Here's what you forget about the end of pregnancy...
.... You can't call anyone. Every phone call I make these days is answered with a breathless, "Hello... are you at the hospital?"
Um, no.
People I have a whole 'nother WEEK until my due date. At least. I'm not one of you early-Bessies. I go late. Days late. So chill out. (Watch me hatch tonight....)
In other news... I feel good. Way good. Too good. Not normal. No swelling, no puffiness, no weight gain (wait... should I be worried about that?), no major pains (although I am getting that "baby is low" strange nerve stuff once in a while). My back doesn't even hurt (although I feel I paid my dues in hip pain from the ankle sprain in February that lasted for months....) I have ankles. I have some strange brown freckles on my face but no real "mask" at this point. I'm still wearing my wedding ring (ok, yes, the larger band and not the rock but still....) I'm having contractions regularly but no regular contractions.... does that make sense? Doctor appt this afternoon. I'll keep you posted.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Exam T minus 2+ weeks
You have got to go read Dooce. She's pregnant and due, um, any day now. Read the post when she talks about getting an internal exam.... I'm SO GLAD my experience is not her experience..... it hurt her. Now, I'm not saying it was a cake walk, but, seriously.... it takes about a minute and, well, he does use lube, right?
And then she says "the last 3 times she examed me" or something like that... and I go, "WHAT?" And then I go, "WHY????" Why all the coochie-looking? What does it tell you? Nothing. So why do it?
Internets, today was my first internal exam. (Ok, wait, yes... I had an exam at 27 weeks when I was contracting to get a "cervical baseline" in case it happened again... I also got an ultrasound then.) I am due in, what, 15-17 days? The only reason he did the exam was he had to do the strep b test so while he was down there he thought he'd root around a little more. I'm at 3cm. But I could have told you that.... the baby has dropped. I'm not at a waddle but I'm definitely at that place where when I try to stand up I can't lean forward in my chair if my knees are together... know what I mean?
Thank goodness I'm easy....... hee-hee.
And then she says "the last 3 times she examed me" or something like that... and I go, "WHAT?" And then I go, "WHY????" Why all the coochie-looking? What does it tell you? Nothing. So why do it?
Internets, today was my first internal exam. (Ok, wait, yes... I had an exam at 27 weeks when I was contracting to get a "cervical baseline" in case it happened again... I also got an ultrasound then.) I am due in, what, 15-17 days? The only reason he did the exam was he had to do the strep b test so while he was down there he thought he'd root around a little more. I'm at 3cm. But I could have told you that.... the baby has dropped. I'm not at a waddle but I'm definitely at that place where when I try to stand up I can't lean forward in my chair if my knees are together... know what I mean?
Thank goodness I'm easy....... hee-hee.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Prego Report
I'm due in about 2.5 weeks.... the 26th or 28th or so.
Interesting things of Note:
1. The swelling... or lack therof.... if fascinating. Is it me watching my sodium intake? Is it the cooler weather? Is it the amount of caffeine I'm allowing myself? I still have ankles.
2. The heartburn. I remember more heartburn with the other two... with #1 I even did the "put a couple of 2x4's under the head of the bed" thing. So far it has been minimal.... although eating chocolate late at night gets me every time.
3. I haven't been swimming. With the first two floating in warm water was required. I haven't put on the blue & green shamu suit a single time so far.
4. I'm not soaking in ice water yet.... but that may come next week. The little pink hospital tub with a tray of ice and some water was my most refreshing after work friend for #2.
5. Drinking water with lemon. I don't know if this is real or not but it seems like drinking water with lemon slices helps the swelling.... I don't know if the lemon has anything to do with it or if it is just the added water.
6. The weight. I haven't really gained all that much..... hmmm... but I DID start out pretty big.
7. Leg cramps. The last few days I've had some sort of restless leg syndrome that is only cured by MOVING. My hubby is no longer freaked out to come downstairs at 3 am and see me on the elliptical. Taking potassium and drinking milk seems to be an almost instant cure for the leg cramps I get in the evenings sometimes.
8. The belly officially requires sleep support. As of last week I have to snuggle with a pillow to support my belly in bed on my side.... My belly is kinda pointy so it needs extra support. I can still wake up flat on my back feeling like I'm not a pregnant woman at all in the mornings.
