40 Weeks, EDD, Full Term, Fully Baked or, AFTER TODAY CHILD YOU ARE LATE

Today is it...your due date little tater.  April 21st, the day we've been charging towards for months.  Will you be one of the 3-5% of babies born on your EDD?  I'm guessing probably not based on today's exam, but there are still 12 hours left in this day! Holly checked things out again, and not surprisingly there is not much "progress" since last week in terms of dilation or effacement...however still looking good that this could happen on its own soon.  She did do a second membrane stripping, so maybe it will work this time.  We talked more about induction options and she answered some of my questions and explained their protocols a little better. I feel like if we end up needing induction for medical reasons or for reaching 42 weeks, I will be less anxious about it and more able to make that decision than I was last weekend.  She also did a second Group B Strep test because my "old" one expires next week, so if I still haven't delivered by 4/28 it would be outdated and we'd have to look at it like I had never been tested...here's hoping it's still negative! 

Since I have Gestational Diabetes, I have to start having "non-stress tests" twice weekly now that I'm at 40 weeks until she's born to check her vital signs and reactivity.  Basically, I go to the perinatal assessment center and get hooked up to monitors for 20-30 minutes and they watch her movement, monitor any contraction activity, and her heart rate to make sure she's responding to movement and "stress" adequately to endure the labor process.  They also will do an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid levels and I'm guessing they'll take a look at her position, and then most likely send us home to wait some more :) So we have that at 3:00 today.  

The PUPPs rash is still raging, but there are spots that it seems to be improving.  It's pretty much gone from my belly (thank goodness) but my legs are a terrible mess still.

Not the best pic, off my phone, but this is the back of one of my legs - the hives have all just run together now and form one giant "plaque" - I have patches like this everywhere.

My palms and fingers get pretty crazy itchy at times, but other times they are OK.  I blessedly don't seem to have it on my upper torso, back, face, or really on my arms other than a few renegade spots, so I'm hoping like hell it stays that way.  Last night was the first night in many that I didn't wake up in a full blown "Itch Crisis" that tore me from a sound sleep, although I still only got about 4 hours of sleep total.  After reading just about everything online available about treating PUPPs (at least the symptoms) I have developed quite the arsenal, and I think maybe some part of it is working.  Here's my daily plan of attack (family and friends, feel free to skip this part if it's not interesting to you! I thought I'd include it in case someone reading this found my blog online, and hopefully it's helpful to someone else):

• 3 Dandelion Root capsules 3X/daily - to "cleanse" the liver of bile salt build up...I'm on day 6 and I think it might be helping
• 1 T. flaxseed oil - started yesterday, also to "cleanse" the liver
• Triamcinolone prescription steroid ointment up to 3X/daily 
• Washing my skin with "Selsun Blue" dandruff shampoo (1% Selenium Sulfide) - just came up with this one on my own, but it seems to help some with the itching
• Tea Tree Oil and Arnica Oil applied topically after bathing/showering - I honestly think this is helping the most to dry out the rash. The TTO has a pretty strong smell, just beware!  
• Soaking in a warm (not hot!) bath with either Aveeno Oatmeal packets or Epsom Salts at least once/daily
• Alternating prescription Atarax or Benadryl 50 mg at night before bed to knock me the hell out so I can sleep - not sure it helps much with the itching but at least I can close my eyes for a while

Then there is the array of other topical applications that I rotate to help with mini "Itch Crises" during the day time (they seem to be more manageable than the middle of the night ones).  I've found using one thing repeatedly seems to lose its effectiveness, so I mix it up between: Sarna Lotion (smells like a Grandpa, but does cool and take the itch away for a while), Aloe with Lidocaine, Band Aid brand Itch Relief Gel (camphor is the main ingredient, and this works really well but my tube is almost empty and our Rite Aid doesn't carry it, so I'm sparingly using it for emergencies), California Baby brand Diaper Rash Cream (the zinc oxide apparently helps, and the lotion rubs in better than other mainstream brands like Desitin, so I'm not a white pasty mess).  I have an array of other things I've tried that have been cast aside (Ivy Dry, Calendula Gel, Aveeno Baby lotion, Gold Bond Medicated powder) but some find those to be helpful, too.  I found this website to be a really comprehensive list of things to try so if you're out there dealing with PUPPs and haven't found it yet, take a look: http://www.naomikritzer.com/motherhood/PUPPP.shtml

Whew...so PUPPs drama aside, we're just waiting for you little one! Here's what mama looks like today after 4 hours of sleep: 

The belly is RIDIC! It's like this whole other part of me at this point - it doesn't even feel like an extension of me anymore...it feels like this whole separate entity strapped on to the front...it looks unreal without clothes on!!  I'm up 5 lbs in 2 weeks according the doctor's scale...which is a little frightening but whatever. I think at least one of those lbs has to be water because I'm so swollen from this rash everywhere.  That has my total weight gain at 22 lbs.  More than I would have liked, but still within recommended guidelines, so I guess I can't complain.  Maybe managing the GD with a tightly controlled diet helped keep my weight gain in check, and that's certainly not a bad thing! 

