Calling all Guessers of Peter's Successors

I have a follow up ultrasound for IV tomorrow so I figured I might as well allow the official guessing game to commence.  Plus, then I don't need to report the likely increase on the scale to the public forum ;-). 

 

On Friday, I'll officially be at the 37 week mark.  Tomorrow's ultrasound is a follow-up concerning a pocket of fluid they observed near IV's right kidney.  They don't know that the pocket is a precursor for any particular condition or necessarily need to be concerned but if it hasn't been absorbed by the baby at this point they'll request that we follow-up with the pediatrician once IV is born.  So say a little prayer that any extraneous fluid pockets are absorbed and that everything looks good with mommy and babe for the upcoming appearance on the main stage.

 

In general the pregnancy has gone well.  The first trimester was very exhausting and I had lots of nausea but thankfully never actually "tossed my cookies" until somewhere around 31 weeks but I think that was more a result of a stomach bug going around.  I had been participating in a Majestic Francis Cheek Transformation challenge and made great progress over the course of the summer and got down lower than my pre-pregnancy weight with Luke- woohoo! 

 

Weight gain was minimal through the first trimester but the winter months were pretty rough- less daylight, less time outside, harder to stick with a workout schedule with holidays and work, and the chill which adds to the appeal of those lovely comfort foods like potatoes, homemade bread, creamy macaroni and cheese, carbs, carbs, and more carbs- and of course chocolate.  Total weight gain is 38lbs as of my last appointment on March 28th.  This falls within the normal range as far as my docs are concerned but I've found it a bit overwhelming and am looking forward to holding a "healthy" baby in my arms in more ways than one and enjoying the hustle bustle of a busy household and opportunities to take regular family strolls around the neighborhood or to the park to enjoy the weather and the wonderful season of fresh fruits and veggies coming soon.  Oh.  And sandals...right now the task of socks and shoes spring forth sounds similar to the cries of souls in purgatory.

 

Here are the obligatory pregnancy pics:

 

IV - 25wks 2 days

 At the initial ultrasound (@21 weeks) they couldn't get a good view of the "outflow of the heart".  With each child the list seems to get longer and longer of what they measure, examine and track.  Consequently,  I usually end up having another opportunity to ask questions and learn something new.  For example,  when they said outflow of the heart I envisioned that they were looking to get a similar "picture" of when they add the color to the fuzzy black and white image to show the blood flow through the umbilical cord. Turns out in utero the baby has holes in his/her heart to allow for the effective transport of blood where the actual valves will later develop. This initial ultrasound was also where they noticed the pocket of fluid.  The first ultrasound they noted that IV's femur was measuring slightly large but not enough to change my due date. Everything looked good at the follow-up ultrasound regarding the outflows of the heart a few weeks later.  The pocket of fluid grew slightly but this was to be expected as the kidney grew and the pocket was still under 10mm in diameter which apparently is the point where they get more concerned. This time it was the baby's belly that was measuring on the larger side.  I joked with Pete that it would be pretty funny if it turns out that we have a girl on our hands and she measures bigger than all her brothers.

IV- 31 weeks, 3 days
 

Gosh I look tired in these photos-  I guess it doesn't help that they were typically taken at the end of the day once we got the boys settled in bed for the night.



 

IV- 35 weeks

 If you want points of comparison- check out the photos from Let the Games Begin highlighting my pregnancy with Clement but also showing some photos of my pregnancies with Luke and Augustine.

At my appointment on March 28th they had me do an extra blood draw to check on my platelet count.  The midwife noticed during the tummy check that teeny red spots dotted my belly.  Interestingly, Luke had asked about the little red dots about a week earlier to which I explained that I was getting all stretched out and they were parts where the blood vessels were visible.  Apparently extra or easy bruising can be an indication of a condition called ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura during pregnancy).  I never heard back from the doctor which typically means I'm in the clear. 

