Evelyn's Birth Story

I'm going to start with Wednesday early morning, I started having very mild contractions in the wee hours but they were very irregular, occasionally getting to between 4-7 min apart, but then they would go back to 8-10. I spent all day wednesday with intermittent contractions. That night they got a little more serious, but only for a short time. Thursday I was scheduled for an induction at 5pm. I was hoping to get things going before then so I spent all day doing anything the internet told me would pick things up. Everything. I was eating the pineapple, drinking the tea, stimulating the nipples, I couldn't kick things into high gear, although I was getting more uncomfortable. 

When it came time to go to the hospital we took our time got some Taco Bell, drove slowly, took forever to get admitted. I was really hoping that I would have progressed a little and they would skip the bulb and maybe even send me home to labor there and let me come back in the morning. But no dice. 

I ended up admitted at the hospital anyway and I got a foly bulb around 7 I think. That actually very quickly put me into active labor, unfortunately I went from like zero to fifty very quick, and after about 2 hours of the foly bulb I was having contractions back to back about 3-4 at a time with no rest between them and only about a min or two between sets. I ended up with a few doses of stadol (which gave me creepy audio hallucinations) before I was 7 cm and the foly fell out. By the time they got my doctor there and my mom got there I think it was about 5 am I was already almost fully dilated and only labored for a little longer before it was time to push. I ended up pushing for about 3 hours and had two interthecals (walking epidural) due to severe back labor.

They were talking C-section because she was stuck behind my pelvic bone and after three hours of pushing it didn't look like I'd get her past it. I heard my doctor and the nurse saying that it looked like I'd need the Csection and I knew I didn't want that. I also wanted to have her out before the second interthecal wore off. The pain between the interthecals was unbearable, I think I scared everyone in teh room the way I writhed on the table and screamed out. Someone mentioned pitocin, and I asked to try  it because my contractions were slowing down and I was at about 10-15 min between them, at that rate the interthecal would wear off before I could get her out, I was already starting to feel my left leg again. I had one dose of pitocin and I think maybe 10 min later I got her past the pelvic bone. 

As her head passed under my pelvic bone her cord tightened around her neck and those last few pushes her pulse dropped dramatically. I had to get her out because they didn't know if they could vacuum her because she had so much hair.  With the help of everyone, Paul and My mom each on a knee, My sister hold a towel for leverage, My doctor and an awesome nurse, I got her head out, I was switcihing from side to side and using a towel  also apparently her left shoulder came out at this time too. 

My Doctor had to cut the cord off of her neck because it was very short and so tight around her neck she couldn't slip it over her head, it ended up only being about a foot long. She went straight to the nurses for oxygen and started crying pretty quick. I got her a few minutes later and she latched right on. She had some bruising on her shoulder, I am guessing because it came out with her head, but it didn't dislocate or anything. I had three very minor tears, all but one internal. 

Evelyn Dawn was born at 1019 am on Friday December 14th weighing 8lb 4.4 oz at 20 3/4 inches long, with a head that was 14 and 1/4 inches around. We didn't have the labor/birth we planned but the doctors and staff at the hospital worked with us to give us an amazing experience that was still pretty close to what we wanted, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. My only complaint was that the water in the tub wasn't very warm. Haha. Since leaving on Saturday I keep craving the hospital hamburgers, they were really good! 

Evelyn is doing great, she feeds great, she sleeps a lot, she isn't the least bit fussy. I almost feel like I have the perfect baby. She loves to snuggle, but she will sit quietly in her rocker if I need to go to the bathroom, or start a load of laundry. All of my family is gone now and it's just me and Paul and things are amazing. I am still healing and very sore. But Paul is great with her too, he gets her in the morning after I feed her and they let me sleep in while they watch cartoons for another hour or two. 

- Alana

She's Here!

Evelyn Dawn arrived at 10:19 am on Friday, December 14th.
We are still quite tired, recovering, and getting used to our new life.
I'll try to get a birth story up this week, maybe even tomorrow if we can get some rest.