We will keep you all up to date as usual if anything changes (IF! Ha...WHEN...I mean there are only a maximum of 14 days left from today, so it's a matter of when, right?).  Hoping to have news very soon :) C'mon Tater Tot...the world is waiting for you! 

38 Weeks - 14 days left until our due date!

Today marks 38 weeks...14 days away from that date that we've been heading towards since those two pink lines showed up last August.  It's crazy to me to think that literally any day will be the day we begin counting how many weeks old our tiny daughter is, rather than how many weeks along (read:HUGE) her mama is! She could be born tomorrow, or she could be born in 3 weeks, but at the very least we know it's really only a matter of days until we are holding her in our arms instead of chasing her feet around my belly from the outside.  We had a visit with our midwife today to check things out and she said due to the diabetes, we'll start having non-stress tests at 40 weeks until she is born.  If we want, at that point they will talk about various methods for induction if she's not born by 41 weeks.   While I'd prefer to hold off on a full-on Pitocin induction, there are plenty of more "natural" ways to try and jump start labor if need be.  Today, Holly said baby's head has moved down some, I'm still about 50% effaced, and currently about 1cm dilated - that all sounds just right for 38 weeks to me! Holly and her student will both be on call at the hospital next Tuesday 4/12, so I've had a little chat with baby and have encouraged her to think about being born then ;) She's got about 5 days to get in gear and move along! Haha...if only I could choose! However, 4/12 has been my mom's guess for the birthday and she's sticking to it, so we'll see if she's right!  We reviewed the birth plan with Holly, and I am hopeful that by and large we'll have our preferences fall into place with a normal, uncomplicated and unmedicated delivery.

On our way home, we stopped by a local shop in Dexter (Christine's) that has some of the cutest things for babies and kids, and Matt picked out his girl's going home outfit :) Here's a little peek:

The little crochet details are so sweet, and you would not believe how soft this cotton is! I can't wait to see her tiny self scrunched into this sweetness :) 

Aside from the insanity of the itchy belly (which has continued to my dismay), there's not much that has changed for me in the past week.  I'm a tad bigger, slightly more uncomfortable but not terribly so, and feeling mostly prepared for this part to end and the next phase to begin.  I am done with work after tomorrow, and I'm so glad to work for a place where I have the option to be home until she arrives without penalty or being forced to take excess PTO.   I will miss my friends at work, but I'm ready to spend time in our "nest" with Matt and hopefully have at least a few days to ourselves as we get ready for the best and biggest change in our lives.  Maybe before my next weekly post I will have a better update to share! 

:::

And here we are at 38 weeks + 4 days

It's really quite lovely that none of my shirts cover the bottom of the belly anymore! I'd say she's grown since last week - here is 37 weeks + 3 days for comparison: 

Updates to come as there are some :) 

37 Weeks + 3 days

We have officially hit the "Full Term" marker - baby can safely be born any time now with little likelihood of long term health issues! It's a relief to have made it to this point, and also to know that one way or another she will be here in a matter of weeks!

What's going on with me this week?  Previous post pretty much sums it up: discomfort.  My belly is stretched to the max, and my skin is not happy about it.  Stretch marks alone have given way to stretch marks underneath a layer of hives off and on throughout the day/night.  I went to the Natural View Market in Brighton today to look for some homeopathic remedies to try, and got some calendula gel to put on which seems to help at least temporarily relieve the itchies.  So far the hives are isolated pretty much to within the stretch marks themselves, which is odd, but at least they haven't spread to other parts of my skin (*fingers crossed!).  Baby is still growing every day, but I'm not so much uncomfortable from her size alone unless she decides to stretch her legs all the way out! I think she's dropped some, because it's a tad easier to breathe now than it had been - hooray for that!  Otherwise, I don't really have any changes or intuition that she's planning to make her debut in the next few days.  I think she's comfy in there for another few weeks.  I'm thinking it may be sometime within the week up to her due date, perhaps around the 16th-17th if I had to venture a guess.  Of course, those dates will probably pass without a hint of change, and she'll be a 42 weeker, but I don't wanna talk about it right now :)

