A Painful Pregnancy

This pregnancy sure is different in just about every way. If i didn't know that i was having a girl, i would be convinced that this is a boy - for some reason, i would expect that two girl pregnancies would be more similar... but no. not in the least. 

i had pelvic pain with Gemma too and it came on at the very end, maybe a couple of weeks before my due date. This time, i've had it since very early on (maybe just past the half way mark?) but it was to a mild degree. It has only been getting worse and the fact that i seem to carry babies so low doesn't seem to help the situation. i haven't been able to sleep in my bed for many nights now because lying on my side makes my pubic bone feel like it's cracking into multiple pieces. i also can't lie flat on my back because of back pain and prying myself up with pillows makes my neck hurt. i don't know what the difference is between sleeping on the bed propped up or on the couch propped up, but it seems i can sleep on the couch better.

the only thing is every morning i wake up with terrible, terrible POSTERIOR pelvic pain. this is something new, something i never experienced with Gemma. With my pubic bone pelvic pain, it's all in the front. Apparently the posterior pain is caused by the SI joint ligaments. The combination of this front and back pelvic pain has left me unable to sit, stand, walk, lie down, or be in any one position for more than a couple of minutes. I haven't been able to work the last 2 days because i can't sit for very long periods of time. Walking hurts initially, but it gets better the more i do it, but then i feel like i pay for the extra work at the end of my day.

Up until recently i felt like i was not emotionally ready to have this baby and was really crossing my fingers for her to go past her due date - so i can get this potty training thing down for real with gemma and so we can have that extra time together once i finish work. but i've been in so much pain these last few days that i'm just eager to get this baby out and get on the road to recovery. Thursday marks the beginning of my 37th week, making me officially full term. And boy oh boy, do i ever hope right now for this baby to have a July 1 birthday.

lack of sleep vs. dry diaper

First of all, i think we've nearly got it. Potty training, that is. She says "poop", "pee", or "potty" if she needs to do anything and i just have to make sure to get her there in time. Actually, i am starting to think she is able to hold it in if she knows she isn't near the potty. Like this morning, we took a really quick trip to Sobeys as we had run out of milk and even though Gemma peed before we left, i wanted to avoid an accident and so came home as soon as we could. She was quiet throughout the drive home and as soon as we arrived and i unbuckled her, she said "potty" and so i rushed her into the house, took off her pants and undies, and sat her down. She peed right away, but i wonder if she held it in during the drive home (and had to concentrate to do so, which might be why she was so quiet). 

I think she is now at the point also where she is trying to avoid peeing her diaper in the morning. She has woken up with a dry diaper and peed upon sitting on the potty first thing. Great, right? except that she is waking up earlier and earlier. She used to sleep like 7:30 pm until 8 am without a peep. Now, she goes down around 7:45 (but doesn't actually sleep until like 8:30, it sounds like) and wakes up before 7 am. Yesterday, she woke up at 5:50 am. That puts me in a pickle - do i go in and get her at 5:50 because she might be awake because she needed to pee? or just leave her until a more reasonable time, like 7:30, and just let her pee her diaper? Yesterday, i went and got her at 5:50 and she had a dry diaper. This morning, i heard her at about 6 am and left her until i heard her again closer to 7 and she had peed her diaper. 

so what wins? lack of sleep with a dry diaper OR sleep in but with a wet diaper? what's the better way to go here?

Not Until There's Justice

Last night, we put Gemma down at 7:45, which seems to be her usual bedtime these days. Anyways, after saying goodnight, Jesse and I were downstairs enjoying some watermelon when we heard these repeated thuds and shrieks of excitement. Instead of going to sleep, Gemma was jumping in her crib as if it were a trampoline. This continued on and i didn't bother going in. Eventually, about 15 minutes later, there was a louder than normal thud and then of course screaming ensued. I could guess what had happened... she jumped and probably hit her head on the crib rail or something like that. So she was upset and screaming, but i didn't go in. I was hoping that will clue her into stop jumping and go to sleep. 

