Look What I Did Today

Charlotte Rose Losavio

7 lbs. 1 oz.

19 1/4 inches long

Born at 3:29 p.m.

Baby Losavio: 39 Weeks

...and we're still waiting.

Our house is clean, the car seat is installed, and the hospital bag is packed.  I've been called "fat" so it's time to start dieting.  We are ready for Baby Losavio.  But we'll just have to wait for her to decide that she's ready...or when she gets her eviction notice.

Baby Losavio: 38 Weeks (Update)

Baby Losavio is happy where she is for the moment.  I don't blame her...it's cold outside.  I'm still only dilated 2 cm and I haven't even had any contractions lately, not even Braxton Hicks.  She'll be here soon enough, though.

Baby Losavio: 38 Weeks

...and still in my belly.  Baby Losavio is fully developed and is basically just gaining weight at this point.  She's packing on about an ounce a day.  I'll have another prenatal appointment later this week, and hopefully I will have made a little more progress by then.

I had a really nasty stomach bug at the end of last week.  That was fun.  The weird thing is that I recall having a bug towards the end of my pregnancy with Joey, and my mom says that she recalls having a bug at the end of pregnancy also.  Coincidence?  I really enjoy being a stay-at-home mom, but feeling sick presents a challenge because there's no daycare to keep Joey.  So Paul had to take the day off of work so that he could entertain Joey.  He also had some help from my mom and Jim.  (Thanks!)

For more than a week, our dog Macy has been having "issues" and has been employing attention-getting tactics.  This began when we assembled the baby's bassinet.  We have been mindful of the fact that bringing a new baby into our home will change our family dynamic and that there will be a period of adjustment for Joey.  We didn't even consider that Macy would be affected by the new addition.  Mind you, Macy has never been an "only child," but I think that the thought of another tail-puller makes her nervous.  She should be happy that there will be another food-dropper to follow around.

Here's Baby Losavio's 37 week 4D ultrasound picture again, just because I like looking at it:

Baby Losavio: 37 Weeks (Update)

We had our 37 week prenatal appointment and everything is looking good!  Baby Losavio is head-down and weighs about 6 lbs. 7 oz. and is gaining about an ounce per day.  She should be about 7.5 lbs. or so at birth, which is just fine with me!  As for her birthday: I am dilated about 1.5 to 2 cm and 25% effaced, so take your guess! 

Here's her picture:

I can't wait to meet her!

Baby Losavio: 37 Weeks

At 37 weeks Baby Losavio is full-term!  Hooray!  She is about 6 1/3 pounds and more than 19 inches long.  I can't believe that we'll be meeting our daughter so soon!

Last week Paul took some time off work so we took the opportunity to prepare for the baby's arrival.  I planned to clean out Joey's -- er, the kids' -- closet and drawers to make room for the baby's clothes, do mountains of laundry, pack the hospital bag, and assemble the bassinet.  We accomplished a lot but we still have some work to do.  I also began to purge the house like a mad woman.  We are getting rid of broken toys, yucky stained baby clothes, and luggage that we never use, but for now those things are cluttering our hallway.  Paul repaired our vacuum cleaner, which is amazing.  It turns out that you really should clean those things.  Otherwise they will blow up. 

Pregnancy and keeping up with a 35-pound toddler has taken a toll on my back.  It's killing me.  My mother-in-law sent us home from Baton Rouge with her massage stick, which is amazing for relieving tight muscles.  Amazing.  Pregnant friends:  you need this.  Need.  I'm serious.  Come over and I'll get Joey to give you a demonstration.

We have the first of our weekly OB visits this week, and we're having an ultrasound to check the baby's size and position.  I'll post pictures if we get any good ones. My doctor will also check to see if I'm dilating and effacing, which doesn't mean a whole lot, but I hope that my body is starting to make an effort to get this baby out.

Does anyone have a prediction for Baby Losavio's arrival date?  Her due date is January 24, but we're hoping for January 11, because then her birthday would be 1/11/11 and that would just be cool.  But if she comes January 20 or later, she will be an Aquarius, which will be cool too.  If she's an Aquarius, our entire family will be water signs; Paul's Aquarius, I'm Cancer, and Joey is Pisces.  If she comes earlier she'll be Capricorn and the black sheep of the family.* 

According to BabyCenter, we should figure out how to install our car seat this week.  We already know how to do that, but we might install it anyway.  For kicks.  And because it's cluttering my hallway and making me crazy.

*I really don't care what Baby Losavio's Zodiac sign is, of course.

Baby Losavio: 36 Weeks

The baby is about 18.5 inches long and more than 6 pounds, and gaining about an ounce a day.  The baby will be considered full-term in just one more week.  Since she is fully developed, all that she needs to do for the next few weeks is gain weight.  She should be head-down at this point, but we'll find out for sure at our ultrasound next week.  

