Christmas and Hanukkah 2008

The girls had a great holiday! We lit the candles at home to celebrate Hanukkah and decorated the tree and waited for Santa. Christmas morning was quite here this year. Jocelyn is in South East Asia, so she celebrated this year without us :( We relaxed by the fire and opened our presents...even Isabella got into the action. After opening our presents and packing, we left for NJ, to my sister-in-law Debbie's, to celebrate Christmas with the rest of the McNabs. What a blast. 13 grandkids in one house for several days. The girls had so much fun....Morgan playing with her cousins and Isabella being passed around and held by all. Even Aunt Melissa was there from Georgia. We got to see Natie Bug!!! After celebrating Christmas with the McNab side of the family, we went to my parents to celebrate Hanukkah. We opened up presents, lit the candles, ate potato latkes (mmmm). It was lots of fun!

While in NJ, we went with Omi to the aquarium in Atlantic City. Morgan had a blast! We also went to the famous White House subs. Omi has the picture of Isabella's first trip tot he famous sub shop on her camera...will post later. While on our outing, I caught a cute video of Isabella being squeaky and saying DADA......


Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday and happy new year!!!!

DADADADADA

Well, I came home from work the other day and Isabella was standing in Greg's lap saying "dadadadadadada." It was so sweet! She is chatty all of time, sitting up, and has the neatest personality. She loves to hear herself talk. Don't say it...........

Her laugh is infectious! I have a video here of her laughing while Morgan is being silly with her.

Getting ready for the holidays! Happy holidays to all!
Love, Char

A bit behind.....

Let's see. Isabella had her 4 month check up a few weeks back. She weighed 13 pounds 10 ounces. Right smack in the middle of the charts. She is doing really well. She is trying to sit up now and is an extreme chatter box. Within the past week or so, she has discovered that she can control her voice in many ways; pitch, volume, etc. She experiments with her voice and sometimes even screams at me! She is a trip!

She is doing great with her reflux....her spitting up has decreased dramatically, as well as he discomfort from the reflux. However, teething discomfort has taken over. Isabella has been teething since 3.5 months but hard core teething for the past 2 weeks. She puts everything and anything in her mouth. Some days, she is inconsolable :( Poor Baby :(

We took both Morgan and Isabella to see Santa on Sunday. We waited for about 1.5 hours....Isabella did great for the first hour then began to melt down. We were expecting to get one of those traditional Santa pictures with baby crying but she cheered up right as it was her turn....such a cute picture. Although Morgan doubted the authenticity of this Santa as she said his hair was Grey not white. :(

Isabella eats real food!!!!!!

Well, they say to start solids anywhere between 4-6 months of age. Well, we waited until Isabella was 4 months and 3 days old. We could wait no more. While we were in Pennsylvania at my sister-in-law, Deanna's, we introduced Isabella's first solid....PEAS. She loved them! She ate them all up, even sucking her lips so hard. She ate peas for 4 days and did really well. Last night, we introduced GREEN BEANS. She loved them, even more than the peas! She ate an entire container of string beans! Tonight, she was pulling my hands to her mouth and even opening her mouth for the spoon. Pretty impressive for only eating solids for less than a week! I think we have a miss piggie :)

Isabella is 4 months old today!

I cannot believe how time flies. My little Bella is 4 months old! She has started teething, well started about 2 weeks or so ago. She rolls over from front to back and is trying to roll over from back to front, but her arm keeps getting in the way. She is such a happy baby with a silly personality. it is so neat watching her grow into herself. She loves to stand, of course holding our hands :) I swear, she is going to be an early walker. I can just feel it! She is drinking 5 ounces a day...maybe moving up to 6 oz soon. She has more regular naps, like always her morning nap after her first bottle. For those who do not know, Greg stays home with her during the day. We took her out of daycare since his work slowed down and he could work at night. He is with her during the day then he goes to work when I come home. She is such a daddies girl. I am jealous! She is doing really well on her Prilosec for her reflux...it makes a world of difference for her. Even her spitting up has decreased. YEAH! Looking forward to a great Turkey day!

Until next time.
Char

Morgan went on her fifth grade class trip to Williamsburg

Morgan went to Williamsburg....with her fifth grade class. It is like a rite of passage at her school for a fifth grader to go on this field trip...a rite of passage to middle school. it is an overnight trip. Parent can go if they want and heck yeh I went! Unfortunately, Morgan's roommate, Devyn, got sick at the last minute and canceled so me and Morgan were solo in our hotel room. But we had fun! We went to Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg! So much fun. We were nonstop the entire 2 days. Came home exhausted. Will post pics soon!

What a roll over!!!!

Talking Up a Storm!!!!!

Isabella was very chatty tonight!

Happy Halloween......

BOO! The girls had a great Halloween. Morgan dressed as a witch and Isabella dressed as my little chicken. Isabella lasted 2 houses and then was fast asleep. Morgan got tons of loot! It was alot of fun.

Isabella is 3 months old!!!!

I prefer 13 weeks, but my little Isabella is exactly 3 months old today. I cannot believe it. She continues to coo and talk up a storm. She smiles in response to your smiles and is beginning to have a little giggle. I am enjoying watching her grow and change.





Morgan continues to be an awesome big sister. I could not have asked for a better set of girls :)

Char

A chatter Box in Morgan's absence

This weekend, Morgan is away on a Girl Scouts trip. She is camping with her Girl Scouts troop. This is the first time Morgan is away from us for an entire weekend, not just at a friends house for a sleep over. I miss her terribly, but I am sure she is having a blast.

In Morgan's absence, Isabella has all of the sudden become a chatter box. Here is a video clip of her chattering away.

Enjoy.
Char


Isabella the Chatter Box- 12 weeks

Isabella talking, laughing, and smiling caught on tape!!!!!

So cute! Enjoy!


Isabella ~12 weeks old

We made it!!

Well, we made it through our first week back at work (for me) and daycare (for Isabella). Isabella is going to a daycare which is located directly inside the school I teach. It is a private daycare that rents space from the school. It is quite convenient. I go down at lunch time, and any other time during the day, to see my little one. However, every time i go down to see her, she is sleeping. She is such a sleepy baby. She seems to enjoy her daycare. She is taken very good care of by Noona, Sissy, and Kaitlyn. I will post pictures next week of her at her daycare. Somehow, in all of the commotion of returning to work, and putting my little one in daycare, I forgot to take a picture of her during her first day. I will bring my camera to work on Monday and get a good picture of her.

