Groove

Getting there. Went to the school fitness center after school Wednesday and Friday and ran 2 miles and did core work both times. About 30 minutes total which is fine for now. Routine and regain basic fitness. Being back at school is fine...easier going back than with Andra, maybe less guilt.

My neck is in the process of being fixed by the chiropractor. The rheumatologist said I "risk paralysis" but he was speaking pretty generally and I have no degeneration in my spine so I figured it would be ok. I can actually turn my head now. I knew it was more muscular than RA related, despite my previous flares, from what the physical therapist said. Nothing he did helped but it helped me decide to try chiropractic. Hopefully it will keep improving a bit more.

Overall life is good. 5k for sandy hook Mach 23.

Back to work

Head back to work Monday.  Good thing too...I need routine.  All the time in the world while on leave (well, not really, babies ARE work, even ones like Nora) and I couldn't find time to work out consistently.  I ran a bit, lifted a bit, took a week off here and there.  I'm not in worse shape, but I'm no better.  I could run a 5k no problem, but it would be slow.  I signed up for a 5k (Run for Sandy Hook in Hartford, it will be mobbed and that's my excuse for whatever my time will be) in March.  In a month, in fact.  My plan is to work out right after school twice a week and, if the snow ever melts, to run once on the weekend.  That's not  much, but it would be enough.  I do still have a gym membership, but I don't use it much and don't plan to renew in June.  I plan instead to go to CrossFit for the summer.  Yeah, we'll see...all that free time might get in my way again...but that's the plan.  With nursing, I won't drop weight.  I am fine, but soft.  Muffin top.  Bigger boobs.  Just have to go with the flow til I have more control.  Nora is still an amazing baby.  Chill, go with the flow, nothing bothers her for long.  Love.

Making Plans

Checked the race calendar for 2013.  Ran 3.5 miles today.  Just trying to be consistent to the tune of 3 times a week. Not quite there yet, but I'm good with 2.  Nora can just go to the gym daycare now, so hopefully 3 won't be hard anymore.  Speed?  Eh...when I do a 5k this spring, I  would like to be under 29 minutes.  So, no pressure.  Just want back out there. 

Nora?  Still perfect.  Doesn't cry, barely fusses.  Almost smiling.  Great sleeper but still wakes to eat...but goes right back to sleep 90% of the time. 

Pictures of the baby I never want to grow up...

I've never been very sentimental but...I want Nora to stay tiny forever.

Plus a picture Andra drew. She is way into people and writing everyone's name except her own. She can write mom and dad all by herself and Nora, gramma and grampa when told the letters.

Baby Nora

Nora Jeannette was born at 1:52am Sunday morning. Contractions started at 9pm and by 10 I figured this was it. We dropped Andra off at her cousin Zach's to go back to sleep and got to the hospital about 10:30. I was a little worried that I was 1.5 hours in and it was bearable. Andra's labor was only about 2 hours of pain plus her water broke before anything else and this baby's water was still intact. By about midnight I asked to be checked again and when they said I was only at 4-5cm I asked for an epidural. Hey, I did one naturally, I had nothing to prove. I was at an 8.5 by the time the epi was in, and got about half an hour of relative rest before pushing. The epi only really worked on te left side... It was weird. Eventually it kicked in more on the right but not fully. I admit to being skeptical of people who said their epidural a didn't work, but now know better. When they work they work!! I was checked again about 1:45 and her head was right there. Four pushed and she was our, piece of cake. Recovery has been way easier too. I am ready to go home, but Nora has a bit of jaundice and needs one more night, so since officially I get one more too I am staying. I thought I would get to walk down to the cafeteria or gift shop but I can't. They said I could be discharged and still stay on as a courtesy but I figure I might as well stay. The down side is they will keep bugging me in the middle of the might to check vitals where as they wouldn't do anything if I wasn't officially here.

Otherwise... 7lbs 3 oz and 19 inches at 37 weeks 4 days. Almost identical to Andra though she was 38 weeks 5 days. Nora latches better and has had her eyes open much more, I think Andra slept for 3 weeks straight.

37 weeks tomorrow

My doctor continues to be "impressed" with the contractions I have.  NSTs are weekly now.  I'm 2cm, so not much change.  I do think she dropped lower as I feel more pressure, but at the same time, I don't think anything is imminent.  Unlike the doctor who has been saying for weeks that it could be any time now.  I'm 37 weeks (full term) tomorrow.  Saturday would be a good day I think.  I don't really want to have to go back to school Monday.

I weighed myself this morning...I started out 2 lbs heavier, and am about 3 lbs lighter than I was a 37 weeks last time.  And I don't work out AT ALL any more or eat particularly well.  Total weight gain has been about 15 lbs (148 to 163).  Baby was measuring in 65th% at 35 weeks (6lbs 1 oz if you trust those things) so it's not like she is small.  Maybe I'll get luck y and won't gain 10lbs while nursing this time.

1.5 cm, steroid shots at 33 weeks

This pregnancy has been pretty similar to the first.  I was in the hospital for monitoring yesterday, and they decided to give me the steroid shots for lung development this time.  They talked about it last time, but I kind of talked them out of it.  This time, I am already 1.5 cm dilated, they only give the shots up to 34 weeks, and I do just have a feeling this baby could come by Thanksgiving (37 weeks) or a little before.  There appears no real down side to the shots (and the upside for me?  My awful neck pain is a little bit lessened!) so better safe than sorry as even if she is just a little early her lungs will benefit.  I go get the second shot (and 2 hours of monitoring) today.  I'm pretty sure my doctor would write me out of work if I wanted, but I can't.  Not ready!  I will take a lot of time this week (assuming we have school?  Hurricane Irene put us out of school for a week, Sandy might get us a few days!) to get thing more in order.  Found out I should have the same sub as last time so that helps.  Here's a belly pic at 33 weeks: