34 Week Update

I am sooooo glad this week is over! I finished up my week-long workshop...with a speech in front of a packed house that I had less than an hour to prepare for! There were probably 200 people in that room...maybe more, maybe less. I'm proud to say that, although I was extremely nervous and my cheeks shone brighter than Rudolph's nose at midnight, I didn't suffer from any verbal vomit, mental breakdowns, or tripping over my feet (which are becoming harder to see by the day)! Yay! I said my piece and then went silently back into my corner to recompose myself. Cool thing is that I get major credit for doing this workshop and I can put it on my resume. Kudos to me!

As for Jaxson... everything is trucking right along. Doctor confirmed that he is head down and growing just fine. His heart rate was 141, which is totally normal for him. Nothing extravagant and I was in and out within a half hour or less. I'm up to 185 pounds which puts me at a total of about 18 pounds gained to date. I'm sad to see the scale go up 4 pounds in two weeks, but it's reassuring that my little man is growing just as he should and that the weight is for a good cause. Besides, I'm still technically under the recommended weight gain for someone of my stature. Next appointment is on March 12th and they will do the lovely Group B Strep test (nothing like having someone take a giant Q-Tip and swab next to your butthole...) and they start the cervical checks for dilation and effacement. It's that time already?? I still think I'm in shock that my newest son could be here in as soon as a month's time. I just had a baby!! And even HE doesn't seem like a baby anymore... oh how time flies!

We also got an update on Aaron's sister, Sharon, today. Unfortunately, no baby for her and Ted this month, but I'm sure that they are going to keep on trying to give Jonas and Isaac a baby brother or sister. We should find out next week if Tommy and Samantha were luckier to add to the family tree. Oh, heavens help us! The Andresen name will live on forever. I swear the "Andresen mission" is to take over the world, haha! Duggars, watch out!!

Well, I'm going to get going and try to finish up here at work so I can head out early. I have some shopping to do and I'm hoping to treat myself to a pedicure and eyebrow waxing before I turn into a Neanderthal. Gotta love those Bresnahan hair-growing genes. Now if only I could stop growing gray hairs... Yep, you heard me right. I've plucked not one, but TWO gray hairs from my head this week. Either being a mom is more stressful than I thought or I had a really, really busy week! Ha!

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy your weekend... I know I'll enjoy mine! :)

Crazy week...

So... I thought I'd finally try to get around to updating this week. It's been absolutely hectic and this is one of those times where I have like ZERO downtime at work. In fact, I haven't even really been at my desk all week because I've become part of a week-long workshop called an RPIW. I don't know exactly what it stands for, but it's a "something" Processes Improvement Workshop. Basically we are trying to streamline processes here to make them easier and more efficient. I originally wasn't part of the RPIW group, but since my boss is one of the team leaders for this month's RPIW, he said I should tag along since it would be a good learning opportunity. I was under the assumption that I was taking on more of an "observer" role, however I've found myself thrusted into the middle as an active participant...which is fun and exhausting at the same time considering it's an area where I really have no expertise at all. Kind of like telling someone to do a job with no formal training or background. It HAS been a good learning opportunity thus far. And it's been busy! All day long meetings every day this week... and lots of walking. We have 5 buildings on campus and I'm constantly walking between 4 of them... So, if I'm MIA a lot this week it's because work is literally keeping me on my toes!

As for the baby... I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon and I think it will be the same standard stuff. Maybe she can give me a guess as to how big he is. I think he went through a growth spurt since my last appointment because, according to my scale at home, I've gained about 4 pounds in the last 2 weeks, which for me is a HUGE increase. I typically have been gaining at a pound or less a week. It's all for a good cause, right?? :) I can tell he's growing though because I can feel his movements a lot more. I can feel his butt pushing out and lots of rolling movements which I'm assuming are either his knees or elbows...something of the like.

As for Jayden: He is doing MUCH better! The antibiotics have been a godsend! He's back to sleeping through the night (in his own bed nonetheless) so I've actually felt quite rested the past few days. Almost all of his symptoms are gone and he seems to be back to normal. He's learned how to blow kisses recently and has a huge obsession with saying "Mama" over and over again. He thinks it's funny when I respond by saying "What?" or "Jayden". Hehe... funny boy! Oh, and he now knows how to climb onto our dining room table! No more chairs left out anymore...they are permanently scooted into the table so he can't use them as a step stool.

