update #2

He's here!!! I had thought I would post a couple more updates before he got here, but that didn't really work out. :P

Baby boy was born at 4:54 pm. He weighs 7 lb 9 oz and is 20 inches long. His head is a normal size and he wasn't too big. Just right. He's doing really well - hasn't really cried at all. Just being a sweet little boy. We're still not sure of a name yet - we have a few that we're trying on for size and once we're sure, we'll let you know. But for now, here are a few pics of the little boy....

update #1

Well, looks like little boy is on his way! We are in the hospital, the epidural's in (and working just great, thank goodness) and now we're just waiting for him to get here. Shouldn't be too much longer!

38 down, 2 to go

Since I missed the 37 week post last week, you get two pictures this week.


37 weeks: Your baby is as lofty as a stalk of Swiss chard and weighs 6 1/3 pounds. (Length: a bit over 19 inches, head to heel.)
38 weeks: Your baby, now as long as a leek, weighs nearly 7 pounds. (Length: more than 19 1/2 inches, head to heel.)

Nothing much new to report. We got the car seat (which is good, otherwise we wouldn't be able to bring him home) and a stroller. I've been washing and folding the clothes so they'll be ready for him and trying to keep the house clean (and crossing my fingers that it will stay this way while I'm in the hospital).

Friday night I got hit with a really bad pain in my lower belly. It almost feels like I pulled a muscle on the left side of my belly - I've never had this pain before while pregnant. And it's by far the worst of all the pains I've had so far. I literally can not move when it strikes. I'll feel it while walking, trying to stand up, moving in bed, sitting down, etc. And it'll come all of a sudden and is so sharp and strong that I just freeze in place. And any movement I do after that just makes it worse. Keith and I went to the temple yesterday morning and as I was walking back to the locker room to change back into my everyday clothes, one of the worker ladies saw me (I was walking funny from the pain) and said "Sister, let me come help you. Let's have someone get you a wheelchair. And then after you've changed, we'll have someone pull your car around for you" and she came over to me to try and help me walk. I told her it was okay, I could make it, I just needed to go slow, and that my husband was there. She was reluctant to leave me alone (I guess I must have looked pretty bad) but I made it back to the changing room eventually. :) I know that my pregnancies are not as tough as some people's are, but this one has been pretty tough for me. From all the extra pain I've been having and breaking my foot, I've been more laid up this time than any other, and it's so frustrating!

I have my 38 week appointment on Thursday, so we'll see then if this baby is going to come this week like all his sisters did. I sure hope he does - I am SO ready to get him out. I wasn't a few weeks ago, but I definitely am now. A couple friends and I were talking about this the other day and one mentioned that she thinks that's why we're pregnant for so long. So that we'll get to the point where we'll say "I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get this thing out of me!" Otherwise, we might not be so willing to go through labor. It totally makes sense.

And no (for EVERYONE who's been asking me), we still don't have a name.

Time for your input!

As the time for this boy's arrival is getting closer and closer, I've realized I need to hurry up and take care of something EXTREMELY important.... the name of this blog. :) Obviously I can't keep it Raising Girls, as I won't be raising just girls any more. I am so NOT creative and have no ideas for what the new name should be (it already took me long enough to figure out the original name). So I figured you guys could help me out. If you have any ideas for me, PLEASE leave a comment and let me know. Then I'll create a poll and you can vote to help me choose the winner. Don't be shy!!! I know I have quite a few lurkers who visit my blog and don't leave comments. Now is the time to comment, people! Let's see what you can come up with!!

36 down, 4 to go

Your baby, almost 6 pounds and still packing on the pounds at a rate of about an ounce a day, is comparable to a crenshaw melon in size. (Length: more than 18 1/2 inches, head to heel.)

It's definitely getting closer!! I've started doing a lot of preparing (it's about time, right?). I took a break from scrapping and have been sewing spit rags and blankets like crazy. I found a lot of clothes on sale at Target and got clothes at my baby shower, so I've been doing a lot of washing and folding as well. We also deep cleaned our house and have been trying really hard to keep it clean so that it doesn't get so horrible again before the baby comes. I finally found a name for the AWFUL pain I've been feeling in my groin area since about 15 weeks - it's called Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction and it totally fits with what I've been feeling. I usually get this pain just for the last few weeks, but this time it started around 15 weeks and has progressively gotten worse. I feel it the most when I'm laying down in bed, trying to roll over, and then in the morning when I wake up and try to get out of bed. As I walk around, the pain lessens but never goes away completely. I'm really excited for it to be over once the baby's born.