Here's the belly this week:

I have a major to-do list to tackle, but somehow the urgency hasn't set in yet and there's really still a lot to get done around here! Most importantly, we haven't started packing a hospital bag yet.  I know when labor starts we'll likely have plenty of time to gather things up if it isn't done, but it would definitely make Matt feel better to have that at least started!  That's my goal for tomorrow :) Perhaps if I make the list public I'll be more likely to cross things off (I like to include some things I've already accomplished, too, just to feel better):

- Pack hospital bag

- Write out birth plan somewhere other than in my journal (although if that doesn't happen, I can always bring the journal, I guess)

- Clean living room and put away laundry that has been sitting in baskets for weeks

- Finish re-arranging our bedroom so that I can actually get in and out of bed with the co-sleeper on my side (that's made midnight bathroom trips interesting lately!)

- Vacuum pet hair tumbleweeds from all corners of the house...repeat

- Attach safety straps for co-sleeper under our mattress so that it can be safely used when we bring her home

- Call pediatrician's office to make sure they are accepting new patients - they are :) 

- Install car seat base and put seat in car - better to have it sit there than on the living room floor, right?

- Hang last few decorative items on nursery walls

- Cook/prepare meals that can be frozen for the first few weeks at home

- Finish sewing binding on blanket I started

- Find out we need to replace all 4 tires on the car unexpectedly after having a flat on Friday

- Finish our childbirth education class  

- Wrap up at work this week - last day is Friday April 8!

I know there's more, but that's what comes to mind at the moment.  Baby prep is pretty much done though - diapers are washed and ready for when our disposable stash runs out, clothes are washed and ready for her cute little self to fill, items like the swing and bouncer are assembled. The room is essentially complete, save for a few things to go up on the walls.  See?

Wall collage - not sure if I posted this already on here

Crib skirt done, fabric bunting done (don't worry, it won't stay hanging on her crib as a strangulation hazard - it will be hung on the wall before she sleeps there!)

View from the doorway (changing table no longer has random boxes and tools sitting on it either)

DIY Crib skirt, bunting off crib

Fabric bunting hung on the wall 

Anyway, things are pretty much a go over here - so baby girl can get her groove on any time she feels like it! I'm ready to meet her, I know that much! 

34 Weeks (and 3 days...yes I'm counting)

Wwell, we're getting down to the final month of this business...hopefully! This week will mark 35 and 35 - 35 weeks down and 35 days to go.  I think I've reached the point that whenever the end comes it will be welcomed.  Of course I want to make sure she's developed enough and don't want her to have any complications with growth or lung development...but if I could deliver in 3 weeks I'd be most pleased to be honest with you!  I know my body can and will accommodate more growth, but geez it feels like I'm close to max capacity now! And, discouragingly, I noticed two small purple-y stretch marks forming on the underside of the belly today...which means I'm sure there are more to come :( I was hoping to make it through without any, but doesn't look like that is going to happen. I know 50% of pregnant women get at least some, and it's a badge of motherhood and all that, but I could have done without them nonetheless. At least our professional maternity photos are this Thursday at 35 weeks on the dot, and hopefully I won't get any more before then, so the belly will still look good in pics! (Oh vanity, how I love thee).   Here she is covered up for the week: 

34 weeks + 3 days

I think we are more or less getting down to the last vital things we need to have and do before she arrives.  The nursery is coming together, and I'll give it its very own post for the big reveal once all the components are in place soon.  Our chair should be scheduled to arrive in the next 2 weeks or so, and the wall projects are just about complete.  The crib skirt is the last big sewing project, and I just didn't have the gusto to do it by myself this weekend.  I did work on these, though:

The collage of frames will go on the wall above the crib.  So springy and bright, and yet sophisticated, charming and still clean lines! 

I also finished the DIY altered lampshade project using the Cricut: 

I made the ruffle trim using 1 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and pleating it by hand, fixing each pleat with hot glue in between.  Then just hot glued it around the top and bottom of the shade, overlapping the seam at the back.   For the inside, I used the Cricut cartridges "A Child's Year" and "Give a Hoot" and cut out silhouettes of children at play and a whimsical butterfly border.  Then, using spray adhesive on one side of each cut-out, I fixed them to the inside of the shade! You see them mostly when the lamp is on, and when it's off you just pretty much see the ribbon ruffle :) So cute, if I do say so myself! 

And, apparently the animals approve of this space...as long as it is all for them! It is just for them, right?

