Happy Halloween - No Baby Chili Pepper Yet...

Just wanted to give a quick e-mail to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Halloween...and to share some photos of Kyla with her Snow White costume that she wore to school today, as well as a photo of her class. Her teachers were pretty impressed that she could walk in heels, but what could you expect...she gets that from her Mommy!

Tonight she will be dressing up as Tinker Belle when she goes Trick-Or-Treating in the neighborhood. Her "sisters" Hailey and Hannah will be going her and the two of them will be dressed up as a White Angel Fairy and a Black Bat Fairy. Hopefully I will have enough energy to do atleast some of the door to door walking with them. If not, I am sure that there will be plenty of other adults that can handle that task...especially since PaPa Ron is flying in tonight and should be here before the fun begins.

I also wanted to give a quick up-date to let everyone know that I am not in labor, but after tonight...I will begin meditating about labor starting. Hopefully we will have Baby Chili Pepper within a couple of days.

Chat with you all later...

Kara & Chili Pepper

Update On Baby Chili Pepper - 39 Weeks And 3 Days

Happy Monday...

Here is today's update. We are at 39 weeks and 3 days. Today's doctor's appointment was pretty quick. My weight was good. My blood pressure was good. Chili Pepper's heart beat is as strong as ever. She is measuring at 38 / 39 weeks and is guesstimated to be at about 7 lbs. Still in the head down position and waiting until she is ready to make her grand entrance. All is good news!

Today's doctor was the last one in the practice for me to meet with and discuss our HypnoBirthing preferences. She is on-board with everything, just as the other three doctors are. We also recently had a tour of the hospital and made some good contacts with the nurses...so, we shouldn't have too much trouble making sure that our preferences are met there as well. I also made a mental note that the night shift staff likes donuts and the day shift staff prefers bagels and cream cheese. It is always an added bonus to have the nursing staff on your side!

Today's exam revealed that I am at 2 cm open and about 50% thinned. Have only changed 1/2 a cm since last week...so Miss Chili Pepper seems to be waiting until after Halloween when her Papa Ron arrives. I still feel that she will either wait for her "due date" which is the 2nd or go until the 5th or 6th. We have another appointment scheduled for next Monday, but there is a 50 / 50 percent chance that we won't need that appointment. Who knows what will happen between now and next Monday...but we will make sure to let you all know...

Tonight, we have an appointment scheduled for some family photos. Want to make sure that we have a lasting record of my huge belly, as well as make sure that Chili Pepper knows how much the three of us have been anticipating her birth. Will be sure to share the photos with you all once we receive them...

Have a great day!

Love to you all,

Kara & Miss Chili Pepper

Build-A-Bear Trip

Hey There...

Just wanted to give a quick update...and don't get too excited, I am not in labor!!!

We took Kyla to the mall last night to make a special teddy bear for her baby sister. She has been asking for a couple of weeks now to go to Build-A-Bear and make a special teddy bear for her Baby Chili Pepper.

When we arrived, she knew exactly what teddy bear she wanted for her sister, as well as what sound to put inside the bear. She recorded her voice saying..."I love you Baby Chili Pepper". She even had a name picked out...Luna. Her Papa Jan tried really hard to get her to pick a different bear, but she would not be swayed. She was also able to pick out a Pink Poodle for herself, using the Birthday Gift Card that she had received from her Uncle Johnny, Aunt Cindi, and Baby Nick.

After kissing two hearts to put inside her special bear, she was off to pick out the clothes for the bear to wear. A t-shirt that read "It's A Girl", a denim mini skirt, and even some underpants...because she didn't want Luna's "tootie" showing! She also picked out a Tinker Belle outfit for her poodle to wear as well as another name of her choosing...Cheeta Girl.

Hope you all enjoy the photos. Because they were taken at a distance, the camera was able to get enough of a wide angle to capture all of my enormous girth!

Take care and relax again in the knowledge that I am not in labor and will be going to my regularly scheduled appointment on Monday. Expect another update at that time.

Have a great day!

Hey Y'all...

Today was my 38 Week appointment and is going as it should. I am officially at 38 weeks and 3 days for anyone that is participating in the Baby Chili Pepper Count Down. We have also passed the point where I had Kyla. She was born at 38 weeks and 1 day, just one day after being taken off of 5 weeks of bedrest and medication to stop contractions. I have a feeling that Miss Chili Pepper is taking her time and will stay safe and cozy inside of mom until she is good and ready to come out...probably around the 5th of November.

Thankfully today's weigh-in was not as traumatic as the last one. I actually lost weight! Yeah! And relax...I am allowed to actually lose weight at this stage in the pregnancy. So don't even think of yelling at me about not eating enough! My blood pressure is great and my iron levels are starting to rise...so I guess that means that I still have the go ahead to eat more steak!

Had to wait almost 2 hours to see the doctor and boy did that cause a ruckus! My mother called me just as the doctor was walking in, hung up when she received my voice mail and then immediately called again. The doctor laughed and told me to answer it...that he could wait since Brad & I had already waited so long for him. So, I quickly told mom that I was just meeting with the doctor now and would call as soon as I got out of the office. She was not very happy...probably thinking that I was in labor and wasn't telling her!

My gi-normous baby bump was measured and she is coming up at 39 weeks. She is still in the head down position, so full steam ahead for a normal delivery. The doctor also showed Brad where and how to press so that he could feel her head too. Not sure if Brad was too excited about that, but at least he didn't turn pale and pass out! Her heart rate sounded great and she did let the doctor know that she was not very happy about all the poking and prodding...kicked him a couple times to get her point across.