Noteworthy notions:

• Official due date is Friday, April 29th (Pete plans to attend a conference in Chicago April 17th-20th)
•  I have been experiencing contractions as of late but nothing too intense or worth timing.  Here's hoping that my body's getting the hang of this birthing thing and I don't need Pitocin
• I find myself craving salt, and salted butter especially not so much that I eat them straight up but certainly take the opportunity to dress-up those noodles or toast or waffles with such additives
•  I do also especially enjoy the meat and found myself craving ice cream even in the cold winter months which is strange for me (perhaps I've been hanging out with them Schafers too much :-)
•  I have itchy heels and have described IVs movements more as rolls or wide sweeping movements as opposed to kicks and punches. Prominent limbs or extremities seem to protrude from my belly and IV tends to run a heel or knee or something along the right side of my body from hip to midline which makes me think of my college days in anatomy lab  and the use of a blunt dissection probe to separating layers of tissue or viscera.

  

  Finish the Frame

In my attempts to "keep it even" I'll copy the ground rules for the contest from what we used for the previous pregnancy.

Provide us with some mild entertainment to offset the anticipation and angst of when this little booger is going to arrive!

I'm providing some pictorial evidence and written testimony for those that prefer to make informed guesses or draw reasonable conclusions.  However, all responses, regardless of color, race, gender, religion, age, randomness, or silliness will be considered.   On the other hand - the UPPER hand- remember that this is a family based forum and that we are talking about a human here.  A little PERSON.  A vulnerable child imbued with and deserving of dignity and respect from the moment of conception.  Now that we've established the rules and regulations, here's what we need from you.  Please submit your guesses in the comments or reply to the email in which I sent the link to the blog.  Depending on your mode of submission you may have to include your name (especially if you want to receive a prize).

Your guess should include:
A.) Baby's name (first and middle)
B.) Boy? or Girl? (Let's face it folks, given the names and trends of the times it's not as easy to distinguish male/female based on name choice)
C.) Proposed birthdate
D.) Weight and Length
E.) Any other tidbits, advice, or anecdotes you choose to add.

I've included a variety of photos of the Schafer boys three below to scroll through as you seek inspiration, gather your thoughts, and devise your strategy. Mostly a selection of my favorites that I failed to share in the blogger world during 2015.


The Schafer Boys meet the newest Schafer Boy- July 2014

Dad's Little Heroes- shirts compliments of cousin Mel



Spoon Shenanigans around Easter of 2015 I think



Hail Mary...

PUNCTTS!



Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2015- Christmas Card worthy credits to Grandma Schafer

Making our gingerbread house a home

To Ya!

Christmas Eve morning

The angelic big brothers yesterday

Truth be told...

 

Other points to ponder:

I. Prior to Clement's birth, Grandma Schafer was doing some spring cleaning and passed along some fish figurines she found in her basement which apparently belonged to Pete's grandmother. The set included the blue "mommy fish" and the three offspring. Luke was quite concerned over the absence of a daddy fish and I thought it might be fun to utilize the artifacts to decorate our bathroom and be representative of our family. Consequently, I ordered a mold to make the daddy fish. In the process I had ordered some other molds of fish/sea creatures but none that are exactly like the children in the original set. In the early months of 2016 we had an incident which caused one of the little fish to fall and crack beyond repair. Do we add variety to our ocean scene using some of the other molds to fashion a creature for IV and to replace the casualty? Or do we ditch the décor altogether and go for a different motif?

II.  Pete suggested holding a secondary contest.  For anyone who is interested...submit your guess of "What you think Uncle Joe is going to guess"  To be considered for a prize you must, obviously, submit your "Guess of Uncle Joe's Guess"  before Uncle Joe submits his guess.  Ready.  Set.   Go!!!!

 

Thank you everyone for your continued prayers and support throughout this pregnancy.  Congratulations to my cousin Jessica who had her second son today.  (Even though I'm a little jealous since your due date was after mine ;-)  Happy holding and a speedy recovery as you all get settled.

 

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

 

St. Gerard Majella...Pray for us.