Noona discovered that we have a Primadonna.....She has been drinking 2 oz of her 4 oz bottle, burping, and then not wanting more. Noona figured out that the princess would like her formula re-warmed during her burping. Too funny!

I took Isabella to the Dr. today because she is still slightly congested from 2 1/2 weeks ago. i wanted to make sure that her lungs were clear. All was good. Spoke with Dr. about her increase in spitting up (which has gotten pretty bad. The daycare almost needs to wear a raincoat when they feed her :( ) Anyhow, he upped her dose of Zantac to 1.8 ml 2 times per day and we will see if that helps. He also said her cold can cause her to spit up more, too. One day at a time with my reflux baby. Thankfully it is not as bad as some kiddo with reflux.

Well, until next time.
Char

Isabella found her tongue!!

I was trying to video tape Isabella laughing, smiling, and talking and caught on video her discovery of her tongue. This is too cute! Click on the image below and it will take you to the video. Enjoy!
Char


Isabella 10 weeks old...

A Little Behind

Sorry I have been MIA for some time now....been adjusting to life with a new baby. Everyone has been doing well. Let's see.....here is a quick catch up:

Isabella is now 10 weeks old. I cannot believe it! She weighs 11 pounds 6.5 ounces! She is doing well. When she was 4 weeks old, she was formally diagnosed with Reflux. She had an ultrasound and Upper-GI done to confirm the diagnosis. She is on Zantac for the reflux and we thicken her formula with rice cereal to help her to keep it down. She spits up ALOT! I never knew a baby could spit up so much! We have also put her on Nutramigen, a special formula for babies with tummy and allergy issues. She sleeps in her bouncy seat (thanks mom-mom) to keep her from refluxing in her sleep :( She sleeps real well. At risk of jinxing a good thing, I will not elaborate further :) The dr. said that many babies outgrow their reflux by 6 month.....keep your fingers crossed.

Isabella has always been an amazing baby. Here are her milestones thus far:
Head control - birth
smile- 8 weeks
cooing- 8-9 weeks
batting at her toys above-8 weeks

Forgot to mention...Isabella met her great grandfather a few weeks ago. He is 100 years old!! How awesome is that??????

Morgan is such an awesome big sister. She really grew up this summer, with having to take care of mommy and then her little sister. She is a natural with Isabella. I am embarrassed to say that I am surprised at how well she is with her. She holds her, plays with her, helps get her dressed, feeds her, and has even begun changing diapers. Morgan adores her Izzy.

Morgan started 5th grade last month. I cannot believe that this is her last year of elementary school. Next year she is a middle schooler...OMG! She continued with swimming and karate this school year. We are very proud of her!!'

I am doing well. Learning how to juggle everything. I go back to work on Monday and Isabella starts daycare, too. We had a few trial runs of daycare this week. Her daycare is in the school building where I teach...ideal situation. Keep your fingers crossed that I can successfully juggle it all and get us to school, work, and daycare in the morning on Monday. I am a bit rusty with all of this juggling but it is slowly coming back.

Until next time...
Char

Isabella Paige McNab....Born 7/23/2008

Hey all...I have been MIA for the past few days trying to adjust to our new life with Isabella. Things have been wonderful and could not have asked for a better little girl :)
Greg and I left for the hospital at 5:00am on Wednesday, as we had to check in at 5:45am. On the way to the hospital, I took a Klonopin (anti-anxiety med prescribed by my OB to help take the edge off) When we got there, they took us back to surgery prep where I changed into my gown and answered TONS of ?. They put my IV in and I spoke with my OB and the anesthesiologist. I was relaxed and calm until the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me...then my legs started shaking. i think i was more scared of the spinal then the actual surgery. Anyhow, they walked me down to the OR while Greg had to wait. I walked in and it was COLD! They had me sit on the table and I got my spinal. Not as bad as I remembered. Then I laid down and they prepared for the surgery. Greg came in and they played my Marvin Gaye CD I brought. I delivered Morgan to this same CD :) The C-section was not too bad actually. I was a lot more relaxed this time around...I think the Klonopin and the Marvin CD helped alot. I have to say that as soon as I heard them say here she is...and heard her cry, I balled hysterically. I thought to myself, "OMG...there really was a baby inside of me." It was all so surreal up until she came out. They cleaned her up. Apgars were 1 minute: 8 then 5 minute was 9. Most of the discomfort that I felt was when they were stitching me all up. I was getting air in my diaphragm and it felt like someone was sitting my chest. it felt like it took them hours to stitch me up...I just wanted to see my baby. When they were finished, they asked me if I wanted to see my baby..."OF COURSE." They handed her to me and pushed me to recovery with Greg. She is so beautiful!

I held her so tight and just stared at her and cried. I was in recovery for about 2.5 hours. Then they pushed me up to my room. The ride to the room proved to be difficult, as i became nauseaous and dizzy. To make matters worse, the AC was broken in room and I was so hot I began throwing up. Morgan was the first one to enter the room to meet her new little sister. We had to decide on her name before we introduced her to the rest of the family. We decided that our new little one looked like Isabella Paige. Then my mom, dad, MIL, sister came into the room to meet Isabella. They all loved her!

My experience at the hospital was horrible, between the nurses not coming into the room to help me pee for the first time after the catheter was removed to forgetting the remove my IV and bandages, broken AC, etc....I could go on and on but I will remain positive for the time being :)

Isabella stayed in the room the entire time with Greg and I. Greg slept over both nights. By Friday, I asked my OB if he would discharge me as I was doing ok and did not feel my medical needs were being met at the hospital anyway. He DC me :) I was home by 2 pm Friday. Isabella was slightly Jaundiced but not enough to stay. Morgan was so excited to see us at home and I was so happy to be home. Mom was at the house to help out and Greg was a godsend. I am so lucky to have such a great and wonderful man!

