Well, here we are again. I am 35 weeks and 4 days into this treck. As I write this, I can feel Mia hiccupping inside me.....she's always doing something to remind me that she's there. I think that may be what I love most about her right now. Some of her indicators are more subtle than others, maybe a bout of hiccups or a roll across the tummy just to say 'hi'....others, not so much. Those pokes and stretches done with seemingly so much intention are slightly less "comfortable" but no less loved.
So much went on this past weekend that I'm not even sure where to begin. That's a lie, why would I start anywhere but the beginning of the weekend. Ok, here goes.....
Friday morning I had my 35 wk doctors appointment. It was your pretty standard appointment, pee in a cup, step on the scale, blood pressure then chat with doc. When the doctor came in, she listened to Mia's heart beat (150) and measured me (36cm). Everything was within normal. She said she wanted to start seeing me weekly now (also pretty standard) because my blood pressure was a little high this time. I was relieved because one of my best friends is getting married in Houston next weekend and I wanted to get checked out one last time before I commited fully to making the trip. Now is the point where sh*t started getting real......we're talking about delivery now. She was letting me know when I should call when I start having contractions, what to do when my water breaks.......holy crap, I think I'm having a baby, folks! Before she left, I had to ask her one more question, I think its something every mom wants to know - so I asked, "how big is she now?". So, she came over and started picking up my stomach as though it was detached from my body then calmly stepped away and said "oh, about 7 lbs." WHAT???? I'm not sure if she was doing the math, but if this kid is 7lbs now, we're looking at possibly close to a 10 lb-er when she's born. Yikes! I know that all she can give me is an educated guess at this point in time and the only REAL way to know how much the little anvil inside me weighs is to do a sonogram, but I have to admit, I was sweating a little (and by that, I mean, a little more than I do on a regular basis). She told me that if at my appointment this week I am starting to dialate or efface at all, I would most likely not make it to October 15th.....I can't decide how I feel about that yet, but if it means not shooting out my lower regions with a 10lb butterball, I think I'm ok with it. So, there you have it, I go back this Friday at 10:45 to see what's happening.....
There was phase 1 of my weekend. it just so happens that phase 2 was ALSO at the hospital. Dan and I signed up for (back in June when a 12 hr course in 2 days sounded like a fantastic idea) a childbirthing class at the hospital. This class was meant to cover everything from pre-labor to delivery to after birth to breast feeding and also included a hospital tour. Sort of a one-stop-shop for all you need to know about parenting.....or at least producing a child and having that child survive for at least the first couple weeks. After that, she's on her own ;-) Going in, neither of us knew what to expect. I think there were definitely points after a long week where both of us wanted to just say 'screw it' and try to wing it, but in the end, I know we were both glad we sucked it up and just did it. Over the course of the Friday night and Saturday classes, something else happened that I dont think either of us expected. I should probably start by saying that when we initially met with my doctor when I was 6 weeks along, she asked if I had any preferences about how I was going to deliver. I informed her very quickly that if she were to offer me the epidural that day, I would gladly take it and live as a parapalegic for the duration. Over the course of the last couple weeks, I have had a shift in what my plan is though....and this weekend kind of sealed the deal. I've decided that I am going to try to have this baby naturally. No drugs. Which is another reason I'm a little worried about her size at the moment. Now I realize that at this point, I can safely say this because I am not in a state of having my uterus try to shove a watermelon through a small opening in my body, but I figure if I go into it with this mind set, I will at least make it a little longer before I ring for the drugs. I realize this choice is not for everyone (and may not even be for me - time will tell) but I just feel very strongly about it at the moment and I think I would regret not at least trying. So there you have it.....phase 2.
I think that Phase 3 was probably my most favorite phase.....my family baby shower :) On Sunday, Amie, Kelsey, Robin, Linden, Avah and my aunt Eileen threw me a baby shower, and I must say, it was amazing! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have such amazing women in my family. To have started out with just me and my mom as the 2 sources of estrogen, I must say, the Swindle women are now reigning strong! And they sure throw one hell of a shower. I'm not sure how many people were there, but Mia was showered with so many gifts that we are seriously considering moving her to the master bedroom and Dan and I taking the study ;-) Some of our favorites were some handmade receiving blankets that Dan's aunt made for us, an amazing quilt that my Aunt Eileen and her husband put together and embroidered for everyone to sign, a coming home outfit that my mom bought for Mia (it looks just like the one she brought me home from the hospital in), an overnight bag for going to Grammy's house that has her name embroidered on it from Amie and and absolutely incredible scrap book that Kelsey put together for her. This scrapbook, is something that I have been meaning to do, but just haven't (and probably never would have) gotten around to.....Kelsey spent days printing up this very blog and pictures to put with it and put it in a book for Mia to read when she gets older. I probably don't have to tell you my reaction to opening it....and its not because I'm such a huge fan of my own work......its because I was so touched by all the work and love that went into it. It still makes me tear up. These women are all in my family people! ALL OF THEM! I think maybe its God's way of saying "ok, you put up with 3 brothers and your father long enough, here's your break". I hate to speak for my mom, but I know she feels the same when we say how lucky we both are to have such wonderful sisters(daughters in my moms case)-in-law. I can't wait for Mia to meet everyone.....I have a feeling she will be just as awesome....if not, we'll just put her back and start over ;-)
Well, that pretty much covers it. I didnt take a 35 wk picture because after all of this, I couldnt stand up anymore. But I will post pics of the shower soon! Also, this week I will be taking maternity pictures. Its another thing I wasnt sure if I wanted to do or not, but it came in a package where we paid for a years worth of Mia pics, so I thought why not? I will post those (if I approve of them) sometime this weekend.
As far as how I'm feeling, I have to admit, I am feeling kind of rough. I now have to get up at least twice a night to go to the bathroom and I noticed yesterday morning that my fingers are starting to swell, so I'm no longer sporting my engagement ring :( I have a hard time being on my feet for any amount of time with out some pretty intense pain in my lower stomach area and I am just very tired a lot....in other words, I'm about 35wks and 4 days pregnant ;-)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
*interjection*
* Last night was the first night that I did not sleep well....I'm not convince I slept at all. It feels like someone has taken a baseball bat to my lower back and getting "comfortable" is not something I know how to do at the moment.
