Tuesday, August 16, 2011
New Blog!
You can read more about me and baby and life as we know it at OneHotMama, my new blogging adventure. See you there!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Best Baby Ever
I’ve been neglecting the blog, since it didn’t seem as important to keep it up any more. But I’ve missed it, so I’m back. I’ve been journaling regularly in baby’s journal, so she’ll have that record at least, of the time that isn’t chronicled here.
Now that Megan is pregnant, I’m reliving all of my preggo days. I can see now why I got so much advice from other folks – everyone loves a pregnant lady, especially other former-preggos (that is, moms). I’ve been trying to pass on all the best bits I learned during my own delicate time, while not over-burdening her with unsolicited advice. No one likes that. But since I can’t pass down clothes – she’s having a boy – I must pass down pearls of wisdom.
I’m so glad I kept these little records for Vy – the journal, this blog, all the pictures and notes of how I was feeling and what was going on. Since I’m already dreaming about having another one, it will do me good to remember just how much it all sucked for a while, hehe.
But she sure is the cutest little thing in the world. I’m in love with her hands this week. They are so little and cute, so expressive in ways she doesn’t intend. I want to eat them! I know it’s probably silly of me at this stage, seeing as she’s only 3 months, but I find myself hugging her to me, especially at night or early morning, when she’s sleepy and nursing and we’re all alone, and feeling just the barest hint of sadness at the fact that even as I can’t wait to see her grown up and gain the milestones ahead of her, I am already clinging to her babyhood, feeling like it’s just sailing by me all too quickly; that as much as I want to hear her talk, I already miss the fact that she can’t, that she just blows bubbles and smiles; and even in that I am nostalgic for the days only a few short weeks ago when all she did was sleep and eat and cry because she was just a newbie and too small to do anything else. Sweet, sweet pain of motherhood. I want you to grow up, but I want you to be forever my baby.
Now that I’m back at work, Shawn has assumed day care duties. They are getting along famously. She’s only had one bad day so far, and he’s enjoying it more than he thought he would – I think we were both worried that she would be screaming all day, that only I could calm her and that she would freak out when left alone with him. But so far, they’ve become fast friends. I make him text me pictures during the day, and updates. Her picture is all over my desk, so I can look at her funny face all day long. I totally laugh out loud to myself at random intervals when I chance to catch one of her pics out of the corner of my eye. She’s the best ever.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Screaming Stroller in Safeway
Going places with baby has become less of a daunting experience. Our stroller is divine, my diaper bag is the height of fashion, and I'm far less squeamish about nursing in public that I thought I would be, using my special nursing cover-up of course. I'm not going to just whip my boob out in public, that's nonsense.
But, I am still struggling with how to cope with a crying (screaming) baby in public. At this age, I have a hard time letting her cry-it-out for any unnecessary length of time -- she's too little to be crying for any reason other than legitimate ones, nor is she old enough to be reasoned with out of a crying jag. However, when she starts crying in her stroller the second we approach the doors to Safeway, I'm not going to turn around and go home -- I'm already there and I have things to buy. Most of the time I will try to pull us to the side and take her out of the stroller and hold her to calm her down before laying her back again, which usually works after the second time. But it's still embarrassing when people walk by and everyone stares cause everyone has to be all up in everyone else's business these days. And on top of that she's a little newborn so she attracts attention. But you know, go away, I'm tending to this crying infant.
Finally, yesterday, though I hated to let her cry, I just carried on with my shopping. She's a baby, she cries, it's what they do, and I needed to get my shopping done, so everyone else can sort of suck it, really. But even though a fair number of people did in fact turn to look as my screaming stroller went past them, most people were in their own worlds and didn't seem to really notice it much. There was the one old lady, of course, who called the baby a "he" and kept trying to peer into the opening between the two roofs on the stroller to look at her, and when I said the baby was 7 weeks old, she said, "oh, I thought she was a newborn." In my opinion, babies are newborns until they're three months old. Clothes for babies goes from 0 to 3 months. So, they're either 0 or 3 months and above. And while she is still pretty smell compared to my friend Janet's son who was born only a few days after her and is huge, I've noticed that she's getting bigger than the little bitty newborn I brought home from the hospital. Aw...
But, I am still struggling with how to cope with a crying (screaming) baby in public. At this age, I have a hard time letting her cry-it-out for any unnecessary length of time -- she's too little to be crying for any reason other than legitimate ones, nor is she old enough to be reasoned with out of a crying jag. However, when she starts crying in her stroller the second we approach the doors to Safeway, I'm not going to turn around and go home -- I'm already there and I have things to buy. Most of the time I will try to pull us to the side and take her out of the stroller and hold her to calm her down before laying her back again, which usually works after the second time. But it's still embarrassing when people walk by and everyone stares cause everyone has to be all up in everyone else's business these days. And on top of that she's a little newborn so she attracts attention. But you know, go away, I'm tending to this crying infant.
