**** Written before Miss Callie was born.  Hopefully, I will post her birth story before she turns one. Ha! *****

In one of my last post, I said I wanted to remember both the good and the bad parts of pregnancy.  I’m a total list maker so here goes a whopper list:

• Seeing the second pink line appear on the pregnancy test, telling Ben I’m pregnant.
• Feeling nauseous in the first trimester, but also being ravenous at the same time (Callie).  Very weird feeling.
• Seeing the baby on the ultrasound for the first time and then seeing the tiny heart beat.  Breathtaking.
• Feeling the first delicate flutters of baby movement in my uterus.  I suppose it sort of feels like bubbles bursting.
• Round ligament pain on the sides of my abdomen as my uterus and baby grow.
• Feeling Mary James’ and Callie’s feet, bottom and head as they press against the wall of my uterus.
• Watching my belly jump as they kick and wiggle.  Now that Callie can hear in the womb she will kick and make a ruckus when Mary James is crying loudly.
• The baby jumping and kicking when Ben talks to her (Callie or MJ).
• The sharp, take your breath away pains after a particularly sharp kick.
• Callie’s bottom wedged right against my ribs.
• Ben’s face when he gets to feel the baby move.  He lights up like Christmas morning.
• Feeling the baby have hiccups.
• Finding out whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
• Feeling very off balance when I walk.
• I love how my body looks pregnant….I love the extra curves and the sweet belly bump.  Pregnancy is beautiful and miraculous and such a blessing.
• Hip and leg pain.  Not fun, but part of it.
• The weird feeling of Braxton-Hicks contractions.  The super hard, tightness that usually occurs in my lower belly.
• Not being able to eat a normal amount because I fill up so quickly
• Bending over normally and then remembering I’m pregnant and there is a large bump hindering my movement.  Tee hee.
• The anticipation of what the baby will look like.
• Mary James laying her head on my pregnant belly and kissing my belly…and then trying to smack pat my belly with a huge grin on her face.
• Heartburn….  From water.  Yeah…
• My belly button slowly disappearing and flattening out.
• Not being able to tie my shoes without great effort (~35 weeks pregnant)
• Callie is able to kick my ribs and punch or head butt my pelvic bones simultaneously…odd feeling
• Getting up to go to the bathroom anywhere from 2-5 times each night.
• The top of my belly getting a “pins and needles” feeling, sorta like it’s going to sleep as Callie presses her bottom upwards.  Evidently she’s stretching my skin and nerves. (37 weeks)
• My belly getting really tight and hard from a simple walk around the block (or down the hall) in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
• The Linea Nigra…also known as the strange brown line down the middle of my belly.
• Going to my Ob/Gyn appointments to see how Callie is growing…I love my doctor and the nurses!
• All the “Is this it?” moments at the end of pregnancy…especially with Miss Callie…I had been having regular contractions at night for the last few weeks.
• Trying to read Mary James her bedtime stories at night and her constantly wiggling to get comfortable as my baby belly grew and made it hard for her to lean against me.  She would eventually crawl down and up into Ben’s lap. 

NOTE:  I wrote this last week (Thursday, April 8 ) just two days before Callie’s arrival!  I forgot to publish it…oops! But I wanted to publish it before I wrote about her delivery.

I went to my 38 week Ob/Gyn visit on Monday to discover that I am now officially 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced.  The baby is head down, heart rate was a healthy 141 bpm, she is practicing breathing, and the amnionic fluid levels were good.  My stats were fine as well.  The doctor “stretched my cervix” in hopes of stimulating labor…we’ll see.

A quick recap:
36 weeks – 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced
37 weeks – 3 to 4 cm dilated, 80-90% effaced
38 weeks – 4 cm dilated, 90% effaced

I hit the 39 week mark today, which is crazy to think my due date, April.15.2010, is only a week away.  Starting at 36 weeks the doctor guessed I would have the baby in a week or two.  Normally, he doesn’t check cervical status until 38 weeks, but because I have been having hard, strong contractions since around 34 weeks he decided to see my progress.  Also, my oldest daughter was born at 38 weeks on the dot, so I thought it would be good to have a “heads up” if Callie might arrive early as well.  BIG mistake!

It has been 2.5 weeks since I heard “You could go into labor at anytime!”  Since that time I’ve had two nights of around 3 hours of sleep with hard contractions, back pain and extreme pressure…  Stupid false labor.  Last night I had cramping, contractions, and extreme pressure from around 4-12 pm…and still not baby or true labor.

