{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 35}

So I missed a week - but I have a good excuse - MJ was born last Friday!!! After coming home from the hospital I weighed myself and was shocked to see I weighed more then when I went in to have her (299.5 lbs) but I was extremely swollen and hadn't had a bowl movement since having her so it was to be expected I guess.

So anywho, fast forward to now and I get on the scale and am very pleased to see 282 lbs looking back at me. I had been weighing myself everyday and was glad to see weight loss everyday as the swelling started to subside and (TMI) I had a bowl movement!

(taken today w/my cell phone - look at how tiny MJ looks)

I am still slightly swollen but my boobs are bigger then my belly and I am feeling tons better. I wonder what my real weight will be once the swelling goes down and my body is back to somewhat normal.

Having a baby sure is a great way to lose some of that extra weight (haha). I am actually very proud of how I maintained my weight and even lost some weight during my pregnancy. I am hoping that the rest of my weight comes off now that I have the good habits already established and will help the weight fall the rest of the way off.

Below is my progress - I am sure that soon I will hit my goal (at least I hope so!).

Current Weight: 282 pounds

Weight loss/gain: - 13.5 pounds

Total Weight loss: 23 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 45 pounds to go

{A Baby's Story: MJ's Arrival}

It all started on Thursday, October 21st. I was feeling very uncomfortable and hadn't felt MJ move at all and was contracting and called my OB and wanted to find out where they wanted me to go, (mind you I had gone in earlier that week, Monday to be exact for my regular appointment). They sent me into Labor & Delivery, of course they hooked me up to the monitors and yep I was contracting every 2-6 minuets and as soon as they put the heart monitor on MJ she started moving like crazy. They checked me and my cervix was only a finger tip wide and was high up and still thick and long. Soon they sent me home because there was no change and there was no point in me being there.

I was still contracting when they let me go but my cervix had no change. I felt like I had just wasted their time but at least I knew that MJ was doing well. I couldn't really sleep well that night as the contractions started to come closer and stronger.

I waited until my OB office opened in the morning and called and asked them what I should do. Of course they told me to head into Labor and Delivery again. I was feeling a bit crazy as I figured they were going to find no change and I would be sent home again and I would just be taking up space.

I decided to take the kids out to McDonald's for lunch and let them play and get out some energy since they didn't have school that day due to parent teacher conferences. Afterwards I decided I better go to the hospital just to be on the safe side, hoping they would do a quick ultra sound to find out where MJ was positioned in my tummy.

So I went into the Maternity ward and got all hooked up to their monitors and soon they checked my cervix and guess what, I was dilated 2 cm so they kept monitoring me and soon my contractions were slowing down and so they checked me again. I was dilated 3 to 4 cm and they could feel my bag of water but MJ's head wasn't engaged, it was just floating or hovering above the cervix, (which was still high and fairly thick, it had thinned a bit but not a ton).

The nurse was surprised and said I must be a silent dilator, that comment made me laugh. My doctor came in about 8 pm and checked me again. I was dilated to about 5 cm and my bag of water was very prominent but MJ still wasn't engaged, they did a quick ultrasound and found out that there was a gap of fluid between MJ and the opening to my cervix.

I was given the option of trying to go natural which could possibly end in a prolapsed cord and hard labor since she wasn't in the right position and it could end in an emergency c-section or we could just do a c-section. Well I opted for doing the c-section because I figured the risk was too great to go naturally.

I was supposed to have a spinal drug so that I would be awake but unfortunately that just didn't work and needed to be put under, (which was a blessing in disguise). The c-section took a bit longer because she was curled up all funky and up really high. Once my belly was cut her hand, foot & head came out all at once but then she straitened up and got herself all stuck and they had to cut my cervix for a second time (kinda like the letter "X") and it took 4 doctors to pull her out and get her unstuck. They had to not only pull and yank on her but they also had to use the suction on her to help so when I saw her for the first time her feet were all bruised up and she had a slight bruise on her head. I am glad I was asleep thru all that since they were pretty brutal with my body.

Myrna Joy was born October 22nd at 10:01pm and weighed 8lbs 12ozs and was 19 3/4" long with a head circumference of 14 1/4". She has dark hair and I think she is going to have her daddy's eyes instead of the varing shades of blue that the other kids have...I forgot how tiny babies could be, she is so tiny and perfect, but then again I am biast.

