A Girl and her Dogs

While I was pregnant, we joked that this baby was the third child.  Cole, Kensi, Baby.  

My 3 babies cuddling while Ashlyn was still in tummy

We also called "it" the "Mancub".  

Ashlyn sitting with Kensi

Ashlyn sitting with Cole

Ashlyn Deane: A Birth Story

Ashlyn Deane Paulsen

April 28, 2013 at 6:23am

7lbs, 6oz; 20in

Some people call their birth stories, "labor stories".  This is definitely not that.  It's a birth story.  

Ashlyn after her first bath

Tim has been working a lot, meaning, all his Fridays off, most Saturdays, and he was supposed to work Sunday.  We had been looking forward to Miracle Miles for Kids on April 27th for a while (hoping we would have our baby by then, but also so that Tim and Drew could go kayaking).  Tim found out he had to work, and I decided to go up to Cayucos for Miracle Miles for Kids with the dogs anyways as a way to be distracted and not sit at home by myself all day.  

At 12:30am (Sunday now), I woke up with cramps and started watching the clock to see about how far apart they were, and at around 1:30am I woke up Tim when they were about 5 to 6 minutes apart with, "I don't think you're going to work today!" We started using an app on my phone to time the cramping, and got up to have something to eat, thinking we were in for a long day.  I ate some greek yogurt, and Tim made a fried egg, and sat down to write an email to people at work detailing what he was currently working on.  The doggies woke up (thinking it was morning) and wanted breakfast, and Tim actually did give them a snack (and gave Cole his morning dose of antibiotics for his ears).  Tim put the last of the things like phone chargers and the dog bed in the car.  

Around 3:30 we called Megan because although my contractions were only 30-45 seconds long and not too intense, they were 3 minutes apart.  Megan said I probably wasn't in active labor yet, because I could still mostly talk through the contractions, so to try and stay home and relax as long as I could, but to get to the hospital before I was in transition, because she's heard going through transition in the car is terrible.  

It is. 

39+ Weeks: Waiting.

ANY. DAY. NOW.

But I don't think Baby is interested in coming out yet.  At 37 weeks, doggies and I got caught in the rain and ran 1/2 mile home.  I walk them 1hr every day.  I did 500 jumping jacks yesterday.  I take raspberry red leaf supplement.  I'm taking pineapple & papaya enzymes.  Mom and I pulled all the ivy off the back fence yesterday.

They have so much energy even after an hour walk! 

As much as Baby doesn't want to come out, we're so ready for it.

35 weeks and a Birth Plan!

Thirty-five weeks!  Yea!

Carlene was asking me when my next appointment was today, and its next week, but the crazy part is that after that, I go EVERY WEEK!  Meaning, its almost April and April is when the baby comes!  Cray-zee!

Baby's Room

After my baby shower almost 2 weeks ago, we finally have enough things in Baby's room to make it worth while to take pictures and share!

Everything in Baby's room fits in one corner!

Tim and I are both really excited about how the room looks.  In fact, one Saturday morning, Tim got up and walked into Baby's room, saying, "I love this room in the morning!" and that was before we had all the "stuff" in there and just had the walls newly painted.
The colors we used are Behr Premium with zero VOC (Dad says that as well as being okay for preggos, its better for the environment).  The two darker walls are "Asparagus" and the two lighter ones are "Celery Ice".  Yes, we are brainwashing our child to like veggies!  (Most people think we picked green because it is gender neutral, but we probably would have picked green anyways, we don't want pink or blue!)

32+ weeks!

Well, I feel like I'm in the final stages of waiting for Baby Paulsen!

31wks 3days

I knew the minute Carlene had Baby Miller the next 8+ weeks would be the hardest!  Ahhhhh, waiting!  Now I'm trying to find ways to fill my weekends so I can have something to look forward to (and trying to plan summer/fall vacations too!  Yosemite anyone???).

I had my 32 week OB appointment around the time that Carlene was texting me that they were going to the hospital.  In my excitement for Baby Miller, I totally forgot to ask ANY questions.  LOL.  There's always next week.  So I didn't even ask any questions when Julie (one of the midwives) said I was measuring 34 weeks instead of 32 weeks (I've been measuring right on during my past appointments).  All I could think was, "well, maybe the baby will come early then instead of late!" but I must have been giving a funny look, because she immediately went into that we aren't exactly sure what this means but we'll reassure you anyways mode and said "it's normal to be measuring ahead!" and I said, "no wonder I've been really uncomfortable in the last week and a half!"