9. The braxton-hicks. Lordy. Combine that with two bladder infections and I think I've had more contractions already this pregnancy than I did with the last two combined deliveries....
10. Cravings. I'm not craving cream cheese & jalapeno jelly on wheat thins daily like I did with Tuff. I'm not having the really needy cravings for creamy foods and spicy foods but, mmmm, creamy and spicy sure does sound good.... With Sweet I craved salt and meat.... specifically deli meat and hot dogs. The only really odd craving I've had for #3 was for green onions.... I don't really LIKE green onions but I HAD to eat them. Silly baby.
Interesting things of Note:
1. The swelling... or lack therof.... if fascinating. Is it me watching my sodium intake? Is it the cooler weather? Is it the amount of caffeine I'm allowing myself? I still have ankles.
2. The heartburn. I remember more heartburn with the other two... with #1 I even did the "put a couple of 2x4's under the head of the bed" thing. So far it has been minimal.... although eating chocolate late at night gets me every time.
3. I haven't been swimming. With the first two floating in warm water was required. I haven't put on the blue & green shamu suit a single time so far.
4. I'm not soaking in ice water yet.... but that may come next week. The little pink hospital tub with a tray of ice and some water was my most refreshing after work friend for #2.
5. Drinking water with lemon. I don't know if this is real or not but it seems like drinking water with lemon slices helps the swelling.... I don't know if the lemon has anything to do with it or if it is just the added water.
6. The weight. I haven't really gained all that much..... hmmm... but I DID start out pretty big.
7. Leg cramps. The last few days I've had some sort of restless leg syndrome that is only cured by MOVING. My hubby is no longer freaked out to come downstairs at 3 am and see me on the elliptical. Taking potassium and drinking milk seems to be an almost instant cure for the leg cramps I get in the evenings sometimes.
8. The belly officially requires sleep support. As of last week I have to snuggle with a pillow to support my belly in bed on my side.... My belly is kinda pointy so it needs extra support. I can still wake up flat on my back feeling like I'm not a pregnant woman at all in the mornings.
9. The braxton-hicks. Lordy. Combine that with two bladder infections and I think I've had more contractions already this pregnancy than I did with the last two combined deliveries....
10. Cravings. I'm not craving cream cheese & jalapeno jelly on wheat thins daily like I did with Tuff. I'm not having the really needy cravings for creamy foods and spicy foods but, mmmm, creamy and spicy sure does sound good.... With Sweet I craved salt and meat.... specifically deli meat and hot dogs. The only really odd craving I've had for #3 was for green onions.... I don't really LIKE green onions but I HAD to eat them. Silly baby.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
In the Garden In June
The weather is finally warm today.
After several days of clearing the ice out of the dog's water bowl in the morning.
My "outside" tomatoes are.... toast. But I put the sole surviving hanging upside-down tomato in the bathroom for the cold spell. (The other one was sacrificed.... Hot knocked it down while moving the apple tree to a "more comfortable" spot.)
And I have one nice hanging basket (thanks mom) and a little porch pot of barnyard mint.
I also have a lavendar, a pansy and a begonia in the house waiting transfer.... does anyone know if deer like begonias???
After several days of clearing the ice out of the dog's water bowl in the morning.
My "outside" tomatoes are.... toast. But I put the sole surviving hanging upside-down tomato in the bathroom for the cold spell. (The other one was sacrificed.... Hot knocked it down while moving the apple tree to a "more comfortable" spot.)
And I have one nice hanging basket (thanks mom) and a little porch pot of barnyard mint.
I also have a lavendar, a pansy and a begonia in the house waiting transfer.... does anyone know if deer like begonias???
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
To The Farm
So the big plan for June 6-7 was to go to the farm. My brother & sis-in-law were getting their vows blessed so their children won't be bastards. Good plan. I was a little uneasy being in church with all of them... I just wasn't sure where the lightning was going to strike.
The plan was to leave by 11-ish on Saturday but with the snow on Friday we couldn't mow on Saturday morning and Big Blue Eyes was staring at me at 6:05 saying, "It mornin'?? Go grandma's now??" so I got up, frosted the cake, and started loading.
Hot is still sickly (it has been a week... get better already) so he was moving slow.