In other random news, it looks like I will be getting a baby shower after all! My mother in law, Joan, really wants to throw me a celebration shower since she feels Jaxson should be celebrated pre-birth like Jayden was. I totally believe every child should be celebrated too, so Aaron and I were planning a "meet and greet" potluck for after Jax was born because I felt weird having a second shower when we really didn't need anything for Jaxson and because some people feel it's tacky or taboo to have a shower for a second child so soon after the first because gifts are "expected". I didn't want anyone to feel obligated to buy us anything for Jax because we do have everything we needed for him from Jayden, and the things we did need or want to buy in addition are things we bought with our tax return because we weren't anticipating a second shower. However, I thought it was really sweet that Joan wanted to do this for us and she was so excited so I wasn't going to burst her bubble. :) So, I suggested that it be a "diaper shower" instead so that if people WANT to get us something, they are more than welcome to just bring a pack of diapers since we will obviously need them...and we will have 2 kids in diapers, which can get really expensive!! So, the date is set for March 22nd! I can't wait to celebrate Jax's impending arrival!! :)

Other tidbits: We got a ton of "Jaxson stuff" in the mail over the last week including the double stroller a couple days ago. Jayden loved "helping" me put it together. He kept climbing in the front seat and plopping his butt down, so I took him for a test drive in it. He LOVES his new stroller...and I think he'll like it even more when he has a little buddy in there with him. :) We also got the "Big/Little Brother" custom t-shirts in the mail and his booties as well as the bassinet sheets, so now we are just waiting on our rocker (which should be here the first week of March) and Jaxson's hat. I FINALLY was able to order it after having it out of stock for weeks! Hospital bags are primarily packed, but there are a few things I can't put in them until time gets closer. I also made a to-do list for all the projects to get done before Jax gets here so we have our work cut out for us over the next few weekends. This weekend's project is to rearrange our bedroom furniture so that we can actually use the heater in our room (our dresser currently blocks it) and so we have room to set up the bassinet. Plus, my friend Sarah is having her baby shower on Saturday (she's due with a little girl, Mackenzie, on May 1st) and then I'm going to my sister's house on Sunday so she can put highlights in my hair and thin it out. I'm so excited for a "new look"! Oh, and I also finalized plans for Jayden's care during my labor and while we stay overnight in the hospital...so it looks like he will be having lots of fun with his aunties while I'm getting ready to have Jax. Then he will come and meet his little brother for the first time, and then stay overnight with my sister until we come home from the hospital. I'm so excited to see how Jay reacts to meeting his baby brother for the first time!! It's going to be soooo precious! :)

In other "possible" baby news, we are officially on watch! We joked when we were pregnant with Jayden that we started a "trend" because from December 2007 (when Jay was born) to July 2008, there were 6 babies born in Aaron's family. We started off the "preggo train" with Jayden, then Aaron's brother had a boy in January, our nephew Brayden was born in February, then Aaron's sister had Jonas in May, his other brother had a girl, Jennea, in June, and then Aaron's cousin welcomed Angelina in July. When we found out we were pregnant with Jax in August, the joke surfaced again saying that we were again going to start a "preggo train". Well, around November/December we found out that Aaron's brother, Chris, and his wife (who are the parents to Jennea) are expecting baby #4 in August 2009. Then, his sister, Sharon, and her now-husband, Ted, (parents to Jonas) are now trying for baby #3 after Sharon had her IUD removed. She was supposed to start her period a day or two ago and last I heard...she hasn't. However, she hasn't tested yet, but it's possible that she may be pregnant as well. And, Tommy and Samantha (Aaron's brother and his fiancee) are also currently trying to make Brayden a big brother this year...so I may hear good news from her in a couple weeks. On top of the baby news, we also have 2 weddings! Tommy and Samantha are getting married on May 14th and we just found out that Aaron's sister, Jen, got engaged within the last week! No date for them has been set yet, but it looks like 2009 is going to be just as big of a year as 2008 was for the Andresen family. Oh how the family is growing!! :)

Well, I have to get back to my RPIW now, but I will try to update on Friday with the news I get from my doctor's appointment tomorrow! 6 weeks and counting (down!) to Jaxson's arrival! I cannot WAIT to meet my second son! :)

Cheers!

My poor baby! :(

So, Jayden has been battling a cough for the last 4-ish weeks and I kept calling the doctor to ask what I should do, if I'm giving him the right medications and treatment, and whether or not I should bring him in. Time and time again they tell me that I just have to let him ride it out and that I'm already doing everything I can possibly do for him. So I wait... Since he didn't really have a fever, was eating and drinking just fine, not vomiting or having diarrhea regularly (except for a couple occasions), etc. I was just told it would go away on its own. But after hearing him hack and gag on his own phlegm and mucus for 4 weeks and just having him not be his usual self I decided to take him into the doctor yesterday. He hasn't been sleeping well...he wakes up in the middle of the night crying and screaming and he's been more lethargic and uninterested than usual. Monday night was the dealbreaker though...after changing a very runny poopy diaper and having him vomit all over in his carseat, coupled with a slightly high temperature I knew I couldn't subdue my mommy intuition. And it's a good thing I didn't!!!

