also seems my placenta is in the front, which can dampen the feeling of movement, but she was glad to hear I was feeling movements.  I'm also getting mild carpal tunnel because of the increased blood volume.

  She also mentioned that the increase in blood can cause imbalances in electrolytes.  That can cause leg cramps and if those get too bad to add some magnesium to my vitamin regiment.

  I've noticed that spicy foods taste more spicy than they should.  It's not gotten so bad that I can't eat spicy food, it's just more intense than it has been in the past.

  In week 26 Spud and I interacted.  I felt some kicks above my belly button, so I pressed on that spot twice, then I felt more kicks.  We did that a few times.

  We had a second vote to keep Spud as a nickname even after we figure out what Spud's legal name is going to be.

  I've been getting more pre-lactation events happening.  It used to only happen even once in a while at night, but now I notice it during the day as well sometimes.

I've started to notice a trend with kicks and what they mean:

• Many big kicks and punches: "I'm feeling crowded and I'm trying to make more room."

• A few kicks: "Just moving around and adjusting my position."

• Many small quick kicks: "It's time to eat."

  Bill had a small episode of pregnancy brain.  We have finally started going through the "we'll get to it later" piles around the bedroom.  I wanted to get one of the corners done, so I kept pushing myself to keep going.  At the end I was so tired and sore.  Bill came over to tell me I did a good job, but told me "Good luck!" instead.  We laughed so hard at that.

  During week 27 I got my glucose test done.  I read online to get it chilled if I could and that orange was the best flavor.  He had lemon-lime chilled or orange at room temp.  I went with the lemon-lime and it tasted like very flat Sprite.  It wasn't too bad.  I'm curious what the orange would taste like, but not enough to hope that I had to go in for the 3 hour test.

  Not sure if Spud is more active or I'm just feeling them more often.  Definitely feeling a lot more kicks than previously.  Though to be fair, I did tell Spud to kick the placenta after I failed my one hour glucose test.

  My fun adventure was to get a three hour glucose test during week 28.  It has twice the sugar in it as the one hour.  I was hoping that I could try the orange, but he only had lemon/lime and fruit punch for the three hour test.  It tasted like flat Sprite with honey in it.  I started with the same guy I had for the one hour, but then ended with a different person for the last two draws.  He covers the first half of the day and she covers the last half with some overlap.  She was complaining how when they were both there they rarely get many people, but it always gets really busy once he leaves.  For the last draw she tried to keep it even in both my arms, but my left arm is my problem arm and wouldn't give her a second sample.  She felt bad for having to do it twice and a third time into my right arm.

  The general third trimester brought back aches and pains.  Some in new places and some in old places.  I'm also starting to get some random food aversions, but it changed randomly.  I also started feeling extra emotional again, but not as bad as the first trimester.  Spud was getting more used to Tank trying to sleep on me, so any protests about that are less frantic feeling.

~ Dr. Vemuri (6/12)

  When getting the sonograms she had to chase Spud around.  Spud had decided it was time to party on the way to the appointment and kept it up while we were there.  They did give some good views of their heart beat, but didn't want to take their hands off their face.  She really tried jiggling them around but those hands stayed put.  She said she got distracted by how cute Spud's profile was though.  They are now in the 59% at 3lb 6oz.

  I got my Tdap vaccine, which I was going to ask about getting anyway.  The doctor mentioned that one of my numbers for the 3 Hour Glucose test was a bit high and though I don't need to make major changes like I have Gestational Diabetes, eating healthy and getting exercise will help overall.  She also mentioned that if I start to experience any belly pains that a belly band could help with that.

  I also managed to knock over my sample when I first got there.  They didn't ask that I try and leave another, so it seems I caught it in time that there was enough for them to work with.  I was told that some moms go in to get a sample but forget and just use the restroom.

