I am sure you know,

but we welcomed Ruby Elizabeth Collins into the world, August 20th @ 6:24. She was 7 lbs 8 oz and is 21 inches long. She is healthy and adorable. :) Nicole was with us and took a TON of pics, which I cannot wait to see. I will try and take a few pics here soon and post them.



I am excited to say that http://stickyfeathers.typepad.com/won the baby pool. Jenny-I will need your address...whenever you get a chance. l_feister@yahoo.com

More detailed post to come on our family blog later. :)

39 weeks

If you want to know my honest opinion, I didn't think that I would still be preggo at 39 weeks. I guess because I delivered Reyna before this point. Goes to show, pregnancies can be different.

Here is the scoop:

*Weight was the same with still a grand total of 44 pounds.
*BP, Urine were good
*Babies heartbeat was steady and strong.
*I had the midwive strip my membranes.

Since I had my membranes stripped, I thought for sure we would have had a baby by now. I guess I am just ready to be done. So far, no baby. Ever since, I have been having contractions, but nothing yet. Last night, they were getting pretty regular, but I went to bed and they stopped. I think this baby just likes where he/she is at.

As of this morning, I am still having contractions, but I am not going to think much of it. I am going to continue on with my day and just see what happens. We are headed out to take a walk here shortly before it gets too hot.

I have been twittering and will pretty much be updating that with anything that is going on.

38 weeks

I went to the doctor today....I was hoping for some good news, which I did hear. Before I arrived, I started having contractions that were starting to become regular. They didn't hurt, but they weren't that comfortable. My lower back was also starting to hurt.

I gained 2 more pounds, which puts me @ 142..meaning I have gained 44 pounds today. Whoa! That is all I have to say.

Heartbeat was good

Urine, Blood pressure were good

They did check me and I am dialted 1 cm and 50% effaced. This was what I was hoping to hear! I must admit, it did start to make me nervous. I mean, are we really going to have another baby soon? I have to go thru labor again? It's not going to be just the 3 of us??? Tracey (the midwive) said that the head was sitting very low and she didn't think labor would be too far away. She told me to go home and pack my bags and just relax. How can you do that when you know that you aren't far away from delivering???

My contractions haven't gone away. They have been pretty consistant all day, but they aren't really painful. They are leaving me a little crampy, but that's pretty much it. The movements of the baby do feel different. I can't explain, but they just are. They feel lower and leaving me with more pressure.

I will be updating twitter if anything happens. :)

BTW...did you vote in the pool???? I will accept votes until the day I go into labor. :) Happy voting.

36ish weeks

Went for my regular checkup today. I will start every week now. I am officially in the homestretch. A little scary, right? I don't know why, but I left the doctor a little bummed today. Maybe I am just ready to have this baby. I wanted Dr. P. to be like, "oohhh...you aren't going to be preggo much longer or you are dialted to a ____." Nope. Nothing of that sort. It's my hormones. I left there with a, "see you next week." :)

-I have officially gained 40 freaking pounds! Hello double chin. That is all I have to say.
-Heartbeat was in the 140's.
-I was checked for Group Strep B. The results will be back next week.
-Head is down and in position.
-Dr. P. estimated the baby was about 6 pounds right now.
-Although I am a little over 36 weeks, he measured me at 37 weeks.
-He went over all the details about when to head to labor and delivery. Instead of 5 minute apart contractions, it's gone to 7 for second time around labor.

I don't want to rush this baby here, but I am starting to feel miserable. My feet are swelling, my maternity clothes are starting to fit snug, I feel like I am carrying around a TON of weight and I am exhausted. On the other hand, I don't want to complain and rush the last couple of weeks because labor and another child around here, scare the shit out of me, too. :)

That's it for now.

Pretty much just ready

With five weeks left, give or take, I am just ready to have this baby. Last night I asked Jade if I felt this miserable in the end of my pregnancy with Reyna. He said yes, but I think it's worse this time since I am taking care of an energetic toddler this time around. I could be wrong.

Saturday morning, I started having a little bit of back cramping and it wrapped around to the front. This happened again on Sunday, too. I told my mom and she was like, "Leslie, those are contractions!" I never experienced those types of contractions with Reyna. Luckily, they went away, but I am praying I don't have back labor this time around. I have heard back labor=no fun. Then again, what type of labor is?!

Also, I had a leg cramp in the middle of the night two nights ago. It was the type that woke me out of a dead sleep. It hurt so bad, I could barely breath! My leg is still sore from that night. I won't miss that.

I have been having a TON of contractions. They last pretty much all day therefore, I am chugging water all day which = peeing all day! Last night, I went to Target and had to pee really bad. Guess what? The bathroom were closed for cleaning. I could have just died. Luckily, he must have been almost done and as soon as he wheeled his little cleaning cart away, I made a mad dash and peed a river!

We are just in the homestretch part of pregnancy and although it's bittersweet, we are ready to meet this little one. Did I mention that I cannot wait to know the sex either?

34 1/2 week appointment.

I went for a routine checkup today. Everything is looking good. Laura (the midwive) decided to check my cervix to see if I was dialated since I have been experiencing so many contractions. I wasn't dialated, but the baby is sitting very low with his/her head down. I figured that was the case. I am glad to know that the baby is in "ready" position.

I gained 2 pounds since the last time I was there for a total of 35 pounds thus far. What happened to my mom's theory that I wouldn't gain as much the second time around?!

Babies heartbeat was good and so was my pee.

I go back in two weeks and after that, I will start weekly appointments.

I think at this point, I am just ready to have this baby. I am ready, Jade is ready. It's just time, I think. The only part that makes me sad/nervous is Reyna and how she will handle the transition. I think we are all just anxious to meet this little peanut and find out what we are having. I will say, I am so proud of myself for not caving in and finding out.

hello

I head back to the doctors in a week, but I thought I would give you all a little update before then.

Feeling pretty good, just hot! I refuse to complain b/c its Michigan and I am just thankful that is is warm, but it definitely seems hotter out being pregnant. Yesterday, we headed to the pool which was heaven!

I am pretty much set when it comes to purchasing a few new baby things. I do need to pick up diapers, but other than that, I think we are set. WOW! Its hard to believe that we will have a baby in the house soon. It just doesn't seem real.

I need to do a little organizing in Reynas closet. I think that is going to be tackled this weekend.

As for the pregnancy, I am feeling pretty good, just tired at night. By 7, I am ready for bed. This baby is a mover and a shaker just like Reyna.

I will post more next week after my doctor appointment.

I love reading all of your guesses on Expectnet poll. Keep em' coming...:)