Since being home things have been ok. Isabella is doing wonderful! She is a great baby. She sleeps most of the time, crying only when hungry, needs a diaper change......we are both learning breast feeding. It is going ok...I am sure it will get better for both of us. My healing is happening slowly. My incision is not really too sore, although it challenging getting up and sitting down from a seated or lying position. Constipation is a pain and the swelling in my feet and legs is TERRIBLE. My feet and legs are so swollen. My feet are so tight and have rolls of their own. I called the doctor on friday and was told it was normal and I will go away by 2nd week. it still scares me so I will call again on monday to see if they can give me a water pill.

We are all so excited to have Isabella in our lives. She is a precious little girl who we cannot wait to get to know. It blows my mind that she was in my tummy. I lay her on my stomach and am blown away at the thought.

I will continue to update this blog, as it is now a blog for Isabella and Morgan/

Thanks for checking in...
char

Leaving for the hospital

It has not quite hit me yet. You know something? I am having a baby today! OMG!
Wish me luck!!!
Char

WE MEET OUR NEW LITTLE GIRL TOMORROW!!!!!!

I cannot believe that this is most likely my last pre-baby blog entry!!!! I cannot believe that we meet our new little girl tomorrow! I am so excited, as are Greg and Morgan. Of course, I am quite nervous and I am sure this nervousness will increase as the day goes on. The pending C-section scares the day lights of out me, but knowing that there is a great prize at the end helps ease the anxiety.

Yesterday, I had my last OB appointment. I was shocked to find out that I am not dilated, despite the pain and discomfort I was in this weekend. My OB said that the pain I am feeling with every step is most likely my pelvic bone separating. OUCH! The rest is Braxton Hicks contractions. He said some women just experience both of these as painful. Who would have guessed that I would be one of those women????? I continue to have contractions but nothing regular so we should be good to go for tomorrow, so long as I do not over do it today. If I do, I might be visiting the hospital today. But we do not want that since my OB is not on call today :( Greg took off for today to help, as he has been doing so wonderfully, with last minute things around the house and prep for our new little girl's arrival.

My mom and dad are coming in tonight to be here for the big event and my mother-in-law and sister are coming to the hospital in the morning. My mom and dad will bring Morgan with them to the hospital :) It is going to be so nice to have family there, as we did not have family there right away when Morgan was born...we lived in NC then.

Yesterday, I found out that after the C-section, I will be moved the recovery room with the baby and Greg. We will be there for about 2 hours until they move me to my room. I thought that, at least, Morgan would be able to come back to see her sister right away but I was told that cannot happen. Only me, Greg, and the baby are allowed in the recovery room, as the recovery room is a large open room with lots of women and their brand new babies. Morgan and everyone else will have to wait about 2 hours from the delivery to see our new addition. While I understand why they have this policy, it upsets me the most that my dear Morgan will have to wait until her sister is a few hours old before she meets her for the first time. I guess this is the part of the "being cheated" that I have always felt about C-sections. When you have a c-section, you get cheated out of alot of things: holding the baby right away, cutting the cord yourself, having loved ones at the delivery, and siblings meeting their new sibling immediately. I know, I know.....think of the prize. You get the same prize regardless of the type of delivery. But I can't help to feel cheated out of parts of the experience in some ways.

Regardless, we are very excited to meet our new little girl and introduce her to everyone tomorrow. Keep an eye out for email with pictures over the next day or two.

Wish me luck!
Char

Forgot to mention......

On Thursday, the sonographer measured our little one again. She was measuring about 7 pounds 9 ounces!!!! Again, this is give or take about 7 ounces or so. I asked the sonographer what she thought about what her birth weight might be, based on her experience and the baby's growth. She is guessing that on Wednesday, she will weigh, at birth, about 7 pounds 5 ounces. Lets see :)

Rough Night

Boy, was last night a rough night. I think I moved around a bit too much on Friday and WAMMM it hit me. I was having cramping and contractions all night long. It was so uncomfortable that I was in tears. I am so ready for Wednesday. I had no contractions or cramping with Morgan. The first cramp or contraction I felt with her was when I was induced at the hospital. This is completely foreign to me. I did not call the OB since they were not regular, but boy was i uncomfortable. Today, Greg made sure I did not leave the couch for much of anything. i feel a bit better, although still cramping and contracting. Wednesday is just around the corner.
:)
Char

FULL TERM TODAY........

Well, we made it to 37 weeks, which is considered full term. YEAH! I had an appointment with my OB yesterday and all looked good. Baby is doing well. They did not measure her today via ultrasound, but last week, she measured @ 6pounds 8 ounces! I asked my OB today to measure my belly for fundus height, just out of curiosity. Anybody who has seen me, says that I look so small. Well...HA! I measured 1 week ahead. I was monitored for about 30 minutes and I was having regular contractions, about 2 minutes apart. My OB did an internal exam and I am still the same as last week, thinning a bit but cervix is completely closed. Even though having the baby now would be fine, he wants me to continue with my modified bed rest until the C-section next week. You see, if I do go early, I am not guaranteed that he would be around to do my C-section. My OB happens to be the head guy at a large practice. He is rarely on call. I drive 45 minutes (each way) 2 times per week because I feel comfortable with my OB. For those who know me well, you know that I am a nervous nut, especially when it comes to surgery. So...1 more week of confinement and rest and then we get to hold our new little girl. I cannot believe it! It is so surreal! I cannot wait to see her, to hold her, to know that she is ok. And of course, to share her name :)

Well, until next time.
Char

ALMOST THERE.......

Today, I am 35 weeks and 6 days. Tomorrow I will 36 weeks. The arrival of our new addition is only 2 weeks away!!! I cannot believe it.

Had a an appointment with my OB today. He has me coming 2 times per week for monitoring. Today, baby I was having regular contractions and the baby's heart rate was pretty low, compared to normal. They believe all of the uterine activity was lulling her to sleep. After they nudged her a bit, she maintained her normal heart rate. I am to continue on my bed rest, most likely until July 23. I am managing. Greg and Morgan continue to be my saviors. Morgan continues to help me during the day and Greg has been spending the last few weekend doing nothing but cleaning and getting things together for the babys arrival. I am very lucky :)

My headaches have returned, along with the awful heartburn. I have had a return of some morning sickness, too. Sleeping is becoming challenging, once again. But it all is for a good prize.....our sweet little princess. we cannot wait to meet her.