Doctor takes a quick look at him and immediately determines that he has an ear infection in BOTH ears and he's starting to develop a mild case of pneumonia. :( My poor little Punky! I felt so awful that he's been dealing with this for so long and I'm just now getting him to the doctor! I knew I should have followed my instinct and taken him in weeks ago! The doctor said that he's a brave and strong little boy to have been sick for so long and only be showing mild symptoms...he's such a trooper! So, at least now I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel. He's now on amoxicillin three times a day for 10 days and I'm already seeing small improvements. He fought me last night going to bed, but once he was out...he was out. And he slept all night long (despite the fact that he's still sleeping with Mommy and Daddy, but I'm cherishing the extra cuddle time since he's sick...). And he takes his meds like a champ!! He doesn't fight me or make faces...he actually sucks the medicine out of the dropper! What a great little boy! :) Aw, I just love him.

So, keep our little Punky in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. Poor kid has already suffered too long! :(

On a good note, we went out shopping on Monday night to get everything we need for baby Jaxson (and we got Jay a couple things too) and while we were in Babies R Us, one of the ladies from the Kiddie Kandids booth there approached Aaron and offered to take free pictures of Jayden as a way to get word out about their studio. So, Aaron took them up on their offer and we got some free shots of him. He actually did really well! Last time we took him in for his 1 year pictures to JCPenney and he cried. I think he hated the lights and the photographer's high pitched squealing. The shots turned out pretty good, but they are still more expensive than JCPenney so we will probably continue to go there. We are Portrait Club members and the setting at JCP is more private...especially for the maternity shots that I want. Anyway... I just thought I'd share the new pictures. He's such a little boy now...he looks less baby-like and he looks almost identical to his Daddy at this age! Enjoy!

Happy Wednesday!

Weekend updates! YAY!

Our weekend turned out pretty good, but VERY VERY busy!

Aaron and I went to see the new Friday the 13th movie on opening night (Friday). Not exactly my choice of a Valentine's Date movie, but Aaron and I are far from normal in that aspect. I didn't watch most of it since I don't do well with bloody movies... I do like thrillers, but the older I get the more "slashers" freak me out. All they really are is a pathetic excuse for no-name actresses to flash their big ol boobies around on a screen (so they get more $$ than they would normally if they kept their clothes on) right before they get hacked in a million pieces. Flashing boobs in these movies is an automatic death sentence. See a naked chick? Yup...she's gonna die. I mean, it was a good movie (and Aaron is a HUGE Friday the 13th aficionado) and I LOVED having some one on one time with Aaron since we rarely have a night away from the Punky. However, it's my duty to bash non-chick flick movies. :)

Next morning, Aaron woke up and took the car to get the oil changed while I stayed with Jayden at home. Then to my surprise his mom showed up and said that Aaron had told her it was an emergency and to get to the house right away...freaked me out because I had NO idea what he was talking about. What emergency? Just then he comes through the door with roses, chocolates, and cards for the both of us. Too sweet! Jayden even got Valentines Day gifts this year. Grandma Joan bought him a spinning top toy which he loves, Daddy got him a Disney movie that he and I grew up on (Oliver and Company), and he got tons of Valentines from the kids at daycare AND from Uncle Tommy, Aunt Samantha, and his cousin Brayden. Then, we met up with my mom and 2 of my sister's kids (ages 4 and 10) at Denny's for a pre-ultrasound breakfast. It was rushed as we were running late, but we still got there with enough time to see our little man on the screen.

So... for the ULTRASOUND update. She starts out the ultrasound in 2D checking baby's position before starting the 3D portion. I was just joking in the lobby about how he'd better turn and how he's still transverse which is completely what I'd expected her to say. So, I asked her "He's still transverse, right?". And her next words completely caught me off guard... "Nope...he's head down". HEAD DOWN!! YAY!! Oh, I could have jumped up and kissed her I was so happy! I had thought he might be head down because I was feeling movement in different places, but I wasn't holding my breath. I felt heavier on my right side, felt rolling up top, barely any movement on the mid left side, and more cervical pressure. It is confirmed! Head down on my right with his feet up top (explained the hard rolling). I never felt a flip, but there was a 48 hour window where I had almost non-stop movement and so I can only guess he flipped then. The tech also said that the likelihood of him flipping back to a transverse or breech position at this point is pretty rare, so it looks like most likely he's there to stay. Oh! Music to my ears!!

