Soon...

Soon... We'll be past 35 weeks

Soon... We'll finish the last touches of her nursery

Soon.. I'll be able to nap!

Soon... I will have time off work to enjoy being with Family

Soon... my feet with stop swelling

Soon... my house will be even more of a mess

than it is now

Soon.. We will have one more visit with family and baby shower

Soon.. We will be packing the bag for the hospital

(you read that right, still haven't gotten there)

Soon... We'll be waiting for real contractions to start

Soon.. We will be heading to the hospital..

Soon.. We will be bringing items from the hospital back for kahuna 

Soon.. We'll be delivering our Daughter

Soon.. our family will be a family of 3+ Kahuna

Soon... Austin and I will be parents. 

As uncomfortable as I am, 

As unslept as I keep becoming,

As exhausted I get from still working too much and 

too hard

We are 35 weeks tomorrow. 

in two weeks, the

17th of October we have our last little look

and Baby Elia inside me

for our LAST ULTRASOUND!!!!

It's amazing to think that in March we couldn't believe how long 

this process and journey would be. 

Now, it feels like I'll be a mom tomorrow. 

It's amazing how fast life moves,

and we don't even have born children yet. 

Regardless of anything else, 

I'm so happy to be here right now, 

this pregnant

still have Elia growing and living inside of my body

and blessed to have what we have. 

Here we are... at just shy of 35 weeks..

Of course us with Kahuna.. the ladies of the house

My front view!!

Another side view in Elia's Room!

<3 Cassie

34 weeks.. Can you Believe it?

This is us at 33 weeks, at our first baby shower

in Bettendorf!!!

*WARNING: this is a photo/information loaded baby post*

okay you were warned..

Okay first the diabetes/medical stuff:

I had my 33 week ultrasound last friday, and we were able

to see hair,

an adorable Kimler nose and lips,

a belly practicing breathing,

a little girl punching her Mommy,

and that she is weighing in at

5 lbs 0oz!!!

YAY!!!

We cannot be more thrilled, 

heck, I cannot be more thrilled,

i've been having bad dreams about her being 6 plus lbs at this stage,

and happy to know she is averaging at an even 5!!!

I never thought i'd make it this far, 

have a growing child instead of me

and still be doing so well,

(knocks on all wood in the room)

Not only did she measure up great, 

but my non stress test Monday went great,

and today my 8th non stress test was just perfect!

At my appointment, my lovely OB is happy where she is at

growth wise,

I have more than normal amniotic fluid, which after quizzing him, 

he just said that it basically means you have diabetes,

which is obvious, and won't affect her or her growth or

delivery. 

Speaking of delivery, I have made efforts

to try and stay a little ignorant as to 

every detail of what happens,

like this baby having to come out of me, somehow and

made sure he knows, I pretty much

know nothing. lol. 

He laughed, told me some information, 

we talked about the birth plan, that he said,

to think about, figure out things that are important to me,

and just know that in the moment things change

and what I might have wanted before, 

woman often change in the moment. 

However we are both clear, 

my goal is to have this Type-1 

Momma deliver NATURALLY!!!

meaning, unless all fails, or something bad happens,

I do not want a C-Section. 

(Don't worry, I understand that it's not the end of the world,

and the safe, health and well being of both myself and my child

are the most important, and I will do whatever it takes,

but i'd like to try for one more thing

a diabetic mommy can do. )

We scheduled my next and LAST

ultrasound on Monday October 17th. 

After that, which I will be 36 weeks,

will just be waiting for her

to make her arrival!!!

So her room is getting closer to being finished. 

here are some sneak (messy) peeks!!

the embroidery hoops I painted and put together, along

with her name I made. Those are also hand made rosettes with button centers

Ikea shelves, with "stuff" on them. 

The ceramic pieces I made including the kahuna dog :)

Top shelf which will eventually have breakables and items we don't need

all the time

Diaper Cake from my baby shower, the little bird

is actually her LED nightlight!!! it's rechargeable too!!

I lined her drawers, one orange and white polka dots, one green with white design

and one that you can't really see, white with bright flowers

Top Ikea shelf. My awesome caddy from Zulily.com and kahuna dog. 

Am waiting until her arrival to put photos in the frames!!!

Under her crib, is a rolling drawer that came with the Crib. 

We are using it for blankets, sheets, and covers for items.

This is Kahuna trying to find the squeaker in Elia's giraffe..

at least that is what I think!

While taking photos she then went to the top of the stairs

and threw her ball down for me to throw up to her..

such a little girl

And can't help but take another photo of her trying

for attention while taking more nursery photos!!!

Planet Wise Wet bags we bought for our cloth diapers!

