Dylan

Happy New Year!

We spent our first moments of 2012 in Scripps hospital! We thought you were possibly going to be a New Year's baby and share your birthday with Jackson and Grandpa. Every year we spend New Years Eve with the McCallion family and this year it was at our house. We were having a fun night of make-your-own pizzas and make-your-own sundaes when I was starting to feel off and knew I needed to head upstairs to take my blood pressure. It was high and so I laid in bed for thirty minutes and Danielle came up to take my blood pressure for me. It works out nicely to have a doctor and a nurse at your house when you are having a health issue! My blood pressure remained high and Daddy was kind of freaking out (he does that, as you will soon learn) and Dr. Pat said I really needed to go to the hospital. I called the midwife on call and she told me to come in for monitoring. It was a pretty crazy ten minutes gathering up all our stuff and packing bags just in case we were going to have you. Daddy must have gone back into the house like 4 times because we kept remembering things we forgot to bring while we were pulling out of the driveway. Thank goodness we had great friends at our house that could be there with Carson and Brooke.

It was a crazy foggy night and a bit of a dangerous drive to the hospital. Daddy had been enjoying some good champagne and nice wine with Pat & Danielle so it was a good thing I could drive. They ran some tests on me and monitored my blood pressure and contractions for a couple hours and everything was okay. I was having contractions 2-8 minutes apart but they weren't painful. The midwife checked my cervix and I was only 1-2 cm dilated. I was actually getting an ultrasound when it turned midnight. She checked on you and you looked great with lots of fluid in the uterus. You were practicing breathing.

It was definitely an eventful New Year's Eve! I was relieved that you weren't coming yet, but Dave was hoping that you would have been born so you could have had a special birthday connection with Grandpa.

37 Weeks

I am full term! I am so shocked that you are not going to be a preemie. I was so certain that I even bought a bunch of preemie baby clothes. Looks like someone else is going to have to have a very small baby boy so I can pass those clothes on.

I had my appointment with Dr. Washkowiak this morning after a rough night last night. I was up until 2am with horrible reflux and throwing up. Dr. W had told me that she might just keep me after one of appointments so I was fully prepared when I went to my appointment this morning. I had my bags in the car and made sure the house was completely in order and I had Danielle lined up to pick the kids up from school, just in case. I didn't want to get my hopes up that you might come today, but I was actually pretty disappointed when she didn't send me to the hospital today. I think it is the hormones and the lack of sleep, but I definitely cried. It is all just going so differently than I expected. I really want to go into labor on my own and I really don't want to wait too long to meet you. I am very happy that you have gone full term, but now I am feeling very ready and anxious to meet you and have you in my arms. Pregnancy at the end is definitely rough.

Dr. W checked me and I am at least 2 centimeters dilated and she said my cervix looks ready. My blood pressure is about the same this time and there wasn't any protein in my urine so she said she feels okay with me going another week. The good news is we have an end in sight. If you don't come sooner, you will be born on January 14th!! I do really hope that I go into labor before that because I would rather avoid petocin and the increased chance of a c-section plus more painful contractions, but I am really excited that Dr. W will deliver me. She is such an amazing doctor and I think it will only add to the great experience of child birth to have her with me.  The date was chosen because it is the day next week that Dr. W is on call, but it is a special day too because it is your big brother's half birthday.

Baby Brooke

I can only imagine that this has to do with your impending arrival, but Brooke has been acting like a baby a lot lately. By "acting like a baby" I don't mean whining and being difficult, but she actually pretends that she is a baby. She crawls on the ground and has her own baby language. It is pretty funny, but can be frustrating when I am ready for her to act like a 2.5 year old again!

Old Wive's Tales

Now that you are considered full term, I am all about evicting you, my little watermelon! I have pushed out 4 and 5 pound babies pretty easily, but I am getting worried about pushing out a 7 plus pound baby. So far delivery has been really easy for me. With Carson I pushed 3 times and with Brooke it was 2.5 and I got to pull her out of me.

So in order to encourage you to come I have done a few things that are considered old wive's tales because they likely don't have any real impact on when a baby comes. I have done squats and lunges, eaten spicy Mexican food, taken warm baths, and a couple other things. Unfortunately I can't exercise or go on long walks since I am supposed to be on modified rest now. Well tonight I decided to put eggplant parmesan to the test. There is actually a restaurant that swears by it and has a wall dedicated to pictures of babies born after their moms ate this particular dish. The restaurant is in another state though, so Daddy and I went to Crush restaurant in Solana Beach instead. We had a great time, as we always do on date nights, and we both really enjoyed the eggplant parmesan. I was so hoping it would get things moving, but instead it gave me the worst heartburn ever! I am already on the full dose zantac around the clock and chewing tums as well. I was up until 2 am with heartburn and throwing up. The eggplant parmesan turned out to be a big fail!