* Today my walk is not even a waddle....its more of scoot.
* When i weighed myself this morning, I was 3 lbs heavier than i was yesterday....how does that even happen?!
* Dan and I left the house together and I stopped and told him I had to run back in to get my prenatal vitamin and my stool softener.....I'm pretty sure there was a time I would have kept that last part to myself.
This is not your normal post, but definitely something I wanted to remember. I'm just shy of 35 weeks....while I'm ready for Mia's arrival, I am also overwhelmed with the lists running through my head right now. Lists of things that I need to do. I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas on how I am going to organize her closet....really?? I have 3 more weeks, after this one, of work left and I can't seem to stop trying to streamline things in my sleep.....too bad that doesnt translate when i get up. I think its mostly because I'm too busy trying not to faceplant onto my key board.
I am, however, thankful for the cooler weather and for short weeks :)
* Today my walk is not even a waddle....its more of scoot.
* When i weighed myself this morning, I was 3 lbs heavier than i was yesterday....how does that even happen?!
* Dan and I left the house together and I stopped and told him I had to run back in to get my prenatal vitamin and my stool softener.....I'm pretty sure there was a time I would have kept that last part to myself.
This is not your normal post, but definitely something I wanted to remember. I'm just shy of 35 weeks....while I'm ready for Mia's arrival, I am also overwhelmed with the lists running through my head right now. Lists of things that I need to do. I wake up in the middle of the night with ideas on how I am going to organize her closet....really?? I have 3 more weeks, after this one, of work left and I can't seem to stop trying to streamline things in my sleep.....too bad that doesnt translate when i get up. I think its mostly because I'm too busy trying not to faceplant onto my key board.
I am, however, thankful for the cooler weather and for short weeks :)
Monday, September 5, 2011
oh, so THAT'S what you mean by "nesting"!
Hello friends! Today I am 34 weeks and 3 days pregnant. We have less than 6 weeks left! Mia could literally come at any point now, although I'm really hoping she waits at least until October 1st....BUT if she could make it before the 15th that would be great. I'm trying to say that alot now because from what I read, she's able to recognize voices she hears on a regular basis, and being that she's going to be a genius, I'm sure she can already fully understand what I'm saying ;-)
There is no doubt that I feel more pregnant every day. Each day simple things get harder to do and every day my walk turns a little less swagger and a little more waddle. Mia is still moving around A LOT, but since she's not able to actually flip and turn, I think she's lashing out by testing the structural integrity of my uterus. The things I feel are absolutely incredible. When she does her impression of a human bomb suddenly exploding into every inch of my insides, I feel it from my butt to up under my ribs....and although the doctors and all the pregnancy books like to call it "uncomfortable", I'll just let you know.....it hurts. She also regularly gets cozy up under my ribs which would be totally fine if I didn't need oxygen, but I have yet to figure out to remain alive without breathing, so her and I battle it out and to date, I have won. I still feel very lucky that I only have to get up once every couple nights to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The other nights, I just go in bed....thank God for rubber sheets ;-) only kidding. I'm really grateful that my sleep hasnt suffered much over the course of the last 8 months.....I occasionally have a hard time falling back to sleep when I make a mid-night bathroom run and I am often in some pain from being in one position for so long when i wake up, but aside from that, I get in a good 8+ hrs pretty regularly.
But lets really get down to it......I have started a new phase of pregnancy. One I was SURE I had missed or was going to avoid due to sheer exhaustion. NESTING! I know about 45 women that are pregnant right now (mostly on facebook, but some of whom I speak with on a regular basis) and I have heard almost all of them talk at one point or another about "nesting". Well up until a couple days ago, I was sure that I was one of the rare few who would not experience this whole phase. I figured, I'm already only 6 wks out.....we're running out of time for what seemed to me like a grueling string of tedious and possibly unnecessary organizational projects. Well Saturday morning I woke up and looked around my house. There was tons that needed to be done. Everywhere I looked I saw a project. I decided to settle on organizing my gift wrap....I obviously prioritized based on need, and gift wrap being a pressing issue at the moment ;-) I have no idea why that was so important, but now, if anyone needs a gift bag, card (for any occasion), ribbon, or tape, I am your woman! After a baby shower on Saturday, I finished the day off with scrubbing the house from top to bottom, organizing under the sinks in our bathroom, doing 3 loads of laundry and sorting through 2 huge boxes of hand me downs that Amie sent over. I thought I had it all out of my system until I had Dan help me completely re-organized our kitchen cabinets after dinner tonight. I wish I could say I was close to being done now, but this urge has taken over....there's no telling what I'll be organizing next!
Well there's not a whole lot else going on right now. I have my next doctors appointment on Friday morning. I really feel like she is going to tell me that Mia is starting to drop....I feel her little kicks and punches so low now....I kind of feel like she may drop out my butt at any moment sometimes (and yes, I know thats not the normal exit strategy). Next weekend is going to be super crazy and awesome. We have our childbirthing class on Friday night and all day Saturday then my baby shower on Sunday (SO EXCITED!).....I just can't believe how real this all is. I think back to the day in February when I peed on the stick that changed my life, it seems like years ago now. But now, here we are....going to meet our baby in just a few weeks!!
So here we are.....
34 Weeks 3 days....please excuse my sagging boobs, I'm still getting used to needing to wear a bra and to be perfectly honest, when I'm at home, I don't care ;-)
There is no doubt that I feel more pregnant every day. Each day simple things get harder to do and every day my walk turns a little less swagger and a little more waddle. Mia is still moving around A LOT, but since she's not able to actually flip and turn, I think she's lashing out by testing the structural integrity of my uterus. The things I feel are absolutely incredible. When she does her impression of a human bomb suddenly exploding into every inch of my insides, I feel it from my butt to up under my ribs....and although the doctors and all the pregnancy books like to call it "uncomfortable", I'll just let you know.....it hurts. She also regularly gets cozy up under my ribs which would be totally fine if I didn't need oxygen, but I have yet to figure out to remain alive without breathing, so her and I battle it out and to date, I have won. I still feel very lucky that I only have to get up once every couple nights to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The other nights, I just go in bed....thank God for rubber sheets ;-) only kidding. I'm really grateful that my sleep hasnt suffered much over the course of the last 8 months.....I occasionally have a hard time falling back to sleep when I make a mid-night bathroom run and I am often in some pain from being in one position for so long when i wake up, but aside from that, I get in a good 8+ hrs pretty regularly.