Austin's Daddy not a diaper bag- diaper bag. 

It's Chicco and this inside is ALSO orange.

<3 <3

So that's her room. Just have some items to hang up still,

finish her orange hooks, and her mobile. 

Thanks for hanging around and checking out our 

slow but steady progress on our daughters room!

New world in the 3rd Trimester...

I never fully realized that when people

said the third trimester

was hard, I didn't expect this.

Don't worry, we are still VERY VERY excited

about our little girl, 

and kind of freaking out now that she will seriously be

here in less than 2 months,

YIKES...

But her and I have been busy. 

As in, a growing factory 

and getting everything as ready as we can

for her arrival. 

Let me be clear, 

I am not one of those mom's 

who has everything done at like, 20 weeks or 28 weeks even.

I am at 32, and

we have a crib, bassinet,

shelf and dresser in her room.

That's it. 

lol

Oh yeah, and her name on the wall.

Nothing is finished people. NOTHING. 

For those curious people,
this is the crib we have for her,

Delta Parker 4 in 1 Convertible Crib

in cherry finish from Target!!!

Then her book shelf

Expedit brand storage from Ikea in the brown color

along with these shelfs from Ikea

in white

EKBY HEMMES is the brand, we have two of them

in the 4.5 foot length

then of course you saw me make these:

Which look like this:

well kinda and 

her letters that I decorated:

We also have now her crib skirt and drapes,
which we purchased
from Land of Nod Outlet
and are in this family

We only have the polka dot bedskirt

and the matching polka dot drapes. 

I must have this problem with her whole room to be

theme-less

as i felt a lot of them had too many pink 

and not enough other fun colors, like

orange, brown, green, or aqua. lol

We are in the process of finishing her room by the

current to do projects:

1. Build trendle under her bed that 

came with crib

2. Paint tree on wall

3. Make/Finish/Install bird mobile from tree on wall

4. paint decor/stripes on wall

5. Stencil animals on wall

6. Install/ pick up fan for ceiling

7. Sand and paint small rocking chair

and hooks

Plus stock her nursery with needed items prior to her arrival.

Now on to the medical part:

So two weeks ago, as in 

September 2nd
we had the first of many
fetal monitoring sessions
i.e. Non Stress Tests.

These consist of me sitting in a recliner,
with my feet up of course,
putting two straps around my midsection
both having some kinda of sensor/monitor on it.
(sorry for the lack of real terms)
One it on the top of my uterus,
and one is placed, more like moved
to keep her heartbeat steady.
Then I hold a clicker to push when i feel her kick,
or move.

(I really only punch it when my belly moves, when I can see her body parts,
or a big movement that you can hear on the machine, no little flutters.

I do this, for anywhere to 35-1 hour 30minutes depending on
her.

It records graphs on paper the entire time
and when Dr. J feels I have had
a good baseline of readings with enough movements,
I am clear to go!

Fun huh!!!

Yep!

I do this every Monday and Thursday until she comes.
So from today, I have had 4 of them.

Today particularly, she was super active and made for
the shortest time yet.

only 38minutes!!!

My blood sugars numbers are rising, meaning
I am pumping more and more insulin into me every day.
I used to be able to go 2.75 days on 3mL of insulin,
now, I do set changes every other day,
so like this am, I did a site change,
and by tomorrow night I have to change it again.

Medtronic didn't appreciate my increased amount
needed as she kinda of didn't care
I am over 8 months pregnant and need more insulin
than say, 5 months ago.

So as we stay busy we have a busier week.
I have another non stress test Thursday,
With an appointment to follow,
then meet with the diabetes center to review my
progress/liking/disliking of the Medtronic Minimed Insulin Pump,
meet with Endocrinologist to up my basals,
and have a growth ultrasound on Friday.
Woohoo.

Wanna guess her current weight?
I'll let you know, at 28 weeks she was abotu 2lb 15oz!!

Oh and not that this will help,
I gained one full complete pound from
Thursday the 15th to today, the 19th.
haha..
growing baby.

Until next time
Cassie

Invisible Illness Week

Today is the last day for 

Invisible Illness Week. 

After reading many in the 

DOC (Diabetes Online Community)'s

posts, 

I decided to also fill it out. 

Here I go!:

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007

3. But I had symptoms since: at least 4 weeks prior to diagnosis

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is:learning

how my body reacts to blood sugars, which is never the same, and that 

I can't enjoy as much fruit at one time as possible anymore :( 

(Just know, I CAN eat fruit, and sugar, just not how i enjoyed it before Diabetes)

5. Most people assume: like I mentioned above, when people

assume you can't have or eat that. Or that I can just take a pill, or lose weight, or

work out and no longer have it. NOT TRUE.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: When I wake up too low, not where I want to be, 

or too high. Makes for a MISERABLE day.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: I used to enjoy ER when it was on, 

otherwise, I try to stay away from medical shows, ESPECIALLY when the information

is not correct.