Here's what Baby has been up to (besides growing!):

• Week:  32w6d
• ETA:  April 25th.  They haven't changed it yet.  
• Size:  honeydew melon (19in, 4.5lbs)
• Best part so far:  having our baby shower and being able to set up more of Baby's room!
• Hardest part so far: walking in the neighborhoods around where we live has gotten REALLY boring!!!  I think even the doggies are bored.
• Weirdest part so far: right after I woke up this morning, I think I drank too much water for my smushed stomach to handle, because it came right back up.  What the heck?  How can my stomach be smaller than 16oz???

Tim's newest thing is to complain about me hogging the baby.  That I've been hogging Baby for 8months so far and how I'm going to hog it for 2 more months and then its HIS turn to hold it.  Right now he just has to hold Cole and Kensi (they don't really even fit on my lap anymore).

Tim with our fur-babies:)

Hand-me-Downs

Tim has 2 brothers.  They're both married, so I have two wonderful sister-in-laws, Charlotte and Maria. Between them, they have 4 kids...meaning Tim and I have 3 nephews and 1 niece.

And they make lots of hand-me-downs!!!  Its such a blessing and we are so excited! (Ok, its a little overwhelming for me right now because I have boxes and bags of girl AND boy clothes sitting around.  Thankfully, I have realized I only have to go through the "small" things, and then after Baby is born...and we find out if its a boy or girl...the other half of the hand-me-downs can go live at Mimi's house or something).

There are some really, REALLY, cute things.

I love this onsie.  Tim hates it.  Know why?  DODGERS!!!  So glad this was in the bag from Andrew and Charlotte because I don't know if Tim would ever let me buy one!  I'll have to have the baby wear it around the Paulsen's and my dad:)  (don't worry, a Dodger's onsie is totally appropriate for a girl...I'll just pair it with a little skirt!)

Los Angeles Dodgers baseball

This one is just funny.

"I only cry when ugly people hold me"

30 weeks!!!

So excited to be at 30 weeks now!!!  It seems like a magic number, better than "3rd trimester", the last changing number in the tens column...but not quite cool enough that if I do happen to go into labor they would still pump me full of drugs to stop it.  Boo.

ACTUALLY, right now I'm more excited about Baby Miller than Baby Paulsen.  Baby Miller is due SOON!  Meaning, we'll get a text telling us if its a BOY or GIRL and a NAME!!!  I guess I just need something to look forward to that is sooner than 2.5 months.

The next 2.5 months (plus after the baby is born so more like 4+ months) of NO RUNNING!!!
I'm officially going to die.  I don't know if I've ever gone that long without running.

One of my last runs with the doggies last Saturday

28 Weeks: Iron & Etc.

Today I officially met my OB.  You may be wondering how that works.  I'm lucky enough to go to a clinic called SLO City Midwives.  There are two nurse practitioner-midwives (Megan and Julie), who work with an OB (Dr. Spalding).  Megan or Julie will deliver our baby, unless there are complications/I need a c-section, and they will call Dr. Spalding.  The way Megan described it to me on my first visit was that Dr. Spalding is my insurance plan that everything will go well.

27wks, 5days

Third Trimester.

WOOHOO!!!  The beginning of the third trimester!!!

My phone app says 27w1d and calls it the third trimester.  I don't care if you disagree (or if I disagree).
But that means its almost over.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I know.  I have 12 weeks or more left.  I could be the tiredest I've been.  I could be the most uncomfortable I've been.  I will probably have to stop running (picture 2 boxers looking sad at this...oh wait, its not hard for boxers to look sad!).

The details:

• Week:  27w1d
• ETA:  April 25th.  Oh please oh please before then!  
• Size:  head of cauliflower (16in, 2.5lbs)...what does this even mean!?!?!  I don't even know what size a head of cauliflower is!!!  How about I just say, "fits in my belly still"?
• Best part so far:  Still running.  Breaking up my runs into segments with a little walk in between has been one of the best decisions I have made!!!  I'm still able to get out and go run and make the doggies happy and feel good about accomplishing something.
• Hardest part so far:  Deciding what to wear if it's not a tank top and yoga pants.  I know I could just keep trying things on but I don't even want to try things on that might not fit...tops are beginning to be too short.  
• Weirdest part so far:  The 10# difference between my home scale and the scale at the midwives...what do I really weigh and how much am I going to have to lose after???