Update

I went to see Dr. Washkowiak this morning and I told her that I wasn't feeling great and that my blood pressure seems to be up. She confirmed that my blood pressure is significantly higher than it has been and I also had some protein in my urine. She wants me to monitor my blood pressure at home throughout the day and to call if it is 140/90 for two or more readings. Since I am almost full term, she said she will possibly induce me depending on how things go because with high blood pressure you are just waiting for something bad to happen. There was a little bit of protein in my urine, but that can be typical at this point in pregnancy. I got blood work done and everything was okay. Dr. W said I should expect that she might keep me at my appointment next week or the following and go ahead and induce me. I am getting so close to meeting you! I am very excited and nervous too.

My Little OB

Look at how huge my belly is now at 36 weeks! Brooke likes playing doctor and checking on my belly and baby Dylan. Your siblings are both getting really excited for your arrival. Brooke likes to shake my belly and say, "Wake up baby Dylan!" Yesterday Brooke asked when you are going to "crack out" : ) She is thinking that you are like a baby bird and my belly is like an egg.

Swaddle Practice

Brooke has so many baby dolls, and she is loving the new gear she has received for Hanukkah and Christmas. She has also seen me washing and organizing all the baby gear and getting ready for your arrival. She wanted to wrap her babies up in baby blankets like yours, which gave me the perfect opportunity to practice swaddling. She loves holding the babies when they are all swaddled up. I even pulled out a couple hospital blankets that I brought home after I had Brooke and she thought that was pretty cool. She is going to love holding you!

36 Weeks

Wow...this is the most pregnant I have ever been! I am certainly feeling ready to have you. I have been having a lot of contractions, and I feel like you have dropped. I go to see Dr. Washkowiak this morning and I am so curious to see if I am dilated at all. I had a lot of contractions on Christmas, and I was thinking that you might be sharing your birthday with Jesus! I'm glad we made it through Christmas without you arriving. My blood pressure is also going up a bit and I am getting really bloated. Maybe this is just what the last month of pregnancy is going to be like for me, but I feel like you will be here pretty soon. We have a birth day pool going with my family, which we did with Brooke too. We all take a guess at the day you are going to be born. Today is Auntie E's guess and I picked December 29th, which is in two days. Daddy picked January 1st. It would be pretty crazy if you were born on New Year's Day because you would share your birthday with cousin Jackson and it was also Grandpa's birthday.

We took down all of our Christmas decorations and our tree yesterday. We have never done that so quickly! We got out your car seat out last night and the swing and bouncy chair are in the family room. Today we are going to put up the pack n play and co-sleeper, and I am going to pack my bag for the hospital. As Brooke says, "We are putting up the baby decorations".  We are trying to watch Brooke very carefully around the baby swing because she loves to push it, and yesterday she even climbed into it. We are worried about her trying to be a big helper, but doing things that are not very helpful when you arrive.

I should also mention that Brooke got the baby doll she has been wanting from Pottery Barn Kids from Santa for Christmas. We asked her what she was naming her doll and she said, "Dylan". Brooke's baby Dylan is a girl so now we will have a girl and a boy baby Dylan in our house!

35 Weeks

I had my first regular cervical check today, and I am not dilated yet, but I am about 50% effaced. It doesn't mean much since people can be effaced and dilated for a long time, but it feels exciting to me that you are getting ready to come. You are head down, and still need to drop which might not happen until I go into labor. One day this week I was running around taking care of errands while your siblings were at school and I had a lot of contractions and some in my back too. I was convinced that it was the early stage of labor, but after laying down the contractions went away. It was a good thing though because it made me realize you could come at any minute. Since then I have finished washing all your clothes and blankets, filled out hospital paperwork and wrote a list of what I need to bring to the hospital. It is such a crazy, busy time of year with Christmas. Thankfully, the end of pregnancy puts me in hyper organizing mode. I have been cooking, packing, shopping, crafting, wrapping, and doing lots of fun holiday activities with Brooke and Carson. I didn't want them to miss out on anything just because I was very pregnant. Good thing I have a lot of energy at the end of pregnancy! The day after Christmas we are going to take down all our decorations and move into baby season. We will set up your gear, including your car seat. I want to be sure that Brooke gets used to seeing your stuff and knows that they are not toys or for her baby dolls. Brooke is very into her baby dolls, and I am a bit worried that she is going to think you are her own personal doll!

34 Weeks

Hello my little honeydew! At 34 weeks, you should be about 5 pounds and 18 inches. It is pretty crazy to feel you move inside me now because you are so big.

You have a name!

Hallelujah! I can finally say that you are no longer the nameless "baby brother". Although we do still like to call you baby brother too : ) Your name is going to be.....da da da da.......Dylan McNeil Szekeres! I can't believe how long it took us to name you. It is funny to think that in August we thought your name was decided, and you were going to be Cooper Laszlo Szekeres. We love that name, but it is pretty popular, and we were also worried that "pooper" or "poop" would become your nicknames. Since Daddy changed his mind last time, I made him make sure he was positive on your name this time before we shared it with anyone. Dylan is a name that we both love (as does almost everyone we share it with) and McNeil has very special family meaning in more ways than one.

