Nursery

We still haven't picked out a changing table, but we had this piece already and decided it will work for now. The green looks CRAZY in the picture, but I don't think it looks this vibrant in person. Makes me want to change it after seeing it like this though!

What a difference 5 months makes!

36 Week Update

Well, my body made no additional progress this past week toward labor. I’m still only one cm dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor believes that the baby will not turn on its own now, as the head is what usually causes progression and all we have down there are two little feet! We have scheduled a c-section for February 19 at 11:00. The doctor gave me the option to do a version, but I’m not very comfortable with that idea. I have heard of no success stories with those and to me it seems unnecessary to put the baby and myself through that when there is less than a 50% success rate. We think our little Bean has been through enough with this pregnancy, so we said no.

The Bean was making the usual kissing faces, and at one point turned “his” head toward my voice when I talked. Of course that just about melted my heart! The Bean weighs in at 6 lbs 5 oz and should be a normal sized baby. So, as of right now it looks like I still have three weeks to become enormous, puffy and swollen and to get stretch marks. Yeah!!

Sleep...oh how I miss thee

I am exhausted. Sleep does not come easily these days as I am so very uncomfortable. I can't lay in any position for very long without something aching. I toss and turn all night, and while I want to lay with my husband, it's just better that he stay on the couch where I won't keep him up too.

Yesterday I was so tired I found myself crying at the drop of a hat. I went to Mom's for lunch to see Grandma and Aunt Catsy and cried the whole way there. The Bean has also been trying to turn, and that's hurting too. So I had a little pity party for myself and just cried and cried. My sweet and wonderful husband felt so badly for me that he came home with a gift - a silver and green turquoise bracelet. It's just beautiful and I didn't cry at all after that. Jewelry can work magic! I don't know what I'd do without that man...

Final Showers

I had two baby showers last week. One was a surprise by the customer service team I lead. It was so sweet of them and I was really touched. They are such a great group of women and I'm so glad they think as much of me as I think of them. Friday night I had another shower thrown by the other Service Excellence leaders. It was at Loree's house and was so much fun! Loree is very creative and tells the most funny stories. I honestly can't remember the last time I laughed that hard. At one point I had to run to the bathroom because I almost peed my pants! They all pitched in and got us the car seat. Yeah!! We were so worried about that. It was the only "must have" thing we hadn't yet gotten.

On Saturday morning, Mike and I headed to Babies R Us to return our baby monitor and buy last-minute items. It turns out that a couple we know also has the video monitor and when they went to use it, they switched the channel and were able to see the baby next door! There is no way I want anyone to watch my baby like that, plus the thought occurred to me that they may inadvertantly catch me breastfeeding or something! So we returned it and will get just an audio monitor.

The return, plus the gift cards we've received, allowed us to get the baby bedding, changing pad and cover, a huge box of diapers, a baby medicine kit, a baby grooming kit and some decorative stickers for the baby's wall. It was a very productive trip! The last "big" thing on our registry is the high chair, but we won't need that soon. So I feel very comfortable that we're all ready for our Bean to arrive!

A little whine with my cheese

I have REALLY tried not to be a big fat whiner during my pregnancy. After all the ups and downs we had at the beginning, I am so grateful to even be pregnant, so I figure I can endure whatever aches and pains come along with it. But man, my body HURTS and I just have to bitch about it, just this once!

My back hurts almost non-stop now, but especially when I get up for my 5 or 6 trips to the bathroom each night (and remember, I don't always fall back to sleep after these trips, so sometimes I'm missing out on 3 or 4 hours of sleep each night). My back gets so tight I actually have to hold onto the bed as I make my way to the bathroom so I don't fall down. I also get sharp pains in my nether-regions because that's where the Bean's feet are positioned. As "he" moves his feet around, I'm literally getting my ass kicked, from the inside! In addition, all that pressure is causing some swelling in that area. Sometimes it hurts to just sit, and I don't even dare try to cross my legs most days!

