...And Again!

I really did think I would start posting updates again after that last post, but here I am catching up again.

Asher is now 2 weeks and 5 days old. On Wednesday we go back to the hospital for a hearing test (since he kept failing it when we were there) and then to the doctor for his (belated) two-week checkup. And we go back to the doctor on Thursday for Declan's (belated) two-year checkup. Yes, everything I do these days is belated. Deal with it.

We are doing well. Asher sleeps awesome at night, not so awesome during the day - although it's getting better. For a week or so there, I thought he might be developing colic. He would cry and cry in the evening, for no good reason. I tried gas drops, gripe water, cluster feeding... He just cried. But for a few days now, he's been calmer. I don't know if he just needed to adjust to the outside world, or was having a growth spurt, or what. Hopefully the calmness sticks around.

I can tell he's growing - his cheeks are bigger. :) His clothes don't seem to fit differently yet, unfortunately. I say that because I am anxious for him to fit into 0-3 month clothes. We have about 3 times as many of that size than we do of NB size! I never thought I'd have a baby who needed NB clothes, especially not for 3+ weeks. I really hope he's in 0-3 by the time we go to Austin, so that he can wear all of his cute clothes instead of his NB hand-me-downs. Okay, selfish/petty vent over!

Declan is really acting up these days. I don't know if he's just being two, or if it's because of Asher, but he *never* listens anymore. If he doesn't get his way, it's a total meltdown. I'm just not used to him directly disobeying us. I feel like I broken record that plays "Declan, NO!" and "Don't touch the baby!" on repeat.

Sigh. This too shall pass, right?

I suppose it's time to start thinking about what Dec and I will have for dinner. I hate to get up when Asher is napping so peacefully in the crook of my arm... it's like jinxing myself.

Catching Up

As you probably knew or assumed, baby Asher is here!

He was born on October 12, 2011, at 7:51 pm by emergency c-section. He weighed 6 lbs, 15 oz and was 19 inches long. He is a beautiful baby with tons of black hair and dark gray eyes.

My mom came into town the Saturday after he was born, and just now boarded her flight back to Austin. :( It was awesome to have her here for the first week of Asher's life, and Declan's first week of being a big brother.

Speaking of the big boy, he's doing great. I swear he seems older and bigger and smarter every morning when he wakes up. He says so many words now, understands so much, and is becoming more and more independent in his play. Yesterday, Mom and I took him to the pumpkin patch, and he rode the cow train ride all by himself - and loved it. Yeah, I cried. He seemed so big as he giggled and waved at us! Just a year ago I was riding with him, no idea that a year later we'd be there with his little brother snuggled in the Moby wrap, and Declan riding all by himself.

Asher is perfect and wonderful. He is such a snuggly little peanut. He loves to nurse, hates diaper changes. He definitely lets you know when he wants the boob, but when he's content he is the most angelic thing. Each day he spends a little more time awake and alert, just looking around and taking things in. the is nothing like staring into a newborn's unfocused little eyes and cooing at them. I know that all too soon he'll be such a busy boy, following his brother around, he won't have time for long mama cuddles like this.

I will post his whole birth story another time, but I wanted to give an update before I forgot how these first few days were. And now we set off on a whole new adventure: parenting these two little boys without my mom here! I am definitely scared, but I feel up to the challenge. At least I know that time will fly, because we will never be bored!

38 Week Update

Just got back from my doctor's appointment.

She didn't bother sending me for an ultrasound, because Asher is moving normally and I'm measuring a week ahead. She said a fluid level of 7 was perfectly normal for a full-term pregnancy.

I am one centimeter dilated, which is one wonderful centimeter more than last week.

Basically, I'm in for the long haul. Time to start doing squats and jumping jacks!

Weeks Thirty-Seven & Thirty-Eight

Week 37 of pregnancy: September 21-28, 2011

Week 38 of pregnancy: September 28-October 5, 2011

Symptoms: Fatigue that has less to do with being pregnant and more to do with working my ass off. Also moodiness that could attributed to said fatigue. A few Braxton-Hicks contractions and a few episodes of uncomfortable cervical pressure.

I know that week 38 isn't over until tomorrow, but I want to write an update today since I already have so much to say, and will surely have more to say after tomorrow morning's doctor's appointment.

First off, we're moved! Last Friday (Sept. 30) we packed everything up and moved into our new house. We love it to pieces. although i thought it was smaller than the old house, I now think I was wrong. Our stuff fits so much better - I feel like I can spread out and organize, unpack and know where everything is, NEST. Bottles are in the cabinet, baby blankets on the closet shelf, tiny onesies in the drawer, swing sitting empty in the living room, waiting for a baby to fill it.

We still have to buy and set up the crib, along with a lot of the "essentials" like pacifiers, diapers, bottle liners, etc. I am anxious to buy these things, even though I don't feel like I'll be going into labor any time soon (but more on that later). It's that dang nesting instinct. I wish guys got it, too, but Aaron seems immune. He has no urge to buy these things before we need them.

Anyway, this weekend was one for the record books. Friday we moved, Saturday I worked 6-2, then left at 4 for Courtney's wedding. Got home around 10:15, went bed around 10:45. Woke up at 1:15, went to work 2 am to 2 pm. Yep, that's right, a 12-hour shift on 2.5 hours of sleep. Nine months pregnant. Then when I got off and all I wanted was to collapse into bed, Aaron was all excited that he had turned over the keys to the old house, and wanted to go on a date night to celebrate. Gah!

But I am recovered now. And if that didn't put me into labor, I don't know what will!

On to the medical update. My 37 weeks appointment was... interesting. at the last minute, Lindsey asked if she could go with me, because I was getting an ultrasound done and she wanted to see it. Then Aaron and Declan decided to join, too. So the exam room was super crowded. The doctor did the ultrasound and was worried that she wasn't seeing enough amniotic fluid around the baby. So she sent me down for a hospital ultrasound (after checking my cervix - completely closed, of course).

At the hospital ultrasound, they told me my fluid level was a seven. Five or below is considered "dangerously low." So I'm assuming we'll re-check it tomorrow to make sure that it hasn't gone down more. I don't know what they will do if it IS five or below - try and pump me full of IV fluids? Induce? Emergency c-section? (Surely not.)

I have a feeling my fluid will be lower. I just don't know whether that means we might have a baby in the next few days. I'd like to be ready, just in case, but then I'll feel silly if we install the carseat and buy the crib and everything, then he doesn't come for two more weeks (or more).

Speaking of two more weeks, my mom is coming in just 11 days! I am so excited.

I will update more after my appointment tomorrow.