Going Crazy??

I think I have said this many times before, but here it is again....
"It is NO GOOD to be a labor and delivery nurse while you are pregnant."
When people hear what I do for a job they say, "Oh, well you know what to expect so I am sure pregnancy is easy for you." Oh, so, so wrong.

It is in my nature to be a nervous-Nelly as you probably know. But this morning, I was a total mess. First of all, I didn't sleep well at all last night because I had contractions most of the night. Nothing that I was concerned about, but they kept me awake. Then I woke up for the day at 7:15 with Cohen. I made us breakfast and I made me a homemade pumpkin spice latte. I noticed by 7:45 that the baby hadn't moved yet. I drank more coffee, layed on my left side, poked at his usually active little feet.....Nothing. Not one tiny movement. It had been about 1 hour since I had been awake, and the baby hadn't moved once. You should feel your baby move at least 4 times in 1 hour, and this guy hadn't moved a bit. I called our wonderful life-saver babysitter Miss Lily and asked if I could drop Cohen off for a bit so I could go to the ER and get the baby checked out. I dropped Cohen off at Lily's, then called my Mom bawling. I have seen too many sad outcomes to brush his lack of movement off as him just sleeping. My mother said her and my Dad would meet me at the ER. Chad said not to worry, the baby was just really tired. I prayed like crazy and cried so much I could barely see to drive. I was stuck in rush-hour traffic and also had an empty gas tank. I stopped and put $10 of gas in my car and drove like a crazy person to get to the hospital. As I was getting off the exit at Centennial, I felt a tiny little kick. Whew! I then began to cry again and praise God that the baby was okay. I went to the ER, baby looked great, and I was able to relax. God is so good! I can't take another lazy baby though. It scared me so bad.
My parents did scold me for not having a full tank of gas in my car since I could go into labor at any time. Haha. I always run my car to the E. Good point though.
When I went to pick up Cohen, Miss Lily said as soon as I left she grabbed Cohen and held him tight and they prayed for the baby to be healthy. So thankful for such a wonderful babysitter for my sweet boy.
So, I am sure my doctor is ready for me to have this baby because I have been a crazy patient for the last two weeks. I am ready to meet him too. Hopefully not for 2 weeks though. But anytime will work:)

2 weeks or less....oh my!

Good news on the baby today. The fluid level is much better. No bedrest and no repeat ultrasounds. Yipee! The baby got a 8/8 on his BPP. (That's a test done for fetal well-being).
So the plan is to go back to Dr. Yu next Thursday for a 38 week visit, then induce on October 5 if he hasn't arrived yet! He will be sharing a birthday with his 2nd cousin Braden who will be four that day.
I was highly against induction last time because I really wanted to go into labor on my own and have the mad rush to the hospital that only happens on TV, and be completely surprised as to when Cohen would arrive. But after having to be induced last time, I know my chance of having a c-section because of being induced is extremely low. And, it is much easier to arrange childcare for Co if I know the date and time we are going to the hospital.
So, maybe he will come before Oct 5, maybe not. I am fine either way. I really want an October baby since it is by far, my favorite month.  My doctor is only on-call on Wednesdays, and this weekend. But I am pretty positive he won't be here by this weekend.

We finally got Sutton's crib together last night. Now I just have to put the bedding on it and hang some stuff on the wall. We didn't get Cohen's bedroom done until 39 weeks. We are procrastinators.

Here is little Sutton Henry today. Looking like he has his brother's
lips and nose. I sure hope he has Cohen and Chad's eyes. They are
so pretty:)

Not again!

36.4 weeks
I went to the doctor today for a 36 week appointment and an ultrasound to check baby's growth. I have been apprehensive about the 36 week appointment this whole pregnancy. At 36 weeks with Cohen, I went to the doctor expecting a quick heartbeat check and got news that the amniotic fluid was low and I would be getting weekly ultrasounds and be on bedrest until delivery. Bedrest wasn't so bad, but using up my vacation time without my baby was no good.
Well, sure enough, the ultrasonagrapher had only been looking at the baby for a minute when I realized there was probably a fluid issue again. Before I could ask her, she said, "Looks like you have low fluid."
Snap! This is not what I wanted. For a few reasons..
1) I know too much as an OB nurse and low fluid makes me nerrrrr-vous. (I won't scare all you ladies who may have low fluid in the future with the details of the things that can go wrong when you have low fluid).
2) Bedrest is IMPOSSIBLE with an 18 month old boy in the house.
3) I want to stay out of work until January. If I am on bedrest or deliver early, then I will have to return sometime in December. Who wants to work in December?? Not me.