Over Due

(taken right at 40 weeks)

Well today I'm 40 weeks 3 days. I know that most babies are not born on their due date, but I'm pretty sure she thinks she is staying in for the winter, But hey, can I blame her, it's 7 degrees F outside right now.

I'm not too uncomfortable when I am up and about. In bed is when I am most uncomfortable. I have a lot of pelvis pressure, but thats expected. I am sleeping pretty good too, partly because I have extra people in my house right now so I can kick the dogs out and someone is up to watch them. But I do want her out, I am ready to play with her, and dress her up, and snuggle her, and I want her to feel real.
(warning, about to talk about lady bits, skip to next paragraph if you'd like) My last appt on friday (due date) I wasn't dilated hardly at all on Friday. She was able to get one finger through my cervix and attempt to strip my membranes, but she had a hard time, and it was extremely uncomfortable.

So she can come any day now. I am doing everything humanly and holistically possible to get her out safely, and I don't have much progress. Lets see, I'm taking Evening Primrose Oil, drinking Raspberry Leaf tea, I tried black cohosh tea, which BTW tastes like dirty socks and cat litter, I'm walking (although the weather is not permitting much of this because I don't want to drive to Walmart.) I also just ate half a pineapple, and the other half is waiting in the fridge, That'll make two pineapples this week. I've got doc appts Monday and Wednesday to have my membranes stripped again. So I hope she comes out, maybe tonight?


- Alana

Still Pregnant

39 weeks 6 days, Mondays doctor appt brought no new news. I'm still not dilated. My mom and my sister are here, so after my appt we went and walked around downtown and tried to get things moving. I've been taking evening primrose oil and just poured myself some raspberry leaf tea. I'm working on some easy, non poop your pants causing, over the counter things. However, nothing exciting yet.
- Alana

39 weeks

haha, look at all the little stretched out flowers. My poor shirt. 

So we've arrived at 39 weeks. Mom and sister will be here tomorrow so Baby E can come any time.
Part of me just wants her to come this weekend. But part of me wants her to wait. She can wait until Sunday and steal Renji's birthday on the 2nd, a few days later is my dads birthday, the 7th (her due date) is Pearl Harbor day. But I would really like to have her on or before her due date.

I am so full of baby. I feel huge and tired all the time. My sciatic hurts after one trip up the stairs with the laundry. My pregnancy symptoms are normal, sciatic pain, minor cramping, BH contractions. Not much as far as cravings.. well I really want sonic now that I think about it, but I am not driving an hour and a half just for a cheeseburger, a juicy delicious cheeseburger, with jalapeños and mayo and cheese, and tater tots, and a cherry doctor pepper and... no not driving an hour and a half just for that....
I have been wearing my glasses lately, remember them? well I wore them for most of the spring and a little in the summer, then they got annoying because I couldn't really tell a difference with out without them. Well the last month or so I've noticed I can't read the DirecTV menu very well, it was blurry, and then it got to where the actual TV shows seemed a little fuzzy. Then it started to effect my interneting. So I dug them out of my glove box and now I wear them about 60% of the time I am home. I don't wear them out of the house though. I don't feel I need them to grocery shop or eat, and those are the only two things I leave the house for nowadays.

I had really put off baby prep because I thought we would be moving very soon, but it's looking like we could move next week, or maybe next month (January), and with it being highly likely she'll arrive before we move, or even have orders, I need to do a few things. Like I need to move her stuff into my room. She cannot live in the living room, where all of her stuff currently resides. But that means I need to clean my room. haha, I sound like a teenager. But really, I have laundry (mostly clean) all over the floor and I need to get that cleaned up. We have everything we need, but I was just going to wing it. I still will have to but I'll be making it up as I go along here, instead of wherever we end up living.

