40.5 Weeks

I tried really hard not to have one of the stereotypical pregnant scenes where you go to the hospital only to be turned back home, but alas, I failed on Saturday. Friday night we had our friends over who had their baby three weeks ago. The wife has been home alone for some time and desperately needed to get out and about, so they brought over pizza and we sat and talked for a few hours. My contractions were coming on pretty good, especially while baby E was crying. The next day we met up with them again, this time so the girls could go shop for a Christmas tree and the boys for guns. A big storm rolled into town in the late afternoon causing the pressure to change. All these things combined starting my contractions going every 7 minutes and pretty strong. T and I went to dinner, our last one alone before we become parents, and the contractions started coming every 5 minutes. We went home, watched a movie, and they continued every 4-5 minutes. I changed positions, walked around, and they still kept coming. At this point they had been coming for about 3 hours, so we decided to call the doctor to see what he said, and he told us to head for the hospital.

I got very excited that maybe the baby would be coming out of own free will, like I had hoped. We called the parents to tell them that we were on our way and we would call if and when we got admitted. The triage nurse was very friendly and got me hooked up to all the monitors so we could see (and hear) the heartbeat and track the contractions. I got to wear the lovely gown that they make you wear at the hospital, which is made to fit people much bigger than me. The baby's heartbeat was still going strong and she was kicking the monitor occasionally just for good measure. When the nurse checked my cervix I had made no progress from my last appointment, which was not a good sign that things were progressing. Then the contractions just started to slow down again back to 6-7 minutes. They monitored us for about two hours total, and then sent us home cause it wasn't time. I was deeply disappointed and super tired at that point. They said I did all the right things by tracking and calling after lots of time, but now I am determined not to go back in unless I am screaming in pain or my water has broken.

My parents arrived last night, so they got to see me pregnant, which was something my mother had really wished for. Our appointment is Tuesday morning to be induced, and despite still having contractions every 7 minutes (for over a day) I am positive she isn't coming out anytime before then. My belly is sure sore already, and I can only imagine how sore it will be after all is said and done. I feel like I have done a million sit ups, which in essence is what I am doing, I just don't get the nice six-pack for all my efforts.

40 Weeks

I didn't think we would get to this point, but here I am, still pregnant and waiting. We went to the doctor yesterday and not much progress has been made (still 2 plus centimeters, fully effaced, and now at -1 station.) The doctor said that maybe with the pressure change and moon waning this weekend I would go, but honestly I have just resigned myself to the fact that she isn't coming out till Tuesday.

This has taught me an important lesson about not creating lofty hopes of idealized situations. Since this pregnancy has been so easy going and textbook, I had hoped for the stereotypical birth story of my water breaking (hopefully while I am at home), T and I going to the hospital after timing contractions, and delivering at her pace. Unless the baby decides to do that over the weekend, my dream birth plan isn't going to happen. Now I am just trying to focus on how I want the induction to go and change my birth plan accordingly.

The doctors said they would try breaking my water first since I was already favorable, and that makes me feel more comfortable about the situation. I really want to avoid taking protocin if at all possible. I am hoping to get a walking epidural so I can still walk around, which I have been doing a lot trying to get the contractions to come stronger. I just want a little pain relief to take the edge off, and if allowed, would like to have control over how much I receive. (They say they can give you the button depending on your situation.) I don't often need pain meds, even after oral surgery, and I already had the kidney stones with nothing stronger than OTC Tylenol. I think mobility for as long as possible will be more comforting and helpful than sitting in bed numbed.

The good news at yesterdays appointment was they said she is almost completely turned with her back facing outward, so she won't be sunny side up! Also, they think she is still hovering right around 7 pounds so she won't be a huge baby, for which I am thankful. (Hopefully no episiotomy will be necessary.) I also lost a pound for the first time in months, which was most assuredly water as I have noticed some improvement in my swelling. I guess it does help that I have been drinking close to 12 glasses of fluids a day.

Here's hoping that the next entry will be a delivery story!

39.5 Weeks

The beginning of this week was very difficult for me emotionally. Monday was my father's birthday, so of course he teased that he would like the baby to arrive that day. Well it appears the stork made a delivery that day, but to my friends who were due ten days later than me. I saw the status update online and I just broke down into tears. It just didn't seem fair to me. It didn't help that I had been reading birthing stories online from my online support group and most of the women described being even less physically ready then I was at the last appointment, and yet they have their babies already.
I am happy for everyone else, but I want it to be my turn already. I have never felt so prepared for something in my whole life, even though I know there are so many things that will happen that I simply can not prepare myself for. I have read every book I have on birthing, breast feeding, and child development from cover to cover. I have cleaned and organized the house several times over. I have everything at work set up so I can ignore it with no guilt for the next few weeks. I have food in the pantry and freezer for when we arrive home. I have my bags packed and ready in the car. I have very little left to do that can distract me further.
It doesn't help that I have been trying all the things they say will cause your labor to progress and nothing seems to stick. I have been going for walks, which are awkward around the neighborhood, so a lot of times I pace around the house and go up and down the stairs instead. I have been cleaning the house making sure to do things that will require me to bend, stretch, stand, etc. I alternate that with afternoons where I don't do anything but keep my feet up. (Because of course all the advice you get contradicts itself.) I am about ready to try eating spicy food and red raspberry tea, but I can assure you I will NOT be trying the caster oil trick. So far all the tricks seem to have done is make me sore. The contractions come and go as they please, getting more painful as the day progresses, but then stopping sometime in the evening.
I know T is just as disappointed as I am that she is not here. He comes home every day from work and tells me that people keep asking him why the baby isn't here yet. I know it isn't easy on him either watching me get grumpier and more physically uncomfortable. He tries to help me as best he can, but there isn't much he can do either. We have pretty much resigned to the fact that she will come next week when we induce. God help us if they have to move that appointment back a day or two.

39 Weeks (and Thanksgiving)

Despite having two Thanksgiving dinners (Thursday and Saturday), I managed to only gain one pound this week. It really surprised me because I ate for two in the way you really are not supposed to, but there was just too much good food to pass up. Our little Thanksgiving was a quiet affair since we did not know if we would be around (or if I would be in the mood) to host our annual orphan dinner. We made a small turkey breast which I had brined the night before and basted with various herbs. For side dishes I made a new sweet potato casserole dish that has a pecan crumble crust and some candied carrots. I managed to make the most delicious gravy out of the turkey drippings, all without a recipe. T made a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pie, which seemed a bit much for just the two of us, but it had to be done.

On Saturday we went to dinner at a friend's house and ate all the typical food items, and some regional items (creamed corn casserole, collard greens, etc.) It was nice to attend and not have to host. I made a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. I, of course, got lots of comments about being ready to pop or that they should put the turkey timer in me. One of the guests tried to convince me to do a belly wrap to create a cast of my belly for the little one to admire later in life. That just sounded miserable to do, and the last thing I really wanted was a plaque of how big my belly was at this point. (Sorry kiddo.)

T and I have been getting the house ready for the holidays and all the guests we are expecting with the arrival of the little one. We put up the Christmas lights outside, the tree and decorations inside, and prepared the various rooms for guest beds. T and I finished wrapping presents (for the most part), and both purchased gifts for the little ones stocking. I prepared some meals for the freezer and purchased enough food to last us a few days when we do arrive back from the hospital. It has helped that I have had fits and spurts of nesting which have allowed me to get stuff organized enough that I won't feel embarrassed to have people over.

At this week's appointment the doctor said I was 2 plus centimeters, 80% effaced (still), and at zero station. She had a tremendously difficult time trying to listen to the heart. The baby decided she didn't want to be poked, so she would move her arm back and forth in front of the Doppler causing this weird noise on the monitor. The doctor also had to push on her from the other side to get her to close enough to monitor. I say if the baby is already aware enough to react to this kind of stuff, she needs to come out. We did schedule an induction for five days after she is due so my parents will definitely get to see her before they leave. I am just hoping it doesn't come to that. The doctor said she didn't think we would get that far, or even to next weeks appointment, but just in case we went ahead and booked it.

I have had continued contractions, but still nothing worth going to the hospital. Sometimes at night I will get them as close as 5 minutes apart, but just when they have gone on long enough that I consider calling the doctor, they start dropping off. The other night it even lasted 4 hours, but nothing was painful enough or progressing enough for me to feel comfortable calling and then they stopped when I went to bed. Sometimes they come during the day and progress as the evening arrives, getting more and more uncomfortable, but again they stop or slow as soon as I go to bed. I even tried to get them to progress by walking all over the house (cause it was too cold and dark outside.) T and I are trying not to get too eager for her to arrive, but that is near impossible at this stage.