So, I went back to the waiting room and anxiously waited for Dr. to see me. She surprised me when she said I don't have to go on bedrest today, but to take it easy, hydrate, and come back on Tuesday for another ultrasound. She will recheck his fluid, and go from there. As long as it is not trending downward, then we should be okay. Whew! I really like my doctor, and I could have kissed her then!

I am drinking as much water as I can, and staying on top of his movements to be sure he is active as always. I am okay to have a 38 week baby, but NOT a 36-37 week baby unless I go into labor on my own. Being induced early with a boy could equal a stay in the NICU for breathing issues.
So, I am praying for a healthy, 38+ week baby without bedrest. However, as long as Sutton is healthy overall, I'm okay if that equals bedrest for a week or two.

Baby Moon/ 5 year Anniversary

Chad and I went to Chattanooga last weekend for a 5 year anniversary trip/ Baby Moon. Being 35 weeks pregnant, we didn't have many options on where we could go since I am not comfortable flying or driving long distances with this big baby belly.
We had a wonderful time. It was the first time Chad and I have taken a trip alone with just the two of us since we got married. Our vacations always include family or friends so it was nice to just be alone together. We went to the Aquarium and to Rock City. We went to dinner every night and lunch every day. Chad saw The Help with me and scored major points with me for watching such a chick flick. We walked about 4 miles each day around the city. Exhausting!! Especially in 90+ degree weather pregnant! Good news is, I am still pregnant after all that.
Here are some pictures

At Lover's Leap.

Sutton's first trip!

35 weeks.

 I think I have said before how I am not a very fun mom as far as food goes. I don't give Cohen any juice or sweets. I have started relaxing a bit on the sweets and I will occasionally allow him a cookie or ice cream. Chad bought him some popsicles last week and he enjoyed it!

I don't know how to rotate it. Sorry:(

Yummy Yummy Yummy!
This weekend my wonderful friend Rowena is giving me a "diaper drop" for Sutton.  I am so excited about spending time with friends and family, and getting diapers and gifts for Sutton. I can't believe he will be here in a month. Cohen is going to be such a great big brother! We are so blessed!

What a great 5 years!

Chad and I have been married for 5 years today! He is such an amazing man all around. A little history on the two of us for those that don't know....
We began dating in April 2000. My senior year of high school, his freshman year of college. Pretty quickly we were totally in love. We dated for 3 years then took a "break." This was my decision and Chad wasn't happy with it. Then a few months into the break, I wanted to date Chad again and he wasn't ready to date me. This same story went on for about 2 years. But during this whole time we each went to one another's holiday gatherings, birthday lunches, family cookouts, whatevers. We rarely had a formal discussion on whether we were going to get back together or not, or when this would happen. It was more like both of us knew that one day we would grow up and get married to each other. I never imagined marrying anyone else, and the thought of Chad loving anyone besides me made me sick.
Well, we had been "dating" if you call it that for about 2 weeks when I graduated college in 2005. We were spending a ton of time together, and neither of us were dating anyone else. I graduated somewhere around December 15. I had an interview in Birmingham on December 19. My plan was to move to another city and work for awhile to see if Chad and I were really meant for each other, or if we were just comfortable together. I had dated a few guys during the 2 years we weren't officially together, but he hadn't really dated anyone beyond 1-2 dates and I wanted him to be sure he really wanted to be with me. Well, I called Chad the day of the interview, told him I got the job and would be moving Jan. 2 to Birmingham.
Chad went straight to Jared (I know, he went to Jared) after work that same day and bought me an engagement ring that he picked out. Only he really financed it and didn't "buy" it. He had 11 days to come up with the hefty down payment, but walked out of the store with ring in hand.
On Christmas Eve he asked me to marry him with tears in his eyes in front of his parents, grandparents, siblings, aunt, uncle, and cousins. His dad leaned it to his mom after he asked me and said, "Are they even dating?"
I cried and shook like a leaf and said "YES."
When we got in the car on the way to my apartment he handed me the receipt and said, "get it insured." I saw what it cost and asked him how he was able to pay for it. He told me he didn't pay for it yet, but was planning to sell his car (he had a company truck so he didn't need his car) to pay for the down payment. He had 5 days to do this.
He put his car in the lot across from Target on Dec 26 at 6pm with a For Sale sign on it. He sold it for what he was asking by 7pm. He came up with the payment after all.