  I'm starting to feel foot pressure.  It makes a tight spot and when I press on it, it feels extra solid.  When I feel that spot again later, it has more give to it.  I'm told that at one point I'll get to see a foot shape or an elbow poking out.  Spud has also started stretching out, holding it for a bit, then giving a few quick kicks.

  During week 30, Spud has taken a liking to apples with peanut butter and Greek style yogurt with granola.  It could just be the hit of sugar, but juice doesn't have the same effect.

  Tank is insisting more and more to sleep mostly on my belly.  I think Spud is getting used to it because I'm not being woken up by their disagreement of the use of my personal space.

  My hands have been going numb a lot easier lately and I've developed a pain in the base joint of my right thumb.  I got some new compression socks to help with my feet and ankle swelling.

  I got a call from Amanda, my contact at our health insurance company if I had any questions about different pregnancy things.  She was impressed that I'm already taking the baby aspirin and have an app to help me keep track of kick counts.  Though some days Spud is so energetic that we reach the 10 kicks in just a few minutes.  She suggested that if I haven't felt Spud in a while to eat or drink something that I know will get a reaction.  I'm also supposed to start the count again if Spud changes their active times.

  I had some cramping in my upper abdomen area.  It felt like I had eaten too much too quickly and needed to burp really badly.  I tried to make myself comfortable on the couch, but Bill suggested I lay down when that didn't really help.  Bill looked up symptoms and I didn't have most of the ones he was reading off.  Bill also kept trying to get Tank to cuddle with me, but Tank wanted to cuddle with Bill after only standing on me.

  Around week 32 and especially in week 33, when Spud would move around it started to feel like the massage chair in the mall.  Spud has also been just stretching a leg out and holding it there for a bit.

  Third trimester has also brought back more hormonal mood swings.  I cry and get annoyed a lot easier again.  I also randomly have food aversions to the smell of cooking food.  Once that same food is ready to be served, it smells good, but during the cooking process it smelled bad.

  From what my mom was telling me, Spud moves around a lot more than I did at their age.  I was telling my mom about the various kicking times: when it's time to get up, lunch time, snack time, dinner time, when it's time for bed, when I have a full bladder.  There are also random kick times.

  I randomly had the idea to put my smart watch on my stomach.  In one spot it read 155, which I think might be Spud's heart rate.  In another spot it read as 82, which could be the placenta.  I had Bill try it on his stomach and he didn't get any heart rate reading.

  Beth threw us a baby shower and it was great.  There were woodland animal decorations that I ended up taking home to decorate Spud's room.  I think everyone had a good time talking about cosplay and random other things.  The food was from Wegmans, so of course it tasted really good.

  During the party it was theorized that the sore spot I have is where Spud first stuck to back when they were just a tiny cluster of cells.  I could believe that since that's the area I felt movement in first.

  From week 34, Spud started doing more stretching than kicking.  It's probably a sign that they are getting cramped in there.  I would feel a foot or a bum pushing out.  I don't know if they can feel me push back since I don't add a lot of pressure, but I hope they like it and that's why they keep doing it.

~ Dr. Nunes (7/17)

  There were five weeks between appointments because that is all they had available.  We also confused everyone because we weren't sure if we paid the amount due before 7 months or not.  When they tried to look it up they got a number that didn't match anything they had in their system.

  Had a 112/70 blood pressure.  Spud weighed in at 5lbs 4oz, and in the 36.6%, which is right on track for the estimated due date.  That's a lower percentile than last time, but I'm told this is normal.  They can have growth spurts like kids on the outside.  I was also given permission to have ice cream if I want it, I hadn't been avoiding it, but I thought that was funny.

  Our sonogram technician was also born the same weight I was.  Spud tried to get away from the sonogram scanner and also tried to cover their face with an arm or their hands again.  It also looks like Spud will be coming out with some hair.  Spud has also decided to settle their head right on my bladder, which confirms that when I feel a bigger round thing pushing out that I am feeling a bum.  Spud was also showing off their breathing practice while we were in there.  