38 Weeks

So very close, yet don't know how far left to go. We went to the doctor yesterday for our weekly appointment. I have been having contractions since last Friday, but they aren't consistent. Instead, they progress throughout the day until I am very uncomfortable at night, slowly picking up speed. But then they stop or begin slowing again sometime around 11 at night. Tuesday night I drove home from visiting a retired professor and I seriously thought I might be going into labor that night with how frequent they were. But no such luck. We are making progress though. At the OB they did the exam and said I am now 2cm dilated and 80% effaced. She has also dropped to -1 station. They did a quick ultrasound to check that she was still head down, which luckily she is, so no breech baby for me.
They also said we could discuss induction at the next appointment. Part of me thinks that would be easier than having to wait and see when she gets here, but the other part of me doesn't want to push things too fast. We will ask them to schedule us for the Monday after she is due so that my parents will definetely get to see her when they come to visit. It will be nice to have a firm date to look forward to if nothing else.
The baby sure did not like them pushing, prodding, and whatnot during the exam. We had lunch with some friends after wards, and she did not stop wiggling for several hours. In fact, she has been pretty wiggly since then. We keep telling her that if she is so uncomfortable in there, she can always come out.
I am ready to be done with pregnancy though. I keep gaining weight, and have reached the limit they suggest gaining, but I don't know that it will stop over the next two weeks. I am extremely swollen in my face, hands, feet and ankles. It gets so bad at night, I can barely make a fist and my ankles no longer have bones showing. I know I have done a good job of keeping the weight in control, but I tend to forget that when I look into the mirror and see my chubby face starring back at me. Hopefully after delivery the water weight will quickly disappear and the belly will start to shrink and I can get my mind back into the right mindset. But it has all been worth it.

37 Weeks

The little girl is officially ungrounded today, now that I am at term. We were playing video games last night (involving a zombie apocalypse) and my stomach was moving so much it looked like I had something inhuman in me. So we ungrounded her and told her she could come out of her womb whenever she would like, but she has to play nicely. Both of us are getting more and more eager for her to be here already, especially now that our friends who were a month ahead of us had their baby on Monday (a week and a half late.) It has been nice to go through my first pregnancy with someone so close in age, due date, etc., but now that she has her baby, T and I are jealous that we don't have ours. Won't be too much longer, hopefully. We have our next OB appointment tomorrow, so we will see how much progress has been made, if any. Although I know that none of it (the dilation, effacement, etc) is an actual indicator for due date, especially after our friends had been showing favorable signs for over four weeks and she still had to be induced and labor was 14 hours.

I did have a funny thing happen to me this week. I went to the post office to mail out the Christmas presents to various family members (before it got too late.) There was the normal line you would expect at a post office, so I stood there with my wheely cart full of boxes and several in my hands, belly sticking out for all to see. A woman ahead of me in line was complaining about how long the wait was and how she hates just standing there cause it makes her uncomfortable and tired. Now this woman was in her early thirties max, normal build, and with no visible disability or health issue that would make her incapable of standing for the five minutes it took to get to the front of the line. Regardless, that didn't stop her from whining.

When she finally did get to the front of the line, she was called to one of the counters in the back. She had 78 letters that needed to be mailed, and she wanted the postal employees to stamp them for her. At first I thought that maybe she was thinking they had one of those electronic stamp things many offices have where you can set the price and just whip them on through, but no she wanted to buy paper stamps and have them put them on for her. Of course they wouldn't do that cause that isn't their job, but that didn't stop her from trying to debate the issue for two minutes. The employee made the mistake of saying to her, "We can't do that, and if you had just stamped them yourself, we would be done with this transaction already." Of course that made this woman go into a tailspin and she yelled at the postal employee for a bit about customer service, all while not doing anything to further the transaction.

Finally they get her all settled down, given the stamps, and then when they went to run her card it wouldn't read. The other counters were not having problems, so the employee said that she would have to go to the other counter to use her card. He walked her over to the counter and explained to one of the other postal employees about what needed to be done and walked away, leaving her to wait until that postal employee was done with their transaction and could run her card. Meanwhile the grumpy lady stood way off to the side putting the stamps on her letters, complaining loudly about how long this was taking and how tired and sore she was from it all. When the employee finished, she saw that the lady was putting stamps on her letters and simply said, "Can I help who is next?" That just happened to be me, so I started to waddle forward with my cart and packages, and the lady ran in front of me, bumping into my belly on the way, and starting yelling about how she was next. The postal employee tried to explain that she thought the lady would like to finish stamping her letters first so they could take them from her when the transaction was complete, and that she was trying to be nice to the poor pregnant woman who had been standing patiently in line with all those packages. The lady would have none of it, and just went about her business. While we all waited for her to be done with her transaction, this little old lady behind me in line asked me how far along I was, to which I replied that I was nine months pregnant. To which she said, "About ready to give birth, carrying all those heavy packages, and yet you still have a sweet smile on your face and haven't complained one bit about this line. Just goes to show you how good manners haven't been lost." Everyone smiled at that jab, well everyone but the cranky lady.

The other thing that happened this week, that made me feel less than stellar, was when I went to get lunch at a fast food drive through. The gentleman who was taking my money looked down at me in the car and said, "You must be having twins." Nope, not even close. I remarked that I was just due really soon, but he just shrugged it off. This is the second stupid comment from a male at a drive through I have had this month. The other was when I went to get a milkshake for T when he had the flu and didn't want anything else for dinner. I got a large for T and a small for me, and the man made a comment about the large being for me and it not being very healthy. I guess it serves me right for eating fast food, but honestly I have only had it a handful of times the entire pregnancy, and each time I try to stick with kids meal size proportions to keep the calories down. I do love though that each time it was a male who made a comment, cause no female in their right mind would ever insult a pregnant woman.

UPDATE: At Thursday's appointment I had made progress, 1cm and 75% effacement.

36 Weeks

This week marks my last week before being considered at term. As such, we decided to get some last minute things accomplished so we could be ready for whatever came our way. The first thing we did was get maternity pictures taken. We went to a local chain studio, and honestly they did a good job for a great price. However, we did have to wait 45 minutes before we even got into the studio. We had reservations, but apparently they can't anticipate the amount of time it will take for portraits when it comes to kids and indecisive parents. We also picked a Saturday before the holidays, which meant it was packed of all the people trying to get holiday photos done. But we have our pictures now, and despite being very pregnant and all that entails in the form of weight gain, I think they look very good.

The following Monday, T took the day off so we could go shopping for all the stuff we need babywise from day one. We have lots on our registry that honestly we won't need for a few months (books, high chair, etc), but we did have stuff like baby monitors, changing pad, a pack of diapers that needed to be picked up. We also decided to pick up a few things to put under the tree for the baby, since technically this will be her first Christmas. I had been collecting coupons from Target and other sites for various things, and I managed to cut our final bill almost in half! I love doing that.

The next day we had our first physical exam type of appointment at the OB. I won't get into details, but I was 50% effaced with no dilation. My belly measurements are still matching the weeks, which meant I was 36 cm. Hopefully that will slow down since I don't know how much more stretching my poor belly can take. The skin is so tight it shines in the light now. The OB also confirmed she is head down, thank goodness, so no breach baby for me. (Although she still feels sunny side up.)

It also looks like I got the swine flu vaccine just in the nick of time. T woke up Wednesday morning feeling like death very suddenly, but tried to go to work. Within two hours he was home sick with a lot of the symptoms of the swine flu. I took care of him for two days before he felt well enough to go back to work, but still didn't feel 100% great. I, miraculously, did not get sick at all, which was my biggest concern. I took all the precautions I could by washing my hands all the time, staying out of the same room as much as possible, and drinking lots of Vitamin C, but I did the same thing in Ohio and got sick. So I am 95% sure that T had the swine flu and am thankful that I managed to get that shot finally. I am still going to get T vaccinated, once I am able to find it available.

35 Weeks

I had my last bi-weekly appointments at the OB at the start of the week. Everything looked good, although I am having a ton of swelling which is making it painful to type come evening time. As I was checking out, I mentioned to the receptionist how difficult it has been tracking down the swine flu vaccine. She said they had just received their doses, which they didn't think they were going to get, and I could get the shot right then if I wanted. After all that hassle, it ended up being nothing to get the shot. My arm did hurt more from this shot than the seasonal though, but I didn't end up with any flu like symptoms. Now I just need to find a shot for T.

The day before Halloween, I went shopping for the last of my Christmas gifts (with a few exceptions that I didn't find in stores.) Retail therapy felt good because I had been by myself at home most of the week, which makes me very lonely. I also had a ton of coupons, so was able to get a lot more items than I normally would. The gifts I have bought online are here as well, so I spent the next day wrapping everything to get ready to ship out to family members.

