Thursday, May 2, 2013

A Sigh of Relief

Today I am taking a deep, contented breath.  Mom has finally come to visit for the first time since Scout's birth.  I've missed her so much.  I spent the night at Mamaw's and having their help has been so wonderful.  Although I love Scout, it's nice to have other people hold and dote on her for awhile.  Last night Mom would put Scout to sleep after I nursed her so that I could go to bed and get a few more minutes of sleep.  That is such a luxury!!  I appreciate it so much because I know she was exhausted from her extremely busy day.

Brandon and I are taking Scout to the pediatrician this morning for her 1-month "well visit."  We really don't have any major concerns other than her persistent diaper rash.  We change her often and use diaper cream, but it has never gone away.

Aside from the diaper rash she seems to be thriving.  She has grown quickly, gaining weight and getting longer at an impressive rate!  It's amazing that my body produces the nourishment she needs to do that.  Breast milk really is nature's perfect food...well, at least for babies!

As I am writing, Scout is in the loving arms of her great grandmother.  She is slowly waking and will be pretty hungry when she finally does.  Four generations under one roof - what a blessing.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Sleep Smiles and Bath Time

Today Scout smiled!  Well, not on purpose, but it was in her sleep, so maybe that means an intentional smile is right around the corner.  It definitely wasn't a gas smile; I know what those look like and this wasn't it.  She is waking from her nap right now, so this will be a short post.  She wakes up HUNGRY.

After her feeding I think I may give her a bath.  She really hates it right now, but I try and make sure to cuddle her afterward so we can "make up."  Her hair is really really greasy, so a bath is definitely in order.

Looks like she's fully awake now, so I'm going to pick her up before the fussing starts.  (Mommy doesn't just hold you when you fuss!)

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Milestones

It's been quite a while since I updated this blog.  Truth be told, I just didn't have the energy or will to keep up with it during the pregnancy and then, after she was born, I have been dealing with full-blown Baby Blues.  Fortunately things seem to be looking up, although I still have trouble in the evenings and night.  I just dread the lack of sleep!

Here are some of Scout's milestones:

April 4, 2013 - First nap in her crib!
April 3, 2013 - Stinky umbilical stump gone (thanks to Daddy, even though he was grossed out)
March 24, 2013 - Used a bottle for the first time (Mommy's "bottles" needed a rest.)

The nurses told me to wait 3 weeks before introducing a bottle or pacifier in order to avoid "nipple confusion;" however, I decided it was just right for us to try it earlier.  I was in quite a bit of pain, and she seems to be doing alright switching back and forth.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Quick Update

This week has gone by soooo slowly.  The work day seems longer, especially when I'm going stir crazy  in a noisy cube farm.  The weather has been so beautiful, which makes it even worse.  I have energy during the day and I want to use it for my own purposes!  What purposes?  Catch-up crochet, for one.  I went quite a while without doing any significant crocheting, so I have a lot of projects on my to-do list.  I joined the Crochet Me community this weekend.  The website has a good selection of short, downloadable pattern books.  I've downloaded two books so far:  hats and granny squares.  I also have several cute patterns for Baby G, just need to get the right yarn.  I may even try crocheting a stuffed animal or two.

Speaking of Baby G, those kicks and flutters are feeling stronger.  I no longer mistake them for gas bubbles and muscle twitches.  It's no wonder - Baby G is around 6 inches long now, not including legs, and weighs about 8 ounces.  We've come a long way from "the grape!"

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Making Soap and a Baby

First of all, I have good news to share.  Baby G's triple screen test came back negative, so we are in the clear for Downs, spina bifida, and trisomy 18.

Even better news is that I've started to feel some little kicks and flutters in my tummy.  At first, I wasn't sure if I actually felt them, but they've gotten stronger and I'm able to recognize them better.  This week they checked the heartbeat, but it took a minute to get a rhythm because Baby G was wiggling around so much.  I knew he/she had been movin' and shakin' in there!  The movements are strongest in the morning between 9 and noon.  Yesterday I felt him/her a few times in the afternoon as well.  Like all moms say, it really does feel like tiny flutters or faint taps on my belly.  Most of them I feel a little over to my left side.  I guess Baby G has Daddy's strong legs!

Baby G currently measures approximately 5.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces.  Getting closer to one pound!  Our next milestone will be the 20 week ultrasound on Halloween!  We should know the sex of the baby and get some cool 4D photos.  Here is my photo of 18 weeks.


