We’re finally starting to show signs of spring this week. Today it was sunny and 40 with lots of melting snow and chirping birds. And what better way than to enjoy it than an hour walk with my little sleeping beauty. Hoping there are many more days like today around the corner!
Kristin
Today was my perfect morning! I had gotten to bed at a decent time the night before (around 11), so when my alarm went off at 7:30, I felt well rested. I quickly got myself ready, went downstairs to begin pumping. I was just about to begin pumping the other side when my favorite little monkey woke up! I love when I get to see her before I leave for work, and it is even better when I get to feed her. I rushed upstairs to a smiling happy little girl. Standing over her crib, I always say, “Good Morning! Did you have a good nights sleep?” and she always responds with a large smiles that sends endorphins throughout my body. Upon unwrapping her from her swaddle, she arches her back and stretches her arms above her head and just coos. What is more precious than that? We did a quick feeding, changed her diaper and brought her into see Bill. I gave my kisses and said my good-byes and was out the door without feeling rushed and on schedule. Best way to start out a Thursday!
My sweet sweet Lexi,
Today marks your three month birthday as well as the day I had to return to work. So far, the day has gone pretty well. It helps knowing you’re home with Daddy but I still had a hard time leaving you. I knew you were going to be in great hands, and that you wouldn’t miss me (out of sight out of mind for you for another couple of months), but the milestone that it represents was difficult. I enjoyed my time at home with you so much and would LOVE for that to be an everyday reality, but it just isn’t in the cards right now. And since it is something that I’ve always wanted it’s hard for me to just watch that dream slip out of my hands. Last night was much more difficult than today. I didn’t want to lay you down and every time I thought about me not being with you everyday and doing the things I did growing up, I choked up.
On to your Three Month Update
This month, a new 2nd cousin, Paxton, and a friend, Memphis were born. While visiting with them, it was incredible to see how much you’ve grown and hard to believe how little you used to be. I’m not sure how much you weigh or how tall you are, but I’m guessing around 14 lbs and 25 inches. At the beginning of the month, you weren’t a big fan of tummy time and would only last a minute or two without fussing. You also were showing a strong preference to your lift your head only on your right side. By the end of the month you increased the time you spent on your tummy to five+ minutes and will lift your head to the left a little bit. You still prefer your right and will always switch it to that side after we let go of holding it to the left. You’ve also rolled over from your tummy to your back two times. The first time was by complete accident. The second, you lifted your head up a bit and were turning it sideways to see the TV, got your arm under yourself and rolled over. You continue to get that arm under you but are a little hesitant on going too far.
Your hands continue to be your favorite toy and are always chewing on them. You often chew on my hand when you are held facing out (which is definitely your preference). With the constant hand chewing is a constant dribble of drool all over your face. About half way through the month you got a nasty rash on your neck from a lack of air exposure as well as drool, spit up and milk not getting cleaned well. It was pretty red and then turned into little bumps, but it cleared up in about a week with some baby powder, A&D and Desitin.
Like your mommy, you enjoy your sleep, and late into the morning. We usually put you to sleep between 9 and 10 pm and you usually wake up between 9:00 and 9:30am. This past weekend, you even slept until 10:30! I couldn’t believe it! However, you aren’t the best napper. You usually take about four naps a day. The first is about an hour after you wake up, the second is just after noon, the third is around dinnertime and the forth is just before you go to bed all lasting between 30 and 60 minutes. This month you’ve also developed a nice little bald spot on the back of your head from laying on your back. You’re a little squirmer at night. Most mornings when you wake up, you’re facing the complete opposite side we lied you down at, but you’re head rarely moves. You just pivot your whole body. Additionally, sometimes when you wake up, you’ll just lay in your crib and talk to yourself and look around for 5-10 minutes before you start crying. It is so fun to watch you on the monitor just being happy.
Music continues to be a favorite for you. You love it when we sing to you, your star plays or we just have music on in the house. You squeal, smile and are just very content when it is on. You haven’t quite started grabbing for things intentionally yet. You’ll hit a toy, grasp my necklace, clothing or hair often, but it is still unintentional.
I’ve found the baby bathtub to be very awkward. It’s hard for you to stay in the little seat so I always have a hand on you which makes it difficult to wash you well. As a result, I’ve started getting in the tub with you and you love it! You’re able to kick your legs and love “floating” on your back and looking up at me. It is also much easier to make sure I get you clean.