But lets really get down to it......I have started a new phase of pregnancy. One I was SURE I had missed or was going to avoid due to sheer exhaustion. NESTING! I know about 45 women that are pregnant right now (mostly on facebook, but some of whom I speak with on a regular basis) and I have heard almost all of them talk at one point or another about "nesting". Well up until a couple days ago, I was sure that I was one of the rare few who would not experience this whole phase. I figured, I'm already only 6 wks out.....we're running out of time for what seemed to me like a grueling string of tedious and possibly unnecessary organizational projects. Well Saturday morning I woke up and looked around my house. There was tons that needed to be done. Everywhere I looked I saw a project. I decided to settle on organizing my gift wrap....I obviously prioritized based on need, and gift wrap being a pressing issue at the moment ;-) I have no idea why that was so important, but now, if anyone needs a gift bag, card (for any occasion), ribbon, or tape, I am your woman! After a baby shower on Saturday, I finished the day off with scrubbing the house from top to bottom, organizing under the sinks in our bathroom, doing 3 loads of laundry and sorting through 2 huge boxes of hand me downs that Amie sent over. I thought I had it all out of my system until I had Dan help me completely re-organized our kitchen cabinets after dinner tonight. I wish I could say I was close to being done now, but this urge has taken over....there's no telling what I'll be organizing next!
Well there's not a whole lot else going on right now. I have my next doctors appointment on Friday morning. I really feel like she is going to tell me that Mia is starting to drop....I feel her little kicks and punches so low now....I kind of feel like she may drop out my butt at any moment sometimes (and yes, I know thats not the normal exit strategy). Next weekend is going to be super crazy and awesome. We have our childbirthing class on Friday night and all day Saturday then my baby shower on Sunday (SO EXCITED!).....I just can't believe how real this all is. I think back to the day in February when I peed on the stick that changed my life, it seems like years ago now. But now, here we are....going to meet our baby in just a few weeks!!
So here we are.....
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The things I don't want to forget.....
Today I am 33 weeks and 6 days pregnant. I can see the light! And its a good thing because I'm running out of steam.
From the start of this journey, I have tried my best to be diligent about documenting every little thing. I literally have a pregnancy journal where I can record my moods, cravings, waist size, and weight, the similac dr. appt journal that they give you on your first visit where I record the baby's heart rate every appt and what we went over that day, along with my measurements and blood pressure, and no fewer than 3 apps on my phone where I record the exact same things that I have already recorded in the aforementioned places......and of course, there's this blog that I use mainly as an outlet to let everyone else know what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling and what Mia's doing (or at least what I guess she's doing) from a week to week basis. I also take pictures weekly to remind myself how huge I'm getting and and share that information with the world not only on this blog, but on facebook. Yep, I'm completely ridiculous. Despite the 900 places I have written things down, I keep feeling like there are things that I am going to want to remember that I haven't written anywhere. When I talk to Kristin, she tells me that even though Cooper is less than a year old, she forgets what being pregnant feels like, and what she was craving at certain points, or when she stopped being able to see her feet....all things that she swore in the moment that she would never forget! It got me to thinking that maybe I should just jot those things down now....so here goes.....
* I order a side of jalapenos with almost every meal I eat....and there are never any left when I am done
* I visit sonic at least 4 times a week and order either a large diet cherry limeade, ocean water or vanilla diet coke- I'm convinced these 3 drinks could be the solution to the world's problems
* Just this week, Dan and I ordered pizza 3 times in 5 days.....and there were never any leftovers
* If I don't have some sort of ice cream in my freezer, I get anxiety and worry how I am going to cope when dinner is done
* I caught a glimpse of myself in the window walking to my last dr. appt and would swear I was as wide as I am tall, I chalked it up to a weird angle and the fact that it wasnt actually "a mirror". When I got home, I was in disbelief that my umpa loompa like reflection had followed me to my own mirror
* I sometimes feel sad for absolutely no reason, start crying, then start laughing because I have no idea why I'm crying - I'm noticing my raging hormones are way worse now than they ever were in the previous two tri-mesters
* I cannot sit down or stand up without making some sort of grunting noise.....I have tried to do it silently, its like trying to sneeze with your eyes open
* When 4 o'clock hits at work, I start thinking about the things I need to do when I get home. Then i realize I would rather just stay at work later than go home and do any of them....at least then I feel like I've accomplished something somewhere so I feel less guilty about going home and doing absolutely nothing
* I'm a laundry person, I do laundry probably 3 times a week. This week, I forgot all about it until Dan had to go to work commando because he was out of underwear....and I resorted to a questionably fitting pair that should probably be thrown away
* Now, when I look straight down, I really can't see my feet :(
* I have an affinity for spaghetti and meatballs that I never had before. I could literally eat it for every meal (with a side of jalapenos)
* I've caught myself yelling at Luci for things like being in the kitchen or bathroom (two places she knows she's not supposed to go) or for just moving around and generally annoying me. I have a fear that I will react the same when Mia is able to move on her own, so I am trying diligently to speak to Luci as though she is a toddler.....she's not nearly as receptive.
* I look back at pictures I posted at 8 and 9wks pregnant where I wrote captions like "really starting to show now!" and I want to go back and slap myself. I guess you never know until it happens, but I had no idea my body would transform the way it has.
I know there is a lot more that will come to me as soon as I post this, but for now, I guess thats good. If i interject random bullet points into future posts, you will know what its in regards to.
I have a dr appointment next Friday which is also the weekend that Dan and I do the Childbirthing class at the hospital and I have my second baby shower (yay!). Its going to be a busy week, but I am really looking forward to it :) Time is really flying now. I can't believe she's almost here!!