Winnie has since been banished from claiming the co-sleeper, because that's really a habit I do not want to encourage.  In fact, it kind of freaks me out and I'm not sure what to do to keep her out of the baby's sleeping spaces.  Cat owners, any suggestions?  Right now I just have it loaded with some bags of hand-me-downs, but that's obviously a temporary solution.  The co-sleeper will be moved into our room beside the bed, but the bedroom needs major cleaning and reorganizing first...see below. 

I think the "Nesting" is kicking up a notch from just nursery prep and taking up 100% brain space occupied to thinking/list making about what needs to get purchased/done to actual housekeeping tasks that have been put off too long.  This is not news, but I'm a pretty terrible housekeeper.  I love clean, fresh spaces, but honestly I just prefer if someone else does it for me, and if not, then I don't mind living in various states of squalor that much (evidently). Gross. Well, those little things that I usually put off for months (the grody dust built up on the cold air return vent over our bed? yeah...all I had to do was wipe that with a damp cloth. 6 months ago) are finally irritating me enough to get themselves done.  Today I scrubbed the shower and tub (like even got the orange rust stains off), cleaned the grout around the base of the toilet, and washed the shower curtain liner.  Tasks which a normal person might do once a week, or perhaps twice a month, sure...but these are typically Mt. Everest proportion tasks that I feel quite accomplished about today, especially seeing as how they had me work up a sweat and become short of breath! (Let's be honest, getting out of a chair does about the same, but we'll just skim over that part).  Anyway, hopefully this house will still be spring clean by the time little girl arrives - particularly if she listens to the first paragraph and comes in 3 weeks - the shower might still be clean in 3 weeks, right?

33 Weeks - Can we call it the Home Stretch yet? At least the 7th Inning Stretch?

33 weeks, 7 to go until the little lady is scheduled to arrive.  Holy crap that's less than two full months! We are slowly but surely getting things checked off our to-do lists, both major and minor.  I typed out a tentative birth plan last night, and once Matt and I have the chance to go over it together, I'll discuss my feelings on the matter in more detail here.  We have started talking about a pediatrician, but we haven't yet made a decision on that.  Our childbirth prep class is scheduled, and hopefully little one does not decide to come early or we won't have the chance to attend as I'll be 36 and 37 weeks for those classes!  The nursery is starting to take shape, as we now have the crib mattress in place, one curtain panel done and curtain rod hung, furniture mostly painted, and plans for wall decor and a few other touches taking place in my already crowded little head as I type.  Our chair hasn't been delivered, but it should arrive by the end of this month.  I have some projects to work on this weekend with my mom's help - at least finish the other curtain, and possibly start/finish(?) the crib skirt.  Here are some sneak peek pics of the current state of things:

 Closet in stages of organization

 Dresser/Changer and one curtain panel (cupboard door is actually on as of today)

Close of up curtain

We are also checking things off the "must-haves" list of baby prep items.  Getting the cloth diaper stash ready and pre-washed soon, and filling in the back up supply of disposables a little at a time.  I am definitely starting to feel like things will all be ready by the time she's here and ready to come home, and that's a big relief! I mean, basically, she needs a few onesies, blankets, diapers and mah boobs for the first little while, and those are all things we can safely say we have covered! My sweet friend from work is bringing over a load of baby gear this weekend including the co-sleeper for our room, and back ups of many items to have at Mark's for when she has Grandpa time over there.  I think we'll be in pretty good shape with gear very soon! The wonderful Smith family hosted another BEAUTIFUL shower today (pics to come in another post), and my lovely Peds and Transplant Social Work friends are both throwing work showers next week! Needless to say we are overwhelmed with love and support for this little one, and I seriously mean it when I say we could not be as prepared as we are without all of you.   SO much love, it melts my heart!  

We had our 33 week appt with the midwife on Thursday, and everything seems to be going well from her point of view right now, too.  The fundal height is right on track, which means more or less baby is growing on track (which we knew from the u/s last week).  Her heartbeat is steady and strong, and her movements have been out of this world in the past week! You can now see my entire belly moving when she readjusts her little legs and feet!