The clarity/brightness of the pictures didn't seem as great this time around, and since we got good face shots 3 weeks ago, we got more body shots this time. He's MOST DEFINITELY a boy, and he has long fingers. Oh, and he has hair!!! She couldn't see it at the 29 week ultrasound, but we did get to see his hair this time. And you could tell that he does have more facial definition...he's packin' on the baby fat. :) Here are some of the pictures we got. Please excuse the blurriness. Again we don't have a scanner so these are just pictures I took of the actual pictures with my crappy cell phone.

{ It's blurry, but the fuzzy white stuff to the right on the top is his HAIR!! :) }

{ There are his LONG fingers grabbing at his toes! }

{ Close up of his foot and leg }

{Blurry again, but the tech said he likes to suck on his arm, so we shouldn't be surprised if he has a temporary "hickey" when he's born... }

{ As if we needed any more evidence that he's a boy...right?? }

After the ultrasound, things got a little misconstrued with my mom so we ended up taking my sister's kids back to our place right after the ultrasound. Apparently my mom forgot that Aaron and I had plans to go to downtown Seattle for a while (she claims I never told her--- it's usually MY fault when it comes to my mom) and then we were going to return to her house afterwards to pick the kids up. Instead she assumed I was taking them right after the ultrasound and she went and made plans to spend V-Day with a guy she's never even met... Fun. So, I got no alone time with my husband on Valentine's Day which made us both pretty mad for a while, but oh well. We got over it. So, everyone came over to our house to hang out for a while and then we shooed everyone out so we could get Jayden down for a nap. Meanwhile, the older kids and I made chocolate cupcakes. Then my niece and I started feeling sick... and I ended up throwing up the rest of Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Not fun. I'm not sure if it was a stomach bug or a mild case of food poisoning, but whatever it was sucked. I'm fine now though and I didn't get dehydrated so I'm okay.

Sunday was spent recuperating, but it was still hectic caring for 3 kids practically by myself since Aaron typically gets stressed and overwhelmed easily and just closes himself off. Have I mentioned I need a vacation?? :) Anyway, the day consisted of more baking... we made a cake and these cookie/brownie bars. Please... no more sugar! I seriously have donuts, brownies, cake, and chocolate galore at my place!! AAAH!!! Then we went to the park for a while to let the kids play... Jayden LOVED the slide so much that he'd get to the bottom and want to climb back up to the top to go again. After that we left for McKenna's 10th birthday party. She went bowling for her birthday...and I bowled a whopping 142! I guess I got good luck from the baby belly... my best bowling day is usually a 110 maximum. After stuffing my face with more bad food like pizza, nachos, cake, and onion rings we finally left to go home and relax. Now I'm thinking I need to eat better. Ugh, so much bad food...

All in all it was a good weekend, but I'm so glad that Aaron and I don't have plans next weekend. We need some detox time. As much as we can get in our crazy, hectic lives anyway... :)

Hope you all are having a great Monday!

32 Weeks

So, I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and there's not really much to report. Everything seems right on schedule and Jaxson seems to be growing just fine. I weighed in at 181 which brings me to a total weight gain of 14 pounds this pregnancy which my doctor says is adequate enough and she's not concerned. I'd probably gained 20 pounds at this point when I was pregnant with Jayden and I ate a lot better with him. Seriously, I crave chocolate and carbs with this pregnancy and it must be going all to the baby because I'm not really packing it on elsewhere. It's only a one pound increase from my visit 2 weeks ago, so she says she's not worried since she sees that I am gaining even if it is at a snail's pace. :) Jaxson's heart rate is back in it's usual range at a healthy 142 BPM and it still looks like the little punk is transverse, but I'm trying not to let it bug me too much. My belly was measuring slightly smaller than the average 32cm for being 32 weeks, but for me that's normal so no concern there. They also retested my thyroid after having to increase my dose slightly and I got the green light on the results this afternoon, so everything looks like it's completely in order.

One piece of good, reassuring news I did get was that IF for some reason Jaxson decides not to turn to a cephalic presentation like 97% of babies do, that if the ECV (the procedure where they turn the baby manually) is successful, granted they do it in the first place, that they won't automatically induce me. Most doctors will either: a) send you in for a c-section if the ECV is unsuccessful, or b) induce you if it is due to the fear that the baby may flip back to a breech or transverse presentation. Obviously I'd like to avoid either scenario so it was nice to hear her say that they won't induce me automatically if they can turn him. Also they won't induce for any reason, unless absolutely medically necessary, more than a week before my due date. So, given that they don't do inductions on weekends and I'm due on a Friday, I shouldn't expect to have Jaxson before April 6th (Monday) unless he comes on his own accord. That also reassured me since I want him to "cook" as long as possible for his sake.

