Halloween's Past.....

Halloween 2006 - Hudson was only TWO weeks old! No costume for baby boy this year, but he did have a cute little Halloween outfit of course!

Halloween 2007 - our little elephant - this has been my favorite costume so far!

Halloween 2008 - RAWR! Hudson was a scary dinosaur, lol!

He didn't care for the thing on his head...neither did he the year before either though!

At least he still looked cute anyways!

Cute Boy

Hudson just hanging out on the couch in my office area watching me do some work and just being plain cute! Gotta love those sweet little boys!

Belly Pic - 32 Wks 6 Days

My belly pic from this last Friday....we actually did my maternity photos yesterday afternoon, so hopefully we got some decent shots and I will be able to share a sneak peek with everyone soon! For now, here is my big ole' belly.....not sure how much bigger I can possibly get! Hoping that little boy isn't going to get a TON bigger and just fills in his space more rather than cause my belly to grow more, ha! Wishful thinking anyways!

33 Weeks

33 Weeks ---- just 6 short more weeks...I'm getting more and more excited and anxious each and every week and cannot wait for the end to be near and to hold our little baby boy in my arms! He will be here before we know it. :)

Here's what's going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

How your baby's growing:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with aconehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Happy Anniversary Babe!

I just want to wish my amazing hubby happy anniversary and thank him for being such an incredible husband, father and best friend. Today marks five years since I walked down the aisle and became the luckiest girl in the world by becoming your wife and partner in life. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us and cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives together. Thank you for who you are and for everything you do! I love you more than you'll ever know and am so grateful and beyond blessed to be able to call you mine! Happy anniversary babe, I love you!

Pregnancy Week 32 Appointment

Tuesday was my monthly OB appointment and although fairly uneventful for the most part, I had lots of questions and practically talked Dr. P's ear off during my appointment, which probably isn't that surprising for those who know me, ha! Overall, the appointment went very well and I left feeling a lot better than I did going in even though everything wasn't positive or completely good news. This was the last of my monthly appointments and now I will start seeing Dr. P every TWO weeks for the next couple / few visits. I am really excited about this as I think it will make the time seem to go by faster, but more importantly it will also give me more opportunities to hear our little one's heartbeat which is one of my favorite things about being pregnant! (Besides the obvious point of it being better to monitor both my progress and baby's progress during the last weeks of pregnancy) I've always felt like hearing his heartbeat helps substitute for the fact that I cannot yet see, hold or kiss my little boy yet, but I can hear him and that little heartbeat brings such joy to my heart every time I hear it.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Once again had great blood pressure, which was a relief since I had experienced some bouts with swelling over the past month. Although, that does seem to be subsiding more and more especially on the days it is cooler. I really am mostly swelling on the warmer and more humid days.
  
• Baby was measuring exactly as he should be (based on my belly measurement / fundal height)
  
• He had a beautiful and healthy heartbeat of 154.
• Dr. P reconfirmed that I had great results from my 1 hour glucose test that I had taken the month prior.
  

CONCERNS

• Dr. P only had one big concern for me and I *knew* it was coming since the nurse warned me when she called with my glucose test results, but little did I know about how serious the problem was until I actually discussed it with her during my appointment.....ANEMIC - highly anemic that is. So, our conversation went something a little like this....

Dr. P --- I did want to talk to you about your blood results and that everything showed up fine with the exception of one thing. You are showing low iron levels in your blood.

Me --- Yes, the nurse mentioned that I was showing to be "slightly anemic" when she called to give me my results.

Dr. P --- Are you taking the iron pills THREE times a day?

Me --- No, I can't swallow pills (we've had this conversation countless times, but she always forgets, which I guess isn't abnormal seeing how many patients she has, but jeesh, I get sick of going through it so many times!) and was waiting to talk to you to see what you would recommend since this seems to always be an issue with me even though I don't understand how or why. She only said it was slightly low, so I didn't want to get insanely concerned or freaked out about it until after I talked to you.