McNeil is the name of the State Park in Utah that Daddy shared a very special trip with Grandpa and Uncle Jeff. It is Daddy's fondest memory of Grandpa from his adult life. Daddy went on many special outdoor adventures and trips with his Dad over his life and this was his last special trip he shared with him. Growing up, Grandpa always took care of everything and led their trips, but this last trip was a big turning point because their roles had switched. Daddy found out about this great experience to go to Alaska in the summer to watch brown bears congregate and feed on salmon in a remote location. McNeil River is Alaska's most famous bear viewing area. Daddy entered a lottery for a couple years and was really excited when their number was called. He and Uncle Jeff arranged the trip, and this time they were the ones guided Grandpa. Most memorable were the times they helped guide him across the river to view the bears. It was a very memorable bonding trip at McNeil River, and Daddy will always treasure those memories with Grandpa.

McNeil is a very special name to me too. My amazing Papa, Douglas McNeill Laidlaw, just passed away last month, and he was such a positive influence in my life. Papa was the most amazing person I have ever met. He was such a gentleman and cared so deeply about everyone in his family. He had this way of making us feel so special. McNeill is a family name that has been passed down for many generations. I will be so proud to have you share a name with Papa, and I hope that you will share some of his amazing character traits.

The spelling of the McNeil is different, but Grams found out recently that Papa's middle name on his birth certificate is spelled with one L, so we are choosing that spelling to honor two very important men in your family.  Unfortunately, you will not have a chance to meet them, but they will certainly be looking after you from heaven.

It is so nice to have a name for you. We can't wait to meet you Dylan!

33 Weeks

Hello my little honeydew! It is crazy to think that this is how pregnant I was when I had your big brother, Carson. I am so excited to meet you, but I definitely need you to cook longer. I just read that you will likely grow a whole inch in this week alone, and that your "brain is developing like crazy" right now. I better be sure to take my vitamins and eat healthy this week!

32 Weeks

I had my last ultrasound today. It was really cool to see your little face, and to see how big you are now. You are in the 26th percentile for size and you weigh about 4 pounds, 2 ounces right now. Your torso is small, but you have long legs. There is not much surprise there since the Denniston side of the family is known for long legs! The sonographer got a great shot of your little face. You are very cute! It made it all feel so real and I got a little emotional. I am so excited to meet you and snuggle you in my arms!

Your siblings have been sick this week. We have had a rough cold and flu season so far. I'm hoping we are getting it all our of systems before you arrive! It is hard to be cooped up at home not feeling well, but I love the extra snuggle time :)

Big Brother Training

Getting some baby practice with cousin Wyatt. He is such a little doll! Carson wanted to hold him and was very good with him.

31 Weeks

Hello my little squash! You are 3.5 pounds now, and my belly is getting really big.  Today, for the first time, my shirt wouldn't even cover all of my belly : )

My heartburn is getting really bad, and the last couple nights I have been up for hours in the middle of the night because it is so bad that it makes me throw up. I'm looking forward to when you drop and the heartburn gets better.

Family Babymoon

Before Carson and Brooke were born, Daddy and I went on a trip just the two of us. They call this a babymoon so that the future mom and dad can enjoy some quality time together and celebrate before their new baby arrives. This time we did a "family babymoon" so that our little family of four could do something fun together before we become a family of five and are homebound for a bit. What better place to go than Disneyland! We love it there, and Carson has been so excited to do the Star Wars stuff with Daddy.

30 Weeks

Wow...I can't believe I am 30 weeks pregnant now! It seems so much closer when you reach 30 weeks. If you come when your big brother did, you would be here in just three weeks! I have to say that I am happy, but also surprised, that I have not made a trip to Labor & Delivery yet. My belly is certainly huge and people tell me that I am all belly, but I think they are just trying to be nice : ) I have already put on 25 pounds! You are moving around a ton, and I love that feeling. I think we might set your crib up in Carson's room soon so he has some time to adjust to it. I have started hanging up your clothes and putting clothes, blankets and things in the closet. I cannot believe your wardrobe before you are even born! I just can't resist buying you cute clothes, and you got some cute stuff at the shower too. You are already a spoiled little guy : )

My Baby Shower

My friends threw me a really fun shower! I am so lucky to have an amazing group of friends, and I love that they wanted to celebrate my third baby. I definitely think that every child should be celebrated, and they did such a great job with everything. The theme was whales and the colors were lime green and turquoise. Everything looked so cute! The hostess were Danielle, Sara, Kristen, Kelsey & Shereen. I met all these girls through Stroller Strides when Carson was a baby, and they have been such a great group of girls and mamas. Their friendships mean so much to me! They are all very excited to meet you : )

29 Weeks

This has been a hard week for me. Papa passed away. He was so special to me, and I will miss him so much. I really wish that you were going to meet him. A few months ago when Papa's oncologist asked him if he wanted to keep fighting his cancer with chemotherapy, he said that he was a fighter and that there was exciting new life to look forward to in our family (your cousin Wyatt was about to be born and you). He loved his family so much. I am going to tell you all about Papa when you are older. He was such a great role model for us all. You have two very special angels looking over you from heaven - Grandpa and now Papa too.