false alarm

We spent a couple hours at the hospital last night. I've been feeling contractions since earlier than 20 weeks with this pregnancy. So I've gotten used to them and if I get a few in a row, I just lay down until they go away. Yesterday around 2, I started having some contractions that also came with horrible back pain. Every time I had a contraction, it felt like I was being stabbed in my lower back. When I went into early labor at 32 weeks with Elena, the only thing I felt was back pain - not even any contractions. So the back pain worried me. I drank a whole bunch of water and laid down. But they kept coming - about 10 minutes apart for 2 hours. I called my doctor's office and they said not to mess around, to just go over to L&D and get checked out. I waited another hour...they still didn't stop, so we headed out. I even got a bag ready with the video camera and everything, just in case (and then Keith left it at home). They monitored me at the hospital for about an hour and a half. I was having contractions the whole time, but there was no progression (I'm still dilated 1 cm) so they sent me home. The nurse said to lay down, take a warm bath, and take it easy. And obviously if it got worse to come back in. The back pain continued until I fell asleep, but when I woke up this morning it was gone.

While we were at the hospital, Keith was saying "Let's just get this over with now. Wouldn't it be cool to have him tonight?" And I realized that it wouldn't be cool. As uncomfortable as I am, I don't feel ready to bring him home. We don't have a baby car seat (the one we bought for Amya and used with all the other girls has expired so we threw it away); we don't have a bed (again, bought one of those playpen/bed things for Amya and by the time Maricela was done with it, it was so warped from all the chunky babies and the netting torn all over the place that we threw it out); Kara's not here (she's flying out at the end of the month to help take care of the girls while I'm in the hospital and for a few days after I get home); I still have basically no clothes/blankets for him (not even an outfit to bring him home in ); and my house is a wreck (I have all these organizing/cleaning/preparing things I want to get done before he comes that I haven't done yet). So I think my life is going to be pretty busy these next few weeks as I go into overdrive to try and get ready for this new little boy and try not to go into labor at the same time. Whew!

P.S. Keith says not to worry about not having a bed - he can just sleep in a laundry basket for a while. :P

Nursing Hideaway

The blog I Never Grew Up is hosting a giveaway for a nursing hideaway cover from Lilacs & Lollipops. I've seen these called a different name (Hooter Hiders) and even printed directions for how to make one. I always have a hard time with nursing in public because I'm afraid the blanket I'm using to cover up with will fall off and I can't see what's going on to help the baby, etc. I've been meaning to make one and haven't yet.....maybe I'll win this giveaway and won't have to! :)

My favorite one is the Blue City Girl Paisley, seen here.
Interestingly, Lilacs & Lollipops is based out of SLC. They have a lot of cute stuff - there are also burp cloths and wipie case covers that are made to match the nursing covers. I've also seen patterns for those and have printed them up, intending to make them, and still haven't. It would be so much easier to buy them off this website (and they are SO cute) but they'd mean so much more if I made them myself. I feel a trip to the fabric store coming on....are you up for one, Amy? I guess we'll see what happens. :)

35 down, 5 to go

Your baby, now as hefty as a honeydew melon at 5 1/4 pounds, doesn't have much room to maneuver in your belly. (Length: more than 18 inches, head
to heel.)

Yeah, there's a few things I need to change in that description. I had my ultrasound and this baby is big. His head is measuring 3 weeks bigger than what it should be (based on my due date). That means right now he has the head of a baby at 38 weeks gestation and his body is measuring 1.5 weeks bigger (36.5 weeks). Right now he's about 6 lb 8 oz and the doctor said he should grow another ounce every day. Based on these calculations, they could change my due date to March 23, or leave it where it is and see if I go early (38 weeks) like I did with all the girls.

This is making me quite nervous. If I go early (let's hypothetically pick March 26), he could weigh over 8 pounds. If I go any later, he definitely will weigh over 8 pounds. If his head continues to grow, on March 26th it will be the size of a 41 week baby. OUCH!!! My biggest baby was 7 lb 7 oz. This baby is shaping up to beat that record. The u/s tech said that's the reason I'm measuring bigger. Not that baby boy is humongous, but definitely bigger than my other babies have been. I am now officially as big as I have ever been, with at least 3 more weeks to go. My uncomfortable-ness has reached an all new level. I can barely move without needing Keith to help me get started. Once I get going though, watch out. Like I taught the third graders in Jan, an object in motion will stay in motion until something stops it. You don't want to be the "thing" that stops me - just ask Téa. She learned to steer clear of me when I fell on her. :)

Here are some recent belly shots.....we needed to get Keith's brother Arax involved for some perspective. We were trying to figure out who's belly is bigger...what do you guys think?



I think that's enough of a baby update for now. I hear Oreos calling me.