Also, massage was great yesterday (I'm trying to convince my husband to get them too because they are awesome!) and I leave in an hour for my chiropractic adjustment. I'm so glad to get out early!! It's Friday, it's pay day (AND...double bonus: we already got our tax return wired to our bank account!), and it's going to be a fun and exciting weekend. YAY!

I'll probably update either this weekend or first thing Monday (granted work isn't completely swamped) with the newest 3D pictures of Jaxson from the ultrasound tomorrow. My niece and nephew are able to come, so tomorrow we are all going to breakfast and then going to the ultrasound. After Aaron and I get back from our little V-Day celebration, we are picking up the kids and going back to our place to make these brownie/cookie bars and some cupcakes. They were having a "Buy 2, get 3 free" sale on Betty Crocker products at Safeway so I stocked up!! I have tubs of frosting and boxes of cake galore at home! Hehe.

And I'm excited for bowling on Sunday...should be fun. Yes, I'm a dork.

Well, have a happy Friday everyone and have a great Valentine's weekend! I can't believe there's only eight more weeks until Jaxson gets here! I gotta get busy with packing bags and getting things ready. I just ordered him the cutest pair of booties and matching "Big/Little Brother" shirts for him and Jayden to wear at the hospital...hehe. :)

Bored out of my mind!

So far this whole week has been a doozy. I've been so bored at work that it's not even funny...the days seem to drag on forever! Tomorrow and Friday should go better because I won't be in the office much with my doctor's appointments, but I keep looking at the clock waiting for 5:00 to be here. Today is even worse because my boss is at an offsite meeting and I'm getting no incoming e-mails for meeting requests, projectors, etc. I've checked the mail twice today already and nothing except for one package. Took me all of five seconds. Normally I'd work on my scrapbook, but I don't have everything I need yet so it's still just sitting there. I've booked and confirmed every meeting that I needed to. And I still have 3 hours. Blech.

On the flip side, I'm really looking forward to my doctor's appointments and ultrasound. I don't know if I should expect any good news concerning Jaxson's position, so I'm going to assume he's still transverse. I talked to my sister today and she said that my almost-two-year-old niece, Caydence, was transverse until about a week before she was born and then she flipped so that gives me hope. 97% of babies do turn on their own, so it looks like the odds are in my favor. Anyway, I invited my niece and nephew to come to the ultrasound on Saturday because I thought they would enjoy it, so it looks like we will have a good size crew there again this weekend. Then my mom is going to take the kids for a few hours while Aaron and I go do our Valentine's Day early dinner and then the kids are coming back to our place afterwards to spend the night. We are going to make something sugary and sweet, but I haven't decided if it will be brownies, cupcakes, or cookies yet. It should be a fun time.

Then I get to go bowling on Sunday for my niece's 10th birthday party... I haven't bowled in a long time. It'll be interesting to see how well I can do while packing around my own little bowling ball... hehe!

Well, I really don't know what else to talk about but I really needed something else to do even if it was only for 5 minutes. I think I'll get up and go for a walk and then see if I can find a cute pair of booties for Jaxson. I found a cute little hat, but now I need matching booties to go with it and can't find them anywhere!

Happy Wednesday... halfway through the week!

Just another Monday...

Nothing really new or exciting to report. I've been really exhausted the past few days since Jayden and Aaron have both had horrible coughs which have kept them (and me!) up at night. I'm starting to get a sore throat myself, but I've been lucky enough so far not to get sick like they have. Knock on wood.

Aaron and I finally went through our storage closet and did a little bit of pre-spring cleaning and it felt AWESOME to get rid of a bunch of crap that we are never going to need or use again. Now we actually have space...AND I finally got to put away our Christmas stuff. Yes, it's February and I still had my stockings up above our fireplace. Next week we are going to put up pictures on our walls because it's pretty bare. I'm trying to keep myself to doing one house project with Aaron a week...and we have lots of revamping that we'd like to do. However, I think I overdid it yesterday because my back has been killing me! Even with Aaron doing the heavy lifting. And as soon as we were done with that, I had to leave with Jayden to volunteer at church to watch the kids. Nothing like 20 crying 1 year olds!! Jayden did great playing with toys and other kids, but I permanently had at least 1 or 2 toddlers plastered to my hips which didn't help my back.