My weight gain is stable - I haven't gained any in the past 3 weeks and so far I'm up approximately 14 lbs.   In the past week, I've gotten probably the best compliment any pregnant lady wants to hear, not once or twice, but three times - "You can't even tell you're pregnant from the back!"  :) As unwieldy and off-kilter as I feel sometimes at this point, it is nice to know that others don't seem to experience my profile the same way I do! We have scheduled a maternity photo session and I will be 35 weeks at that point - so some real ripe belly pics are coming your way soon! Here's our at home shot for this week:

33 wks 2 days

Overall, I'm feeling that even though there is still a lot to complete, we have good plans and will make a little progress every week, and before we know it she will be here! I'm hoping every day for continued stability with the GD and no insulin, but overall just for a healthy and safe delivery whenever she decides to arrive.  I'm also hoping to find some time for Matt and I to spend as just a couple in these last few weeks, before our lives are changed forever. We have a few movies we'd like to see at the Michigan Theater, and hopefully the weather cooperates and we can go on some walks outside together too.  It's very exciting from here out...I'm sure the next few weeks are going to be a blur!   

32 Weeks Recap and a "Mama to Bee Shower"

Another apology for a delayed post...the weeks are starting to really fly by and there is just a lot to do around here!

I am now 32 weeks and 3 days, according to the timeline I've been using all along with the due date being April 21, and with my days turning over on Thursdays.  However, we went for an ultrasound this Thursday, and the tech told us they are using April 18th as the due date from her earlier measurements, so I was 32 + 3 on Thursday at the u/s. Either way, the ultrasound went well and they feel that the placenta previa is resolving.  Baby's head is so close to the cervix they had a hard time getting an accurate measurement of exactly how far the placenta is (needs to be at least 2.0 cm) but they think it's at a minimum 1.70 cm and probably closer to 2.  The OB we saw said she would be comfortable clearing me to attempt a vaginal delivery, but that at this point I would go in with a slightly increased risk of bleeding if it's still low lying like this.  Good news is due to the GD, we have another ultrasound to check her growth in 4 weeks, so they'll look at the placenta again and give us a solid recommendation about how safe a vaginal delivery could be at that point.  Hopefully she is growing appropriately then, and isn't the size of a Thanksgiving turkey ;) Otherwise all this conversation will be for naught, and they'd schedule a c/s anyway.  At least right now she is head down, with her face towards my back, her butt just under my diaphragm (thank you) and her feet still wedged under my right side ribs.  We didn't get very good photos of her this time - she looks like a squashy alien baby because her head is so jammed down and everything is smooshed, so I'll leave those out as they are a bit disconcerting and creepy :)

The GD has been a frustrating and emotionally challenging trial for me.  I've had a few nights where I've not had good readings or can't explain why a level is higher than it should be based on what I've eaten, and just had a meltdown.  It's those nights I feel like I'm not always doing the best I can, and that sometimes I make selfish choices about what I eat because I just want something so badly.  I feel so guilty when I've eaten something that throws my level way off, and I know that every time my glucose is high, she's getting more than she should be too and it puts her at risk.  I told Matt I think this is a really hard way to learn something about the selflessness of parenthood really fast - the choices I make do not affect only me any more, and in fact could negatively affect my child.  I try not to stress about it all the time, but sometimes it just gets the best of me, and I really just can't wait for her to be here so I can start to worry about her in other ways ;) And eat some damn ice cream while I worry about it!

Since my last post, I've had one amazing shower hosted by my best friend, her mom and my mom, and I couldn't have imagined it to be any better! Molly did such a beautiful job planning all of the details and it was a "Baby to Bee and Mommy to Bee" theme.  I'm only sad we didn't get any photos of us together, and we didn't get our usual "all the girls" shot either :( We'll have to recreate that the next time we're all together, but hopefully we'll be +1 girl by then!! 

Here is the 31 week belly at the shower

Tables 

Gift table with a picture of sweet little girl! 

Cute silverware!

The tables set up with honey sticks favors, beautiful flowers, and damask and yellow table runners

The cake - thanks to Lynn, her homemade goodness was delicious! The little bee cake pops were SO good too!

 My two "mamas" looking proudly on

Most of the present opening photos are not the most flattering - I should maybe have re-thought the bare legs and dress thing, since most of the full shots have a lovely view of mah thighs.  And, note to self, look up and smile with the gifts for pics - much better than multiple double chin shots ;) So, anyway, these are not posted due to favorite gifts or anything like that, just ones that I think I don't look like a pregnant gremlin in! That being said, I was overwhelmed with how much our little baby is already loved.  We wouldn't be able to do so many of the things we hope and plan for her in the beginning without help from all of you, and we are so lucky to bring our girl into this world with so much love already here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Yay, diapers! 

Bee onesies and socks! 

Love it :) 

The child can now eat in style!

Ok the next two are hilarious - Ashley lent us the snap n go stroller to use until we get our bigger one, or don't want to use the infant seat with the stroller.  It was assembled, and we needed to fold it down to get it home.  It took 2 adult males and at least 3 adult women to figure out how to collapse this thing!! We were caught on camera experiencing our first parenting gadgetry fail!

