Dana Daily

Yikes, according to pregnancycenter.com, here's some discomforts I could be experiencing: Fatigue, leaking breasts, pregnancy pains, constipation,  heartburn , insomnia, shortness of breath, cramps in your legs,  vaginal discharge , nosebleeds, hemorrhoids,  varicose veins , mood swings, stretch marks, contractions, and sometimes—even at this late stage—nausea. The baby may already have moved toward the pelvis in preparation for birth. I am happy to report that fatigue as a result of insomnia and mood swings are about the only symptoms I'm experiencing. I have stretch marks of course, but that's nothing new. It's hard to tell which, if any, are new. Chances are most of these are from my pregnancy with Emmy. The heartburn that caused me so many issues with both Sarah and Emmy isn't as bad this time. I experience it from time-to-time, but I can still eat a pretty normal and diet and drink whatever I want without suffering. In those moments when it does hit a cou...

I'll just warn you now that I didn't take any pictures this year. I couldn't get into the chaos. Maybe it's because I'm tired. I haven't slept well in months, although last night was particularly bad. However, I think it's more than that. I felt a little pensive this Christmas, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I think I'm just content. Sal and I have a normal marriage and a normal life together. We have the same last name and the same address. It's never dull and every day is a learning experience, but it's comfortable too. The gifts are nice, but at the end of the day, I have everything I ever could have wanted. A great husband, two daughters who I love more than words can say, and a baby on the way. I live a charmed life for sure. Among a few other gifts, Sal gave me a one hour massage gift certificate. I think he liked the shop vac I gave him. I guess we both decided to choose practical gifts this year. The girls seemed to...

As I put the finishing touches on our plans for Christmas Day, here is some fun news about the baby's development this week. Baby's Development At 15 inches and weighing between three and three and one-half pounds, your baby is over half the size he or she will be at birth. As baby fat continues to accumulate, your baby will gain weight much more quickly in these last two months. The digestive tract and lungs are almost mature, and the lungs are able to inflate properly at this point, producing surfactant to help prevent the collapse of the lungs after birth. The ears are fully developed, and your baby is listening to everything it can hear inside the womb. Babies at this stage can hear Mom’s breathing  and heartbeat, they can hear music, and they can hear the voices of others. At this stage, very loud noises or events such as a rock concerts should be avoided! The toenails and fingernails are fully formed, and the baby can even scratch itself in the womb. Amniotic fluid...

I saw Dr. Rock this morning since Dr. Badway is on vacation this week. My blood pressure and the baby's heart rates were good. I will need to have the whooping cough vaccine to provide some protection to the baby until s/he is old enough to be vaccinated against it. However, I'm still on antibiotics for my sinus infection so I need to wait. The nurse scheduled me for a c-section on Saturday, February 21, but we'll have to see how that holds up when I see Dr. Badway at my next appointment in January. I'd like to wait that long if possible, but I'm not sure that's what he feels is in our best interests.

I've been fighting some sinus issue for the last month, but in an attempt to avoid a prescription I have been trying to ignore it and just deal. Most days I feel okay. Not right, but okay. Not in pain, just stuffy. Well, my ear started bothering me last week. At first I thought it was a just a thing, and would go away in time, but then it started to be really annoying. I suspected that perhaps I was working on an ear infection, but it wasn't painful so I didn't know. Sal went for a haircut and I decided to walk a couple doors down to Walgreen's. I didn't really want to see a nurse practitioner during pregnancy, in lieu of a doctor, but I figured an ear infection is easy enough to diagnose, if in fact that's what I had. She took one look in my left ear and told me there was a lot of fluid behind the drum and my ear was bright red. She seemed amazed that I wasn't howling in pain. I can honestly say that I had no pain. The sensations I felt were annoying a...