Finally, yesterday, though I hated to let her cry, I just carried on with my shopping. She's a baby, she cries, it's what they do, and I needed to get my shopping done, so everyone else can sort of suck it, really. But even though a fair number of people did in fact turn to look as my screaming stroller went past them, most people were in their own worlds and didn't seem to really notice it much. There was the one old lady, of course, who called the baby a "he" and kept trying to peer into the opening between the two roofs on the stroller to look at her, and when I said the baby was 7 weeks old, she said, "oh, I thought she was a newborn." In my opinion, babies are newborns until they're three months old. Clothes for babies goes from 0 to 3 months. So, they're either 0 or 3 months and above. And while she is still pretty smell compared to my friend Janet's son who was born only a few days after her and is huge, I've noticed that she's getting bigger than the little bitty newborn I brought home from the hospital. Aw...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Post-Partum Update
As most of you already know, Miss Violet made her appearance four days early, on April 2, 2011, at 1:47 am. Labor and delivery went well, I only had to push for 18 minutes, though I can't really say if it felt longer or shorter than that. It all went by in such a blur, and not only because of the drugs. The stay in the hospital seemed much longer than the two days it really was. Now that we're home with baby, Shawn and I both are, I think, settling in nicely to our new normal. And I think that's really the weirdest thing about this new stage of life -- how NOT weird it seems. It feels like something I've been doing all my life. I guess I was just mentally ready for this part of life to happen. Or perhaps it's a testament to how rapidly we humans adjust to new and drastic changes in our situations.
However, now that baby is born, there's little need to keep up a pregnancy blog. So I have changed the theme of this blog to Domestic Goddess, and will post on all things related to the further growth of the little bean, now alternately known as one of the following: This Baby, Baby, Little Squeaker, Squeaker Monkey, Squeaker Fish, Time Child (it's from South Park), Little Girl, Little Bug, or Monkey, (t really depends on the expression she has on at the moment), and my new MILF-like ways.
This week my efforts to lose the baby weight have begun in earnest. I worked out four days in a row before the baby forced me to take a day off -- she was just not okay with being put down yesterday -- and I got another good workout in today as well. I've been trying to get her on a regular, if flexible, schedule, now that she's at 6 weeks old, which has afforded me 1-2 hour periods of free time at several periods during the day, so I change into my workout clothes when I get dressed, to I'm ready to spring when the time is right, hehe. I went to the gym on Monday and did 30 minutes on the eliptical, and it was much harder than I'd thought, but it felt great -- not only the workout itself, but the act of putting on gym clothes, packing a gym bag, and getting down to the gym again. It was lovely, I felt incredible productive and healthful. Since I have my days free while I'm on maternity leave, I might as well get in as many workouts as I want. Once I'm back to work, I'll have to squeeze them in around working and commuting, so I want to take the opportunity to get a jump start now.
My goal is to lose 55 pounds and get down to 145lbs. I was 162 when I got pregnant, so that's the baby weight, plus the last few pounds I had been working on losing before the pregnancy. I'll basically miss this summer, but I'll be in tip-top shape for my wedding next summer. Yay!
Of course, after eating well and working out all week, I totally caved tonight and ordered pizza. After consuming and getting the Guilty Bloat, I chugged two huge bottles of water and did another workout -- 8 Min Abs and 8 Min Arms. I feel better about myself now. I intend, weather permitting, to take baby for a nice long walk in the stroller tomorrow, up the beach and back, which is 3 miles and takes me about an hour to complete.
I vow to have more exciting things to say by the next time I post.
However, now that baby is born, there's little need to keep up a pregnancy blog. So I have changed the theme of this blog to Domestic Goddess, and will post on all things related to the further growth of the little bean, now alternately known as one of the following: This Baby, Baby, Little Squeaker, Squeaker Monkey, Squeaker Fish, Time Child (it's from South Park), Little Girl, Little Bug, or Monkey, (t really depends on the expression she has on at the moment), and my new MILF-like ways.
This week my efforts to lose the baby weight have begun in earnest. I worked out four days in a row before the baby forced me to take a day off -- she was just not okay with being put down yesterday -- and I got another good workout in today as well. I've been trying to get her on a regular, if flexible, schedule, now that she's at 6 weeks old, which has afforded me 1-2 hour periods of free time at several periods during the day, so I change into my workout clothes when I get dressed, to I'm ready to spring when the time is right, hehe. I went to the gym on Monday and did 30 minutes on the eliptical, and it was much harder than I'd thought, but it felt great -- not only the workout itself, but the act of putting on gym clothes, packing a gym bag, and getting down to the gym again. It was lovely, I felt incredible productive and healthful. Since I have my days free while I'm on maternity leave, I might as well get in as many workouts as I want. Once I'm back to work, I'll have to squeeze them in around working and commuting, so I want to take the opportunity to get a jump start now.
My goal is to lose 55 pounds and get down to 145lbs. I was 162 when I got pregnant, so that's the baby weight, plus the last few pounds I had been working on losing before the pregnancy. I'll basically miss this summer, but I'll be in tip-top shape for my wedding next summer. Yay!
Of course, after eating well and working out all week, I totally caved tonight and ordered pizza. After consuming and getting the Guilty Bloat, I chugged two huge bottles of water and did another workout -- 8 Min Abs and 8 Min Arms. I feel better about myself now. I intend, weather permitting, to take baby for a nice long walk in the stroller tomorrow, up the beach and back, which is 3 miles and takes me about an hour to complete.