At least we'll be busy for the next 3 months (that makes it sound way longer than 12 weeks).  The increasing frequency of doctors appointments, all the birthdays I listed before, and birthing class during February.  I can't wait...meaning I can't wait to check off every day like I enjoy crossing things off my to-do list!!!

Twenty-five weeks and Counting Down!

Week 25 and we FINALLY got to see our 20week pictures of Baby Paulsen.  At 5 weeks later, it had definitely lost its excitement for Tim and I.  We looked at the pictures and said, "well, there aren't really any good ones..." and I think maybe if we got pictures while we were there, we would have asked for some pictures, say, with a little personality, like, when Baby was sticking it's little tongue out.

"Who does it look like?"  ...Yeah, like we know 

Merry Christmas (& Happy New Year) from the Paulsens

Shelby & Tim with Kensi & Cole

Merry Christmas from the Paulsens!!!

22 weeks and counting!

I got a voicemail today from French Hospital Women's Imaging Center today saying they are getting the film in for their photo machine on Friday and will send me pictures from my ultrasound on Dec. 6th after that.

Wait.  WHAT?!?!

Film?  Huh? 

One confused pregnant girl here.  

So I figured that  since its not looking like we'll get photos of our little baby until after the holidays, I figured I would go ahead and post an update sans-pictures :(

We're more than halfway done!!! Now the bigger numbers on my little app are the ones on the top, and the smaller numbers are the ones that are, well, getting smaller!!! Like a countdown.  I know, I know, those of you that have gone through labor are probably like WHY is she excited and counting down to THAT?!?

Because I'm the type of person who eats the food I don't like first.  I save Grandma's Potatoes and french fries for last.  I do the chores I don't like first.  That means vacuuming and dusting definitely come before fold clothes.  So I'm looking forward like its time to get the "bad part" out of the way!

But April 25 still looks a long way away.

• Week:  22w1d
• ETA:  April 25th...the US read April 29 based on size, but I'm fine with a smaller baby, and maybe that doesn't include the head measurement, because Tim has a big head!
• Size:  Papaya (8in, 1.2lbs)
• Best part so far:  Tim felt the baby moving! 
• Hardest part so far:  Um...not having the pictures from the ultrasound that was over a week ago?
• Weirdest part so far:  We had our Turkey Party yesterday, so I was on my feet from 11am-7pm, and my ankles actually got swollen and the jeans marks from being stuffed into my Ugg boots stayed for a long time! (Ok, and they did look "black & blue", but then I realized that because I have black Uggs, when I don't wear socks in them and have them on for a long time, it rubs off onto my ankles.  LOL.)

I'm still having vivid dreams, which is weird for me.  I can't remember any of them right now.  

I'm still running (but I pulled a bunch of weeds last week in the yard and my hamstrings go SO SORE I've been having to stretch more).  My running is starting to go backwards I feel like.  I always feel like, when I don't run for a while, and then start again, the breathing starts out hard and gets easier as I get in better shape.  I feel like I'm going to opposite as the baby grows.  It's invading my abdominal space (my uterus is like a good 2 inches above my belly button now), making my abdominal stuff squish up into my lung area.  I'm such a Kines nerd that I'm going, "My VO2max is decreasing!  My VO2max is decreasing!...I wonder how it changes over time during the pregnancy?"  The doggies are definitely in better shape than me now and make our runs look easy (by coming home and promptly starting to chase each other around and wrestle, demonstrating that they are not tired in the least)! 

I finally found a kind of chocolate that tastes good.  Grandma Tregea's chocolate fudge recipe!!!  On Sunday after we had made the fudge, out of curiosity, I liked the spoon.  And it was good.  So surprised.  Good thing fudge is only around during Christmas season! 

Oh, and a proud moment for me.  We went to see The Hobbit with Cousins last Friday, and I sat through the whole 3 hour movie with no pee breaks.  Oh, the big accomplishments of pregnancy!  Hopefully this trend will continue as we leave this Friday to travel for the holidays and Tim HATES stopping for bathroom breaks! 