Finally - the 32 week belly pic - not the most flattering shot, but it's what we have this week nonetheless! 

8 weeks to go! Can't believe she still has room to double in size...

28 Weeks

Well another week has slipped away - 12 weeks (give or take) until little girl makes her debut! That leaves us with approximately 3 months to get ready, and whoa nelly we are not! I think emotionally we are getting ourselves prepared as much as one can, but as far as all the practical preparation we have LOTS to do! It will all get done, and just like when I was planning our wedding, some details might not get finished by "the big day" but the major things have a way of taking precedence and getting done in time.  The little things, albeit fun to dream about and imagine, are usually such small details that really won't be missed once the event is upon us.  

Anyway, since the update last Monday from the ultrasound, there isn't much new info on what baby is doing this week. She's about 2 lbs 7 oz according to Monday's measurements, and growing every day.  Her eyesight and brain function are improving every day as well, and she's in for a major growth spurt in the next 4 weeks or so.  She's practicing swallowing and "breathing" still - which we got to see in action during the ultrasound!  She was in a head down (cephalic) presentation during the ultrasound, with her feet up just by the bottom of my ribcage on the right side.  I'd be happy if she stayed right there - don't get any breech or transverse ideas, OK, little one?  We'll get to see her again at 32 weeks, so I will be interested to see if she stays put or flips around.

Here we are this week: 

In other pregnancy related news, I started physical therapy yesterday for the SPD.  It went really well, and I'm feeling very good today! I was given a few exercises/stretches to work on anytime at home, and then I will have PT twice/week to make sure that everything stays put.  Thanks to Molly, I've also had her help readjusting twice now, and I'm hopeful that between her assistance, PT, and reduced work hours, I will make it to the end of this pregnancy without continued daily pain! I also received 2 support belts I ordered today in the mail, and I was thinking I might send one back before trying them out, but after trying each one, I think they could both be helpful so I might just keep 'em.  They are seriously Nerd Ferguson looking, but I guess since when is an elastic and velcro strap designed to hold up your shit all day supposed to be like something from VS?  

Pregnancy related news bit part 2: I failed the 1 hour glucose test and now have to take the 3 hour glucose tolerance test on Monday to rule out Gestational Diabetes. I'm not too concerned that I actually have GD, but man would that suck if I did.  I'm supposed to eat a "high carb" diet for 3 days before the test, and was told to have 150 g of carbs/day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  At first I thought this would be my license to sugar it up this weekend, but as I started keeping track this morning I realized that just eating my normal things will probably do it.  My Quaker Oatmeal Squares, 1/2 a banana and some milk first thing this morning already had me at about 82 g!! One little bowl of "healthy" cereal, some fruit and milk for goodness sake! I mean, I know fruit has a lot of natural sugars, but I have at least 2 pieces of fruit a day and that alone is close to 100 g of carbs.  I try to balance what I eat otherwise, but maybe I really am getting way too much of that and not enough protein.  Time to veg it up, I guess. Good thing our veggie drawer is stocked after a trip to the store!  Anyway, fingers crossed for a clear 3 hour GTT result after Monday! 

27 Weeks - Hello Third Trimester!

Today is the start of the third trimester, and literally as if on cue, it feels as if the "glow" and comfort and energy of the second trimester that everyone talks about (which I was lame enough not to even really notice let alone appreciate while experiencing them...) seem to be fading quickly into the past.  While riding home last night after work, I thought to myself that I feel as tired as I did around 6 weeks, and that's saying a lot! By the end of the work day, I'm pretty much spent. My mental to-do list is piling up at a frightening rate, and then I get home and change clothes and eat dinner and it's all I can do to convince myself that 8 PM is not a dignified bedtime for an adult on a nightly basis.  As I've continued to talk about on here, the SPD doesn't help, but more than that I'm just generally wearing out more quickly now.  I guess that's why they call it the "home stretch" - there is still quite literally LOTS of stretching to be done, but at least we are counting down the weeks now instead of counting up.


Little girl is working on her lungs now - her nostrils are open and she's "breathing" amniotic fluid and practicing inhaling and exhaling for her big debut when she'll have to do it on her own.  She's about the size of an eggplant and weighs over 2 lbs! Maybe we'll get an even more accurate estimate of her size at the ultrasound on Monday.  One thing I am definitely noticing (and Matt has too!) are specific body parts when she moves around.  Not that I can identify what is an elbow or knee or butt, but I can definitely tell that lump protruding slightly on the left side of my belly is distinctly part of someone and not just a transient blob of blobbiness knocking about in there! So far none of the movement has been uncomfortable or feeling like getting swiftly kicked in the ribs or anything, but I am guessing those days are just around the corner!