I vow to have more exciting things to say by the next time I post.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Final Countdown
Well, we're at 39 weeks, and counting down. I could do without this week. Everything hurts and I'm as big as a house. I'm actually fantasizing about being able to workout again. My hips hurt all the time, my groin muscles are sore because she's sitting on them, my stomach skin is stretched out and itchy, I'm tired and sleeping until noon every day, my back hurts, and I can't sit forward. Gah. I am well aware that this week is going to fly by, and that even the few days she might be late will go by all too quickly and I'll be missing these days of having my life all to myself, so I'm going to complain about these silly things now while I still can!
Here's the BabyCenter info and picture. At our appointment on Monday, she was about 6 lbs 12 oz, so the sooner she gets here the better, as far as I'm concerned -- I don't want her getting any fatter, hehe!
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
Here's the BabyCenter info and picture. At our appointment on Monday, she was about 6 lbs 12 oz, so the sooner she gets here the better, as far as I'm concerned -- I don't want her getting any fatter, hehe!
Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Maternity Leave, Day 4
I am trying to enjoy the calm before the storm. But speaking of storms, the one that has kept me inside for the last two days is driving me crazy. I've been sitting on the couch for like 3 days in a row. I've discovered some sweet shows on Netflix that are going to keep me company until I can leave the house. I've been reading a lot. Sleeping a lot. But now that most of the baby stuff is done I'm just waiting. Crying at sappy tv shows. Watching soap operas.
Right now, what I really want to do is walk down to Starbucks and sit outside and read for a while. If it would stop raining.
Right now, what I really want to do is walk down to Starbucks and sit outside and read for a while. If it would stop raining.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
38 Weeks
Hello there,
Today is Day #2 of my maternity leave, and I've been pretty productive so far. I have a to-do list for today, but I also just want to hang out and read and relax. Today is my 38th week, and I've posted the info on baby below. She's getting big, and pushing me around from the inside. She looks like an actual baby now, hehe.
Today is Day #2 of my maternity leave, and I've been pretty productive so far. I have a to-do list for today, but I also just want to hang out and read and relax. Today is my 38th week, and I've posted the info on baby below. She's getting big, and pushing me around from the inside. She looks like an actual baby now, hehe.
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
Day 1 of Maternity leave. Some people have asked that I post a pic every day so that they can track the Droppage. So, here is Pic #1.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Things to Remember
1. Nausea lasted for 20 weeks before it could safely be said to have finally vanished. At around 32 weeks, it made random appearances again.
2. Heartburn sucks. And it comes from everything, not just spicy foods. Keep antacids in your purse at all times.
3. Everyone thinks they're an expert. Remember ways to deflect annoying advice, no matter how well-intentioned.
4. Stretch marks happen.
5. Chinese food made you sick.
6. You gained over 50lbs. Don't do that again.
7. Sleeping on your side made your hips really sore. Invest in a better body pillow, and use it.
8. Testing for Strep B was not fun.
9. Shawn was miraculous during the whole 9 (10) months. Remember to thank him.
10. Growing a person is exhausting. Sleep a lot.
2. Heartburn sucks. And it comes from everything, not just spicy foods. Keep antacids in your purse at all times.
3. Everyone thinks they're an expert. Remember ways to deflect annoying advice, no matter how well-intentioned.
4. Stretch marks happen.
5. Chinese food made you sick.
6. You gained over 50lbs. Don't do that again.
7. Sleeping on your side made your hips really sore. Invest in a better body pillow, and use it.
8. Testing for Strep B was not fun.
9. Shawn was miraculous during the whole 9 (10) months. Remember to thank him.
10. Growing a person is exhausting. Sleep a lot.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Philosophy and Diaper Bags
You know what's weird? This little critter is literally half of me, and half of Shawn, yet she's also her own, entirely distinct person. That is so bizarre. So many odd revelations like that have been coming to me in recent days. The most frequent of which is just the oddity that is rapidly-approaching parenthood, like, are you for real with this? Is this really happening? Surely not. After all these months of planning and waiting and getting used to the idea of being "pregnant" I'm suddenly going to be "parent," and not just in a some-day, yes-I'd-like-to-be kind of way, but in a drastic, unalterable, real-shit kind of way. And I don't say any of this because I'm like, freaked out or worried or scared or anything. Just sitting back in awe at how big that is. I mean, I'll still be me, but I'll never be the same me again. That's kind of nuts to think about. My definition of myself is changing on a fundamental level, and everything that was once a priority, everything I based my whole life and decisions and used as a frame of reference, is going to be totally altered by this time (hopefully) next month.
What. The. Eff.
Also, I still have the super-fun experience of shopping for a diaper bag awaiting me. If I had my pick (and an extra $350), I would get this one from Coach, which I have wanted for years.
In reality, however, I'm going to get one of these gems. The first, a gorgeous little number from Petunia Pickle Bottom, is freakin' adorable, nice and roomy, and a respectable $150. There's a matching clutch, but let's not get carried away. Also, I'm pretty sure it doesn't come with a baby posing like a cherub.
What. The. Eff.
Also, I still have the super-fun experience of shopping for a diaper bag awaiting me. If I had my pick (and an extra $350), I would get this one from Coach, which I have wanted for years.
In reality, however, I'm going to get one of these gems. The first, a gorgeous little number from Petunia Pickle Bottom, is freakin' adorable, nice and roomy, and a respectable $150. There's a matching clutch, but let's not get carried away. Also, I'm pretty sure it doesn't come with a baby posing like a cherub.
