And here we go!
10 Oct 2011 Comments Off on And here we go!
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Me, pregnancy
Just a quick post to say that my water broke and now we are just waiting for things to get going! Not much to report yet, but I’ll let you all know when he’s here, for sure!
36w3d
36 weeks!
08 Oct 2011 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Me, pregnancy
What’s going on this week:
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She’s shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she’s in a head-down position. But if she isn’t, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an “external cephalic version,” which is a fancy way of saying she’ll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.
My Update:
Due Date: November 4, 2011 – 28 days to go!
Weight Gain: honestly, I haven’t checked in a while. I have my next appt on Tuesday, we’ll know for sure then!
Symptoms: Sciatica. Every day for the last 5 or 6 days. It kind of sucks. And the fatigue has really kicked in…everyday at about 2:30, I just want to crash out.
Cravings/Aversions: Nope.
Sleep: Sleep is starting to make a downward spiral…between waking up 4-5 times a night to pee, and waking up fully every time I need to change position, and Scott having to poke me or wake me up when the snoring gets going a couple times a night, I’m not getting a lot of consecutive hours of sleep. (I don’t think he is either, unfortunately.) Hopefully this is preparing me for the nighttime waking up that is to come…I’m usually such a great sleeper and one of my big fears about new motherhood has been the lack of sleep. I don’t really function very well when I don’t sleep…it makes me cranky and spacey. Maybe my body is anticipating that and is getting adjusted.
I am loving: The little stockpile of meals I’ve been working on for after the baby is here. I made a list of meals and snacks I wanted to have on hand for some quick dinners and breakfasts, and I’ve been working my way through getting them all prepped and into the freezer this week. It makes me happy knowing they are there for us, and that Scott or I will just need to heat up the oven and pop one in for a quick dinner. I made a full batch of blueberry muffins and another one of pumpkin muffins, as well, and I’m trying really hard to forget they are there for now. Those pumpkin muffins are calling my name!
I miss: Being able to do everything I want to when I want to. Taking it easy is harder than I thought it would be. It makes me feel guilty to be sitting on the couch reading or watching tv when Scott gets home from work, even though I know it’s the best thing for me right now, and really, it’s all that I’ve got the energy for by that time of day.
Movement: Good…I’ve been trying to catch a good video of one of the times when he is moving around a lot, but the little stinker seems to know exactly when I start recording and stops moving. Then I stop recording and he starts up again. And so on. Over and over. We’re at an impasse.
Nursery progress: Not much change since last week.
Exercise: Does changing positions in bed at night count? It should.
Looking forward to: Either when the baby changes position or comes out so the sciatica goes away. Only to be replaced by other aches and pains, I’m sure. 🙂
Belly Shot: we totally missed the week 35 picture. So we’ll just have to do without that one, but we took a week 36 yesterday, so as soon as Scott dumps his card, I’ll post it!
It’s so hard to say goodbye…
06 Oct 2011 4 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Home Improvements, Me, pregnancy
Well, the time has come my friends. I had hoped to avoid this, if at all possible, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that the situation was deteriorating, and I needed to take action. So, for 4 days I tried – everything I could think of! Water, soap, olive oil, ice cubes, air conditioning…nothing worked. My engagement ring was stuck and stuck tight. I was having visions of my finger tip turning blue and having to go to the hospital to have them cut it off. What if I gained another 10 pounds before this baby came?! There was no room for that! It was already leaving an indention on my finger.
But yesterday, the stars aligned and something went right, and I noticed while I was in the shower that the ring felt a *bit* looser. So I gave it another try. And I tried and tried and pulled and flexed and rotated, and FINALLY, off it came. Thankfully, my wedding band is a half size larger than my engagement ring, so it still is fine to stay on for the duration. (I hope!)
I’m sad to have to take off my ring, though. It was sort of like my badge of honor that I had been able to keep it on this long – I didn’t want to give it up. But, practicality (and panic) won out.
In other news, it was not one bit hard AT ALL to say goodbye to the heinous bathroom wallpaper that Scott and I have lived with for the last, what, 7 years that we’ve lived in this house?
This picture was taken prior to purchasing the house.
Scott is nesting hardcore and our master bathroom is now his current project to check off the list before the baby comes. All that floral-vomit wallpaper came down and then he had to texture the walls and paint everything, and then new flooring will go down in there, too, along with all new hardware and fixtures, etc. It has meant a very late night every night this week for him, and since I can’t really help out too much or be enclosed in that small area with all the paint fumes, I’ve gotten a ton of reading done in the evenings while he’s been working. (Book tangent: I just finished The Hunger Games Trilogy and it was really quite good. I’m not usually into Young Adolescent reading, but I’d heard such good things about the books, I couldn’t resist. The books were really easy to read, so they didn’t take me long, but the story was very imaginative (albeit mostly depressing and a horrifying look at government gone wrong) and the characters were ones that you feel like you’re really friends with by the time you are done. We had a connection. Anyhow – I recommend the books. Read ’em.)