When I walk, all the pressure of the Bean's butt sits on my bladder and it's becoming very painful. I feel every single step and now completely understand why women waddle. I'll do anything to try to ease that pain! Since the Bean is breech, he likes to stretch out sideways, stretching my skin very tight and making it quite difficult to breathe. Then there's the constipation, which is far more intense than it was the first trimester. The gas pains are sharp also, adding to the symphony of pain that has become my midsection.

Despite my allergy medications, I still battle congestion and sleep with two pillows each night. This position is unfamiliar to me, so it's also contributing to my back pain. I'm blowing my nose constantly and have even gotten bloody noses on several occasions. Mike says I now snore and occasionally talk in my sleep too.

Shaving my legs has become quite a chore. I only do it about once a week now, usually prior to my doctor's appointment. I can't see half of what I'm shaving, and to be honest, I really don't care at this point. A hit or miss job is fine with me. Last time I shaved, I swung my leg up to the shower wall and nearly fell out out of the tub in shock. Whose ham hock was that??! My ankles were swollen, my knees were puffy and my calves were just fat! That's probably another good reason why shaving doesn't seem so appealing to me at this point. Who wants to look at that? One area I do stay on top of though is my armpits. That's because I'm experiencing another joy of pregnancy that I'd never heard of before it happened to me: darkened armpit skin! They look hairy no matter what!! Yeah, it's so weird.

I won't go into the joyful things that I've experienced this week since the passing of my mucous plug, or the little surprises I've had in my bra now that there's colostrum there. But I have to say I feel better now that I've vented. I can hopefully suck it up and enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. Thanks for listening!

Big Fat Belly

I had lunch with Dad and Sue today and they wanted to take a picture of my belly. Here it is in all it's enormous glory!

Mucous Plug

I just lost my mucous plug. From what I've read, it was probably triggered by the exam today. Doesn't mean I'll be going into labor soon, but it sure has gotten me excited!

35 Weeks

Had my weekly OB appointment today. Since Mike is still in San Francisco, his mom, Carol, went to the ultrasound with me. The Bean was not as active for us today, and had to be prodded to move around for us. "He" is still breech, but now he's in the form of a C, his head is on my upper left side facing downward, his back going around my right side, and his butt on my lower left side. He’s sitting Indian style, with his feet perched on my bladder. His heart rate was 126. After the ultrasound I had my first pelvic exam in quite awhile. I’m ½ cm dilated, which doesn't mean much of anything, just that things are progressing. The doctor told me there is still time for the Bean to turn, and we'll just have to wait and see at this point. She also said that usually when women begin having contractions they advise them to wait until they are 5 minutes apart to call the office. Because the Bean is currently breech, if I have contractions this week I should call if they get between 8 and 10 minutes apart. No use going through all that pain just to have a c-section!

Frigid Weekend

For Mike's Christmas gift, I surprised him with plane tickets to visit Kenny and Robyn in San Francisco. He left on Friday, the day after my contraction incident, with a little trepidation. Turns out this was also the weekend Mom went out of town with her high school girlfriends, and Dad and Sue were on a Mexican cruise. Not a good weekend for the Bean to make an appearance! I was a good girl and did my best to minimize my chances of giving birth by laying on the couch Friday night.

Yesterday Amy and I had lunch and got pedicures, painting our toes UK blue in preparation for the Florida game. Somehow the team must not have gotten notice, because it didn't help them pull out a win. During the game I kept noticing how cold it was getting in the house. The temperature got down to 8 degrees last night and my heat didn't seem to be working. I cranked it up to 80 and let the dogs get in bed with me, hoping their doggy heat would keep us warm. Right before I went to bed I also noticed the smoke detectors chirping, indicating the batteries need changing. Of course the loudest one was the one right outside my bedroom door. I'm too short to reach them to change anything, so I pulled the covers over my head and did my best to go to sleep.

I woke up at about 6:30 this morning and the air in the house was frigid. Cold air was blowing from the vents. The temperature outside was -7 with the wind chill. I decided to just turn the "heat" off to keep it from getting colder. I sat around in a toboggan, several layers of clothes, and a couple of blankets until I thought Bruce would be up. He said he would call around to see if he could figure out what to do. I also called Mike's mom, Carol, who suggested I turn on the oven to at least get some heat going in the house. That was a great suggestion, and it kept me from getting too icy. Bruce finally called to say he and his brother Henry were on their way to fix my heat. By the time they left the house was a balmy 57 degrees and it only got better from there. I spent the rest of the day laying with the dogs and watching reality TV.

