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Update: contractions have stopped. They did an internal exam and ultrasound and said my cervix is right on the cusp of what is considered "shortening". Baby is being monitored for now and they're bringing me fluids. They'll have me do a follow up ultrasound in a few days to see if there are any changes.

@Lilbear: no, this is a new one for me! They said my cervix was 2.5 and that anything 2 and under is definitely considered a risk, but 2.5 is still shorter than you'd normally see at 28 weeks. The follow up will be with a better machine so it'll be more accurate, and the results will determine how we proceed. I'm on pelvic rest for now (nothing in my vaginally, no baths/swimming/sex/etc). They can also run a fetal fibronectin test that shows if labor likely to begin within 2 weeks.

@erinbaderin: If she "thinks" that was one, she was waaaay off-base! Sounds like the nurse (or someone) should get real with her: if you are talking through the contractions, you shouldn't be here!

@mrsrain: Yeah, I heard them tell her she was at 1cm. Also the nurse said "Your definition of what pain is is going to change dramatically in the next 24 hours" which frankly made me a little nervous, but...seriously, lady. It's like she watched people give birth on tv and figured that was how it went.

@Lilbear: That is the WORST! I had a bad cold, and then was just starting to feel better when I got another cold that lasted so long I thought it wasn't going away and I just was going to be stuffy until I gave birth, but it seems to have disappeared now. Not nearly as bad as you, though! I hope you feel better soon! My only recommendation for relief (and you probably already know this) would be a Neti pot. I resisted using one for so long because it sounded gross but actually once I gave in and tried it it helped so much.

@Lilbear: @erinbaderin: if you guys use essential oils at all I've been loving a bath with Epsom salt infused with cedarwood, frankincense, thieves, and lavender to help clear things up.

@Navy_Mommy: ADORABLE! Where did you order it from?

@Navy_Mommy: Too cute!!!

@erinbaderin: I have to do that. I have a vacuum bag of newborn and 0-3 month stuff I need to pull out, wash, and sort. And I need to wash my newborn diaper stash (we cloth diaper).

@Navy_Mommy: Yeah, I didn't wash any of it, I just put it in the drawers (I will wash it, I was just trying to get things sorted/organized at this point). I'm also having a real cloth diaper debate with myself. With B, we cloth diapered but we used a service. I loved it and felt really good about how many diapers we didn't throw away that first year, but it was pretty expensive. We quit at a year because his daycare wouldn't do it. So on the one hand, I'd like to cloth diaper the new guy too. On the other hand, since we're now paying for daycare as well I'm not sure I can justify the expense. I do have 12 cloth diapers (a starter pack of applecheeks and a starter pack of BumGenius) that I bought planning to do it myself the first time and then never used. So I could just invest some money and use those (how many more diapers would I need?)...I don't know.

@mrsrain: So glad they have stopped and things seem ok now! I have been having regular BH contractions (not as regular as yours) and my Dr basically said she'll be checking me at each appt now...which I am fine with! So far everything is closed up for me...fingers crossed things stay ok for you!

@Navy_Mommy: Thats great on the home birth...fingers crossed it keeps going as you want! Love that outfit!!!

@erinbaderin: oh man, that poor girl!

@Lilbear: I have been battling a non stop cold since about November 1...it sucks! I have been diffusing breathe into the air at night and love it!

I took all of winter break to try to get things in order...and feel like I failed! I got Kates big girl room done and she has successfully taken a nap in it, with one unsuccessful one yesterday. We'll see how night time goes this week.

I finally have all the "essentials" in the house in case the baby comes early. But I am no where near ready. I have 12 bins - the big 20 gallon ones - full of Kates (and her cousins) clothes she has outgrown. I am keeping 0-6mos upstairs...the rest are headed to the basement.

This month is awful for me at work so I will not get much else done until after the 21st (also my next Dr appt).

I'm trying to not prepare the babies room at all until Kate is transitioned to her big girl room...she goes back and forth right now with her excitement for it. I have a short list of DIY projects (mobile, banner & name for over crib, 3 canvas's) which I will buy materials for at the end of the month and gradually work on.

In Feb we'll bring up the swing and the changing station for the first floor. I'll work on laundry and organizing things - just no where near as prepared as I was with #1 - but I suppose thats normal. Right now my goal is everything pretty much in order by 36 weeks...including diaper & my overnight bag packed and in the crib!