Until next time.
Char

C-Section Scheduled....Trying to hang in there :(

Let's see...where do I begin? I remain on bed rest, although slightly more strict, as of yesterday. Sunday night, I began having regular contractions that were about 2 minutes apart. This lasted for chunks of time, say an hour or so and then they were replaced with really bad cramping. The cramps are awful....they are terrible cramps that last in duration for about 1.5 hour each. UGH! I managed through the night and called my OB in the morning. I had a routine appt scheduled for 1pm but wanted to know if he wanted to see me sooner. They had me come in at 10:30am. My cervix was closed and the baby looked good. She is head down, which explains my inability to sit upright. I swear she stiffens her entire body, keeping her feet in my ribs. It makes it quite difficult to sit up. My OB tends to believe that what I experienced the other night was most likely VERY STRONG braxton hicks contractions, esp since there is no change in my cervix.. He said that some women feel them really strong. Of course that would be me, right? Par for the course with this pregnancy. He asked me to continue with my bed rest, avoid standing for any period of time, drink lots of water, and avoid the heat. He would like for me to make it, at least, until next week, when I will be 36 weeks. Can you believe it? Right now, I am 35 weeks. it blows my mind. He said that most of preterm birth risks decrease after 36 weeks. I would like to make it at least to 37 weeks, since this is the magic number for lung development that effects c-section babies. But, in case we make it all the way to 38 weeks, the C-SECTION IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 23!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morgan continues to be a blessing. She has made alot of sacrifices this summer and is taking it like such a big girl. We are very proud of her. Greg has been wonderful. He works all week and takes his weekends to do household things for me, since I cannot. He detailed a great bit of the house this weekend, getting it dust and dig hair free for the baby's arrival. He is so awesome!

Last week, I forgot to note that the baby weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces....I cannot believe it! I have another appt on thursday, so my OB can check my cervix before the 3 day weekend.

Until next time...
Char

Update....modified bed rest

Hey all....called the doctor this am. Was going nuts and was not feeling contractions since Tuesday. He asked me to come in and be checked. He put me on the monitor for 1/2 hour and saw that my uterus was quiet. I told him that my DH was concerned about me, as I was very depressed and crying alot during bed rest. My OB decided that since all looked quiet, he would modify my bed rest. He still wants me resting, not lifting, not standing around, not walking around, no chores.......he gave me permission to move around a bit more, take my DD to the movies (so long as I do not have to wait in a line), take DD to swim practice and meets (so long as I am sitting down). He decided this, he said, since all was quiet with my uterus and for emotional stability.

I know that other people have been on bed rest for months and I feel like a baby, but it was too much for me, esp given that I was not feeling any more contractions. I am seeing OB again on Tuesday for my weekly visit. He gave me instructions to listen to my body, as I always do, and call if I do feel contractions.

On bed rest........... 33 weeks :(

Hey all..... Started feeling some strong cramping on Sunday and Monday. I figured that I would wait until my appt with my OB on Tuesday....Tuesday morning I noticed that what I was feeling was more like sharp shooting pains in my lower left groin...they were about a few minutes apart. I went to my OB appt, they checked my cervix via ultrasound (it was fine) and they hooked me up to the monitor. All looked great but I still was feeling the contractions. After my monitoring, I met with my OB...he sent me over to Labor and Delivery since I was reporting feeling something. At L&D, they hooked me up to the monitor and recorded that contractions every 4 minutes. they gave me Tributeline and IV fluids. The Tributeline decreased the contractions but made my heart race. They did not want to give me anymore since I had this reaction. They are doing a urine culture to rule out a UTI, which is what was causing the contractions a few weeks ago. still waiting for the results. They released me on bed rest and my Ob asked for me to call and check in this morning at the office. I went home last night, my uterus calm. I rested on the couch and called the OB this morning. My OB wanted me to come in and check my cervix. My cervix measured long and closed. He said that he wants me on house rest/bed rest until my next appt on Tuesday. He does not want to put me on Tribulteline since it made my heart race so we wants me to rest. He said he wants me to keep my little one in the oven for at least another 2-3 weeks. He asked me to call if I feel regular contractions. I am feeling occasional contractions and more regular cramping but if the contractions get regular I need to call.

this is so hard for me. I am a very independent person. I cannot stand to depend on others. I had 3 different people help me with daughter this morning to get her to swim practice, swim breakfast and her swim meet tonight. I cried when she left for her swim team. I have never missed anything of hers. It is very hard for me to sit at home and know she is there without me. Greg is meeting her there, as he is at work. Morgan made her own lunch and dinner today (sandwiches) and helped do the laundry. She is such a selfless child.

Forgot to post at 32 weeks. Baby measured 4 pounds 9 ounces at 32 weeks. She looked awesome!!!!!!!

Baby's bedroom is almost finished...thankfully I was able to get some stuff done in the room before be putting on bed rest. Morgan and I painted the room a nice pale yellow and Greg did his first major home improvement.....He replaced the baseboards in the baby's room. I am so proud of him. The baby's furniture was delivered today, too. It was so nice to have the furniture delivered and the crib assembled. we did not even have to do it. Greg is finishing up the custom closet. I will have Greg take pictures and I will post them. I cant wait for everything to be done and the baby to enjoy it all.....

Anyhow, that is what has been happening here at my end.

31 weeks and Update from Doctor's visit

Well, went in for a doctor's appointment on Monday. They checked my cervix...closed. The measured the cervix via Ultrasound and it was nice and thick. The doctor tends to think that my bladder infection caused the contractions along with me being sensitive to Braxton Hicks contractions. He took me off of strict bed rest and told me to take it easy and rest if I feel contractions. He feels confident that all is fine. The baby looked so cute on the U/S :)

Char

another trip to labor and delivery :(

Last night I had a rough night sleeping. I was up going to the bathroom every 30 minutes. They told me at the hospital that this is from the Bladder Infection. Woke up this morning and was feeling menstrual like cramping every 10 minutes. I called the on call doctor. She told me to return to L&D. We went to L&D. They hooked me up to the monitor again for about 1.5 hours and gave me IV fluids again. I was feeling cramping there but they did not see it on the monitor. They released me on Bed Rest and asked me to be seen either tomorrow or Tuesday at my OB (the OB on call from my OB office instructed this). They think the cramping and uterine irritability is caused by the UTI so I am drinking TONS of cranberry juice and water and taking my antibiotics.