Here we are:
33 Weeks
And here is a quick look back at me and "MJ" at 15wks.....Yea, i was a real heffer ;-)
From the start of this journey, I have tried my best to be diligent about documenting every little thing. I literally have a pregnancy journal where I can record my moods, cravings, waist size, and weight, the similac dr. appt journal that they give you on your first visit where I record the baby's heart rate every appt and what we went over that day, along with my measurements and blood pressure, and no fewer than 3 apps on my phone where I record the exact same things that I have already recorded in the aforementioned places......and of course, there's this blog that I use mainly as an outlet to let everyone else know what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling and what Mia's doing (or at least what I guess she's doing) from a week to week basis. I also take pictures weekly to remind myself how huge I'm getting and and share that information with the world not only on this blog, but on facebook. Yep, I'm completely ridiculous. Despite the 900 places I have written things down, I keep feeling like there are things that I am going to want to remember that I haven't written anywhere. When I talk to Kristin, she tells me that even though Cooper is less than a year old, she forgets what being pregnant feels like, and what she was craving at certain points, or when she stopped being able to see her feet....all things that she swore in the moment that she would never forget! It got me to thinking that maybe I should just jot those things down now....so here goes.....
* I order a side of jalapenos with almost every meal I eat....and there are never any left when I am done
* I visit sonic at least 4 times a week and order either a large diet cherry limeade, ocean water or vanilla diet coke- I'm convinced these 3 drinks could be the solution to the world's problems
* Just this week, Dan and I ordered pizza 3 times in 5 days.....and there were never any leftovers
* If I don't have some sort of ice cream in my freezer, I get anxiety and worry how I am going to cope when dinner is done
* I caught a glimpse of myself in the window walking to my last dr. appt and would swear I was as wide as I am tall, I chalked it up to a weird angle and the fact that it wasnt actually "a mirror". When I got home, I was in disbelief that my umpa loompa like reflection had followed me to my own mirror
* I sometimes feel sad for absolutely no reason, start crying, then start laughing because I have no idea why I'm crying - I'm noticing my raging hormones are way worse now than they ever were in the previous two tri-mesters
* I cannot sit down or stand up without making some sort of grunting noise.....I have tried to do it silently, its like trying to sneeze with your eyes open
* When 4 o'clock hits at work, I start thinking about the things I need to do when I get home. Then i realize I would rather just stay at work later than go home and do any of them....at least then I feel like I've accomplished something somewhere so I feel less guilty about going home and doing absolutely nothing
* I'm a laundry person, I do laundry probably 3 times a week. This week, I forgot all about it until Dan had to go to work commando because he was out of underwear....and I resorted to a questionably fitting pair that should probably be thrown away
* Now, when I look straight down, I really can't see my feet :(
* I have an affinity for spaghetti and meatballs that I never had before. I could literally eat it for every meal (with a side of jalapenos)
* I've caught myself yelling at Luci for things like being in the kitchen or bathroom (two places she knows she's not supposed to go) or for just moving around and generally annoying me. I have a fear that I will react the same when Mia is able to move on her own, so I am trying diligently to speak to Luci as though she is a toddler.....she's not nearly as receptive.
* I look back at pictures I posted at 8 and 9wks pregnant where I wrote captions like "really starting to show now!" and I want to go back and slap myself. I guess you never know until it happens, but I had no idea my body would transform the way it has.
I know there is a lot more that will come to me as soon as I post this, but for now, I guess thats good. If i interject random bullet points into future posts, you will know what its in regards to.
I have a dr appointment next Friday which is also the weekend that Dan and I do the Childbirthing class at the hospital and I have my second baby shower (yay!). Its going to be a busy week, but I am really looking forward to it :) Time is really flying now. I can't believe she's almost here!!
Here we are:
And here is a quick look back at me and "MJ" at 15wks.....Yea, i was a real heffer ;-)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Will you still be my friend if I wear velcro tennis shoes?
So today I am 32 weeks and 6 days along. This means that I only have 7weeks and 1 day left (in theory). Wow. I've never had a length of time seem so long AND so short all at the same time.
There's not a whole lot to update on since last week. Its still ridiculously hot and I'm still huge and sweaty. I have noticed what little energy I have left slowly draining from my body. I may or may not be comatose by October 15th. In the very rare instances that I do have energy, I am trying to get in a workout. Its amazing how much differently that word is defined in my brain now as opposed to before I was pregnant. Sometimes I feel like my pre-pregnancy ghost is mocking me as I huff and puff through my little prenatal workout.....I sure hate that skinny bitch sometimes ;-) Before I got pregnant, I would come home, throw on my running shorts and shoes and go for a quick 3-miler or I would sweat my buns off to an hour long Jillian Michaels video (its way more hardcore than it sounds). Now, when I get winded coming up the stairs....or just getting into my car.....I like to think I'm burning calories and I totally count it as working out. Oh, and instead of just "throwing on my running shoes" I now have to figure out how to get them on without untieing them because I have recently discovered I am no longer able to tie my own shoes. Fantastic. Upon first discovering this new little gem, I momentarily considered where I could find a pair of velcro running shoes....then decided I'd probably just stop working out before I would spend money on something like that. Or the alternative.....just wear them untied. I mean, lets face it, my feet don't really move that much during workouts these days, so I'm not really putting myself in any danger of tripping over the loose ends ;-)
I guess besides the usual complaints and general aches and pains, I am feeling pretty good :) Dan and I have been taking advantage of our free weekends and our ability to do nothing.....its been really fantastic, although we are really looking forward to weekends filled with spending time with our little one :) I have another Dr appt tomorrow afternoon then another in 2 weeks....after that, we're weekly! CRAZY!!!! September is already shaping up to be a very busy month so hopefully it will fly by and October will be here with is cooler weather and our Kung Fu Princess :) Yep, she has spent her time on the inside perfecting her little (and by little, I mean painful) jabs and kicks. Sometimes I wonder if she's having a party or something because I'm positive there is the strength of more than one child inside of me....