I feel like I've dropped, and others have since pointed it out. I didn't know you could drop this early, but I guess anything's possible. I need to read up on this because I really do need to make it to at least the middle of February with this pregnancy. My blood pressure was 120/70 at my doctor's appointment last week. It doesn't seem high, but it still made me nervous because I had undiagnosed preeclampsia in the past, but also because normal for me is typically 110 or 112, never higher than 117. Anyway, I asked our company nurse to take it yesterday just so I could see where I was and it was 120/68. Since it's virtually the same as last week's reading, I'm going to assume everything's okay. The nurse reassured me that it is. Sal and I are looking forward to the hospital tour on Saturday. I thought maybe it would ease his mind, and I know I can use a refresher. I imagine there have been a few changes in the last six years since Emmy was...

My diaper bag has arrived!! I love it even more in person. It has a million pockets, some with zippers, and it's deep. It's everything I wanted / need. I love the fabrics I chose too. Since it's a little hard to see, the outside is a dark gray / charcoal, and the inside is the pretty paisley print. I should spray it with ScotchGuard, and may talk to the woman who's reupholstering our rocking chair about that. Just a reminder - this was purchased from Etsy seller "BagEnvy." There was a slight mix-up in shipping, but she fixed it right away and issued a small credit for the inconvenience. That works for me.

It wasn't that many weeks ago that I was clicking ahead on the pregnancycorner website, and dreaming of being 29 weeks along. Here I am. Baby's Development: During the twenty-ninth week, your baby’s kicks and punches may be so hard that they take your breath away, and they may cause severe pain. The movements and kicks are happening frequently at this point, which are goods signs that the baby is doing well.  Sometimes these kicks and movements can cause rib pain, pelvic pain, and unintentional loss of urine. This high activity does not usually last throughout the pregnancy and will become less frequent as the baby grows and has more limited space to move around. Your baby is continuing to grow, weighing close to three pounds and stretching to over a foot long. You may notice that this growth is causing increased hunger, as your baby uses most of the nutrients you consume to grow more. You may feel like you need to eat again after a meal, but fight this temptat...

This was my first appointment with my doctor since my follow-up ultrasound right before Thanksgiving. We received great news at that ultrasound - the placenta had moved so only the tip is near the cervix. I couldn't wait to hear what my doctor had to say. Dr. Badway was so pleased, and told me that he won't plan on delivering until 39 weeks. That's anywhere from February 18 to February 25. As long as nothing else pops up, I'll have a full-term baby. Happy dance. My blood pressure was slightly elevated, 120/70, but no one seems concerned. I plan to have the nurse at work take my BP every few days, just to monitor it. I had preeclampsia once (with Sarah).  I do not want it again, or at least I don't want it to go undiagnosed if I do have it. I rarely think to ask the baby's heart rate at these appointments, but I remembered today. It's right around 130, well within the normal range, but far below where the girls' ever were. I'm calling boy. I...

Two years ago, Sal made the best decision of his life by proposing to me. Then I made the best decision of mine by saying yes. I can't believe it's only been two years. It feels like we've been together forever, in all the right ways.

My poor aunt broke her leg late tonight while taking the dog out. I found the perfect card to cheer her up.

Hello, Third Trimester. My skin is so dry and soooo itchy. I think it's a combination of hot showers, an electric blanket (on the lowest setting, but still), and just normal changes that come with being pregnant. I want to sit in a bath of lotion in the worst way. I had to settle for rubbing myself down with Gold Bond Eczema lotion, which I already had on hand because it helps Sarah's winter skin so well. I'm also trying shorter, cooler showers, and I shut the blanket off after the sheets get warm. So sad. I almost always wake up with heartburn. I find as soon as my stomach is full, the heartburn goes away. Compared to what I had to deal with when I was pregnant with the girls, I can manage this. I've started browsing birth announcements, and we found a photographer to take newborn pictures. I researched dozens of photographers to find someone local that would come to our home, and provides all images electronically for an affordable price. I think we found on...

You look as good today at 44, as you did yesterday at 43. I love you sooooo much! The girls gave him a box of Jelly Bellys that he loves. I bought him the Art of Shaving kit in Sandlewood, that he also loves. I think I surprised him most by giving him a "Rush" clock. It was a little unique, I thought. He had to work, but the girls and I enjoyed his birthday at home.