We went over all our our birth preferences, as well as discussed the HypnoBirth processes more in-depth. Today's doctor was a different doctor than last weeks...and overall, they both seem really interested in the process, as well as receptive to helping us achieve the natural, drug-free child birth that we are desiring. He also wanted me to make sure that I dropped a copy of the birth preferences off to the hospital to make sure that they were also aware our our wishes. Did that after the appointment and that really sent my mother into a panic!

After this discussion, he did the routine check to see how everything is progressing. I am already started to open and thin (aka as dilating and effacing) I am at 1 1/2 cm open and about 50% thinned. Now that does not mean that I will be going into labor anytime soon, but it does mean that things are starting to happen and that I will more than likely have her within the next two weeks. I was told that if I do not have her before 41 weeks, that I need to start doing some alternative methods to start labor...because I really do not want to be induced!

We have our 4th (and final) HypnoBirth class tonight. This is just a wrap-up class that will go over any of the last few items that we haven't covered, as well as refreshing our memory on any of the previous items that we have learned. Tomorrow night, we have a preview tour of the hospital...to acclimate ourselves to all of the changes that have happened to the hospital in the 4+ years since we had Kyla. After we get through these next two days, I think we both will feel pretty confident that we are as prepared as possible for Chili Pepper's arrival. Now if we could just get her room settled and the chair seat in place!

After all of this, I finally called my mother back...and she was freaking out! Why did my appointment take so long. What is wrong! Was I in labor? Why wasn't I including her? Etc. Etc. When I told her that I was heading to the hospital to drop off more paperwork, she really flew around the room backwards! Later, I learned that she had called my father, as well as my sisters, freaking out when she couldn't reach me right away! So, I spent the next hour or so talking with everyone and reassuring them that I was not in labor or keeping any thing from them. You have got to love families!

Well, I have to go for now. Will be sending another update next Monday after my next appointment.

Love to you all,

Kara & Little Miss Chili Pepper

Chili Pepper Update - 37 Weeks & 3 Days

Hey Y'all...

Had my 37 Week doctor's appointment today and as usual, all is well. I am officially at 37 weeks and 3 days for anyone that is doing the Baby Chili Pepper Count Down. And in case you all were wondering, I had Kyla at 38 weeks and 1 day. So, I could have Baby Chili Pepper by next week, but I seriously doubt it.

It is true what they say about the last weeks of pregnancy...you are uncomfortable and gain huge amounts of weight! Almost passed out when I stepped on the scale. The Physician's Assistant had to calm me down and reassure me that I did not gain too much weight...that I wasn't fat...and that after my beautiful baby girl is born, I shouldn't have any trouble losing the weight, especially if I plan on nursing her. So, after all of that, I did calm down. Good thing she took my blood pressure before I got on the scale!

Talked with the doctor about my congestion, sinus, and sore throat troubles that I have been having for a couple of weeks now. He listened to my lungs and thankfully those are clear. He seems to think that whatever I have is viral and should go away soon. His advice is to keep up with the Tylenol Cold & Sinus, as well as the saline solution up the nose, and the cough drops. And as a warning to anyone who happens to see me...the watery eyes, red nose, and hoarse voice is not the results of an all night drinking binge!!!

He also measured my huge baby bump and said that she was still measuring on schedule and felt like she was already in the head down position. I go back next week and they plan on checking to see if I am having any of the usual symptoms of labor starting.

We also talked about the HypnoBirth Classes that Brad & I have been taking. He voiced interest in learning more about it, as well as watching how our birthing experience goes. It has been noted in my medical records that I do not want any drugs or other forms of pain relief during my labor. And that all who enter my room need to talk in a calm voice, using only positive wording. Let's see if everyone abides by that! If not, then my personal bouncer will have them leave the room.

We were suppose to have the third of our four HypnoBirth classes tonight. Unfortunately, our instructor called to say that she was sick and didn't want to come over and "infect" us. Tonight's class has been tentatively rescheduled for tomorrow evening. This will give Brad & I more time to practice all of the relaxation techniques that we have already learned in the first two classes. And if anyone is interested in learning more about HypnoBirth, you can check out their website...

http://www.hypnobirthing.com/

I know that there are alot of people that think I am insane for wanting to try to have a natural "drug free" labor and delivery...but I know that it is possible.

Well, I will chat will you all later. Hope you all are doing well. I will be sending another update next Monday.

Love to you all,

Kara & Miss Chili Pepper

P.S. Would have posted a picture of Chili Pepper & I, but we were too wide for the camera!

Chili Pepper's Baby Fiesta

We had Chili Pepper's Baby Fiesta yesterday. What a blast that was. Micki, Amy, and my parents did a wonderful job planning, decorating, and cooking for the party! I ate so much food, that I am still full today!

We also let people have a chance to vote on a name for Chili Pepper, as well as bet on what date and time she would be born.

Here are some of the names...

Kalista Lillian
Bryleigh Elise
Brittan Emerson
Chloe Aloha
Kendall Lauren
Katie Lou
Karter Leigh
Kirian Myli
Zoe Ann
Brittan Elle
Braelynn Elizabeth
Brittany Elizabeth
Catherine Mary
Blayne Emerson
Byleigh Elizabeth

And with all of these different choices, I guess we will just have to wait until she is born to decide on a name!