Lainey's Birth Story - Part 1

Disclaimer: This is a birth story with all the gory details. If  you don't want to read about blood, cervix or discharge...Don't read! 

February 10, 2018

This story really begins at 36 weeks pregnant because that is when my cerclage was taken out. I was told over and over about the risk of this pregnancy and how this baby was going to be early. After 36 weeks, it became an agonizing waiting game. Not only was it hard to wait, but the daily contractions and bleeding made me constantly wonder, "is this it?" 

To everyone's surprise, I made it to 40 weeks! But on that morning something was different. 

You see, it was normal for me to get contractions in the evenings and throughout the night. It was such a tease but then I would wake up after a night of contractions to being just another day pregnant. I would go about my day not feeling much of anything until bedtime when contractions would pick up yet again! 

On the morning of my due date, the contractions I had been feeling all night continued into the morning which was very odd. So, I decided to start keeping track of them. I warned Ryan when he got home from work that morning that I was feeling contractions all morning and how strange that was. 

But Ry went to bed and Sam and I went about our morning. He played happily, I started a big patch of spaghetti sauce for supper that night (HA!) and I continued to time contractions. Sam's tantrums had taken a back seat and he was honestly wonderful that morning as pains would come and go. I really cherish that morning we had together alone for the last time before baby arrived. 

Around 9 AM, I got in contact with my parents for just a morning chat. I wanted to casually figure out if they would be home that day just in case this was the real deal. When they mentioned they might go to the city to visit my Dad's sister who had just had surgery, I thought maybe I should mention what was happening with contractions. I told them I thought they could still go and I would be in contact when they got back. Likely, I still had LOTS of time. 

They decided against going but I told them I would go ahead and get Sam's stuff ready. They convinced me they would take Sam so that I could focus better on relaxing and gearing up for baby. Again, I thought I had lots of time because the contractions were fairly far apart. I told them I would bring Sam up around lunch and we would enjoy lunch with them. 

At shortly after 10, things changed. All of the sudden the pain of the contractions became more intense and they suddenly were 3-4 minutes apart. I sent them a text and told them they needed to come and get Sam. I woke Ryan up at 10:30 AM and told him it was time to get ready and to do it fast. With the way things had picked up, I wanted to give us lots of time to get to the hospital that was over an hour away. 

We hit the road around 11 AM after Sam was successfully picked up and Ryan was awake. I still couldn't believe it was time and still thought maybe it was a false alarm. Would the next time we were at home be with two kids? We were going to go see! 

Stay tuned for Part 2....

It's A Girl!

Happy Monday everyone! Wow! It's been a while since I have made a post. I guess towards the end of my pregnancy I was pretty tired, sore and not up to doing much of anything at all. Thankfully, my pregnancy did not last forever, despite feeling like it was going to! 

Early in the morning, at 1:51 AM on Sunday, February 11, 2018, Ryan and I welcomed our daughter....

Elaine Emily Dawn Woermke 

Who we lovingly call our Lainey

I think a little over two weeks later, we are still in a little bit of a state of shock that...

1. We now have TWO kids to keep alive and 

2. We have a daughter. A healthy, beautiful and so loved little girl. 

I am starting to get back into the swing of being a part-time working mom of two and I am looking forward to sharing our birth story with you really soon! 

xo 

37 Weeks Pregnant

Currently one hundred 38 weeks (and 4 days) pregnant!

For comparison sake, 37 weeks with Sam! 

This Weeks:

Truthfully, I can't believe I am still pregnant!

Baby This Week: 

Baby this week is apparently the size of tackle box! 

Maternity Clothes:

Looking a little frumpy lately. I hate clothes in general. Especially pants and bras! Getting dressed is a challenge. Some of my work maternity shirts have holes in them and the sweaters aren't long enough. I'm living in yoga pants, a tank top and a open sweater. 

Stretch Marks/Weight: 

I guess my extra hunger did catch up with me and at my last appointment I did gain a few extra pounds. Could be a little water weight too because I am noticing my fingers are "fuller" then normal. 

Movement:

Lots of movement and still the most active at night! 

Food Aversions/Cravings:

I have been eating smaller meals. I find if I eat too much at a serving, I really suffer with nausea and/or heart burn. 

Peanut butter seems to be a big aversion right now and the smell of ketchup REALLY grosses me out. 

Symptoms:

I am just a normal waddling pregnant lady. So much pain in the lady bits and hips and back! I can only stand/walk for a certain length of time before it feels like my feet are going to break. 