The kids played on Saturday... Tuff played on the swing until the backs of her knees were raw. Another little boy was there.... he will be 7 on August 6th. The boys had a blast and completely entertained each other. They made a fort in the old school bus and ran wild through the shelter belt. Hot took them over to the pond to play..... Tuff got to pet the kitties at the barn....
Sunday we were up early and went to church and they blessed the vows... it was lovely and quick and the kids were really good. I mean really good. And everyone said how wonderful it was to have little ones in church again and they were all wistful.
Then coffee and rolls in the church basement.... a time-honored tradition. It was disturbing to realize they have the same wood paneling down there that we have in our house. The rolls & muffins & pastries were amazing.... a whole giant selection of homemade stuff and a really delicious bunch of fruit. Then back to the farm... the roads were muddy and kind of miserable and the van is a muddy mess now.
Big ham dinner. Then we all hung out on the lawn and used the furminator on the various dogs while Sarge got a bath with tomato juice... oh, yeah, Sarge made friends with one of those interesting black & white "kitties" with the fluffy tails. All that furminating made it look like several small fluffy animals had been sacrificed in the yard. Ew.
Hot cut down a tree for mom and gave his professional opinion on the beetle infestation in the shelter belt. The boys ran around like crazy and tried very hard to be nice to the little tag-along sister. Then they were climbing the tree in the front yard.... really high.... and singing "We are the monkey brothers. We eat bananas." and you can imagine how THAT went over. We didn't leave until 5:30 or later. The kids were exhausted and Tuff's legs hurt. She was asleep in about 1/4 of a mile... the only reason she lasted that long was Grandma sent some snack mix and she was busy picking the chocolate chips out of it to eat. Then we got home and unpacked and had a snack and watched a bit of tv and went to bed. Fortunately, the house was pretty cleaned up so it wasn't overwhelming. I did some laundry last night and will do some folding tonight and we should be in ok shape.
The plan was to leave by 11-ish on Saturday but with the snow on Friday we couldn't mow on Saturday morning and Big Blue Eyes was staring at me at 6:05 saying, "It mornin'?? Go grandma's now??" so I got up, frosted the cake, and started loading.
Hot is still sickly (it has been a week... get better already) so he was moving slow.
The kids played on Saturday... Tuff played on the swing until the backs of her knees were raw. Another little boy was there.... he will be 7 on August 6th. The boys had a blast and completely entertained each other. They made a fort in the old school bus and ran wild through the shelter belt. Hot took them over to the pond to play..... Tuff got to pet the kitties at the barn....
Sunday we were up early and went to church and they blessed the vows... it was lovely and quick and the kids were really good. I mean really good. And everyone said how wonderful it was to have little ones in church again and they were all wistful.
Then coffee and rolls in the church basement.... a time-honored tradition. It was disturbing to realize they have the same wood paneling down there that we have in our house. The rolls & muffins & pastries were amazing.... a whole giant selection of homemade stuff and a really delicious bunch of fruit. Then back to the farm... the roads were muddy and kind of miserable and the van is a muddy mess now.
Big ham dinner. Then we all hung out on the lawn and used the furminator on the various dogs while Sarge got a bath with tomato juice... oh, yeah, Sarge made friends with one of those interesting black & white "kitties" with the fluffy tails. All that furminating made it look like several small fluffy animals had been sacrificed in the yard. Ew.
Hot cut down a tree for mom and gave his professional opinion on the beetle infestation in the shelter belt. The boys ran around like crazy and tried very hard to be nice to the little tag-along sister. Then they were climbing the tree in the front yard.... really high.... and singing "We are the monkey brothers. We eat bananas." and you can imagine how THAT went over. We didn't leave until 5:30 or later. The kids were exhausted and Tuff's legs hurt. She was asleep in about 1/4 of a mile... the only reason she lasted that long was Grandma sent some snack mix and she was busy picking the chocolate chips out of it to eat. Then we got home and unpacked and had a snack and watched a bit of tv and went to bed. Fortunately, the house was pretty cleaned up so it wasn't overwhelming. I did some laundry last night and will do some folding tonight and we should be in ok shape.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Parents Behaving Badly
Look what is in the news.....
Wasn't me.