And really, the sitting down and just reading has probably been the best thing for me, since I’ve had some sciatica really kick in the last several days and last night was the worst so far. I don’t notice it when I am sitting down, but as soon as I stand up or take some steps, yep – there is is. Only on my right side, thankfully, but still, it isn’t pleasant, and so I was fine last night to mostly sit in a comfy chair and not move for most of the evening.
Hopefully something shifts soon and the pain goes away, but I’m mostly preparing myself for just dealing with it until the baby is out, which from all the books I’ve read, is the only surefire way to make it stop hurting. And since today the countdown has reached 29 days to go, I don’t have too much longer to wait! (Yeah, I know he can, and likely will be, late, but don’t you burst my bubble!)
29 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
35w6d
Picture Round-Up
05 Oct 2011 4 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, baby shower, Family Fun, Me, pregnancy
It really feels like everyone was just here a minute ago, but really – it’s already been a week since the last of the family left after the Great Baby Shower Weekend. It was a great visit, and while chaotic at times, it makes me even more aware of how fantastic my family is, and how truly excited and happy everyone is about this baby. The family time was fun, the baby shower was great and my feet only barely swelled up one time during it all!
My mom is a picture taking machine, which comes in really handy for a time like this – even though we all grumble while she’s snapping shots, I’m always glad we have them later on.
Lisa and Ada got into town first (Lisa and I may have both cried when we saw each other at the airport. We’re calling it pregnancy hormones for me and postpartum hormones for her. Ada, the BABY, was the only one who managed to hold it together emotionally). Mom and Dad arrived a couple hours later. Ada wowed everyone with her ability to sit up totally unassisted at only 4.5 months! And she’s been doing it for weeks now. But she still needed the pillow fortress for the occasional topple-over, which was, really, so hilarious every time it happened.
Reading with Gram. Look at those rubber-band wrists!
This trip was extra special since Dad came – it was a good opportunity to see all three girls, one son-in-law, 3 granddaughters and one great-grandson all at one time, so he couldn’t pass it up. He was a hit!
On Saturday morning Ali, Grace, Meredith and Tripp arrived and we had some good visiting time around the house. With Tripp being quite mobile this visit, it was a good chance to get a baby’s-eye-view of what things drew his attention that Scott and I will eventually need to relocate out of reach once our little one reaches the investigating stage. It was sort of like a baby-proofing home inspector!
Tripp and Ada's first meeting
The Oklahoma bunch
Later that afternoon though, I had a friend’s baby shower to go to for a bit, and it actually worked out perfectly, since my mom and sisters and nieces wanted to do a little shopping without me present, so we left Dad in Scott and ESPN’s capable hands, and the girls headed out to spend money and I headed out to drink punch and watch someone else open tons of baby presents.
At this time, I would like to state for the record, that apparently I excel at baby shower games. Maybe it’s my one true calling in life. (If that’s the case, though, I need to find a lot more friends that are having babies and baby showers, because a true talent is a terrible thing to waste.) Anyhow, I won the game at the Saturday shower (and at my own shower the next day!), and if I can manage at some point to get a copy of the story I wrote that won the game, I will post it here for you all to enjoy. The game was a take on the old standby of writing down some advice tidbits for the new parents-to-be, and you had to use as many candy bar/candy names in your advice as you could. They provided the list of candy names to choose from, and I think I used about 23 or 25…something like that. Enough to make me the winner – and enough to prompt them to tell me to read my advice out loud in front of the whole shower, which made me start to sweat and made my throat close up a little bit, so that I had to keep swallowing in order to finish, and I KNOW without even looking, that my cheeks were probably bright pink by the time I was done. I’m such a dork. Not a fan of speaking in front of groups, that’s for sure.
After the shower on Saturday - am I indicating how wide I am? I don't know.
A friend of mine that was supposed to come to the shower on Sunday ended up not being able to make it due to a really bad sickness, and sadly that also meant no baby shower cake, since she had offered to bring it. I was sad to not have her there, and I know she was so upset to miss the shower and to not be able to give me the cake, but thankfully I have a professional baker for a sister and she took control of the situation on Saturday and whipped up the cutest baby shower cake in no time at all! Both Scott and I just stared at her icing job and couldn’t believe that she got it so smooth so quickly – we’re used to my cakes, where I ice and ice forever and it NEVER comes out like that. We were impressed, to say the least.