What I Miss:

Not being pregnant? Ha ha! I feel VERY grateful to have been able to carry this child but I am never one to love pregnant so I am feeling very "done" lately. 

Labor Signs/Health Update:

Not much. I had a slightly disappointing appointment at this weekly appointment. Not because of bad news but because it was so busy. I waited for over an hour longer then normal and still didn't get to see my doc. So they didn't do a check or anything. Just listened to the baby's heartbeat and sent me on my way. 

Gender:

The wait is now excruciating. It is so easy to be strong early on but when you get to the end, it seems so much harder to wait! Sam has been team blue for a couple weeks now! 

Wedding Rings/Belly Button

Belly button is very flat. I will never have a popped one. Rings off. 

What I'm Looking Forward To/Best Moment:

The best moments this week were spending time with my boys. Applying for leave from work was also fun to finally do. The rest is just sitting around waiting for something to happen! ha ha! 

This is kind of bad to say because I love work SO much but I got to miss out on a big 2 day work conference. I thought I would have had the baby but I didn't and I just knew I couldn't spend two days standing and talking business. I felt bad to leave it up to everyone else but I just knew I would suffer. 

I have a lot of gender neutral newborn things. White, yellow and greens. But a sweet friend (Hi Elizabeth) crocheted a couple baby hats in blue and pink to pack in our hospital bag! Now baby will be gender coordinated! 

Daddy This Week:

Ryan went back to work again so we are on our winter schedules again. He still does most of the lifting at home but Ryan is getting anxious to get out before baby comes. He has been asking almost daily about different sledding trips and I feel like the bad guy always having to say no. Thankfully, the weather hasn't been great and the trails closed so he has been forced to stay off the sled. ha ha! 

Big Brother Sam:

Sam has been a trooper this whole pregnancy. Between our loss in March and then getting pregnant again so soon, he has had to adjust to things going on which can't be easy for a 3 year old. With a high risk pregnancy has come some restrictions for me but Sam continues to adjust and we work through it. We had a rough spell with his behavior for a few days but we seem to have turned the corner.  

Wisdom:

Do you know how long a white rhino is pregnant for? 16 months. Do you know how many months I have been pregnant for (between both pregnancies), about the same....So when I say I feel like a Rhino, I have good reason! :) 

xo

35 and 36 Weeks Pregnant

Currently 37 weeks (and 4 days) pregnant! #pregnantforever 

These Weeks:

The end is so close I can taste it. It tastes a lot like acid reflex actually. :) 

Baby This Week: 

Baby at 36 weeks is the size of a cabbage patch doll! I think this is my favorite week for comparison. 

Maternity Clothes:

Getting by and will continue with what I have until the end. It got a little tricky after my grandmother passed away. I don't have a lot of fancy clothes and most of my dresses are summer with no sleeves. I made it work though! 

Stretch Marks/Weight: 

Apparently still no weight gain which rounds this pregnancy weight gain to exactly 22 pounds which oddly enough is EXACTLY what I gained with Sam. Stretch marks are there and very red. 

Movement:

Still lots of movement but they are lower and more painful. Baby will push out hard with a knee or something right around my already stretched belly button. Ouch! 

Food Aversions/Cravings:

So much great food these weeks that it is amazing that I didn't put on 10 extra pounds. Ryan and I had a wonderful date at 35 weeks pregnant to our favorite restaurant. I also had a couple special meals at work and we did a lot of take out the week of wake/funeral for Grandma! No real cravings though just really hungry again lately. 

Symptoms:
I'm surprised with the baby being so low that I still have some lingering heartburn. It's not as bad as before but I still need something to help it 1-2 times a day. Maybe this baby will be hairy little thing like I was (if wives tales are true)! Oh and besides that, it feels like the baby is so low that it could stick it's hand out and give me a high five. Getting up from any surface is entertaining as I try and roll and grunt my way through it. 

Jared and I. I was 3 days old here. 

What I Miss:

I miss summer flip flops! What I would give not to have to deal with winter boots right now! 

Labor Signs/Health Update:

Well nothing new at 35 weeks but at 36 weeks, they finally removed my cerclage! Baby had been measuring on the smaller side of normal so they decided to leave it in for the maximum of 36 weeks! I was very nervous for the appointment but excited to finally be just a normal pregnant lady! The procedure itself was more painful then I expected but it was done without anesthesia which was my goal. Get up, get going right away. Doc had a little trouble removing the stitch because baby's head was in the way. 

I am so thankful for my little cross-stitch and doing it's job to keep this baby growing safely on the inside. Now baby will be a normal, healthy (hopefully) child (aka: not preemie). 

