37 Weeks

Its been awhile but I've been super busy too!

37 Weeks today = a full term baby! Woot! Thus far I've gained 16 lbs...had a huge 9 lb gain after 35 weeks and then it tapered off again...baby is putting on weight now! In not good news, my blood pressure has become a concern in the last 2 weeks so I've left work 1 week early to stay home so they can monitor it more closely with a home care nurse stopping in. I'm praying it will normalize so they dont have to induce me. Nightmare scenario is that I see my doc and he's like "Labor and Delivery right now. Go now, do not pass go, not collect $200 or your hospital bag" Aaaack! If you're gonna induce me, give me a day or two to get ready. Of course, I'll do whatever it takes to have a healthy baby and healthy me....but its still a bit nerve-wracking to think about it.

Our bags are packed, carseat base is in the car, baby gear is set-up and nursery is ready. House is relatively clean and the one big room I needed to clean is much much better thanks to a Saturday of determination and a helpful DH. Still have some things I would like to get organized but I'll live if it doesn't happen.

We had our baby shower a few weeks ago and had a ton of fun. We had a co-ed party with about 50 people and it was wonderful. We got tons of beautiful gifts and felt a lot of love for our little one and support for us that day. My DH had fun too and people were happy he was included. I think he should be included in all of it...I may be the one carrying our baby but both of us are becoming parents and everything is happening to both of us.

A swirl of thoughts at being full term and in my expected birth month have been going around. Wondering if we're ready, what will change, cherishing every moment with my DH. It can be overwhelming. And with all the pre-planning one does before TTC and even through the pregnancy, the enormity of parenthood and this new life entering ours really has not been so real until these last weeks. Even then, we're still in the dark. And thats ok. Scary at times, thrilling at other times...but we'll be ok.

A few annoyances in the last weeks, mostly the very public aspect of pregnancy has really started for me now:

People commenting on my bump...

1) oh wow you really got big (this is true and I lurrrvve my bump but can be annoying from certain people, others its ok)

2) oh oh its dropped (no it hasnt but thanks for playing...her legs are still firmly up my rib cage and I feel zero pressure on my hoo-ha),

3) you must be getting excited (yes yes we are),

4)enjoy these last days before parenthood, you'll never get them back (honestly, what do you think I'm doing? And it makes me weepy to think of never being just 2 again so stop it)

5) sleep when you can now (sleep is not as easy as it seems....you seem to have forgotten when you were carrying a LO and had chronic hip pain, and it took 10 minutes and all of the air in your lungs to turn over every hour)

6) ready to have that baby yet? (only if I can reach in and pull it out with my bare hands....oh my god, this started at 8 months...seriously people, I have a ways to go yet.)

7) you arent complaining yet? (no I am enjoying my pregnancy and still have a ways to go...and for the record, I only complain about stupid comments like that!!)

8) you're waddling (yes I am...because my back hurts and its stiff as a board...its not an attractive walk I know and you're making me adjust in an uncomfortable way just so you wont comment on it!)

LOL....there should be a book written of things to NOT say to a pregnant woman. People just dont make a bit of sense.

DH and I are going to attempt a photo shoot tonight in the nursery. We have a timer on the camera...it worked a few weeks back so hopefully we'll get some nice pics tonight.

The countdown is on!!!

32 Weeks

Officially 8 months today. Not much longer now!

At my last checkup I weighed in with 5 total lbs gained, and BP good to go. Some protein in my urine which has apparently been there the whole time but the OB sent me for a more accurate urine test anyway. No other signs of Pre-E so it could be my kidneys are working harder but will have to keep my eye out for it.

Tons and tons of baby jabs and kicks. The OB said the babe's head was down and he/she is hanging out on the left side which made sense because I was feeling more pelvic pressure on that side. I haven't felt any Brax.ton Hic.ks contractions at all.

The nursery is finished, and we're so happy with it. DH is very proud of his hard work and rightfully so, he did an amazing job. We also got our stroller and car seat from the in-laws so now we have to figure those out.

I dreamed that the baby was born a big black ugly beetle with tons of little legs and no eyes!! Aacck! I was so upset and balling my head off during the dream. Definitely the weirdest PG dream..the rest have been sex dreams or dreams of birth.

Here are some pics!!

Me at 32 weeks
View from the door


Change table/dresser
Bookshelf waiting for more books and toys. A blue rocker will be to the left of the shelf.