The finished product - Welcome Baby Boy!
Not my most flattering angle, but it was a mid-cake decorating sisters moment. You can see the piping bag in Lisa's hands!
On Sunday it was baby shower time!! Scott’s parents drove up and we left Jim and Dad and Scott at home and all the girls (and Tripp) headed out to the shower. I can’t say thank you enough to Kristi and Elizabeth for hosting and to Martha for welcoming us all into her home. It was a great shower and we had a blast!
(Sorry – a lot of the shower pics are blurry, but they are the only one we’ve got!)
My lovely hostesses!
Ali, (Ada), Mom, Me, Lilly, and Elizabeth.
Look at all that loot! Thanks everyone!
There was lime sherbet punch (YUM) and I do believe that Kristi said that every single food item they served was vegan, expect for one, which was so great – Lisa was so excited! We ate and had cake and opened presents, and played a word scramble game (winner winner chicken dinner!) and just sat around and chatted. A good time was most definitely had.
On Monday, Mom and Dad and the Oklahoma crew all left to go home – but Lisa and Ada and I had one more day to pal around. We took advantage of the time and finally managed to satisfy the sno-cone shaped emptiness in our tummies (Tiger’s Blood for Lisa and Lemon-Lime for me, in case you were curious) and checked out a thrift store in town and took a nice long, leisurely stroll through the BabyEarth retail store.
On Tuesday afternoon, the house felt SO empty! But Scott and I both know that now it’s only a matter of weeks until the house never feels empty again, so we will enjoy it while we’ve got it!
35w5d
The *almost done* nursery reveal!
03 Oct 2011 3 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Gearing Up!, Home Improvements, pregnancy
Last night we hit a milestone! I think I had my very first false labor contractions. Since I am still currently pregnant at this moment, I feel pretty confident saying it was false labor. Everything started right after we had eaten dinner last night and I started to feel really nauseous and yucky. I was sitting on the couch and I tried changing positions and moving around, but I just felt so gross. I thought at first that it was dinner not just sitting well, but the baby was being very active and it didn’t feel like normal nausea. I don’t know how to explain it other than that. Eventually I just sat cross-legged on the couch and closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, and it lasted about 10 more minutes and then sort of started to abate. So we went upstairs to watch a movie and while I still wasn’t feeling great, the nausea definitely wasn’t as bad. Until I noticed that I was having some cramping going on that was lasting about 45 seconds-1 minute and then subsiding, and I would feel fine and then in another minute it would kick in again. It took about an hour or so of this on and off until my brain actually kicked in that something was going on and was aware that it was something unusual. I went to the bathroom and started drinking some water and after about another 20 minutes or so, it stopped altogether. The cramping was not very painful and I was fine watching the movie, but I was surprised at how active the baby was being during all of it. I wasn’t expecting to feel all of that movement, but I guess if he was being squeezed in there, it makes sense. Today I feel totally back to normal, and Lisa suggested I call and tell my midwives that it happened, just so they are aware, but other than that, I guess it is par for the course at this point. (It did freak both Scott and I out for a bit there, though. Especially that part when I told Scott to pause the movie and I just blurted out “I think I’m having contractions. But I’m not sure.”)
OK – on to the nursery! So, like I mentioned already, we still have more stuff that we (I) want to do to the baby’s room (rug, side table by the glider, bookshelf, closet organizers shelf-thingy, more wall decor, etc), but here are the basics as it was last week!
Crib! Glider! Ottoman! Really cute little stuffed bluebird.
You can see in the slightly open closet door that there is one more grey tissue-poof hanging in there – I think I want to hang it on the other side of the crib – in that little space between the crib and closet.
Another view so you can see my poofs all hung up. And my Ikea curtains!
Also, I made that blanket that’s draped on the glider – but don’t look too closely, as it is really poorly done. I don’t mind though, and the baby won’t know, so we’re all good.
Dresser/changing area
You can see my little bird picture on the wall in this shot, too. The picture, that along with the Ikea lamp, sort of started the whole room ‘theme’.
Up close!
Lamp shelf with pig variety
Taa-daa! Scott really cranked this one out. Luckily the wall color was already in place – I just had to do some touch ups, and paint the baseboards, but other than that, it was all him, including all furniture assembly. As usual, his work is top notch, and I couldn’t be happier!
35w3d
35 weeks!