  Early in the 35th week I think I started feeling some Braxton Hicks contractions.  I would feel a tightening under my belly button and it was kind of uncomfortable.  The first few I wondered if Spud was rolling, but I'm not so sure it was just Spud moving.

  Spud has decided that if I eat "too much" then they need to try and make some room by pushing their butt outward.  They push so hard that I feel like I'm going to pop.  I've started to say that at this rate I won't have to worry about labor because Spud is going to pop out, chest burster style, but butt first.

~ Dr. Hou (7/30)

  We did a non-stress test and Spud was being uncooperative, as usual.  I had to hold the sensor in place.  To help wake Spud up he used a little vibration tool that made a sound, it definitely got Spud's attention.

 He also mentioned that we are going to weekly appointments and that because of my age, if everything doesn't happen on its own between 39-40 weeks that I will get induced.  He checked me out and reported that it wasn't happening that day.

  He said to call them when I think the big event is happening, since I'm only a few days away from week 37.  If I think my water broke and it keeps leaking out when I move around, then it probably has.  If I think I'm having real contractions, but I'm not sure, then I'm probably not.  Though if they are less than five minutes apart for longer than an hour, we should call them.

  I finally ordered my pump through insurance and we got the car seat bases installed.  I am thinking of getting a manual pump as well, so I have options.  Everything is coming together, but I still feel like there are too many things to do.

  Our doctor keeps saying we need to arrive at the hospital with which pediatrician we have, but the pediatricians say they won't add us until Spud is out.  This is apparently normal.  Insurance also won't add Spud until they are out.

  On the first Saturday of August I got a mini baby shower from the Rocky Horror people.  It was nice, there were cupcakes and Mickey brought me a variety of styles of peaches.

  As of 37 weeks I'm feeling the tightening more often, but they still aren't painful.  They are a bit stronger, but still just feels like I'm flexing and holding my abs.  It happens most when I'm walking around, some when I'm just laying down for the night, and only rarely when I'm sitting down.

  Whenever I eat something I have to burp a lot.  Even if I make sure to eat it slowly and not swallow air.

  After the meeting at work, I was told that I was moving around faster than some were expecting me to be doing at my stage of pregnancy.  I also got a lot of big reactions when I was asked when my due date was and I said the 23rd.  They replied "...of August?!??!"

~ Dr. Moore (8/7)

  We got another non-stress test and Spud still didn't want to cooperate. The person hooking me up could find the echo of the heartbeat, but was having trouble actually finding Spud.  She would find them but then Spud would move when she went to tighten the strap.  She was joking that Spud didn't like her and we mentioned that Spud hasn't liked anyone so far.  I was brought some ice water to wake Spud up this time instead of Spud getting buzzed awake.

  When the doctor came to check the readouts she wanted Spud to move more, so they ended up getting buzzed.  There were a few more movements, she was hoping for one more big one, but Spud continued to not cooperate.  Spud gave a big kick when I was sat up after all the monitors were taken off.  She said everything looked good and the heart spikes from the few times it happened looked good as well.  She said she could hear the movement from the hallway, but was hoping to get more heartrate spikes from the movement than we did.  The monitors caught some of the Braxton Hicks contractions.

  I'm thinning, but so far no dilation.  They haven't sent to my doctor team about when my induction time would be, so they say that they must still be working that out with the hospital.

  Spud decided to have a dance party once we got home.  They also kept stretching, which both of those things would have been nice when we were hooked up to the monitor.

  Sharon at Wed Knit Night asked about how my weight gain was going.  She was jealous that the scale hasn't gone beyond my usual fluctuations because that means that I've actually lost weight.  She said it was really good that Spud has been making me crave healthy foods.

  In the morning after my appointment I was woken up by a pain on the right side of my lower abdomen.  I was trying to figure out what it felt like.  It felt like my muscle was being stretched too much.  Spud has been pressing against the inside of my hip bone on the inside lately.  I put my hand over the area and relaxed it, so it pushed down a little.  I felt some movements from Spud and was able to roll onto my right side.  I'm wondering if Spud was just trying to push out, like they do against my bone, but had gotten shifted out of that spot at some point, so they were just pushing against my muscles.