The other one, from Amy Michelle, is also fabulous in delicious patent leather, fantasitically roomy, and still chic. I must maintain my sense of fashion at all times.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Head Down
Just a quick note today to record the doctor's visit. We did a quick exam that wasn't entirely pleasant to me to check for various things, then did an ultrasound to check baby's position. She is already head-down and ready to go, so that's good. Unless something weird happens, no c-sections for me. And lordy if she isn't bigger than it seems possible to be in such a small space. Not like, too big or anything, but just, it's crazy to think that even at that small size she seems so big already. Weird.
The doctor continues to not be worried about my weight gain, so it's still just me feeling like a house. I took some cute pics of the belly last night, will post asap.
The doctor continues to not be worried about my weight gain, so it's still just me feeling like a house. I took some cute pics of the belly last night, will post asap.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Synchronize Your Watches
Well, here we are at 35 weeks, and I'm starting to get information on how to know if I'm in labor and what will happen during delivery. This baby is getting bigger and heavier every day, I have to pee about twenty times a day, and I'm having just a slight bit of good ol' nausea again in the mornings, though not nearly to the debilitating level it was before.
First, here's the update from BabyCenter about how big this baby is:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
I don't know who they modeled that drawing after, but my belly is way bigger.
I discovered on Monday morning that red meat does not agree with my system anymore. After having to stay home sick because I had been up in the middle of the night throwing up, and was just too exhausted to do anything but sleep until 11am and then lay on the couch feeling gross, Shawn and I decided that it must be the beef. I'd had some yummy steak the night before, and it seems like every time I have red meat my body reacts that way. Mom said she had to avoid it as well. Makes me sad. I hope it goes away.
While I'm not yet "sick of being pregnant," I am getting restless to have her here. So I guess in that sense I'm tired of being pregnant -- I just want to meet her. The anticipation is getting to me. After next weekend's shower I can start setting up an actual nursery -- I'll have my changing table back, and it looks like some more furniture and stuff as well. If we don't get our dresser, I have a $50 Ikea gift card that I'll use towards getting the one I want.
When I flipped the calendar over to March yesterday morning, I had a very surreal moment of, oh, that's it -- just one month left, and there it is, in visual aid, only those days I can see right now, right in front of me, that's all the time I have left. Start the countdown.
First, here's the update from BabyCenter about how big this baby is:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
I don't know who they modeled that drawing after, but my belly is way bigger.
I discovered on Monday morning that red meat does not agree with my system anymore. After having to stay home sick because I had been up in the middle of the night throwing up, and was just too exhausted to do anything but sleep until 11am and then lay on the couch feeling gross, Shawn and I decided that it must be the beef. I'd had some yummy steak the night before, and it seems like every time I have red meat my body reacts that way. Mom said she had to avoid it as well. Makes me sad. I hope it goes away.
While I'm not yet "sick of being pregnant," I am getting restless to have her here. So I guess in that sense I'm tired of being pregnant -- I just want to meet her. The anticipation is getting to me. After next weekend's shower I can start setting up an actual nursery -- I'll have my changing table back, and it looks like some more furniture and stuff as well. If we don't get our dresser, I have a $50 Ikea gift card that I'll use towards getting the one I want.
When I flipped the calendar over to March yesterday morning, I had a very surreal moment of, oh, that's it -- just one month left, and there it is, in visual aid, only those days I can see right now, right in front of me, that's all the time I have left. Start the countdown.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Finally, some new pictures
Well, I finally have some pictures to upload. Hopefully soon I will have pics of our trip to San Clemente. The trip was fabulous, gorgeous weather, and I loved seeing all the places that Shawn is always talking about. Aunt Marg and her friend Gerri put us up for the weekend, and cooked up some delicious dinners of salmon and steak and ice cream. Yum! Plus they had this amazing memory foam mattress topper for the guest bed, I swear that was my favorite part. I actually slept all through the night without having to toss and turn from hip to hip, it was amazing. Shawn got to go fishing for a while, even though he didn't catch anything, and I got to tour the site where I think we will have our wedding and reception. It was a long drive there and back, but it doesn't seem as bad when you're making the trip with another person. And we got to borrow Shawn's parents' Jeep, which made it nicer than taking our Camry down there.
I am trying to really enjoy these last few weeks of baby-free living, and not take for granted being able to just sit and chill and not do much of anything, and just feel her kicking inside me while I do my own thing. Even though it seems so far away still, the weeks are already flying by -- I finally got around to posting up about four weeks' worth of belly pictures, and I can't believe it's been even that long already. The weeks just topple down on top of each other until the weekends come again, another week marker is reached, and it gets closer and closer to the main event.
Lila was giving me the details of how her labor went, and even though everyone's experience is different, I was definitely reassured by what she told me. She said it wasn't as crazy or chaotic as she had expected it to be or worried about. I'm glad I have her to learn from, I'd hate to be the first one to go, so to speak. She gave me lots of pointers on things to bring to the hospital and such, too.
Weeks 30-33:
I am trying to really enjoy these last few weeks of baby-free living, and not take for granted being able to just sit and chill and not do much of anything, and just feel her kicking inside me while I do my own thing. Even though it seems so far away still, the weeks are already flying by -- I finally got around to posting up about four weeks' worth of belly pictures, and I can't believe it's been even that long already. The weeks just topple down on top of each other until the weekends come again, another week marker is reached, and it gets closer and closer to the main event.