Only the first of many. We had a low-key day and just hung out at home with Sarah and Emmy. I'm too tired and too uncomfortable to think about doing much else. Sal gave me a paper necklace and earring set. It's fittingly called "Eternity." This isn't the best picture from the website, but here's a description: " The crane is the ultimate symbol of eternal love and good fortune. Particularly influential in Asia, cranes are prevalent in paintings, origami and mythology. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted one wish. This legend, explained in Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, is what originally inspired me to create paper jewelry. Made from Japanese Chiyogami Paper, a traditional paper from the 1600s whose name means "thousand generation paper." It's made from the inner bark of the Kozo plant." He also bought us a gift certificate to the restaurant where we had our...

Soooo, we went another direction with the carpet and upholstery in the baby's room. Last time I posted we were sticking with yellows and grays. I just wasn't sold on it though. The giraffes are more my taste, and for Black Friday it was 75% off. We jumped on it. As you can see, we already received it and put it in the room. The background is more of a rust-orange and it looks perfect in the room. This is a 5 x 7 and fits the bare floor space perfectly. I don't know if the upholstery for the rocking chair we picked really works with it, but it will spend many more years in Sal's man cave than in the nursery. For the year or so that the chair will spend in this room, I think it will work well enough. I plan to put a throw pillow and blanket over the chair to break up this pattern in the room. Both of us really liked this print. We really need to finish up this room. Time is ticking.

It was an exhausting day, fun, but exhausting. We had nine guests and food enough for triple that, but again, it's Thanksgiving. You're supposed to have leftovers. The only pictures I took all day were of KISS performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade because Sal and my brother had to run to the store for a foil pan in which to bake extra stuffing. They sounded great!! :-)

Today was my follow-up ultrasound to check on the location of the placenta, primarily. The technician and the doctor were surprised and pleased to see that the placenta moved. Hey, if anyone can will a placenta to move, it's me. We also prayed hard. The tip of the placenta is still covering my cervix, but there's a good chance it will move completely as I grow over the coming weeks. My next appointment with Dr. Badway is on December 9 so I'm sure this will be a topic of discussion then. The doctor at Weinstein Imaging would like me to have another ultrasound in January, in about 6 weeks, to check the status. The nurse at my doctor's office went over the results of the ultrasound over the phone, and while she said it would be Dr. Badway's call, she thinks I'll deliver closer to my due date rather than in January. Meanwhile, the baby looks great. S/he sort of tucked him or herself in and didn't want to play during the scan, but at one point we did ge...

I think I maybe got 1.5 hours of sleep last night. There is just a lot that's weighing heavy on my mind. For me the worst part of having a bad night, is the next day. All the little things in life that each of us have to deal with day-to-day feel like very big things. It's hard to keep a fresh, positive perspective. I re-live the regrets and ponder the what-ifs, and for what? Like everyone else, I have questions for which there are no answers.

We knew one of my parents' friends was terminally ill, but I got a call today that I didn't want. He passed away this morning. Not even 60 years old; much too young. As a kid I adored his wife. She always seemed young to me, and she was fun. And Greek. Which meant the food and desserts were fantastic. So many wonderful memories. My dad and Craig were especially close. I imagine he will feel this loss for a very long time. There are simply too many memories and thoughts swirling around to say much more than this right now. Update: Here is the obituary. I'm copying and pasting as the link to it will not be available forever. Craig E. Haun 57, of Eustis, FL fell asleep in the Lord on November 24, 2014. He was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Craig was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Orlando. He was formerly the Fire Chief for the City of Eustis, the Senior Director of Fire and Emergency Services for Lake County and recently retired as ...