We were invited to a Halloween party on Saturday. Before the party, two of our friends were in town for a wedding and we went around town running errands with them so that we could spend some time with them. They are also expecting and moved to another state a few months back, so this will be the last time we see them in person before we each have kids. The party didn't start until 8, which was great because that is when trick or treating magically stops in our neighborhood. It is a phenomenon that we have seen year after year, but still haven't understood how the kids magically all know to stop at that time. T dressed up as Charlie Brown (wearing a shirt I owned in high school) and two pairs of girls panty hose to make him look bald. I made a pregnasaurus costume out of a large green t-shirt, green and white foam, a foam visor, and some felt. It was amazing looking and I got a lot of comments on it. T and I have already made plans for next year. We are going to do a family costume, and T will be David Bowie's character from the Labryinth, I will be Jennifer Connelly's character, and the baby will be the baby brother. It is going to be awesome.

34 Weeks

Because of last weeks debacle with my supervisor and site manager at work, we ended up having a meeting with the Advisory Board and the graduate students. The meeting was productive, but I came out of it feeling defeated and not an efficient manager. My supervisor, who has never had children, came out of it feeling better about the situation than I did, but thanks to a comment from another board member, started to panic about the project's progress post baby. Our original agreement was that they would treat me as if I was salaried, despite not being salaried in the university pay system because I made a few hundred less than was required. Thanks to the comment, my supervisor wants me to count my hours, and then if there are any left he can switch them to the students to give them more hours. This is a frustration I did not need, but I will deal with the situation after the baby arrives and see if I will be reduced in hours.

I have been calling the poor health department daily, trying to get the H1N1 vaccine shot. Our state stopped testing patients, and so now our numbers of infected look like we have fewer than anybody, so they have been slower to ship the vaccine to the state. Hopefully soon I will get it. In the meantime, I finished cleaning out the professors office that I have been helping with since the spring. I don't plan on coming to campus very often the rest of the year so I can avoid all the germs.

33 Weeks

Saturday, October 17th, I was thrown a baby shower by three of my friends (K, L, and A). We had rented out a local restaurant called Blue Marlin and had them cater. My friends provided the cake, decorations and fun. It was cat themed so each of them had fuzzy cat ear headbands on when I arrived, and a pair waiting for me. The cake was a bright pink cat cake (homemade by A and L) that was chocolate inside and raspberry frosting outside.

The table decorations were rubber duckies used as photo holders with pictures of me, T and the cat. Each table had a healthy supply of Kit Kats and sparkles. It was all very cute.
We ate some food, socialized and then I opened presents. There were no silly baby shower games, which you have to love. We received amazing presents. One of the most memorable was a collection of onesies K had made that had different designs on them that were unique. There was a cat, a rubber ducky, a got maps (with a picture of the part of England we were in), a future Rock Band shredder, and one giving the pronunciation of our last name. Another great gift was a collection of Mother Goose rhymes that the giver H was read/ learned to read with when she was a child.

I refused to read the messages in the cards because I did not want to cry at my own shower. I was so touched though that it was really difficult not to, but somehow I managed. Having all of my family thousands of miles away becomes more apparent when you have moments like these, but then I realize that I have a very large group of friends here that I would consider family, and I feel very blessed and lucky to know them. Needless to say, I made it through the shower and clean up without bursting into tears, but there were misty eyed moments and I did cry on the way home.

The other thing to happen this week was work related. I was supposed to travel down to my research site, but being this far along, my OB and I had some hesitations being somewhere where medical assistance would be more than an hour away. I contacted the site manager to let him know that I could not travel, but neglected to specifically say that it was due to the pregnancy. We had been restricted from travel from the university last spring, and he assumed that this was the same case, and so he fired off an email to my supervisor to complain and hopefully force the university to let us travel again. This made my supervisor jumpy that the site manager was not pleased with the progress made on the project, and the whole thing just blew up in a matter of minutes. I spent about an hour on the phone with both of them getting it all cleared up and getting confirmation that the site manager was in fact pleased with the project so far. I felt so stupid for not being more specific during my email and chalk it all up to the fact that I have been trying to act as if I am not pregnant during this semester because I didn't want it to cause problems such as this.

32 Weeks

I can tell the little one is continuing to grow because my appetite is continuing to grow. I eat every two to three hours now, but usually they are small in portion to keep the heartburn in check. But last night I had my first killer craving that wasn't fruit. At about four in the afternoon I simply had to have sugar cookies. Since my favorite brand is not sold in this state, I had to make my own, but it was worth it. T laughed at my sudden intense need for sugar cookies because so far I have not been a crazy craving pregnant woman.
I had another OB appointment this week, and it was with the same OB as last time. At the previous appointment this OB had left me with a bad taste in my mouth for his bedside manner. He was very rushed and didn't seem to understand the concept of closed doors for patient information. This time I was in the exam room a total of two minutes for my appointment because he was again rushed. I had figured that since he had left immediately after my appointment to deliver last time, that I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Now I am sure this guy just has a terrible bedside manner. So after my appointment I walked to my permanent OB to finish asking the questions that I had and feel like I hadn't wasted the 25 minutes trip downtown.
T and I have both gotten the get-it-done bug this week. I finished organizing the closet in the nursery as best I can while pregnant. I can at least get to my craft materials and still have room for the baby's stuff. T and I spent the other evening in the attic trying to get it organized in there so we have more storage space. We sorted out a lot of stuff to go to Goodwill and to be sold. We still have a lot that needs to be done in there, but already we have a ton more space and can get to things like suitcases without a lot of hassle.
Today we have our first appointment with a prospective pediatrician and next week we will visit another. I came up with a laundry list of questions so hopefully the doctor set aside more than a few minutes to talk to us. I am just glad we are doing this now rather than getting to the hospital and having to try to find one then. Both practices came highly recommended by friends and coworkers, and both are within a two mile drive of our house. I considered using our family practice office, but they always have a full waiting room with just a few toys, and have lost several physicians in the last year. I like my doctor because he is no nonsense, quick and efficient, but I don't get the sense that is what I would want from my pediatrician when my first child gets sick and I don't know what to do or think.

31 Weeks

The countdown is getting closer to zero. Saturday will mark 60 days before the baby is due. I had a moment of panic on Sunday that things were not going to be ready for her arrival so I spent most of the afternoon washing all the fabrics on the stroller, swing, etc from the hand-me-downs we have been given and then sanitizing all other surfaces. I also tried to organize the closet in the nursery which also houses all our extra linens, Christmas tree and my craft stuff. I still have a lot of work to do to actually get it organized, but now I have an idea of what to do to get there.
The baby herself is still moving and grooving. The other day I was sitting at the computer doing some work and I could really feel her moving, so I looked down at my bare stomach and watched as my belly button went up and down like a sub woofer. It was pretty neat looking. She is definetely running out of room since I can feel every movement more these days, but so far she hasn't slowed down or reduced the distance she moves.
My Braxton-Hicks contractions are also getting more frequent, which is a good thing. They don't hurt, but they do make my stomach peak into a horizontal line around my belly button. I am glad they happen though because it helps me to recognize what exactly occurs during a contraction and hopefully that will alleviate any fears when labor starts about what is going on. Cause there will be plenty of other things for me to worry about.
I had another funny thing happen to me this week in regards to being pregnant. I went to campus to drop off some books and had to park in a metered spot since it was before the time I am allowed to park in the faculty lot near my building. So I put in enough money for 30 minutes figuring that even if someone stopped to talk to me I would be fine. Well I got talking to one of the secretaries about my second position in the department and the paperwork not being processed quite yet and so we didn't get done in 30 minutes. I walked to the meter just as the Meter Maid (or whatever you call them now that they are also male, as this one was) finished my ticket. I waddled up and said, "Oh I guess I am just a minute too late." He asked if it was my car, and I confirmed it was and said, "I don't walk so fast these days and I must not have gotten here in time." He looked at my stomach, saw I was pregnant and said, "Oh I see that you probably can't walk all that fast. Don't worry about it. I won't penalize you for that" and tore up the ticket. I thanked him profusely, got in the car, and smiled. This completely made up for the chaos and absence of help from the flat tire of last week.