Lila was giving me the details of how her labor went, and even though everyone's experience is different, I was definitely reassured by what she told me. She said it wasn't as crazy or chaotic as she had expected it to be or worried about. I'm glad I have her to learn from, I'd hate to be the first one to go, so to speak. She gave me lots of pointers on things to bring to the hospital and such, too.
Weeks 30-33:
Friday, February 18, 2011
33 Weeks and a Babymoon
Well, here we are at 33 weeks. My goodness. Baby is moving and shaking all day, and no longer in a cute way, but in a painful, those-are-my-ribs kind of way. I have to pee all the time, so this car trip down to San Clemente to visit the Godmama of Excitement is going to be an interesting ride, haha.
First, here's the info from BabyCenter for this week:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
Let's back up a bit, shall we?
My first baby shower was on the 12th, and it was fabulous. Gramma D and Auntie Nicole did a crazy good job of making the house into a purple flower wonderland. There was tons of delicious food and giant cupcakes, and I went home with a carful of clothes, diapees and wipees, my bedding set, and a bunch of other baby goodies. Now I just need somewhere to put it all. And I must remember to do my thank you notes next week.
Then, I found out later that night that Miss Lila Jane finally had her baby girl, Ava Elise, at 8lbs 8oz. Everyone is home now and doing well, and hopefully next week I will get a chance to get out to see them.
Went in to see Dr. Hayes on Monday, Valentine's Day, and all was well. We met with the postpartum counseling lady, who went over some basic questions with me, gave me some info on what PPD looks like and so on, and her card, in case we should need to talk to her later. She was very nice.
Dr. Hayes seems less worried about my increasing girth than I do, so perhaps it is all in my head. She measured my stomach and was pleased, and we listened to Vyla's heartbeat again. At first the doppler wand was right on top of her, but then she scuttled away and hid somewhere, and it took a minute to find her again. But, you know, there are only so many places you can go inside a uterus, so we eventually found her and got a solid 10 second listen to her heartbeat, which is still strong and fast.
My next appointment was scheduled for two weeks later, on March 7th, after which I will start coming in about once a week and they will start checking me for all kinds of different things, and, I imagine, doing at least one more ultrasound to figure out how she's laying in there.
This weekend, Shawn and I are driving to San Clemente to visit Aunt Margaret, or the Godmama of Excitement, as Shawn christened her when he was a kid. She calls him Shawniecakes. I think that's awesome. It's raining and poopy outside, but we have the Jeep, so I'm confident. It will be fun to see the place where I plan to get married next year, and to take one last trip just the two of us. Of course, once she's here we'll have all kinds of fun family trips that we can take, but the nostalgia of having a trip, as a couple without cares, for the last time, is nice. I must admit, there is a part of me that sometimes wishes we had held off on this surprise for a time. I've never been sad about this pregnancy, nor am I now, but every now and then I think about all the things I would have liked to have done as a carefree couple that we sort of skipped over, and it does make me a bit low -- for example, even though I love the idea of having my baby be a part of my wedding, and I think it will be so much more special with her as a part of it, I still sometimes think about having been able to have my wedding first, and then moving into having a baby.
But then, I don't plan to stop being fabulous just because I become a mother, so really, what is all this worry for? In fact, I will be extra fabulous, because I will be Fabulous Me + Adorable Baby + Super Hot Husband. So really, all the more to admire. ;)
First, here's the info from BabyCenter for this week:
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.
My first baby shower was on the 12th, and it was fabulous. Gramma D and Auntie Nicole did a crazy good job of making the house into a purple flower wonderland. There was tons of delicious food and giant cupcakes, and I went home with a carful of clothes, diapees and wipees, my bedding set, and a bunch of other baby goodies. Now I just need somewhere to put it all. And I must remember to do my thank you notes next week.
Then, I found out later that night that Miss Lila Jane finally had her baby girl, Ava Elise, at 8lbs 8oz. Everyone is home now and doing well, and hopefully next week I will get a chance to get out to see them.
Went in to see Dr. Hayes on Monday, Valentine's Day, and all was well. We met with the postpartum counseling lady, who went over some basic questions with me, gave me some info on what PPD looks like and so on, and her card, in case we should need to talk to her later. She was very nice.
Dr. Hayes seems less worried about my increasing girth than I do, so perhaps it is all in my head. She measured my stomach and was pleased, and we listened to Vyla's heartbeat again. At first the doppler wand was right on top of her, but then she scuttled away and hid somewhere, and it took a minute to find her again. But, you know, there are only so many places you can go inside a uterus, so we eventually found her and got a solid 10 second listen to her heartbeat, which is still strong and fast.
My next appointment was scheduled for two weeks later, on March 7th, after which I will start coming in about once a week and they will start checking me for all kinds of different things, and, I imagine, doing at least one more ultrasound to figure out how she's laying in there.