I also need to box up the stuff we aren't going to need right away, like the cutsy decorations, and clothing 3mos and up. All of which is also currently in my living room. I have a few things I need to order still, baby monitor, sheets for the pack n play, the sheets are all I really need, because she'll be sleeping in the pack n play and her rocking bed thing until we move. and I need to sew the changing pad covers, even though we won't be using the changing pad until we set up her room, I'll just change her on the pack and play, or wherever I am sitting when she potties. But I think I'm as ready as I can be.

- Alana

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( I would like to acknowledge  that little meltdown yesterday, Pregnancy has really messed with my emotions and sometimes you just need to let it out. I wont take it down, because it's still all true, but had I been in a normal state of mind I would have kept that to myself.) 

Winding Down

Things are winding down in this pregnancy. We are nearing the end. My due date is in 11 days, but my doctor is going to strip my membranes in 7.
I am ready. Well, physically. I am ready to have my body back. I am ready to lay on my side without my hands going numb. I am ready to pee without great difficulty cleaning up, and to pee less than once an hour. I am ready to bend down to get the dog bowls for dinner and be able to not worry if I will topple over. I am ready to go up and down the stairs and not be out of breath. I am ready to walk anywhere and not feel like my lady bits are about to fall out.
I am not sure if I am ready as in I have everything I will need. But I have a car seat, so I can take her home from the hospital, I have clothes to put her in, and blankets to wrap her in, and I have diapers for her to poop in. I have somewhere for her to sleep. I even have books to read to her, and pacifiers for her to suckle on, if she wants them.
There's just one thing, and everyone keeps telling me its normal. But it still doesn't feel real yet. It hasn't sunk in that in about 2 weeks or less I am going to have a baby. A real live baby is going to come out of my body and come home with me. Maybe it's because I can't see her, even yet. It's not like adopting a puppy where you go and look at it, and pick it out, and bring it home. No, I just have this weird feeling in my stomach, and I have expanded quite a bit over the last 9 months, and the thing inside me is about to come out. I've been told that this feeling can stick around for a bit, even after she is born, even after I take her home it may take a few weeks for it to hit me that she is mine, and she isn't going anywhere.
I've just about finished washing her stuff. Now we just need a home to put it in. Hopefully that'll be next week. My mom and sister get here Saturday, so she can make her appearance any time after that. In my head I am thinking she'll be a few days early. Maybe Monday or Tuesday. I would like to have her while we are still living in Helena, It'll just make things easier if I don't have to drive an hour to get to the hospital, especially since the weather is very sketchy this time of year, and we have a mountain pass to drive through.

I hope the next week goes quickly and uneventfully and the following week we welcome our happy, healthy, precious little peanut into this world.

- Alana

37 weeks (& 4 days) update

Holy Frijoles I am 3 weeks away from having a baby. That ish is bananas. B.A.N.A.N.A.S.

Today is one of the first days in a while I have felt pretty. So I savored it and ran all kinds of errands I was saving for tomorrow, because who knows, Tomorrow I may look like shit again.

How far along? 37 w 4 d

Size of baby? Watermelon (19-22 inch 6.5-7 pounds)

Weight gain? Hanging tough at just around 30, not bad I guess. Still under 200 which is my goal. 

Sleep?  not so much, I pee about 300 times a night so sleep sucks.

Best Moment of the Week? I ordered my car seat, that's pretty darn exciting. Oh and husbeast cleaned the kitchen, I am forever grateful. 

Miss anything? Dude I want a margarita so bad. A big ass, cold, margarita. Oh and I miss being able to "hold it" now when I gotta pee, it's a right now kinda thing.  

Movement? Punch, Punch, Punch, on my bladder goes the baby. Plus the hiccups, don't get me wrong, I love her and I adore feeling her move but she has the hiccups ALL THE TIME! and it's really annoying. It's like a muscle twitch in you belly that keeps coming back, like 5-6 times a day!

