My Point is This: If There's a Plan, We Should Stick To It.....Or, Not. That's OK Too. I Think.

12/21/2011:
"If your fluid is still low tomorrow, we'll just deliver him," the doctor says with a calm, certain, nonchalant face.

WHAT?!

"....deliver him?!"  You can't "deliver him" now - it's not time.  I'm not 37 weeks (4 days away) and we didn't install the car seat yet!  Plus, we scheduled his little breech behind for a c-section on 1/11/12, so that's the plan.  OK?  Good.  I mean, who's running this workplan?  Finishing ahead of schedule is typically a good thing.....with a few exceptions - like birth.  I had about a few 100 people tell me that I wouldn't be able to control this part....boy, were they right.

In the mean time, I'll hang out at the hospital with an IV because you guys (the doctors) think I'm dehydrated.  Turns out?  Not so much....I'm just "naturally low on fluids."  Jack loves to be on the monitor though -- he starts his kick boxing routine and rebounds nicely from contractions and pushes on my belly.  He's only 6lbs, 10 ounces right now, but he's tough little dude.

12/22/11:
After 4 bags of IV fluids and enough water to float the Titanic, the amniotic fluid surrounding Jackson is still low....so I will go back tomorrow (12/23) to be re-checked.  If it's still low...or lower, they will probably deliver him.  Yeah.  I know, but he's full term on Sunday....so he's got that going for him.  Plus, no one's gonna love him like we will - so, it's alright if he wants to make his appearance early! :)

Then again, my fluid could be back up tomorrow....and he stays put for a couple more weeks!

Rest assured, that my AAAAHHHHMMMMAZING husband has us ready to go with bouncers and swings and pack n plays and a nursery fit for a wee little caterpillar to thrive in.  We even have a car seat and a stroller....and DIAPERS....and little butt cream....and all sorts of other things we don't know how or when to use!

We are ready to go.  Bring it, Jack.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas....or, How Can We Already Be 8.5 Months Pregnant?!

There's so much to do....SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much to do.  I just mopped the floors, but I swear they need it again.  I also think the baseboards could use a good wipe down.  I'm told this is normal...."nesting"....cleaning....OCDing....but I already had a severe case before pregnancy, so now - it's WAY out of control.

Luckily, Matt is here full time now and can help me stay calm about the "to do" list...which is mostly a "honey do" list.  We have managed to start the nursery...and it's mostly done.  We have some finishing touches, then we'll post some photos.  Let's just say that damn little caterpillar is EVERYWHERE.  I hope Jack isn't afraid of caterpillars.  Here's a sneak preview:

Oh yeah?  We decided on the name....Jackson James Schneider.  We'll call him Jack.

James is a family name on both sides of our families, so we couldn't pass up the chance to honor so many people at once.  I'm hoping that people don't call him JJ....while realizing that's not the worst thing people will probably call him.  HA!

For a while, at least he'll be riding in style....

Baby Jack's Bugaboo Donkey stroller, courtesy of some very, very nice people!

At 34 weeks, the little fella is 5lbs and breech....and he's starting to run out of time - and room - to flip, especially since I am apparently a bit low on amniotic fluid.  So low, in fact, that I spent a night in the hospital due to dehydration causing contractions.  Imagine my meltdown when they told me that they may need to induce labor at 33 weeks.  WHAT!?  All I could think about wast the fact that he was too small to be out in this germy world...and that we didn't have a mattress or any diapers for him.

Needless to say, I drowned myself in water....stayed in the hospital....and little Jack decided to stay in the belly.  

Crisis averted.

He IS still breech though and I've started my weekly appointments so I get to check on him once a week.  Hooray!!  

Here's his latest ultrasound picture with his little nose and lips:

Since he's breech, it's really hard to get a good profile or a face picture.  He just happened to turn his head and she caught his little nose and lips!