  Spud keeps fighting the Braxton Hicks contractions.  I'll feel the tightening around my middle, then I'll feel Spud push out against it.  They are going to be so strong when they get out.

~ Dr. Vemuri (8/14)

  Spud likes Karla. She was able to place the sensor and get a heartbeat on the first try in only a few seconds.  They also kicked and spiked their heart rate quite a few times pretty quickly, definitely more movement than last time.  The Poppi probably helped with that as well, since I know it gets a reaction.  Dr Vemuri mentioned that she also likes Poppi, especially the Raspberry Rose one.

  Dr Vemuri was the only one so far who asked if I wanted my cervix to be checked or not, which I thought was interesting.  She checked and I'm about a 1cm dilated.  She also wanted to get an ultrasound because Spud had some interesting dips in heartrate and she wanted to make sure there was enough fluid in there.  She said that everything looked good and the dips can happen because Spud is happy and moving around and compressing their cord some.

  Bill commented that some of his coworkers were told to be on bed rest for the last three weeks of their pregnancy.  So far I've not been told anything like that.

  At the beginning of week 39, the Braxton Hicks contractions started to feel a bit more like period cramps sometimes.  It wasn't all of the time, only some.

  Spud has been pushing downward and it feels really weird to feel that pressure.  I've also been getting random pains sometimes when I stand up, but they pass quickly and don't happen all the time.

~ Dr. Kim (8/21)

  Spud got buzzed again to wake them up for their last internal non-stress test.  They were told they had a good reaction.  I joked with Karla that I need to kidnap her and bring her to the hospital so Spud will behave.  She laughed and said she thought it would be cool to be able to go to the hospital.

  I'm still at 1cm, but also still thickened.  She thinks Spud is in the low 7lb range.  She also explained about how it will go at the hospital.  I'm going to have a few rounds of Cytotec (misoprostol) under my tongue on Thursday to help thin out my cervix.  I'm clear for dinner at the hospital and she encouraged me to have breakfast the next morning since it'll be the last time I get to eat for a bit.  Once she is in Friday morning they are going to check to make sure things are more ready and start the Pitocin.  Though there is still time for Spud to give the go ahead on their own.  I was hoping that would happen, but I understand the need to help it along.  Sharon at knitting said it was great that she got induced with each of hers because then she knew when everything was going to happen.

  Everyone at knitting was surprised that I was there.  They assumed either I would be resting up or that Spud would be here by now.  I got a lot of Good Luck wishes and "See you again at some point."

~ 8/22

  Bill opened my labor bag to put the hard candies in and just started laughing when some yarn tried to fall out.

  I had gotten lost one of the times I went to visit my mom, so I knew right where to head when we got to the hospital.  One of the guards was going to ask if we needed directions until he saw my bump.  When I checked in the person at the desk said "for induction?" but that was probably because I looked way too comfortable for it to be Go Time right now.  The computer didn't want to work for the lady checking us in.  One of Bill's co-workers said that the hospital will tell him that he doesn't have to stay the night, but that that is a trap.  I have never met her, but I like her.

  There was a bit of confusion as to what room I was supposed to be in.  I ended up in 104, which I'm taking as a good sign.  My first nurse was Megan.  She put on the IV, Spud monitor, and asked all the questions.  She checked and thinks I'm at 2cm.  This is the first time I've had an IV or stayed at a hospital for more than a visit.  It's also very interesting that the hospital gown has boob holes, though it does make sense if you think about it.

  I was worried I wouldn't be able to crochet at all with a hand IV, but Megan assured me that the longer it was in, the less I would notice it.  I had a drip at first because I was getting close together, small contractions, which can indicate dehydration.  The drip was pretty chilly feeling.  Megan said that one of the nice things about a hand IV is that when I'm trying to sleep they won't have to keep coming in to straighten my arm.