Food Cravings? Not really, I want soda, and I could go for a burger. But nothing I really really want. 

Gender? I have this nagging fear that she will be a he. Symptoms? Acne has returned with a vengeance, as with sciatic pain, and my crotch hurts.  

Belly button in or out? .Still in, I think it wont pop. Its almost flush with my belly skin, but it's still a little in. 

Looking forward to: My mom getting here so I can stop worrying about her coming before.  

Next baby boy check-up?: Next monday! 

Other that that, lets see... Doctor says I am measuring right on, and on the 3rd she is going to strip my membranes. But I am hoping on the third I will go in and she will say "nope, you're ready to go, meet you at the hospital in a bit!"  

I am still nervous about the housing situation, but we found one, and I got an email from the lady today and she is going to continue to hold it for us because our situation is out of our hands. I just hope that we get word this week. 

Car seat should be here tomorrow! Then we are as ready as we can be. I got my maternity photos back, I'll share them soon. 

- Alana
Go find me on Facebook and Instagram (AlanaMarie36)

36 weeks update

(this first part was written Nov 9th, I forgot to post it)

Oh, Boy. 36 weeks. I'm starting to get scared. It's starting to sink in. I'm having a baby. Out of my vag. In roughly 1 month. OMG.

I think, well right now, the only thing I am actually afraid of is the birth itself. The idea of a watermelon coming out of my vagina is a bit scary. And I keep having anxiety, nothing in particular, just general anxiety, it's been off and on for about 2 weeks now. 

This week (Friday 9th, the night I wrote this) we have the Marine Corps Ball, So I have been off and on all day getting my self done up. We've been in Jackson, WY since Wednesday, and we get to go home tomorrow. Although it's quite lovely here, and the view is spectacular, being away from my home, with my dogs and cat in a kennel, is not ideal for a person who is once again battling anxiety on an almost daily basis. I don't have access to all the things that make me feel better, dog cuddles, my bed, my blankets. 

How far along? 36 weeks! 

Total weight gain/measurements: I have no idea, I'm thinking I am still around 30 lbs

Size Of Baby: Watermelon (19-22 inches long and about 6.5 lbs)

Sleep: Sleeping in WY was rough, strange bed, no animals, but we got home yesterday and I slept like a log last night. 

Maternity clothes: I guess I am not as big as many moms, while I do wear maternity most of the time, I can still fit into most of my pre-preg shirts as long as they are longer ones.

Stretch marks? I have a handful on the front of my belly. 

Best moment this week: Being home again.  

Miss anything? I miss lots of things, mostly beer, and the freedom to put on my shoes without straining. 

Movement: Like a rockstar

Cravings?: Cake, I wanted cake all week, then I got some Friday at the ball, but it wasn't enough, now I want more. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? I've had a froggy throat for a few days and coughing makes me almost puke, that's a new thing. I've also had wicked heartburn. It was so bad Thursday morning that I was almost physically ill.  

Labor signs: Just back ache, and I think I "dropped" Paul says my belly looks lower.  

Symptoms: Heartburn, oh my god the heartburn is terrible, and it's been almost non stop all week. Except the night I had Thai while we were in Wyoming, no heartburn that night... and a pretty solid back ache, but that could also be do to lots of travel in the car this last week.  

Belly button in or out? It's about to pop

Happy or moody most of the time: I think I've been pretty pleasant this week.

Baby related purchases?: I got a few things at Kmart, and I had some packages come while I was out of town, I need to go pick them up.  

Looking forward to: My mom getting back here so I can have this baby!

P.s. Go follow along on my facebook page, When little miss decides to arrive, that'll be where the updates go. 

 - Alana

35 hundred weeks pregnant update

Sunday, Oct 28th 2012

34 weeks 7 days

(as of today November 1)

Size of baby: Large Cantaloupe 

Health: At my last appt. My doctor was a bit concerned with my diet and dizzy spells, combined with my previous Gestational Diabetus test putting me borderline for GD she had me do some bloodwork to see how I was doing, and if I had crossed the line into having GD. But results show I do not. I am still healthy as a horse. (and as big as one too)

Weight Gain: lets not talk about that. 