I guess that's it for now....
me and my huge face.....I mean belly.....at 32 wks :)
There's not a whole lot to update on since last week. Its still ridiculously hot and I'm still huge and sweaty. I have noticed what little energy I have left slowly draining from my body. I may or may not be comatose by October 15th. In the very rare instances that I do have energy, I am trying to get in a workout. Its amazing how much differently that word is defined in my brain now as opposed to before I was pregnant. Sometimes I feel like my pre-pregnancy ghost is mocking me as I huff and puff through my little prenatal workout.....I sure hate that skinny bitch sometimes ;-) Before I got pregnant, I would come home, throw on my running shorts and shoes and go for a quick 3-miler or I would sweat my buns off to an hour long Jillian Michaels video (its way more hardcore than it sounds). Now, when I get winded coming up the stairs....or just getting into my car.....I like to think I'm burning calories and I totally count it as working out. Oh, and instead of just "throwing on my running shoes" I now have to figure out how to get them on without untieing them because I have recently discovered I am no longer able to tie my own shoes. Fantastic. Upon first discovering this new little gem, I momentarily considered where I could find a pair of velcro running shoes....then decided I'd probably just stop working out before I would spend money on something like that. Or the alternative.....just wear them untied. I mean, lets face it, my feet don't really move that much during workouts these days, so I'm not really putting myself in any danger of tripping over the loose ends ;-)
I guess besides the usual complaints and general aches and pains, I am feeling pretty good :) Dan and I have been taking advantage of our free weekends and our ability to do nothing.....its been really fantastic, although we are really looking forward to weekends filled with spending time with our little one :) I have another Dr appt tomorrow afternoon then another in 2 weeks....after that, we're weekly! CRAZY!!!! September is already shaping up to be a very busy month so hopefully it will fly by and October will be here with is cooler weather and our Kung Fu Princess :) Yep, she has spent her time on the inside perfecting her little (and by little, I mean painful) jabs and kicks. Sometimes I wonder if she's having a party or something because I'm positive there is the strength of more than one child inside of me....
I guess that's it for now....
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Overwhelmed is an Understatement
Today I am 31 wks and 2 days pregnant. I am wrapping up a weekend that can only be described as: perfect.
To start off, let me just say that in the last post that most of my blog followers were emailed, but no longer have access to, I was having a bad day (also and understatement). I deleted the post shortly after writing it because I was worried I was coming off depressed and I certainly didnt want anyone to worry about me, or how my state of mind that day might be effecting my little dancer within. Luckily, the rest of my week rounded out to be much better. Not sure if that was only by comparison, or it if it was because of how excited I was to get to the events of the weekend or if my hormones just decided to give me, and those around me, a break for a minute. Regardless, I can assure you, I am no longer in a state of depress...in fact, its quite the opposite.
This weekend was an exciting weekend for me for many reasons. For one, my best friend of 20+ years was coming in town to stay with me. I hadn't seen Margaret since LAST November......pretty much an eternity. Secondly, this was the weekend of my very first baby shower! And lastly, because this week marks the week where we are officially down to double digits when it comes to the weekly countdown.
Margaret got here on Friday night around 8:30. I should probably start by saying that generally when Margaret comes to visit, we have quite the whirlwind couple of days! We manage to cram months worth of catching up and haning out into a short, often 48 hour, period. She would normally get here, immediately dump her suitcase on the floor in my bedroom for both of us to sift through while I would be busy pulling things from my closet so that we could, in junior high fashion, play dress up with each others' wardrobes which often closely resemble each other, and prepare for a night on the town. Well, given that Margaret is not 7 1/2 months pregnant, we skipped the ritualistic suitcase dump (there's no need to remind me I am not a size 2 anymore, pretty sure I'm not fooling anyone), and seeing as how our 'big night on the town' was going to consist of a trip to OTB (strictly for their delicious queso), the "getting ready" portion of the evening didnt take nearly as long. So, we went to dinner, and talked about....well, everything. Mostly we went through the motions so as not to miss anything.....how's your fam, your bf, your job, what's pissing you off, what's making you happy, how many kids does Dwight have now and of course, the please please please move back to Texas because I miss you segment (perfected over the years, although still ineffective). When we got done with dinner, instead of hitting up the bars, we came back to the house, changed into our fat pants and parked on the couch. It was truly a new experience in our relationship.....and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Margaret opened my eyes to the wonder that IS words with friends (its an iphone app thats like playing scrabble - this explanation is for my mom ;-)), I'm pretty sure she cheats though, so I have yet to win a game...or score anything over 20 points. So, basically we sat on the couch, in our pjams and played scrabble while watching a chick flick......we have offically flashed forward 50 yrs. The next day, we spent most of the day getting ready for, attending, and recovering from my first baby shower :) Again, quite the change from a recovery we would normally be doing from our Friday night bender, but surprisingly similar in that it involved pizza, ice cream, candy....and more pizza. It also included pjams and the couch again. I think we made it until just almost midnight on Saturday before Dan and I grabbed our walkers and headed off to bed. I'm sure Margaret thinks we are 80 years old....and she may be right, but I WAS POOPED!! Sadly, Margaret left this morning to head back to her life where bedtimes fall long after the sun goes down and pajamas are never included in a big night out. It was a short weekend, but I truly enjoyed every minute of it. Luckily, when she left this time, we already knew that we would see each other again soon....but the next time, we would be a party of 3 (at least with just the girls) and we would be having all sorts of different kinds of fun!
So, earlier I just kind of skimmed over another big part of my weekend. I felt like both Margaret and my Baby Shower deserved the respect of their own paragraphs ;-) Let me just start by saying that I have never felt more overwhelmed with love than I did on Saturday, August 13th. Walking into the room at Pappadeaux, I could not believe my eyes. Everything was perfect. From the diaper cake topped with flowers, to the clothes line of ADORABLE Mia gear, to the centerpieces to the spread.....I just could not have asked for more. I am truly truly thankful for all of the hard work that Kristin, Deanna and David put in to have this shower for me. I get teary eyed even thinking about how lucky Mia and I are to have them in our lives. And then, to see so many faces of people I love there.....it blew me away. Seeing as how this is my first kid, I have never been on the receiving end of a baby shower before. Normally, I am in the audience coo-ing and aww-ing over the tiny little things that get pulled out of those cute little gift bags, so this was a very new experience for me. I'm eternally grateful that most of the gifts that I got, I was familiar with, so I didnt have to guess (and most likely guess incorrectly) what their function was. I have to admit, I was stumped once or twice by things.....and surprisingly, they were things that I, myself had registered for!! I learned while registering for baby stuff that it is in NO WAY similar to registering for wedding stuff. When you register for your wedding, you're mainly registering for things that you have, at one point in your life used before. That is NOT the case with a baby registry. Not to mention, you can't go get a drink to unwind after the three hour ordeal of registering for things that you may or may not need for a new human in the first year of life, and trust me....an ice cream sundae does not have the same effect (I tried). I cannot believe how much we got though! You people have really spoiled us! And we are eternally greatful :) For those of you who know my husband well, it comes as no suprise that, not only is everything that needed to be put together, put together, but everything else is put away and we have it organized according to size, article of clothing and season, the towels are in their designated place, the monitors are plugged in and ready to go and the boxes are disposed of. He needs help....I'm trying to find us meetings to go to. I must say, having more stuff for her, only make this even more real. We are literally 8wks and 5 days out from her due date......wow.