Chad was made just for me! He knows me better than I know myself which can be irritating at times. He is just who I dreamed of having for a life-long partner. He could stand to be more romantic and more spontaneous, but I am sure he wishes I were as big of a Braves fan as he, and would stand up and jump around like a lunatic when Heyward hit a grand slam this week. I'm not going to lie and say every day has been blissful over the last five years, because we have our disagreements. The first year of our marriage was extremely difficult. Mainly because he is a micro-manager, Dave Ramsey, finance/economic degree holding saver. Where I am...........not like that. But we are an awesome team and the funnest, coolest, rowdiest parents ever!!
I think it is unbelievable how deciding to go to Waffle House with some girlfriends in high-school changed my life forever. And I met Chad.
God has a great sense of humor. I am SO SO blessed.

We need a goat! And a baby update!

I have been asking for a pet goat since I was in high school. I've been asking Chad for one since we got married, however we have yet to live in a place that would accommodate a goat. I think they are so sweet and cute, and then you don't even have to mow your yard either. Well, Cohen loves goats too!
Every time we go to the zoo, which is about twice a month, Cohen's favorite thing to do is pet and brush the goats. He isn't intimidated by them at all. He's such an animal lover. Yesterday, he walked right past a goat lying down, to the bucket that holds the brushes, then back to the goat. He brushed him for a couple of minutes, until he saw another goat, then ran to brush him for a bit, then returned to the first goat! He truly cannot get enough of the goats.

 These two were from a zoo trip a few weeks back with Nana, Cale, and Uncle Kyle. Petting goats again.

Well, maybe more like pulling the goat's tail here:)

Cohen is such a joy! I love this age so much and I am so looking forward to watching him learn more and more everyday, then repeating it all with baby Sutton, then again with more children if God blesses us with more.
Cohen loves books! He can say "book" now and it is literally the first word he says when we walk into his room in the morning. He points to his bookcase in his room and says "book." He currently favors "Rainbow Fish" and "The Little Engine That Could."  He also just recently started saying "sit" and tells everyone to sit, including all the zoo animals that were not sitting. At first, I was a little unsure of what my sweet little boy was saying...I didn't think it was "sit."
Here is a picture of Cohen, Cale, and Nana reading a bedtime story together.

Oh, Update on the baby.....
Ultrasound today went wonderfully. He is growing right on track, and his belly is measuring what it should be. He has dropped into his starting position which is making me pretty stinkin' uncomfortable. He is way more active than Cohen was in utero. This guy wakes me up several times per night with his swift kicks. On the ultrasound today he was stretched out with his ankles crossed. Seriously, child, do you think there is enough room to lay completely stretched out in there? I'm still hoping for a great sleeper and mild-mannered child like Cohen. I'll start Babywise the second week with this boy and hope for the best.
Life is about to get even crazier and I can't wait!!!
Kelly

Cloth Diapers!

So, I am really loving this cloth diaper thing. I still don't send Cohen to the babysitter or his Nana's house in cloth diapers because I know most people are somewhat scared of the idea. My mother used the old school kind on me, so she doesn't have a problem with them. I don't think...I haven't really asked her. Mom?
Anyway, it is easy to get really addicted to it. It is somewhat of a hobby learning about the different types and brands of diapers. My great friend Melissa began cloth-diapering with her son right around the time I started, except she dove into it pretty quickly, where it has taken me awhile to fall in love with cloth. She told me about this great website from a store in Pittsburg where she lives. It is called Happybabycompany.com. It has a ton of information on cloth-diapering and you can order basically any product you can think of for diapering with free shipping. I am SO glad she introduced the website to me.
I still have reservations about cleaning the poop from the diapers so I put in a flushable liner when I expect Cohen to poo so I can just flush the liner with poo on it, and throw the diaper in the laundry. So easy! I am planning to continue to use cloth for Cohen until he potty-trains, and also to use cloth for the new baby, who as of today, is named Sutton Henry!
Melissa has given me great advice on cloth diapers for toddlers and newborns. So I ran the cost of cloth diapers vs the cost of disposables by Chad last night, and he did agree that it sounds like a good idea. He just said, "Please don't ever wash my clothes with those diapers." Don't worry, I won't. Unless you get on my bad side:) Just kidding!
So, I would highly encourage anyone who is even remotely curious about cloth-diapers and the benefits of cloth to check out happybabycompany.com and ask friends about their experiences. I bet you will love it if  you just get started.
Off to the doctor to check on Baby Sutton!
Have a wonderful, lovely, not-too-hot August day:)
Kells