Dr. P --- Well, it is actually very, very low....severely low....let's put it this way, your iron count is SO low that if I was to be having you come in tomorrow for a c-section, I would have you come in tonight early to have blood transfusions BEFORE the c-section. That's how bad it is. And you could possibly still have to have more transfusions after the surgery as well depending on your blood levels.

Me -- Oh. (I was kind of dumbfounded seeing that was not at all what I had expected her to say) Well, I don't understand why it's so low and what can I do....

I'll stop there, but basically I'm NOT slightly anemic, but more like severely anemic and if it doesn't improve by the time I schedule my c-section, it's possible that I'll had to have a blood transfusion before the surgery and depending on what happens in the hospital, I could potentially have to have another after the c-section. NOT what I want to hear and definitely NOT what I want to happen. I had to have a transfusion in January after the D&C and also had to have a couple after my c-section with Hudson as well, so I've been there, done that and DON'T want to do it again. When I had Hudson, I ended up having to stay in the hospital for SIX freaking days....count them....SIX DAYS!!! That's a long time to be in the hospital just because you had a baby. Well, of course, my stay was extended because as a result of the transfusions my blood pressure went sky high and understandably so, they would not let me leave the hospital until they could get that under control, but to say the least it was not fun at all and I was pretty darn miserable having to be there for so long. David was too! So, we discussed some options for me to be able to increase my iron intake through my diet and Dr. P was also going to research some other supplemental options and see what chewable or liquid forms of iron she could find and is supposed to get back to me with more suggestions.

In the meantime, David beat her to it!! :) He actually was discussing my dilemma with some co-workers because he was worried about it and someone chimed in about a chewable iron supplement available at the vitamin stores. He actually mentioned this to me either Tuesday night or last night and to be honest, I kind of shrugged it off thinking it wasn't possible or if it was it would be so hella-nasty that I couldn't stomach it, but much to my surprise when I came home from work today he had a bottle all ready for me!!! He had gone today while he and Hudson were out running errands and made a special trip to a vitamin shop in Cedar Hill just to get it for me. Even still, when he gave it to me I grimaced thinking that these "cherry flavored" chewable tablets would certainly have to be no less than disgusting and I was not the least bit thrilled about taking them and of course, I let David know that. He said that maybe they wouldn't be too bad and left on his way for work. Little did I know that they really wouldn't be that bad....yep, you heard it.....I tried one shortly after he left and even though they are seriously large horse-pill sized tablets, they don't even taste bad. They actually do have a cherry flavor and were not difficult for me to digest at all. Not one bit and I was SO grateful! Believe me, I called David almost immediately to thank him and apologize for making an assumption before even trying them and of course, he got a good chuckle out of the fact that I had to "swallow my pride" so to speak and admit that I was wrong and that they were not bad at all. He was of course even more pleased that I now had something that I could take easily every single day to help me get the iron I need and hopefully, *fingers crossed*, that it will bring my iron levels up high enough to avoid me having to have any transfusions when I go into the hospital to have baby boy. I am beyond relieved and optimistic as well and can't wait to talk to Dr. P and let her know about the supplement and see what she says. I'm sure that she'll be thrilled to know that we found something too!