30 Weeks

We had our second and final birthing class on Monday. The events leading up to the class were exciting. I had gone to campus to do some work and attend some meetings. When I returned to my car in the parking garage I found a completely flat tire. I began changing it myself, but once I got to the part where I needed to get the spare out of the trunk, I found I couldn't do it by myself. About twenty people walked by me and not one of them offered any assistance. I was astounded by the rudeness and the complete lack of sympathy by the students. I called one of my friends who I knew was on campus and he came to help me. After we got the spare on and lowered the car, we discovered that the spare was flat as well. My friend was kind enough to drive me to a tire shop just down the road and sit and wait with me while they replaced the tire. (I had somehow gotten a puncture in the sidewall which is completely unrepairable.) When we finished getting the new tire on, I thanked my friend profusely and then began to travel out of the garage. I noticed my car was wobbly and I knew it had to be the tire. I drove very cautiously and slowly the two blocks back to the tire place to have them torque the lug nuts and discovered that despite my friends best efforts, were a full turn or more from being secure. Had I gone at speed my wheel would have spun off. (A reminder to all men and women that basic car repair knowledge is invaluable!)
After all that debacle, I stayed on campus to grab some dinner and do some work before the birthing class rather than try to attempt to make it home and turn immediately around. My fun day continued when the pasta I picked up for dinner spilled sauce on the passenger seat, which I ended up having to super clean the next day before I picked up a professor to take to the airport.
At birthing class we went over recovery and breast feeding before taking a tour of the hospital wing. It was good to see the rooms before I have to be a patient because I know what to expect now. The birthing rooms are recently remodeled and have ample room along with a whirlpool tub. I sure hope I get to use those tubs, cause they looked so appealing and comfortable. (Even made me want to remodel my bathroom to get one.) After giving birth, they have two recovery rooms, the postpartum and the Nesting Place. My preference is for the Nesting Place, which allows you to keep the baby with you at all times rather than keeping them in the nursery. The postpartum rooms are small, but if they have space they allow you to stay in the birthing rooms instead.
We walked by the nursery and saw all the babies in their various stages of crying and sleeping. The nurses inside were starring at us all like we had pickles on our noses. I find it hard to believe they haven't seen a bunch of pregnant women cooing at babies. T and I joked that maybe they were just worried that we would all deliver at the same time.
On Wednesday I had another OB appointment. My weight gain was back to normal thank goodness. While the OB was trying to get the fetal heart rate, he asked if she is still very active, and then said, "Oh, I just answered my own question. She just kicked my hand." He had a very hard time getting the heart rate off of her because she wouldn't sit still. (Guess I shouldn't have had that apple cider at breakfast, but now know that she will be limited in the amount of sugar we give her.) The books all say that she should be slowing down with movements because she is getting cramped, but I think that has just made her movements more obvious to me. The other night I was sitting in the recliner reading a book and you could watch my stomach move in waves and quick jabs. She gets very active after dinner and doesn't stop until after I fall asleep. (And maybe not even then since T said he put his hand on my stomach the other morning while I was asleep and she was already rocking and rolling.)
Speaking of sleep, I finally got a good night last night. I have been having tremendous heartburn the last couple of days that just wouldn't stop no matter what I did. I can only take two Tums a day thanks to the kidney stone episode, but even taking small glasses of milk, eating small meals, and sleeping in a reclined position didn't help. I was even waking T up with my coughing at night as the heartburn irritated my throat. I asked the OB, and they said to take Pepcid twice a day and chew gum after each meal to help digestion. Well the gum only seemed to make it worse, but I took the Pepcid before bed and had the best nights sleep I had had in weeks. (Even with the bathroom trips every two hours.) It is amazing how much better a good nights sleep can make you feel. Now I feel like I can survive these last ten (or so) weeks.

29 Weeks

We had our first birthing class on Monday. They went over the stages of labor and what their procedure is, just basic stuff really. There were a few moments of squirming of the guys (especially with the episiotomy section) and head shaking from the girls (like when they mentioned we have bigger babies these days.) Most of the information I knew from reading my various pregnancy books, but I did learn a few things about the OB's policies that I did not know about (such as routine episiotomies.)
Next week we meet to discuss breast feeding and after care and then get a tour of the hospital wing, well floor really, where we will deliver. After that I will make my birthing plan and give to my nurse to put in my chart. I know that the plan might not get completely followed, but at least they will know my preferences.
We are very excited for baby to get here and can't believe we have about ten more weeks to wait. It is good we have ten more weeks though cause we do have just a few things we still need to do. We haven't had a baby shower yet, but will in the next few weeks, and then we will know what stuff we need to go buy to complete the nursery. Most of the stuff is there, but we need things like a changing pad, crib sheets, and diaper supplies.
We have another couple who is due a month before us, and they just found out that the husband might not be at the delivery because he just started the police academy and they have specific days they can not leave. We offered to be their backup, so I might get to be a part of a delivery before I have my own child, but we are crossing our fingers for them that the father gets to be there.

28 Weeks

Today I had my glucose test. I had been dreading this test since they sent me home with the little bottle of orange soda last month. I really worried about being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I have a family history of it, plus I had gained double what I normally do in a month. (7.5 pounds this month!) But I ate my breakfast (of eggs instead of cereal like my OB nurse suggested) and chugged my little soda right before I left. It wasn't nearly as bad as I remember the test being when I took it in high school. The drink was sugary, but it tasted just like HiC, so it wasn't gag inducing. I got a 139 on blood sugar, which is just one point from having to take the three hour glucose test. They aren't going to give me the three hour test, but since I gained so much weight with no major changes in diet or exercise, they are going to keep an eye out.
I also got my flu shot today, and will be getting the Swine Flu one when it comes out in a few weeks. I was apprehensive about getting the swine flu one, but the OB assured me that the ingredients were the same as the normal flu, it just has the inactive swine flu instead. She also told me that the risk of being put in the hospital, or worse, are really high with the flu this year for pregnant women, and since I have to occasionally go to campus still, I really needed to protect myself. She also recommended T get both shots, so that when the little girl gets here, the chances are greatly reduced for her being exposed to any flu. We are normally very lucky in not getting colds, but after the one we both had last week, we realized it is a whole new game when it comes to children being around. I am just glad that we live in a day and age where flu shots and modern medicine can prevent or heal such things.

The Cat's Day

This morning I was sitting in the computer room doing work and I heard the cat make some eating noises. I looked over to watch her swallowing some yarn we had played with last night. I tried to get it out of her mouth, but she ran from me, and well a 6th month pregnant woman is no match in speed for a cat. I got to the bedroom to watch her eat the last inch of it with this look of pure defiance. I pried her mouth open trying to see if I could get it out still, but it was long gone.
I called the vet since it was about a foot of yarn that she swallowed and she already tried to hack up a hairball that morning. They told me to bring her in. I got the cat carrier out of the attic, which isn't an easy feat anymore either, only to have her run from me again. I finally cornered her in the bedroom and teased her with her favorite treat until I could grab her.
The vet checked her over and didn't feel any blockages that would indicate that she had done this before and had caused some damage, so he recommended that we make her throw up. In order to do this, they had to give her a sedative which would cause her to vomit, and then give her the counter agent to help bring her out of it. It was successful and only the yarn and some fur came up, so that was a good sign. They said she most likely has swallowed other things in the past such as hair things, but it appears she has passed them successfully. But now we have to watch out for what is available for her and keep it out of reach.
I brought her home still groggy and it was pretty cute to watch as she slowly slumped over time and time again. I was afraid to leave her because she kept throwing up each time she ate (I did take it away from her eventually) and she just seemed so out of it. When T got home she was still really groggy so the two of us took turns watching over her. She finally starting coming out of it about 6 hours after the medicine had been given, so I let her eat slowly and she seems to be keeping it down. She isn't completely awake yet though so I will have to check on her throughout the night, which isn't really a problem for me since I am up every two hours to use the bathroom anyways. (And she usually cuddles to me lately.)
It made me think though about our little one and how worried we would be if something happened to her. My SIL is a nurse at a children's hospital and she told us that sometimes the parents would rather go home and sleep than stay with their sick child. I couldn't even leave my cat to go grocery shopping until I knew T would be home soon, much less leave my poor sick and scared child in a hospital alone.

26 and 27 Weeks

Yeah, I know I am behind. Let's just say I am getting slower as I get bigger. I have my monthly appointment next Wednesday, and on top of the glucose tolerance test, I will verify that I have in fact gained over 10 pounds this month. (Or at least my home scale seems to think that.)I am definitely feeling like a big pregnant woman, not quite as big as a house, but town house would be close.
For Labor Day we went to Ohio to visit family for my last trip out of state before the little girl gets here. It was a short three day trip, but we had a great time. Got to see my nieces, one of which we hadn't seen yet. We went to a few local places of interest like the German Village, Schmidt's, North Market, and Metro Park and spent some good time just talking or relaxing. The only downside was the cold T and I caught from our niece, but we can't fault her for sharing cause she is just too cute not to cuddle with. Can't wait till our little girl gets to play with her cousins.