  Katie was my overnight nurse and took some blood to confirm my blood type.  Spud also kept moving away from the sensor.  Though I was checked in on time, all the prep work for my stay meant that I was too late to get the hospital food, but luckily there is a Panera on campus.

  There was talk about not doing the Cytotec, but then it was decided to go with it.  Spud and I were on the monitor for another hour after my first dose.  Katie also had me on my side because Spud was acting "too excited."  I also mentioned that they kick more when I'm hungry.  Getting a dose every 4 hours isn't going to be great.

  I started to feel really uncomfortable.  I could feel the medicine doing things and it was like a period cramp in a very small spot.  Standing up and wondering around the room definitely helped with that.  It feels strange when you roll over, and then it feels like each half of your body (right and left) shifts around.

  The two clocks in my room were off from each other by about 47 seconds.  The one on the right was faster and closer to the time on my phone.

  Bill's coworker mentioned that she was given a sleeping pill and got the best sleep of her life.  I took the one I was offered.  Spud got checked really quickly when I got my second dose.

~ 8/23

  Instead of a third dose, I got another bag of solution and reconnected to the monitors.  She also gave me some apple juice and raised the bed a little.

  Around 6-something the period cramps feeling started to get worse, but I was able to fall asleep between cramp feelings.  Jenna was my morning nurse, but another helped unplug me when I mentioned that I had to use the restroom around 7:30am.  She asked if my water broken and I said I didn't think it did.  Though as I sat up I felt a slight pop and liquid running down my legs when I stood up.  I mentioned that I thought it just had.  Once I was out of the bathroom my morning nurse was in and didn't notice the puddle next to the bed at first.

  When I woke up my right hand was really puffy.  Bill thinks it's because of all of the fluids they are putting in me.  Makes crocheting really hard to do.

  Since Dr. Kim wanted me to eat before we started me on the Pitocin, I ordered the breakfast burrito and a hot chocolate.

  They think from the fluid on the piddle pad that Spud may have pooped a little in there.  If they ingested any, it could cause infections.

  We asked her when the usual time people get an epidural are and she said when people feel like they can't handle it anymore.  Anything around a three and definitely over that.  I was warned that feeling nauseous and vomiting are all normal.  At one point, Bill went to rub my thumb, and that made me feel nauseous.  That was a new one for Jenna.

  The pitocin makes the contractions feel a lot sharper.  Less of a big ache, more of a concentrated pain.  I was started at 2 ml per hour at 9:49am, and now I'm up to 8 at 11:21am.

  The contractions were getting pretty intense and I was getting no breaks from them.  It was definitely impossible to talk.  I had practiced my Lamaze breathing with an Oohh sound, but saying Owwie felt more distracting.  Turns out it wasn't, but I didn't know that at the time.

  I got my epidural around 12:30pm.  There was a lot of pinching and when he put the medicine in it hurt and had a strange filling sensation.  The anesthesiologist put a few doses of the numbing medicine in a few places.  It was really hard to not move when the pinching and hurting happened and a contraction was also happening.  However, my years of bad posture prepared me to sit like a cooked shrimp for the procedure.  Everyone said I did a good job sitting still and breathing evenly.

  They upped the Pitocin again since I was at a tight 3cm 60% effaced.  Because of the epidural I then got connected to a heart rate monitor and a blood pressure cuff.  I also had to have a catheter because I wasn't allowed to walk around.

  I was told that my job was to nap.  During my nap my legs definitely lost more feeling.  My left leg was kind of numb, but my right was in another dimension.  I could feel my foot some, but it's hard for me to move it.  Since the epidural can be slightly crooked, this is normal.