Contractions

On Thursday I had some contractions. I've had Braxton Hicks contractions since about the middle of November, and luckily I've read enough that they don't really alarm me anymore. I've also read how they get stronger later in pregnancy, and I've read about false labor enough to know the warning signs. Our pre-natal class instructor told us that real contractions will be felt throughout the abdomen, particularly at the top, and to feel there to know if it's "real". On Thursday, it was "real".

I was also having back pain with the contractions, and I knew that was another sign to look out for. They occurred pretty frequently all morning, and they made me nauseated. I finally decided to call the doctor at about noon. I spoke to the OB nurse and she reassured me that I did the right thing by calling, and said to be on the lookout for menstrual-type cramping. If those were to accompany the contractions I'd need to come in. She also said that this will happen more frequently as my due date approaches. The best thing to get them to stop is to lay on the left side and drink plenty of water, so I went home and did just that. Of course Mike came home, Mom stopped by, and Mike's mom came over later that night. But they stopped and everything is just fine. I went back to work on Friday with no incident.

34 Week Portrait

This picture was taken at yesterday's office visit. It's of the Bean's face, on the left side of the screen. It's eyes were open, although you may have difficulty seeing that. Surprisingly, Mike and I both got "girl vibes" when we saw this picture. Who knows??

Weekend Recap

I had a very eventful weekend. Last Friday night was Girls Night with the high school girls. I decided to go ahead and host this month so I wouldn't have to worry about it with a newborn. It was a great time. Kim brought little Grayson, just 6 weeks old. She was adorable, although I had difficulty figuring out how to hold her with my big baby bump. It was nice to see how the dogs reacted to her also. I've been so worried about jealousy or them jumping on a baby or something. But after a lot of sniffing, they seemed okay. Of course the true test will come when mommy is breastfeeding, but we'll just have to work it all out.

On Saturday I cleaned and watched UK beat Vandy in double overtime. It was a nail-biter, but turned out great!

Sunday was my girlfriend shower, hosted by Margo and Amy at my house. It was wonderful!!! They did such a nice job. The food was yummy, the games were cute, the decorations adorable, and of course the guests were the best part. I just love getting together with the girls in any setting, but especially when we're celebrating my Bean! We received so many nice gifts that I can't wait to use. Thank you to everyone who attended, and a special thank you to Margo and Amy, who I love so much!

34 Week Update

I had my 34 week ultrasound and appointment today. Mike was unable to go so Mom went with me. As usual, the Bean kept us entertained. The Bean is now too big to flip around for us, but "he" did keep us entertained by opening and closing his eyes and sticking his tongue out. He is still breech and today had both his feet up by his head. At this time there is technically still enough amniotic fluid for him to turn head down for birth, but the doctor admitted there isn't much. They will begin checking my cervix for dilation next week and will continue to monitor the baby's size and the quantity of amniotic fluid. All those factors will come into play in determining whether or not I'll need a c-section. Additionally, the baby's heart rate was 137.

In mommy news, my uterus measured 33.5 cm and I gained two pounds. I've been experiencing nausea again, although not with the same intensity as the first trimester. Luckily I still have my "magic pills" to combat that. I continue to have occasional dizzy spells, but we think it's due to fluid in my ears from my allergies. I wake up frequently during the night, about every 2-3 hours, and sometimes don't fall back to sleep for several hours, if at all. That has led to some extreme cases of fatigue. I'm also dealing with back pain, occasional swelling in my feet, and good old constipation. I feel incredibly attractive, let me tell you!

Breastfeeding class

We had our breastfeeding class last night and Mike was a little nervous beforehand. He asked what happens there. I told him I'd probably have to pull out my boobs and he'd have to act as the baby and try to get milk from them to make sure they work. Oh, that face was priceless! He called again yesterday and "really" wanted to know if I had to show my boobs. I told him I probably would, but just me, so everyone could admire my chimp titties.