Paul has decided to take this entire week off of work.  Part of the week we'll spend visiting with family, but we're using the other part of the week for baby prep.  We will be putting together the bassinet, laundering the baby's clothing with Dreft (which I had actually planned to do several weeks ago), and making room in the drawers and closets for the baby's things.  Since all of the clothing will be clean, I'm also planning to pack my hospital bag.

Ah, the hospital bag.  Here's what's going in mine:

Toiletries and makeup.  A girl's always got to look her best, right?  But since I don't want for my everyday makeup to be packed for (possibly) a month, I'm packing makeup samples and things that I rarely use.

Nightgown/pajamas/robe/socks.

Baby Outfits.  The cute stuff.  Because a baby is like a real live doll.

Undergarments.  The cute stuff, of course.

Baby Mittens.  Because babies like to mutilate their faces.  I might even pack fingernail clippers because I don't think that the nurses will trim the baby's fingernails.  But if God forbid we cut her while we trim her nails, at least we're at the hospital.

Gift for Joey.  She's getting a new baby doll and baby sling.  Joey will also be bringing a gift for the baby.  Maybe the Cloud b Sleep Sheep or Sophie the Giraffe.  I am obsessed. 

Boppy. 

Going home clothes.  "They" say that you can expect to look six months pregnant after delivery, but that doesn't necessarily mean that my six-month-pregnant-pants are going to fit after delivery.  It's hard to designate an outfit that won't be worn for several weeks, but whatever.

Some things just can't be packed away in the hospital bag for several weeks, but while we're at the hospital we will definitely need our camera, computer, and chargers.  I'm sure that the computer will provide hours of entertainment and distraction during labor, and will be great for communication after the baby arrives.  Although we can watch videos, email, Facebook, etc., using our phones, the laptop is absolutely essential.

Entertainment for Joey.  I'm not sure how much time she'll be spending at the hospital with us, but we cannot be chasing her down the hallways.  I'll pack some coloring books, crayons, and some books.  Her favorite TV show is also available to watch instantly on Netflix, and she likes to play games on our phones.

I think I'm done with the baby name hints.  If you haven't already guessed you'll find out when the baby is born!

Baby Losavio: 35 Weeks

Baby Losavio is about 18 inches long and 5.25 pounds.  Most of the baby's physical development is complete, so for the next few weeks the baby will be packing on the ounces.  At 35 weeks we only have about a month to go.

Last week was my 34 week checkup.  All measurements are fine and everything is looking good.  Due to the holidays, my next appointment will be at 37 weeks rather than 36, and that will be the start of weekly appointments.  At the next appointment we'll have an ultrasound to check the baby's position and to estimate the baby's size.  The baby should be head-down at this point and should be staying that way.  It will be nice to get one last glimpse of the baby before giving birth.  At my last ultrasound (24 weeks) the tech switched the ultrasound to 4D for just a bit, which was really cool to see.  I hope that she does it again!

Last week I decided that I should start cleaning some of Joey's old baby things, like her car seat.  I probably should have cleaned these things before I packed them away for two years.  Take my word for it:  there was some grossness.  And I probably would have saved myself some frustration had I taken better note of how the car seat was configured before taking it apart.  No worries -- I'm confident that everything is how it should be! 

I haven't been blogging so much lately because between Joey and Baby Losavio, I am worn out.  Growing a baby is exhausting! 

Baby Name Hints

Here are all of the baby name hints that I have already posted.  See if you can figure it out!

Baby Losavio's name:
has a "boy" nickname.
has nine letters.
was not in the top ten for 2009.
means "little woman."  However, she is not "Meg," "Beth," or "Amy," and we already have a "Jo."
is of French origin.
is the feminine diminutive of one of the names of one of her grandfathers.
is also the name of a 19th century queen.
is also the name of a U.S. city.
is also the name of a 19th century English novelist, poet, and governess.


It's not:
Stephanie
Jacqueline
Dominique
Alexandria

Baby Losavio: 34 Weeks

Baby Losavio has likely turned head-down by now.  She is probably about 4.75 pounds and almost 18 inches long.  In just three more weeks, the baby will be considered "full-term." 

We started to get ready for the baby's arrival over the past week.  I've been stocking some of the essentials for the first few weeks, such as baby wash, binkies, Boudreaux's, etc.