The FCC Pie Party

This year was the second Pie Party we attended with our Bible Study.  I made pie crusts, and Tim filled his pie crust with Pulled Pork Pie.
He made pulled pork in the crock pot, put it in the pan with layers of McClintock's BBQ sauce, topped that with french fries, and melted cheese.  It won the Most Creative award, but people either voted to have more BBQ sauce and/or more french fries.

I made a Chocolate Pie (Aunt Lela's recipe!), which was actually the same thing I made last year, but it was still all eaten up.
Oh, and check out that Pie Pip.  Awesome.  (I took this picture pre-meringue-cooking, sorry).

Oh and here is me, before the pie party, at almost 21 weeks!!! Definitely no room for pie in these jeans:(

PS.  Yes, we did have our 20 week ultrasound, however, I am waiting to post about it until we get our pictures!!!  The photo printer was broken, so they are mailing them to us.  :(

Things I've Learned in the Past 20 Weeks

Okay, maybe this should be called "Things I've Learned in the Last 15 Weeks" but...I think I was still learning things (although I didn't know it yet), before we found out we were pregnant!

• If I put my hand on my stomach, the baby stops moving.  Tim is never going to be able to feel this little one!!! 
• Cramps are not always cramps.  Sometimes they are your colon talking to you, telling you you need to eat more fiber.  In that case, if you are a Tregea (aka my mom's family), and you also have a chocolate aversion, you're probably pregnant, regardless of what the test says.  Wait 5 days and take it again.  They only cost $1 at the Dollar Tree.  
• I need protein before dinner.  I've noticed on days when I go on a run and eat a yogurt, I don't get a headache.  Days that I choose to eat toast or something plain carbs, I usually end up with a good headache until I eat some protein. 
• We eat better when Tim cooks one meal a week.  I'm stuck in a rut and tired of all the dishes I make, he goes online and looks up Giada's recipes and makes new things (it must be his older brother Andrew's influence...Andrew who will not order the same thing over again at a restaurant)!
• On health (and also great advice right at the beginning):  "Everything that is abnormal when you're not pregnant, is normal when you're pregnant." -Carlene
• Our dogs will do anything for food.  After trying for EIGHT MONTHS to teach them to jump into the back of my SUV (so I don't have to pick up 57# dogs), put their food up there (or throw a little piece of cheese), and they hop right in.  Stevie and I even got them to jump into the bed of her Dodge Ram Hemi one day.  Ridiculous.  
• Choose to either work 7 hour days on your feet for $10/hour, or go running.  I eventually chose running.  And I feel so much better.  And my house is clean now.  
• The only way I am going to clean the house is if I make a schedule, because, I hate vacuuming.  
• Apparently listening to classical music while you are pregnant doesn't make your baby smarter, but I do wonder what hip-hop and country music do to a baby...
• REI has really, really good deals!!! I'm buying a BOB stroller and getting the carseat FREE.  
• Camping isn't so bad when pregnant.  There's no chores to do, and you can sit around on the beach and read books.  Husbands are even more likely to be helpful, there's something manly about cooking and doing dishes when it's done in the dirt.  
• Painting toes, cutting toe nails, putting on socks, and tying shoes in jeans is a no-no.  
• The Belly Bands are AMAZING!!! After being so sad and thinking about the next 5 months I will spend in yoga pants and leggings (being cheap and not wanting to actually BUY maternity pants lol), Carlene texted me about her belly band and how she could wear jeans!  I pulled mine out (still in the Target packaging) and ended up testing it out on Thanksgiving day.  If jeans are still comfortable after Thanksgiving dinner, its a winner!  Now I have returned to my regular attire of jeans, tank tops, and Juicy zip hoodies.  

Wednesday is our 20 week ultrasound!  Yea!  

Almost Half Way...

Whew!  I've made it almost half way!!!  I'm secretly hoping this is halfway and we can get this baby to come out "early".  Ha.  It's been so funny to be around my sister a good amount this last month, as she is the one who liked to remind me that I'm pregnant, by standing in front of me and pointing at my belly and going,

"There's a human in there!" 