Quilt rack. The top blanket was made for this baby by my grandmother. The rest were made for me when I was a baby 27 years ago by my great-aunt, grandma and great-grandma. The two yellow blankets were my crib set made by my grandma. The very bottom one was made by my great-grandma and I intend to have our newborn pics taken with that particular blanket.

30 Weeks

Only 10 weeks to go! Can we say, holy shit, where does the time go?

I'm very busy at work and while full of energy during the day, I totally crash at night. Sleeping is becoming increasingly more challenging but there are still nights when I sleep very well and on the nights its not so grand, I still fall asleep quickly after the many pee breaks and turnovers.

I'm also very hungry many times of the day. Baby B is growing like crazy in there from all the food I'm sure. A return to the digestive issues of the first trimester has been unfortunate though....I'm sure its the babe pushing on my intestines but there is no threat of hemorrhoids or constipation here, ack!

I'm officially waddling too and the pelvic pressure is on. Baby is still moving a lot as I feel kicks on all sides.

DH finally felt the baby move and said for sure he knew it was the baby. Before he couldnt really figure out if it was my breathing or whatever....it was quite magical for him. He has been so wonderful through this whole experience, I cannot wait to see him with our new little one.

We're slowing finishing the room. The major renos are done, now its a matter of getting furniture in there and getting the artwork on the walls and things set up. I cannot believe all the baby clothes we already have and honestly, I've only purchased about 5 items myself!! A friend of mine gave me a bunch of her things her son recently grew out of and its mostly sleepers and onsies. Perfect! I also one sling, my brea.st pump, nursing covers and pads, some toys that were mind and some books including books from my own childhood. Also clipping coupons for diapers and wipes...we bought a box of a two different brands and will of course have to give a test drive to see which we like better before doing a major stock-up.

My health is still good. At my last check-up, my total weight gain was 3 lbs, blood pressure was good, fundal height was right on and I passed the gestational diabetes test. I see the OB in 2 weeks for the first time. We also have attended some pre-natal classes, had our hospital tour and info session and all my paperwork for admission is finished. February and March have been insanely busy and its not going to let up anytime soon!

Here is my 30 week belly pic! Growing and moving everyday!!

Heavy Heart...

With a heavy heart, I am writing tonight to send positive thoughts and prayers to a woman I know through an online community. She is pregnant with her first baby and her husband was murdered last night.

I have no words....it's truly a devastating tragedy.

Tons and tons of hugs, prayers and love to this friend and her precious "Tadpole."

PSA: Not Hormonally Challenged...

Thank you very much but NO not every display of emotion is connected to my "hormones."

And men...wtf would you know anyway?! Only my DH would get away with it since he really knows me....you're just an ignorant ass.

Oh and women...you dont like it very much when people imply you're "PMSing"...so why is it ok to call a pregnant chick "hormonal." There is ZERO difference in how it feels to hear it or what it really means, pregnant or not, other than the fact that pregnant women don't bleed. Furthermore, ignorant men reduce women to PMSing bitches so why commit girl on girl crime by reducing each other to either a PMSing bitch or a hormonal pregnant chick? Not cool.

Of all the crap I've heard, which I admit hasn't been much except very recently,....the "you can blame it on hormones," or "hormones" or "she's just a pregnant hormonal chick" really really piss me off.

I fully admit hormonal issues around 10 weeks due to anxiety I couldnt seem to control regarding my asshat midwife. I maintain that if the asshat midwife wasnt an asshat, my anxiety wouldnt have been as much of an issue.

I'm also entirely aware that hormones are a little crazy during pregnancy. Not every woman feels these effects the same though. Hormones are linked to all kinds of changes in a woman and not every woman goes through it the same. Suffice to say, not all women are affected this way through their emotions.

I spoke my mind before getting knocked up thanks....

I cried about random sentimental stuff before carrying a baby thanks...

I even got angry before pregnancy....

These emotions or behaviors are not new thanks...

Believe it or not....not every pregnant woman is a hormonally-challenged, uncontrollable, crying, yelling, emotional mess monster for 9 months..

Thanks for listening...if I actually told people this who say this crap, other than my close friends who have never said it and totally get why it gets on my nerves, I would hear....

Yep you guessed it..

"You're just hormonal."

I'm So Honored....

To have been nominated by Ruth for Beautiful Blogger! Thanks Ruth!