There were a couple of moments this month that stuck out to me as favorites. One of them actually happened almost every morning. After you had nursed, I would bring you into our bed to see Daddy and play. The three of us would lay in bed together, play and adore you. It was such a peaceful way to start each day. Another favorite moment(s) was while changing your diaper in the morning, you would kick your legs, squeal in delight and chatter away to me. Your voice soothes my soul and your smiles melt my heart. Another favorite moment was just before you went to sleep. You were bundled up in your swaddle, had just eaten and we were rocking while you were sucking away on the nuk with your eyes wide open staring at me. We rocked and stared at each other for a good five minutes. Finally, it was as if you decided “I’m going to sleep”; you spit out the nuk, nuzzled your head into the crook of my arm, closed your eyes and went to sleep. It was so sweet and loving and it is a moment I will never forget.
Love, Mom
Dear Lexi,
You are two months old and have officially stolen my heart with your beautiful smiles and sweet demeanor. You continue to be a dream of a child—so good that I’m already ready for you to have a brother or sister, but we’re still going to wait awhile! This past month feels like a fairytale and that life is just too good. The beginning of the month started off with a clogged duct for me—which may or may not have lead to mastitis. I also had a nasty cold, so I’m not entirely sure I had the infection or not, but took some antibiotics just in case.
Then at around 6 ½ weeks you began sleeping through the night. You had always been a good sleeper, only getting up once a night with you, but now you sleep anywhere from 8-12 hours every night. At your two month checkup the Dr. couldn’t believe that and said it was very rare for a baby that young to be sleeping for such long stretches. Although, you sleep for a long time during the night—you still sleep quite a bit in the day. You haven’t developed a consistent schedule as far as how long or when you sleep, but after you wake up in the morning, you usually eat, we change your diaper and you play for about an hour and then you’re ready for nap, which we always try to lay you in your crib for. The only reason you wouldn’t sleep there is if we have somewhere to go, which then you sleep in your car seat. You usually sleep anywhere from an hour to three hours and then wake up and repeat the eating and changing. This time, you usually stay up for about 2 hours and then take another nap. Sometimes you sleep in your crib, but your afternoon naps are usually a little shorter sometimes just 30 minutes—especially if you are in your crib. You prefer to be held for your afternoon naps and usually wake up pretty quickly if we lay you down. You take one more nap in the evening before we put you to sleep for the night somewhere around 11. We’ve also started putting you to sleep awake from time to time. About half of the time you’re already so tired that you fall asleep without a peep, the other half you cry for about 10-15 min. and then fall asleep. I had a really hard time (and still don’t like) listening to you cry it out, but I know it is for your own good.
This month you have also mastered smiling. At the beginning of the month we would get an occasional smile out of you, and by the end of the month it’s hard to find a moment without you smiling. Whenever you see Mom or Dad’s face we see that beautiful smile of yours, and have even noticed a little dimple in your right cheek. You also began cooing and it is the most precious noise I’ve ever heard. Rachel barrowed us a play gym that had a toy on the top that plays music and lights up and you absolutely love it! We turn it on with you in the bouncer and you smile and squeal in delight. It is so fun to watch and listen to you have fun!
As a result of the love for the music toy, we’ve been playing more music for you, and you really seem to like it, especially when we dance. We’ve played a few nursery rhymes for you, but have mostly listened to the Killers. Overall you really enjoy any kind of movement. You instantly fall asleep in the car, and almost always settle down if we pick you up and just carry you around the house with us as we do our business—especially if you are facing outward and can watch what is going on. We’ve tried putting you in the baby carrier a few times and you do OK in it, but I find myself always holding you if I bend over to grab something and sometimes it feels a little awkward. Also, when you’re upset and tired you like us jiggling our arms a little bit to help you fall asleep. The only movement you haven’t seemed to love is the swing. In addition to movement from us, you are quite the little kicker. You love to kick your legs and flale your arms—especially when you’re diaper is off. Whenever we set you down to change your diaper, you usually begin to cry but as soon as we undo the diaper and wipe you, you’re a happy kicking little girl!
You continue to get bigger and stronger everyday! At your 2 month check up you weighed 12 lbs. and 5 oz., which is in the 75% for weight an were 23.5” long which is in the 97% for height. You’ve also gotten pretty good at holding your head up on tummy time. You can push yourself up so your head is at 90 degrees, which the Dr. said is normal for a 4 month old.
