Baby update

Since it's been almost 2 months since my last baby update, I guess it's time for another. Especially given how active this little bugger is today! The second trimester has been great! I really did get my energy back.

My sleeping was normal for the most part, with very few days of pregnancy insomnia. I remember with Ryleigh waking up all the time at 2-4am and never being able to get back to sleep. This time I still wake up between 2 and 4am, but I'm only up for about an hour before I can fall back asleep. Helps to have a normal work schedule this time around.

I'm still going to Pure Barre. It has been harder to go due to my class teaching schedule, but I've been going about once a week. Around 20 weeks I noticed the moves definitely were getting harder and I had to go down to the easier modifications. But overall I'm keeping up in class, and hope to go back to going a few times a week up until the end of my pregnancy. I've also been walking on the weekend with my mom. We'd typically do 4-4.5 miles, and we've worked up to about 6 miles. So I'm definitely more active this time around.

I have had some of the same aches and pains - sciatic nerve pain down the right, carpal tunnel, etc. I started going to the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine clinic around 16-18 weeks along. So far I love it. They have found aches and pains I've had for months that are now gone.

I had to do cervical length ultrasounds every week from 16-24 weeks. I'm finally done with those and my cervical length has really good. So no chance of pre-term labor. Now I start monthly growth ultrasounds starting at the beginning of December. This bugger definitely likes hanging out in the breech position. Hoping it gets the message to turn before it's too late. I also start going to the doctor every 2 weeks for monitoring purposes. I've decided to schedule a repeat c-section with the caveat that if I go into labor before the scheduled c-section date, I'd like to try for a VBAC, if not, I'll go with the c-section. And if the kiddo is still breech, well that would pretty much decide things.

So overall everything is going great on the baby front. 26 weeks on Thanksgiving which is right on the verge of the third trimester. We've just moved Ryleigh into her big girl room. So now we're ready to start getting baby stuff ready. Maybe we'll get around to that after the holidays. Here are some photos since 18 weeks when I last posted:

From Round 2

From Round 2

Check out that little foot:

From Round 2

From Round 2

Guess I'm overdue for another belly photo.

And here's Ryleigh's big girl room:

From House Stuff

Halloween

Halloween week was just as busy!

Big events at work with coordinating my students in the Anatomy lab and taking a field trip to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.

Halloween I had an ultrasound appointment (more baby update later) and a hair appointment (which I was in desperate need of). Then I raced home to get Ryleigh ready to go trick or treating.
Here is miss Wedding Rapunzel ready to trick or treat. We got TONS of compliments on her costume. It was gorgeous. My only complaint - it's CAKED in glitter. Just putting the costume on her made my floor glow with glitter. I'd love for her to play dress up in it, but there's just too much glitter. Need to figure out how to de-glitter it.

From 2012 Fall

She had so much fun trick or treating. She's a pro now. She's figured out how to go up to each house and whether or not to ring the doorbell. She has "trick or treat" down. And she definitely used her manners. She said "Thank you" at every house and got offended when the people didn't reply back with "your welcome."

We survived Halloween... then it was time to get ready for family photos and Ryleigh's Birthday Party.

Ryleigh's birthday week

Seems that we have a month of doing nothing interesting to blog about, and then BAM! We have a crazy busy past few weeks.

Started with getting ready for Ryleigh's birthday. She got a few presents before her birthday, including her package from her Papa and Grandma G.

She's waiting to open the package while Daddy connects to Skype, so they can watch her open it. 

From 2012 Fall

So excited for her first birthday present...

From 2012 Fall

"GLOSSY LIPS!!" That's what she calls lipgloss. She LOVES glossy lips!!

From 2012 Fall

Here's her cool card. It's actually a memory game. She got lots of cool cards this year. Memory game, sticker puzzles, etc.

From 2012 Fall

An activity book full of everything PINK!

From 2012 Fall

And much needed PJs!

From 2012 Fall

The day of Ryleigh's Birthday, I had to take my board exam to maintain my certification. One of the requirements to keep my certification for perfusion is performing 40 cases. In Phoenix it is near impossible to get cases - one of my coworkers is going to Germany this summer to get his cases getting cases is so hard. So the other alternative is to retake the clinical applications part of the board exam. So this is what me and another coworker did. And of all days they had to take it, it was Ryleigh's birthday. So I woke up, got her ready, and gave her one of her presents - the wedding Rapunzel doll. She has been begging for this doll all summer. I think she likes it.