Doctor decided to still keep me in the high risk department and my file list me as high risk as I had hemorrhaging troubles last time. He thinks all will be fine but wants it shown on my file when I go to have this baby so the doctor who delivers can be prepared for such a circumstance. I am SO thankful for the wonderful team that has and is continuing to follow me through all this. I really feel like they have given me the best care!  

Gender:

So excited to know! I saw my grandma 6 days before she passed away and she was very excited to put her hand on my belly and feel the baby. Her grin will always be one of my most cherished memories. We asked her what she thought the baby was and of course she said girl. You don't really take that one to heart though because Grandma guessed girl for EVERY single person! She was right about 50% of the time...:) 

The night before her wake I had a very vivid dream it was a girl but then the day of the funeral I had just as vivid a dream it was a boy! So I give up. I have no idea but I am SO excited to know. We are set with a boy name that we love and 2 girl names we love! Now we just need to meet this little person. 

Wedding Rings/Belly Button

Very flat and the rings were taken off at 35 weeks pregnant (sadly). My hands and feet aren't really swollen just thicker with the extra weight gain. 

What I'm Looking Forward To/Best Moment:

Ryan and I had a wonderful date at 35 weeks pregnant! It was great to get out one last time with just him. 

Also I thought my husband and Dad were going to kill me, but at 35 weeks pregnant I decided to press on and paint our kitchen. After 8 years of orange I had been wanting a change but never bit the bullet. Glad it got done before baby comes! 

While the passing of my Grandma was a very sad thing, it also brought some joyful moments too. Sitting around telling stories about her and visiting with extended family who we don't see nearly enough for example! 

Becoming a normal pregnant lady and getting my cerclage removed! Glad to have made it to this big milestone and now I just sit back and patiently wait for the arrival. 

A not so great moment: Realizing I no longer fit at some booths at restaurants. 

Daddy This Week:

I'm pretty sure Ryan and I are going to kill eachother when he is off for the week after baby comes! ha ha! Ryan was off after my Grandmother passed for the arrangements and then again for cerclage day. That was only THREE days of us being together steady and by the fourth we were both ready for him to go to work! ha ha! We have gotten to the point in the winter where we are use to doing out own thing and so it makes it difficult to get back on the same page. 

Big Brother Sam:

Sam has started talking about baby as if it is already here. When we talk about our family he always includes it. We tested out our names with him to see how it sounded coming out! ha ha! With one he had some trouble but I think we have a cute nickname that will help him. 

Wisdom:

City hospitals can be a little sketch. While I was waiting for Ryan at my appointment in the lobby. Beside me sits a large (and kind of stinky) man on his phone. He is RIGHT beside me and all I can hear is him talking on the phone to someone and they begin talking dirty! "I liked the picture you sent me. Next time can you take off your bra?", "What would you have me do to you?" and "hmmm....who's your daddy?". I was sure I was on hidden camera or something! The nurse upstairs and I laughed about it during my appointment (and I showed her a video I had taken ha ha) and she told me from now on when waiting for Ryan to park to just wait upstairs because there are some weird people who sit around the entrance lobby apparently. 

xo

Our Boy Knows His World Is Going To Change

On the weekends especially, I have been doing my best to get in some extra love and attention to Sam. Ryan has to work most weekends so it means that Sam duty is all up to me on the weekends. But I've taken this opportunity to try and squeeze in extra special things and time with him. Although super painful, I get on the floor for car races, we've been baking and snuggling more. I don't know if I am doing this more for him or me. 

Current one-on-one time Sam gets with Daddy! ha ha! 

Baking with Mom! 

Sometimes I think I am doing this more for me as I want to get in as much extra time with just Sam before everything changes and I have to split the attention. Then the other part of me thinks Sam knows something big is about to change. And anyone who knows Sam, knows he does not do well to change! You have to pre-warn him for a lot of things in order to get him prepared. 

He has been talking about and including baby in a lot of everyday conversation lately and so we know he realizes things are happening soon. This soon to be change also makes me wonder if the resent out bursts we have been experiencing is due to this. While he doesn't show anger towards baby, he is very in tune with baby coming soon. 

Our typically calm, rational and cooperative boy, has recently started to have uncharacteristic rages. His very short fuse is very evident and there is no talking or discipline that is working anymore. It was literally like a light has switched and he has reverted into baby-like tantrum behavior. Sometimes an outburst can last 40 minutes! 

