Bombs Away!

We've been home with Baby O less than a week now and it keeps getting more and more interesting. This little guy likes to keep Mommy and Daddy on their toes, especially when it comes to diaper changes. It's no secret that changing babies can be unpredictable. I was a babysitter before becoming a mom. I also took care of my niece and nephew. So, I've seen it all. I've had plenty urine showers in my day. I've seen enough to prepare me for my journey as a new mom - or so I thought. Baby O is like no other newborn. He holds the record for most pooping and peeing by any baby in my book. Changing him is like being on a battlefield. My hubby and I have to duck and dive just to avoid getting hit. We were on our way to a routine appointment when I realized that he had to be changed. "Give me five minutes," I told my husband. But what should have been a few minutes, turned into at least a half hour. I removed the dirty diaper from his little bum and breathed a sigh of relief. It was wet, which means changing would be a snap. As I prepared a clean replacement, I saw Baby O out of the corner of my eye squirming. In a matter of milliseconds there was shooting poop heading my way. I felt like I was the movie Dodge Ball. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion! I got out of the way in a nick of time. My hubby heard my screams and asked what was going on. I didn't even have time to respond when he came into the bedroom turned war zone. Before he could say another word, another round of seedy number two came flying onto the carpet we just had professionally cleaned a couple weeks ago. "Help!" I shouted. He sprung into action. But we were out numbered by an eight pounder. This time there was more poop with a side order of pee to go along with it. How could this mess come out of this cute little angel? We managed to get the stain out of the carpet. By the time we were finished cleaning, we felt like we just ran a marathon. We were sweaty and worn out. Next time we'll be fully armed and ready to go. We had a good laugh when we were finished cleaning the mess Baby O left behind. It may seem weird, but this is one of the things I love most about being a mom. This is the kind of story we'll tell over and over again at holiday soirees. Please share your funny/messy diaper changes.  

A New Addition to Our Family

We'd like to welcome baby O'shea to our family. He arrive July 25th at 5:11 PM weighing in at a whopping 8lbs, 20in.  Stay tuned for our birth story and video. For now, here are a couple of pics. Thanks so much for all your kind words. We are so excited and just want to enjoy him.

 

40 Weeks is Knocking at My Door

Every day I wake up thinking, this has got to be the day. I'll be 40 weeks tomorrow, and I can't believe we've made it this far. I'd get contractions off and on throughout the day. Then, nothing happens. The other night I started to feel my uterus tighten almost every minute for about 15 to 20 minutes. I thought, "This is it!" I told my hubby to begin tracking, and he gave me the "what you talkin' bout Willis look." These Braxton Hicks contractions have been going on for so long that we've become numb to it. But, this bun can't stay in this oven for long. He or she is gonna have come on out at some point. My bags are still packed, I even decided to give myself a fresh pedicure.

I'm still going to work (as planned). Some folks have expressed concern about me working this long. Others have told me that I'm getting big, and can't believe I haven't popped yet. But what else is supposed to happen? What else am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to stay home and do nothing? Heck no! I want as much time with my sweet pea as possible. So if I have to forecast the weather while in labor just to have more time at home, that's what I'll have to do. During my weekly check up, my doc told me that this baby is over 7 pounds. He also hooked me up to the fetal monitor to check the heat beat and contractions. The needle did spike for a few brief periods. The heart rate was normal. I'll be back in the office later this week for another check up. I only have a few days left of being preggers. I might as well enjoy it.

 

39 Weeks: The Clock is Ticking

I didn't think I'd make it this far in my pregnancy. Between the cramps and intense pressure, among other symptoms previously mentioned throughout my pregnancy diaries, I thought I'd be delivering earlier. I was 38 weeks when I gave birth to Princess. I remember coming home from work, taking a shower, and hitting the sack. I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and my water broke and blurted out, "Uh-oh. Honey!" My hubby jumped out of bed to find a huge pool of amniotic fluid on the carpet. I didn't even make it to the bathroom! At first I thought I had an accident, but quickly realized that I still had to pee. By the time I got to the hospital I found out I wasn't even dilated. Fast forward to today and it's a much different story. It's true what they say, every pregnancy is different. I felt intense pressure the first time around as well. But as far as contractions go, Princess was a gentle mover. She was quiet during the day and extremely busy at night. But, I never felt the pain I feel now. I like to think of it as, Princess breaking in my uterus. She's paved the way for this baby to have a lot more room to roam about in my tummy. She's already playing protective big sister without knowing it. At my recent appointment, the doc told me that I was almost two centimeters dilated. "I think you'll have this baby by the weekend," he said. We'll see if he's right. In the meantime, I've been staying active. With the help of my hubby, we've been taking advantage of the little alone time we have now. Lawd knows it's gonna be a lot harder when this baby arrives. Besides they say the more active, the greater the chances of going into labor. I've also been walking a lot more, and plan on working until D-Day. The clock is ticking, and I see the finish line not too far ahead. Did you delivery on time? Were you early or late?  