"The instructions that go along with this award are as follows:* Thank the person who nominated you for this award.* Copy the award and place it in your blog.* Link the person who nominated you for this award.* Tell us 7 interesting things about you.* Nominate 7 bloggers.* Post the links to the 7 bloggers you nominate. "

So my interesting things:

1.) I am currently reading at least 7 books, some pregnancy related, others are fiction. I cannot read one book at a time, I'm too obsessed, lol! I probably buy at least one book a month. I used to dabble in writing as a kid and teenager. Sometimes I think I would have been an author if I had nurtured that more but there is no way I'm good enough to write something that matters to anybody but me.

2.) I am a music nut. I'm highly critical of music, how it sounds, how it is written, and performances. I can listen to any genre, any day of the week. I have played four instruments in my lifetime, 3 of which are in the clarinet family...the Bb clarinet, bass clarinet and contra-alto clarinet. My Bb clarinet was my father's horn, passed down from him to his niece, then to my aunt and then to me. I passed it to a 13 year old cousin (my aunt's daughter) who didnt like it so I have it back now. It's approximately 40 years old and I'm going to permanently mount it very soon. I played the Bb until grade 9 when I switched to bass clarinet for concert bands. I played the Bb in marching band in university. The contra-alto is my favorite because its rarely played, I was able to play it for solos in pieces so I stood out a bit as the only contra-alto player, it is the second largest clarinet and when I first played it in 8th grade, I needed to stack two chairs to reach the mouthpiece.

3.) My DH and I have known each other since 2003 when we met online on a random messageboard. We met in 2005 in person. From 2005 until our wedding in October 2007, we spent various stretches of time together every few months and the total number of days we spent in person before getting married was 90 days!

4.) I have a recurring nightmare of gigantic thumbtacks that chase me in a large white, doorless, windowless room. I've had this nightmare since the age of 5. I have no idea what it symbolizes but I'm sure at different times in my life, it has held different meaning. It is very strange.

5.) I am intensely interested in the weather. My father was a farm boy and also obsessed with the weather and passed this on to me. I dont watch the weather channel nearly as much as him but when the skies are funky not only in look but smell...I go on high alert.

6.) I have lived through a flood that destroyed the lower half of our home when I was 15 years old. This natural disaster has shaped me more than any other event in my life. Like any trauma, I can recall incredibly minor things about the time period in great detail. I do not like spring anymore because when the snow melts, I can smell it mixed with sand which reminds me of the sandbags that failed to keep the water out of the town. Melting snow creates minor anxiety that it could flood again. I will never own a property near a body of water, especially a river. However, I love water and enjoy water sports, fishing and the like; I just respect it a great deal.

7.) I have tried dabbling in photography in the last couple of years but I'm not serious enough about it to get an expensive camera and really go to town on it. But I do find some beautiful shots especially when traveling or out in nature. I think it brings me closer to God, something I've also struggled with for several years now.

I nominate:

A.J.
Ella
Apple Pie
Ash
Aimless Thoughts
Kass
E

24 Weeks

Holy cow, 6 months already! Time has flown by, it really has!

To recap the month, not much has changed. Still feeling good. At my last appt, I've gained back those 2 lbs lost. So only a 2lb gain total at that point. All other vitals were good. Cant complain really.

Its hard to walk around with all this ice and snow. I'm a slow mover these days, I really dont want to fall. I tire much easier than before too. My feet and ankles get swollen at night but clears up during the day. My back and hips get quite sore in bed but still nothing intolerable. Dh gives me back and foot rubs every night.

I imagine I'll be sleeping in the recliner towards the end. Speaking of the recliner, its brand new! We used our Christmas money on it and it will go in the nursery to start with and then eventually downstairs in our rec room. Its a nice cushy recliner/rocker.

The baby is moving a ton but still can not get DH to feel at the right time. The baby will be going nuts and I'll go sit by DH and it'll stop. Or we'll be in bed and I'll tell him to feel for it and it'll stop. Total drama queen!!

We started on the baby's room. Its quite the project but we have lots of time yet to get it done.

Here is my 24 week pic! I actually look PG and not like I ate a big plate of cheeseburgers, haha! The Habs shirt is from DH's aunt. It totally doesnt fit at all, it wouldnt even fit before getting PG but she was sweet enough to buy it so I figured I had to wear for at least one pic. DH's family are huge Montreal Canadiens fans...the baby already has TWO cruiser sets with the Habs...one in 6-9 month and the other in 18 month, haha!