You continue to be a good eater. We give you a bottle about once a day and have never questioned it. With the bottle you’ll down 4-5 ounces without a question, and I’m sure would drink more if you could. We always need to put a nuk in your mouth as soon as you’re done with the bottle to satisfy your sucking need and so you don’t get upset the bottle is gone. Since I began nursing you, I always put a burp rag under you chin to help keep you clean and now when I do it, you know you’re going to get to eat. If you’re crying you settle down and look at me and smile while open your mouth and kind of bob your head like you’re ready. It is very sweet! With that, you’ve had some constipation problems this month. You would go 3+ days without pooping, when you were previously going a couple times a day. Additionally, if you were awake, you were grunting, pushing and generally very uncomfortable. The Dr. recommended we add a little prune juice to your bottle and that has seemed to help a lot. The overall consistency has changed from yellow-mustardy and seedy to something that resembles peanut butter.
I can’t believe you’re already 2 months old. You have brought more joy and happiness into our lives than we ever thought was possible. We pray for your safety and health everyday and thank God for blessing us with such a beautiful, healthy and happy little girl. You truly are the sunshine of our everyday!
Love,
Mom
Dear Lexi,
I can’t believe you are already one month old! This past month went by too quickly, and I’m shocked at how much you have already changed.
At about the week and a half mark, we transitioned from sleeping in the family room to you sleeping in your crib and me in my bedroom. The first night was a little touch and go. I leapt out of bed every time I heard you make a sound, but as the nights went on, I learned more about your sleep patterns. You’re a loud little sleeper. You grunt and make all sorts of noises, even let out a couple loud cries only to fall back asleep. By the end of the month, I would only get up when you were waking to eat. This has made a big difference in our ability to sleep and not wake ever 10 to 20 minutes from your noises.
We’ve now developed a somewhat predictable schedule. As soon as I’m done feeding you between 12 and 1 am, I go to bed and then Daddy puts you to sleep. About 6 hours later, you wake up to be changed and fed and then go back to sleep for another four or five hours. This time, Daddy gets up changes your diaper and plays with you for as long as he can before you need to be fed so I can get a couple extra minutes of sleep. So, I really only have to get up once throughout the night, which isn’t too bad. I’ve tried to be really good about keeping the lights off and not talking to reinforce night time is for sleeping. We’ve also developed the pattern to only swaddle you at night, which seems to help cue that it is night time. Overall, you’re a very good sleeper. You love to sleep in people’s arms but will sleep in your Pack ‘N Play, crib, bouncer or car seat.
This past week, you’ve started to get a little fussy, especially at night, so we’re hoping this isn’t the beginning of colic. When you’re awake, all you seem to want to do is eat, even right after you’ve finished eating, you continue making the eating signs. Right now we’re giving you the pacifier to help sooth you. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t.
You’re also very gassy. You’re constantly grunting, holding your breath, red-faced and overall uncomfortable when you’re gassy. Daddy works with you to help ease your pain. He moves your legs around and brings them up and presses them against your tummy. You will pretty much fart on demand for him when he does this. He thinks its hilarious and it helps you feel better so its a win for both sides.
Throughout the month, you’ve also developed a re-occuring blister on your top lip. It doesn’t seem to be painful for you, but eventually it ‘pops’ even though nothing comes out. The skin fall off and another one develops. The nurses say it is common for babies that have a strong suction and its nothing to worry about.
During the month, we also celebrated Christmas and New Years. You are one lucky little girl. You received many gifts from your aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and mommy’s aunts and uncles. You have lots of clothes to wear, books to read and a couple of new toys to play with. During all of the celebrations, you were just a jewel. You looked adorable in your little Christmas dress and just snoozed away as you were passed around to everyone. There were lots of compliments on what a beautiful baby you are.
We are sill overjoyed and feel incredibly blessed to have such a perfect and healthy little girl!
Love, Mom
Dear Lexi,
About an hour after your arrival, I called Grandma B to tell her about your arrival. The conversation started out very casual as she was just finishing up baking and then I just matter-of-factly asked if she wanted to come meet her grand-daughter and she was OVERJOYED! Her and Grandpa B headed over to the hospital right away.
I had just tried nursing you for the first time, and I thought it went relatively well. I thought you had latched on well, but learned later you weren’t and were sucking in the opposite direction. Instead of your tongue pulling the milk in, you were pushing it out. That first night was a tough one. You screamed a lot. Eventually one of the nurses suggested skin-to-skin contact. They had you lay with your diaper on my bare chest and it really calmed you down, and it was the most soothing thing for me. I really bonded with you during those hours. Your skin was so soft and I just rubbed my hands on your back and we both fell asleep. It was the best sleep I had gotten in months.