I was instructed to call the on call doctor if the contractions become more frequent or stronger and are every 10 minutes. UUGGHHH! This is how I was feeling when I left the hospital. I guess I cam going to try to hang in there and hopefully get an appt for tomorrow.

Say a prayer for me :)

A visit to Labor and Delivery :(

Woke up this morning with shooting pains in my lower abdomen. Called the doctor and she said to go to L&D to be monitored. I was monitored for 4 hours! As soon as they put me on the monitor they saw regular small contractions (irritations, as they called them) about every 2 minutes. They ran some blood and urine labs and it turns out I have a trace of a bladder infection. They had to give me two shots of Tributilin to stop the contractions, IV fluids, and IV antibiotics. They gave me a prescription for antibiotics and sent me home. They told me to call my doctor if I have more than 4 contractions per hour. Glad it was nothing serious but, of course, I am freaked out anyway....

30 weeks

I am 30 weeks this week. I really cannot believe that I have made it to the 30 weeks. It was just yesterday that I was 8 weeks pregnant. I know that I say that I cannot believe it from week to week but when you try for so long, it really is so surreal that you make it from week to week.

Alot of the same from last week. The third trimester is here and here with a vengeance. If this is G-d's way of foreshadowing what is to come, I quite frightened :) My pregnancy with Morgan was a breeze and so is she. Does this mean that my baby, my second child, will be a handful? Morning sickness has become a daily thing, lasting mostly in the morning. Today the nauseousness lasted for most of the day. I have been EXHAUSTED! I have been waking up in the middle of the night for several hours a night and being very tired during the day. I wind up taking a nap for 1-2 hours most days and still feeling tired.

I had my 30 week appointment at the doctor today. It went well, although I gained 5 pounds in the past 2 weeks. Once again, he has asked me to watch my sugar intake. I asked for guidelines re: sugar intake. he told me to keep it under 40 grams per day. I will work really hard to follow his guidelines. He asked me about the baby's movement and I told him that some days she moves alot and other days she barely moves. I told him I know that this is because of my tilted uterus, anterior placenta, and extra fluid. He said he would like to, for now on at all of my appointments he will do a Biophysical Profile, which includes some ultrasounds and monitoring. I will be having appointments every 2 weeks until week 34 weeks and then weekly appointments until delivery. He did a Biophysical Profile today with an ultrasound. The baby looked great. She weighed 3lb. 13 oz. When they started the ultrasound, the baby was sleeping and then she started stretching and waking up. She looked so CUTE!

Until next time......
Char

29 weeks....cannot believe it!!

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant. I am in the home stretch. Can't beleive that I only have about 10 weeks left (Doctor doing C-section about 10-14 days before due date so somewhere around 38 weeks!!) Let's see, what is happening?????

As soon as 27 weeks approached, I could feel the 3rd trimester begin! Feels just like the 1st trimester. I am tired alot, not much appetite, and alot of food aversions. Hanging in there, though :) I took my 28 week Glucose test to test for gestational diabetes and I PASSED! Also at my 28 week appt., they did an ultrasound and the amniotic fluid level is back within normal limits. AND so far, I have only gained 19 pounds. Let's hope that I stay far away from the pound weight gain I had with Morgan.

My baby shower was so nice. Joc threw me my baby shower on May 10. Lot so family dame in from NJ and PA and lots of friends from here, too. There were 30+ people there. It was so nice. I especially enjoyed that Morgan was part of the shower. She helped me open the baby presents and read the cards. I am so excited for her to be a big sister :) THANKS, JOC, FOR A GREAT SHOWER!

The baby's bedding set came last week. It is so pretty! We thought it was just brown and pink but there is a hint of pale yellow in there so we decided to paint the baby's room pale yellow. We went this past weekend and bought FreshAire paint from HomeDepot. It is VOC free and odor free so it is safe for pregnant women to paint with. I can't wait to start painting. We started to clear out the guest room.....giving Morgan the queen bed in her room and getting rid of lots of junk in the guest room so we can turn it into the baby's room. I should be starting the painting this week....

Well, until next time. Char

4D ultrasound pics taken today.

Baby was lying on her stomach so it was hard to get a straight face shot but we got some really cool profile pics. See the slideshow above.

The internet should be banned for pregnant women!

Well, after my appointment with my OB on Monday, I was prompted to search online to see what could be the cause of an increase in amniotic fluid. What a big mistake! OMG! There are so many things that increased amniotic fluid can be related to, too scary to go into here. After reading all of this horrible stuff, I called my OB and told him what I read. He reassured me that my AFL (amniotic fluid level) was not high enough to be a concern. He suggested that i go to a Perinatologist to ease my mind. I scheduled an appointment with the specialist for 8am Wednesday morning.

The Perinatologist confirmed the slight increase in AFL, measuring 21.5 cm. After doing a thorough scan of the baby, measuring every part of her, looking at her brain, looking at her stomach, etc., he agreed with the my OB. There is nothing to worry about. Often times, a slight increase in AFL is nothing other times it is related to a bigger baby and/or gestational diabetes.

Our little peanut is measuring a few days ahead, so she is slightly larger. He suggested that I do my gestational diabetes test, as scheduled for next week and follow up with another U/S in 3-4 weeks. He reassured me that it really does not appear to be anything but idiopathic, no apparent reason/cause.

I felt much better after the appointment with the specialist. Now, I am looking forward to the 3D/4D ultrasound schedule for tomorrow....Morgan, Greg, and I are all going together to see our little peanut. We are so excited!

Will update after the scan tomorrow....
Char

Quadruple Wammy

No...I am not having Quads.... I went to the Dr. today because of decreased fetal movement. They did an ultrasound and put me on the monitor. The baby was moving like crazy. I went in knowing that I will not be feeling movements like everyone else because I have:

1. A titled Uterus
2. Anterior Placenta

Well, come to find out, I have 2 more things that are causing me to not feel movements...

3. Baby is breech
4. I have a slightly more than normal amount of amniotic fluid....


Can you believe it???????? 4 things. My OB said, "only you Charlene, only you..."
Char

26 weeks...almost at the 3rd trimester!!!