38 Weeks: What if I have a boy?

Let the countdown begin! I've been feeling those Braxton Hicks contractions again. But, still nothing consistent. I feel it most at night, sometimes out of no where! As I mentioned previously, my bags are all packed and I'm ready to go. I've also got some stuff done around the house, and have done some shopping for our new bundle of joy. I'm at the point that weekly doctor visits are a must. The doc says that there's no dilation yet. But, we're almost there! I have been having some tension headaches, so maybe that's a sign. I've also been getting leg cramps, which can be brutal. It just lets me know that this baby is plumping up nicely and is ready for life in the outside world. Speaking of life outside of the womb, I've been thinking a lot about the growth of our family. I know that we'll fall into a new routine and everything will be fine. But, recent events regarding the Zimmerman verdict has got me thinking more about what it would it be like raising a biracial son. I wrote about my thoughts on my BabyCenter blog. Some of the comments can be a bit disheartening. It's easy for people to say that I should focus on teaching my kids about their heritage. That's obvious, duh! However, it's also important to talk to our kids about subject matters like this. The fact remains that society places us in a race category. If I give birth to a son, he would be considered black in many instances. I don't think a cop would sit there questioning him about the percentage of white that's in his blood and give him extra credit. The only thing I can do as a parent is to educate my son, and talk to him about the code of the streets. I'd tell him, “Know your surroundings.” “If you ever get stopped by cops, just cooperate.” “Be yourself.” “Be educated.” “You can be strong and confident, but don’t be overly aggressive.” For me, communicating with my kids is a must. I practice that with Princess now. She's only two, but you'd be surprised by the information she retains. She's already repeating lessons I've taught her. I think that's why having this blog is also important. They'll be reading this one day. Have you had a discussion with your kids about the Zimmerman verdict?  

Summer Fun Gardening

I've had to keep our Family Summer Fun Series close to home for obvious reasons. I'm due any day now, and still want to enjoy the wonderful outdoor as a family. Having fun is always the goal, but it's also important for Princess to learn. Recently, she and some classmates planted a seed in this cup.

She wanted to plant it. I'm no garden guru, but I figured why not give it a try? Princess also got a little assistance from Daddy.

Princess had fun planting and watering her soon-to-be plant. As you can see, we have a lot of weeding to do. Hey, I never said we were perfect gardeners. I'm just glad that she enjoyed it though.  

My Bags Are Packed & I'm Ready to Go!

It's only a matter of days until I deliver, and I'm excited to get this baby out! A complete stranger said to me, "YOU GOT SO BIG IN A MATTER OF A WEEK!" Really? I wanted to give this person a a piece of my mind. But, I said absolutely nothing and kept it moving. I couldn't stoop to her level. For the record, it's not a sensitivity thing. It was all in her tone and the look of disgust that went along with her bad choice of words that turned me off. There are just some things you just don't say! If you don't have anything nice to say, why bother? In any event, I'm done venting (for now). My mission is to focus on tying up some loose ends before the big day. I gave my hubby a list of things to do including installing and checking the car seats, carpet cleaning, and shopping. He's managed to escaped being evicted, and it looks like we are right on track. Keeping with tradition, I enjoyed a nice spa day to help me relax. I also gave myself a pedicure which was a bit challenging, but I managed just fine.

  I would have added that to my hubby's list. However, I didn't want to torture him. Believe it or not, he gave me weekly pedicures when I was pregnant with Princess. I finalized my hospital bag essentials. So, my bags are packed and I'm ready to go.

The only thing left to do is pack Princess's bag. Breakfast and dinner will be pre-made and stored in the freezer in order to make things easier for us. I've been trying to get ahead with my classes, but that's been a bit more challenging. How did you prepare for D-day?  

Toddler Reads Bedtime Story

We've always enjoyed reading to Princess every night before she hits the sack. Now the tables have turned and she's the one doing the reading. Check her out. So, proud of my little girl! (Don't forget to click the little wheel for enhanced HD)  

4th of July Weekend Pics!

We were on the hunt for fireworks close to home for the 4th of July holiday weekend, but were out of luck. It seems like there've been a lot of budget cuts in some areas. We'll have to wait until next weekend to check out a display. In the meantime, we made the best of the weekend by staying outdoors. It was the perfect way to beat the heat.

 

4th of July Weekend Pics!

We were on the hunt for fireworks close to home for the 4th of July holiday weekend, but were out of luck. It seems like there've been a lot of budget cuts in some areas. We'll have to wait until next weekend to check out a display. In the meantime, we made the best of the weekend by staying outdoors. It was the perfect way to beat the heat.

 

36 Weeks Pregnant: I think my water broke at work!

I was just a day away from being 37 weeks along in my pregnancy when I noticed something wasn't right. With minutes to air, I went to the bathroom for a potty break. What I thought would be a usual trip to the restroom turned out to be quite the opposite. I couldn't stop peeing! Once I thought I was done with my business, more pee gushed out. It was like I was peeing a river that wouldn't stop! Normally when your water breaks it's a clear fluid. But, it was kinda hard to tell whether or not I was seeing was clear fluid. It was all mixed with urine. I also noticed some spotting and light cramping, as if I was getting my period. I couldn't chance getting an infection. So, I texted my husband and called the OB.

I notified my boss and immediately went to the hospital after finishing the evening newscasts. I didn't make a huge deal out of this because wasn't sure what was going on. My mom had picked up Princess, so she was safe at home. My hubby was on his way home from work, and wanted to meet me at the hospital. Rather than do all that, I figured the best thing to do was just go solo. If it turned out my water broke, then we'd put our labor and delivery plan into place. Once I got to the hospital, I checked in. The nurses and docs ran a series of tests to make sure everything was ok. It turned out that I didn't go into labor after all. I just had uncontrollable pee and irregular contractions! The sono showed that the baby was nestled in the normal birthing position. As for the cramping and spotting, they said there's no cause for alarm. I guess this baby will have to continue cooking a little while longer. You can check out more on my pre-labor scare over at my BabyCenter blog.