30 Sep 2011 3 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Me, pregnancy
What’s going on this week:
Your baby doesn’t have much room to maneuver now that he’s over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it’s so snug in your womb, he isn’t likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
My Update:
Due Date: November 4, 2011 – today is the magical ’35 weeks along / 35 days to go’ mark.
Weight Gain: +22 lbs from pre-preg weight.
Symptoms: Same as last week! And I’m noticing that my feet are tending to swell up just a* bit* by the end of the day.
Cravings/Aversions: Nothing but the ice chewing.
Sleep: Waking up a lot to pee and change positions. This belly is heavy!
I am loving: Washing all the tiny baby blankets and clothes!
I miss: Not having to rock back and forth to gain momentum before launching myself off the couch/bed/chair, etc….
Movement: Still the same – he’s a mover and a shaker.
Nursery progress: I’ve been adding little touches here and there. And I still want to add a side table next to the glider, and a small bookshelf, and some pictures on the walls. All in good time! I’ve also started packing the baby’s bag for taking to the birth center when delivery time arrives. So far in it, he’s got a hat, socks, 2 blankets, some mittens, a newborn outfit and a 0-3 mos outfit, his baby book (for foot prints). The birth center will have some stuff we can use – a throw away hat for when he is all gunky and some diapers, but mostly, he doesn’t need that much stuff! Now I just need to work on packing up MY bag.
Exercise: Blah.
Looking forward to: Seeing Scott’s face when this baby is born. I have imagined how he will react, but I guess no imagining will be like the real thing!
Belly Shot: (later)
34 weeks!
28 Sep 2011 Comments Off on 34 weeks!
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Me, pregnancy
What’s going on this week:
Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she’s born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you’ve been nervous about preterm labor, you’ll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.
My Update:
Due Date: November 4, 2011 – (since I’m late updating this week, as of today, I’m actually 34w5d, so only 37 days to go!)
Weight Gain: +22 lbs from pre-preg weight.
Symptoms: Stretch marks. Snoring. Fatigue. Achey hips and back. Pregnancy is glamorous!
Cravings/Aversions: No change. Although I did have my very first bout of pregnancy heartburn the other night in the middle of the night. No fun.
Sleep: OK. The snoring is tough on Scott, and I’m having to get up about 3 or 4 times a night to pee, and sitting up in bed is kind of painful, so I have to sit on the edge for a minute before actually standing up, but I still fall asleep really easily, so overall, I can’t complain.
I am loving: That the nursery is pretty much DONE! Except for some small decorative details, all the major components are completed. WHEW!!
I miss: Family. It was a crazy, hectic weekend with lots of visitors, and while I’m glad to get back to a normal routine, I miss everyone, too. Lisa, Ada, Mom, Dad, Ali, Grace, Meredith and Tripp all came to town for the baby shower and Karen and Jim drove up for the day. I am so lucky to have such great family.
Movement: Good – I think that one night this weekend, he flipped – I noticed I could feel hiccups high on my right side, but by the next day, I felt them way down low again, so maybe he just needed a quick change of scenery? At my midwife appt yesterday, she did a lot of feeling around (it was painful, in case you were wondering – so much so that she made my uterus contract a couple of times, which, thankfully didn’t hurt) and was pretty positive he was head down again, so that was good.
Nursery progress: See above = DONE! There will be a separate post soon with pictures and details.
Exercise: Nothing specific to speak of. This weekend was very active, though, so now I’m recuperating and trying to take it easy.
Looking forward to: Ummm….with all the visiting and showers over, I’m kind of at a loss for something to look forward to. Maybe having this baby? 😉
Belly Shot:
33 weeks!
16 Sep 2011 4 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Me, pregnancy
What’s going on this week:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He’s rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren’t fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don’t entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
My Update:
Due Date: November 4, 2011 – 49 days to go! (Whoa. That’s not a lot of time.)
Weight Gain: +21 lbs from pre-preg weight.
Symptoms: I don’t think it is necessarily a pregnancy symptom, but I’ve been sick this week – some kind of cold or something. I’m finally feeling better -thankfully it was mostly short-lived. But it does seem to explain the sudden increase in snoring that I mentioned last week. One night this week, Scott actually had to go sleep in the guest room to get away. Sorry dude. I think it’s been better the last couple of nights, though!
Cravings/Aversions: Nothing in particular – this has been a boring heading, really. I still like pretty much everything I normally liked.
Sleep: Well, now that I am not quite as congested, a bit better. Monday and Tuesday night were rough, but we’re on the upswing now!