Thanks for the suggestions ladies! I've been neti potting my butt off over here as well as taking the steamiest showers known to man. Now if only I could stop peeing my pants every time I cough or sneeze..... This pregnancy is awesome.

@Mrs D: me too - I'm actually taking it up a notch and wearing thin pads. My DD saw me putting one on in the bathroom last week and asked if that was "mommy's diaper" lol. Yes dear......that sure is mommy's diaper......

@Mrs D: I'm slowly getting stuff done in the big boys' room. We just got some wood crates to mount on the wall to store all their books. I ordered some decorative fish net to make them more piratey. Eventually I'll make some bunting to hang and update the chair so it's more pirate less Dr Seuss lol.

I did finish my craft room though! Hahaha. It was all in boxes and I realized I needed to unpack it to do the projects I had planned for the nursery. So a few weekends ago I spent about 6 hours unpacking and organizing it. But I LOOOOOOOOOOVE it. I've dreamed of having a peg board like that for years, haha. Now I finally have a room for it.

@Lilbear: haha...too cute...they say the darndest things!

@Bubbles: yes and no...she has slept on a cot at daycare since 13 months...but this is her first bed in our house (well outside of daycare). For me thats what was most comforting...just having the "urgent" stuff on hand in case of a surprise arrival!!! Good luck with the move...just make tons of lists to keep your sanity and preggo brain in check!

@Navy_Mommy: I got the Ikea spice racks to mount as book holders in K's big girl room...just need to mount them! Loved the price though...$26 for 4...just needed a little spray paint! I am so in love the the Dr Suess pictures you had posted...so sweet!

I have been dreaming of a peg board too! I will never have a craft room but there is a perfect space in the back room of our basement for a craft nook. A blogger I love to follow (iheartorganizing) did a peg board and painted all the "pegs" and such gold...it was so gorgeous! I will basically paint anything gold though - thats how much I love it!

@Mrs D: It sounds like you were productive to me! haha! And K's big girl room is super cute!

@Mrs D: @Lilbear: Um. I'm having incontinence issues this pregnancy too! It's so weird. It started in the 2nd trimester for me and I've almost gone through a Sam's pack of panty liners. And I still have 7-10 weeks to go! OMG! Eek! Hoping this issue resolves itself post-pregnancy!!! DS has also made the "mommy's diaper" comment. Sigh.

@Navy_Mommy: I'm currently working/building out my office/craft room too! It's been a long process since we only get to work on it one weekend day here and there due to the holidays, DH's work schedule, and friend availability. But I'm loving it, and it's about 90% done right now!! The big blue painter's tape box is where a world map will go. We'll be pinning all the places we've traveled to on it.

@Alivoo01: so fun! We don't do anything that permanent cuz we leave in 3 years. We don't even paint, lol.

Wow, am I jealous of those gorgeous craft rooms! I'm really not crafty (I wish I was!) but I have a sewing machine that my husband is currently nagging me to take off the kitchen table (weird that his junk can be everywhere for weeks and it's no problem but my sewing machine, covered, on a corner of the kitchen table makes him crazy...) - I'd love to have a dedicated space to leave it! I feel like having it out would encourage me to use it more often - right now I've only made a few things (some fleece blankets, car seat ponchos for B and the neighbour, and 3 fitted sheets) and I'd like to branch out.

@Mrs D: The big girl room is so pretty! How old is Kate? How are nights going? We successfully got B to nap in his toddler bed in his room a few weekends in a row (well, "successfully" in that we sat beside the bed and held his hand until he fell asleep) but weren't brave enough to go all-in with the nighttimes.

@Bubbles: I can't believe you're moving so close to your due date! You're brave. My husband keeps sending me links to houses and I keep telling him there's no way we're moving for at least a year.

@Lilbear: Yeah, even when we had the service we used disposables at night, just to make life easier.

@Alivoo01: DH has 7 years till he CAN retire from the navy. I could see him doing at least 10 more years though. Then we can buy a home, lol.

@erinbaderin: night time is an easier transition than naps for us. DS2 is fine in his bed at night (we switched him when we got here in November) but he's still sleeping in a pack n play for naps because he won't stay in the bed.