The living room is painted. Finally. I've only been talking about finishing that project for a couple months now. I also cleaned the cold air return that's hidden behind a couch. Check it out. Gross! And actually, from this angle it doesn't look as bad as it really was. I can assure you, it no longer looks like that. Knowing that we're having guests over on Thanksgiving forced me to get it done. I had one short wall to paint in order to finish the room, and I'm pleased to say it looks good. I need to figure out what to hang on the wall, but for now I'm just happy that's done. I also baked pumpkin rolls. I had grand ideas of baking about four of them, but settled for two. It was a lot harder on my back than I expected. All that standing to bake and to wash dishes. I'm sure the pain will be worth it though on Thanksgiving morning. That's right. I start off the holiday with pumpkin rolls for breakfast. By the way, that's a Pampered Chef c...

This dry sink has been in Sal's family for years. He and his uncle believe it belonged to his great-grandparents. I admit, considering its condition, I was ready to toss it to the curb and tried to get Sal on board with that plan. He would have no parts of it. So, I explained to him that we have a small-ish house we can't just hang onto things just because. I proposed having it restored. I wasn't sure what someone would be able to do with it, but I figured anything would be an improvement. In the back of my mind I was also thinking it might make a nice baby changing table. Sal was hesitant, but I forced the issue and emailed these pictures and requested restoration quotes from several companies. The writing and arrows on the "Before" pictures were my notes to the restoration people because the pictures alone didn't capture all the work that would need done. One person / company stood out, Peck's Furniture Restoration . The price was right, and Crai...

I've been looking for a rug for the baby's room. Knowing how kids are, I didn't want to spend a lot of money so that presented a challenge. Area rugs don't come cheap. However, I found this one on sale, and I love the polka dots to coordinate with the striped walls. I hope the yellows work together, rather than clash. If I don't like it, there are free returns for 30 days, so it was a no-risk purchase. The room is finally coming together. I also heard from the person who repaired and restored our dry sink. It should be delivered this weekend. I can't wait to see it, and get it stocked with goodies. I met with the upholstery lady last night and didn't find any fabric in her store that I liked, but she suggested checking out JoAnn Fabrics and gave me some hints on choosing a fabric. After an hour of browsing, this is what I found. It wasn't my first choice because it's so plain, but the chair won't stay in the baby's room forever so v...

I just found out that I passed the three hour glucose tolerance test that I took at Quest yesterday. I had failed the one hour by ten points earlier in the month, but the nurse said all four of my numbers looked really good and that I am not a gestational diabetic. Hello stuffing and pumpkin rolls! The test gave me a headache, and I slept for about four hours afterward, but all in all it wasn't a bad experience. The Quest on McKnight has a private room with recliners and a television, although I had taken a book to read. At any rate, that's another milestone behind me. So, what's happening at 26 weeks? According to pregnancycorner.com: Symptoms and Body Changes at 26 Weeks By now you’ll be experiencing more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions  which feel like menstrual cramps, and you’ll frequently feel the need to use the restroom and the need to lie down. Many women begin to experience pain under their ribs as the baby kicks and stretches inside the uterus. T...

After a lot of research and debate, I ordered this car seat, the Britax B-Safe. All carseats are built to the same safety standards, but I liked that this one is lightweight. That's a big deal to me with my back/hip issues. This also has a 30lb weight capacity. Some carriers only go up to 22lbs, and both of my children were over 22lbs before their first birthday. I also like that it's easy to install in a variety of vehicles. Some car seats are a real pain in the butt in this department. The Britax B-Safe car seat also gets great reviews from parents, both online and in person. It retails for around $180, but I found it on sale on both Amazon and Target for $121. I also ordered an extra base. Runner-up was the Chicco Keyfit 30. That one also gets very high ratings, but the weight of the car seat itself was the biggest turn-off for me. It was also significantly more expensive.

I've caught my tummy bouncing around on a few occasions, but it's not an easy thing to do at this point. You basically have to stare at it and wait for the baby to move enough or kick hard enough. Well, Sal wasn't at home and I was feeling quite a bit of movement so I decided to see if I could capture it on video. There are little bounces around 8 and 16 seconds, and a pretty good punch or kick right at the very end. Enjoy. We did.

