Pregnancy 3: Week 36

I know I've been neglecting blogging, perhaps a post on that later (or perhaps not, we'll see!).

Week 36. I cannot believe so much time has gone by. For a while I felt like such a beached whale that I did not know how I would possibly make it to my due date let alone a couple weeks past. I was having contractions all the time and was exhausted all the time. Then it dawned on me that I was dehydrated. Aha! Contractions and exhaustion ceased. Still, I felt huge and incapable of keeping up with my boys.

Additionally I was getting a bit discouraged because this baby has insisted on laying across my belly for weeks and weeks (apparently I am so well "broken in" that there is ample room to hang out hammock style). Trying for a VBAC after two cesareans really requires an optimal birthing position, especially since we are planning a home birth. So, my midwife put her foot down and told me it was time to bind. Yes, that means wrapping myself up like a mummy. I whined that I would be too hot (this was before the 107 degree heat wave). She told me to wear nothing but the binding and not leave the house (which I *may* have done during the heat wave), but insisted that I bind. So, dutifully, I made a binding cloth and have been binding. It is AMAZING. I feel lighter and MUCH smaller. I feel like I barely look pregnant now (which my husband assures me is NOT true), and the shape is so much different being all wrapped up. I look a little like those women who actually carry their babies INSIDE their body instead of in a cocoon loosely attached to the outside. Most importantly, the baby is no longer transverse.

Now I am feeling optimistic again and even feeling rather fine with the probability that I have at least 6 more weeks to go.

Speaking of my long incubation times, I met an older man yesterday while I was out on a walk who was so concerned that I was out walking being so pregnant (doesn't he know walking is the best thing to do while pregnant?!). I guess his wife had their daughter a month early which he blamed on all the walking. I told him that I've had a baby a month late, so I wasn't too concerned.

"A month late?!" he exclaimed, then looked at me closely, "are you German?"

"Well, yes I am," I admitted (only half, but I figured he didn't need specific details).

"Well, that is why," he said matter-of-factly.

So, now we have that mystery solved I suppose =)

Speaking of mysteries, there are still no names for baby number 3. If you get inspired, please let us know.

This is always the point in pregnancy where Andrew finally believes there is going to be a new person in our life sometime soon, and he starts to get excited. He thinks it's a boy. Soren and Elliot vote girl. I am suspicious that Andrew would actually really enjoy having a daughter, and so he's insisting on boy so that he doesn't get his hopes up (don't worry child number 3, if you are reading this in the future and happen to be male, I am confident your father still loves you very, very much and thinks God knew better than he). I still feel clueless, but remain slightly inclined toward girl. Amazing to think that all these mysteries will be solved in about 6 weeks (or less!).

Oh! Another blessing since last I updated is that we have found a lovely doula in training who will be attending and offering doula services free of charge. I figure I could use all the help I can get. So, the labor team sounds rather large at the moment, but I think it will be good.

Most exciting for me is how confident Andrew is this time around. I think all his labor fears are gone, and he seems very ready to help me do this here at home. He has been more confident than I am at times (which was never the case before).

Random update complete. Feel free to shoot me any additional questions.

Happy Birthday to Husband!

So yesterday we celebrated Husband's birthday early, and the day was filled with good things.

To begin festivities: Three "shoot worthy" bucks grazing in the neighbors front yard (one is behind a bush). The boys and I see this bucks a lot, but Andrew never had.

After a good day with the boys (where someone they really stayed sweet with each other and us all day) a steak dinner.

Complete with Birthday Cake (there actually is a cake under all that sauce), and ice cream even.

Some birthday spoils

All in all a happy man

Oh yes, and then there was this lovely serenade from Elliot.

Conversations with Søren: Baby Names

Søren: If we have a baby girl maybe we could name her William Tell Overture.

Me: Hmmm

Søren: Or maybe Bella.

Me: What do you think of the name Penelope?

Søren: That's a bue-ja-ful (beautiful) name. It makes me want to swim in a river. I want to swim in a river by myself because that is such a buejaful name.