• Weight Gain --- Again....not a concern of Dr. P's, but my weight jumped higher than it should have once again and I was of course in freak-out mode about it. Not crazy freak out or anything, but just disappointed and felt a bit defeated that at 32 1/2 weeks I had nearly gained the entire amount I wanted to gain for my whole pregnancy. I am up 27 pounds already with just shy of 6 weeks left before my c-section, so I will definitely blow that goal of 30 out of the water with that much time left. Oh well, she wasn't worried of course and I know I am doing a ton better then what I did when I was pregnant with Hudson, but I just really wanted to hit my goal and won't be able to do it. Hopefully, that just means I will have a nice healthy baby again and not have to worry about him being underweight, haha! Although, I went 41 weeks with Hudson and he weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. so seeing that I will be having my c-section at 39 weeks this time around I am really wondering if baby boy will be smaller than his older brother and if so, by how much?!? On the opposite end of the spectrum, I worry that he will be bigger, lol! Especially since everyone keeps telling me how the second born are always bigger and especially with boys! Hmph.....I guess we'll just have to wait and see and hope that he is the perfect size!
• Speaking of baby size.....I did ask Dr. P. when she might be doing another sonogram coming up as well and unfortunately, she informed me that she did not plan on / would not be doing one for the remaining time UNLESS baby does start measuring ahead. For right now, he's measuring as he should, but if it starts to look like he might be getting too big then she'll schedule a growth ultrasound. That kind of bummed me out because I have been wanting to see baby boy again so, so very bad for months now, but I guess I understand and will just have to play by the rules. I wanted to know also because David wanted to make sure that he was there at my appointment when and if she did another sonogram and although, it doesn't necessarily look likely at this point, she did say that I would know ahead of time if she'd be doing one so that I could definitely schedule it to where David could also be there. So, that was nice to know. David was pretty disappointed too when I broke the news of no likely sonogram to him, but I quickly lightened up the mood and joked that we could just go get a 3-D sonogram instead if we were both just Jonesin' to see our baby bad enough, lol! I don't think we'll go there, but hey, it's an option, ha!

Oh, and I did get the seasonal flu shot while I was there too, so that was one more thing that we discussed and I decided to go ahead and get the shot. I had one with Hudson too and I figured it would be better to just get one vs. risk catching the flu. I definitely do NOT want to get sick right now as I can only imagine how miserable I would be. NO THANK YOU!

Coming Soon.....

I haven't updated or posted any / many photos lately of what we've been doing these days, but I promise I will soon be sharing some pics from our trip to the State Fair (not TOO many pics were taken because it was kind of a nightmare actually and Hudson wasn't being too cooperative in any aspect) and lots of pics from his birthday party too! Hopefully, I will also have some photo sneak peeks to share pretty soon from the family photos we had taken a couple of weeks ago as well. Another photo session gone wrong from a Hudson standpoint, but again, I am being cautiously optimistic that there will at least be a few really good shots out of the bunch!

As far as what we have coming up, well, we have another big, busy weekend coming up this weekend with our FIVE year wedding anniversary being Saturday which I cannot believe that 5 years have flown by already! Hudson will be staying the night with his Nana Saturday and mommy and daddy will be taking the night off for a nice dinner out, possibly a movie and some nice relaxing time alone. Seriously much needed after the hectic month we've already had thus far! Once November hits, I will be going into baby preparation overdrive mode, so I'm a little afraid it's going to be a bit overwhelming after having such a busy October.

Then on Sunday afternoon we have my maternity photos scheduled and of course, my main man and my little man will be on board for the shoot as well, so we'll all have a busy afternoon posing and hopefully, smiling for the camera! Fingers crossed that the weather and my little Hudson cooperate for Miss Sara so we can get some good shots!

Of course the following weekend is HALLOWEEN! I cannot tell you how excited I am for Halloween this year for some reason. Probably because it will be the first year we actually take Hudson door-to-door for some authentic trick-or-treating! Plus, he does have the cutest little Spiderman costume that he actually loves to wear, so that's one battle we've already one since we won't have to fight him to keep his costume on! We've already been schooling him trying to teach him how to say trick or treat, but for some reason he hasn't quite caught on yet. Hopefully, he'll get it down before then though! I'm sure once he starts getting candy for it he'll learn it real quick, lol!

Every Season

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children’s games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

LOVE this!

I think I've seen it before, but am not for certain, but I saw these gorgeous holiday place settings at Dillards last weekend and instantly fell in love! I'm not normally a huge fan of the gold, but have started to like it more and more especially if you mix it in and combine it with platinum tones as well. It seems to work exceptionally well for formal china settings or creating your own special tabletop for the holidays. Although, I did just buy really traditional Spode Christmas china last year and have a TON of it, so I need to decide soon if I want to just get rid of it and sell it so I can replace with this or something similar for our future years of holiday entertaining. Hmmm...I might need to wait another year come to think of it since I(we) will likely have our hands more than full this holiday season and trying to sell a boatload of Christmas china is not nearly important enough to make the cut on my priority list right now, ha! Nevertheless, I still adore the below look.