And with Thanksgiving (and probably the upcoming holidays too) brings unwanted belly touches, which still feel uncomfortable...I may not be able to button my jeans (oh but I am still wearing them, thank you BellyBand!), but that doesn't mean people can touch my stomach.  I'm sure it will only get worse.  I've been avoiding maternity clothes so far, but some of my zip up hoodies are getting tight around my belly and look funny, at least my rain jacket is large enough :)

• Week:  19w5d
• ETA:  April 25th...maybe it will change with the ultrasound next week
• Size:  Mango (6.5", 10oz)
• Best part so far:  I can feel the baby moving!  It feels like little swishies.  
• Hardest part so far:  Ok, this is more for Tim, but...he doesn't let me lift anything heavy anymore, he keeps calling Drew to have him come over and help him move his projects (like our kitchen island etc) around between the house and the garage...I don't think he minds "having" to ask for help, I just think its funny.   
• Weirdest part so far:  I keep having bad dreams, that the dogs get hurt.  Last night I had a dream that Kensi got a really big, really deep scratch on her nose, and I woke up (and was awake for HOURS) and had to convince myself not to go out to the living room and wake her up and look at her poor nosey.  

It's Facebook Official!

I just posted this cute little collage to Facebook to let people know we're going to be expanding our family by one in April! I can't say expanding our family to three like most people, because I think Cole and Kensi would take offense at that:)

I think we originally thought we would "Facebook announce" after our 12week appointment, but I get shy when it's time to tell, so I think I chickened out. And then we kept seeing people from our old church, and not telling them, so as Tim puts it, "you can't see someone and not tell them and then put it on Facebook the next day!"

So at almost 17weeks now, I'm not working any more, my jeans are snug, we've told everyone who we don't want to find out on Facebook, and Drew has gotten good at spilling the beans for us...I decided to go for it!

16 weeks-ish

I actually don't know exactly how far along I am, all I know, is that on Sundays, I get to add a week.  I've stopped addictively reading every little detail for every little day on my "What to Expect When Expecting" app.  So I just looked, to tell you.

• Week:  16w3d
• ETA:  April 25th is my "official" due date based on our first ultrasound
• Size:  Turnip (5", 5oz)
• Best part so far:  I can run again now!!!  I've been running 3 days a week with the doggies.
• Hardest part so far:  Translating insurance bills, seriously, its a new language.  
• Weirdest part so far:  I don't like to eat meals in jeans anymore, I prefer yoga pants or leggings.  

At my appointment today not much happened.  Megan (my midwife) asked me how I felt, she laughed about no more bananas.  LOL.  Now I do too.  We decided to schedule my 20 week ultrasound for before my next appointment, and she used the doppler to listen to the baby's heart beat.  Apparently, for 16 weeks, it took a long time to find the heart beat (I didn't know this).  She was wiggling around the little wand on my little pooch of a tummy, and then came back to the middle in one of the spots she had been before and there was the heart beat, loud and clear.  She goes, "SNEAKY BABY!  You were hiding from me!" and I said, "my kid would play hide-and-seek with a doppler."  Then she told me that it took a long time for 16weeks (and that I almost got another ultrasound as the machine was sitting right there in the room), but that the placenta might also still be in front of the baby making it hard to hear.  

So in 3-4 weeks, Tim and I get to go see our baby again, and NOT find out if its a boy or girl.  Surprise coming late April!!!

No More Bananas

Last Thursday started off as a GREAT day...meaning, I was supposed to work at 6am, and got called off until 7am.  Then, when my alarm clock woke me up, I woke up to seeing lightning out the window (we still don't have curtains).  I got up, pet the dogs, ate some rice pudding and orange juice, and grabbed a banana to go.  I didn't have time to eat my Cheerios because it took 3 outfits to find something that looked good.
I got in the car and started driving to work, and peeled my banana and started eating it.  A little background here:  bananas and I do not always get along.  I only like them when they are a little green with absolutely no brown spots and no bruising.  I don't eat the "end" that has the little prickly in it.  Some times bananas, even perfect ones, make me gag, but mostly through this pregnancy I've been able to take a deep breath and force my banana down.  And up to this point, I have not thrown up yet while being pregnant.  Ha.

Our First Ultrasound!

We saw our little Mancub yesterday!!!  It looks like a sour patch kid gummy, according to Tim.