This weekend, Shawn and I are driving to San Clemente to visit Aunt Margaret, or the Godmama of Excitement, as Shawn christened her when he was a kid. She calls him Shawniecakes. I think that's awesome. It's raining and poopy outside, but we have the Jeep, so I'm confident. It will be fun to see the place where I plan to get married next year, and to take one last trip just the two of us. Of course, once she's here we'll have all kinds of fun family trips that we can take, but the nostalgia of having a trip, as a couple without cares, for the last time, is nice. I must admit, there is a part of me that sometimes wishes we had held off on this surprise for a time. I've never been sad about this pregnancy, nor am I now, but every now and then I think about all the things I would have liked to have done as a carefree couple that we sort of skipped over, and it does make me a bit low -- for example, even though I love the idea of having my baby be a part of my wedding, and I think it will be so much more special with her as a part of it, I still sometimes think about having been able to have my wedding first, and then moving into having a baby.
But then, I don't plan to stop being fabulous just because I become a mother, so really, what is all this worry for? In fact, I will be extra fabulous, because I will be Fabulous Me + Adorable Baby + Super Hot Husband. So really, all the more to admire. ;)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
32 Weeks
As I wait patiently for Lila to go into labor, so that I can dash to the hospital and help her welcome her little one, the first in the group of 2011 Babies, I'm getting ever closer to my own due date. It's been such an annoyance to me this whole time to have my official due date be on a Wednesday, despite the fact that, according to the measurements on the ultrasound, it should be on a Friday. I hate that kind of disparity! It's not at all neat and tidy and it means I can't ever feel confident in saying today is my X Week! Although, I've pretty much been going with Friday, cause it's tidier than Wednesday. So, in anticipation of tomorrow being Week 32, below is the latest news from inside my stomach, courtesy of BabyCenter.com.
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Apparently, 32 weeks means I have 56 days left to go. Wow, counting down in days now? That's a little too real for me. It's already coming way too soon, what with Lila about to pop and all, the shower this weekend, and all manner of other real stuff happening.
Also, I'm excited that baby is going to be a hare, that is, born in the Year of the Rabbit. Apparently, rabbits are good with money, creative and sensitive, and remind me a lot of Pisces. Which is good, because she'll need some of that to balance out her Aries nature. Shawn, as a Gemini, will get along well with the Aries baby, as they're both prone to being crazy and having lots of energy. I'll be there when it's time to relax.
This belly of mine is getting increasingly large. It's sort of hard to image that it has 8 more weeks to grow. Like, where is it going to go? So far, ***FINGERS CROSSED*** no stretch marks have shown their ugly faces. I'm going to redouble my Palmer's Lotion efforts, just in case.
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Apparently, 32 weeks means I have 56 days left to go. Wow, counting down in days now? That's a little too real for me. It's already coming way too soon, what with Lila about to pop and all, the shower this weekend, and all manner of other real stuff happening.
Also, I'm excited that baby is going to be a hare, that is, born in the Year of the Rabbit. Apparently, rabbits are good with money, creative and sensitive, and remind me a lot of Pisces. Which is good, because she'll need some of that to balance out her Aries nature. Shawn, as a Gemini, will get along well with the Aries baby, as they're both prone to being crazy and having lots of energy. I'll be there when it's time to relax.
This belly of mine is getting increasingly large. It's sort of hard to image that it has 8 more weeks to grow. Like, where is it going to go? So far, ***FINGERS CROSSED*** no stretch marks have shown their ugly faces. I'm going to redouble my Palmer's Lotion efforts, just in case.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Once again, Lila makes me workout
29 weeks
Because yeah, it's not okay that my maternity clothes are starting to get too tight -- in the butt. In the stomach, fine. My stomach is supposed to be growing still. But in the ass? Not so much. Not okay, missy.
Another lovely benefit of the workout was that it convinced me to actually go to sleep at a decent hour -- after a hot shower I Was more than ready to pass out at something like my intended bedtime. See, oh recently lazy body of soft tissue? Remember all those workout benefits that you took for granted all these months? Feel-good chemicals; better sleep; increased motivation; heightened creativity; and, soon, better fitting jeans? Remember those? Now, if I could only stop wanting ice cream all the time...
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday Monday
I have finally updated my belly pictures, but so far they're only on Facebook, so you'll have to find them in the Oh Baby! album there until I get around to posting them in the blog. We missed a week of pictures while Shawn was at NAMM, but it's still a pretty good slide show. It's so funny looking back at some of the earlier pics when I thought I was showing so much, compared to now when I really am. I was so much smaller then. Well, I will be again, someday. By September, I hope, when my Mom gets married. I'd like to have most of the weight worked off by then.
I spent some time with Lila last night, who's due date was just moved back to February 5th from January 28th. She's jolly and round like Santa, hehe. We checked out her nursery, which is darling, and ate cheesecake and tea and talked about weddings and babies and life changes. It was nice to have some quality time. She's still working on remodeling the house with her hubby, and hopefully they can have it mostly finished in a week.
My shower is in two weeks, and the more I see that gifts are being bought from the registry, the more excited I get. Not in a greedy way, but because I'm finally and actually going to have her things in the house, and I can start getting ready for her for real. I'm pretty close to chucking out a lot of the stuff in the house, like half of what is stuffed into the closet. I just don't think I need it all, especially the two boxes that were never unpacked from the move... Shawn is going to disassemble the changing table before the shower, so that I can send it home with Vicki to paint all pretty. And it looks like someone purchased my bassinet, so I'll have that to set up, and acclimatize the cats to its forbidden status.