Somedays most days my hormones take over my brain and I’ll convince myself she’s not coming out.  EVER.  Which is absolutely ridiculous as I haven’t even passed my due date.

I’ve started to have pitting edema (swelling) in my ankles.  We learned about it in vet school and I’ve seen it patients but never experienced it.  It’s quite itchy, a little painful, and feels like my skin might pop when I move my ankles…but I actually always wondered what edema felt like, so I suppose I’m getting my chance!  Ha!  ;D

Tonight at church all the kids were outside playing on the playground, so Ben and I were out there with Mary James.  Keep in mind I an 38 weeks pregnant and rather large…   Had a great conversation with a little boy.

Little boy:  “What’s under your shirt?”

Me:  “There’s a baby in my belly.  Can you believe that?”

Little boy:  “Nope!” 

Aren’t kids the best?

I went to the Ob/Gyn today for my 37 week appointment.  I am now 3-4 cm dilated and 90% effaced!  I started feeling very nauseous, with contractions and lots of pressure the past few nights if I stay up past 10:30 pm.  As long as I get to bed before the magic contraction time I can skip the whole nauseous, crampy feeling.  The doc said I was probably still having contractions I was just sleeping through them.

I asked the doctor if it was possible for me to go another two weeks and he said it was possible but quite unlikely.  He seemed to think it would be quite soon.  I’m not horribly uncomfortable…just the normal end of pregnancy fun. And  I really cannot complain, I’ve been blessed with a healthy pregnancy  and a healthy baby.  I actually really love being pregnant,  but I’m also super excited to meet Callie and so is Ben!

Just praying for a safe delivery and a healthy baby that gets here when she’s ready!

In some ways, it seems like I just found out I was pregnant…we found out when I was around 4 weeks with a really faint positive.  However, most of the time it feels like this pregnancy has flown by.  I really can’t believe I’m 37 weeks pregnant and Mary James turns 19 months old tomorrow…she’s getting so big.  It still thrilling that Mary James will have a sibling.

Also, we decided to name the baby Callie Bess Murray.  Bess after my daddy’s mother who passed before I was born.  We will call her Callie.

I went to my Ob/Gyn last Tuesday, March 23, for my 36 week appointment.  Everything is still going smoothly, Callie is healthy and so am I.  Thank you Lord!  I found out my cervix is 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced.  The doctor said he thought miss Callie would be here in a week or two.  He didn’t think I’d make it to my due date, April 15 2010 and I may not make it to my appointment next Tuesday.  Talk up kicking my nesting activities into overdrive…poor Ben!

Callie has been quite active these last few days.  Mary James in the womb was actually a tad more wiggly than Callie, but Callie kicks and stretches with much more vigor.  She regularly stretches and kicks my pelvic bones and my ribs simultaneously.  Some days she stretches so hard that it takes my breath away.  The most incredible feeling is when she pokes her little foot in my side and then stretches it across.  I try to grab Ben and let him feel Callie move, I love seeing his face light up with a daddy’s love!  I also love when her little bottom pokes up in the middle of my belly as she stretches.  As painful as her movements can be, I know I will truly miss her little body moving inside my belly.  It’s so nice knowing where she is and that she is safe…

The nursery is finished and my bags are packed.  The dogs are washed and the house is relatively clean.  Now we wait for the very anticipated arrival of the newest member of the Murray family.  I can’t believe our little trio will soon be a quartet.  I pray Callie is healthy and that the delivery goes smoothly; and for God to give me the strength and peace I need to endure a healthy labor and delivery of our sweet baby girl.

We love you so much Callie and are so excited to meet you!

We took Mary James to the park for the first time this weekend.  She loved it!!!!

So I haven’t written anything in FOR. EV. ER.  As my friend Rupa would say, “Whatevs.”

I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant.  YIKES!  Time has flown during this pregnancy.  I was warned this happens with subsequent pregnancies since you have already have a little person who needs care.  The pregnancy is going swimmingly, and I am so thankful baby and I are both healthy thus far.

Even though I was pregnant with Mary James a short 17 months ago, I seem to have forgotten certain things I felt physically and emotionally.  For example:

Me:  “Wow!  This baby sure does kick hard, so hard it really is painful.  She must be bigger than Mary James.”

Ben:  “Funny.  That’s what you said last time you were pregnant with Mary James.  I definitely remember some baby kicks being painful.”