Here we are at 27 Weeks - my belly button seems to be popping slightly, but I think that is also because I just ate dinner right before we took this :-) Up just under 10 lbs today at the midwife appointment, so I guess I'm on track.  She said the "fundal height" is also just where it should be, so no worries about development from a growth perspective, I guess.  

Our nursery fabrics have been ordered, and I've already received all but one of them! I hope to have the other one arrive by the end of the week and then I can think about getting projects started.  I decided to go with these:

 

The aqua trellis pattern will be the main part of the crib skirt with the raspberry dandelion print as the trim along the bottom.  The multi-colored botanical print fabric is called "Teja" and will be the curtains, and aqua paisley is a super plush minky fabric that I'm planning on doing a changing pad cover with.  Then I should have enough of each to do some other small accents in the room.  I know I perseverated and spent WAY too much time making this decision but I'm happy with the choices and can't wait to see them come together! I think they look perfect for a spring baby girl and I am so excited to see all the other little things I'm hoping to have ready all in one space.  We are deciding on a chair, and have one pretty much picked out. I think we're going to go with the upholstered glider/rocker from PB Kids with the white twill and stone piping slipcover (shown here in just white and slipcover below).   The walls will be a light tan/sand color, still to be picked out.  

Still looking for a small side table for beside the chair (I mean small...there's not a ton of room in there, and with a larger chair there will be even less!).  Like, enough room for a little lamp, a coaster, and the sound machine.  If anyone has a small table they want to get rid of or you see in your travels that could be repainted white, give me a shout! Ideally, I think I'd like it to have one drawer, like this (but this one is $97 from Target - their South Hampton Night Stand, and I don't really feel we need to spend that much): 

First up however, we must get finished emptying the room (almost there!) and then tape and paint it, and then we can do the rest, which is the fun part! Can't wait to share our progress as we go!

25 weeks (almost)

Just a quick update for a belly shot - today is actually 24W+5D but it's close enough! 

Dear God do my eyes look that baggy all the time?

At 25 weeks, our girl can reach her own toes and hold on to them! She can also make a fist (so that's what I've been feeling lately!).  If you listen from the outside, it's now possible to hear her heartbeat without a doppler or stethoscope - we'll have to try that to see if it's true, or if you only really hear my stomach deciding if dinner was a worthy choice or not... I'm feeling all kinds of movement lately which range from gentle bumps to some stronger pointy jabs. Matt felt a particularly swift kick the other day and was shocked at how strong it feels even from outside! He asked "what does that feel like from inside when it feels that crazy strong outside?"  It's hard to explain, but sometimes it feels like if you jammed a few irregularly shaped balls or objects and then rolled them over one another inside a sock or something.  Pretty cool :-) 

In other pregnancy related news, I've decided not to teach my winter session of Zumba after all.  With the increasing SPD (pelvic/pubic pain) I've been having, plus the possibility of complications from placenta previa, I just felt that it was important to listen to my body and take it a little easy (which many of you know is particularly hard for me to do sometimes).  I wanted to teach this winter for a few reasons, including staying in shape before delivery and also not letting my students down, but I know I have to do what's important for the pregnancy and that was that. I'll plan to go back to teaching in September, but a little break will probably be a good thing anyway.  The SPD is pretty obnoxious, and that literally feels like my pubic bone is separating when I move certain ways (rolling over in bed, pushing something with my feet or even taking off one shoe using the other foot, going up stairs etc).  The only thing that really helps that is to take it easy, and Zumba is not exactly that, unfortunately. I'm going to get a support band to wear around my hips to see if that helps, too, because it's getting challenging to stand for longer than 15 minutes at a time, and sometimes it is so achy it hurts to stand on one foot long enough to put my legs in my pants! 

Our next ultrasound is in 3 weeks, and they will re-check the placement of the placenta (and I am going to ask them to turn on the 3D for a minute to try and get a glimpse what our girl looks like...hoping they will!).  If it's still low-lying or completely covering the cervix, they will do a repeat u/s again at 32 weeks, and begin to make a delivery plan if we have to think about a c-section.  If it's all clear, then we can proceed with planning a normal delivery.  We're enrolled in a condensed childbirth prep series at the Center for the Childbearing Year which will be 2 Saturdays in the early spring regardless, and I think that will be good for us even if we think we're planning for a c-section just in case that option changes at the last minute.  I definitely feel like I need to start getting my head in the game if I'm going to have a natural delivery, which is the way I'd like to see this go.  More on "birth plans" in a future post, however. 