8th Anniversary

The 28th marked our eighth wedding anniversary, but we celebrated the Saturday before. Lots of people told us to live this one up since it won't ever be the same again, but we decided that we didn't need to go anywhere since we had a trip planned for later on. The festivities started on Thursday when T and I went to the movie theater to watch RiffTrax live. (Think MST3K but without the robots.) The movie was Plan 9 From Outer Space, and despite the few times the satelite feed went out, it was a really enjoyable event. The next day, T took a half day because he hadn't had a day off in months, and we went to a matinee showing of District 9. It was a fantastic film.
The next day we had our anniversary meal. We thought about going to our favorite restaurant since we don't go except for special occasions and we didn't know when we would be able to go next, but instead, T made me a French feast suitable for a member of the aristocracy. First came crepes for breakfast, but these were not simple crepes. They were filled with ham and mushrooms and topped with a cheese sauce. It took him two hour to make them, but they were well worth the effort and time because they were amazing. Then for dinner he made me roasted chicken with potatoes and bacon, a side of green beans with lemon zest, and to end the meal Napoleons. I helped a tiny little bit when there were too many things that needed to be stirred or cut at once, but he did 99% of the work.
I gave T a shaving mirror for the shower and he gave me a watch (so I could time my contractions later on.) We kept the whole event pretty simple, as some people questioned our laid back approach on what is the last anniversary alone, but honestly when it was all over, we were more excited about the next one and the little girl who will be here to celebrate with us.

25 Weeks

I seem to be getting slower and slower at posting these, but at least I manage to keep up before the next week starts. I have been determined during the pregnancy to stay as active as I can and to remain doing as many tasks as I can for as long as I can. Well I think the time has come to learn to let some go. Bending over at the waist to grab something has become really uncomfortable, but not until after I have already done it. I also pulled a back muscle the other day which had me cuddled to the heating pad for a day. I find myself forgetting that I have a huge belly in front of me, and when I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, I often strain some muscle because I get out of bed inappropriately for a pregnant woman. Maybe a change in my perceptions about my size and my abilities will stop me from hurting myself before I really hurt myself.
The other night I went to a Girl's Night Out. It was our eighth wedding anniversary, but we had celebrated the weekend before, and T said I should go since I won't be having too many more of those soon. It was a lot of fun. My friends wanted to feel the baby move, but she decided to be shy (must have gotten that from her father) and only one person was able to feel her kick. I was of course the first one to leave the party because I was super tired. I HAVE to be in bed and asleep by midnight or I fall asleep where ever I am.
I am starting to feel big this week. I wouldn't say I am as big as a house, but some days I feel as big as a condo or a townhouse. I noticed the other day that I have started to get a double chin and that my arms are starting to grow wider. It doesn't help that I have been getting hungrier the last few weeks, the scale went up more than the average a pound a week this time, and I wasn't able to go for my morning walk every day last week. I knew eventually my euphoria over the pregnancy weight would diminish, but I wish it could have at least waited two more weeks so I could be in the last trimester.

24 Weeks

I had my monthly OB appointment on Monday, and everything looks great as always. I am right on track for size of belly and weight gain. If I manage to keep at this rate, I will gain 30 pounds total for the pregnancy, which is just about perfect. I am finding it a little harder to stay within the pound a week gain though because I have finally reached the "I'm hungry" stage. I have been doing a pretty good job of watching what I eat, but I find myself drinking far more sugary drinks than before. But I walk every morning to try to keep it in check, so hopefully I am balancing it all out.
The OB told me that the repetitious hitting sensation I am getting from the baby is probably hiccups. The poor kiddo seems to get them at least once a day, which isn't too surprising since her mother gets them at least once a day too. Speaking of things I get once a day, the heartburn has returned. I get it every evening now and have to take one Tums before I go to bed. I am totally paranoid about getting another kidney stone, so I try to take the minimum to be comfortable. (I sometimes get little aches in my back right where I felt the pain of the kidney stone, and I swear I am going to get another one. The OB wants to send me to the urologist after the baby gets here to check them out.)
School started again, so I saw lots of my friends this week while I met with my assistants. Lots of people commented on my belly. Many could not believe that I was already in my sixth month about to enter the third trimester. Others, who had seen me here and there over the summer, commented on how I finally looked like a pregnant woman. It was all pretty funny and flattering.
I also met another young mother last week and got invited to a play group. She had placed an ad for maternity clothes on Craigslist, so I went to her house (because she was bedridden) and checked them out. I got some really cute clothes, ten pieces to be exact, for $20! But then I spent the next two hours talking to the woman because we had so much in common. (Same undergrad degree, same alma mater, same beliefs in medicine, same age, etc.) Both of our husbands called while we talked to check that we were safe, and we laughed about that. It was great to meet another young mother in the area and get invited to the play group. I can't wait till the little girl is old enough to take to an event.

23 Weeks

I can now see the baby kicking or punching. Not quite the scene from Alien, but entertaining at the least. She is beginning to pack quite a punch too. Luckily she can't reach my ribs, but she does jump up and down on my bladder in the evenings. Between that and the 80 ounces of fluids I drink in a day, I have to go the bathroom every 30 minutes until bedtime. I am only having to get up two times a night now because I cut myself off from fluids at about ten, giving me two hours to get most of it out.
I can't see my feet now when I stand up straight. I didn't expect it to happen this early, but I do have ridiculously small feet, so I guess I should have. It's a good thing I stopped wearing nail polish on my toes months ago, or I would forget to paint them (or have them painted) and that would be bad since we still have a few more months of good sandal weather here. Once colder weather gets here I may have to go get some more closed toe, slip on shoes, because my favorite pair or sneakers are too snug to wear anymore. Maybe my feet will actually get to a normal shoe size. Heck, even a half size bigger would be a step up for me.

22 Weeks

Not much happened this week, which was fine with me. I went swimming with some friends this week, one of which is pregnant and another a mother of a toddler. The toddler was born premature at 26 weeks! That was extremely frightening to hear the story, knowing I was only a few weeks off. Hopefully that won't even be a problem for me.
I had to go shopping this week because my wardrobe is quickly shrinking as my belly is growing. I moved all the non-fitting clothes to another closet and I barely had anything. A kind friend (thanks Megan) gave me some maternity clothes, and I have bought a few pieces here and there, but I only had twenty pieces (most of which were large t-shirts.) I needed some more professional clothes so I went to a consignment shop and got some great deals. I took a picture of my closet space now, it still isn't much, but it makes for an amusing picture.

21 Weeks

This week was pretty miserable honestly. Thursday night my lower back started to hurt on my right side, and by Friday morning I knew the reason why: kidney stones. I had to go to the OB for the second time in a week so they could run some test to make sure I didn't have an infection on top of the stones. (Luckily I did not.) The only things they could recommend were water, Tylenol every 6 hours, water, heating pad, and water. I spent the whole weekend on the couch trying to get some comfort. It wasn't until Tuesday that I felt better, and still sometimes it hurts, but my back hurts all the time anyway now that the belly is getting bigger. Now I am adamant about getting plenty to drink in a day, which means lots more visits to the bathroom day or night. The upside, by the time the baby gets here I will be pretty used to not getting a normal nights sleep.
When I went to the OB they weighed me again and I had gained a pound from Monday (some of which may be from water retention cause I did have some swelling in my hands and face.) It hit me a day or two later that I am almost 140 pounds, which is right where I am supposed to be for weight gain, but it is the heaviest I have ever been in my life. The weird thing was not being concerned about it for the first time in my life. I have always been weight conscious, sometimes unhealthily so, but pregnancy has changed my frame of mind about it. Hopefully I can keep this healthy prospective for the rest of my life.

20 Weeks

I have reached the halfway point (so long as I go the full 40 weeks, which I surely hope I do.) It is amazing to think that I have come so far but have so much more to grow.
We had our ultrasound on Monday, two days earlier than scheduled, due to a minor scare. Everything was fine, but they wanted to check me out just in case. T came with me because I was freaked out, and I am glad he did. Not only was he a great comfort but after they finished they asked if we wanted to get our ultrasound while we were there. My instincts were completely wrong and we are having a girl, but I am very happy. T and my mother are even happier, ecstatic even, since they both really wanted it to be a girl. Everything looked great in the ultrasound. She has all her fingers and toes (even had a glowing hand in one picture), her back shows no sign of spinae bifida, and her lip looked normal. She would not stop moving the whole time, which doesn't surprise me since I feel her several times a day usually. At one point she had her arms over her face so the tech had to jiggle my tummy a bit to get her to move them away. Of course, that made me laugh and then she wouldn't stop moving enough for them to get a good heart scan. She is right on track for her due date although the tech thought she looked a little small at first. So come early December we will have ourselves a little girl who will have her father wrapped around her finger from day one.