In other news, today I am making laundry detergent.  Several ladies at work have done the same with nice results.  You can check out the instructions at this homesteading website.  The cost savings are significant, with each 2-gallon batch totaling around $0.71.  We all know how expensive laundry detergent can be, even the discount brands.  I have to wait 24 hours for the mixture to gel, but once it's done I will post pictures.

Take care!
The G's

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Wow - I've gotten behind in my blog updates.  The weeks seem to be passing so quickly!  Before we know it, Baby G will be here with all of us on "the outside."

The major pregnancy update is that my baby bump has finally popped.  It seemed to happen over the course of one weekend!  I'm still not big by any means, but especially now, at 16.5 weeks, it's clear that I'm pregnant.  I don't know why I look so miserable in these pictures!





So as a result of my new figure, I can't make do with my normal jeans and pants anymore.  I was feeling really discouraged on casual day at work because I could only wear one of my dresses.  Fridays are my only day to wear jeans to the office, so I was bummed.  Plus, I'd had a bad night before.  Bran had gone to a friend's house to play guitar and I was home alone, bored and really wishing I could unwind with a beer.  When I told him goodbye the next day he could see that I my spirits were low.  When I got home from work, he had two surprises waiting for me.  One was a pair of teeny tiny baby camo pants.  Girl or boy, Baby G is going to match Daddy and his favorite shorts.  The second was one of the sweetest cards he's ever given me.


Inside, he wrote this:

"I know it's hard right now babe, but before you know it we'll have a little screamin ball of joy!  I can't wait to hold him, or her :-), and jam with 'em and show him/her the world.  I love you babe and always will, no matter how big you get in the next few months!  - B."

I don't think he knows how much that means to me.

So, in addition to that, the other thing that made me feel great was a shopping trip with Mamaw.  She really spoiled me!  We got four pair of maternity pants and several super cute shirts.  Even better is we got it all on sale at Kohl's and Macy's.  Mamaw found several cute shirts of her own, too.  It was a really great day.  I'll be sure to post a picture of one of my new outfits when I go to work next week.

Despite the occasional bad day, I'm in good spirits.  Next week I'll get the results of a blood test that checks for neural tube defects in the baby such as Downs syndrome and spina bifita.  I'm nervous and so anxious for everything to come out normal.  I worry about the medicines I take and really hope that I made the right decision in not discontinuing them.  We decided that the benefits outweigh the risks, but it's hard not to second guess that.  At any rate, we'll know on Thursday if everything is normal or if I'll need further testing.

Today I have been lazy, but after this update I'm going to take care of a few chores and then get ready to watch the football games with some friends.  


Love from the Gs!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

The Pregnant Cook

Today I have energy, and it's all been directed at cooking and cleaning.  Last week was not very productive; I've had a cold and felt pretty crummy until yesterday.  I still sound awful, but at least I do feel better.  For breakfast I made blueberry pancakes using biscuit mix Mamaw gave me.  (Thanks, Mamaw!)  I also made cheese eggs, which are a favorite around here.

I bought bananas last weekend that we never ate, so today they were nice and soft and brown - perfect for banana bread!  I found a recipe from JoyofBaking.com, which you can view here.  I substituted wheat germ for 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour.  It is nutty, hardy and a lot better for you than the refined flour.  I used my silicone baking cups for the first time, so these muffins are tasty AND cute!

Moist and yummy banana muffins
I've been working on a crocheted baby cocoon.  There are a lot of patterns out there, but I took my own pattern for soda can coozies and baby-sized it!  I think these cocoons will come in handy, so I'd like to have a few more.  They don't fit as tightly as a swaddling blanket so are not safe for sleeping, but they'll be convenient for bundling Baby G in the stroller or while I'm nursing.  This one is "furry."  I used fuzzy yarn that is very soft.  I'm going to do a few more rounds on the length, but here is my progress so far:

Not a robber's mask - a baby cocoon

I'm also working on a matching blanket and hat.  Between baby gear and Christmas presents, I should have plenty of crochet and knitting to keep me busy.  Look for more pictures!

Baby G and I had our 13 week appointment last Tuesday.  His or her heartbeat is very strong.  It was a relief to hear because I'm still not showing and my symptoms are better - sometimes I don't feel very pregnant.  I know that will change, just not when.  Baby G is still very low in my tummy, so right now I am sans bump.

This week I am going to schedule a hair appointment.  I haven't been taking great care of my appearance because I've been so tired and sick for the past two months.  Now that things are improving, I'd like to look presentable again.

The adventure continues!