Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thirty-One Weeks

It's time to turn the page on another week tonight, so I'd better capture the highlights of the week quickly!
  • That's a Wrap: R finished the extensive and time-consuming task of updating our bedroom last night, much to the delight of everyone in our household. New recessed lights, ceiling fan, and fresh paint on the ceiling, walls, trim and doors. He worked so hard every night, and the resulting project is just so lovely!  It feels good to have the spaces we'll be spending so much of our time in once the baby comes all spiffed up and ready!
  • Fond Farewell: R's grandmother's long struggle with Alzheimer's ended this week when she peacefully passed away. It is a time of grief and relief, as we will miss her dearly but are grateful to know she is no longer suffering. We are sad that our little girl won't get to meet this great-grandmother of hers, but we'll make sure she knows how surprised and excited Grandma was to learn of our miracle girl - it's one of our favorite memories of her!
  • Toy Time: We ordered our little girl an adorable stuffed animal that we suspect may become her favorite "lovey" as she grows up. It's a handmade elephant ragdoll that the woman called Ellie. We don't know what our daughter will choose to call it, but it's really reminiscent of R's beloved childhood stuffed animal (Big Bear). We hope she loves her toy as much as he loved his! Here's a quick snapshot - how cute is she?!
  • Certified Parents: R and I took our childbirth and baby preparation class this weekend. It was an intense two days, covering everything from expectations and fears to natural comfort measures (read: massage and breathing). We learned about medicinal options, potential complications and interventions (scary). We practiced baby swaddling and learned how to give a newborn a bath. A pediatrician came in and spent a long while answering the questions of the almost-parents in the room. One true highlight was taking a tour of the hospital's labor & delivery floor. We saw the big, beautiful rooms with their whirlpool tubs and serene views and got excited: in just a few weeks our little girl will make her grand entry in just such a room! It is a daunting thought, but we know we can do it when the time is right. Both R and I were disappointed to "lose" our entire weekend, but were quite glad that we made the decision to attend. We learned a lot and had great opportunities for expectation setting, clear communication and practice. Just another thing to make this experience seem more real!
Tracker time!

Week: 31
Weight: +23 pounds (as of Week 31 - right back on track, as that makes 2 pounds in the past two weeks!) 
Baby is the Size of a(n): large squash (~3.5 pounds)
Symptoms: still always hungry, round ligament and general "growing" pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), extreme shortness of breath (our teacher told the partners in the room this weekend that it's okay for pregnant women to feel winded even just answering the phone!), mental lapses, wacky dreams, the beginnings of nesting (exhibiting itself as a need to vacuum and dust mop obsessively, plus a renewed compulsion to bake!) and general moodiness (noteworthy breakdown: too many to count this week, but I sure did cry through many of the childbirth videos shown during our class this weekend!)
Current Obsession: orange juice, oatmeal, red meat, all the vegetables from our farm share (especially squash), apples, cinnamon applesauce, peanut butter, milk, vanilla almond milk, and the Signature Latte from our local coffee shop
Current Aversion: not much!
Thinking About: who our little girl will take after; seeing the actual little elbows, knees, hands and feet she's using to poke and jab at me; finishing up the nursery and layette; securing a pediatrician; taking maternity photos and getting newborn photos scheduled; having our car seat installation checked for safety;j pre-registering at the hospital; and still pondering names
Picture(s)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

THIRTY Weeks!

Okay, thirty weeks feels very monumental. It's the last night of Week 30 and tomorrow we'll flip over to *single digit* remaining weeks, which seems insane and impossible but also really wonderful. There were some pretty exciting developments this week, which I'll highlight below:

  • Make Me an Honest Woman: I have previously mentioned the edema I've been dealing with, but always in the context of my poor, poor feet. Well my hands are also suffering. In fact, for probably a month now I've been too swollen to wear my engagement and wedding rings. I'm terrified of getting them stuck on my fingers and being forced to have them cut off, so I've put them away for the time being. I've been moping around about my naked finger for long enough that this week, to my delight, my stand-in ring from R arrived. It is a lovely, tiny band in a gigantic size that should safely be wearable through the remainder of this pregnancy, delivery and journey back to my pre-baby size. I have visions of having it resized after all is said and done and then someday giving it to our little girl - it seems like a rather special memento from her parents!
Speaking of pre-baby bodily glory, check out this side-by-side comparison of Week 12 and Week 29:
 *BAM* I sure have blown up! All for a good and worthy cause, though!