Speaking of my back... I have a massage on Thursday and another adjustment on Friday that I'm looking forward to. I also have an OB appointment on Thursday as a normal check-up and to check Jax's position again. Between my appointments on Thursday and Friday along with my ultrasound on Saturday, we will determine if I need to go to a different chiropractor to have the Webster technique performed. I was able to find a chiropractor not far from my OB's office who does have the certification to do the technique and will see me without a referral from my regular chiro. So, basically if Jax is still transverse by Saturday I will be faxing over my current chiro history to the new chiro for a consult and I can get in as early as next week to have the technique performed. If that doesn't work, then I'll be on a mission to buy some Moxa sticks for the moxibustion. Also, Jax is starting to move a little bit. He's going back and forth from being transverse to being "diagonal"... so he's making it halfway there at least. Still primarily transverse, but it is reassuring that he's at least making a slight effort to turn. So that's my good news on that situation...

Everything else is going just fine. We had a nice time out with family on Saturday for Brayden's first birthday party. Then afterwards we went back to Samantha's (my soon to be sister-in-law) parents' house to celebrate other family February birthdays there and they made a big dinner for us all and we hung out. They are like a second family to us and are just a loving, Christian family and have always made us feel really welcome. It was good to see them and see some of Aaron and Tommy's family as well.

Well, I hope everyone has a great week! I'm hoping that this week will go pretty quick and that I can stay busy through Wednesday. My appointments always make things go fast, so I really only need to make it through a couple days and then I'm in the homestretch!

Happy Monday!

Single digit weeks!

Happy Friday!

I'm officially 31 weeks today... which means I have 9 weeks left!! I'm down to the single digit weeks!

Today is going pretty good. I've been half-successfully battling a headache since this morning. It's not bad, but I can feel it. On top of that, it's getting increasingly hard for me to sit down at work. My chiropractor gave me a note yesterday to allow me to get up from my desk every half hour to move around. My tailbone and hips have been experiencing a great deal of discomfort even though I've switched out my regular work chair for my birthing ball. I've been told it will get worse before it gets better as my body is still adjusting.

So...about my chiropractic appointment yesterday. Well, as usual I felt GREAT after he worked his magic, but I come to find out that he doesn't know how to do the Webster technique and there's only a handful of them in this area who are...and only 3 that my insurance covers. So, I'm not sure what I want to do. I gave him some paperwork about the procedure and he said that he's going to do research on it, but I've been told by professionals and patients that it's not something that should be done by someone who isn't trained and/or doesn't have their certification. So, I need to ask him at my next appointment if I can still be under his care, but be referred to another chiropractor who does have the certification to do that technique so that I can have it done. I don't know if there are any stipulations about seeing two chiropractors at once. If all goes well, I'd like to have it done in the next 2 weeks. Also, he told me that instead of waiting 2 weeks for my next appointment that he wants me to come in for another adjustment next week, so I go back next Friday for another adjustment. Although my wallet hates the idea since I pay a co-pay each time, my body welcomes it because it makes me feel better AND increases my chances that he can help me get realigned and hopefully help to turn Jax.

In other news, we finally found out what Aaron's dad died from back in December. Apparently he had an enlarged heart. Prior to that all we knew was that he died in his sleep. For anyone who doesn't know Bob, he had a history of excessive substance abuse (alcohol and otherwise) as well as poor eating habits and lack of exercise. So, the theory is that all of that finally caught up with him. There are some genetic factors which have freaked Aaron out considering he has high blood pressure and that is one thing that can lead to an enlarged heart... so he's trying to be diligent about exercising and eating healthy. His doctor has put him on a low-sodium diet so it looks like there is a lot of low-sodium home cooking in my future. Now if I could only find the time for that with two young kids AND working full time... Anyway, sad news nonetheless, but it is nice to finally have a bit of "closure".

Also, please pray for my dad, step-mom, and brother. The economy has not been kind to my parents. My dad had worked for an insurance company for 23 years and due to some conflicts with his now-greedy ex-boss, who also used to be a good family friend (my godfather), he left the company for a different one while taking a huge pay cut. There were some legal issues involved but my parents couldn't afford court costs and ended up not getting money that he was rightfully supposed to. His ex-boss owes him over $15,000 because of his clients and refuses to pay him. My parents have thus suffered financially. Anyway, I just now have come to find out that my youngest brother (adopted from India) suffers from moderate hearing loss due to being 3 months premature at birth. His schooling has suffered and he has speech problems because of it. The only remedy is for him to have lifelong hearing aids which come in at a whopping $5000. And of course, my parents' insurance doesn't cover it so they are left footing the bill. Please pray for them that they will be able to get the money needed to help my brother. My parents have worked very hard to provide for all of their kids and I hate to see them struggle. They have been very gracious and private about their affairs, but I can see the struggle and stress of trying to stay afloat in today's crappy economy. I only wish there was more that I could do. They can use every bit of hope and relief that God can provide them with. Thank you...