And, here's me at 34 weeks:

Lots of Events to Review:

We hit up Chicago on the weekend of Nov 12 for a friend's wedding:

LOVE this City....

Christine, Jamie and Mary threw us the cutest golf themed shower...here are some pics!  

They have the nicest friends ever, so I met a lot of really great people...and little Jack got so many great things!  He even has a book collection now thanks to Christine's idea of having the guests bring a book along with their gift.

Matt and I also took out last flight together as a childless couple.  We went to my parents house for Thanksgiving.  

Matt shooting guns in the country with Donald!

And he just HAD to drive the John Deere tractor....I'm surprised Donald let him.  He loves that thing!

While all of the travels and events have been exciting, nothing was more entertaining than watching Matt in our Breastfeeding class.  I thought his head may actually fly off his shoulders.  Holy SMOKES.  Let's just say that there was a LOT of information in that class....even for me.  

And, honestly?  There seem to be a lot of rules (i.e., don't use pacifiers, use pacifiers in this instance only, never use a bottle, use a bottle only after 4 weeks, never hold the baby "this way" - only "this way")

However, like my favorite "baby's first year" book says "use some common sense and you'll b fine."  

Amen, brother.

Let's just focus on getting food into the baby, getting the baby to sleep, changing the baby and not dropping the baby.  If that involves a pacifier, then so be it.

Next up?  Labor and Delivery Class!

Baby S is a Little Busy Body

October has been another busy month for Baby S!

On Oct 23, we attended Moira's (Matt's cousin) wedding in Cape Neddick, ME.  New places, some friendly faces and Baby S' first dance party!

Also during that same weekend, Matt and I recieved our first baby contraption in the mail and I thought FOR CERTAIN - it would turn into some sort of torture device...

....but, eventually - we figured it out and even managed to convince Lucky to like it.

We also picked up our new baby mobile!

And, even Baby S got a new ride, thanks to BMW:

On Oct 28, we had our 29 week appointment and we're right on track in terms of baby size, a little on the low side for weight gain (although 15 lbs seems like plenty to me!), but a little high on the blood sugar.  Yuck.  The doc said I need to back off on the fruit - since I crave apples and grapes....and they tend to be high in sugar.  My guess is that it also has something to do with the cocoa pebbles and chocolate milk too.  HA!  You crave what you crave....but, the adjustments have been made! 

On Nov 5, my best friend Becky (with the help of Rachel, Emmalee, Liz and Kelly) hosted the cutest baby shower for me....all with the theme of Our Littlest Seminole!  Great food (we had garnet and gold popcorn!), great friends, funny games, a onesie station and the cutest keepsakes ever!  Check it all out:



Onesie Station



MeMe (Dondi's Mom) Onesie....Baby S is her first grandchild!

Shower Fun....documented in our Shower scrapbook, made the day of as the shower was going on.  Amazing!

Baby S is so loved and got so many great things...as did Matt and I to make sure Baby S is very well taken care of.  Matt always says that if we can treat the baby HALF as well as we treated Damien, Daisy and Lucky....then he'll be juuuuust fine.

Our Keepsake from the first shower....which I'm hoping we can continue into the second shower:

Everyone at the shower filled out one of these cards for Baby S:

My wishes for Baby S.

 All of the wishes were put into a book...with a picture of the person that wrote them as well as their onesie creation.... 

Dondi's Friend Amy...mother of three...and genius when it comes to what you "need" and don't need for babies.  I will have her on speed dial!

The first page of the book - so cute!

Love, Love, Love!

You know what I don't love?  The weird line that has formed down the middle of my stomach.  I've read that it's called the linea nigra....and is due to, well, hormones.  Big surprise.  Hooray!

Speaking of weird, yet fun -- Baby S is big enough now that when he starts his kickboxing routine - we can actually see my stomach moving!  It's definitely a little odd, but also comforting to know that he's in there.  Plus, I now have to keep track of how often he kicks with my "kick counter" sheet from the dr. office.  It's not hard since he pretty much kicks and moves ALL day long.....I feel like he may have a little A.D.D. already.  Or?  He's just a busy body.

