30 weeks and kneehigh naturalist

Axel and his class getting ready for a hike

This week we learned about Owl's. Here is Axel holding a real owl wing. There feathers are soft and the can fly with out you hearing them.
Here's Axel wearing the owl eyes.
We are 30 weeks pregnant now! Wow. We had a doctor visit on Tuesday. I am still having high blood pressure and headaches but no other symptoms.(they look for vision changes and protein in my urine) For the time being I have gestational hypertension.(pregnancy induced high blood pressure) My doctor shortened my work shifts-8 hours instead of 10 hour days. She is going to keep a close eye on me-every week visits now. We also had an ultrasound to check on the baby. Every thing is great with the baby. He has a good amount of amniotic fluid and has good blood flow going to him. The doctor measured the baby-they check the head and tummy circumference and the length of the femur-with those measurements they can get a good idea where the baby is in size. The doctor said that the baby is going to be a big one and that he already weighs 4 pounds! He said that if I make it to term that the baby could easily be 9 pounds. This is the second time the doctor has said this?! We will see. As for the high blood pressure going on if it continues or gets any worse the doctor is talking about delivering the baby early. The doctor said that worse case they will talk about delivering the baby around 34-36 weeks. We hope to get closer to 38 weeks, but that's why the doctor is going to watch me every week. For now-shorter shifts, maybe bed rest to come and watching to make sure nothing else changes or gets worse. Just keep growing bean, in case you have to come early I want you to be as big as you can be!

Dance class

Working on their moves

Stretching out
Axel in his dance class. It's fun to watch him! It makes me miss teaching dance. He also started his Kneehi Naturalist class today. He takes that class out at the nature center. They learn about nature and animals. This week they learned about animal tracks. They played with dino's and playdoh to see what types of tracks they make. The kids also made a plaster track from a real animal-Axel's was a beaver. Then after reading a book about tracks they go for a hike to look for what they learned. During the hike they looked for animals, fur, skat(poo) and signs that the animals were eating off the plants and trees.
On the baby front. I am 29 weeks pregnant now! Things are going well, but I've been starting to get high blood pressure. I did the same with Axel but not until I was 37 weeks along, so it's happening a little earlier this time. My blood pressure have been around 140/80- 150/90, which is high! I feel okay, but I've been getting bad headaches. So now I'm on the watch, I check my blood pressure at work and hope it doesn't go any higher. The doctor has also been watching my urine for protein-which can be a sign of preaclampsia-but we are not talking about any of that quite yet. For the time being I'm suppose to take it easy and get my feet up when ever I can. (this is not easy with a 3 year old at home!) Each week will tell us more. Okay little baby, please stay in your mommies tummy until you are bigger-it's not time yet!

28 weeks

Man I can't believe that we are at the 28 week mark already. I have such mixed feelings with how the time has been going. Some times I feel like it's going way to fast and the the next minute I can't wait for it be to go faster. I enjoy being pregnant-for the most part. I have been really achy-my legs and back. But I guess gaining weight and losing ligaments does that to a pregnant body. I also have really bad heartburn. Other than that I have no complaint's. I know how fast things will happen from here so I have been trying to sit back and enjoy being a wonderfully round prego lady! The baby movements have been getting so big and I love feeling him do flips and kicks every day. The baby should be around 2.5 pounds and 16 inches now. Wow! I found out on Friday that I passed my glucose screening. My results were 107, which is good, and my Hgb (hemoglobin) was at 11.3, which is also good. So yeah, I don't have to worry about drinking more of that glucose juice that the doctor has and I can keep eating like I have been.

Okay, anxiety moment for a pregnant lady who moved away from all of her family and friends. My boss asked me the other day what our birthing plan was and what we were going to do with Axel? Umm...well I guess we are not sure. If it happens on a weekend I can ask one of the girls I work with to hang out with Axel but otherwise I work with a small group that all work every week day! So I guess we don't know. I want Brian to be able to be with me, but also Axel? I've never had any one who isn't a family member watch him-scary to think of all of this! I know the girls I work with are great and will help out if needed. I mean sh@# they are pediatric RN's. I think they will do a good job with Axel. Best case situation my wonderful mother-in law in flying out here on June 2nd, so if the bean can hold out until then we'll be fine. I guess we will figure it out when the time comes. Another anxiety I have to think about is if we will try a VBAC or just go for the C-section again. (after 14 hours of labor and 3 1/2 hours of pushing we ended in a C-section with Axel) Fun huh?! I guess I'll have to wait and see how I feel and how baby is doing. I'm really hoping not to have another C-section. I guess there is no real planning with birthing stuff-it'll happen how it happens. So I'll keep breathing and see how things turn out.

It's gross but I had to.......

Okay, Okay....I'm sorry Axel but I had to share this picture. I'm your mom it's my job to totally embarrass you. For the rest of you- Axel has had on and off issues with constipation and we've been working on eating lot's of fruits and veggies. Well I think they have been working! I think this turd it half his height. hee hee. Totally gross but he was so proud of it!! It's funny that our big moment of the day is when Axel poops.

On the baby front we are 27 1/2 weeks pregnant. We had a doctor's visit this week and every thing is going well. The babies heartbeat was in the 140's. I had to drink the glucose drink and get my blood tested. I haven't heard back from the doctor yet on my results. Maybe that means I passed? We just did it on Tuesday. If I don't pass the test I'll have to go back and do a longer test-like 3-4 hours. So I wait for now.

more Iditarod action

So I heard a rumor from some one that they wanted to see more Iditarod action! Here's a video I took that day also. It's sideways, and I forgot to turn it, so sorry but try turning your head and watch some mushing action! Hope all these extra pictures help!!

Iditarod 2011

Mom and Axel on the bus heading to Willow, AK. Am I really that round or is it the layers I have on? :) We had to park in a near by town and then get bused into Willow, because it's a small town and doesn't have much parking.
At the beginning of the trail! There was 65 mushers this year. (16 of them were women) They race from Willow all the way to Nome AK, 1049 miles on dog sled. It normally takes any where between 8-17 days, depending on the weather. Each racer has to take a 8 hours and a 24 hour brake once during the race. They all left from this spot about 2 minutes apart from each other.
And their off.......
Brian, Bethany and Garriett watching the race.
Axel and mom-front row spots!
Each musher starts with 14 dogs, they can't pass the next check point unless all the dogs are with them. If needed they can drop dogs during the race but only at a check point where there is a plane to fly them back to Anchorage.
Axel trying to get a high five from a musher. Mom got 2 high fives!!
Martin Busher, one of the most famous racers.
The three of us staying warm!
Some of the food options! Reindeer dogs anyone?

3 year stat's

Axel had his 3 year check up today. (only 2 months late) I thought that he didn't have to get any shots, and even told him that, but it ended up that he got three. Poor dude. He did really good with the shots. He has been saying tonight that his leg's hurts, that he's uncomfortable and doesn't like to look at his bandaide's. He's been pretty snuggly and just wants to lay on the couch. I gave him a little Motrin so hopefully that will help him. Here's his stats: 29.6 pounds and 36.5 inches. He's growing! The doctor checked different milestones likes drawing a line, walking on his tip toes, jumping and some of the words that he knows. Axel did really good at all of them. When she asked him to hold one knee up and stand balancing he wasn't to sure about that one but he walked over to the chair held on and then said here now I can! His doctor thought that was smart thinking! So over all I think he's doing just great!