But did I mention last week I got to see a very graphic demonstration of what it takes to give a kid shaken baby syndrome?
When you have a baby they make you watch two videos before you leave the hospital. One on infant cpr and one on shaken baby. We watched them both with Sweet. (Even though, um, Hot teaches cpr.... but a refresher for the pee-wee set never hurts, right?) With Tuff we LIED to the nurse and only watched the cpr one. The shaken baby video is that horrifying.
A few weeks ago in "class that isn't class" for baby school (Centering) a discussion came up about shaken baby and I was doing my blood pressure while it was going on. HIGH. I had to wait 20 min and try again to get a normal reading.... apparently that kind of thing upsets me.
So last week they cracked an egg and put it in an old cottage cheese container. The yoke was intact. Then they dropped it from what would be, oh, bed height. Yoke still intact. Then they shook it... just a few seconds. Ta-da. You've just demonstrated how to scramble your newborn's brain.
I know sometimes they make ya crazy.... don't shake 'em.
Wasn't me.
But did I mention last week I got to see a very graphic demonstration of what it takes to give a kid shaken baby syndrome?
When you have a baby they make you watch two videos before you leave the hospital. One on infant cpr and one on shaken baby. We watched them both with Sweet. (Even though, um, Hot teaches cpr.... but a refresher for the pee-wee set never hurts, right?) With Tuff we LIED to the nurse and only watched the cpr one. The shaken baby video is that horrifying.
A few weeks ago in "class that isn't class" for baby school (Centering) a discussion came up about shaken baby and I was doing my blood pressure while it was going on. HIGH. I had to wait 20 min and try again to get a normal reading.... apparently that kind of thing upsets me.
So last week they cracked an egg and put it in an old cottage cheese container. The yoke was intact. Then they dropped it from what would be, oh, bed height. Yoke still intact. Then they shook it... just a few seconds. Ta-da. You've just demonstrated how to scramble your newborn's brain.
I know sometimes they make ya crazy.... don't shake 'em.
The OTHER gift giving months....
Well guess what? I'm thinking about budgets again.
We did NOT do the CSA this year. It was $300 for 12 weeks last year and I loved every minute of it. But.... for $25/week I can buy a lot of veggies at the farmer's market so that is what I've decided to do. (Along with Project Garden Plot (aka Ha-ha, try to get in HERE, deer)... which you may hear more about later.) So chalk up that point to freaking out about the economy. And I'm saving a few pennies to buy myself some new clothes after the baby..... or, well, in the fall. And a couple new maternity bras because people, mine are RATTY.
But what I'm really thinking about is gifts.
June-July is birthday, graduation and wedding months around here. This year we have one graduation gift, three wedding gifts, our anniversary, 3 kid birthdays, several family birthdays, Father's Day and um, that's all I can think of right now.
What do you get for graduation gifts? My husband says the only appropriate graduation gift is either cash or a check. So I'm going with that. And a card from the dollar store. Now to decide how BIG the check should be.
The wedding gifts we have for this year are mostly Hot's former students. They pretty much get a standard gift.... Target gift cards. So that's fairly easy.
For our anniversary, Hot got a chop saw. Or a miter saw. Or, well, it's a big ass 12" saw that will allow me to add exponentially to his "honey do" list. We are both thrilled. It is a little fuzzy as to what I got for our anniversary. Technically, I got new tennis shoes for Mother's Day (but I mostly used gift cards to pay for them) and the game "Pass the Pigs" from the kids.... I love that the kids get me a new game every year.... it is a tradition and a laptop for our anniversary. I think. But I haven't gotten the laptop yet. By the way... suggestions??
For Father's Day, Hot is getting (honey are you reading? Don't look.) reloading equipment. Really expensive reloading equipment. And a new cheese slicer... because he broke ours. Oh, and a very cool new silicone flipper.... because I banned the metal one to the bbq (it killed all my cookware and electric frying pan) and he broke the nylon one.
Sweet got 2 new pairs of shorts ($25), new swimming trunks ($9), a transformer ($11), a fake ipod ($20), a transformer music player thingy ($13) & a school backpack ($13.. I love Lands End clearance). I think that is all we got him. He's getting yet another transformer when the baby is born and maybe some school workbooks and school supplies.