Also?  My newest worry is exactly how this child is going to exit my body.  We don't need to discuss it...but know that I'm concerned.  Yes, I've seen the videos - and they aren't helping.  I feel like I may need an epidural now, just in case.  I don't like pain....and I'm not trying to be anyone's hero.

This one is a little dark, but you get the idea!  30 weeks!

After a month of living apart (sad!), Matt recieved his annual bonus and even got an offer to keep his job with IMG after he moves to NJ (this week! hooray!)...which was really our best case scenario.  We are very excited to have that flexibility day to day (he'll be working from home) as we move into this new phase!  Whew!

I know, I know...Baby S needs a name because, well, I'm tired of calling him Baby S!  We finally short listed the names....we are down to 3 and will probably wait until we actually SEE the baby to name him.  We just can't decide otherwise!  (which is odd for me since I can make a quick decision about just about anything!)

November proves to be busy for the Schneider family too....a wedding, birthing classes (oh Lord), nursery setup (finally!), our NJ shower, an ultrasound on Nov 28 (our 2 year anniversary!) and a trip to Milton for Thanksgiving!

Don't Make Me Laugh, I May Pee....or, How The Second Trimester Changed My Mind AND My Body

....and laughing is a necessity at this point.  It has been a BUSY month and we are looking forward to the holiday season with some much needed downtime.  Let's recap:

During the month of September, we sold 1 of our homes in FL, moved to NJ, went to Germany/Poland with my parents....all while working full time, finding a new OB, interviewing dog walkers, scheduling the newborn photographer and trying to figure out how to make left turns in New Jersey.

(There's a blog in my future about "jug handles" and how you have to go right to go left...what the hell?)

Whew.

Besides making left turns, here are som other new things that I'm learning about:

Basements:  I grew up watching scary movies with my family.  Do you know what lives in the basement?  Monsters, murderers and the ghosts of the dead.  However, you know what is in OUR basement?  The washing machine and the dryer....so, what do I do?  I turn on every light in the house and basement and decide that I'll take my big, tough, 100 lb rottweiler with me - just in case Mike Myers is waiting for me with his machete.  Right.  Lucky?  Won't even walk down the stairs.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!  Nope....I have to go it alone.  Turns out?  No one lives in our basement - I even took two flashlights (not needed, the basement is completely finished) and a bat just in case.

Needless to say...the clothes are clean, folded and put away.  You didn't doubt me did you?

Baby S gets up daily at 3 am to start his kickboxing routine....after which he becomes very hungry, so if you see my kitchen light on at 3 am, do not worry - I'm just eating.  Again.

Baby S does not like oranges, but I do.  They now make me nauseous but I eat them anyway.  It's sort of like me rebelling against my pregnancy, except my pregnancy always wins.

Pregnancy has made me dumb(er).  No really.  And, you all know how much I hate this.  I pride myself on being able to remember everything, do everything and accomplish everything .... anytime.  Well, the term "pregnancy brain" is FOR REAL.  Matt can attest to having the same conversation with me multiple times, arguing with me about a decision I made yesterday and then reversed today and trying to figure out what nutball topic I will forget about today.

I even ordered a TV stand TWICE online because I forgot I ordered it the first time.  Ya.  One already arrived....and another will show up next Thursday.  Awesome. 

Lucky is taking it all in stride, trying to stay out of the way and is adjusting to having his own couch in the living room.  What?  You thought that Restoration Hardware couch wasn't going to show up in our living room?  Come on!  Now, Lucky has the short couch....and we have a couch that we can actually lay down on.  Problem solved.