  We tried a few different positions.  I mentioned that when I had been sitting before that I had felt Spud pushing down.  Another thing we tried was a peanut ball.  It looks like a peanut and goes between the feet.  It helps to encourage progress to keep happening.  I think because the epidural was possibly a bit to the right, around 7pm I started feeling some of the contractions again, but so far they are just uncomfortable, and hopefully they stay that way.  Any time I was laying down I kept falling asleep.

  Jemeko took over for the Friday night shift at 7:30. I was checked again and I was up to 4cm, thinned more, and Spud had descended more.  Dr. Kim was hoping that I am entering more active labor and would dilate a cm per hour.  When I was done getting my epidural we heard a call from one of the rooms down the hall that needed help with feeding itchy.  I'm starting to feel more itchy on my bump as time goes by.

  It took until I mentioned that the contractions were starting to hurt again for me to learn about The Button.  It lets me give myself a bonus dose of medicine.  I'm allowed to hit it every 20 minutes, but if it doesn't help enough over the span of an hour they will call the anesthesiologist to switch me to a stronger dose. If I go through the button process again and it still doesn't help they will call them back again to reassess me.

  Still at 4cm around 10. It turns out that even though I'm having more contractions, they aren't being strong enough.  So while they had lowered my pitcon because of Spud's heart rate for a while, they upped it again and put me back on the peanut ball.  If that doesn't help then we are going to try "Flying Cowboy" to encourage things along.  I was told by the nurse that I have a perfect baby bump.

  When I laid on my right it made the contractions feel more intense, so of course that's the side Spud reacts to the best.  The nurse saw more blood, like I was dialing, but I wasn't.

  They upped my pitocin and it was bad enough that I didn't get a break and it felt like I didn't have an epidural.  It has been so long since my water broke and nothing was making my body go into labor, so we went the c-section route.  I was really trying to avoid it, but Spud decided to try and stay in.

  Everyone burst into action when I gave the okay for the c-section.  I got a very strong dose of the medicine they had been giving me in my epidural.  I then was lightly poked to make sure it was working correctly.  Since I was on my back, it was able to spread evenly and not settle on one side.  One of the medications they gave me made my upper body shake.  I was told all the endorphins can do that.  I also got really nauseous.  My arms and upper body got warm towels and it was comforting.

  As they did the procedure I could catch a glimpse of what was happening on the reflection from one of the lights.  It was odd that I could feel pressure from them doing what they needed to, but not feeling any pain from it.  I especially felt the pressure and tugging when they were sewing me back up.  I kept falling asleep when they were sewing me up, but the tugging would wake me up again.

  We spent some time in the recovery room where I kept falling asleep again, but not as much.  The nurse would come in to track how the feeling was returning to my legs.  At one point I still couldn't feel my legs, but when I thought really hard about how it felt to move them, I was able to move them anyway.  That surprised me that it worked.

  Once we were clear to go to our room they put her on my chest for some skin to skin time and wheeled us up.  The hospital has a good security system and the elevators warned us that if we didn't have the correct badge that the doors would lock from her ankle bracelet.  It was a wild night.

Bonus content:

-Foods that tasted better than usual: seaweed snacks, small cucumbers with salt, butter with chili crisp, crunching on pebble ice, hot honey on pepperoni pizza, white peaches

-Foods that tasted worse: things tasted a lot sweeter than usual and sometimes became too sweet (but fruit was still okay), the rind on the triple cream brie tasted like super intense blue cheese and was too intense, the smell of cooking meat (cooked is fine)

-Foods I missed: lox, salmon sushi, garlic aioli, random cheeses without having to check the label, med-rare steak, 

-Mocktails:

  Recess Mule: nope, not ginger enough

  hiyo peach mango: yes

  Mingle Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa: yes!

  Nope Mango Margarita with Jalapeno: yes!

  

Funny things I thought of to say:

Announcement: The Universe decided I needed a new hobby *sends sonograms*

Alcohol: I can't drink because I have a minor on the premises.

Reply: "That dress makes you look pregnant..." "I thought the baby did that."

Movement: There's a party in my pants and I'm not invited.