Since Sarah goes to a Catholic School, quite a bit of First Communion prep is done in the classroom, but there are additional classes/meetings throughout the school year as well. Today was her first class. Faith Formation and St. Ursula School second graders and parents met at the church at 9am. The children toured the church with a worksheet and learned about the different areas and items you will find in a Catholic Church. We talked about the baptismal font and associated articles (pascal candle, oils etc), we toured the sacristy and learned about the priests various vestments, we looked around the alter and identified the chalice and paten (among other things). I thought it was well-organized and definitely age-appropriate. One of the Faith Formation teachers also read from one of the gospels, and discussed its significance. When we were finished in the church, after about an hour, we went downstairs to the reception hall and had a light breakfast. Parents brought donuts, frui...

Sarah's on the end in a white shirt; blue flower in her hair. Asking the congregation to join in the responsorial psalm. Singing while classmates took the gifts to the altar.

I fell in love with the City Mini stroller during a 2010 trip to Disney World. It's lightweight, easy to fold, compact, and steers / maneuvers like a dream. I couldn't justify one then because we had a perfectly good stroller already. I'm not settling this time. The stroller comes in a multitude of colors, but I've decided that navy blue is a nice, practical choice. Don't think my heart isn't bleeding for the amethyst purple though. I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet, but I will.

At an amazing 13½ inches long and weighing just over 1½ pounds, your baby is growing rapidly. During week 25, your baby starts to plump up as fat builds up under the skin. If you were to have a 3-D ultrasound, your baby would finally start to look more like a person, and less like a miniature skeleton! At this stage, most patients report feeling a LOT of fetal movement. Do not worry, lots of movement is a good thing, and no, this is not a sign that your baby is going to be hyperactive. (At least, we hope not!) They're not kidding when they say parents feel a lot of movement. This is one busy baby. My plans for this week aren't really baby-related. Sorry kiddo. I've started Christmas shopping, and I'm doing as much of it as I can online. Walking around stores seems to make me feel light-headed and claustrophobic lately, and that may or may not be pregnancy related. I also need to think about holiday baking - pumpkin rolls, Christmas cookies etc. The end of November...

After the Steelers disappointing loss to the 1-8 New York Jets, I got a burst of energy and decided to finish up a small project in the nursery. The poms are hung. They are in the corner above the dresser and near where the changing table will be placed. I also started clearing out the spare room closet to make way for all things baby. This weekend we also bought some more necessary baby supplies. According to my list of things we need are: A travel system and extra base Breast pump One more mattress pad Crib Sheets Baskets (for nursery storage) Washcloths Humidifier Bouncy Seat Blackout Curtains Newborn Clothes I had a coupon code for diapers.com and have heard good things about this site from my friends. I put together a short list of items on Friday, and they arrived on Saturday. Pampers Swaddlers (my fav diapers for newborns) Huggies wipes (my fave wipes) Swaddle Me and a Sleepsack Bottles (compatible with the Medela breast pump) Nursing supplies (gel pads...

Open House was a success. We had eight families attend, which is a decent number for November. Two of them completed the registration process for the 2015-2016 school year. I'm really pleased and proud of St. Ursula's, and I hope other parents see all the great things going on as well.

This morning was my 24 week doctor's appointment. Now, I know other women have had far worse appointments than this, but it was my worst in three pregnancies. Lack of sleep probably isn't helping how I handle disappointing news. I failed the one hour glucose tolerance test. I scheduled the three hour for November 18. I tried to get in this week, but there weren't any early morning appointments. Any plans we had of actually going out of town before this baby is born have gone out the window, unless the ultrasound later this month shows that I have no previa whatsoever. I've been praying hard and willing it to move. My doctor is not hopeful. It's unclear whether or not I'll have another ultrasound prior to delivery. The nurse gave me three possible dates for delivery. January 26, January 29, and February 2. I suppose February 5 is another possibility, but it's after the 37 week point so my doctor might not want to risk it. Because I have older childr...