I made it back home Monday afternoon. Due to my body being brutalized during the c-section and having my tubes tied I am super sore and so happy I can have some pain medication. I am walking around but have to temper it with keeping my feet up as they are swelling like crazy.

Anywho, that's the birth story for MJ. The images thru out here were taken on my cell phone and I do have others on my regular camera but those haven't been downloaded to my computer. Enjoy! I promise to have more images up soon. I just need to get my energy up.

{Sleepy Cats}

Toby and Sorry were sleeping in a chair and I just had to snap a few quick picks (mind you this was around 1 or 2 am this morning).  I realize after taking these pictures just how wrong it was for me to pick up this cream colored chair since I have extremely messy kids (see all the icky marks left by them?). Even though this was a great buy off of craigslist I am seriously regretting my decision to get a CREAM colored rocker, (oh well, live and learn, right?).

{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 33}

No change in my weight! YEAH!! I have a doc appointment on Monday to find out what my options are going to be in regards to MJ since they consider 37 weeks full term and I will be that on Tuesday. All I know is that I have been in serious pain for quite some time and just want her out of me because this pregnancy has put through more pain then I have ever been through before and the fact I haven't been able to get much sleep has made me a bit cranky.

On a positive note I didn't gain or lose anything - which is a good thing! MJ is growing well and is a mover and shaker for sure. I am praying she comes this next week, I don't think I can take another 3 weeks of this pain. I am so glad this is my last, I don't think my body would let me do this again.

Current Weight: 295.5 pounds

Weight loss/gain: 0 pounds

Total Weight loss: 9.5 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 58.5 pounds to go

{A good visit}

My car windshield got replaced yesterday and afterwards I got to spend a bit of time with my dear friend and her hubby today and of course I even got to get a few quick snaps of her, her hubby and her and Ruth. She just got a new hair cut and I just adore it - it really suits her personality.

I really enjoy photographing her because she's got such a great personality and is such a beautiful woman inside and out and I even captured a moment between her and her hubby. I hope they are enjoying their anniversary!!

Thank you hon for stopping by and sharing a bit of your day with me.

{playin' the 'puter}

I captured Ceasar trying to help William play his computer game by grabbing his mouse...it was hilarious and of course I had to get a quick snap. Enjoy!

{Tag your it!}

I was tagged by Jaclynn over at "I was never the girl next door"

Here are the rules...

She asks me 8 questions, I answer them and then I tag 8 friends and ask them 8 questions :) Sounds like fun so lets get started...

1.When was the last time you drove out of town and where did you go? The last time I drove outta town was when I went to my OB appointment this morning - it's technically outta state since it's just across the border and into Oregon!

2.What's the last sporting event you watched(Go Raiders)?  The last sporting event I watched was part of a football game between the San Diego Chargers & the Oakland Raiders yesterday while waiting to go out with a friend.

 

3. Do you collect anything? I collect a few things: Owls, Dragonflies & old cameras.

4. Name someone you obsess over. I obsess over lots of things but the thing I obsess over the most is MJ (the babe in my belly who wants to come but the doc's won't let come for at least another week).

5. Give me the names of 3 objects or things you love most and why? 3 things? Hmmm, I guess that would be my kids, pets & hubby...(does that count?)...why? well, because they are awesome and my world is always interesting because of them.

6. Would you rather be hot or cold? I would rather be cold because then I could cuddle up under a warm blanket with my hubs and if I were hot that just wouldn't happen...

7. Peets or Starbucks or local mom and pop shop? Neither. I am not much of a coffee drinker but if it were about pie, I would say Sherri's...

8. What do you order when visiting the above location? I really like their baked potatoe soup and of course pie - can't go wrong with their pie! 

Now here are my Eight questions:

1. What is your favorite place to be & why?

2. What is your favorite pizza topping?

3. Do you own a sewing machine?

4. How many pets do you have & what kinds?

5. What was the last place you ate at?

6. What is your favorite holiday & why?

7. What TV show is your "Guilty Pleasure"?

8. How did you decide to start blogging?

And yep those below have been TAGGED:

1. April

2. Angie

3. Ericka

4. Jennifer

5. Kate

6. Moody

7. Mandy

8. Sadie

{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 32}

It's been a crazy week and I think that now I am super hydrated (or bloated & retaining water) & MJ is growing like a weed has contributed to my weight gain this week...also I think because of the antibiotics I am taking is also make me a bit constipated (which I hate) is also a factor...

