For the Record

ONE WEEK LEFT!! I am starting to feel "done" being pregnant, only because it's so laborious getting up and down, in and out of bed, and BENDING OVER!!

Honestly though, I know I had that one major complaining post, but things have been quite a bit easier ever since (maybe it was all your encouragement, who knows) but anyway, I just can't believe how this pregnancy has differed from my first. We just kept wondering if I was having a boy! So here's everything you could ever possibly want to know about my pregnancies. (haha, get comfortable.)

1st Pregnancy: Seemed to last for five years
2nd Pregnancy: Seemed to last for five months

MORNING SICKNESS:
1st Pregnancy: All day sickness, threw up 4 times, lasted 6 weeks
2nd Pregnancy: All day (off and on), didn't throw up, lasted about 3 weeks (being at home did allow me to snack frequently, this probably made a huge difference)

MILK JUGS:
1st: Huge, right from the beginning, with stretch marks to boot.
2nd: Didn't get bigger until about 20 weeks, then slowly kept expanding. Unsure if there's new stretch marks there...too hard to tell.

FATIGUE:
1st: Lots in the first trimester
2nd: The entire pregnancy felt like I was pulling an all-nighter. I took a million naps to compensate.

CRAVINGS:
1st: Salsa, Jamba Juice drinks (but not together)
2nd: French Fries, Baja Chalupas from Taco Bell

BABY MOVEMENTS:
1st: Every night at 11 p.m. I loved it every time.
2nd: This one kicks so hard, so frequently, it would often keep me awake or wake me up. So I didn't love it quite as much this time.

BABY SIZE:
1st: Measured normal throughout, but big baby in ultrasounds
2nd: Measured big throughout, but normal baby (predicted) in ultrasounds. (Actually on Tuesday they estimated that she is already 7 lbs 5 oz, so we will have to see.)

WEIGHT GAIN:
1st: 44 lbs (9 in the last 3 weeks)
2nd: 39 lbs (so far)

EXERCISE:
1st: Walking about 10 minutes a day
2nd: Nada, zip, zero (see fatigue, above)

SWELLING:
1st: Like a balloon. Couldn't fit my ring on for half the pregnancy. Had awful swelling in my joints, and felt like I had arthritis for 2 months.
2nd: I can still wear my ring and see my ankle bones. No arthritis! Desert climate I guess? Cooler weather?

HEALTH:
1st: Not great, several bouts of sinusitus and bronchitis that lasted forever.
2nd: WAY better. Never got sick in fact. Weird.

OTHER SIDE EFFECTS:
1st: Sciatica Pain for a few weeks, lots of rib pain.
2nd: I think I have my first hemorrhoid, but I can't say for sure. :) Rib pain is gone, sleeping pretty well...maybe it's just a smaller baby.

CONTRACTIONS:
1st: Nothing recognizable til the very end
2nd: I have had Braxton Hicks contractions at least 6 times a day, every day since 22 weeks. They are worse when I am active (exercise, lifting, cleaning). I am really tired of them.

PRE-LABOR:
1st: Baby never dropped, but I did dilate to 1 cm. at 39 weeks
2nd: Baby has already dropped, I was dilated to 1 cm. at 36 weeks, and I'll tell you if there's any more dilation tomorrow.

LABOR:
1st: 27 hours, then a c-section
2nd: I'm thinking positively and predicting an 8 hour labor, then a lovely (?) vaginal birth.

Sooo...that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. (On a side note, the only two things that have stayed the same are: no heartburn, no stretch marks on the belly (yet...knock on wood)

Were your pregnancies different from each other? I am going to assume that since the pregnancy has been so different, it also means these kids will be really different. And I think Karma kinda owes me one-- and by that I mean a child who is calm, low-key, and likes to sleep a LOT. Not that I don't love Kalia in all her hyper, splendid glory...but two Kalia's....I can't even imagine. She needs someone to balance her out.

So with one week to go, I am very content to let this baby keep cooking inside me and I'll just enjoy my naps for 7 more days.

Kalia's Talking

Mostly for journaling purposes, I wanted to record that Kalia is starting to talk quite a bit more than she used to. I am trying to keep track of words I hear her say, but I am forgetting to write them down, especially because I hear her trying to repeat all kinds of words that I say (time to stop calling other drivers "stupid idiots" I guess...)

I got her to say a few words for the camera last night, well, she attempts most of them at least.