There's still much to be done around the new place, but things are starting to fall into place which helps my OCD stay under control.  The good news is that I've almost mastered getting dressed in the morning.  It takes me about 20 minutes longer than it should, but I get it done.  I'm still under the delusion that I can wear my pre-pregnancy shirts and sweaters.  Let's just say that when I put them on, they stop about 1/2 a foot from where they need to be....and no one likes a 1/2 shirt on a pregnant girl.  That's just inappropriate.  So, I'm constantly on the hunt for longer shirts and sweaters to cover up the belly.  The pants are less of an issue thanks to the "bellly band"  and lots of elastic....and honestly....

I may never wear pants with buttons again.

25 weeks

25 weeks

 

If you know my friends, then you know they were less concerned with my "bump" and more concerned about if my butt was expanding to match.  So, I had to prove it to them.  For your ACNers and AWers reading this - my apologies.



We had our 26 week appt on Oct 7 and everything is on track.  I've gained 10 lbs and the doctor would like me to gain another 10-15, however, I have NO IDEA where all of that is going to go.  She listened to the baby's heart with the doppler - to which he kicked at a lot.  (He may need a little discipline already.  He really doesn't like to be bothered and he WILL let you know about it.  Hmmm.  Wonder where he gets that from....)  She also measured my belly and assured me that even though everyone asks "are you sure you're pregnant??" -- I'm pregnant and measuring right on track.

Next up:  Adventures in Baby Furniture, How to Find a Maternity Dress Appropriate for a Wedding (or 2), our Labor and Delivery Class, our Maternity Ward Tour and Breastfeeding 101. 

Matt's head may explode by the time we get to Christmas.

Belly Updates from Poland!

After numerous requests, some nudging and some down right harrassment....here are a couple of photos of the Baby S Belly:

What the hell is going on down there?
(thank you Matt for capturing this moment)

Uhhhmmmm, does this belly make my butt look big?

Rhetorical, people. 
Safety Tip #347:  Do not ever answer this question in any context.

More to come soon....and lots to discuss regarding our (current) trip to Poland and Germany, how Baby S feels about oranges, the big move and how we are working on getting settled in a new place!

Stay tuned!

Well, No One Told Us That.

“What do you mean I can’t get any sun on my back because I can’t lie on my stomach?”

This is my thought as I’m setting up my towel at the beach for the first time with a “protruding” belly.

WHAT?!

I’m from Florida….my tan HAS to be even or I will look like a tourist.

So?

Dig a hole. 

Put belly in hole. 

Commence tanning. 

Shut up.

Someone should write a book with stuff like this.  I mean, you can buy a book about ANYTHING related to ANYTHING these days.  You want to breastfeed?  There 8.3 million books that will tell you when, how and why it’s so great.  You don’t want to breastfeed?  Well, there are just as many books that will tell you that “formula babies” are just as smart, cute and well developed.

But, the real stuff you need to know – like, “hunger comes on in about 15 seconds and you have to eat RIGHT THEN or you turn into the spawn of Satan” – Is really nowhere to be found.

Also?  Can someone explain this INCREDIBLE sense of smell to me?  It’s like a super power!  Except - It’s mostly a curse because I can smell EVERYTHING in about a 10 mile radius of where I’m sitting.  I know you have body odor about 3 days before you do.

Let’s just say that everything does not smell like roses.  Yes, I mean you Lucky Dog.

In most cases, we are happy to learn along the way….trial by error is our new approach.  I have not, however, figured out how to fight off pregnancy hormones and outbursts.  I feel like it’s sort of what being bi-polar feels like (which some of you know).  LOL!  Whooo….I make myself laugh. 

Anyway, one minute – I’m peachy…the next minute? Satan. 

I’m mostly just a “fat,” bi-polar, bat-shit-crazy super hero with the worst super power ever. 

This? Right here? ….is why you should be married when you get pregnant.  Someone should be bound by LAW to be nice to you because you will lose friends.

At a full 21 weeks….Baby S is a kicking, punching, back flipping machine.  You can pretty much feel him tumble around at any given point in the day.  Matt felt it for the first time last week.  It kind of freaked him out.  I mean Matt – not the kid.  (“What is IN THERE?  Doesn’t that hurt?!”)