Two, three minutes passed and she kept screaming and crying, so I finally went in. She was sitting in her crib and as soon as i came in, she pointed to the crib rail. She needed me to come and punish the rail for hurting her before she could "move on" and go to sleep. 

so i did. I said "bad rail". Then i put her on her back, tucked Minnie Mouse into her arms, and said goodnight. 

Didn't hear a peep after that.

My Pride and Joy

I think it's officially safe to say Gemma is pee trained. We haven't had an accident in over a week and she now just goes to the potty on her own if she has to pee. I no longer even have to ask her or get her to sit in it "guessing" that she might have to go. If she is naked-bummed, which she likes to be, then she goes and sits herself down. If she is wearing clothes, she simply tells me "pee" or "take it off!" then i take off her pants and underwear and she goes in the potty.

We are still working on the poop, but she is definitely coming along in this department. she is more comfortable pooping into "nothing" and won't hold it in anymore if i catch her at the right moment and sit her down. Hopefully she will soon learn to go herself on the potty or tell me, just like she does when she has to pee. 

The next big challenge that awaits us is the peeing while we're out situation. Right now, Gemma is very comfortable using her potty, but she won't sit on her toilet seat adapter. I don't blame her though, because she is very small and can't even bend her knees over the seat. her legs go straight out, so when she pees, the pee will just go forward and all over. I am not sure whether i should just carry her potty everywhere we go or just buy a smaller version of it (which i've seen) for traveling purposes. Either way, i am thrilled and can't believe that in less than 3 weeks, she has mastered the art of peeing in the potty. I am so ridiculously proud.

Of course, she still wears a diaper at night, but when her bladder is so small, i don't expect her to hold in a pee for 12 hours that she sleeps. That day will come, but i won't be pushing it so hard. 

Fruit Frenzy

Between Gemma and I, we eat about $100 of fruit each week. Like i've said before, now that fruit is starting to become more in season and taste good again, i just can't get enough. and Gemma has always been a fruit fiend. 

Right now at Costco (which is conveniently located just down the hill from my house), they have peaches by the flats for $10. Not cheap, but man are these peaches good! I ate a flat just by myself in 2 days (i think there is like 10 in a flat). I can easily eat a clamshell of strawberries and a quarter of a watermelon on my own in one sitting. Gemma can almost eat as much as me. I don't eat blueberries, but you know how much she loves her blueberries... she will go through a clamshell in a matter of 3-4 days. Blueberries are perfect for when she is a bit plugged up as they seem to help her "go".

Mmmm... i love summer fruit season! i can't wait til the really delicious plums come out! those are my ultimate favorite!

5 weeks left

it feels like yesterday that i hit the single digit mark... but that was already 5 weeks ago... and that's just what i have left to go! maybe less, maybe more?? who knows...

Just an update on this pregnancy:

apparently just because you were stretched out from your first pregnancy not too long ago, it doesn't mean you'd get less stretch marks or none this time. Holy moly. Will i ever recognize this belly again? Funny thing, i heard that if you have three C-sections in alberta, with your third one they will do a tummy tuck upon request - covered by alberta health care. too bad that doesn't apply to me, but i thought it was an interesting tidbit.

i can't stop eating. that might be the reason behind these stretch marks. In the last 3 weeks or so, i've gone through tubs after tubs of ice cream. Now, i am finally saying enough is enough and i will not eat ice cream again for another year. In fact, i want to spend this next month that i have left trying to right all the wrongs with my diet thus far. I hope it's not too late, but i'm going to eat better. now that the fruits are hitting the stands and tasting better, that's what i will be eating more and more. 

I still don't know what is going on with this baby's position and i won't know until my next appointment, which seems to be taking forever to get here. I am at a point where i am now having nightmares about not knowing this baby's position and no one is giving me an ultrasound to help figure things out. I hope if she isn't already, she will settle into the correct position soon. 