Tuff is getting new swimming googles, a pink flashlight and, um, some other stuff for her birthday. And, um, something when the baby is born. Yikes... I better get on that, huh?
The baby is getting some new diapers and some pacifiers.
Father's day.... hmmm. My dad will get... something.... probably snacks from Costco... he loves that. Hot's dad will get money towards his season football tickets. My grandpa will get a card with a note telling him we put xx amount of money into savings for college for our kids in his name. He loves that. Oh, and pictures of the kids.
I haven't even thought about all the birthdays we have in June.... Hot got my mom a spidey because she mentioned she lost hers and he loves the one she got him. It's this stretchy spiderweb looking thing with plastic hooks on the sides that you can move around. You put it over a load of junk in the back of the pickup. He thought of that all by himself. I'm so proud. Then we have his sister, a 9-year-old niece and his dad. June is a busy month.
I feel the urge to document all of this out so I can figure it out and get busy because, well, ack, I'm going to hatch a baby here in 3 weeks or so....
We did NOT do the CSA this year. It was $300 for 12 weeks last year and I loved every minute of it. But.... for $25/week I can buy a lot of veggies at the farmer's market so that is what I've decided to do. (Along with Project Garden Plot (aka Ha-ha, try to get in HERE, deer)... which you may hear more about later.) So chalk up that point to freaking out about the economy. And I'm saving a few pennies to buy myself some new clothes after the baby..... or, well, in the fall. And a couple new maternity bras because people, mine are RATTY.
But what I'm really thinking about is gifts.
June-July is birthday, graduation and wedding months around here. This year we have one graduation gift, three wedding gifts, our anniversary, 3 kid birthdays, several family birthdays, Father's Day and um, that's all I can think of right now.
What do you get for graduation gifts? My husband says the only appropriate graduation gift is either cash or a check. So I'm going with that. And a card from the dollar store. Now to decide how BIG the check should be.
The wedding gifts we have for this year are mostly Hot's former students. They pretty much get a standard gift.... Target gift cards. So that's fairly easy.
For our anniversary, Hot got a chop saw. Or a miter saw. Or, well, it's a big ass 12" saw that will allow me to add exponentially to his "honey do" list. We are both thrilled. It is a little fuzzy as to what I got for our anniversary. Technically, I got new tennis shoes for Mother's Day (but I mostly used gift cards to pay for them) and the game "Pass the Pigs" from the kids.... I love that the kids get me a new game every year.... it is a tradition and a laptop for our anniversary. I think. But I haven't gotten the laptop yet. By the way... suggestions??
For Father's Day, Hot is getting (honey are you reading? Don't look.) reloading equipment. Really expensive reloading equipment. And a new cheese slicer... because he broke ours. Oh, and a very cool new silicone flipper.... because I banned the metal one to the bbq (it killed all my cookware and electric frying pan) and he broke the nylon one.
Sweet got 2 new pairs of shorts ($25), new swimming trunks ($9), a transformer ($11), a fake ipod ($20), a transformer music player thingy ($13) & a school backpack ($13.. I love Lands End clearance). I think that is all we got him. He's getting yet another transformer when the baby is born and maybe some school workbooks and school supplies.
Tuff is getting new swimming googles, a pink flashlight and, um, some other stuff for her birthday. And, um, something when the baby is born. Yikes... I better get on that, huh?
The baby is getting some new diapers and some pacifiers.
Father's day.... hmmm. My dad will get... something.... probably snacks from Costco... he loves that. Hot's dad will get money towards his season football tickets. My grandpa will get a card with a note telling him we put xx amount of money into savings for college for our kids in his name. He loves that. Oh, and pictures of the kids.
I haven't even thought about all the birthdays we have in June.... Hot got my mom a spidey because she mentioned she lost hers and he loves the one she got him. It's this stretchy spiderweb looking thing with plastic hooks on the sides that you can move around. You put it over a load of junk in the back of the pickup. He thought of that all by himself. I'm so proud. Then we have his sister, a 9-year-old niece and his dad. June is a busy month.
I feel the urge to document all of this out so I can figure it out and get busy because, well, ack, I'm going to hatch a baby here in 3 weeks or so....
Last Weekend.