19 Weeks and My Birthday

More moving, more grooving, and more growing. That pretty much sums up this week. Went to Harry Potter for my birthday and spent the whole moving feeling the little one move around. I think it was the noise of the theater. Or maybe it could tell how mad I was at the persons two rows back who kept whispering loudly. At least I managed not to have to get up once during the movie.
Before we went to the movie, I opened my presents (which were awesome and nothing baby related) and then we went to dinner with the two couples who were also going to the movie with us. I ate the most amazing crab cake sandwich and fries. I finished everything on my plate it was that good (and I was that hungry.) My favorite present has to the be the Russian Communist Leader nesting dolls I asked for. I have always wanted a set, and I found a really detailed one on eBay but they wanted way too much for it, so I looked on Amazon and found an equally interesting set for much less. They are so detailed that Gorbachev's right eye droops like it does in real life.
It still seems hard to believe that next birthday, the big 30, I will a mother. I know my birthdays will never be the same again, but I am alright with that.

18 Weeks

The little one is moving and grooving more each day. I was helping a professor clean out his office (he retired and needs help packing and sorting) and I had to stop for a minute because of all the moment inside. T still can't feel it on the outside, but with how strong it is getting I can't imagine it will be much longer before he can.
Other than that it has just been slow growing, few aches and pains that come with said growth, and a distaste for chicken. It has been fun to compare my pregnancy with others who are at different stages. Right now I have 4 relatives and 5 friends who are expecting between September and February. I am the next to find out the gender, and so far it has gone girl, boy, girl. I can't wait to find out.
I went maternity clothes shopping with a friend and while we were out we jumped over to the baby department in one store. I saw the cutest sleep snuggly with rubber duckies so it just had to come home. I can't wait to pick out cute clothes.

17 Weeks

I gained those two lost pounds back already, although it is almost surely water weight. I have been diligent about drinking the recommended amounts of water so I haven't had any more dizzy spells. I had a nice sore throat on Monday after I visited campus for a couple of hours and thought I was sick, but after talking to two other friends who also got sore throats for a few hours, it looks like it was a reaction to all the construction dust. Unfortunately, since I am pregnant my sore throat lasted a lot longer than a few hours.
I received the results of my AFP this week and they came back negative which means I am a low risk for the spinae bifida. That doesn't completely rule out the chance of having a kid with a genetic disorder, but I have better odds in Vegas. It was a nice feeling to get that information.
I have been cruising Craigslist day after day scoping out a crib. I found one a few weeks back that was exactly what we wanted for $75 but it has sold by the time I called. This week I lucked out and got the same crib for $60 plus a mattress (still wrapped in plastic.) The owner never got to use it because her baby didn't like being in a crib and they coslept instead. It has some minor dings and scratches from being shoved under their bed and being moved, but nothing we couldn't take care of. The mattress may have to go though because it turns out they smoked and I don't know if the mattress smells or not, or if I can get that smell out with the carpet cleaner. I am going to try just to see, but my guess and preference would be to get a new one. The crib however only slightly smelled and as soon as I disinfected it the smell went away.
The floors in the nursery are about half way done, and with the long weekend we might be able to get them completed. They look amazing and I can't wait till they are finished and we can start arranging the room for the little one. The theme is going to be rubber duckies and a I have a few things to decorate but not a whole lot yet. It gives me an excuse to be crafty again though, which I enjoy.

16 Weeks

I had another appointment this week. I had them draw the AFP test to see how high of a risk I am for spina bifida, which runs on my grandfather's side apparently. I am not worried, but I thought I should find out just in case. I also found out I lost two pounds from the last appointment. The doctor isn't concerned, but I sure was shocked. I thought for sure my bathroom scale was wrong. Trust me, I have been eating and keeping it down 95% of the time. They think it is from dehydration. My blood pressure was lower than last time, thank goodness, so everything is still going great. (And I heard the little heartbeat again.)
The only complaint I have had this week is a slight case of dizziness. Again, I seem to have gotten dehydrated, which is easy to do in this weather. So I have been sucking down so much water I swear my stomach makes a sloshing noise when I walk. Of course this also means that the nightly routine of getting up every few hours to remove said water has returned. Hopefully my body gets used to this amount of water soon and I won't have to get up so often.
Everyone still remarks on how little my stomach is, but it seems so much bigger to me. I can hide it pretty well with clothing still, but when I look in the mirror or when T pulls my clothes tight it is definitely there and getting bigger every day. I am sure it won't be too much longer before I have a cute belly like everyone else I know who is pregnant right now.
But I guess the best thing about this week was that I felt the baby. I have felt little things here and there and not been sure because they were near where my stomach muscles ache from being stretched. This time though I was sure because it was just below my belly button, right where the doctor had taken the heartbeat. This didn't feel like flutters though, which is another reason I was sure. This was more like someone was poking me ever so slightly over and over for a few minutes. T tried desperately to feel it himself, but I told him it was probably too soon for that. I can't wait till he does get to feel it. Now that I know what it feels like I notice it more and more, although most of the time it is more like a fluttering sensation.
I have another appointment on July 22 where we get our next ultrasound and get to see if I am correct about the gender. I can't wait!

15 Weeks

Starting to show a little more each day. I haven't been keeping up with the pound a week I am supposed to be gaining, so I am a little surprised by the growing belly, but encouraged as well. I have been working really hard in the yard lately and around the house and I often forget to eat my snacks between meals. At least that is better than never stopping right?
I am still not sure if I have felt the baby move yet. I feel little things sometimes, but they often come when I sneeze or something else like it. I am sure as the baby gets bigger, and the movements get bigger, I will be sure what they are.
We are still working on the nursery. We have the dresser/changing table refinished thanks to T and his hard work. It looks amazing. We have the nursery floor ready for the wood to be laid down, so in the next few weeks that should slowly get done. I will post before and after pics when all is said and done. I also painted a shelf for the room and it has little rubber duckies on it that I painted as well.
My friend mailed me a care package this week filled with maternity clothes, a baby blanket, little socks, some medical supplies, a diaper bag and a book. It was the sweetest thing. I can't believe how generous my friends are.
Other than that we have nothing to report. I go to another appointment next week and with any luck the one following will be where we find out if I am right about the gender.

14 Weeks

Somethings remain the same such as occasional morning sickness, the need for naps, etc. this week. Somethings are different such as naps being shorter and the inability to complete sentences or thoughts. But everything is still going well. I went to Colorado to see some family. I was fine on the flight out, not so lucky on the flight back, but at least I made it to the home airport and to the bathroom before I tossed my cookies. The airline was really nice about switching my seat too so that I didn't have to beg some poor sleepy soul to let me out every so often to walk around. I also realized that I am very lucky to be feeling as well as I do. My poor aunt, who is 22 weeks along, still has morning sickness and has to take medication occasionally. She is also starting to get swollen ankles and heartburn, which I know will be coming, but at least I feel good now.

13 weeks

Well depending on who you ask, I am either out of my first trimester, or will be out of as of the end of the week. I only threw up once this week and it was because I had gone too long without food. I have noticed I am getting hungry every few hours and I find myself forgetting to snack before my stomach starts growling. I am pretty sure I will be gaining that pound a week they said starts about now. I just hope that is all I gain. I dread getting large because I am not exactly an avid runner or walker and I can't imagine I will somehow pick up the habit when the baby comes.
I did go for a walk this week, but only managed it once so far. I had an early morning dentist appointment today, which took so long due to all pregnancy related issues that when I got home it was already close to 90 degrees and super humid. This weekend I imagine I will be hiking a lot at my family reunion, so I will get some exercise there, and I plan on getting up quite often during the flights. Maybe when I get back I will have such Rocky Mountain high I will keep walking each and every day for the rest of the pregnancy. (I know, I giggled too.)
I bought a few maternity shirts and shorts for the summer this week. I don't want to get too many things, so I just bought two of each. There are some really cute things out there, but there are some really horrible things too. I found one shirt that was multiple reds, yellows and oranges in this weird pattern but looked like something a clown would wear. I am noticing that most of the maternity shirts are simply longer versions of the empire waist baby dolls that so many girls are wearing these days any ways. It has been nice since I own about four of these shirts already, so I just wear these and put a cami under the ones that show the elastic of my pants. Kind of nice to still be fashionable.
And finally, a picture of the baby bump. (I don't post pictures of myself on here, hence the cropping.)

12 Weeks

This is the last week of my first trimester. I can't believe it has been three months already. It feels like I took the pregnancy test last week.

The morning sickness only seems to hit me when I have to get out of bed earlier than usual or in a rush, which could not be avoided when I had an OB appointment downtown on Tuesday. At least I feel better after and the constant nausea is completely gone. I have, however, found out what heartburn feels like for the first time. Of course I don't have any Tums in my house so I am relying on ice cream until tomorrow. I think it came on because I laid down on the couch immediately after eating.

