<2 1/2 mos w/G10wk5d w/#2
3 mos w/G15wk w/#2

Holy frig I am huge this time around!!!^
17wks w/g21wks2days with G
24 weeks and 1 day with G27 weeks w/g
28weeks 4daysw/g
it's been awhile...
31weeks4days w/g34weeks5days. w/g
35wks1dw/gid5dw/g

information about Piercing your childs ears: I just want to let everyone on here know that if they plan on getting their infant daughters ears pierced with a piercing gun (like at department stores, or hairdressers) Do so AFTER your child has been vaccinated for Hepatitis A&B (done so in Canada at 2 months). These piercing guns are made of plastic and cannot and are not sterilized between uses in an autoclave. (Hepatitis C can ALSO be transmitted through using piercing guns, but for some reason most people dont care). Some piercing guns do have one time use cartridges (the part that touches your ear) but this still doesn't protect 100% from the transmission of blood bourne viruses and skin infections, especially if the piercer touches the gun, and then touches the freshly pierced ear. Some parents who want their childrens ears pierced choose to get it done with a gun because it is faster, and believe less painful, which isn't the case. Make sure the 'piercer' has had training piercing childrens ears, and that they wipe down the gun prior to use with a cavi wipe or technicare (medical grade sterilant, NOT AN ALCOHOL SWAB) Also, if you get them done with a gun, they will most likely give you an aftercare solution which is alcohol, peroxide, anti-bacterial or anti-septic based. DO NOT USE IT! They remove ALL bacteria including GOOD BACTERIA (lysozymes that are naturally occuring in the body that actually promote healing) Using any of these actually prolongs healing and can make her more suceptable to getting an infection. As a rule of thumb, dont put anything on a fresh piercing that you wouldn't put in your eye. Usually they tell you to rotate or turn the earrings after cleaning to keep them from 'adhering' to the skin. This is a myth. Turning the earrings can actually bring foreign bacteria (or dried blood/lymph..crusties) into the unhealed piercing causing irritation or infection and the only thing that needs to be done is after soaking the earring for a couple minutes in H20cean or warm water (to soften any deposits) take a q-tip and remove any that may remain around the earring.
I'd advise you a reputable piercing studio in your area that will do it. Make sure the piercers have had training (seminars, apprenticeships, etc) Make sure they have a spore test certificate on their walls saying that everything is being sterilized properly. (you can ask all this over the phone as well usually) Some places recommend a sea salt solution for aftercare (H20cean is the BEST and safest purified sea salt solution to use and runs anywhere from $6 for a small bottle to $15 for a large spray can, and can be purchased at most body piercing/tattoo shops) You can make your own but keep in mind that salt and water both have impurities that could irritate your daughters delicate ears, and if too much salt is added, could dry out the piercing. I know many people who have healed piercings (including infants ears) just cleaning them twice daily with warm water and a q-tip, removing any dried blood or lymph (crusties) build up around the jewelry, then you dont have to worry about any cleaning soultions irritating their little ears :)

As well, these guns should only be used to pierce earlobes (if at all). The blunt stud causes trauma to the piercing site and more scar tissue forms. (For nostril and cartilage piercing the blunt stud being pushed through causes spider cracks in the cartilage, which can result in the cartilage collapsing. As a professional body piercer I have seen too many people come in with floppy ears and noses, excess scarring, and infections because they got their cartilage done with a gun... dont let me get into tongues, bellybuttons, etc!) , but PLEASE if you do so, make sure that they have gotten their vaccinations! If you have any other questions about body piercing don't hesitate to contact me. :)

20 week ultrasound, see the little fingers and thumb!

kissing my belly at 21 weeks w/g Luna wearing a baby tee-shirt

MY BIRTH STORY
I started having contractions Friday morning (July 13th) at 5am and they started out irregular at 10-15 minutes apart... but not normal contractions, they were in my back and I knew something was up. .. I put up with them all day and around 6 they got to be about 5-7 minutes apart and I made Carl come home from work to come to the hospital with me, so we went to the hospital at 7 and they sent me home because I was still only dilated 3cm from my appointment the day before. They said I wasn't in labour and I wouldn't have the baby that night, maybe in the next few days but not tonight. So we came home, and my contractions got worse and when they were about 2 minutes apart I got into the shower and could barely stand through them, I got out of the shower and was drying off when what must have been my mucus plug totally came out. I thought I had lost it weeks before, but I guess not. this was disgusting. I came out of the bathroom and told Carl we had to go to the hospital cause I was definately in pain... He asked me if we could finish watching whatever show he was watching, but from the look on my face he knew the answer was no and off we went..
At the hospital they put me on a monitor and my contractions were a minute apart and I was dilated to 4cm, I could barely move during them at this point. They admitted me at 10:45pm
I planned for a natural birth with no drugs.
By 11:30 this changed.
I was almost in tears and I agreed to have a shot of demerol. I had back labour the whole time. They gave me Demerol a little before 12 and told me it would last about 4 hours. I got into the tub and the Demerol kicked in, it did lessen the pain but I hated how it made me feel, I just wanted to go to sleep, my eyelids were so heavy and I couldn't consentrate on anything. The Demerol made me throw up and I started bleeding when I got out of the tub but the nurse said it was just bloody show, nothing to worry about. I eventually got moved over to labour and delivery when I was almost dilated all the way and they had to break my water at 4am. By this time the Demerol had worn off (thank god, I hated it, it made me feel like I was going to puke during every contraction) and the pain was excruciating as soon as my water was broken. I didn't think it could get any worse.
I was wrong.
It got worse.
I started pushing. I pushed for about half an hour. The head was the worst.I was offered the gas but didn't take it. No more foolin' around, I had to get this kid out. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed till I thought my head was going to explode, and finally she 'flew out' (according to Carl)... I mean, when they keep telling you to "PUSH PUSH PUSH HARDER" and then all of a sudden they tell you to "push just a little bit, then stop" you really can't just push a little bit.. lol.. and it was like all the pain was gone. immediately.
she was born at 4:37am 6lbs8oz, 19 3/4" with a full head of hair. She took to breastfeeding right away. She's so amazing I love her. There are pics in my photobook.

This is me 12 days after I gave birth, with my brand new DD's (lol, milk-filled, not implants). I'm still 3 sizes away from my pre-pregnancy size... still can't get my jeans done up :(