Really...I Shouldn't

I shouldn't post, because I have too much to do at work. There is always too much to do. My life is a constant stream of "need to" and "have to" and "can't get to".

Anyway.

We are 28 weeks pregnant! We had a minor glitch at the doctor's office this morning for our 28 week check up. Kelly has been having braxton hicks contractions regularly. And when I say regularly, I mean around 15 a day. They are classic - short, no pain - but still contractions. When we told our doctor this, just to check and make sure that wasn't too many (I never had them...or at least, never felt them), she was extremely concerned. Said that was way to many BH contractions at this point. She did an internal exam and Kelly's cervix is long and strong...exactly as it should be at 28 weeks pregnant. She also did a swab to test for a protien that is released. A negative test for the protien is what we were hoping for (that means that they can predict with 99% certainty that Kelly will not go into labor in the next 2 weeks). We got our negative test.

So, for now anyway, Kelly's uterus is just an overachiever.

Let's keep it that way until Connor has baked just a bit longer, shall we?

Other than the BH contractions, this are going fine. Kelly has gained 27 pounds so far, which Dr. Jones said was fantastic. A far cry from what our other doctor said two weeks ago. But whatever. Kelly had her glucose tolerance test this morning, and her body was not happy with her. She vomitted (violently) for the first time since 17 weeks pregnant. It sucked for her. Bad. But, she got the drink down and hopefully those numbers will be low too. We don't want the 3 hour test.

Sleep remains the biggest issue in Kelly's world right now. She can't get enough and she certainly doesn't. She should be sleeping between 10-12 hours a day...and she's getting between 6-8 on a good day. She's exhausted constantly, which brings its own brand of crap. I think the exhaustion adds to the emotional response to pregnancy. She's just tired and it makes her feel worn out from the soul out all the time. There is nothing I can do. She already goes to bed as early as she can and gets up as late as she can. There is no time for napping. It's the roughest part of this pregnancy.

But Connor is growing just as he should. Kelly measured perfectly (one week bigger than she should be), but that is normal. He is kicking as he should. It's looking like it's going to be a fine pregnancy...provided that those pesky BH contractions don't become an issue.

Bailey is doing well. She has developed a love affair with the word "no". She will always answer no first, and then might change her mind a second later and answer yes. It's as annoying as it is cute. She is all about challenging the rules right now. I tell her it's time to get dressed and she runs away saying no. Kelly tells her to stop and she keeps going. She's throwing fits as well - loud, arm-flinging, red face, screaming fits. If she could tell us to fuck off, she would. She HATES it when anyone tells her she can't do something. Nothing sets her off quicker than being told that I can't pick her up in any given moment. I think she believes that my arms are her right, and when I try to assert that there are moments when I need space (or just time to rinse my hands free of dish soap), she gets very, very angry. It's forshadowing for what she is going to be like when Connor gets here. We are practicing waiting...but she hates it. And she's loud when she doesn't like something.

We took her pacifier away, finally. I got pissed one night and just took it from her. She still has it in her crib, but it is now left in her crib. The night that I did that, she threw a 2 hour fit. None since then.

It is always a battle of the wills with Bailey. Always. She just never does anything easily. I'm not surprised. I'm like that too. I'm hot or cold. But never warm. Never just easy. She's so much like me it's scary somtimes.

We don't battle her. We just walk away and explain quietly that when she is ready to communicate in a meaningful way, we can talk. Until then, she can throw her fit alone. And she does. She runs, screams, yells. And eventually calms down. And then we deal with whatever the issue is. Sometimes we do this multiple times an evening. Sometimes, she doesn't fight us.

This is good...it's appropriate development (she's a bit early with it, but she has always been a bit early). It's frustrating and heartening to see your child develop as she should.

We're transitioning her out of her crib in the next week. We have the mattress and box spring. We'll put it on the floor. We got warm flannel sheets and a light quilt for her bed. My boss is giving us bedrails that she used with her kids. We'll make the transition next weekend.

It's just one more step in Bailey's life. God, it's moving quickly.

And Kelly and I? We're fine. "We" are lost in parenting and pregnancy. Right now, we're playing on the same team, but that's about it. There isn't time for us and even if there were time, there isn't energy. We're back to the blind faith - believing that our love is strong enough to get through this and waiting until we don't have to believe anymore. We'll find each other again...

Happy Friday. I can't wait for the weekend.