Tuesday was my first appointment with my new OB office. I had to switch because my previous OB/Gyno was in another town and they only deliver at one hospital that was 40 minutes away in absolutely no traffic, up to 1.5 hours if there was traffic. So I switched to an OB who delivers at the hospital I wanted to deliver at, and they came highly recommended. Now that I have been to an appointment with them, I can see why. They have seven physicians that you meet during the course of your care because which ever one is on call is the one who delivers. I met with the head nurse who discussed what my genetic testing options were, what that day's appointment would entail and how the OB suite operated. From now on I am separated from the lowly masses and get to enter through a special entrance exclusively for pregnant women. You never have to wait very long before they have your vitals taken and if they need to take any urine they do it right away so you don't have to sit there holding it. Plus the nurse on that side of the office lives two doors down from me, so I get hugs when she sees me.

Since I had only had an ultrasound at that point this appointment meant a full exam and lab work. The exam was easy and I got to hear the heartbeat again with the doppler. The doctor warned that it might be hard since they can hide, but as soon as he put down the wand you could hear the heartbeat. I don't know that I will ever tire or stop feeling comfort when I hear that noise. The lab tech had to take seven viles of blood and despite it really hurting afterward, I didn't have any bruising whatsoever. I was amazed and believe the woman must really have been a vampire to remove so much without leaving a mark.

We are starting to get stuff ready in the nursery now. T and I bought bamboo flooring for the room and will install it as soon as it gets here. In the meantime, T is going to refinish the dresser that matches the desk he already refinished. We are going to use it as a dresser but also as the changing table. One of our friends wanted desperately to clean out her attic of baby stuff, so she gave us a stroller, a car seat (that fits in the stroller), two bases for the car seat, a bouncer, a play mat, a swing with lights and sounds, a diaper champ, and some clothes. The only big things we have left are the crib and a highchair, because T bought me the rocker and ottoman for my Mother's Day present. I have been making several gift registries looking for all the small stuff for the baby showers but haven't added any clothes until we know the gender.

After this week we are going to start taking pics of the baby bump, so the next installment will have one.

11 weeks

The morning sickness appears to be making a once daily appearance again, but at least the constant nausea is gone. I will be so glad when I no longer have to sit in front of the toilet.
I braved getting on the scale the other day to find out I have only gained 3 pounds so far. Not too shabby. I have started getting bouts occasionally where I am really hungry, but I usually eat healthy foods like apples and string cheese, so hopefully I can keep my weight gain at a good pace. I know it will be far easier to keep it in check then to try to shed more after.
I went to IKEA with a friend the other day to check out what they had for the baby's room. I found a few things I liked, but for the most part it wasn't the right color of wood. I did buy a few duckie pictures they had and some really cheap frames to put them in to decorate the room. (We decided to do a rubber duckie themed room.) I am going to the fabric store tomorrow to see what cross stitch patterns and duckie fabric they have available.
We should be getting a few things next week when one friend takes me to the consignment store where she finds amazing finds and another is giving us a bunch of her old stuff. I don't know where we are going to put this stuff yet, because we still need to put in the wood floors before we move in furniture and goods. We are sweating how little room for storage we have right now and how much worse it is going to get in the next few years. We need to figure out a better way to store things in the attic or the closets. Or maybe we will buy a bigger house.

10 weeks

Today I had to give in and buy maternity pants. I had been stalling on this one just in case I started to gain weight other than around my belly, but so far that has been the only place besides my chin that shows signs of being pregnant. I have been sitting in a slouched position a lot of the time with the jeans unbuttoned, but now I won't have to with the awesome belly band that doesn't dig into my belly. I also needed a new purse, so I went with a rather large one, which is the trend anyways, so that I can use it as a diaper bag as well. It even had little side pouches that could perfectly fit bottles for later on. (And my mother-in-law gave me a little trendy pouch for diapees and wipees this weekend.)
T says I occasionally get cravings were I salivate about certain foods, but I haven't really noticed. I have noticed though that I now like to eat bananas. This is a miracle I tell you. Prior to pregnancy I couldn't stand to chew or smell a banana. They were just so very gross to me. But I had been using them in smoothies for the potassium, and when I was preparing some for the freezer, I ate a bite of one that had broken and proceeded to eat an entire one after that.
Luckily I am also moving away from morning sickness. About a week ago I would be able to delay it till later in the morning, and then it moved to just dry heaves, and for the last three days I haven't even had those. The idea of not hovering over the toilet morning after morning is a glorious one. I still get the occasional bouts of nausea, but I just eat a bite or two of something and it wanes away. Hopefully that will go away soon too.
We haven't even begun to plan or buy anything for the baby. Some friends have offered to sell us a slightly used car seat, which I am sure we will take, and I have had several offers of maternity clothes and stuff but haven't received or had the time to go get them. But we still have more than 6 months, so I think we are alright for now.

Baby On Board

I figured I should start blogging about my experience being pregnant so in the future I can remember how I felt. As of today I am nine weeks pregnant. I have already had my first ultrasound that let me see the baby and hear the heartbeat. I will admit I cried because it was such a special moment and it assuaged all my fears at that point. I started having nausea at about six weeks and morning sickness (in all its toilet hugging glory) started about a week and a half ago. Some days I think I have succeeded in keeping it at bay, but no matter what I get sick at least once a day.
I am very surprised to be showing already, but I guess I shouldn't be since I am not big normally. My jeans are starting to get uncomfortable when I have to sit up for any length of time. I spend most of my days in my yoga pants that are nice and stretchy with a low tummy band. I imagine it won't be too many more weeks before I have to give in and go get a pair of maternity jeans.
Actually it is starting to get uncomfortable to sit straight or forward no matter what I am wearing. I also find it hard to stay crouched for too long. I need to start doing squats so that when I get bigger I can still pick things up off the ground.
From the beginning I found myself fearing all sorts of things that I never dreamed. First, I hate being in the car cause I worry about the crazy people around me. I do everything in my power to not travel during heavy traffic times so lessen the chances of congestion. Second, I worry that I am going to trip over the cat and hurt myself. She has a tendency to get underfoot when I am in the kitchen anyway. I fear that the less balanced I get and the more I can't see my own feet the more likely it will be for the cat to trip me. Third, I am paranoid about certain foods. I have practically memorized the list of don't or cautions and I try not to keep any leftover in the fridge for more than four days just in case.
I am sure my fears will only be replaced or added to by others for the next 18 or more years. Hopefully this blog will allow me to remind myself in the near future and with upcoming pregnancies how I felt and how it will all be alright.

For the Moms out there

The Meanest Mom
This is my favorite blog out there, and I'm not even a mother. And right now she has this amazing contest going on. Check it out.

Week Two Update

I started the great weight loss/fitness challenge last Wednesday and I can say I am doing really well. I lost 4 pounds in the first week due to some minor calories counting errors. Now I am actually eating enough in the day to lose weight and still feel energized, which is good cause I am have spend every day exercising at least 30 minutes. I have been rotating between pilates, cardio, and weight training. On days I stay home I switch between pilates and cardio, and days I go to campus I switch between riding the stationary bike for at least 30 minutes or doing an intensive weight training with my classmate who used to be a personal trainer. Our first session was yesterday, and it lasted two hours because there are three of us that rotate on the machines. Each time I push myself in any of the exercises I get pretty sore, but it is a good sore and I can still function.
Although I don't see the pounds instantly melting away like I magically want them to, I can tell a difference because I actually HAD to wear a belt today. If I can keep up this pace though (the healthy one not the 4 pounds a week) I should easily make my goals by the end of April. I can also reach my toes on the V stretch the first time, so that is getting better too.

One of my goals in life is to visit this place. Look at that amazing starscape.

Weight Loss/Fitness Goals

Remember when you were a freshman in college and you gained the "Freshman 15?" Well in grad school that happens again, each and every semester it feels like. The constant reading and writing leaves little time for exercise for most of us. Plus the food choices on our side of campus are not the greatest unless you want everything with mayo or dressings. (Which I like, but not this much.)
I came up with the idea of having a competition of grad students against the department faculty to try to lose weight or get in shape. Today was the weigh in. I must say that my BMI was higher than I expected. Within the healthy range, but just barely. My measurements were also higher than I thought.
So I have to come up with my goals and I figured if I write them down for my family and friends to see it will add more pressure. By April 27 I want to:
1. Lose 10 pounds or drop two pant sizes which ever comes first.
2. I want to have a tone body, or at least be on my way.
3. I want to be flexible again. I can still touch my toes, but not on the first try. I used to be able to lay my palms on the floor. I want that again.
4. I want to routinely exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes or more. Both cardio and strength will be my focus.
5. I want to be able to run again without needing my inhaler.

I will periodically give updates on my progress.