On a lighter note, today is the first birthday of our nephew (and Jay and Jax's cousin), Brayden! It's just a reminder of how much time flies. It seems like yesterday that Samantha and I were complaining about the tail end of our pregnancies and how we couldn't wait to meet our little boys...and now they are both a year old! Then again, I'm STILL complaining about the tail end of pregnancy and how I can't wait to meet my little boy (again!) so not much has changed for me, haha! :)

Also, our niece, McKenna, celebrates her 10th birthday on Sunday. Now THAT makes me feel old. I was only 13 when she was born, but I was a very proud Auntie and I remember holding her for the first time when she was only minutes old. I rocked her to sleep when she spent weekends with my Mom and I... and I even delighted in getting up with her in the middle of the night to feed her a bottle and change her diapers. I remember as she neared a year old how she used to love falling asleep on my chest and how she'd sleep with me at night. And how she'd ask me at 3 years old if when she got older and I had kids of my own that she'd still be "Auntie's little Munchkin". And she is... Now she's a precocious almost-10-year old who likes to sing to Hannah Montana and Britney Spears while talking to her "boyfriend" on her very own cell phone that's literally the size of a candy bar. Boy have times changed!

Well, it's time for me to unplant my butt from my bouncy rubber chair and walk around to stretch things out. Ugh...I feel old and rickety. I'll be glad when my body is back to normal. Even just 13 pounds extra is taking its toll on me. Bleh...

Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!! God Bless!

Turn Jaxson...TURN!!

I know this is repetitive from Monday's post but I cannot get it off my mind. I seriously think I'm going crazy...

So, I will be 31 weeks tomorrow which means I'm 5 weeks away from the "cut-off" for Jaxson to turn. He's still transverse with his head on my right side and feet on my left and he seems to be quite cozy in that position since he hasn't moved since... well, I don't even know when. He doesn't move much unlike his big brother who was practicing acrobatics in my belly, but when I do feel his movements they are all the same and in the same places.

I'm going to the chiropractor in a few hours for my weekly appointment and I'm hoping I can convince my chiropractor to use the Webster technique on me (granted he knows how to do it) to see if he can help align me in a better way so that Jaxson CAN turn. Not that anyone truly knows the reason he's not turning. He could just be a stubborn procrastinator OR it could have something to do with the way my body is aligned. I already know my pelvis is "off"...whatever that means. So, I'm hoping that between the chiropractor and my daily exercises (inversions and pelvic tilts) that I can coax him into turning head down. I say all this while sitting at my desk with an ice pack firmly planted next to his head while playing music to try and give him the hint...yes I'm desperate and no it's not working. This kid is like Aaron already...he's going to give me massive amounts of gray hairs and stress me out with his "last minute" attitude. If I have to, I will even resort to burning a "cigar" of mugwort next to my toes to get this kid to move!!

It's still early for me to be extremely concerned, BUT I've done my research and MOST babies flip by 32 weeks. That's only a week away for me and I have yet to experience ANYTHING that feels remotely like a flip. If he's still not head down by 36 weeks, I'll be bombarded by everything from external version to induction to c-section. Neither of which I want... So, to avoid that conversation completely, I'm hoping to be able to convince him to turn myself. I do realize the odds are in my favor BUT I don't want to bank on being in the majority of those who do turn... Ugh, worrying sucks.

So please continue to pray for baby Jax and I over the next few weeks. Please pray for peace of mind for me (I know stress is an inhibitor) and send turning vibes to Jaxson. I know I'll be a much happier mommy when I don't have to have this in the back of my mind. Maybe if enough people get on his case he'll get a move on... preferably with his head firmly planted by my cervix! I'll update if anything exciting happens soon... We have our 3D redo on the 14th, so I'm *hoping* to have some good news by then. Hey, at least we will get to see the little stinker again!!

On a good note: I filed our taxes today and we are supposed to get $3600 back! Yay! Now I can go buy my double stroller, sling, and co-sleeper! Woo hoo!!

Happy Thursday! The weekend is in sight!! :)

Weekend Recap

This weekend turned out to be, well...interesting. Overall a good weekend despite one very random event. Had a dentist appointment on Saturday morning...teeth are looking good and they decided to postpone the x-rays until after the baby is born. Got into a little argument with Aaron about me wanting to go out with my mom and aunt for a girls' movie day... eventually he realized that I do deserve some time away from the house and the baby, so I went to see New In Town that afternoon. It was a cute movie... chick flick to say the least though. :)

Then I came home to pick Jayden up since I decided to spend some time with my mom afterwards and that way Aaron could have the house to himself to play video games for a while. When I got there, I realized that someone illegally parked in our parking spot...again! No one ever parks in the empty, non-assigned spot (or at least I think it's vacant) NEXT to us. So, I was pissed to say the least. We have a HORRIBLE parking situation at our complex because there are not enough spots for all of the visitors...and of course none of our neighbors are respectful enough to tell their guests where the appropriate places are to park. So I called the front office to complain and ask them which spots were actually available so I could park in one during the meantime. Normally I would have been a total witch and called just to have them towed but since I was just stopping by to pick up my son AND I would have had to have waited with proof that it was my spot, I just figured it wasn't worth it.