Once the lactation nurse arrived in the morning, she came straight to the room and tought us how to latch. The first thing she did was express some colostrum and fed it to you with a syring to get some food into your stomach. Then she showed us several different feeding positions and tricks to help you latch. One of them was having Daddy “tickle” the top of your mouth with his finger to teach you to suck in instead of out.
Later that day, we also went with you for your first bath. I was an emotional wreak. I cried the whole time and not just a couple of sniffles with water in my eyes, I had big-full tears streaming. In addition to the crazy amount of hormone changes my body was going through, I think it was the moment I realized how much I loved you and how perfect you were. I knew I felt those things before, but I hadn’t had the time to comprehend everything and it all just came to me at one time. We were so lucky to have this beautiful, healthy, perfect little girl. God has truly blessed us.
That afternoon/eveing was pretty busy with visitors. Grandpa and Grandma Sampson, Aunt Becca, Great-Grandma and Great Grandpa Sampson, Auntie Angie, Aunt Teresa, Uncle Greg, Ashely, Courtney and Tia all came to visit. This day was pretty overwhelming. I was still nervous about the nursing, I was sore and tired and the constant visitors was a little exhausting Next time, we’ll definitely limit the amount of time people are allowed to stay.
The second night at the hospital went a little better. You had your 24 hour tests, which Daddy went with you for, while I took a bath. When I returned, you and Daddy were hanging out having some skin-to-skin time. Below is a photo of one of Daddy’s favorite memories in the hospital. He said he sung songs and to you and began to realize all of the exciting moments he is going to experience having a daughter, which made him choke up a little bit.
We started the sleeping portion of the night with you in the nursery so we could get a little sleep. It didn’t last long and then just decided to keep you in the room for the rest of the night. The next morning, we began getting all of our stuff ready to go home, met with the lactation consultant again–who was SO helpful, had a quick visit with Rachel and Lauren and then headed home.
Love,
Mom
Since I had gotten so little sleep on Sunday evening, I left work early on Monday and went home and took a bath. When I got out and was changed, I went down to check my phone to make sure there weren’t any pressing emails that had come in from work, and was surprised to find a voicemail from the Dr. Sure enough the blood work had some in late that afternoon and I was diagnosed with cholestasis (ICP) and needed to head to the hospital that evening to be induced. They called at 4:30, I got the message at 5:10 and we needed to be at the hospital at 6 pm, so although we had the bag packed and were ready to go, it was still a little frantic trying to get everything together. I had a mix of emotions while listening to that voicemail from the Dr. I was excited that it was finally happening, but was also very scared for the labor. I had always heard the contractions of labor are a lot more intense when you’re induced, and overall, just really didn’t know what to expect. Your Dad was a little frantic too, as I was listening to the voicemail, I told him, ‘It’s go time,’ and he thought my water broke or something, but then I explained the positive blood work. I had to listen to the voicemail like three times because he kept talking while I was listening and couldn’t get all the details. Once we confirmed we had received the message with the clinic, Dad took a quick shower, while I got the rest of our stuff ready. On the way there, we stopped at Chipotle so he could eat. I’m not sure if he was more excited that I let him stop or that we were going to get to meet you the next day.
The labor and delivery section of the hospital was pretty full when we arrived, there were only two rooms available, one of which happened to be the second best room, which was ours. It was very large and had a huge bathroom with a special tub to do water births. Your dad took a couple quick last belly photos before I put on the hospital gown and got ready. As they were checking me in, they did a pelvic exam and learned that I had dialated to 3 cm, which they were surprised about and wanted to check to see what medicine they wanted to give me. Originally, they were going to give me a medication that helped dialate me, but decided to give me something to help soften my cervix instead. They also commented on how low you were inside of me. They had a hard time doing the internal exams because you’re head was right my cervix, which would explain the pelvic pressure and need to pee so often. Once they did that, Daddy and I were good for the night and we could just hang out. I hadn’t eaten anything yet that evening and was hungry so Daddy went to the store to get me some Cheetos, sweatarts and some tums, then we watched Disney’s Cats. By this time Daddy was pretty tired so he went to bed and I attempted to, but just couldn’t sleep. I had an IV in my hand and it just drove me nuts and I couldn’t sleep, I played several games oh phase 10 and Suduko. I was also very anxious for what was to happen the next day.