The baby is kicking and I have a bit of something in my contact lense. I want a venti iced latte...
I spent some time with Lila last night, who's due date was just moved back to February 5th from January 28th. She's jolly and round like Santa, hehe. We checked out her nursery, which is darling, and ate cheesecake and tea and talked about weddings and babies and life changes. It was nice to have some quality time. She's still working on remodeling the house with her hubby, and hopefully they can have it mostly finished in a week.
My shower is in two weeks, and the more I see that gifts are being bought from the registry, the more excited I get. Not in a greedy way, but because I'm finally and actually going to have her things in the house, and I can start getting ready for her for real. I'm pretty close to chucking out a lot of the stuff in the house, like half of what is stuffed into the closet. I just don't think I need it all, especially the two boxes that were never unpacked from the move... Shawn is going to disassemble the changing table before the shower, so that I can send it home with Vicki to paint all pretty. And it looks like someone purchased my bassinet, so I'll have that to set up, and acclimatize the cats to its forbidden status.
The baby is kicking and I have a bit of something in my contact lense. I want a venti iced latte...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
30 Weeks
Hello! We're at 30 weeks now, and the kicking has increased in its urgency and violence. I swear she's doing gymnastics in there all day long, but it's kind of fun to feel her so much. I'm finding myself referring to her as my daughter instead of the baby, which is a slight mental shift, but an important one. "The baby" was a more detached way of viewing her, as a thing separate from me. "My daughter" gives her the ownership that was lacking before, and really drives home just how crazy a life shift is on the way. As a wise man once said, "it's about to get real up in here."
Our next doctor's appointment is on Valentine's Day, when I will turn in my hospital pre-admission paperwork and birth plan, and they will doubtless give me a kick card and ask me to pee in a cup...again. After that appointment, the appointments will increase in frequency. I'll probably go in again two weeks later, and then once a week in March until she shows her little face.
Her middle name is still up for debate. We'd liked Jane for a while, but now I think we're leaning towards Elizabeth. It has a nice musical sound to it, all rolled together.
I'm a little frustrated that I can't bother to go try on wedding dresses for several months, but I think that, combined with my mom's wedding in September, will be a very good thing -- if I lacked motivation to get back in shape before, I definitely have it now.
Our next doctor's appointment is on Valentine's Day, when I will turn in my hospital pre-admission paperwork and birth plan, and they will doubtless give me a kick card and ask me to pee in a cup...again. After that appointment, the appointments will increase in frequency. I'll probably go in again two weeks later, and then once a week in March until she shows her little face.
Her middle name is still up for debate. We'd liked Jane for a while, but now I think we're leaning towards Elizabeth. It has a nice musical sound to it, all rolled together.
I'm a little frustrated that I can't bother to go try on wedding dresses for several months, but I think that, combined with my mom's wedding in September, will be a very good thing -- if I lacked motivation to get back in shape before, I definitely have it now.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Transitions and Milestones
I had a dream last night that I was babysitting my cousins again, and somehow I was completely neglecting their welfare, and like, having a really hard time juggling caring for the one over the other. I woke up with this sense of having done something wrong that I would have to deal with and make right in some way.
It's been hitting me more and more frequently that "pregnant" is going to end much sooner than I'd realized, and "baby" is going to be invading in a very real way. So far I've been consumed with eating the right things, taking the pills, reading the books, seeing the doctor; but having an actual baby to care for is something else altogether, and that transition, mentally, is starting to slowly take place.
I bought her some baby clothes at TJ Maxx over the weekend, and it was the first time that I'd been shopping for things for my own child -- not for a fantasy, some-day kid, or for someone else's kid that I was living vicariously through, but my own real, soon to be on the outside, flesh and blood child. It was kind of like a milestone in its own right.
It's been hitting me more and more frequently that "pregnant" is going to end much sooner than I'd realized, and "baby" is going to be invading in a very real way. So far I've been consumed with eating the right things, taking the pills, reading the books, seeing the doctor; but having an actual baby to care for is something else altogether, and that transition, mentally, is starting to slowly take place.
I bought her some baby clothes at TJ Maxx over the weekend, and it was the first time that I'd been shopping for things for my own child -- not for a fantasy, some-day kid, or for someone else's kid that I was living vicariously through, but my own real, soon to be on the outside, flesh and blood child. It was kind of like a milestone in its own right.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Third Trimester Pending
Oh my gosh, I haven't updated in so long. Baby is getting bigger and bigger. Tomorrow is going to be my 28 week mark, which, prior to what I'd originally thought, is the start of my third trimester. This belly is starting to get in the way of doing stuff. I can't bend over to pick things up very well any more, and sitting forward is becoming less comfortable. I've been getting headaches and pain in my leg muscles from not stretching out. And I find that I get out of breath going up stairs and stuff. The books said that it gets harder to breath as you go on and the baby starts pushing against your ribs and stuff.
She's been pretty quiet the last couple of days. Today she was moving more than yesterday. I was starting to get paranoid that she wasn't moving enough, but today she's been back to her old dance moves.
I got a notice in my email that someone bought my bedding set from the registry -- it didn't say who so I'll still be surprised. But I'm super glad that I'm getting it, yay!