  • Pregnancy Brain is REAL: From this week's "DUH" headline, we learn that scientists have proven the validity of pregnancy brain. Thank goodness for science, but this doesn't make me feel a whole lot better about how scattered and batty I seem lately. I cannot remember anything (names, words, reason for going to the store/kitchen/basement/etc.), I lose things all the time (a container of apple slices R prepped for my snack went mysteriously missing all day yesterday, only to be found on my car's passenger seat tonight), and today I actually realized that I feel stressed out but can't remember why that is. This is a decidedly unpleasant side effect, and R has even threatened to start pinning items to me in an effort to help me remember!
  • You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone: I mentioned in the last post all the exciting news about the progress in the nursery this week. I also mentioned that we slept in the nursery (for two nights, actually) while R has been working on installing new lighting, painting the ceiling, getting the new ceiling fan hung, painting the walls/trim/doors, etc. in our bedroom. (Side note: this may very well be his own version of nesting - adorable!) He's making great progress, but given that he only has a few hours each night to work on this project, it's taking some time. Last night we moved our in-home camping party to the pull-out sleeper sofa in the office/den/guest room upstairs since the work and mess in that room is all cleaned up. It was definitely superior to the air mattress on the nursery floor, but oh how I look forward to sleeping in our own glorious bed again soon. For tonight, it looks like we'll spend another night upstairs. It's lucky we have the option to do so... the floor sounds mighty unappealing to one who has a hard time getting comfortable enough to sleep under the best of circumstances lately!
  • Like a Swift Kick in the Ribs: Baby Girl has been antsy lately, moving around for hours at a time (seriously - is that normal?!). Her movements have become increasingly emphatic, and I have visions of a particular kick or punch being strong enough to actually poke straight through my belly button, resulting in a tiny baby arm or leg peeking out of my stomach! This morning while getting out of my car I received a noteworthy kick straight to my rib meat. I let out a howl, as the surprising pain took my breath away. The good news is that the sheer adrenaline of that experience helped me shake off the stubborn sleepiness that was clinging to my foggy brain. Sometimes I think the reason we experience a rush of oxytocin after our babies are born is so that we don't immediately grab hold of them, peer into their tiny faces and say, "So you're the little squirt who caused me so much misery for all those weeks!" 
Okay, with that, I'm beat and the sofa bed is calling my name. Here is this week's tracker:

Week: 30
Weight: +21 pounds (as of Week 29; my next appointment is this Friday - *gulp*) 
Baby is the Size of a(n): Head of Cabbage (~3 pounds!)
Symptoms: still always hungry, round ligament and general "growing" pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), tailbone pain, extreme shortness of breath (I felt winded after getting off of an elevator this week!), mental lapses, wacky dreams, the beginnings of nesting and general moodiness (noteworthy breakdown: I've been raging around the office this week because I've been feeling it's just too hot in there to expect anyone to get anything done!)
Current Obsession: orange juice, oatmeal, red meat, all the vegetables from our farm share (especially squash), apples, cinnamon applesauce, peanut butter, milk, vanilla almond milk, and the Signature Latte from our local coffee shop
Current Aversion: not much!
Thinking About: who our little girl will take after; seeing the actual little elbows, knees, hands and feet she's using to poke and jab at me; finishing up the nursery and layette; securing a pediatrician; taking maternity photos and getting newborn photos scheduled; attending birth classes (this weekend!); choosing a hospital for delivery; and still pondering names
Picture(s)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Nursery Progress Update

It's been a busy weekend, and we made some progress on the nursery. In lieu of a weekly update (to be posted here by Wednesday of this week), I'm uploading a (badly stitched) panoramic photo of the nursery as it looked this afternoon. We still have some work to do: the gray walls need decorating, the linens need to be added (a project Mom is working diligently on!) and we need to buy the remaining supplies required to clothe, feed and otherwise care for a baby. All that said, we're thrilled with the progress to date. Enjoy!