Start Your Engines....

Yep, that's right folks, we had none other than a car themed, more specifically Hot Wheels themed party for Hudson's 3rd birthday this past Saturday and it was an absolute hit with the birthday boy! I will share photos of the big day as soon as I have a chance to upload all of them, but wanted to share the design for the birthday party invitation that I created for his party this year. Funny enough, I gave one of the invitations to Hudson a couple of days after I sent them out in the mail and he held onto it and talked about it all the way leading up to his party. He would tell everyone about his "Hot Wheels" party and how we was going to have "Hot Wheels" cake and he sure did have both! I'm just glad he enjoyed it so much because I would have never imagined that he would have talked about it virtually non-stop for about two weeks leading up to his birthday, so I would have been highly disappointed had he not loved it as much as he did.

We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do, We've Got Spirit, How Bout You?!?!

Or at least Hudson does anyways! This is what happens when you put a 3 year old in his own new room, but have yet to clear out the old belongings in the closet. I guess he did some exploring and found David's truly "Old School" old Dallas Mavericks foam finger. Hudson sure did have fun playing with it too, that is until daddy decided that it was time for his treasured finger to go back into hiding before it got too damaged, ha! Apparently, by the time Hudson was done with it, he had also taken a small bite out of the ancient foam for some reason?!?! Don't worry, he didn't eat it, he handed it to mommy, but who knows what in the world possessed him to even do such a thing in the first place. In any case, the finger is now safe and sound, but here's some evidence of what's likely not to be it's last hurrah! ;)

Week 32 Fun Mama-To-Be Facts

How far along? 32 weeks, 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: ACK! 27 lbs. :( and I still have 6 1/2 weeks until I will have my c-section. For the past two months I have been gaining over 1 pound per week, which 1 pound or so is what is totally normal for this time during the pregnancy and actually, it is normally expected that you will gain around 1 pound per week for entire remaining weeks of the pregnancy. Usually baby takes up around 1/2 a pound of every pound you gain during this remaining time. My doctor shares laughs with me about my weight gain though because she said it is totally normal, that both baby and myself are measuring exactly as we should (which she has said consistently throughout the pregnancy), so it seems that she shares a giggle with me about it because I am pretty cooky and verbal about it when I bring it up to her. She has never brought it up, I always do and she laughs when I ask overly sarcastically and dramatically how in the world I gained so much in a month or how much bigger could I possibly get?!?!? Apparently, she thinks I am definitely being overdramatic about it, but in reality I am at least a little bit disappointed that I have gained so much thus far, even though she says it is fine and that my weight is not anything to be concerned about. Blech...I just hope I lose the poundage fairly quickly after baby boy is here.

Maternity clothes? Yes, some things are definitely fitting a bit snugger especially around my big ole- belly, but as long as baby is healthy and growing fine I am trying not to worry about it so much. I am hoping to make what I have last through the remainder of the pregnancy with the exception of possibly picking up a few more long-sleeved, warmer pieces since the weather has been finally continuing to cool off.

Stretch marks? Fortunately, I haven't noticed any new ones, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Often times they do not show up or become visable apparent until AFTER you have the baby. That's when the real horror begins and your body shows all of the signs of trauma it endured from the pregnancy, lol!

Sleep: If I am going to be honest, then I will have to say that my sleep has pretty much sucked lately and has not been restful for me for the most part. It still varies and there are nights that I sleep really well and without too much discomfort or interruptions for bathroom breaks, etc., but in general it has gotten to be not so much fun for me lately. I'm ready to have my nice restful nights back and unfortunately, once baby boy is born and my body returns back to normal then I will most likely be contending with many less than restful nights filled with late night / early morning feedings, etc. That is unless we get really lucky like we did with Hudson and we get another easy little newborn that sleeps very well and for long stretches throughout the night, then I might have some relief sooner than later!