We did some birthday weekend last week and I forgot to tell you all about it.
Saturday was a pretty low-key kinda day. Took the kids to the farmer's market but I was really tired when we got there so I gave them each a couple of bucks and they spent a good long time in the bouncy house. Then we went to lunch.... a real treat.... and I had a ragin' cajun rice-potato bowl (I love those.... and screw everyone who says a nine month pregnant woman can't have green peppers, onions, spice sausage & cajun gravy). The kids had "guts" for lunch. Bread guts. Oh, come on, you've never been to lunch at The Staggering Ox?? I can't explain.
My mom and dad called on Sunday and said they were on their way down and, in fact, were about 90 minutes out. Who-hoo. The house was clean enough and I had some burger thawed. Hot grabbed a bag of chips and salsa and an extra package of buns while he was in town at the dump. We lounged around and drank beer (ok, so I drank cranberry juice & club soda with a lime) and just enjoyed the day. Sweet got a gift card to Target... his favorite thing in the world... and some other good gifts.
One of the best lines from Sweet was, "Hey grandpa, 3 days and 2 nights." ??? "I've been wearing these same shorts for 3 days and 2 nights." Grandpa was so proud.
Tuff came in the house at one point with a very odd look on her face and said she was going to throw up.... but she didn't. She was obviously not feeling well for a good part of the later evening.... she draped herself around her daddy and would not let go. Seriously. She was like this little mink stole draped across his shoulders as he moved the sprinklers and she would recline on him like he was the best lawn furniture in the world while they were relaxing. She had a bit of a fever so we dosed her before bed.
After my folks left Sweet made "the face" and ran for the bathroom. He almost made it to the toilet. So I cleaned up those piles and tossed him in the tub and called work to let them know I probably wouldn't be in on Monday.
Monday was cold so we spent most of the day on the couch watching cartoon movies. Tuff was clingy. I finished Sweet's brownie-ice cream-pizza cake. Nana and Papa stopped by that night for the official "day of" party. More presents. Awesome cake. (Pictures later.)
The first official "kid" party will be at The Adventure Zone on June 13th (3:30-5:30, personal pizzas provided) and now I have a five-year-old.
Saturday was a pretty low-key kinda day. Took the kids to the farmer's market but I was really tired when we got there so I gave them each a couple of bucks and they spent a good long time in the bouncy house. Then we went to lunch.... a real treat.... and I had a ragin' cajun rice-potato bowl (I love those.... and screw everyone who says a nine month pregnant woman can't have green peppers, onions, spice sausage & cajun gravy). The kids had "guts" for lunch. Bread guts. Oh, come on, you've never been to lunch at The Staggering Ox?? I can't explain.
My mom and dad called on Sunday and said they were on their way down and, in fact, were about 90 minutes out. Who-hoo. The house was clean enough and I had some burger thawed. Hot grabbed a bag of chips and salsa and an extra package of buns while he was in town at the dump. We lounged around and drank beer (ok, so I drank cranberry juice & club soda with a lime) and just enjoyed the day. Sweet got a gift card to Target... his favorite thing in the world... and some other good gifts.
One of the best lines from Sweet was, "Hey grandpa, 3 days and 2 nights." ??? "I've been wearing these same shorts for 3 days and 2 nights." Grandpa was so proud.
Tuff came in the house at one point with a very odd look on her face and said she was going to throw up.... but she didn't. She was obviously not feeling well for a good part of the later evening.... she draped herself around her daddy and would not let go. Seriously. She was like this little mink stole draped across his shoulders as he moved the sprinklers and she would recline on him like he was the best lawn furniture in the world while they were relaxing. She had a bit of a fever so we dosed her before bed.
After my folks left Sweet made "the face" and ran for the bathroom. He almost made it to the toilet. So I cleaned up those piles and tossed him in the tub and called work to let them know I probably wouldn't be in on Monday.
Monday was cold so we spent most of the day on the couch watching cartoon movies. Tuff was clingy. I finished Sweet's brownie-ice cream-pizza cake. Nana and Papa stopped by that night for the official "day of" party. More presents. Awesome cake. (Pictures later.)
The first official "kid" party will be at The Adventure Zone on June 13th (3:30-5:30, personal pizzas provided) and now I have a five-year-old.
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