Ah, the joys of being pregnant...

Current Weight: 295.5 pounds

Weight loss/gain: +6.5 pounds

Total Weight loss: 9.5 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 58.5 pounds to go

{She wanted to come early}

(image found online)

MJ wanted to come early, yesterday infact, and because it was too early (35 weeks and 1 day to be exact). I thought maybe it was just false labor and did everything I was supposed to do to stop the contractions (take a long shower, put your feet up and so on) and they just wouldn't quit so I ran the errands I needed to get done. I paid for the kids lunch for the month and then went to Target (to get the last baby things I needed before MJ decided to come) and then to Lane Bryant (to get undies because the dog just loves to eat my underwear, gross and annoying since my panties are not cheap!) and then we went home to put my feet up.

The contractions were not going away and actually got worse when I was resting in the recliner. While at the stores many people stopped and asked if I was ok because apparently I appeared to be in pain (well I was but wanted to get my errands done and over with and all the contractions were in the middle right side of my back - sucky!). I just smiled and said "It's just contractions and they will go away"

Boy was I wrong and once we got back home William could tell I was in lots of pain and had me call my doc and see what he wanted me to do since the contractions were coming every 1-5 minuets apart. Well I was sent to Labor & Delivery and they found I was dilated to almost 2cm and was given one medication to stop the contractions, which spread them out and for about 20-30 min I didn't have any contractions but soon they came back so then 3 hours later given a different kind to stop the labor because the first wasn't cutting it.

The second pill did the trick and I was sent home 6 hours later after feeding me because they wouldn't let me eat until the contractions were under control, with a prescription for an antibiotic for a UTI that I have to take twice a day and the second medication given to me at the hospital to be taken every 6 hours to keep my contractions at bay.

I did ask before I left if I were to come in next week would they stop my contractions (36 weeks) and they said yes at 36 weeks they will stop them, so I asked if I came in at 37 weeks would they stop the contractions and they surprised me with "It's up to your doc at that time"...so now I need to talk with my doc and find out when they will let her come 37 weeks or wait til 38 weeks.

All I know is when I got home I felt like a freight train had run me over but I was happy that MJ is finally head down, not engaged but at least she's head down and not sideways in my tummy. All though I don't think she is facing the right way because the contractions were all in my back like when I had Aaron (he was head down but came out "sunny side up" as the doc called it, which isn't apparently the way they are supposed to come out which explained the back labor) so now I am worried and scared that this labor is going to be miserable like that and I will end up with getting the dreaded epidural like I needed with Aaron to make the pain go AWAY, (I didn't need it with Sam or Ruth because the pain didn't even compare to the pain I had with Aaron).

I am looking forward to seeing my little MJ and want this pregnancy over with but know it's still too early and hope she will "cook" a couple weeks longer and hopefully flip around so I don't have horrible back pain because that epidural needle scares the crap outta me. It's big and long and they want you relaxed when they put it in which doesn't always happen because when your in labor you have what they call contractions that make you not so relaxed, ha ha.

Anywho, just wanted to keep you in the loop and let you know what's happening in my little part of the world.

{Weight Loss Weigh in: Week 31}

I guess I should just call it "Saturday's" weekly weigh in since I have missed a couple Friday's in a row. This week has been crazy but not overly crazy - just mostly long. Just trying to eat right and keep my braxton hicks contractions under control as well as my sanity.

I have started nesting & it's kinda driving me nuts but it's what happens before the end as do the massive hot flashes that just seem to overwhelm me this go around.

Anywho, below is my progress, I am down by 2 pounds and wonder how that happened since I can't seem to stop eating this last leg of my pregnancy. I am constantly foraging for food and it all must be going to MJ because it's not anywhere on my body (as far as I can tell, but then again I can't see past my boobs and belly...haha).

Current Weight: 289 pounds

Weight loss/gain: -2 pounds

Total Weight loss: 16 pounds 

Weight still to lose: 49 pounds to go