Best moment this week: Hearing baby boy's heartbeat again today at my appointment. This always gets me every single time and makes me just beam with a huge smile ear-to-ear when I hear that sweet little heartbeat. He was quite active today when I was lying on the table too! I guess he knew we were checking up on him! ;) (Oh, and not baby-related, but Hudson turned 3 this past Saturday and we had a wonderful time celebrating that evening with family and it was definitely a highlight of my week to see him so happy and having so much fun on his birthday! He definitely LOVED his party and had a blast!)

Movement: About the same.....he's not really a jabber or hard-hitting little boy, but rather does lots of slower movements that feel much less intense then when I was pregnant with Hudson. Either it doesn't seem as hard, fast or painful as it did with Hudson since this I'm kind of used to it unlike when I was pregnant with Hudson OR Hudson was just a much more hyper baby in the womb! Now, whether or not that should worry me about baby boy and if he will be as hyper or more than his older brother is yet to be determined. For all I know this could be the "calm before the storm". LOL!

Food cravings: Ice cream and chocolate seem to still be the front contenders for my cravings these days. Although, I have most recently developed the most strange craving for Captain's Wafers crackers.....not sure where that came from!

Gender: Hopefully still a BOY! Otherwise, we're in trouble, ha!

Labor Signs: No, still continuing to have those pesky Braxton Hicks contractions, but nothing more severe and definitely no signs of actual labor as of now. It is really early for that and I would be majorly freaking out if that was the case. We want this little boy to keep on cooking for at least another 6 weeks!

Belly Button in or out? It is fighting the good fight that's for sure! Starting to roll-over on top, I presume that an outie is trying to take shape, but I am hoping that it doesn't get to that point.

What I miss: Being able to be more mobile without regretting it later. We went to the Fair the weekend before last and I could barely move by the end of the night....my lower back and hips were killing me from waddling all over the Fair.

What I am looking forward to: Our 5 year wedding anniversary this Saturday and my maternity photos on Sunday. Another busy weekend!

Weekly Wisdom: Don't forget to enjoy *this* moment. As much pains and changes occur throughout a pregnancy both with you physically and emotionally, it is truly one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as a woman. I love being pregnant even through the tough times and all the aches and pains, it is an absolutely amazing thing to experience. I guess I have been very lucky this time around to have a fairly healthy and uneventful pregnancy so it has been easier for me to enjoy, but also having had lost a child just a short time before becoming pregnant again this time around has likely also had a long-lasting effect on how I view pregnancy and how I choose to enjoy it as much as possible as I do not know if I will or will not ever experience it again. So, enjoy this moment, the moment you are in because it may never happen again.

Milestone: Starting to finally work on the nursery and have cleared out all of Hudson's stuff with the exception of everything in the closet. That will be next, along with painting and then decorating.

VOTE FOR BABY RABIES --- Best Baby Journal Blog: The Finalists

Please vote for my friend Jill's baby blog, Baby Rabies as the best baby journal blog! Voting goes through today and she needs some help to pull ahead for the win! You can vote through the link below and can vote as many times as you would like! Thanks for the support!

Best Baby Journal Blog: The Finalists

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Getting Emotional....

Another week gone by and another week closer to meeting our baby boy. Oh, how I cannot wait to meet our darling new son and to experience becoming a mother of another incredible little boy that will most definitely overfill my heart with love and joy!!! I almost lose my breath and think that it's just not possible when I think about how blessed we truly are and how I cannot wait to not only give Hudson the gift of a brother to love, but I can only hope that he and his brother create a lifelong bond and are not only instant play mates of sorts, but also become the best of friends throughout their childhood and adult years. This is something that I long to see happen and can envision in my mind, but can only hope and pray that they are lucky enough to experience. I know Hudson already loves his little brother now, but I also know that the reality of it all won't quite sink in and make an absolute and definite impression on him until his brother is born and I am trying to prepare him as much as possible so that the transition is easier on him. Our time together as just the two of us is growing short and I am doing everything I can to spend as much time with him and pay extra special attention to him while he is still my *only* little baby boy before it is no longer just him and things are forever changed. I know it will be the most amazing and rewarding experience ever and that after an adjustment period, Hudson will thrive and will lose any fear or resentment that he might have in the beginning to "sharing" his mommy and daddy. It's a totally normally dynamic that occurs when a new sibling is born into a family and something that I know we will make it through and will become stronger as a family in the end. Only 7 more weeks and it will all become a reality,our family of three will become a family of four and I can NOT wait! :)