For the record, here's some of the words she says (or tries to say) at 14 months:
Hi
Bye
no-no
Ni-Night
Kimmy (mimmy)
Jonny (nonny)
Buffy (the dog in st. Geo)
Allie (ah-yee) (these are family members)
Grampa, Grandma (bampa, mamma)
Jesus (gee-gee)
Uh-oh
Baby
Mommy
Daddy
Fishy
chicky
Duck
Doggy
Poo-poo
bath
bubble
mice (just "mi")
meat (just "me")
eyes
nose
cheese
banana
apple
outside
hat
yucky (kuck-a)
two
ba-ba
thank you (ta-too)
happy
nice (she says it niiiiiiiiiice)
hot
sky
moon
tutu (this is her word for binky...she came up with that herself.)
cupcake
good girl (kinda sounds like goo-goo)

I have noticed that she doesn't try to say the words that she signs...(eat, milk, kitty, birdie, more, all done, and help) regularly. I thought that was interesting. I am guessing that a first child is going to learn to speak faster than a second or third...just because they get so much of their parents' attention. I wonder if any birth order books would confirm that.

The other thing she does is jibber jabber on and on, like several whole sentences, and I can't pick out a single word. She carries on about 20 conversations a day with me in this language, and I just respond with "Oh really?" "Good." "That's wonderful." I hope she's telling me good things, and not "One day I'm going to make your life miserable...first when I'm two...then when I'm six...then when I'm twelve...then when I'm sixteen..." to which I reply, "Good! That's wonderful!"

To Vote or Not to Vote

Okay, OBVIOUSLY I should vote, you've heard it as much as I have-- people think this might be the most important election in our lifetime, because of the state of the economy.

I'm in a bit of a dilemma.

When we moved to Vegas, we got something in the mail about registering to vote, so I immediately filled it out and mailed it in. I even gave Samuel a hard time about not registering to vote until recently.

I just got online to make sure I'm registered to vote. I'm NOT. And it's too late to register!!!! I have no idea what happened.

Well, then Samuel and I realized that I am still registered to vote in Hawaii, and I could do so by using an absentee ballot. I thought that sounded good, after all, how could I NOT VOTE? I think my vote counts a lot in both Nevada or Hawaii (sometimes I felt like I was wasting a vote in Utah, since it was always for the republican candidates, just like the majority of Utahns.)

Well, two problems.

First: The absentee ballot asks for an address-- not a huge deal, I could just use my old one. They would mail my ballot to me here in Vegas...but then it asks me to SWEAR that the information is correct, and that I am a resident of the state of Hawaii (and then it reminds you that falsified information is conisdered a FELONY and could result in imprisonment and fines.) Well, if it was supposed to scare me, IT DID!

THEN, yesterday I read in the newspaper about some guy using false addresses to register people to vote in different states (long story, not worth repeating) but he totally was busted and in big trouble!

Second problem: I can't quite decide who to vote for. I have always been supportive of the republican candidate because they are, like myself, against gay marriage and abortion. However, I have to be honest and say that I am not thrilled with John McCain. When I see him on TV I'm kind of embarrassed for him. I watched the VP and Presidential debates (for the first time ever), and I am just SO not impressed with McCain. I actually LIKE Obama better, or should I say, his personality and his delivery, et., but I am not really feeling like I can trust him either. Actually, I am more concerned about someone assassinating Obama, Biden taking office, and our country getting totally corrupted, but I made that theory up myself, and don't know why I feel that way.

So, I took one of those little tests where you read the policies and quotes from the candidates (and they don't tell you who said it), and then you choose which ones seems to fit your ideals better, and then at the end it tells you which candidate fits you best.

Results: 7 points for Obama, 6 points for McCain.

SO WHAT DO I DO? Vote illegally? Not vote at all? I am seriously so torn. I would feel sad if I didn't get to vote in this incredibly "IMPORTANT" election, but part of me feels like...what's the point? I don't feel strong enough about either candidate. But I will feel sad that I got left out of this one.

What do YOU think? What should I do? The floor is open for open political discussion.

Let the Dilating Begin

WOWEE! I am POKING out there!! You know me, I like to show you how it really is. (But that's only cause it's the final stretch...the first 25-30 weeks was all about tricking you into thinking I was small.) I'll save the big bare-bellied picture (in a sports bra again?) for the very end.

I saw the doctor on Friday. I am barely 36 weeks, but I was happy to hear that I am dilated to a 1 and 50% effaced. (It's always nice to hear of any action going on, you know?) I am scheduled to be induced on November 6th (that's 9 days before my due date) and I am pretty sure I'll make it that far. (Kalia was only 2 days before the due date.)