 Behold, the amazingly gorgeous wall decal we put up Saturday night. I spent a few hours placing and carefully applying those leaves while standing on painfully swollen feet - truly a labor of love!
The crib is solid maple and just lovely.
The Pacific Maple table is actually a nightstand and will be part of the bedroom set she gets from us when she moves out some day.
Mom made the curtains (this fabric will look familiar when you see the quilt!). The glider is so comfortable. I sat there for most of the weekend!
 The matching Pacific Maple dresser will double as the changing table for the baby. Yes, that is a wipe warmer and no, I don't think it is ridiculous.
We replaced the bi-fold closet doors with curtains for the time being. Curtains are so quiet! Look closely - can you spot part of the other decal adorning the nursery walls?

We love our baby girl's beautiful nursery so much that we slept there Sunday night. Kidding! We really did sleep there (on an air mattress on the floor), but it was out of necessity: our bedroom is all covered in heavy gauge plastic while R installs recessed lighting and a new ceiling fan in our bedroom. He's working in (and creating a mess with) insulation in the attic during the project, so we couldn't sleep in the new "guest room" upstairs. That left only the nursery to sleep in, and I cannot lie: it was pretty fun to sleep there. I imagine it won't be the last night we spend a fair amount of time catching some ZZZs. It's all feeling very real now!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Twenty-Nine Weeks!

Oooooh dear, friends. It was a big week for us in a few key ways: last business trip, last monthly OB appointment, and last time feeling like my weight gain is progressing right on track... *gulp* Without further ado, I'd love to share the highlights with you.

  • Special Delivery: Our shopping spree from last week came to fruition this week with scads of gigantic boxes left at our door. Baby now has a crib mattress, changing pad, several protective covers, a car seat with a few bases, a baby carrier, and several other important items. We're starting to feel more ready, but there's still a fair amount to purchase... 
  • Hanging Up My Wings: Baby Girl and I took one last business trip to the west coast this week. These trips have taken a toll on me in many ways, not least of which is some ugly edema of my feet. R actually surprised me before this trip with a brand spanking new pair of compression socks to help reduce the swelling - is he a romantic or what?! I really appreciated it, as it made a noticeable difference in how swollen my feet were after each leg of the trip. After a series of meetings on Thursday, Baby and I went out to have a celebratory pancake dinner, packed up, and hit the hay. We were up well before 4:00 to make the long commute back to the airport and wing our way home. I have seldom been happier to feel the wheels touch down. That was officially my last pre-baby business trip - hooray!
  • Doctor, Doctor: We had our last monthly OB appointment this week - another milestone! It was a relatively monumental visit: I tipped the scales at a shocking number (see below, but don't judge - the doctor said I'm still on track!), my blood pressure was a touch high (but not worrisome), we listened to the baby's heartbeat (156 bpm), measured my fundal height (30 cm!), got an estimate on her position (head down, though it was a bit painful to discover that!!), and I had a flu shot. Both R and I agreed it was a nice visit with my favorite doctor. I now go in every two weeks until week 36!
Okay, that's probably it for this week. Read on for the tracker, and note that I'll try to get a photo or two posted tomorrow.