Finally around 5 am I feel asleep but woke up around 7:30 am when they came in to check on me. Dr. Grajczyk came in just before 8 am, did an internal exam. The medicine didn’t seem to do much as I was 65% effaced (I was about 50%) when I came in and dialated to about 3.5 cm. She broke my water and gave the instructions to start administering the Pitocin. Having my water break was definitely interesting. It looked like she took a crochet needle to break it and there was just a little sound like a blister popping, and then lots of water. It felt like I was peeing my pants and it just wouldn’t stop for a couple of minutes. Eventually it slowed enough where I could stand up, I put a huge pad between my legs and waddled to the bathroom. I was then instructed to put on a pair of mesh underwear that were kind of like shorts and went up over my belly with the large pad in them and wear those throughout the labor as the water continued to leak out of me. One thing I was surprised by was that my belly didn’t look any different after my water broke. I’m not sure why, but I kind of thought it would be smaller or would kind of deflate like a blister does.
As soon as my water broke, I started having contractions. They weren’t too painful and I could talk through them for the most part, but they weren’t frequent enough or strong enough so they started administering the Pitocin around 9 am. I labored on the birthing ball for most of these. Each one was a little stronger than the next and they were coming about every two minutes and lasting 30 seconds. Your daddy was a rock star in helping me through them. He was so positive and encouraging and continued to remind me to relax my shoulders and keep breathing. I tried a few other positions, but could absolutely not do anything just laying or sitting. I needed to have some kind of movement through the contraction. So in addition to bouncing on the birthing ball, I would occasionally lean on Daddy’s shoulder and rock back and forth. Throughout the whole labor, I was really cold. We had to put the ball in the sun to help keep me warm. Also at the peak of the contraction, I would get slightly nauseous, but thankfully never threw up. Around 10 am, they checked me again, and I hadn’t dialated at all, but was now 85% effaced, which they said was really good. Typically, your cervix softens before you dialat further. So we continued to labor naturally, and I would say the pain scale would increase about one number every hour or so.
At noon, I was checked again and had dialated to a 4 and was still 85% effaced. I was a little discouraged by that because the pain was increasing a lot and it had been 4 hours and I had barely progressed. So I decided to get in the tub to try something new. Once I got in, labor started to take an odd spin. My contractions shifted, I would have three in a row without one ever ending, and the first one would be really intense. Then I would have a 5-minute break. At the time I didn’t know this was really happening, but I would fall asleep on your Daddy’s arm between the contractions. After about an hour, I knew I needed the epidural. The three contractions on top of each other was too much and I knew it was only going to get worse. So they began giving me the fluid for the Epidural and did another internal exam and I hadn’t progressed at all. I was still at a 4 and 85% effaced. I was so happy I had made the decision to get the epidural because it was heartbreaking to hear I had gone two hours and the pain was intense and I hadn’t progressed. Additionally, you had shifted inside of me and were kind of sideways slash backwards.
Before I knew it, the anesthesiologist was administering the epidural. I never saw the needle and I immediately began feeling the pain relief. The hardest part was sitting hunched over during a contraction. I was surprised that I could still wiggle my toes and had some feeling in my legs. I thought the epidural completely paralyzed you from the waist and below. By 2 pm, the epidural was in full effect and Daddy and I took a nap since I got so little sleep the night before. We woke up about two hours later when the nurse came in to see how I was progressing. In two hours I was 100% effaced and had dialated to an 8. I was so excited I had made such good progress and didn’t feel a thing while I was sleeping. Within 45 min I was at a 10 and we began pushing.
The nurse said it takes awhile to learn how to push so we’re just going to practice. She would tell me when a contraction was coming and I would take a deep breath in and then hold my breath for 10 counts while pushing and repeat three times for each contraction. That pattern continued for about an hour, which I thought was all practice, but then all of the sudden the nurse said we can see the head and I was amazed. I thought that meant you were going to come out in the next couple of minutes, but it turns out, they can see your head for awhile and I still needed to push you a ways out. Throughout the pushing, they shifted me from one side and to the other to help rotate you inside of me. I also was very cold, and shaking like I had really low blood sugar while I was pushing. I asked to eat some crackers or something, but they wouldn’t let me so I kept drinking juice. The pushing part of labor was the biggest surprise to me, I couldn’t believe how relaxing and low key it was. We were laughing and joking with the nurses between contractions, showing them pictures of the nursery and making bets on your size and gender. There was no screaming, yelling, sweating or anything. I didn’t have any pain, but could just feel pressure or a contraction.