Baby s isn’t the only one moving and a shaking, either.  We have lots going on around here!  If you didn’t already hear or know yet – we sold our house (yay!) and are moving!  Our Labor Day will be spent loading up the PODS …..

…..making Lucky comfortable….

and heading here:

As soon as we get settled in….let the baby/nursery frenzy begin!

Also?  Because we currently own a 2 seater sofa…that Matt doesn’t fit on, we are in the market for a new couch.  Our current obsession?  This 112’’ sofa from Restoration Hardware.  It's so deep that when my feet dangle.  YES!  This couch will allow us all to pile up and take a snooze together if we so desire.  I just hope Lucky doesn’t roll on top of the baby like he does me. 

If I have my way (J), it will arrive sometime in October. 

Also arriving the first part of October…. My Mom Mobile!  Ours will be black, but you get the idea.

(BMW X3)

....and the reason for ALL of this change is located in this photo…inside that ever growing belly.  He’s not even here yet and our lives are turned on end, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

(21 weeks, gained 5lbs total)

Yeah, I know.  I don’t look that pregnant (or so everyone tells me), but I swear – the dr says I am and there’s a heartbeat in there! 

And, I’m awfully hungry/cranky/nesting-obsessed to NOT be preggo. 

uhhhhm, are you gonna eat that?

So You're Saying There's a Chance?

As the baby boy grows, so do our panic induced thoughts:

What if we can’t get him to sleep?

What if he’s not a good eater?

What if we can’t get him to stop crying?

What if Matt drops him?

What if Lucky lays on him like he does me?

What if he’s a jerk?

What if we don’t like him?

Or WORSE:  What if he doesn’t like me?

Oh, wait – that’s not actually possible.  I’m a totally likable girl.  Right? 

Don’t answer that.

Well, I at least have the food....and that's gotta count for SOMETHING with him.

What if he doesn’t like sports?  And, even worse – what if he doesn’t like GOLF?!

What if he doesn’t like the Rays?  I am thinking that he won’t like the Yankees.  And, although, we will adorn him with LOTS of Yankees attire…he’ll be too smart to like that franchise regardless of the number of championships, Matthew.  J

He will obviously like the Seminoles or I will give him away.  (I kid.  I kid.  Sort of.)

And, of course - we’ve all known he was in there somewhere based on the ultrasound pictures, but he decided to let ME know that he was in there this week as I finally felt him doing his little backflips and climbing the walls.  It mostly feels like gas, so it's hard to tell sometimes. 
Oh.  Was that too much info?  Whatever.  These are the facts, people.  Pregnancy ain't tulips and rose petals all the time. 

Either way, he's super active every day, which I have a feeling is only indicative of what is to come.

The weight gain is here…as we knew it would be!  The belly is sort of out there….enough for people to do a double take with that “is she fat or pregnant?” look on their faces. 

I’m not fat.  I’m pregnant.  I need a sign to wear around my neck.

 (18 weeks)

 I’m still trying to convince Matt to be a part of photos, so for now – you only get me being goofy as I get tired of the normal side view shot of my belly!

 

There are still lots of crazy pains and pushes and pulls going on inside of me, but I’m told all of that is normal.  And, we still don’t have a name yet.  There are front runners, but nothing definitive yet.  We don’t plan on keeping it a secret once we decide, but it may take us until he’s born to actually decide!

With a move on the horizon, we haven’t done anything as it relates to nursery or prep….besides register for the 8.7m things we think we “need.”   (and buy a bunch of funny onesies!) 

I will post pictures of nursery setup activities (read: me strangling Matt while putting together a crib) as soon as they start!

We hope y’all are doing well and looking forward to Baby Boy Schneider as much as we are.

Love.

Also?  Odds that the kid won't stop crying? ...... So, you're saying there's a chance?