Bahamas

Santa brought us a cruise to the Bahamas for this weekend. First we drove up to Charlotte and had no problems with our flight to Miami. Our taxi driver was a very talkative fellow who spent the whole time talking about being book smart vs common sense smart. He was from Jamaica or some other island nation, and so sometimes he was difficult to understand, but he was funny.
We got on the cruise ship with no difficulties. They have that process pretty streamlined. (Wish I could say the say for the departure.) As soon as we got on board we headed for the buffets for lunch. The food was pretty good and there was plenty of it. We wandered around the ship for awhile until we had to do the safety drill. Let me just say that if it had been a real emergency, we all would have died. We managed to entertain ourselves though by pretending to be Sumo wrestlers with the lifevests.
We booked the main seating dinner since we are used to eating at about that time. We had two other couples with at the table. One was an older couple from Charlotte, North Carolina and the other was a young couple from Miami. The older couple were very friendly and we had a good time talking to them the entire trip. The younger couple were not as talkative, mainly because the man was very seasick. (I was lucky that my pills from the flight were still working.) Once we had pulled completely out of the dock we noticed the ship was rocking pretty good because the winds were strong. I went to get myself and my fellow seasick dinner buddy some pills at the deck, and the line to get them was all around the lobby.
After dinner we went to grab our coats, because it was that cold, and went on deck. The winds were so strong you had to lean into them to make it to the front of the ship. We headed to bed pretty early but fell asleep to the Dark Knight movie. The next morning we arrived at Coco Cay, the private island of Royal Caribbean cruises. The winds were still very strong and so it was too dangerous for them to take us to shore. We had purchased the all day package to go snorkeling, so we were bummed we couldn't do that, but after watching them try to deliver supplies to the shore and have to come back, we understood.
Instead we spent the entire day in the jacuzzi or on deck. We met a family of twenty-two celebrating the birthday of the grandmother. She had bought tickets for all the members of her family to come along. (Which I think is a fantastic idea and would completely support my in-laws if they decided to do the same.) They were mostly from the NY area and were very funny. One aunt in particular kept saying, "Make you wet, make you sweat, hot tub!" So whenever she saw us the rest of the vacation she kept calling us Mr. and Mrs. Hot Tub.
We went to the fancy dinner that night and the couple from Charlotte was with us. I must say the food was amazing on this cruise. The only thing I didn't like was some empanadas I got from the buffet. Everything else was great and I ate a ton of it. We went to the Captain's reception and then to the comedy show which featured a hypnotist. It was completely unfunny, but what do you expect for free.
We arrived at Nassau in the early evening, which made dinner that much more enjoyable without the rocking. We got up early that morning, ate some breakfast, and headed to the Pirate Museum. It was more along the lines of Disney's pirate ride in the beginning, but they did have some historical facts and exhibits set up. I loved it though despite the cheesiness. We took lots of funny pictures and I got a pirate shirt (not a puffy sleeve one though) and a new rubber pirate ducky.
We went walking around to find a free beach, and found a great one not far from the ship. We went to the Straw market and picked up a few gifts. The whole area from the ship to the market is filled with people trying to sell you something, which is annoying, but they didn't keep pushing so it was bearable. Back on the ship we got some lunch and our suits and headed back to the beach.
The water was amazing, but a tad cold at first. We swam around for about an hour and then decided to try to make it to the barrier rope about 100 feet out. The water was calm and fairly shallow so I wasn't afraid despite not being a strong swimmer. We made it to the rope and I managed to wrap my leg around it to hold me up and give my arms a rest. That was a huge mistake. As we started to swim back to shore my leg felt like it was on fire. (A feeling I was very familiar with after my rash last week.) I swam all the way to shore and got out to check what was going on. The entire back of my leg was starting to turn red and swell with hives. Unfortunately I had to get T out of the water and we headed back to the boat. I was in so much pain I went straight to the medical center. There was no one there, so we had to page someone. When they arrived they could only give me a plastic bag to put ice in (they didn't even have ice) and they wanted to charge me for hydrocortozone. Luckily I had brought my tube with me fearing that I might have a relapse. I took a cold shower, some benadryl, put on the cream, and sat with ice on my legs. I am still not sure if I had a reaction to the seaweed growing on the rope or if there was critters on the rope that got me.
After a while I got tired of being in the cabin so we went on deck to read and watch the ship pull out at sunset. It was much warmer and less windy then it had been other evenings, so it was pleasant to be on deck until dinner. The couple from Miami were celebrating the girl's 21st birthday that evening, so there was singing and a cake along with our dinner.
We went to bed early because we had to wake up early to leave the ship. They had an express depart that only ran from 7-8 and we didn't want to stay until our departure time of 10 because we were going to try to catch an earlier flight. Well the express departure was chaotic due to the massive amount of people trying to do what we were doing. See the cruise tells you that you need to book your flight no earlier than 6 hours after we were scheduled to port just in case of weather delays or customs delays. (Which we had for about an hour while they searched someone's room.) So our flight was for 4pm, but we were at the airport by 9. We got on standby, but the flight was full, so we waited in the airport till our 4pm flight.
On our flight home we were making such good time that when we arrived they didn't have a gate for us yet. We sat on the tarmac for 30 minutes and then pulled forward. Then it turned out that they had too many planes trying to leave and arrive, so we along with about a dozen other planes were lined up just outside of the terminals for another 15 minutes. It looked like a parking lot for planes. We were very happy to get off that flight.
On our way home it started to rain and the weather reports were calling for 1-3 inches of snow in our area. It wasn't that much, but when we woke up this morning there was at least half an inch on the grass and it kept coming (and melting) in big fat flakes all day. It wasn't enough for work to be canceled though for T or for my dentist appointment. (But that ended up being good fortune because the internet went down right before the inauguration and I was able to watch it at the dentists while getting cavities filled.)

That's a relief

Yesterday two things happened that gave me a sense of relief. First, I have been suffering from a horrible allergic reaction to something since last Wednesday. I would get a horrible rash that was hot to the touch and painfully itchy. I went to the doctor on Monday after being kept up two nights in a row and he gave me a course of steroids but he couldn't figure out what was giving me such a widespread but intermittent reaction. The medication made me feel better for the most part, but I would still get reactions on my feet that kept me awake. Yesterday, after a nap I finally made the connection that the new sheets I got for Christmas were the culprit despite having been washed and rinsed several times already. So I switched back to the old ones and had my first full nights sleep without waking up with red itchy feet. I am bummed that the sheets were the culprit cause they were really nice and I threw away the packaging, but I am relieved to finally be feeling better.
The other thing that happened was related to my assistantship. All last semester I was having problems with my partner doing his work and other related issues. We had several meetings with my mentor to try to work it out, but nothing seemed to get through to my partner. Well my partner left for Christmas break with no definitive answer as to when he would be coming back so that we could plan a trip to do some GIS observations before the semester started. And then he missed the deadline for turning in stuff and I never heard back the entire break. Yesterday I got an email from my mentor and my partner's friends wondering if I had heard from him because he hadn't shown up to classes yet and they were concerned. I hadn't heard from him, so one of the friends went to his apartment and found it abandoned. It is a bummer to see him fail and drop out of school and out of the project because it is huge, but it is a relief to finally have a resolution to the problem. I must also admit, and this is horrible, but it is a relief to know that my inclination about him turned out to be true.

Decluttering

School is about to start, but before it does I decided to spend a few days decluttering the house and thoroughly cleaning it as I go along. In just two short days I have already managed quite a few tasks. I love the feeling of getting rid of stuff. I never notice how cluttered things look until I have gotten rid of something. This of course has been a struggle for others in my family, so I am always proud of myself when I can get rid of stuff, and the more the better.

And let the waiting begin

I turned in the rest of my PhD application today. I also made sure that all the elements outside of my responsibility were accounted for as well. I won't hear until sometime around March whether I got in or not. This process would be far less nerve racking if I applied to more programs. See, whereas most people worry about getting into their top school, they are least have a few runners up that they are bound to get into. I, on the other hand, only have one option right now and so everything banks on this application. Lots of people are sure I am going to get in, but I fear with the HUGE amount of applications we received it is anyone's game. So lets just say I am cautiously optimistic.

Unwanted Visitor

The other day I was looking out the window when I saw this in our backyard. This would explain why the bird feeder was still full when we got back home from our trip. I also noticed that one of the dove pairs that practically lives in our backyard is missing his (or her) mate. Being that this hawk, a Cooper's hawk to be exact, loves to eat doves I am fairly certain I know what happened even though there is no feather evidence. I know it is in their nature to be preyed on, but I don't like it when hawks, cats, or other things manage to get a hold of one of the birds for dinner. I guess I feel like I set them up to be eaten since I attract them to my yard with food and water.