That brings me to my next order of business.....WE ARE ONLY 8WK AND 5DAYS from her DUE DATE! I remember talking to my mom early on and thinking that once I got to the 8wk mark it would just fly by (that marker kept moving as my pregnancy progressed). Now, here I am, just a little more than 8 weeks from meeting my little girl. I can hardly believe it. I have had people approach me before (mostly moms) and ask me if I think time "is just flying by"....No. I dont think that. Not at all. It literally feels like I have been pregnat since I was born. I know its only been 31 weeks, but it feels like a lifetime. I'm not saying that as a bad thing, necessarily, I'm jsut saying that all of these women got my hopes up that pregnancy goes by in a flash....and, now from my experience, I have been left no choice but to assume that all women are liars ;-) I'm kidding. Honestly, the last couple weeks have gone by pretty fast. I think its just the fact that after a while, you forget life before pregnancy. I don't remember what my body used to look like, I don't know how my boobs ever fit into a size A cup, and I only vaguely remember being able to see my lady parts when I look down. I'm pretty sure my belly button used to be inverted and I know there was a time that I could take a picture and not look like someone had used one of those funhouse mirrors to make my face look twice as wide as I think it should. You know what's cool though? I also don't remember when I could sit down and not feel my little girl kicking inside me. I don't recall the time when I could hear the name Amelia or Mia and have no reaction at all, or see a newborn on tv and not immediately burst into tears of joy. And I will never forget the day that I found out I was going to be a mommy, or the look on my husband's face when I told him he was going to be a dad. I'll never forget the first time we heard her heartbeat or saw her on the sonogram screen.....and you know what, that's enough for me to forget about all the other stuff :)
This weekend has been incredible in so many ways. There are not enough words to express how thankful I am to have such amazing people in my life. It puts my mind at ease knowing that my little girl will have no doubts about how much she is loved :)
Until next time.....
To start off, let me just say that in the last post that most of my blog followers were emailed, but no longer have access to, I was having a bad day (also and understatement). I deleted the post shortly after writing it because I was worried I was coming off depressed and I certainly didnt want anyone to worry about me, or how my state of mind that day might be effecting my little dancer within. Luckily, the rest of my week rounded out to be much better. Not sure if that was only by comparison, or it if it was because of how excited I was to get to the events of the weekend or if my hormones just decided to give me, and those around me, a break for a minute. Regardless, I can assure you, I am no longer in a state of depress...in fact, its quite the opposite.
This weekend was an exciting weekend for me for many reasons. For one, my best friend of 20+ years was coming in town to stay with me. I hadn't seen Margaret since LAST November......pretty much an eternity. Secondly, this was the weekend of my very first baby shower! And lastly, because this week marks the week where we are officially down to double digits when it comes to the weekly countdown.
Margaret got here on Friday night around 8:30. I should probably start by saying that generally when Margaret comes to visit, we have quite the whirlwind couple of days! We manage to cram months worth of catching up and haning out into a short, often 48 hour, period. She would normally get here, immediately dump her suitcase on the floor in my bedroom for both of us to sift through while I would be busy pulling things from my closet so that we could, in junior high fashion, play dress up with each others' wardrobes which often closely resemble each other, and prepare for a night on the town. Well, given that Margaret is not 7 1/2 months pregnant, we skipped the ritualistic suitcase dump (there's no need to remind me I am not a size 2 anymore, pretty sure I'm not fooling anyone), and seeing as how our 'big night on the town' was going to consist of a trip to OTB (strictly for their delicious queso), the "getting ready" portion of the evening didnt take nearly as long. So, we went to dinner, and talked about....well, everything. Mostly we went through the motions so as not to miss anything.....how's your fam, your bf, your job, what's pissing you off, what's making you happy, how many kids does Dwight have now and of course, the please please please move back to Texas because I miss you segment (perfected over the years, although still ineffective). When we got done with dinner, instead of hitting up the bars, we came back to the house, changed into our fat pants and parked on the couch. It was truly a new experience in our relationship.....and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Margaret opened my eyes to the wonder that IS words with friends (its an iphone app thats like playing scrabble - this explanation is for my mom ;-)), I'm pretty sure she cheats though, so I have yet to win a game...or score anything over 20 points. So, basically we sat on the couch, in our pjams and played scrabble while watching a chick flick......we have offically flashed forward 50 yrs. The next day, we spent most of the day getting ready for, attending, and recovering from my first baby shower :) Again, quite the change from a recovery we would normally be doing from our Friday night bender, but surprisingly similar in that it involved pizza, ice cream, candy....and more pizza. It also included pjams and the couch again. I think we made it until just almost midnight on Saturday before Dan and I grabbed our walkers and headed off to bed. I'm sure Margaret thinks we are 80 years old....and she may be right, but I WAS POOPED!! Sadly, Margaret left this morning to head back to her life where bedtimes fall long after the sun goes down and pajamas are never included in a big night out. It was a short weekend, but I truly enjoyed every minute of it. Luckily, when she left this time, we already knew that we would see each other again soon....but the next time, we would be a party of 3 (at least with just the girls) and we would be having all sorts of different kinds of fun!
