Connor Watch 2009

So, as we near the end of this pregnancy, I have decided to start Connor Watch 2009. Check back often (and I promise I'll post a belly shot tomorrow).

This weekend, Kelly started having real contractions. She's been having Braxton Hicks contractions for many, many weeks. This weekend, 5 or so of them were accompanied by sharp pains for the first time. Of course, they were very far apart and mean absolutely nothing in terms of when we'll go into labor. But it's a start.

Connor is head down and doing his thing. He is pushing heavily on Kelly's cervix, as evidenced by the sharp pains that start in her very lower tummy and shoot down through her vagina. She's been trying to explain them to me, but because Bailey never engaged, I have no basis for comparison. On Friday, our doctor described them perfectly, making Kelly feel much better. He's still moving a lot and doesn't seem to be super huge. Kelly's measurement dropped from our top number of 35 centimeters to 34 last week. This is, of course, very normal now that Connor is head down and getting lower.

A couple of other festive details - Kelly's nipples are super dark, making them "targets" for Connor when he is born. Kelly will probably breastfeed a bit in the hospital so that Connor gets the colostrum, but she has pretty much decided that she will not breastfeed after. Connor will be a formula-fed baby. There are lots of reasons and we know all the arguments that "breast is best". But we also know that Bailey was a formula fed baby and did not get sick any more than breast fed babies and is certainly not lagging behind in any kind of development. We're just not concerned and breast feeding requires a level of committment that we're just not willing to give. With a toddler at home, we're just not doing it. So...for those of you who feel strongly that we are making the wrong decision, keep it to yourself! We're happy, comfortable and satified with our choice. With that said, Kelly's breasts now leak if pulled back. Isn't that fun??? LOL

Kelly's at 34.4 pounds gained. She hasn't gained weight in the last couple of weeks (which is also normal). LOL - leave it to Kelly to come within .6 pounds of the "recommended" weight gain.

We have organized all of Connor's things. The only thing left to do is wash the clothes and blankets and then hang and fold them. Connor is living in our room for at least the first 6-7 months. Even if he begins sleeping through the night, we can't transition him to his own room until Bailey transitions to her bed. So far, that is not happening. We set up the pack 'n play, laid the diapers, shampoo and body lotion in the pack 'n play and made piles of laundry. His bottles are downstairs, ready to be santitized. We have a ton of hangers ready to hang his sleepers and other clothes in our closet. He's got so many clothes - all of Bailey's old things and tons and tons of donations. This weekend, I made our first purchase of baby clothes and that was just because the onsie was cute. We need nothing. We have everything that we could ever need through his first year of life.

All that is left is to have the car seat bases installed in our cars. I am going to undertake that this weekend. Then, it will just be a matter of pulling out the toys as he is ready for them (which will be a while). We tried to explain to Bailey that the pack 'n play would be Connor's bed, but she doesn't get it. She will, though. Eventually.

We are, in no way, prepared for the sleepless nights, the sleep depravation and the insanity of the "fourth trimester". We see it coming, but you just can't prepare. It's just a matter of attacking it when it comes and getting through it. We have the benefit of both of us home for 8 weeks and then Kelly home for 4 more after that. 2 parents home will help. I'm not sure how much, but at least we can tag-team Connor and allow the other to get some sleep. I don't know if that will actually work or if that is a pipe-dream.

What we do know is that Bailey will remain in child care through the entire time we are home. Other than the weekends, she will be in school from around 7:30 or 8 AM and won't come home until 4 or so. We will be more relaxed with her schedule, of course (like letting her sleep until she wakes up) and maybe not as rigid with bedtime as we are now. But for the most part, we are going to keep her on her schedule so that we are not dealing with her adjusting to more changes than she has to. Since I am the only one who can comfort her at night, I will still be doing the late nights with Bailey. We fully expect that she will have some trauma around the new baby coming home with us. Since her sleep is ALWAYS the first thing effected when she is struggling with something, I think we'll probably have a couple weeks (months?) of rough nights. And then, with Connor in our room, we will both be woken up by him. Which is another reason why we are formula feeding. It's just easier in the middle of the night and takes the full weight off Kelly. We can share that duty as well.

So anyway. We are ready in terms of what we need. We could have Connor tomorrow and we would be prepared to bring him home. I don't think anything prepares you for the shock of having a new baby. And there is really nothing we can do to prepare Bailey. We can only prepare for what we think will happen and trust ourselves to get through the unexpected.

Connor Watch 2009 has begun.