I also ordered a co-sleeper bassinet, which, luckily, is our only major purchase.  We didn't use a bassinet for Joey and I really wish we had.  I don't know if we thought it was unnecessary or if we just didn't think of it at all.  Take it from a mom who learned her lesson:  get a bassinet, whether you borrow or buy or use a cardboard box*.  When we were expecting Joey, we naively thought that we would be able to just put her in her crib and she would fall asleep.  Um, not so much.  She didn't fall asleep when we put her in her crib.  It might have helped if we had used a white-noise machine or something of the like, but again, we didn't think about it.  So Joey ended up in bed with us.  It was not ideal, but if she hadn't been in the room with us I would have never slept.  With a bassinet, Baby Losavio will be at arm's reach but NOT in the bed with us.  The co-sleeper that we ordered is also portable:  unlike a pack-and-play, it can be wheeled throughout the house and is small enough to fit through doorways. 

Last week I was supposed to start laundering all of Baby Losavio's clothes, blankets, and such with Dreft.  If you're not familiar with Dreft, all you need to know is that it's formulated for baby's sensitive skin and it smells amazing.  Amazing.  If it wasn't so expensive I would use it to wash all of our clothes.  Well anyway, once all of Baby Losavio's clothes are clean, they will need to be put away, and that is a task that I just didn't have the energy for last week!

And now for a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio shares her name with a 19th century English novelist who was also a poet and governess.

*I do not actually advocate using a cardboard box as a baby bed.

Baby Losavio: 33 Weeks

At 33 weeks, Baby Losavio weighs more than 4 pounds and is more than 17 inches long.  This is what she looks like now:

It's getting really hard to be comfortable.  If I'm sitting, I become short of breath due to my uterus constricting my diaphragm.  When I stand, the baby puts pressure on my bladder.  I've also discovered the joys of acid reflux.

This week BabyCenter suggests laundering the baby's clothes, bedding, blankets, and such.  I suppose that I should also find a place to put those things...

And now for a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio shares her name with a U.S. city.

Baby Losavio: 32 Weeks

Wow, 32 weeks.  This week Baby Losavio weighs about 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long.  Since last week, that's a gain of almost half of a pound and more than six inches!  More than six inches in a week!  I think that's incredible.  The baby will gain a third to half of her birth weight over the next seven weeks.  My belly is about to get a lot bigger!

And now for the baby name hint of the week:  Baby Losavio shares her name with a 19th century queen.

Baby Losavio: 31 Weeks

At 31 weeks, our due date is 2 months away.  I am officially seven months pregnant, I think.  It's kind of confusing how gestation is 40 weeks, but if there are 4 weeks in a month, that's 10 months, not nine.  Here's a handy resource for determining how far along you are in "months." 

The baby is about 16 inches long and about 3.3 pounds.  That's a weight gain of 1/3 pound since last week!  And this week she's headed into a growth spurt!  Baby Losavio is taking up so much room already that I'm becoming short of breath sometimes.  The baby is developing her sleep and wake patterns.  I do notice that there will be several hours of inactivity punctuated with a little while of intense activity.  Since babies can sense light from inside the womb, I wonder if I shined a flashlight on my belly during preferred "wake" times if the baby would be born with our preferred sleep and wake patterns.  My doctor doesn't think so, but she'd be very interested to know.

Last week our exterminator came by for our bi-monthly service.  He told me that I've really thickened up.  He can tell that I've gained weight in my arms and legs.  Thanks, Bob.  But women look better with a little meat on their bones.  Gee, um, thanks Bob.  Please take note:  NEVER comment on a woman's weight, whether she's pregnant or not.  "You look beautiful/fabulous/stunning" will suffice.  

And now a baby name hint, and it's an earful:  Baby Losavio's name is the feminine diminutive of one of the names of one of her grandfathers.

Baby Losavio: 30 Weeks

Baby Losavio is about 15.7 inches long and weighs 3 pounds, give or take a few ounces.  It certainly feels like there's a three-pound something in my belly!  Pregnancy is getting more uncomfortable each week.  I'm noticing that it's becoming more difficult to lift Joey.  She is 32 pounds, after all.  It's also getting tough to lean over, crouch down, and crawl on the floor.  Unfortunately, you do a lot of that when entertaining a two-year-old!  And cleaning up after one.

At this point, I have made it through 75% of my pregnancy.  This baby only has ten more weeks at most to cook before she's "evicted."  Yesterday I sent Paul to our underground lair to fetch our bins of baby clothes.  We have two months to go, yes, but I need to sort and launder the baby's clothes while I still have the energy to do it! 

"Cheeseburger;" 29.5 weeks

And now a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio's name is of French origin.

Baby Losavio: 29 Weeks

At 29 weeks, Baby Losavio weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is just over 15 inches long.  Her lungs are maturing, her head is growing to make room for her growing brain, and she's continuing to fatten up.  Over the next 11 weeks, the baby will likely triple her weight.  She'll grow rapidly until about 36 weeks when her growth will slow down.  From here on out we will be spending a lot of time at my doctor's office.  We will have appointments every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, when we'll have appointments every week. 

http://assets.babycenter.com/i/m/stages/popups/29/index.jpg

Thanks to naturally low blood sugar, I did pass my glucose screening test last week.  I was a little concerned that I would fail since I did indulge in sweets the day before my appointment.  Failing the test was a risk I was willing to take!