I think we found a name! It is so weird how life works. This entire time we had a list of five or so names that we loved, but something just didn't click about them. And we thought we knew what we wanted in our baby's name, but that all proved to be wrong... If we stick with this, i think many people will be a bit surprised, especially if we discussed this before in person. We were just sitting around naming names off the top of our head and this one just seemed right... i'll explain more after the baby is born. 

the mosquitoes are so bad right now, i can't bring myself to go outside. I need to exercise in some form or else i don't think i'll be able to get this baby out when the time comes from all the deconditioning. So i started doing short stints on the exercise bike that we have at home. It's gotta be better than nothing, right? but boy it hurts my pelvis...

speaking of pelvis, it hurts so bad. on top of the regular pelvic pain i have, i stepped on a piece of paper on the carpet the other day and my one leg slid outwards, almost doing like a sideways splits. I was in tears, it hurt so bad, even though my foot only slid out like maybe 6 inches. I can hardly put pants on, get in/out of the car, turn in bed. i'm in lots of pain. 

My mood has been definitely improving. I think the unexpected success of Gemma's potty training, the weather, the reality of this baby coming so soon and the excitement that comes along with it are all playing a part in lifting my spirits.

it's hard to believe June is half over and July is just around the corner. Only 14 work days left! I can't wait til I'm done work!

Week 2

Week 2 has come and gone. We've been accident-free for 3 days! (pee-wise, we still haven't mastered the poop thing)

today, Jesse and I went to church. While we were gone, my mom watched Gemma and she told me this story when we came back. 

She had left Gemma free-bottomed (no panties, no pants) and when it came near the time that she figured Gemma would need to go soon, she hid while Gemma watched TV. She spied on her from her hidden place and a few minutes later, Gemma went, sat on the potty, peed, and clapped all by herself! My mom jumped out and clapped and rejoiced with her! How awesome, right????

So the next step, other than getting her to poop in the potty when she needs to go, is to teach her to tell us when she needs to go so that we can take her to the potty. Yesterday, she did point to her potty while she had her pants on and immediately i took her pants off and put her on and she peed. However, it would be useful for her to be able to tell me "pee" or "poop" clearly so i know to take her to the bathroom. 

So tomorrow it will have been 2 weeks since we began this potty training journey. In the first 3 days of starting, i never could have imagined that we would be this far. I am amazed and so proud of my baby! Wish us luck in the next phase!!

WARNING: contains POOP

It was a miracle! After lunch, the potty was out in the bonus room while Gemma just had some naked bum time. i wanted to just see if she would really go and sit herself down if she had the urge to pee. She had an accident this morning where she sat on her tinkerbell chair and went pee in her pants. but she knew she wasn't supposed to do that because usually she is so proud and clapping her achievements, but she wasn't doing that after peeing on her chair. I blame myself because i was on the phone and not paying attention to the time. The potty was in the bathroom and nowhere near us at the time either. My bad. my bad...

so back to the beginning. After lunch, she was having naked bum time. We had a Wiggles DVD on and she just walked around, playing with her toys, glancing up at the TV once in awhile. A few times, she came and sat on the potty, then just got up, took a few steps, then came back, sat back down, then got up again. she did this many times. Finally, she sat down and my mom just helped along by making some "pushing" noises, to which Gemma laughed and tried to copy the sounds. She copied a few times and then was preoccupied with the TV again. A few moments later, she really began to push and pooped in the potty!!! We couldn't believe it! and of course, we were just squealing with delight and hugging and kissing gemma. Then, i had to commemorate this momentous occasion by taking a picture, which i will post below. thus, the title of this post: if you don't want to see the poop, then look away. 

i seriously can't express the joy and pride that i feel every time she goes in the potty. i am one proud mom these days, whether the poop today was fluke or not! We are making progress!!!