Symptoms: I've had quite a bit of discomfort, I think the baby is 'dropping' or 'lightening' which means she is moving into myt pelvis to prepare for birth, this happens about a month before birth. I'm hella tired. I waddle like a duck. I have a hard time getting around for very long periods, grocery, or any shopping trips for that matter are a nightmare. I start to waddle and get very very uncomfortable after about 15 minutes. 

Fetal Movement: She's ducking and rolling like she's a gold medal gymnast in there. 

Sleep: Sleep has been a bit of an issue this week. Paul just started working down in Butte, he's got to be there at 530 am. With a roughly 1 hour commute pending weather, so we'll say 1:30 commute. Plus he has to leave our house and go into town and get his government vehicle, so he's up at 330 every morning, and out by 4. Which means he goes to bed at like 8, so I try to go to bed with him, and I can't sleep, but I wake up when he does. ugh sleep is just very tricky right now. 

Cravings: Right now? Taco Bell, but that should be arriving via husband soon. Overall though? nothing in particular. My coffee craving has subsided and I haven't had any in almost a week. I just want all the food, in my belly. 

Aversions: I am very averse to getting out of bed. I can't think of any food aversions. Last night I had stroganoff which was amazing, and tonight I was going to do a creamy shrimp pasta but the idea of something creamy again for dinner is kind of yucky sounding, so I think I'll do shrimp scampi or something. 

Belly button:  almost gone. very shallow and stretched out. My loving husband told me the other day my belly button looks like the cats butthole. 

What I Miss: I feel like a wino, but I miss wine, and beer, and I really really want a margarita. I also cannot wait to hit the treadmill. I honestly hate my body right now, I think I look huge and horrible. Even though I wasn't really fit to start, I miss my before body, I just want to be able to look at myself in pictures and not hate the hugeness of my belly and boobs. 

Best Moment this Week: Well it sure wasn't taking my mom to the airport monday. I think my baby shower on Saturday was amazing, and so much fun, I was very anxious about it, I don't know why, well I do, I don't like being the center of attention, and we never host people at the house. But it was great, and I was physically very uncomfortable with sciatic and a huge baby so I got to spend most of the time just sitting around on my bum. 

What I Look Forward To: Moving soon (hopefully) and having her out of me and in my arms, safe and sound. And my first post-pregnancy adult beverage (even though since I'll be breastfeeding I'll have to wait a bit for this one, but It'll come, and it'll be glorious)  

- Alana

More pregnancy fun!

These are some of the things they don't tell you, or maybe they do, I just stopped reading all the pregnancy books around 24 weeks, because I know everything.

Nothing is a certainty, Everyone has experiences, Not all experiences are the same. Although the way I write, it sounds like this is all going to happen, if you are reading this and have never been pregnant, you should know that everyones experiences are different. 

You will become a mouth breather. We have been trying to move, and find a house, in my last trimester. There was one house I looked at while Paul was out of town. I made a video of this house to send to him so he could get an idea, the whole video you can hear me breathing, and sniffling, loudly.

Feeling the baby move is amazing. You may even learn tricks to 'make' her move, I would play song pop, with my iPhone propped up on my chest or boob, she either loved it or hated it (I may never know), but it always made her move. (fyi- she's being extra wiggly right now)

You will pee, when you don't expect it. It may be when you think you are done peeing and you stand up, it may be when you sneeze, it may happen when you laugh really hard, but it will happen, at least once.

There will come a point where nothing will fit, not even your maternity pants. This is when I was pretty much permanently wearing Pauls t-shirts and no pants. If I had to leave the house I could wear the maternity pants, but not comfortably. This started around month 7 for me.