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: "A gadget" means supply closet that I cannot

live with out. Insulin- HELLO?

9. The hardest part about nights are: never really knowing what the night will bring. 

Will it bring, 4 juice boxes, 2 packages of fruit snacks and glucose tabs,

or putting on a temporary basal all night and waking up every hour taking blood sugars

to prevent lows.

10. Each day I take a couple vitamins and Insulin but could easily take multiple pills

later when more complications occur...

11. Regarding alternative treatments: Find one, too bad you'll be looking a long time. 

Type 1 diabetes, does not have alternative treatments. Only one: Insulin.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose:I don't know. It was always somewhat invisible until I got the pump. 

Now I get the most ignorant stares and rude people staring at what i'm doing,

or what I have clipped to my pocket..etc.

13. Regarding working and career:  Diabetes is always on my mind, regardless of 

what I'm doing. I do hate when diabetes interferes when I need to focus on work.

14. People would be surprised to know: That even though I take as great care of myself

as I can, and even if my numbers are all good, Diabetes is so emotionally and mentally 

draining that everything I do, is actually much harder than I make it out to seem.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been:What complications

are in my future, not knowing how carrying a child would be and if

my diabetes will keep me from enjoying life, or hurting my husband or family.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Become a mom. 

I am not yet, but still baking at 32 weeks. Diabetes has made me

push one more week each time. I have to fight for a day, 

instead of think about the months or weeks ahead.

17. The commercials about my illness: Are annoying. Even if there are accurate ones,

you never see them, you get the false information or about how someone or something

"cured" them.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Just having a good time,

without thinking of what I have to do, bring with me, or eat/drink before I do this..

19. It was really hard to have to give up: How uncomplicated my medical 

life was before.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is:I don't know if I have a new one really, right now is growing a baby.

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would:  I don't even know. 

Normal meaning illness free- I would probably fly back to Italy and eat my heart out, and fly

without any baggage.

22. My illness has taught me:I can do what I put my mind to, to understand how hard 

life can be, and having an illness shouldn't stop you from living, you just have to do it differently.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "can she eat that?" "Oh no, she can't have that" or "if it's not sugar free can you have it?"

24. But I love it when people: ASK. ASK. ASK. I don't mind explaining ANYTHING diabetes related, just don't assume I can or can't without asking.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: 

I don't know if it gets me through tough time, but Patience is a virtue, and 

treat others the way you want to be treated. 

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: You can do this, It's hard, frustrating,

and over whelming but I PROMISE it becomes easier. Also, you will find 

your own way of what works and what works with your body.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is:how much

of your time is consumed with diabetes.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Seeing 

as though I am currently pregnant and diabetic, my husband has been such a 

blessing. From helping get supplies, to helping around the house, 

or making sure he gets drinks or sugar when needed

or to prepare for one.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: It is important for me

to share with others who don't have diabetes some more aspects of what 

life is like. How if you can prevent this, DO IT. 

But to show that no matter what diagnosis I may have,

nothing is impossible.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: That you care too about 

what my life is like, and those that have Diabetes or an invisible illness.

Birthday's........

Today is a special day for me. 

Today marks the last of those

"yay, it's my birthday, all about me"

(not that I REALLY think or say that)

but 

after this birthday,

every other birthday will be spent

knowing my family is well,

a family. 

After today, 

(meaning this birthday, not that she is due today)

will be our day. 

Today I am 26 and 

it's the day of my birth. 

Actually, 

I was born already,

on that day, 

Friday the 13th, 1985

at 3:13am. 

I've been thinking lately about

our next thanksgiving,

and CHRISTMAS!!

Ugghh.. Holiday's as crazy as they can be,

as a family. 

With a little girl, and her toys, 

and then bigger toys,

and barbies (oh heaven..)

But I'm happy to say, that I 

was woken up before my alarm today,

something in the 4th hour 

by a very powerful kick

that moved me.

This one, not just my stomach,

like my whole body. 

I think Elia said 

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

hehe:)

So Cheer to you all, for 

praying for us to make it here,

for listening, and caring for us,

for reading our life, 

as sad as my updating skills are,

and for keeping tabs on us

with this new experience of 

growing our daughter. 

(haha sorry that sounds like I'm growing a plant or something!)

Well, 

Happy Birthday to Me,

and 

the fact that I still have this

little girl, kicking and punching away. 