Baby Losavio: 28 Weeks

Welcome third trimester!

Today I am 28 weeks pregnant.  From this point forward, I'm sure to be fatigued, uncomfortable, and moody, but I will be able to indulge in the occasional glass of wine, so it's okay.

I have my 28-week prenatal appointment tomorrow, where I'll have my glucose screening test.  For those of you who don't know, it tests for gestational diabetes and every pregnant woman has to do it.  I'll have to drink an awful sugary drink, wait an hour, and then have blood drawn to determine how my body handles sugar.  If the results are abnormal, I'll have to go back for a three-hour glucose tolerance test.  I fully expect to pass the test, as long as I don't binge on Joey's Halloween candy tonight.

Baby Losavio is now about 14.8 inches long and 2 1/4 pounds.  And she has eyelashes!  How cool is that?

Baby Losavio is longer than an LP,

 and longer than the width of a newspaper,

 but not as long as George.  Yet.

And now a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio's name means "little woman."  However, she is not "Meg," "Beth," or "Amy," and we already have a "Jo."

Also, happy birthday to my dad!

Baby Losavio: 27 Weeks

This is the last week of my second trimester.  I cannot believe how quickly this pregnancy is going by.  Our due date (1/24/2011) is just 3 months from today!

Baby Losavio weighs about 2 pounds and is about 14 1/2 inches long.  I just can't imagine that there is a baby that big in my belly.  The measuring tape in the pictures below is indeed extended to 14 1/2 inches.

 

And now a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio's name was not in the top ten for 2009.

Baby Losavio: 26 Weeks

Today I am 26 weeks pregnant with Baby Losavio.

Baby Losavio is about 1 2/3 pounds and 14 inches from head to heel, about the length of an English hothouse cucumber.  She is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which is essential for her lung development.

We are beginning to get our house ready to welcome the new baby.  Last week I put together the crib, and I've been trying to assess what we'll need to buy.  We're very fortunate that Joey and her sister will have been born during the same time of year, since we'll be able to reuse most of Joey's baby clothes.  That doesn't mean that I haven't bought anything new for the baby...

And now a baby name hint:  Baby Losavio has nine letters in her first name.

Baby Losavio: 25 Weeks

Happy Monday y'all!  I am now 25 weeks along with Baby Losavio.  Pregnancy goes by quickly when you're busy chasing a toddler! 

Baby Losavio has a name.  Actually, she's had a name since a few days after we found out that she was a girl.  And to tell you the truth, she's sort of had a name since my mothers' intuition told me that she was a girl.  Joey didn't have a name until the morning after she was born.  Paul and I had our trusty baby name book with us in the delivery room, and stayed up pretty late the night she was born tossing names around.  "Josephine" was pretty high on both of our lists, but we were throwing around some others as well.  After a night of catnaps and staring at the baby, and some harassment visits from the hospital employee who needed a name for their paperwork, we decided on Josephine Lilly.  So to have a name for Baby Losavio is surprising to me.  Here's a hint:  we can make a "boy" nickname from her name.

Baby Losavio is about 13 1/2 inches long and weighs about 1 1/2 pounds, according to Baby Center.  Joey's got some baby dolls that are probably close in size to the baby.  She's starting to fatten up now and grow hair on her head.  I've probably mentioned this before, but man, this baby can kick!  Whenever I'm lying still in the mornings or at night before bed, I can see my belly shifting and jumping with her movements.  I remember Joey making big belly-shifting movements, but I recall those happening primarily in the third trimester.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Baby Losavio: 24 Weeks (Update)

Today was my 24 week prenatal appointment.

My doctor had ordered a sonogram because the tech was unable to get a good head measurement during the last one at 20 weeks.  Baby Losavio's head is perfect.  Paul couldn't make it to this appointment so my mom came to help wrangle Joey, and to see the baby of course.  Although the tech was able to get the necessary measurements, Baby Losavio was holding her arms in front of her face so it was hard to get a good image of her face.  However, the tech switched the ultrasound to 4D for a little while so we did get some glimpses.  It's not something that I would elect to do but it was cool!

Her head is to the right, looking up!  Look at that tiny nose!

And here is the 4D image that they gave us.

Baby L is facing right.  You can see her arms bent in front of her face.

My weight gain is fine (whew!  Time for some McDonald's.) and my belly is measuring perfectly -- 24 cm at 24 weeks.  It might look small, y'all, but Dr. D says it's perfect.  By the way, I did take off my boots before stepping on the scale.

Maternity "jeggings" might just be the best thing ever.  They feel like leggings but look like skinny jeans.  Do yourself a favor and get a pair!