Me:  “Really?  I totally remember her little kicks and being able to feel little feet when she would streeeeetch out, but I don’t remember this type of pain.”

It’s funny how quickly you forget.  Especially MJ’s first week home, it was a total blur.  Breastfeeding, no sleep, crying, lots and lots of crying (by me, not the baby) and the deepest feelings of love and protection for someone I barely knew.  I hope I can cherish the beginnings of the little baby girl in my belly; hopefully, having already taking care of new born will ease some of my insane neurosis so I can worry less and enjoy more.  I can hear Ben yelling “AMEN!”

I really do love being pregnant and hope to write a little more during the end of this pregnancy so I can remember the sweet moments while being pregnant.  Sure there are rough patches, and Ben would probably beg to differ on the whole “I love being pregnant…” comment.  He does get to hear all my grunts and sighs as I go to the bathroom for the fourth time at night, beg for him to rub my back or feet, and the fact that I’m so tired.  But really I do love it.

People keep asking if we are having more kids or if this will be the last.  Honestly, I don’t know. We’ll pray about it and see what God has planned for us.  So in case this is the last baby I ever carry in my womb I want to remember….the good and the bad.

So, I don’t forget I wanted to write down some of words Mary James is starting to say.  Not a thrilling blog post, but this is more for me and Mary James. 

Her first word was “Bye.”  Other favorite words at the moment (she’s 15 m0nths old):

Da-DI!

Mama

Lights   (She just learned one this due to all the Christmas lights, which she LOVES!)

Dog

Meoooow  (Her word for cat….we have a deaf cat and she has a very strange, LOUD meow)

Duck

Bug   (She seems to think any little thing in the floor is a bug.  This is probably due to the swarm of ladybugs that have moved in our house.)

Bell-buh (belly button) – MJ loves her belly button…its her favorite body part to “find” at the moment.

Ear

No  (For either NO! or nose)

Want down (quickly becoming a favorite) 

Want more

Milk

Juice

Spoon

Sock

Shoes

Baby

Of course, many of these words have a toddlerish spin on them.    Mary James is babbling up a storm as well, and will “talk” to anyone who will listen.  I just nod and say “uh huh” and ask questions to keep her going.  I can’t believe she’s already 15 months old!  Where has time gone?!

She went for her 15 month well-child visit yesterday and weighed 19 pounds and was 29 inches tall!  Still 10th percentile but HEALTHY!  And hey it’s not like genes have programmed her to be tall.  Most people in the family are average height, although one of my granddaddy’s, Ben’s grandpa and my grandma were all 5′ 4″ and below.  Short people rock!

Well, gotta go!  We’re headed to my mom’s to cook Christmas goodies!  Mmmm!

I went to the OB/GYN close to a month ago and asked my doctor if he could possibly do a super quick ultrasound at the end of my appointment to see if we were headed toward more pink or a switch to blue when the baby arrives in April.  I was around 16 weeks so it wasn’t really time for an ultrasound.  However, my super rockin’ doctor consented (and yes he would still be an awesome doc even if he didn’t do the ultrasound).

It was wonderful to see baby Murray number two!  Sweet little toes and fingers, wiggly arms and kicking feet, and of course the sweet little profile.  However, the baby was extraordinarily shy or stubborn.  The doctor said if he had to guess he thought the baby was a little girl, but he wouldn’t put money on it.   Ben and I go back to the doctor December 1st; I will be 20.5 weeks.  Before Mary James’ “gender ultrasound” I had orange juice and Raisin Bran and she was quite the little wiggly worm.  Hopefully, this menu will please baby number two as well.

I started feeling the baby move in my belly around a couple of weeks ago.  November 16 to be exact.  My family has a thing about writing down the day you first feel the baby move and then counting forward 20 weeks.  Supposedly, the baby will be born within 10 days of the date, April 5th in my case.  This actually worked with Mary James she was exactly two weeks early!

The “20 weeks” due date theory I believe came from when my great-grandmother Sally was having children.  When she was having kids in the late 1920′s-30′s there wasn’t a hospital in our area, much less a medical clinic.  A traveling doctor would come by to check on you instead.  He told her to write down when she first felt the baby move and then he would count forward 20 weeks and he would try to be back in the area around that date.

Hopefully, we will know pink or blue this Tuesday and see if the due date is remaining the same!  Then we can really buckle down on the names…