Tuesday marked 26 weeks. I cannot believe it. Things continue to go well. I had a two week reprieve from feeling bad then it started again. Perhaps my body is starting the 3rd trimester a tad bit early. Regardless, the baby is moving around alot. Some days she is quite a bit more active than others. The other day, I think I felt an elbow or knee rub against my belly. It was so cool!

Morgan reads to the baby almost every night. She has chosen GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. She is so sweet. We go to the OB a week from tomorrow for the 3D/4D ultrasound. We cannot wait. All three of us are going.....:) The day after the 3D/4D U/S is my baby shower! I am very excited, as I did not have a shower for Morgan. So this is my first baby shower.

Well, nothing else really exciting. Until next time.......
Char

25 Weeks Yesterday

This past week has been good! Overall, I have been feeling much better. I still have morning sickness but it lasts for a few hours and then is gone. Some days...none. My leg and foot are not bothering me much, as I followed doctor's orders and bought myself a really good pair of supportive shoes. My back is starting to hurt, although quite expected as I had sciatic pain with Morgan.

My belly has gotten nice and round...very obvious I am pregnant, now. The baby has some slow movement days and some very active days. Yesterday and today I think she was dancing. It is so neat to feel her moving and to see my belly move around. This is the part of being pregnant that I absolutely LOVE!

At my last doctor's appt., I was informed that I would not have a c-section date scheduled earlier than 1 month ahead of time. However, my OB said that he would schedule me approximately 10 days before my due date of August 5. So...looks like we will be expecting our newest addition to the McNab family sometime during the 3rd-4th week of July.

We have been working on her name....getting 3 people to agree on one name is not easy. We have decided to keep the name private until she is born. Come on.....you guys already know she is a girl and when we are having her (or will soon)...we need something to be a surprise :)

Well, until next time......
Thanks for checking in...
Char

GUESTBOOK

Dr. Appointment today

Had my doctor's appointment today. Everything looked good. It was a real quick appointment. My belly is measuring right on target and the baby's heartbeat is right around 140-150. My next appointment with the Dr. is in 4 weeks, although Morgan, Greg, and I go back for our 3D/4D ultrasound in 3 weeks...WE CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Jocelyn sent out baby shower invites the other day. She mailed one to Morgan and it looks so awesome. She used the picture I have posted here of me and Morgan...so exciting!!! I love ya, Joc!!

After I came home from the appt today, I was eating lunch. The baby began moving like crazy...so much THAT I COULD ACTUALLY SEE MY BELLY MOVE WITH HER MOVEMENTS!!! I can't for Greg and Morgan to see it.....

Til next time.......
Char

Week 24....

As with each week, I cannot believe that we are at 24 weeks. 24 weeks is such a milestone in pregnancy as the baby is now viable outside of the womb. While I would not want anything to happen this early, it is reassuring to know that if something did happen this early, the odds are more in our favor.

During the past week, nothing much has changed, except my belly. It has really popped! The baby is moving around and has even begun to hiccup....pretty cool!! Morgan is getting more and more excited to be a big sister. She is interested in "big sister classes" to learn how to be a big sister. She is soooo sute!!!!

Today, we finished our baby registry. We registered at Target. We had so much fun going through the store and scanning all the things that we want for the baby.

Overall, the past week has been good. I have an appointment at my OB on Thursday for a routine appointment. I also have scheduled our 3D/4D scan in early May. We are all so excited and will definately post the 4D video for all to see on the blog.

Take Care
Char

Gestational Diabetes results.......

NEGATIVE!

The delivery decision.......................

I had my appointment with my OB on Friday for my Glucose test and to talk to him about doing a vaginal delivery instead of a C-section. I will find out the results of the glucose test on Monday...will post the results then tomorrow. As far as my conversation with my OB regarding my delivery.......well, when I first told him what Dr. Margolis (my retina specialist) said about not needing to do a C-section, his response was, "well, then lets go for a regular delivery." Then I handed him my records from my delivery with Morgan and as he read through why they did C-section with Morgan, he said, "I did not know you had "arrested decent." This is when the baby does not come down into the pelvis. He said that when a woman experiences this with one delivery, the chances are quite high that it will happen again and ultimately result in a C-section. So..........he said no to a vaginal delivery and wants to continue with the scheduled C-section. Of course, Greg is happy to hear this, as he was nervous about going through with a vaginal delivery. Morgan said she is disappointed but seems to have taken it well, as she wanted to be in the delivery room and cannot with a C-section.

The past few weeks I have been having pain in my left calf and then in my left foot. Of course I thought the worst...but I spoke with my OB about it and he looked at my leg. He is not concerned and thinks it is most likely a calcium deficiency, since I do not drink milk. I am taking a supplement now. It seems to feel much better now.

While I was at my appointment, my OB decided to do an ultrasound since I had cramping last week. He wanted to measure my cervix. All looked good. The baby was moving around like crazy. I confirmed that in addition to my uterus being tilted, the placenta is anterior. This means that the placenta is in front of the baby, in between the baby and my stomach. This is why the baby's movements are muffled. However, I have to say that last night, in addition to the normal kicks a I feel, I think I felt the baby hiccuping. It is so neat but strange. Morgan had hiccups alot while I was pregnant with her.

The two black and white pictures above are pictures that my sister, Joc, took yesterday. I wanted her to take some belly shots of me and Morgan. I think they turned out so nice. There are more but I will post them later, possibly in a slide show. She takes such nice photos. I asked her to take some more when my belly gets even bigger. Thanks Joc!!

That's all for now....I cannot believe that Tuesday will be 23 weeks!!!!!!!!!

Char

22 Weeks!!!!

22 Weeks pregnant....more than half way there. I cannot believe it! Things are going well. My OB decided that it was not necessary to see me this Monday since my cramping stopped. I have an appointment on Friday with the OB for my glucose test and to begin discussions of doing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) instead of C-section. We will see how he feels about given the report from my retina specialist. If we do a VBAC, then we will have Morgan in the labor and delivery room with us. I have to get her presence approved by her pediatrician and my OB, since she is under the age of 12.