She's been pretty quiet the last couple of days. Today she was moving more than yesterday. I was starting to get paranoid that she wasn't moving enough, but today she's been back to her old dance moves.
I got a notice in my email that someone bought my bedding set from the registry -- it didn't say who so I'll still be surprised. But I'm super glad that I'm getting it, yay!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
New Development Info
Good morning, all. Just a quick dip into the blogosphere to share the baby updates that came from various reliable sources this morning. I'm coming up on 27 weeks, so here's the important info, first from BabyCenter, and then from Kaiser:
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.
This info from Kaiser is a little bit early, as, according to them, I won't be entering my third trimester until next week. But it's still some good info about what to expect. So if I start complaining about any of these things, you've been forewarned:
Your Third Trimester
The third trimester of pregnancy spans from week 28 to the birth. Although your due date marks the end of your 40th week, a full-term pregnancy can deliver between the 37th and 42nd weeks of pregnancy. During this final trimester, your fetus grows larger and the body organs mature. The fetus moves frequently, especially between the 27th and 32nd weeks.
In the final 2 months of pregnancy, a fetus becomes too big to move around easily inside the uterus and may seem to move less. At the end of the third trimester, a fetus usually settles into a head-down position in the uterus. You will likely feel some discomfort as you get close to delivery.
See pictures of the fetus at 32 and 40 weeks of development 
.
. Normal symptoms you may experience during the third trimester of pregnancy include:
- Braxton Hicks contractions, which are "warm-up" contractions that do not thin and open the cervix (do not lead to labor).
- Fatigue.
- Back pain.
- Pelvic ache and hip pain.
- Hemorrhoids and constipation.
- Heartburn (a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD).
- Hand pain, numbness, or weakness (carpal tunnel syndrome).
- Breathing difficulty, since your uterus is now just below your rib cage, and your lungs have less room to expand.
- Mild swelling of your feet and ankles (edema). Pregnancy causes more fluid to build up in your body. This, plus the extra pressure that your uterus places on your legs, can lead to swelling in your feet and ankles.
- Difficulty sleeping and finding a comfortable position. Lying on your back interferes with blood circulation, and lying on your stomach isn't possible. Sleep on your side, using pillows to support your belly and between your knees. Later in your pregnancy, it is best to lie on your left side. When you lie on your right side or on your back, the increasing weight of your uterus can partly block the large blood vessel in front of your backbone.
- Frequent urination, caused by your enlarged uterus and the pressure of the fetus's head on your bladder.
Signs that labor is not far off include the following:
- The fetus settles into your pelvis. Although this is called dropping, or lightening, you may not feel it.
- Your cervix begins to thin and open (cervical effacement and dilatation). Your health professional checks for this during your prenatal exams.
- Braxton Hicks contractions become more frequent and stronger, perhaps a little painful. You may also feel cramping in the groin or rectum or a persistent ache low in your back.
- Your "water" may break (rupture of the membranes). In most cases, rupture of the membranes occurs after labor has already started. In some women, this happens before labor starts. Call your health professional immediately or go to the hospital if you think your membranes have ruptured.
Finally, I'm going to try to cut out as much sugar from my diet as possible. One day at a time of course, but I'm pretty sure I consume too much of it, so any little bit less is a good thing.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Holidays are Over...Sad
Some new pics tonight before I take my week 26 photos. These are from week 25:
With the turning of the new year it has finally hit me that a baby is about to be here. It hasn't seemed real, or, at least, impending, until now, when it's the year it will happen -- it doesn't seem so far away now. In fact, it's stressing me out to think that it's really only right around the corner. Of course, I'm also super excited that my showers are coming up soon, and once I have baby stuff in the house I'm sure I'll feel more prepared.
Speaking of New Years, I didn't really make any resolutions this year. I have so much I'm trying to get a handle on that I just didn't even consider it. I know that I'm trying to get back in the habit of working out, while I still can, and I have made it my goal to get into better shape after baby than I was in before. I have my mom's wedding in September, and I'll want to be as trimmed down as I can by then. So, eating healthy and getting into healthy habits. But mostly I'm still just nesting a bit and reading my newborn and nursing books, and trying to prepare for baby as much as I can.
I still need to go in and have my sugars tested. These last two weekends have been so busy that I just haven't even remembered or had the time. Plus, on Thursday night I came down with some kind of nasty stomach bug, and I was up for a good part of the night just heaving. It was yucky. Baby seems fine though, she's still kicking away and doing her thing. And after a day of rest and re-hydration, I was back to normal as well.
Speaking of New Years, I didn't really make any resolutions this year. I have so much I'm trying to get a handle on that I just didn't even consider it. I know that I'm trying to get back in the habit of working out, while I still can, and I have made it my goal to get into better shape after baby than I was in before. I have my mom's wedding in September, and I'll want to be as trimmed down as I can by then. So, eating healthy and getting into healthy habits. But mostly I'm still just nesting a bit and reading my newborn and nursing books, and trying to prepare for baby as much as I can.
I still need to go in and have my sugars tested. These last two weekends have been so busy that I just haven't even remembered or had the time. Plus, on Thursday night I came down with some kind of nasty stomach bug, and I was up for a good part of the night just heaving. It was yucky. Baby seems fine though, she's still kicking away and doing her thing. And after a day of rest and re-hydration, I was back to normal as well.
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