So, earlier I just kind of skimmed over another big part of my weekend. I felt like both Margaret and my Baby Shower deserved the respect of their own paragraphs ;-) Let me just start by saying that I have never felt more overwhelmed with love than I did on Saturday, August 13th. Walking into the room at Pappadeaux, I could not believe my eyes. Everything was perfect. From the diaper cake topped with flowers, to the clothes line of ADORABLE Mia gear, to the centerpieces to the spread.....I just could not have asked for more. I am truly truly thankful for all of the hard work that Kristin, Deanna and David put in to have this shower for me. I get teary eyed even thinking about how lucky Mia and I are to have them in our lives. And then, to see so many faces of people I love there.....it blew me away. Seeing as how this is my first kid, I have never been on the receiving end of a baby shower before. Normally, I am in the audience coo-ing and aww-ing over the tiny little things that get pulled out of those cute little gift bags, so this was a very new experience for me. I'm eternally grateful that most of the gifts that I got, I was familiar with, so I didnt have to guess (and most likely guess incorrectly) what their function was. I have to admit, I was stumped once or twice by things.....and surprisingly, they were things that I, myself had registered for!! I learned while registering for baby stuff that it is in NO WAY similar to registering for wedding stuff. When you register for your wedding, you're mainly registering for things that you have, at one point in your life used before. That is NOT the case with a baby registry. Not to mention, you can't go get a drink to unwind after the three hour ordeal of registering for things that you may or may not need for a new human in the first year of life, and trust me....an ice cream sundae does not have the same effect (I tried). I cannot believe how much we got though! You people have really spoiled us! And we are eternally greatful :) For those of you who know my husband well, it comes as no suprise that, not only is everything that needed to be put together, put together, but everything else is put away and we have it organized according to size, article of clothing and season, the towels are in their designated place, the monitors are plugged in and ready to go and the boxes are disposed of. He needs help....I'm trying to find us meetings to go to. I must say, having more stuff for her, only make this even more real. We are literally 8wks and 5 days out from her due date......wow.
That brings me to my next order of business.....WE ARE ONLY 8WK AND 5DAYS from her DUE DATE! I remember talking to my mom early on and thinking that once I got to the 8wk mark it would just fly by (that marker kept moving as my pregnancy progressed). Now, here I am, just a little more than 8 weeks from meeting my little girl. I can hardly believe it. I have had people approach me before (mostly moms) and ask me if I think time "is just flying by"....No. I dont think that. Not at all. It literally feels like I have been pregnat since I was born. I know its only been 31 weeks, but it feels like a lifetime. I'm not saying that as a bad thing, necessarily, I'm jsut saying that all of these women got my hopes up that pregnancy goes by in a flash....and, now from my experience, I have been left no choice but to assume that all women are liars ;-) I'm kidding. Honestly, the last couple weeks have gone by pretty fast. I think its just the fact that after a while, you forget life before pregnancy. I don't remember what my body used to look like, I don't know how my boobs ever fit into a size A cup, and I only vaguely remember being able to see my lady parts when I look down. I'm pretty sure my belly button used to be inverted and I know there was a time that I could take a picture and not look like someone had used one of those funhouse mirrors to make my face look twice as wide as I think it should. You know what's cool though? I also don't remember when I could sit down and not feel my little girl kicking inside me. I don't recall the time when I could hear the name Amelia or Mia and have no reaction at all, or see a newborn on tv and not immediately burst into tears of joy. And I will never forget the day that I found out I was going to be a mommy, or the look on my husband's face when I told him he was going to be a dad. I'll never forget the first time we heard her heartbeat or saw her on the sonogram screen.....and you know what, that's enough for me to forget about all the other stuff :)
This weekend has been incredible in so many ways. There are not enough words to express how thankful I am to have such amazing people in my life. It puts my mind at ease knowing that my little girl will have no doubts about how much she is loved :)
Until next time.....
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
FYI - I'm not as miserable as I must look....
I'm still here....29 weeks and 3 days, and despite what perfect strangers seem to think...I'm doing just peachy!
Dan and I just got back from a weekend in Austin. We decided to take a little trip to get away one last time before we had to start packing up the apartment to go anywhere for any amount of time. It was just what the doctor ordered too. We did a whole lot of nothing, besides eat and relax! It was perfect :) I've included some pictures below.....as you can see, I've recently discovered the wonder that IS Hypstamatic App for the iphone, I am now WAY more confident than I should be as a photographer ;-)
Saturday morning we got up and walked around Zilker Botanical Gardens. It was really gorgeous :) And luckily we got there early enough to where it wasnt a million degrees out, so we could actually enjoy it!
I know you must think I'm a camera whore, but its only because Dan REFUSED to be in any pictures....I tried.
The hotel we stayed at was in the Botanical gardens, so Saturday, before we went to eat, we walked around the grounds....this was our view :)
I ended up with a lot of photos of the food we ordered (much to Dan's annoyance ;-)) but I would forget most of the time until whatever it was was half way gone and it looked like a wild animal had ravaged it, so I opted not to post those, but among them were a delicious Gyro platter and Baklava from a restaurant called Athenian Bar and Grill, a Ginormous plate of bbq with the most delicious potatoe salad I've ever had and a slice of key lime pie, and a table full of wonderful sushi (not all cooked, but not all for me either) and a scoop of green tea ice cream. I guess its apparent that I adopted a new philosophy of vacationing while pregnant, DESSERTS are a MUST.....with EVERY meal ;-)
Another thing that I encountered, was a first for me.....I am assuming its because this is the first time I'm pregnant, and because we are having some record breaking heat this year. This weekend while we were gone, I cannot tell you how many perfect strangers approached me to tell me how BAD they felt for me.....??? Now, keep in mind, I often forget that I am 7 months pregnant so my immediate response is complete and utter confusion. Once I remember that they are referring to being pregnant during the heat of the summer, my confusion turns to....well, I'm still confused. Why would someone feel the need to let me know how much they wouldnt want to be me right now? I didnt even know that person, so I would probably have assumed they wouldnt want to trade lives anyway if I had put any thought into it at all. I assume this is their way of being sympathetic.....well you can take your sympathy and shove it! I'm just fine. Yes, its hot. Yes, I'm pregnant. Yes, these are not ideal conditions for being pregnant.....but I'm NOT DYING.....I'm just sweaty and hormonal! And honestly, if they knew me at all, during the heat of the summer, pregnant or not....I'm always sweaty and hormonal, so I guess the joke's on them ;-) I had another lady stop me in the bathroom when we stopped for...well, the bathroom, on the way back to Dallas. She went on for 5 minutes about how miserable I must be traveling while pregnant. How there was no way she would EVER do that. I wonder if she knew I was riding in a car.....and wasn't actually hiking back to my destination. I'm telling you....when she left, I had to look in the mirror to see what I looked like. From her reaction, you would have sworn someone had strapped a saddle on me and was riding me back! So, I guess I should make up a sandwich board to wear in public, maybe something along the lines of "I'm OK! Despite my outward appearance...." Either that, or I should start playing it up and asking these people for money to deal with the mental anguish that i'm OBVIOUSLY suffering at the moment ;-)
So, backing up a little, I had my 29 week dr. appointment Friday morning before we left for Austin. It was your pretty standard appointment: pee in a cup, get weighed, blood pressure taken, uterus measured, angel wing flutters (heartbeat) counted. The weird part about it, was that for the first time since we started this roller coaster ride, I was measuring small.....like smaller than I did 2 weeks ago. The doctor's assistant also informed me that my blood pressure was back down from the last two times she took it. Since she didn't bother telling me it was high during those visits, I guess I wasn't really concerned before, or relieved for that matter that it was back down. My fundus (uterus) height was 27 cm which is still within the normal range for being 29 wks, but it was on the low end which struck me as odd considering I have yet to be on the low end for anything during this pregnancy. But she didnt seem worried, or baffled, so I guess everythings fine. Mia's heartbeat was strong still at 150, that sound is always the highlight of my visit :) I'm going back again next Friday (seems so soon!) and will start going weekly at 35 weeks....which is only 3 dr visits away! holy cow!