Week: 29
Weight: +21 pounds (as of Week 29: that's +9 in the past month - ouch!) 
Baby is the Size of a(n): Butternut Squash (~2.5 pounds!)
Symptoms: still always hungry, round ligament and general "growing" pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), tailbone pain, shortness of breath, mental lapses, wacky dreams, and moodiness (noteworthy breakdown: I'm kind of freaking out about keeping my weight gain steady and under control)
Current Obsession: orange juice, oatmeal, red meat, all the vegetables from our farm share (especially squash), apples, cinnamon applesauce, peanut butter, milk and vanilla almond milk
Current Aversion: not much (unfortunately?)
Thinking About: who our little girl will take after; seeing the little elbows, knees, hands and feet she's using to poke and jab at me; finishing up the nursery; securing a pediatrician; taking maternity photos and getting newborn photos scheduled; attending birth classes; choosing a hospital for delivery; and still pondering names
Picture(s)

Monday, October 3, 2011

Twenty-Eight Weeks

Major milestones this week, friends! 28 weeks marks seven months into this ten month journey* and it's officially the beginning of the third trimester! We're in the homestretch now!

*Side note: why do people say pregnancy lasts nine months? 40 weeks at four weeks per month (on average) is really more like ten months. That is false advertising, I say.

Highlights from this week include:

  • Dinner at Eight: My family was in town last week and we enjoyed a family dinner - Dad, Mom, brother, R and me - at local gastropub Victory 44. It was fun to laugh, chat and nosh together, but we did miss my little sister. The experience made me nostalgic for old times gathered together and excited for new memories we'll make as a big family with the addition of our little girl.
  • It's Friday, Friday: R and I took Friday off together and used the time to run some errands, not least of which was buying me a maternity winter coat and maternity support belt: truly lifesavers! We also bought curtain rods for the nursery in preparation for Mom's completion of that project. The curtains are done, the look fabulous, and I'm excited to post photos when R and I have a minute to snap some!
  • Riding into the Sunset: On Saturday, I drove down to G&G's house to visit with my family. R took the opportunity to ride his bike from our house to theirs - a trip that was 75 miles in the end! It wasn't an easy ride (windier, hillier, and less paved than expected), but he completed the entire ride and still walked the dogs when we got home! He never fails to impress me, and this feat was no exception. I'm just imagining the day - about six months after our little girl is born - when she can be towed along behind Dad on his rides.
  • Ready, Set, Go: R and I were productive this weekend in between family visits and the like. We emptied the nursery of all construction equipment, cleaned out the closet completely (except for the baby's few worldly possessions), and hung the aforementioned curtains. The space looks wonderful: so inviting and warm. I have yet to feel more excited to bring our baby home than I did when standing in the nursery this weekend. 
  • Shop 'Til We Drop: Now that we have a place to put it all, R and I began buying much-needed baby supplies from our registry this weekend. It was pretty fun to place all of those orders and we should receive most of the deliveries this week! It's time to kick into high gear and really get ready for the baby - we're excited!
With that (because I once again fell asleep writing this post), here's the tracker:

Week: 28
Weight: +13 so far (as of our Week Almost-25 official doctor weigh-in) 
Baby is the Size of a(n): Pair of Squash (just over 2 pounds!)
Symptoms: still always hungry, twinging round ligament and general "growing" pains, really achy pelvis (SPD), tailbone pain, shortness of breath, mental lapses (I had to be reminded multiple times to go to the grocery store after work tonight, as well as the items I needed to buy while there!), wacky dreams (dreamed of searching the arctic for friends who had been buried in an avalanche... ?!), and moodiness (noteworthy breakdown: a good, old-fashioned panic attack in the mall parking lot this weekend over how unprepared I feel to have a baby)
Current Obsession: apple cider, oatmeal, red meat, all the vegetables from our farm share (especially potatoes), apples, applesauce, peanut butter, milk and rootbeer
Current Aversion: not much, but seafood is still not my favorite
Thinking About: who our little girl will take after; what her personality will be; working on the nursery; buying the necessities to make our house a home; finding a pediatrician; getting maternity/newborn photos scheduled; choosing a hospital for delivery; and still pondering names (it's hard!)
Picture(s):