Everyone has advice, not all of it is good. If you question something, or if something sounds silly ask your OB or trust your gut or google it. I was told by one woman that reaching over my head will cause the cord to wrap around the babies neck. This is an old wives tale and not true. Can you imagine not reaching over your head for any extended period of time? Need to water your hanging plants? Nope. Need to get down the crock pot from the top of the pantry? Nope. Grocery puts the hot sauce up on the high shelves? None for you. Yeah that's just silly.

There will also come a time when you decide that you hate the way you look, you aren't cute anymore (I never really thought I was but that's not the point) You will hate your hair, or your weight gain, or your cankles. They say this gets better, and it's not a good time to make any drastic changes in your appearance i.e. don't go for a drastic new hairstyle to try to make yourself fell better.
Don't worry though, you will have good days too, days where you love your body, and your bump. You will have days that you feel pretty.

If you get the 'Pregnancy Acne' It will probably be bad. Maybe you won't get it, but if you do I am sorry. I found nothing that even almost worked. But my problem wasn't entirely just acne.

Moodswings suck, that's not really a secret though, I've had days where I have been laughing with my husband one moment, and the next I was in tears accusing him of being a horrible person. It just happens, warn your husband ahead of time, hopefully yours will be as understanding as mine.

Things like eating are going to get uncomfortable. As your baby grows it is going to squish everything inside you. Yes you grow and stretch too, but things are still being compacted, and you will have a hard time breathing too, but your stomach is going to have even less room to expand as you eat, so you can't eat as much. So make what you eat count. Yeah I have days where I binge on carbs, but I try to eat healthy too, well at least I think about it...
But as you progress you will probably not be as picky of an eater. Once I hit third trimester, I would eat just about anything.

You kind of have to take things with a grain of salt though, I think I've become more laid back, and forgiving, sometimes things just suck, and people will piss you off, and your body will hate you. But there isn't anything you can do about it, because you are making something amazing.

And as horrible as you may feel, you aren't the first person to feel horrible, and you won't be the last. Women have been doing this for gazillions of years, and will keep it up for gazillions more. I hope one day I can look back at this time and smile, and remember the good, and not the bad.

For my next pregnancy, I will plan it better. Knowing what I know now, I don't want to be 2nd or 3rd trimester for any extended period of time in the summer. I was miserable. Now that the weather has cooled off I actually feel much better, my swelling has gone down, my mood is a little better, and these are things that are said to be worse at the end of pregnancy. Nope, mine (especially the swelling) tapered off after the temps dropped below 75. 

- Alana

my blog is my diary

Maybe I'm just being a whiner, but I think the military is trying to ruin the last few months of my pregnancy. I am due Dec 7th. Paul is being transfereed to Butte (about an hour south of us) sometime in the next month. 
But they can't give us a date, they have told him that there is no way he will have funding or approval to move in the first half of November. So that puts us moving, at the earliest three weeks before my due date. Which I had already accepted. I don't want to move until after the Marine Corps Ball anyway. But the thing is we may not get funds and orders until Dec 1. 
I am fairly certain that even if we get approval on one day, it'll still take a week or at the very least a few days to get movers in order. 
I don't know what to do. I am such a mess right now. I doubt the house we found will hold it for us until who knows when. I don't know if it would be a better idea to just stay here until after Baby E is born. 
I am so sad at the thought that we are going to loose the house. I am stressed at the thought that we could be stuck here, when I just accepted the fact that we are moving, until we find another house.
This is really stressing me out, I am really getting down about this. I am not the least bit excited about whats happening, not excited about baby, just stressed. I am back to not doing anything to prep for baby, just stressed about where we will be living. 
I know it'll all work out. Paul keeps telling me he'll handle it, but this isn't something small like a car, or a bill. This is such a cluster fuck that I feel like I am loosing it. 
I can't not be stressed when I am about to bring a small person into this world and I have no idea where I am going to put it. 
It's so frustrating because to a certain extent we planned this pregnancy, knowing we'd be stable, we were going to be stateside until at least 2013, we had no idea that a transfer was on the horizon. Things were going to be perfect, things were going to run smoothly. Now things are just a mess. 