I am loving: How awesome Scott has been through this whole pregnancy. I have not wanted for anything, (I mean, you know, since I just SUFFER through life, usually.) and he’s been very attentive and involved. Caving to my whims and pretty much just pampering me and the baby.
I miss: Alright – I’ll admit it. Red wine. I’d really like some. Totally looking forward to having a guilt-free glass (or 2) once this baby arrives. (And, (see above re: pampering) Scott managed to score a bottle of the amazing red wine that we had at our wedding dinner that we all loved (especially Shane!) and that I managed to spill a glass of on the white tablecloth. We’re going to crack that sucker open post-delivery as a treat. I’ve been anticipating it for months.
Movement: Still really impressive – I feel like he is actually moving more lately! I thought he would start kind of slowing down and chilling out as he got more cramped in there, but he’s stayed really active. He always seems to know when I am reading (since I rest my Kindle on my belly) and he always starts giving good thumps right where it is pressing into his space. This behavior does not bode well for him letting me have some reading down-time after he’s out of the belly.
Nursery progress: OK…we have some progress! The old carpet is all gone, Scott drilled about a kazillion screws into the existing plywood floorboards and there is not one single squeaking spot left in that room. He’s leveled out the unevenness of the plywood, and the next step is laying down the new flooring boards.
Exercise: Eh…being sick kind of trumped exercising this week. Not being able to breathe very well, due to nasal congestion combined with baby pushing on my lungs was just not a combination I wanted to mess with.
Looking forward to: Only one week until the baby shower and all the family visiting! I’ll get to snuggle some babies and have some good visiting time.
Belly Shot:
No face this week, since it's very tired looking, and also read and splotchy from so much nose-blowing.
Check-up Check-In
13 Sep 2011 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Home Improvements, Me, pregnancy
I had my 32 week appt today and all was well. It was a very uneventful visit, so that’s good – everything looked fine and my BP was a little high again, but since I seem to show a pattern of one visit high, the next visit normal, they aren’t concerned. I don’t have any swelling or headaches, and no protein in my urine, so no other signs that there is any problem. I got praised for my excellent weight gain, and told that I am very healthy! I love passing tests. Sandra, the midwife, was able to feel that the baby was still head down, and she was able to pick up a butt, a head and an arm during her poking around. And while she was checking his heart rate, he gave a couple of good kicks that made the doppler unit bounce, and she was able to tell that when he kicked his heart rate went up, which is exactly what you want to happen. It indicates he’s got good oxygen flow. I go back in 2 weeks for the next visit…
Other than that, not a lot to report on, so this is just a quick update post.
(Although I did manage to get the new baseboards and the clothing rod for the closet painted this weekend (outside, with very good ventilation), and Scott tore off all the old baseboards and pulled up the tack strip, so now he just needs to secure the existing plywood boards down tighter to eliminate the squeaking, and we’re on to new floor installation!)
32w4d
We have lost our minds.
11 Sep 2011 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: 3rd trimester, Home Improvements, pregnancy
So, with only 8 weeks to go, you would think that we were about ready to clear out the last of the miscellaneous stuff from the baby’s room, and start putting together the crib and folding clothes, and hanging pictures on the wall, etc. However, on Scott’s birthday yesterday, clearly dementia began to set in for both of us, and instead, this is what we decided to do:
We thought it was a great time to put in a new floor! And really, it needed to be done – the floorboards underneath the existing (gross) carpet were really squeaky, and it was bothering both of us. And since the whole room is getting a decoration overhaul, it makes sense to go ahead and replace the floor and the baseboards and give it a complete fresh start all at the same time. Thankfully this is not Scott’s first flooring replacement rodeo, so at least we know what we are in for.
We are sticking with the laminate flooring that we have used throughout the downstairs, since it it easy to install, and doesn’t dent or scratch. Easy to clean, too! Which will be handy in a little boy’s room, when you consider the likely “pee” (or other bodily fluid ) events that are going to happen, and later on, the throwing and dropping of toys, etc. We chose a relatively neutral color so that it will (hopefully) blend with any future wall and furniture colors. For the time being though, we’ll just put down an area rug that coordinates with the room colors, for a nice soft spot to play or hang out.
We’ll Scott’ll have this flooring project done in no time, and together we’ll have all the details completed by the time everyone is in town for the shower on the 25th, so you can rest assured that you will get to see a cute, finished nursery if you will be here in person. But, if not, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to post lots of pictures!
And just a quick snippet to say Happy Birthday to the best husband ever. This will likely be our most eventful year so far, but I am sure it will also be our best. I’m so happy to be bringing this baby into the world with you. I love you!
32w2d