Since my last post.......nothing really has changed. The morning sickness has decreased in frequency although still is here :( My food aversions aren't as bad, some days but are still there. I have been having some strange ankle pain and leg pain, mostly in the left leg...perhaps the sciatic acting up. I had that with Morgan.

The baby moves alot some days. The movements are still not strong but they are definitely there....like nudges and bubbles. Greg felt her kick for the first time last night. It is so exciting. The movements give more confirmation that there really is a baby in there.

Well, until next time.

Char

Feeling Baby Move

I wanted this as a separate post as it is soooooo special. I am starting to feel the baby move more and more. Since my uterus is tilted, the movements are so hard to feel, although I do feel alot on my sciatic nerve :( The past few days, I have been feeling more and more "bubble like feelings" in my tummy. Also, Morgan was able to feel the baby move from the outside the other night. She kicked quite hard Morgan felt her. This has only happened 2-3 times but it is the neatest thing, especially to see Morgan's face. Last night, Greg thinks he felt a little bump, too. I cannot wait until i feel the baby more consistently.

Char

Decisions, Decisions.......

Well, we did it! We made a decision re: the baby furniture and bedding. It feels so good to finally commit. I will research things until I am blue in the face so it feels good that we have placed our orders. Greg, Morgan and I went out yesterday and picked it all out. I am glad we went and looked at the items in person because we wound up changing our minds about the bedding we saw in pictures. Here is what we ordered:






The furniture is Espresso in color. It is solid pine that is stained almost black...so pretty. All three pieces should be in within 8-10 weeks. The bedding is so cute and looks so soft. It should be in within 5 weeks. We cannot wait to set up the room! While we were out, Morgan finally found one of the things she was looking for...onsies that said "little sister." Now she is searching for a bib that says "I love my sister." I am so excited for Morgan :)

Yesterday I had some cramping....cramping that lasted through the night on Friday night and most of the morning on Saturday. I called the doctor on call and she suggested that I got to the ER to get checked. No worries......All is fine. I had an ultrasound to check the baby and she was moving around like crazy...so much that the tech was laughing as he was trying to capture images of her. Our busy busy girl. I will follow up with my OB on Monday.

I will update after my appt. tomorrow.

Char

20 Weeks...I cannot believe it!

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. Things are going well. We are now 20 weeks...officially half way there. Since my last blog, everything has been pretty quiet. Mornign sickness continues but thankfully is not all day long! My vertigo has been flaring up but thank goodness for the Neti Pot (thanks Joc...love ya for that one!) I think I have been feeling the baby move...feeling little thumps and bubbles here and there but nothing consistent yet. Anxiously awaiting to feel her roll and kick around. So are Morgan and Greg. My last appointment at the OB was interesting....the Doctor is concerned about my weight gain. I am not eating as well as I should, and I have no problem admitting that. When most food is repulsive, you must eat what you can. I also deal with nausea regularly and find that caffeine free coke helps settle my stomach. Well, Dr. Kleninman, my OB, said that wants to do a glucose test early to montior me closely for Gestational Diabetes. He would rather that I reduce my sugar intake now and drink diet coke instead if I need it for my stomach. Artificial sweetners in moderation are safe. So,I have been watching my sugar and it has been hard. I never realized how much sugar is in the things I eat :( He said 12 pound babies have been born due to gestationsal diabetes...wow..I would rather a much smaller baby :) For those who remember my pregnancy with Morgan, I gained 60 pounds with her and ate very healthy. It is in my genes to pack it on during pregnancy:(

OTHER GOOD NEWS.......I had my annual appointment at my retinal specialist here in NJ yesterday. He said everything with my retinas and cateracts are stable! He also said that there is no medical reason for me to have a C-Section!!! You see, my retina detachments happened 8 months after my extremely difficult delivery with Morgan. I, along with family, made the assumption that my 3 hours of pushing contributed to my retinal detachments. Well, my reina specialist of 9 years, said it is highly unlikely that my detachments were from my labor and delivery of Morgan, especially since the detachments happened 8 months later. SOOOOOO.........Me, Greg, and my OB have a lot to talk about. My OB was agreeing to do a C-section because of my request for it not because he thought it was medically necessary. At my next appt., on April 4, I will speak with him. I would really like a vaginal delivery for many reasons including Morgan will be able to witness her sister being born, Greg can cut the cord, and I will have less recovery time. THIS IS VERY EXCITING NEWS!!! I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED RE: OUR DECISION :)
Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

Love Char

Almost half way there!!!

I can't believe that in a few days, I will be 19 weeks pregnant! Almost half way there to meeting our new addition. We are so happy that we are having a little girl. Although selecting names has proven to be quite challenging. Not only are Greg and I trying to find names we like, Morgan is also participating. She likes the more traditional names where as Greg and I seem to like the more contemporary names. UGGHH! I am sure we will figure it out in due time.

At our last appointment, last week, we learned that our little girl is measuring right on target. She weighs 7 ounces...almost 1/2 pound!! Her heart beat was 152 BPM. I am still waiting to feel her move around and anxiously awaiting when Greg and Morgan can feel her moving. I did not feel Morgan move for the first time until I was 20 weeks pregnant :(

This pregnancy continues to prove itself quite different than my pregnancy with Morgan. It my last post, I mentioned that my OB wanted me to be seen my a cardiologist. Well, I went to the cardiologist. He did an EKG and an echo and said all looked good but given my symptoms put me on a heart monitor. I was supposed to wear for 2 weeks. Its that holster kind that you have on your belt and you have electrodes on your chest. Every time you feel a palpitation, you have to push a button. Well, for those who know me well, you know that this was not easy for me. I think it created even more stress and palpations. I was depressed for the entire first week. I called the doctor to see if he had enough information from the monitor and he said yes and asked me to come in to see him. During my visit, he said that while my heart rate often jumped from 80 to 120 during no activity, he did not see anything alarming. He said my heart pals are most likely from the pregnancy and anxiety. He removed the monitor (THANK GOD!!!) and asked to see me in 2 months. I still have the palpitations but I am trying not to hyper focus on them too much.