From 2012 Fall

After the board exam, I went home picked up Ryleigh and we met my parents at Chili's for dinner - Ryleigh's choice. Then we went back to our house to open some presents. This year, Ryleigh got her big girl bedroom set as part of her birthday present, as well as her Wedding Rapunzel costume for Halloween. My parents got her the Rapunzel hair (in the photo above), the Wedding Rapunzel shoes (which daddy is putting on her in the photo below)...

From 2012 Fall

Trying out her shoes

From 2012 Fall

She loves this card which sings the Tangled theme song.

From 2012 Fall

A coloring book full of princess pictures!

From 2012 Fall

Ryleigh instructed my mom she had to get her the Rapunzel Veil, flowers, ring, crown, and shoes to go with her costume. So my mom had quite the shopping adventure finding what she wanted. Here's a dress up jewelry set that's all Rapunzel - with lots of rings, necklaces, bracelets and a crown.

From 2012 Fall

And here's the veil and flowers

From 2012 Fall

Wedding ready yet?

From 2012 Fall

We got her new PJs too.

From 2012 Fall

And the Cinderella movie.

From 2012 Fall

More PJs

From 2012 Fall

And no birthday can be complete without a new toothbrush! Ariel of course!

From 2012 Fall

And that was Ryleigh's actual birthday in a nutshell. The next day, Friday, was the Safe Trick or Treat event at Midwestern University. They allow the kids to go to all the different departments to trick or treat. Then they have cake walks, games, bounce houses, food, etc. Ryleigh has done this 2 years in a row, so was excited to participate again. I didn't get any photos, but she enjoyed getting all dolled up. The next day we went to my sorority sister's wedding. It was our first Indian wedding - and likely the fanciest wedding I've ever been to. I wish it had been on a less hectic week so I could have gone to more of the festivities, but I was exhausted by this weekend. It was held at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, which is a GORGEOUS location! And all the rich colors of all of the Saris - it was BEAUTIFUL! And I saw sorors I haven't seen in FOREVER!!

This is my line sister, Nita - she was a bridesmaid. I haven't seen her since she graduated from UofA in 2003!!

From 2012 Fall

And this is the Bride - Sruthi. Walking down the aisle with her parents. 

From 2012 Fall

This is Sruthi and her husband Joshi finishing up their ceremony. They are about to exchange rings now, but by this point, I believe they're officially married. They do a whole ceremony, then leave to change outfits (notice she's wearing purple and gold in the photo up top, but red and gold below) and come back to do the rest of the ceremony. 

From 2012 Fall

After the ceremony, which was long - about 2 hours, there was a buffet lunch in the ballroom. There easily had to be 300 people in attendance for the wedding and lunch. Here are my sorors and I. My line sister Heather, me, Sruthi, Tamika, and Opal (another one I haven't seen in ages!) 

From 2012 Fall

After the lunch, there was a break so Sruthi could go and change her hair, and outfit before a cocktail hour and reception (dinner and dancing). I cannot believe how elaborate this was and how intricate the ceremony was. So neat to experience :) 

Baby Update

I got the results from the NT scan/ Ultrascreen which screened for chromosomal defects and it came back negative for any defects. Baby's heart rate has been in the 140's to 150's at all of my appointments. I've been having weekly ultrasounds starting at 16 weeks and going until 24 weeks. They're measuring cervical length due to some of my medical history. So far the lengths have been excellent. Bonus is, I get to see the baby every week.

From Round 2

From Round 2

We had our level 2 (anatomy) scan today. Everything looked good. Heart had 4 chambers, outflow looked normal, aortic arch looked normal. Stomach looked normal. There were 2 kidneys. Flow to the kidneys was normal. 5 fingers on each hand. Got to see two little feet. Umbilical cord was normal with two arteries and one vein, and placenta was normal. Found out the placenta is anterior and that's why I haven't been able to feel much movement yet. All I've felt is squirms and rarely a bump. But during the ultrasound you could definitely see some kickboxing going on, so it does move around, just can't feel it yet. So all is looking good! Still feeling well. No complaints other than the usual aches. I'm starting to get the pregnancy induced carpal tunnel and tingling. But at least my hands aren't completely going numb yet. My lower back is starting to get sore, so I'm working on stretching and relaxing it each night. Tried Osteopathic Medical Therapy (OMT) for the aches and it has helped a lot. Going back for a followup tomorrow, but what I learned in the first session, has helped manage the aches. So overall, things are going well. 19 weeks tomorrow - almost halfway there!!