Again, Daddy was great through this whole process. He was there holding my legs, helping move me around and was so encouraging. He always made me feel like I was making good progress and doing good. He kept saying “You’re doing great “P”, keep it up, push push push.” Eventually the doctor and nurse wanted to know why he kept calling me “P” so he shared the “peanut” story. Daddy was also watching how you progressed out of me, which I thought was very cool and was surprised by it. He usually doesn’t do very good with blood and bodily type things, but he thought it was very cool. Another interesting thing about you was you kept moving your head around in the birth canal. The nurse said she had never seen another baby do that.
Finally, you were just about to come out so Dr. G got on her scrubs and she had to make a small episiotomy since I wasn’t tearing naturally. One push later and you were laying on my tummy. Daddy announced you were a girl while he cut the umbilical cord. The first time it didn’t go all the way through so he had to give it a second chance. You were absolutely beautiful laying there on my chest. You had a beautiful color and your head was shaped perfectly. The nurses quickly took you away and began whipping you off and doing an initial test.
You scored a 9 on both of your APGAR tests. You had a beautiful cry. I remember just laying on the bed kind of in shock but watching you scream and flale your arms and legs as they cleaned you off. I couldn’t believe you were here and were a girl and was amazed at how perfect you were. As they were cleaning and sewing me up, they announced that you were 7 lbs. and 15 ounces and 21.5 inches long. Again, I couldn’t believe that you were so little. I was planning on you being over 9 lbs. In fact, the nurses and doctors and I were all making bets on how much you would weigh. My guess was 9 lbs. and 8 ounces. Out of the 8 people that were in the room when you were born, Daddy was the only one that thought you were a girl, everyone else guessed boy. Daddy was busy taking photos of you and got to hold your little fingers while they cleaned you. Soon enough you were back in my arms and I just stared at you in awe. One of my favorite moments was watching Daddy hold you for the first time. He had a huge smile on his face and couldn’t take his eyes off of you. He was so happy and in love with you, so much so that he teared up and couldn’t believe we had created something so perfect.
Little had I known, but they had shut my epidural off 20 min before you were born to help me feel the contractions. But I still had no pain. And within an hour, I had feeling in my legs again and was able to stand up and walk to the bathroom. I had some bleeding, but it wasn’t bad at all. I was surprised at how painful my south-side was after. I don’t know why I was surprised, but I guess I thought it only hurt during labor and not after, but it was very sore for several days following. Padded ice packs helped with the swelling and the feeling that my insides were going to fall out of me–especially as I got in and out of sitting positions and walking. I had to walk very slowly—almost waddle like I was still pregnant.
Dear Alexis,
Welcome to the world my sweet sweet girl! You could not be more beautiful and perfect. You are just over three weeks old today and have turned Mommy and Daddy’s world upside down with the amount of love we have for you. You have your Daddy wrapped around your fingers. He loves you more than anything in this world. He is constantly wanting to snuggle, hold you and give you kisses. He loves to change your diaper, put clothes on you for the day, tell you stories and sing to you. It is the most incredible thing to watch him be so loving and affectionate with you.
You have opened our hearts to places that have never been touched before. I am blown away at how much love we can have for someone we have known for such a short time. Every other relationship a person has in life takes months and sometimes even years to grow and develop a deep, profound love, but within a matter of seconds of holding you and hearing you cry, I loved you in a way I have never loved another. God has truly blessed us.
Love,
Mom
Dear Bump,
You are proving to be quite the trickster. We had a nice relaxing weekend at home and we were sure you were going to arrive. I even had a couple of minor false labor signs. My contractions have increased in intensity but aren’t painful or distract me enough to stop whatever activity I’m engaged in. There were several times throughout the weekend where contractions were 7-8 minutes apart for over an hour, but never got closer and would dissipate over the next hour.
The itching continues and has become pretty bothersome. Last night I couldn’t sleep at all! I maybe got three hours of sleep. I even considered putting mittens on to prevent me from itching. Daddy has been sleeping in a twin bed in our bedroom with earmuffs on since 36 weeks because the scratching is so loud. He says I sounds like a raccoon digging through the garbage. I also noticed a new little rash on my belly near one of my freckles .
Overall, I’m feeling a little frustrated and I know I shouldn’t because I haven’t even reached my due date yet, but so many people told me you were going to arrive early it got in my head and now that you’re not its disappointing. Additionally, I feel like I keep having these signs that labor is going to start and then it doesn’t and it is another let down.
Tomorrow, we have another appointment with Dr. G so we’ll get the results back on the blood work they did last week, see if I’ve progressed and if not maybe talk about an induction date. I really want you to be healthy, but also come soon and naturally so I don’t have to be induced. Please be good to your mom!
Love, Mom
Peanut Smiles 