I asked my doctor this time if there was a chance that we would get to see her again before she makes her grand entrance. She said that normally insurance doesn't cover another sonogram, BUT that she would see if they could "find a reason". Good enough for me! I have been really curious as to how much this little one is going to weigh when she finally gets here. My doctor said they can start guesstimating around 37 weeks. I can't wait until then....I've had dreams about having both a miniature, fit-in-the-palm-of-your-hand baby, as well as a lady part ruining 16 pounder.....lets hope my little angel falls somewhere in the middle ;-)
I guess that's it for now......
Here's me and Mia on her very first Vacation - 29Wks
Dan and I just got back from a weekend in Austin. We decided to take a little trip to get away one last time before we had to start packing up the apartment to go anywhere for any amount of time. It was just what the doctor ordered too. We did a whole lot of nothing, besides eat and relax! It was perfect :) I've included some pictures below.....as you can see, I've recently discovered the wonder that IS Hypstamatic App for the iphone, I am now WAY more confident than I should be as a photographer ;-)
I ended up with a lot of photos of the food we ordered (much to Dan's annoyance ;-)) but I would forget most of the time until whatever it was was half way gone and it looked like a wild animal had ravaged it, so I opted not to post those, but among them were a delicious Gyro platter and Baklava from a restaurant called Athenian Bar and Grill, a Ginormous plate of bbq with the most delicious potatoe salad I've ever had and a slice of key lime pie, and a table full of wonderful sushi (not all cooked, but not all for me either) and a scoop of green tea ice cream. I guess its apparent that I adopted a new philosophy of vacationing while pregnant, DESSERTS are a MUST.....with EVERY meal ;-)
Another thing that I encountered, was a first for me.....I am assuming its because this is the first time I'm pregnant, and because we are having some record breaking heat this year. This weekend while we were gone, I cannot tell you how many perfect strangers approached me to tell me how BAD they felt for me.....??? Now, keep in mind, I often forget that I am 7 months pregnant so my immediate response is complete and utter confusion. Once I remember that they are referring to being pregnant during the heat of the summer, my confusion turns to....well, I'm still confused. Why would someone feel the need to let me know how much they wouldnt want to be me right now? I didnt even know that person, so I would probably have assumed they wouldnt want to trade lives anyway if I had put any thought into it at all. I assume this is their way of being sympathetic.....well you can take your sympathy and shove it! I'm just fine. Yes, its hot. Yes, I'm pregnant. Yes, these are not ideal conditions for being pregnant.....but I'm NOT DYING.....I'm just sweaty and hormonal! And honestly, if they knew me at all, during the heat of the summer, pregnant or not....I'm always sweaty and hormonal, so I guess the joke's on them ;-) I had another lady stop me in the bathroom when we stopped for...well, the bathroom, on the way back to Dallas. She went on for 5 minutes about how miserable I must be traveling while pregnant. How there was no way she would EVER do that. I wonder if she knew I was riding in a car.....and wasn't actually hiking back to my destination. I'm telling you....when she left, I had to look in the mirror to see what I looked like. From her reaction, you would have sworn someone had strapped a saddle on me and was riding me back! So, I guess I should make up a sandwich board to wear in public, maybe something along the lines of "I'm OK! Despite my outward appearance...." Either that, or I should start playing it up and asking these people for money to deal with the mental anguish that i'm OBVIOUSLY suffering at the moment ;-)
So, backing up a little, I had my 29 week dr. appointment Friday morning before we left for Austin. It was your pretty standard appointment: pee in a cup, get weighed, blood pressure taken, uterus measured, angel wing flutters (heartbeat) counted. The weird part about it, was that for the first time since we started this roller coaster ride, I was measuring small.....like smaller than I did 2 weeks ago. The doctor's assistant also informed me that my blood pressure was back down from the last two times she took it. Since she didn't bother telling me it was high during those visits, I guess I wasn't really concerned before, or relieved for that matter that it was back down. My fundus (uterus) height was 27 cm which is still within the normal range for being 29 wks, but it was on the low end which struck me as odd considering I have yet to be on the low end for anything during this pregnancy. But she didnt seem worried, or baffled, so I guess everythings fine. Mia's heartbeat was strong still at 150, that sound is always the highlight of my visit :) I'm going back again next Friday (seems so soon!) and will start going weekly at 35 weeks....which is only 3 dr visits away! holy cow!
I asked my doctor this time if there was a chance that we would get to see her again before she makes her grand entrance. She said that normally insurance doesn't cover another sonogram, BUT that she would see if they could "find a reason". Good enough for me! I have been really curious as to how much this little one is going to weigh when she finally gets here. My doctor said they can start guesstimating around 37 weeks. I can't wait until then....I've had dreams about having both a miniature, fit-in-the-palm-of-your-hand baby, as well as a lady part ruining 16 pounder.....lets hope my little angel falls somewhere in the middle ;-)
I guess that's it for now......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)