As far as everything else, still the same. My morning sickness continues but mostly in the morning and in the evening. Eating continues to be chore most days, as most food is repulsive to me. Last week, my vertigo kicked in. My, was that awful! It happened the day my parents came in for a short visit. Thankfully, I was able to spend some time with them and get my mind off the dizziness. The heartburn has returned, too. When I was pregnant with Morgan, I had none of this stuff! Guess age really plays a factor in pregnancy. I am no spring chicken :)

I continue to be on leave from work. I was not meant to be a home maker. It is really hard. I miss work but I cannot take the risk with my very involved students. They are far too physical for me to manage. I try to fill my days with my eBay store. For those who do not know, I have an eBay store. I make and sell adapted materials for children with autism. If you want to see my store, here is the link:
http://stores.ebay.com/Adapted-4-Autism_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm
I also do lesson plans for my classroom. It helps keep me connected to my students and my work while I am out.

Other than that, all is well. I have another Dr. appt at my OB this Thrusday. He just wants to follow up with me since I have been having heart palps. I will keep you posted.
Char

We had our appointment and ultrasound today. Greg, Morgan, and I were very excited! And there our baby was.....IT'S A GIRL!!!!! I will update more later. Just wanted to share the news!
Love
Char

16 weeks and my tummy is growin'

Today marks 16 weeks. It is still so surreal to me. But, it is sinking in more and more that I really am pregnant. Once I start feeling the baby moving around, I am sure it will really sink in. It is so hard since you really feel pregnant in the first trimester and then you move onto the second trimester when the symptoms are less and you are waiting for your belly to pop. Getting there, though :)

Let's see what has happened in the last two weeks...Hmmmmmm. Well, I am currently on leave from work. Working with my students was proving to be more challenging, as I have some very physically involved students. Most likely, I will be out for the remainder of the school year.

Last week I had a doctor's appointment at my OB. Everything looked good, and the baby's heart rate was in the 150's. My next appointment is on February 28, and it is our gender scan. yes, we are finding out the sex of the baby. Morgan and Greg really want to know. Morgan will be coming to the gender scan with us. We are very excited to find out. Now, while as I was at my doctor appointment, I discussed with my doctor how I have heart palpitations. My heart, at times, feels like it is beating out of my chest. He said this was common with pregnant women since there is increased blood volume. However, I mentioned to him that it feels like it pauses when it goes from beating really fast to beating a normal rate. Given my family history of heart issues, he suggested that I see a cardiologist to make sure that all is ok. I have an appointment tomorrow morning.

As far as how I have been feeling.......well, I am definitely feeling much better that I was during the early part of the pregnancy. However, I have my days when I feel nauseous, tired, out of breath, and have head aches. Head aches have been more frequent in the mornings. My food aversions remain inconsistent from day to day. Some days I like certain foods and other days I don't like those foods.

Overall, a good past few weeks. Waiting for my belly to pop and to feel those first movements of the baby.
Char

14 Weeks!!!!!

Call me nuts...I rented a doppler so we can hear the heartbeat at home. I received it today and how reassuring it was to hear that heartbeat. Took me a while to find it but when I did....music to my ears. When I figure out how to record it onto the computer, I will post an audio file here to share. Now I can't wait until i pick Morgan today so that we can listen to it together. She will love it. She has aleady seen the baby via ultrasound, although it was when I was about 8 weeks...she pointed out the hand and finger buds to the tech. It was really cute. I can't wait to bring her to the next U/S which should be 18-20 weeks. We've already had lots of U/S, since we were seeing a fertility specialist. We have had 5 ultrasounds so far...the picture posted to the right is the baby at 12 weeks :)

Anyhow, as soon as I hit the 2nd trimester mark, I went out maternity clothes shopping. Joc and Morgan helped me pick out some really cute outfits. It is so nice to have a pair of jeans that don't need to be rubberbanded to keep them close :)

So how am I....hmmm. Well, as usual (thanks to my Aunt Barbara hi si, I am sure, watchinme from above :)), I am quite nervous and paranoid. I overanalyze everything about this pregnancy. I know, I know....nothing new for Charlene. I just wish I could relax and enjoy the ride. Perhaps when my belly becomes more round and obvious it will help. I do have a baby bump now, just not nice and round yet. Soon, I know.

Well, I will update more later. be sure to come back and check for upates. If I am not mistaken, I think you can subscribe to my blog and then you will get an email when there is an update.

Take care, all.
Love,
Char

We have made it to the Second Trimester

WOW! It is so hard to believe that we have made it this far. For many of you, this is the first you are hearing of journey for baby #2. We decided to wait to formally announce the pregnancy until we reached the Second Trimester. Well, we are here. This has been a long, hard journey for us. Here's a little background.

We have been trying off and on over the past four years to get pregnant but with no success. In April 2007, we began seeing a Reproductive Endocrinologist for help. I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility...how frustrating. We started doing shots....yes, Greg gave me shots. We tried the "natural way" with hormone shots for 2 months and no luck. We then switched to shots with IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)...yes, the turkey baster method. After 3 months of IUIs, we finally got pregnant!!

It really has been so surreal. It is now starting to sink in that we really are going to have a baby. Morgan has known since we found out. We told her by taking her to McDonald's the day we got the news from the doctor, during her school lunch time. Over the past 6 months or so, she has been asking for a baby name book. I told her once we were pregnant, we would buy her one. Greg went out and purchased one before meeting us at McDonald's. While we were eating, Greg gave it to Morgan. She looked at it with confusion and said nothing. I asked her,"Morgan, when did we say we would buy you a baby name book?" She replied, "when you were pregnant....YOU'RE PREGNANT?????" She smiled from ear to ear. She is so excited that she is going to be a big sister. When asked if she wants a brother or sister, she replies, "I don't care...whatever G-d gives me." Such a sweet child!

This pregnancy has been quite different than my pregnancy with Morgan. With Morgan, I had barely any morning sickness. This pregnancy has been quite the opposite. During the entire first trimester of this pregnancy, I had really bad morning sickness and heartburn.....so bad that I was put on prescription medication for both. I also had alot of random food aversions. There were times that I was not in the mood to eat anything. But now I am in the second trimester and the morning sickness has seemed to get much better. Now, I occasionally suffer from a little nausea. Since it has been 11 years since I was pregnant, this is almost like being pregnant for the first time. Learning everything all over again.

I will be updating my blog at least weekly. If you would like to join us on a journey, feel free to come back and visit and be sure to leave comments to let me know you were here :)
Charlene