The class went well and we received some good information. I feel a lot more comfortable about asking for help if I need it. I was also happy to know I will be able to breastfeed immediately after the baby is born. I didn't know how that worked, but knew I wanted to do that so Mike and I can bond with the baby as soon as he/she is born. I will make that wish known as soon as we get to the hospital. I've always envisioned those first moments after birth being a very special time for Mike, me and the baby. I picture us holding the baby together and soaking in all the emotions of seeing our baby for the first time. I was glad to know that nursing immediately is actually recommended. I can't wait to bask in the miracle of what we've created and enjoy those first few moments that will be unlike anything we'll ever experience again. Then everyone else can come take over the Bean!

Beautiful Bean

Here are the Bean's latest photos. The top photo I absolutely love. It's of the nose and mouth as you are looking up at the Bean. The arrow on the photo points to the tip of the nose and the perfect little nose holes and mouth are just underneath. The second is of the profile. The Bean chose that moment to pucker up into the Zoolander, just like daddy does!

Many of you commented about all my "he" references in the last post. No, we didn't find anything out, it's just that nobody we know believes this baby is a girl, and I hate using "it" all the time. So it seemed easier to refer to the Bean as a male. Won't we all be surprised if little Mia shows up?!

33 Weeks/8 Months

We had an ultrasound this morning. Because of my asthma, I will have ultrasounds every week from here on out. The Bean was active as ever, but is too big to run and hide like he used to! He measured 5 lbs 4 oz, mostly due to his big head (fabulous!). That put him in the 77 th percentile for size and if he ends up being a normal sized baby, the due date is projected at February 11. Of course we know due dates are only best guesses, and they will do all the measurements again in 3 weeks to see where we stand. If the measurements are off, or if Bean is simply a bigger baby, he may still arrive on February 25. My uterus measured at 33 cm so it's likely we're on target with the February 25 date.

All his organs looked great, so there are no effects from my asthma at this time. He is still breech, sitting with his head on my upper left side and his bottom on my lower right, facing my right. He was Indian-style at the beginning of the ultrasound, chilling with one hand propped behind his head. Later he wanted a snack, and pulled his toes up to his mouth. Yummy! As long as he's turned prior to 37 weeks, we don't need to be concerned with his breech position just yet.

I've had some dizzy spells this past week so they drew blood to test for anemia. I've had no weight gain since early November, still holding steady at a total of 21 pounds. My big fat baby must be wolfing down all my calories!

The size of Bean has freaked us out just a little bit, making us realize how quickly this could all happen. We'll be heading to the OB office on Wednesday night for a lactation class, and going ahead and ordering the changing table this week. Not too much longer, no matter when he comes!!

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was certainly light years away from New Years' past. Mike and I both worked. We tried to listen to the UK basketball game as we worked, but found ourselves distracted by our jobs (can you imagine?). Regardless, they somehow pulled out a win. We both got off early and met at the house. We went to Jimi and Jaime's house to watch UK play football in the Music City Bowl. I left during the game to meet a group of friends at a sushi bar for dinner, then returned to see the end of the game, where we pulled out a win. Mike and I hung out there for the evening. Jaime is pregnant also, so we played with her daughter while the guys drank and played video games upstairs. Jimi and Mike had heard about the "pencil test" at work, which is supposed to determine the sex of your babies, so they decided to test it out on Jaime and me. The test said Jaime's first child would be a girl (which is true) and the second will be a boy. The test also said I will have a girl, quite contrary to the opinion of anyone and everyone who sees me. Quite interesting. We stayed there until about 11:30, when we were simply too tired to hang out any longer. We got home about 11:55, changed into our pajamas, kissed at midnight, and went to bed.

Today we slept late, then I moved to the couch where I proceeded to finish an entire novel. Mike cleaned out our future workout room in the basement that currently houses his second reef aquarium. He used one of the closets downstairs to organize his supplies, so now my treadmill will fit into the room. Not sure how much use that will get in these next two months, but it's nice to know it's ready when I am.

Tonight I made brownies and Mike went to the store and bought ice cream and milk to accompany them. We sat on the couch in front of the fire and listened to the wind howl outside. A perfect New Year's Day. If only I weren't turning 35 tomorrow...