I LOVE my new doctor (I switched a month ago.) He is all the way across town but he is wonderful and has done 6 (out of 7) successful VBAC's this month. (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean.)

He's going to induce me using a cathether and a little balloon up into my cervix-- hope that's not TMI for any of you, but I guess this is a very effective, drug-free way to induce. We're just hoping and praying for the best.

Anyway, I have a long post to do about this pregnancy #2 (and how different it's been from my first) but let's save that for another day.

I just love this little girl, and can't wait for another one to love as well.

5 Tidbits

1. We are MINI-VANNIN' it! I knew the day would come, and it happened to come sooner than we thought. I wasn't going to resist. I already love it. Thanks to our friend Chuck who found us this jewel of a deal...he gave us such a phenomenal price. We are going to stay a "one-vehicle" family for as long as we can, so that means we're selling the Camry, however, the good news is that our Camry is worth twice what we got the van for, so we can put away $2500 into savings. And it has all the nice extras like the rear air, power doors, and even a built-in air compressor in the back. And someday I will get an almost-new Honda Odyssey with leather seats. Someday.

2. Some of you know I'm a product-junkie. I read reviews and buy (and return, when necessary) like crazy. I have to share two VERY CHEAP and VERY EFFECTIVE products:
Best face exfoliator ever? BAKING SODA. Add a little water. Try it. It's very gentle and your face will feel like you just had a peel. And a fabulous night-time moisturizer? OLIVE OIL. (I used to have the oiliest skin, but nowadays it is SO DRY...especially my cheeks, and I have tried so many things to soften it. A tiny dab of olive oil has done the trick, and hasn't made me break out. Both of these worked better than the $40 exfoliator I tried from Estee Lauder and the $150 night cream from Lancome. (I'll be honest, I knew I would return them both...and I did. I just had to try in case they really were miraculous.)
3. I have been having fun with the baby name generator at babynamegenie.com. Try it out for a few minutes of mindless entertainment. (You never know, it might just give you the perfect name for your next child.)
4. Gas just dropped to $3.09 here in Vegas!! HALLELUJAH!!! It's definitely the upside of our crazy crashing economy.

5. Speaking of that crashing economy, a friend of a friend wrote a REALLY great post about the financial situation that's happening, and he pretty much "dumbed it down" for people (like me) who like to hear the simplified version of things. It's kind of long, but if you want to feel like you have a better understanding of it, check it out here.

Moms and Sisters are the BEST!

I wanted to give an update on my mom!! She is doing GREAT!! She had 8 intense chemotherapy treatments, and though she lost most her hair, she was able to get some awesome care and new drugs/treatments to manage side effects, and she only THREW UP TWICE the whole time. She could literally feel the strength of those praying for her. I know that feeling, I remember feeling that on my mission. It is such an awesome feeling. Thanks to everyone who has been a great supporter to her. Also, she is doing 60 radiation treatments (5 times a week) and she has 10 left. She's feeling good, getting her energy back, and her hair is starting to grow back too (although it's coming in gray, and she's bummed about it. I told her to bleach it platinum white, and spike it! Don't ya think?) By the way, she did NOT have to have a mastectomy. The picture above is of her and the roses that my dad has grown. He has thrown himself into gardening with a VENGENCE, it's like his therapy. The yard at home is like a garden of Eden.

These pictures, by the way, were taken in the backyard of my parents house. We grew up with that park at the edge of our backyard, it was the best. Now we love it for the grandkids. If only that house was bigger, we are bursting at the seams when we all get together.

A week or two ago Krystal came down from Springville, and she brought us these San Diego shirts from Old Navy. Our brother Eric is serving his mission in San Diego, he only has 7 months left. We took a few pictures to show our support. It was fun. I just love my mom and sisters so much. They are my best friends, and they each bring something so wonderful and unique to the family. Kimmy (the youngest, on the left) is 14, and is a wonderful aunt-- Kalia takes off running to her every time, and calls her Mimmy. She is constantly watching all of our kids for us. Anyway, enjoy the pics.

So it turns out...

BEE STINGS REALLY REALLY REALLY HURT. I mean, I'm going to have to rank it up there with labor pains (but I'll tell you in a month if that's really accurate, I've forgotten.) I was (un)lucky enough to find out today. The little buzzer was crawling around on my carpet. I'm just glad it was me and not Kalia. This is the stinger/butt that I pulled out of my second toe. (the top of my toe, not the bottom....weird.)