32 Weeks

As far as how I am doing this week, things have been erratic as I have not felt my best this past week and had a headache for practically four days in a row and it was coupled with pretty extreme exhaustion for the majority of the week. I am hoping that this was a fluke week and that I get back to feeling normal this next week as I cannot handle feeling so badly especially for so many days in a row. I do have my next OB appointment this upcoming Tuesday, so hopefully nothing shows up out of the ordinary or anything either as I am becoming more and more anxious and worried about the what-ifs as we get closer and closer to my actual due date.

On a related note, here is what is going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may beshortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often.

You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor.

Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

How your baby's growing:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Happy 3rd Birthday Hudson!!!

Happy 3rd birthday baby boy!!! I cannot believe how fast you have grown before my eyes and what a wonderful little boy you have become. You're not a baby anymore, which is somewhat bittersweet and makes your mommy a bit sad, but I am even more happy to have seen you grow into the little boy you are and cannot wait to see what you accomplish as you grow older and go from one milestone to the next in the coming years. We are beyond blessed to be able to call you our son and cannot wait to see you grow into an amazing man someday. You make both your mommy and daddy very proud every single day and bring joy to our lives like we never could have imagined. We both love you very, very much and want to wish you the most happy birthday today. You are such a blessing to us and to our families and we love you more than you'll ever know!!! Happy birthday, Hudson, love mommy and daddy.

xoxo

Love you to the moon and back.....you'll always be my baby boy.

Belly Pics - 31 Wks 6 Days

Getting closer to meeting our little boy!

Remembering Our Baby B

Please take a moment to watch this beautiful video, and remember to light a candle on October 15th at 7:00pm wherever you are in the world. Leave that candle burning for at least an hour, so one entire day of our world will be honored as remembrance of those babies - our babies - who have been lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

Monster Mash 2009

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31 Weeks

What's going on with both me and baby this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless. Frequent contractions, on the other hand — even those that don't hurt — may be a sign of preterm labor. Call your practitioner immediately if you have more than four contractions in an hour or any other signs of preterm labor: an increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge (if it becomes watery, mucus-like, or bloody — even if it's pink or just tinged with blood); abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping; an increase in pressure in the pelvic area; or low back pain, especially if you didn't have it before.

You may have noticed some leaking of colostrum, or "premilk," from your breasts lately. If so, try tucking some nursing pads into your bra to protect your clothes. (And if not, it's certainly nothing to worry about; your breasts are making colostrum all the same, even if you don't see any.) If your current bra is too snug, you might also want to pick up a nursing bra. Choose a nursing bra at least one cup size bigger than you need now. When your milk comes in you'll be grateful for that extra room!

If you're having a boy, you and your partner will want to take some time to think about whether or not to have your baby circumcised. Find out the pros and cons from your doctor, and what the procedure involves.

How your baby's growing:

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Belly Pics - 30 weeks

30 weeks

30 wks 4 days

30 wks 6 days

30 Weeks

What's going on with both me and baby boy this week according to BabyCenter.com

How your life's changing:

You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

SO Excited!!!

We already got the new crib bedding, mobile and artwork for the baby's room delivered yesterday and found out today that Hudson's new furniture will be delivered on Tuesday!!! Yay!!! It's all going to be coming together soon and I can't wait to start working on both of my boys rooms! I'll bet it's gonna be a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!