- Alana

Old Navy Sale!

Yesterday when I said I hadn't made any purchases for the baby this week, that was mostly true. 

I haven't purchased anything, this week, I did however make a nice size order from Old Navy at the beginning of the month, But it only just arrived. 

First we have the adorable rainbow dress with the matching beanie. It's actually a size 6-12 mos, But I've been eyeing it for a while and it was on sale, plus ON was running a 30% off special. The kitty hoodie is fleece and just adorable. Plus she got the boots with the fur. 

All on the onsies I got are long sleeve. And some animal prink leggings. 

I also got her a few denim overall dresses. I got the top one twice, one in 0-3 and one 3-6 because they were something like 3.99 before the 30% off. The other one has a cute braided waistband. They all have little bloomers. 

So little baby E has quite a growing wardrobe. She better have lots of friends so she can show off all her fantastic duds. 

I also got a few things for myself, two long sleeve maternity shirts, one of them in neon yellow, it's awesome, I also got myself two pairs of leggings. 

- Alana

32 Week Pregnancy Update

How far along? 32 weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: I am no longer weighing myself, It's too depressing, but according to my doc I'm holding steady at 186 for two weeks now, so you do the math. 
Size Of Baby: Honeydew (19 inches 4.5 lbs)

Sleep: I had one great night earlier this week, I had several hours of uninterupted sleep. But overall I am sleeping like shit, 

Maternity clothes: When I am at the house I am not wearing much, I find most pants extremely uncomfortable, so when at home I wear a loose tank top and underwear. I only put on pants to take the dogs out. 

Stretch marks? Oh No! I've got 4 little ones, they look like quotation marks just under my belly button. I wouldn't even know they were there if I didn't see them in the mirror. 

Best moment this week: This week has kind of been a bust. But i have felt a lot of movement, which is both a blessing and a curse, it's great to feel her, but at 3 am when I want to be sleeping, it would be nice if she'd nap too. *okay I thought of a best moment! When I found maternity jeans at Target that were not full pannel, the full pannel pisses me off and it's so uncomfortable, but the ones I found are just elastic waist and they are fantastic! 

Miss anything? Comfort, I am so uncomfortable almost all the time. Also although I've always been a little chubby, I miss my old body, I am a little depressed at my appearance right now. 

Movement: So, So much! 

Cravings?: Mac & Cheese. I was ready to write Albertsons grocery a nasty e-mail this week because I was out of Kraft Mac & Cheese and I wen't to get more and they had it on the bottom shelf. If you've never been pregnant, the easiest way I can describe it is, imagine you are really sore, from say a gym workout, like really really sore, and you drop your keys, You know that totally uncomfortable feeling when you have to bend down and pick them up, where it's just so hard just to touch your toes? That's what it's like to try to bend over and get something on the bottom shelf. It's damn near impossible. Then I dropped half the mac and cheese. So I had to bend down again and pick it up. 

Oh and I want nachos all the time, not the good kind either, I want cheep mall nachos, or in my case Target nachos. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Just heartburn. Heartburn makes me want to puke. 

Labor signs: practice contractions have picked up this week. And I had lots of dreams about going into labor last night. 

Symptoms: Heartburn, crankyness (EXTREME!), mood swings, tired, sleeplessness, oh and that huge ass baby bump.

Belly button in or out? Mostly in, but I can see the bottom!

Happy or moody most of the time: I am a horrible cranky bitch, and I don't even want to be around myself sometimes.
Baby related purchases?: This week I got Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth and her Guide to Breastfeeding. But I look at stuff all the time when I go out. I just don't buy anything.
Looking forward to: My mommy coming to visit me in a few weeks. And my babyshower that weekend! 