Most exciting news of the day - Sal got to feel the baby move. We've tried over the last few weeks, but the kicks haven't been strong enough. I was feeling a lot of movement last night, and thought there was a chance. Sure enough! Today begins a brand new week for baby growth, and it's not just any week. This is Week 24. The 1-hour glucose tolerance test. I failed this test by such a small margin with both of my prior pregnancies, that I was bound and determined to pass it this time. I didn't eat carbs or sugar at dinner last night, I fasted, and I went scheduled it for 6:45am. The phlebotomist took me back to Room 2 and asked for my prescription. I handed it to her and she asked me what my husband's profession is. Surprised, I said "teacher." She said, I thought so and named his school. Well, as it turns out her daughter had treated Sal when he went to the hospital for his bruised ankle over the summer. Sal had told me that his nurse was a f...

This evening I met up with my long-time friend, Sara. We try to get together once a month for dinner, just to hang out and catch up. I look forward to it. It was her choice this time and she picked El Campesino. We had a great time. Looking forward to meeting up in December.

October is never a fun month for Sal and I. We basically just do what we have to survive and get through it. He's always really busy with football games, varsity show practices, band shows on the weekends, and other commitments. It truly is crazy. Night after night he gets home about 11pm only to leave at 6am the next morning. Honestly, I don't know how he does it. Thank goodness for texting. For 31 days it's our main method of communication. I'm out of practice being a single mom too, so I definitely miss him in that regard as well. I looked forward to November 1 for so long, and couldn't have been more delighted when we changed the calendar. I was so happy to be able to go back to our old routine. However, he bought me roses and thanked me for supporting him and holding down the fort. They're so beautiful.

Try as I might, I could not talk these two of out of being "Elsa" for Halloween. However, the day of Sarah did express regret at not sticking to her original plan of dressing up as a witch. Anyway, the girls seemed really happy with their costumes and of course they looked adorable. Each of them had a class party at school with games, prizes, and treats. I wasn't able to attend, but from the sounds of things they had a great time. When the call went out, I did offer to supply fruit salad for Emmy's party. After considering my options, I ended up ordering fruit salad from Chik-Fil-A and affixing a Halloween tag to it. I also sent in orange plastic utensils. Sarah's party was apparently all under control, as no one contacted me to send anything. I picked the girls up from school a little earlier than usual and we ran home to eat a quick dinner. Then they changed into their costumes and we made the rounds in the drizzle and chill. After 41 minutes, they decid...

Emmy had a her six year well visit this evening, and what an adventure that was. Her appointment was at 6:15, and we made it to the office with 20 minutes to spare. The girls did a great job entertaining themselves in the waiting room. When we got back to the exam room about 45 minutes later, Sarah went a little stir crazy. Emmy tried to meditate everything away. Emmy passed her hearing test with flying colors, much to my surprise, I have to admit. She weighs 63lbs., and is 50.5" tall. Translation: she is also off the chart for her age in height, and in the 95th percentile on weight. She's a bonafide bean pole, and she always has been. There is some serious height on both of sides of our families, so no one is surprised. The girls seemed significantly better as far as their colds go, so the doctor said it would be fine to go ahead and give them the flu shot. Because they're going to be around babies this winter, and because I like to keep them as healthy as possibl...

How cute is this little cartoon. Considering it's almost Halloween, we did meet on the web, and we have three littles, this is perfect. Baby Update: Your baby is a little more than one pound as the twenty-third week of pregnancy comes and goes, and has reached a length of about 11.4 inches. If you look at an  ultrasound , you may think your little boy or girl resembles a little doll. Your baby is forming pigmentation at this stage, and as the fat develops, the skin remains loose, since skin is produced much more quickly than fat. You may also feel kicks and punches as your baby moves within the uterine walls. This can be a very exciting time. My coworker wanted a measurement on my belly, 45.5 inches. I last measured myself on September 14, so that's just under growth of about one inch per week. Awesome. I probably have about 12 weeks to go, based on what I was told at my last appointment. I've been feeling the baby move for quite some time now, but the kicks and punch...