Baby Elia- Kick all day for Mommy!

I enjoy seeing my tummy move, 

and my organs/ribs hurt. 

I'll see  you at your birthday,

the next one in our little family,

(not including Papi, or 

Emma and Landen)

but we'll wait, 

patiently!!!

Happy Birthday, to the last of it's kind!!!

<3C

Little Elia Girl!

On our Anniversary 3-14-2011

At 20 weeks...

I think 28 or 29weeks!

And tonight, I'll post my 31 week 5 day photo..

our birthday photo.. me and our little girl!!!

Things I have learned....Pregnancy!!!

Recently, when more changes keep happening to me,

or when I notice something is getting more 

difficult than it was before

I keep thinking, 

How come no one has told me these things before? 

Am I the only one?

Also, the small things I am learning just about every day things,

it seems either no one speaks about them

because they are small,

and NO BOOKS told me. 

Some are probably only Me- related, but

in case you are currently/trying/want to be/have experienced pregnancy

and want to add, please read this list, and add if you'd like. 

The things No one Told me..

1. What those "flutters" really feel like. 

2. How your feel and ankles can swell EARLY, 

i'm talking like 14 weeks early. 

3. and when you are swelling, it feels like your legs and feet are the casing on 

sausage.

4. Maybe people don't want to freak you out, but 

it is the most uncomfortable

feeling when you try to walk.

5. I call my milk jug feet, because seriously,

you can't walk without discomfort or bending your ankles. Forget it.

6. Standing for long periods of time, the farther you get

is almost like a work out, 

as  you have to keep shifting the weight from leg to leg

and you don't want to be rude, but you just need to sit down.

7. Being out of breath is an understatement. 

8. I'm the kind of woman that can multi-task like no other

and be running around the house, up and down 

floors quickly, carrying who knows what

but I think it was around

9. 24 weeks were I started getting tired bringing the laundry basket, 

that's just 1 single basket people, 

up or down 

1 SINGLE FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

I'm like, man, this is ridiculous. 

10. Now, at 30 weeks, shut the front door, 

it's like I literally chased an animal around my house

up and down the stairs

bending down/getting up

and then ran a mile in this 90 degree weather.

All without water or a breath. 

11. STUPID LUNG CAPACITY.

12. And I have only gained about 13 or so pounds, 

give or take with swelling,

so I cannot IMAGINE gaining like 20-40 

or having multiples. 

13. You woman are SAINTS. 

14. Feeling your breasts grow/stretch  is not comfortable. 

15. Sometimes, out of no where, of course when you're talking to people

or driving, or in church, or at a work meeting, 

you get this 

incredibly sharp slight pain in random spots,

maybe around your areola/nipple (sorry TMI)

and I compare it to my breast reduction when my nerve endings were reconnecting. 

16. NOT ENJOYABLE, oh and that feeling, doesn't really 

stop. 

17. wonder what it will be like when milk comes in. AWSOME.

18. Bending starts with getting stuck half way, 

then progresses to feeling pressure in other places when you try to bend,

to almost not happening,

to ARE YOU KIDDING ME. 

Did I really just drop ANOTHER grape on the 

floor. 

(then you hear your lovely dog, or my kahuna 

SPRINTING to beat you to it and enjoying every lick of it)

19. Now that bending is uncomfortable, trying bending over 

and realizing you need to pee. 

Perfect. 

20. then comes at night time, or during the night, or

in the am when it's time to get up,

and you have that "full" feeling you need to pee, 

then bend to turn over to your other side, 

since you're not supposed to lay/sleep on your back

(and ladies, YES, it can be dangerous, and i've heard some are seriously

uncomfortable doing so, but I feel that is one of the few times

I can actually breath and feel NO pressure. 

21. So flipping over from one side to the other, 

while in the middle lifting your body from the bed to move and then 

having to wrangle your pump and the tubing

to make sure you have them close by one another

EXHAUSTING. 

22. then you realize you're stupid for evening trying to 

flip, now you have to walk down the stairs,

in the dark , bending down half way like you'r back is broken

to make it to the bathroom, 

to just barely make it. 

23. When you pee too, it's not like water works, 

it can be like 2oz but feels like a GALLON. 

24. then you turn your pump light on, 

and carefully walk back up the stairs at full 

stance, when you're dog follows you and you only 

hear her when she is passing you up

and you have to brace yourself against the wall before moving

or you'll fall. 

25. Anyone else notice how painful your one ear gets when you fall

asleep for a period of time, and don't have to pee, yet you

still have to move because your darn ear is sore from laying on it. 