- Alana

Thank You Navy Marine Corps Relief Society!

I want to thank the Navy Marine Coros Relief Society and our Family readiness program, for the wonderful gift we received today. Our FRO here in Montana, who is also a friend of mine, signed us up with the NMCRS to receive this wonderful new parent package, with all kinds of fun stuff. 

Crib sheets, onsies, burp cloths, mittens, a formula kit, baby towels, the new parents kit has a DVD and reading material for new Parents, and the blanket on the bottom? It's hand crocheted.

Baby E is such a lucky little girl. 

Just a side note: When we were in Okinawa, I wanted to volunteer with the NMCRS and knit/crochet blankets, but as soon as I got involved, we got PCS orders and I wasn't able to. Now I really wish even more I had been able to be a part of it while I was there. Perhaps I'll have to make some and send them over now. 


- Alana

9 week to do list

9 weeks until Baby E's scheduled arrival. So give or take a few days (or weeks, I guess) I have 9 weeks to prep, and 9 weeks left to do my own thing. I have one more week of work, and then I can focus solely on the list.

1. Find a house in Butte
2. Move into said house
3. Choose a carseat for Baby E
4. Choose/ order/ assemble a crib for Baby E
5. Other misc Baby E set up
6. Read some of the childbirth/parenting books I have

Then there are some things I want to just do for me

1. Finish some knitting
2. and some sewing
3. Finish some of my books that are unrelated to baby
4. learn to play my ukelele (or at least try)


Clearly finding a home and moving is super dooper important. We have so much going on in the next two months outside of the move, things are just crazy in my head. Paul will be going to SoCal for his MEPS training for two weeks. Then a few weeks later we have the Marine Corps Ball, which will be 4 days of mandatory fun time. The ball happens to fall about a month before my due date too, so I'll get to be as big as a whale for the whole thing. Yay! Then a few weeks later Baby E will make her entrance into this world!
I am very lucky my mommy is coming to visit me for a few days at the end of this month so she can light a fire under my ass, because I have a feeling I am not going to get a whole lot done between now and then.



- Alana

Hello Baby! It's time to start getting ready!

Well It's October 1, and we have two months and one week until Baby E's due date. I guess it's time to start buying her stuff. 
I've had a really hard time with this, for a few reasons. Earlier it was because of my anxiety, I try to not prepare for certain things incase they do not happen. I know that sounds weird, and sort of morbid. I really don't want to discuss it in depth, but for that reason I had not (until very recently) purchased a single thing for Baby E. Not a blanket, or a bib, not any booties, nothing. The other reason, which is plaguing me now, is our impending move. Why buy stuff that we are just going to have to move in a month or so anyway. I cant set anything up, when she wont have a room in this house. Why bother? 
To be quite honest I've been a little down about the whole thing. 
I guess my mom was a little concerned about me being unprepared, so she made me go out and buy some stuff. 




And I wanted to buy this, it's 40% off at Macys

I think it would make the cutest Christmas dress. 
Paul thinks it looks like a burlap sack. 

I'm a little afraid that my mom forced me to open a can of worms. 
You know how some say when you are out drinking and you take your first pee you "break the seal" and you will pee every 5 minutes for the rest of the night? 
I think I broke the shopping seal. I have not bought much more since that shopping trip last weekend. Mostly because the shopping here in MT is slim pickings. But my online carts at a few stores are HUGE. My Old Navy cart alone is pushing $200. And they just put out a 30% off coupon. 
Oh Noes. 

We'll still likely wait on a crib and stroller until we have moved. And the carseat I need to research a bit more, but that will be very soon. I think we'll get our pack n play (play pen) in the next week or so, just in case she comes early we'll need somewhere for her to sleep. 



Unrelated- If you are getting a malware notice when you come to my blog please let me know in the comments or via e-mail - PrincessAiko @ me.com . I have gotten the notice twice in the last two days and I am working to correct it. Thank you. 


- Alana