So, I find out where I can park and I start to pull into the undercover carport spot when I notice two teenage boys walking through the parking lot. It's not surprising since a ton of people use our parking lot as a shortcut since we are right off the main road, so I thought nothing of it. But then they kind of kept approaching my car as I was trying to park. Most normal people would walk away from a moving car especially since I started turning to park before they were even close enough for it to be a concern, but instead they kept walking at my car so I had to stop mid-park to let them pass behind my car (should have just ran them over---little punks) and then backed out again to straighten the car. So, here's where it gets weird. They decide to walk under the carport in the spot next to my car and sit on the curb. I get out of my car and as I do one kid looks at me. I can't really describe what it was but there was something about the way he looked at me that just caught me off-guard and I got this weird feeling that they were up to something. I quickly locked my car and started up the stairs for my apartment. My apartment is in the corner, so I have to loop back around at the top of the stairs to get to my front door. As I'm rounding the corner, I see both boys at the back of my car with one kid trying to pry my trunk open!!! I immediately started yelling (and cussing) at both boys demanding them to get away from my car and ask them just what they think they are doing...and I get some lame excuse that they are "waiting for a friend". Hmmm... so how does that include ANY reasoning for trying to break into MY car?? Yeah, total BS. So I threatened to call the cops (and after telling the front office---who was already aware of the hoodlums--- I did) and they took off.

Anywho, the cops showed up at our place after I'd left to go to my mom's house with Jayden and when I talked to Aaron I was told that it was a good thing that we'd called to report it because apparently the cops have been called on these two little white boy gangster wannabes before and they are trying to catch them, but have been unsuccessful so far. Apparently, they not only have tried to break in to other cars in the complex's parking lot, but they also tried to break in to someone's apartment while they were still home! Needless to say all doors and windows are locked and I'm afraid to park my car outside my own apartment. We now sleep with a baseball bat in case they come back to our place since they now know where I live. I'm ready to beat the tar out of them if they even try to set foot in my house. Ugh... But, seriously... who is honestly bold AND stupid enough to try to break in to someone's car in broad daylight when the owner JUST got out of the car AND is no more than 50-100 feet away??? I just thank God that I decided to turn around and look in that direction again because who knows what they would have tried to do had I not said or done anything. I really hope they get caught and that justice is served. Some parents need to pay more attention to their kids... I'd be ashamed if any of my kids EVER thought behavior like that passed as acceptable.

Anyway, so that was our interesting tidbit for the weekend. Sunday was spent relaxing. Aaron went to watch the Super Bowl with his friend (Steelers won...BOO!) and I spent some time playing with my son all day. :)

On the flip side...one other thing bugging me lately is the fact that Jax is still transverse. I'm rapidly approaching 31 weeks, and 32 weeks is when they start giving fetal positioning great consideration. Granted my OB said she wouldn't worry until I hit 36 weeks, the fact that he's not turning and doesn't seem to have any desire to is really starting to make me anxious. Even if he was breech, I'd have a chance at delivering vaginally (doing a VB with a breech baby scares me though) whereas with a transverse baby it's virtually impossible and I'd have no choice but a c-section. So, now I'm resorting to any and EVERY method possible to try and turn this little guy even if it means standing on my head with a flashlight and headphones attached to my belly. I now have to be careful not to carry Jayden on one hip (and I can't exactly carry him in front of me) and I have to be diligent about doing multiple stretches and inversions daily. Not to mention I'm hoping to get extra help from my masseuse and chiropractor. I'll even resort to moxibustion at the acupunturist if I have to. So I'm super stressed out...but my goal is to try to have him head-down by my ultrasound on the 14th (at 32 weeks). If he's not by then, I'll shoot for 36 weeks. So please pray for me that I have peace of mind and that Jax will decide to turn soon and stop freaking his poor Mommy out!

I know the statistics are in my favor... less than 4% of babies are born breech and transverse births are only 1 in 2,500. Also, less than 20% of babies who are transverse at 37 weeks will actually remain transverse once labor starts, but it still freaks me out that I COULD be in the minority. So here's to hoping that I can fix my body to be aligned in a proper position that will allow Jax to turn and engage properly. I'm a ticking time bomb and I don't need the added stress from worrying...and I can't just turn it off like a switch.

Anywho...have a happy Monday and welcome to February! 2 months left to go...yay!