A long 9 months.....

Baby #2 is on the way!

Back in December, Omar and I were thrilled to learn that we were expecting baby #2! We had been hoping to expand our family for a while and were so excited to learn it was happening.

Baby Nadi's first official photo shoot.

As I should have known based on the experience of all of my friends with more than 1 child, every pregnancy is different.  My pregnancy with EJ was incredibly easy and I was actually surprised to find I really enjoyed it.  I didn't have any morning sickness, I was never horribly uncomfortable, there were no complications, and while I definitely had my bouts of exhaustion, they were not terrible (and I had the luxury of a flexible schedule that allowed me to indulge in some great naps!).

This pregnancy has definitely been different.  For the first 4 months I basically felt like I had the worst hangover of my life, all day every day.  I never actually got sick, but I felt like I was on the brink of throwing up all the time - trust me, it's an awful feeling. In addition, I had truly debilitating headaches and what seemed like exhaustion on a totally different level than last time.  Now, I don't know if I was truly more tired or it was more that I didn't have the luxury to rest and nap like the first time.  An incredibly busy 2 year old coupled with the craziest real estate market I've seen put the kibosh on that.  Oh, and let's not forget that in the midst of my 1st trimester we decided to buy/fully renovate a new house and move twice.  In February I also had the worst cold I can ever remember having. That may be in part due to the limited amount of meds you are able to take when pregnant, but it was awful. Basically I was just really pathetic, as Omar likes to remind me. 

A bright spot in all of this was when we learned about a new blood test that had been invented since I had EJ which allows you to test for the Trisomy disorders as early as 10 weeks.  It is over 99% accurate, which is significantly better than the other option available in the first trimester, the NT scan. For those of you unaware, these tests are to identify - among other things - the presence of Down Syndrome. I have a family history of Down Syndrome and it was a huge weight off my shoulders to be able to have both of these tests in the first trimester and learn that they came back negative.  Hooray!

We were thrilled to find out at 18 weeks that we were having another girl!  Ok, I'll be honest: we both really wanted a boy. But after the momentary disappointment, I realized that this was actually pretty awesome.  After all, my best friend in the world is my sister, and I am so excited that EJ will be able to have that as well. I just hope they don't spend the first 15 years trying to kill each other before they get to that place like Merrill and I did. 

Due to turning 35 in the midst of this pregnancy, I had the privilege of being classified as Advanced Maternal Age. Seriously? Yep. Basically that means my insurance covered some additional testing (like the blood test mentioned above) and that I would be monitored more closely by a perinatalogist.  As a perk of that, I got additional ulstrasounds, including one which was in 3-D.  It's crazy to me that they can do these, and normally I find them a bit creepy as they tend towards a melting-alien-baby look, but one time they actually got a shot that wasn't so creepy and actually made us think this baby might just look quite a bit like her sister. 

What do you think?  EJ with poochy lips?

At 28 weeks you have to take a test to see if you have Gestational Diabetes. I did not have it with EJ and therefore my chances were pretty darn low that I would have it this time.  But I should have known better (no pregnancy is the same, remember?).  I failed the test by 2 points.  Sigh. So what is GD? It basically means the placenta is producing hormones that are not allowing your body to regulate blood sugar like normal.  There is nothing you can do to cause it and nothing you can do to get rid of it, except give birth.  It means that I had to go on a special diet (low carb), test my blood sugar 4 times a day (not as bad as I thought), and take a very low-dose of an insulin like medication at night.  Following those guidelines I have been able to regulate my levels completely, which is great.  However, the primary concern for a GD baby is that their growth is accelerated.  Even though I have been able to completely manage the GD, this is one BIG baby.

What do I mean by big?  Well, at 32 weeks she was measuring at 5.5 pounds. That's the size of a small full-term baby.  At 34w she was measuring 7.5 pounds. That's the size of an average full-term baby.  At 36w she was measuring 9.5 pounds. That is the size of a freaking HUGE full-term baby, a solid MONTH before she was supposed to be born. It is a full pound bigger than EJ was when she was born 6 weeks later in gestation. Like I said, this is a BIG FREAKING BABY.  I don't know if you saw the story of the 13lb baby born in Germany a few weeks ago, but that is the image I have in my head and it totally freaks me out. 

Crazy-huge 13 pound sumo wrestler baby born last week.
This is what happens when your GD goes unchecked, y'all.

In addition to that awesome news, this stubborn little lady is breech.  She has been in the same position for weeks now, with no signs of turning.  And believe me, I have tried.  I have been seeing a specialist chiropractor who specializes in breech babies three times a week.  I have been following all the advice on Spinning Babies and my poor husband has been watching me sit in weird poses and take baths with frozen peas on my belly and wondering if I had lost my mind.  I have been totally stressed out for the last several weeks about this, as I really really really didn't want a c-section.

Today we had the come-to-Jesus appointment with the specialists. After much discussion with several perinatalogists, my OB and two other doctors in her office, and an in-depth ultrasound, we have made the decision to go ahead and schedule a c-section.  Between her being breech, her size, and my GD (which is a high-risk situation that carries its own potential issues toward the end of the pregnancy), we decided that this is the safest route. No, it is not what I wanted for my delivery. But at the end of the day, all I *really* care about is having a healthy baby, and this is the best way to ensure that. 

Large & in charge at almost 9 months pregnant.

So, as of right now, it looks like August 20th will be the birthday for the newest member of the Nadi family!  In a lot of ways it is a relief to have a solid plan in place, and one that I know minimizes the risks for both the baby and myself.  But it is also terrifying because it is major surgery and the recovery can be really tough. But I know we will all get through it and be fine, and to be honest: we are so excited to meet her and are really looking forward to having her here so soon.

Right now she is excited about Baby Sister

We'll see how that changes once Baby N is
actually here and she realizes she has to share me.

My only concern now is how EJ is going to handle all of this, which I know is normal.  And I know it will be both hard for her but also really wonderful and fun. I'm sure we will have our ups and downs making the adjustment, but I am excited to see her in the Big Sister role and watch our girls grow up together.  It's hard to imagine being able to love the new baby as much as we love her, but I know from talking to other parents that you do: your heart expands and you quickly can't imagine life without the new baby.  It's also hard to imagine being able to create someone as awesome as EJ, I mean certainly we lucked into that and they broke the mold after she was born.  We couldn't get that lucky twice, could we?  Well, something tells me maybe we could, and I can't wait to find out.  =)

She'll always be my Princess.