Day 10

Today is Day 10 of potty training. Honestly, things have come SUCH a long way in the last couple of days even. I don't know what it is and I don't want to jinx anything, but it's as if she woke up this morning and just "got it". Actually, it's kinda weird. Even on Monday (as you've read in my last post) i was contemplating whether to wait a few weeks to months to try again. Now, i feel like we've reached a point of no return. Yesterday, she was doing very well. We had one accident in the evening, but the rest of the day she peed in the potty. No poop. 

Today, i went to get her at the first sound of her being awake. but instead of playing sounds, she was crying. When i opened the door, she was already standing in her crib, turned her aquarium on, took off her pants and diaper and threw them over the side of the crib and on to the floor and had peed standing up in her crib. She was crying because she had peed herself. 

Then after that, i took her to the bathroom after her milk, not even expecting that she would go, and she did. it was almost instantly; i didn't have to wait for her forever or force her to sit on it for a few minutes. 

the second time i took her to the bathroom, i sat her down on the potty, she got up, and i just let her go. Then, she came back, sat on it herself, and went pee! 

and that's how it's been all day today. I will take off her pants for her and if she needs to, she goes and sits on the potty, then pees almost instantly. She is so proud of herself every time she succeeds and i think enjoys hearing me squeal with delight every time she goes. No more fighting for her to stay sitting, no more trying to keep her entertained on the potty, no more feeling bad for making her sit for so long. 

i feel soooooooooooooooooo incredibly proud of Gemma. Now, we have to conquer poop. This is a hard situation because i don't want her to get constipated from holding it in, but i also don't know how to make her poop or time it. she poops at different times of the day everyday, so it's hard for me to guess when she will go. i am so terrified of her getting plugged up that i am thrilled if she poops her panties. anyways, i am sure that will come along.

so, in the last 10 days, we have used 10 diapers. i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PROUD!!! while we are nowhere near being actually potty trained, i can't believe the progress she's made in such a short amount of time!!!

Week 1

I didn't blog about this before because i wasn't sure if i was going to persist or not. But already a week has gone by and so I may as well document how it went. 

Last Monday, we began the potty training process. Why? Because. If Gemma could be out of diapers comfortably in time for this baby's arrival, what a bonus. If not, that's okay too. She is 18 months old today. 

I got all my tips and advice from  my cousin who potty trained both of her girls at a young age - her oldest was potty trained by 17 months and her youngest was at 15 months. 

And we've really come a long way since we started on Monday. On average, if she pees about six times a day, we have maybe two accidents. sometimes one. rarely more than two. The first couple of days were the hardest for sure, but now i think she understands what it is that we want her to do when we sit her on the potty. We just have her wearing panties, no diapers except at bedtime. even for naps, only panties. But obviously she's not at the point where she tells me that she needs to pee, so i have to guess (which is really hard) when she might have to go. She hasn't pooped in the potty yet and, in fact, i think she is kind of scared to do it. 

so basically every time she goes in the potty, i feel like we should press on. every time she pees her pants, i feel like we should wait another few months. but all in all, she has done really well this week and hopefully it only gets better. i just need to be patient, patient, and patient, as well as consistent, consistent, consistent, and persistent, persistent, persistent. I am "expecting" it to take a month or so, which is obviously cutting it close to baby's birthday, and i fear that she will regress once the baby is born even if she is successfully trained by then. but even so, i am hopeful.

any tips? anyone? other than telling me she is too young? wish us luck for week 2....

head-like butt

that's what my doctor today said this baby had. A head-like butt. I still feel movements in odd places and so i brought up the concern of the baby's position at my appointment today. He felt around and it took him a long time before he said "your baby has a head-like butt. i can't really tell whether she is sitting head down or head up, but i think the head is down"...

not the most reassuring thing, but still not the time to panic yet. 

and like he said, a head-like butt is better than a butt-like head. LOL.