While this behavior as of lately is driving me crazy and want to pull my hair out, I am trying to do the opposite of what he expects and when everything is calm, still spend one-on-one time with him and express delight when he does great behavioral things. I am trying to be patient and still enjoy this time with him before baby arrives. I don't want to look back on this time with him before baby comes as a "frustrating" period. So I've been playing things with him I hate (aka: Playdoh, for 1 whole hour, ugh!), putting my phone down and yet still keeping into his normal routine and schedule. While the outbursts still happen, I try to remind myself it's (hopefully) a phase and that it won't be like this for long. 

Any advice fellow Momma's on how you discipline/calm a tantrum for your 3.5-4 year old when nothing else seems to work?

xo 

Grandma Gets To Meet Baby Before Me

On Saturday, January 13, 2017 a great one earned her wings. My paternal grandmother passed away peacefully at 96 years. She lived a long, happy, musical and faithful life. I only imagine she must be chatting Grandpa's ear off, filling him in on life when they were apart. 

Grandma's guess about a week before she passed was that we were having a baby girl. But truthfully, Grandma loved her "wee dolls" and guessed GIRL for every single pregnancy for all of her grand children and great grandchildren! ha ha! Either way, I am glad and slightly jealous that she get's to meet and know her 25th great grand child before I do. Holding it close and getting a snuggle in before it makes it's debut. 

Love you to bits Grandma, Cheerio! 

32-34 Weeks With Baby Number 3

I am very much still pregnant but the updates (and blog) took a little back seat during the holiday season! I was still pretty good about taking the pictures though! I am currently 35 weeks + pregnant now. 

These Weeks:

Third trimester is still kinda sucky but the end is in sight! Feeling more and more relaxed the father along I am. 

Baby This Week: 

Baby was the size of a scooter board in 32 weeks to a basketball hoop in 34 weeks. 

Maternity Clothes:

It was a little weird around the holidays because I wasn't in my normal office uniform and actually had to come up with actual outfits! Or different lounge outfits too which mostly consisted of my tank tops that are too short or Ryan's large shirts. 

Stretch Marks/Weight: 

Weight actually is the same which I was really surprised by because I have been feeling LARGE and in CHARGE. Not much in the stretch mark department. 

Movement:

Lots of movement! 

Food Aversions/Cravings:

These weeks it has been harder for me to actually eat a meal. I think my stomach is running out of room because I cannot eat large servings. I am not really craving anything and I am not really hungry. 

Symptoms:

The sore hips/back have kicked it up a notch towards week 34. I am also noticing sore feet. Especially in the morning it feels like I have heel spurs which I can eventually walk off. Sometimes I feel nauseous in the evenings again which sucks but I haven't been actually sick thankfully!  

What I Miss:

I kind of miss my regular clothes! I also miss being a little more invisible. There is nothing like a big ol' preggers to make everyone stare! 

Labor Signs/Health Update:

There actually isn't too much to report! Early in the New Year we checked out baby and he/she was still measuring on the smaller side of normal so they decided to keep the cerclage in a little longer. Besides the cerclage, I am a pretty healthy preggers. Normal blood pressure, weight, etc. Baby is (still) head down and very low. 

Gender:

I am getting so anxious to know. We have 2 girl names and agreed that if it's a girl, we will wait to see her to pick which one to use. We struggled with coming up with a boy name but finally agreed to one suddenly and we both love it SO much! 

Wedding Rings/Belly Button

Very flat and I think that it will never pop! 

What I'm Looking Forward To/Best Moment:

So much to look forward to these weeks! Christmas is such a magical time with Sam and picturing future Christmas' with 2 kids makes me very excited for the future. 

Christmas was very special this year. Not only did we have a great time leading up to the day but Christmas/Boxing day was also great. Afterwards, I took a few days off and Sam and I just hung out. I cleaned up a lot of cluttered spaces around the house and we vegged, watched movies and I just soaked up this one-on-one time with my boy. 

Daddy This Week:

The cold weather and the snow did mean that Daddy has been working BUT he did get a few days off around New Year time which was nice! Sam and I got use to having him around that it was a little sad when night shift started again! 

Big Brother Sam:

Sam was A LOT of fun during the holidays and is just so fun to be around. I said to Ryan, I really do like just hanging out with him. I never felt like I needed a break or that I was excited for him to head back to daycare. I know I'm not as much fun as Daddy but we still come up with some things to do together! 

Wisdom:

Layers and scarves are your friend. I refuse to buy or figure out a winter coat as I think the expense is ridiculous for such a short period of time. So during the cold snap I just make sure to layer and wear a long scarf in the open part. Or just hibernate inside....that works too! :) 

xo