Pregnancy Week 28 Appointment

Just wanted to give an official update of how my last appointment with my OB went since it has completely slipped my mind as of recent. My last appointment was almost 2 weeks ago (@ 28 wks 3 days) then I have my next monthly appointment 2 weeks from this upcoming Tuesday which will put me right at 32 wks 3 days. After that, I will transition to seeing Dr. P every 2 weeks instead of once a month and I would imagine I will only do that a couple of times before changing again over to weekly appointments. (YIKES! It's getting closer!)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Blood pressure was great....I didn't make note of what it was exactly, but I have consistently had spot-on BP for this pregnancy, so hopefully I can keep that up for the remaining 2 months or so that I have left.
• Baby was measuring exactly as he should be (based on my belly measurement anyways)although I wish I knew for sure how big he really is right now.
• He had a beautiful and healthy heartbeat of 152.
• I had my 1 hour sugar glucose test this appointment and received word from the OB office later last week that my results came back good so I would not need to do the 3 hour test.

CONCERNS

• Well, the OB didn't have any concerns for me during my appointment, but I had some concerns for her.....

• Swelling --- I asked Dr. P about my recent incidents with extreme swelling in my ankles, feet and toesies and she was quite confident that all of the swelling I am experiencing is totally and completely normal pregnancy swelling. My BP has been perfect according to her, so she doesn't feel like the swelling is anything to be concerned about as of now. She said that it most likely is contributed by the following factors - warm weather, possible dehydration, normal water retention, possibly too high of sodium intake (which probably isn't the problem since I have been trying to be careful about this) and the fact that I sit at a desk all day long. Dr. P's suggestions to remedy my Stay-Puft Marshmallow man feet were to drink more water to increase my fluid intake to avoid any possible dehydration, to elevate my feet whenever possible, cut back on salty foods or too much caffeine, to take breaks during the day and walk around just to get up and about and to get a small stool to prop my feet up under my desk when working during the day. David actually bought me a small stepstool yesterday when he was out running errands, so today was the first day I used it at work and it *seemed* to maybe help a little, but not too much. I am hoping that the weather cools off more soon and that in itself helps keep the swelling at bay.
• Weight Gain --- not a concern of my OB's, but I was disappointed that I had gained so much since my last appointment and went over the amount I had planned on gaining during that time frame. Dr. P isn't concerned in the least and thinks my weight gain is normal and totally within reason, but I am a bit worried that I will end up gaining quite a bit more than the 30 lb. goal I had in my mind for the entire pregnancy. So far, I am up 22 lbs. at this point, so if I gain 1 lb a week for the remainder of my pregnancy I will end up with around a 31 lb. total weight gain which is very close to my goal, but I am afraid I will end up somehow gaining way too much over the next 9 + weeks and blow that number outta the water, lol! Hopefully, my freakishly high weight gain this past 6 weeks or so was a fluke and it will be a bit lower and more consistent for the rest of the time I have left. Fingers crossed anyways!
• Anemia - yep, apparently I am slightly anemic yet again....the nurse told me this when she called to report my excellent glucose test results, so I got great news, but also a bit of not-so-great news as well. She said it wasn't horrible, but that Dr. P would like for me to take an iron supplement to help bring my levels back up to normal. Problem is....I can't swallow pills, so yet again, I have a feeling that this will be a problem for me once I have my c-section and I will likely have to have a blood transfusion again since I had to have one with my previous c-section and also the D&C I had back in January. I am going to try to each more iron-enriched foods for the next two months, but I don't know if that will do much or not. I cannot for the life of me understand why in the world I would ever even have a problem with anemia since I eat lots of red meat and quite a bit of other iron-filled foods, but I guess I am not eating enough afterall!

That's about it for now....I am looking forward to my next appointment and then to seeing Dr. P every two weeks so that I can hear little boy's heartbeat more often and hopefully, she'll be doing another sonogram soon since I haven't seen him since back at our 18 week ultrasound which seems so, so long ago. I desperately want to see how big he looks and what he looks like now and of course, really can't wait to finally meet him in December, but just a little peek at my sweet baby boy would definitely suit me fine for now! :)