From Round 2

We ask Ryleigh what she should name the baby on a daily basis. Every day she seems to have new names picked out. It's neat to see how excited she is. She asks to kiss the baby every night before bed. After the anatomy scan today, I asked if she wanted to go shopping to get the baby something. She said she wanted to get baby a blanket. We went to Target and she picked out a blanket for the baby. She was so excited to show Daddy what she picked out when she got home from school. So neat to watch Ryleigh experience the new addition to her family. 

Grand Canyon Railway

To celebrate the remaining September birthdays we went to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway. Friday night, we all (minus Cory) drove up to Williams, AZ. We stayed overnight at the Grand Canyon Railway hotel. We'd stayed there before, but this was nothing like I remembered. Seems to have expanded - A LOT!

Saturday morning we woke up early, got ready and went to breakfast. Then caught the wild west show before the train departed.

From 2012 Fall

Uncler Chris, Ryleigh and her best buddy - her to-be-aunt Kristin with one of the wild west cowboys.

From 2012 Fall

"ALL ABOARD!!" Ready for the train ride.

From 2012 Fall

Leaving Williams.

From 2012 Fall

The desert landscape with a mountain that looks like a fist - supposedly.

From 2012 Fall

Along the train route, Chris caught the North Pole. Guess they're getting ready for the Polar Express :)

From 2012 Fall

On board we had some entertainers who came to sing to our car. This guy played the banjo.

From 2012 Fall

Look how long our train is!

From 2012 Fall

Our train car at the South Rim.

From 2012 Fall

Everyone departing. See just how long that train is! Apparently the train was so long we had to do a "Santa Fe Split." We never did figure out what that was, but apparently it was a rare occurance.

From 2012 Fall

The train engine. Choo! CHOO!!

From 2012 Fall

First glance of the Grand Canyon! Never fails to take your breath away. It's always picture perfect.

From 2012 Fall

From 2012 Fall

My dad and my grandma at the Kolb Studio lookout. 

After viewing the canyon from the rim, we decided to find the Bright Angel Trail and walk down to the arch. See my mom and Ryleigh walking on the trail heading toward the arch.

From 2012 Fall

Ryleigh posing inside the arch. Yes, she came up with that pose on her own. Even better was the clever placement of the sign :)

From 2012 Fall

Grandma and Ryleigh at the Arch

From 2012 Fall

View of the canyon from the trail.

From 2012 Fall

From 2012 Fall

Look at that trea up on the plateau.

From 2012 Fall

From 2012 Fall

Cheeseball! Chris, Chris, and Kristen decided to go a little farther on the trail. The injured, pregnant, and child decided to not push it and head back to the top. It wasn't a bad hike at all, even the altitude was manageable.

From 2012 Fall

After exploring, we went to get some lunch at the Bright Angel Lodge. Then we thought ice cream sounded good for the train - too bad the line was super long. So we walked around the rim some more. 

Pruett Family at the Grand Canyon.

From 2012 Fall

Then it was time to get back on the train. We started back toward Williams. And then in the middle of the route, the train gets "robbed". The cowboys from the wild west show do a ride by "shooting" near the train. Then the train stops to let the robbers on. Then they rob the entire length of the train, car by car.

Cowboys riding by: 

From 2012 Fall

Cowboy robbers! 

From 2012 Fall

From 2012 Fall

We made it back to Williams just in time for dinner. We had such a late lunch though we weren't very hungry for another meal. Ryleigh suggested we get ice cream. It sounded good. The closest Cold Stone was in Flagstaff which was 30 minutes away. We all headed toward Flagstaff and 10 minutes into the drive, Ryleigh gave into all of the excitement of the day and passed out. Waking her up for ice cream was even a challenge. We had a great time at the Grand Canyon. It was a nice little get away and a nice change of pace taking the train where little girls and pregnant chicks can use the bathroom whenever they needed to :) 

From 2012 Fall