3 more weeks until the 3rd trimester begins...so hard to believe I'm nearly 2/3 of the way through this! 

2011 - the year I will become a mama

My apologies for the missed posts - with the holidays bearing down on us and working all week, it was the best I could do to make sure all the major items were checked off my list, and the blog slipped to the back burner.  But, to recap, Christmas came and went and was just as lovely as it is every year. We did our annual Christmas Eve dinner with Matt's family, and let me tell you, I married into a great one there! Delicious food, family stories, and the excitement of the kids on Christmas Eve (although they are all getting SO grown up and I have to say it's amazing to see how they each get a little bit more reserved and less Santa'sComing!Santa'sComing!OMG every year).  And for those of you who wanted to see pics, I brought a peppermint meringue chocolate ganache cake for dessert, and it was SO delicious!

The cake, pre-slicing 

 The inside view

The 23 Week Belly at Christmas Eve

Our Christmas morning was actually pretty perfect, as it was the first time since we lived in our condo that we've actually had our own time together on Christmas day without anyone else. We opened our gifts in front of the fire with mugs of coffee and a few special treats, and just spent the day generally relaxed and jammied until my Mom got home from work and Allison came over.  Family dinner before 8 PM and opening our gifts at night by just the light of the tree was a little upside down for the way we usually do it, but it was really nice and a great way to end the day.  Of note, I received a video camera (well, apparently I made this wish recommendation quite clearly known and both Matt and Mom got one for me...oops!), so just get ready for an onslaught of adorable videos this spring! :)

Anyway, I have now hit the 24 week mark and the very brink of viability. Little girl's lungs should be developed enough to offer at least a chance of survival outside the womb (although I've been quite clear with her that she is to stay put for a while yet!).  She should weigh about 1.5 lbs and will begin putting on the weight now.  According to one of the many weekly email updates my inbox is regularly assaulted with, she is currently approximately the size of a papaya :)

:: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Reflecting on 2010, looking forward to 2011

2010 held much excitement and promise for us.  We continued to work very hard every month towards our goal of paying down debts and moving closer to being able to look into buying our own home.  We had hoped that this would happen by the end of this year, and although we're not quite there we've made tremendous progress, and I have to remind myself how much we have accomplished.  We have pushed ourselves to give things up or hold off on things that we wanted, we have learned the importance of patience and fortitude towards a shared goal, and we have continued to learn that supporting each other no matter how difficult the circumstances might seem at times is ultimately what will get us to that end.  And so, in 2011, we will continue to forge ahead and hopefully this year will be the year that we do in fact become homeowners. 

2010, as you all know from reading this blog, was also the year we decided to take the leap towards parenthood.  We were lucky enough to conceive without a struggle, and I feel so fortunate to have had a relatively normal pregnancy thus far.  Being slightly less than 16 weeks from our due date, I am looking forward to the remaining experiences that this journey will have in store, but more than that I am looking towards the most wondrous change our lives will probably ever see; becoming parents for the first time.  I think we both have the chops to handle it with relative grace, and the support we have from friends and family will see us through when we inevitably falter.   This role, Mama, is something I feel I have literally waited most of my life to experience, and I feel ready. I honestly hold very little anticipatory anxiety about those first early stages of motherhood, anyway...thinking about raising a teenage girl does pose its challenges, but we'll work up to that by the time we need to! I feel knowledgeable, prepared, and overwhelmingly excited to experience that which I have admired in others for so many years.  To have a little face look to me as one of the most important sources of love and knowledge and guidance, to nourish both a body and a developing soul, to raise an intelligent, present, caring member of our human race...I am truly honored to have the opportunity to try my hand at this.  

Aside from the obviously major changes that 2011 has in store for us, my other goals (albeit related to that in some way) are to simplify, de-clutter, and organize both my physical spaces and my inner self.  I want to feel that the spaces I surround myself with bring me peace, calm, and comfort, so that I can live as presently and simply as possible.  I want to experience my remaining pregnancy and maternity leave fully, not living in a whirlwind of clutter and physical mayhem (of course some of that comes with having a newborn around, but I at least want to start with a clean slate, both mentally and physically).   I am notoriously terrible at getting and staying organized, and I truly want this year to be a fresh start. With that in mind, the rest of this weekend is dedicated to clearing out spaces and finding what we cannot live without, and doing away with much of the excess. 

What are your goals/resolutions/hopes for 2011?