26. And then of course, while you peacefully go back to bed,

and gets kicked up near the diaphragm so you are now

currently out of breathing air, 

and your husband flips over and wakes up not even awake, 

and is like,"what's wrong"

oh nothing, just got the wind kicked out of me., 

Go back to bed. 

27. Then there is when you go to get ready, and that underwear

no longer is comfortable,

but yesterday that type was.

28. or than tank top was long enough

and today

29. that same brand, that you bought at the same time 

in the other color is now not long enough

to cover that blue belly panel from your pants.

30. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE INVENTION OF
PANELS!!!  

31. Also, when you realize your breasts are now

completely not fitting in two of the three 

bras you actually enjoy wearing

and have until this point refused to buy any new or bigger ones

32. and you think to yourself, I'm pregnant, 

am I allowed to "adjust", they must expect it right?

33. Just picture a too small but comfortable bra, with a light up

blue insulin pump/pager size disco ball

in between them. What a sight huh!!

34. Back to the bending- Actually shaving your legs. 

hilarious at this point. 

Sorry hubs- deal with it, or shave them yourself. 

lol. 

35. how about when you are exhausted from going 

up and down those said stairs doing

that said amount of laundry,

you get relief of comfort

sitting down with  your feet up and your head back,

then your freaking insulin pump alerts you

like a punk

"low predicted" 

or

"High predicted"

or 

"meter BG NOW"

or

"Cal Error"

Pump, thank you for making me and my baby safer by insulin 

delivery at the drop of a hat, 

but SHUT UP. 

SERIOUSLY.

 I could throw you. 

36. And for those of you with working

pancreas' or are not pump users, 

those alerts, you must clear/or take a blood sugar.

37. then you realize you are in the chair 

where you're purse is in the other room or over at the other end,

with your meter in it,

then your other one is upstairs

and you realize you are out of strips for the one in your purse

and now have to go see if  the box on the vanity has one more tube.

38. Only to find out you now have to get up, check that one, 

go to the box, then other room to open another box,

and test, to find out  your low, and need to treat 

ASAP because you are in the 

50's with an arrow or double error down. 

38. Oh diabetes. 

39. there are probably a lot more, but I think this is good for now. 

40. Just to leave it on a even note, during writing this, which only took me

eh, maybe 15 or 16 minutes, I have

had to :

take a blood sugar

see what kahuna was barking at,

answer the phone in the other room,

go pee, 

feel at least a good 5 strong kicks from 

Elia baby,

clear two low predicts

and chug two chugs of pineapple orange juice from the fridge. 

Now I am as exhausted as if I got the laundry from downstairs

and brought it up. 

huffing and puffing. 

Oh pregnancy with diabetes, you make EVERYTHING a challenge.

Now to go make lunch. 

Lovely!

Did I scare you? did you experience any of these?

What else did you deal with that maybe I haven't/or forgot?

Hopefully after today,

i'll post about my 30 week 

photo, and fetal echo i had this week

plus baby projects we are doing. 

Thanks for reading!!!

-C and E 

   

Another baby project..

If you are friends with me on Facebook

you commented like CRAZY

on my photo about these:

I read/saw somewhere a cute easy

DIY decor item for a baby's nursery

that could really be used 

anywhere in your home. 

First, while I was at Hobby Lobby

I checked out their fabrics,

most of which were 30% off already!

SCORE!!

I then only needed the looms/hoops

whatever you'd like to call them,

which the small and medium sized ones were

$.79 cents, you got that right, and the big ones

were $1.19. 

This total project cost: $11.54 with the fabrics. 

I mostly got 1/4 yard or a 1/2 yard where needed. 

Then I put them in the loom/hoop's

where they are still right now. I realized after putting them together and 

so many people asking me what I was doing with them,

I started looking for my inspiration..

well until now,I couldn't find it. 

Long and behold, It was from a 

nursery crash from YoungHouseLove.com

found here through babycemter.com
DomesticAdventure.com


or looks like this:

taken from domesticadventure.com

HOW CUTE IS THAT!!!
I too have a Target clock in aqua to put in her room
for the sweet price of
...$3.. you got that right!!

$3!!


She spray painted them black to look more like frames.
I definitely don't like the wood color,
but I don't want black though.
Maybe I can use the wine color spray paint I have,
to add a little something?
Not sure yet, but the project is
3/4 the way finished.

How did you decorate your child's room/ Nursery?
Or
what have you seen that you'd like to put in your child's nursery one day?


All I know is I like putting little things together
to help make her room complete,
and I like doing it as cheap/affordable as possible!!
thanks for sticking around!!

It won't be long though, I'm posting about our
Ultrasound yesterday soon so stay tuned!!
-CK-