Overdue

There's something psychological about a due date that makes you feel, once it's come and gone, that you're in a straight jacket.

Of course that is unless you're one of *those* moms who feel great during pregnancy. One of those moms who "glowed." Well...not I. Though I certainly wish that was the case. I'm fully aware of the wonderful miracle that is taking place and the brand new human who will be here (not) soon (enough). But he needs to be miracling in his bassinet now, not my belly. I'm ready for that transition.

As it is I wake up feeling like I spent the night being beaten up. My back is a joke - my ability to stand upright is progressively declining. My ability to smile it away when people ask how I'm doing -- oh and the "are you still pregnant!?" and "are you sure it's just one?!" -- is rapidly disappearing.

Proceed at your own risk.

Swelling: check (ever-present, no reprieve)

Numbness/carpel tunnel: check (though wearing the splint at night helps the pain)

Sleep: fitful, restless. And when I wake up, pure suffering for a few hours as I reacquaint myself with being awake.

Breathing: shallow at best.

Attitude: getting worse by the day.

Hospital bags: packed a month ago.

Baby's room: ready for baby!!



Photo: me at 40 weeks, 08.31.12

This is what full term feels like...

This past Friday I was a full 37 weeks. Full term and due in just a few more weeks. Though he could come at any time!

Here's how I've been feeling lately...

Sleep: spotty. When I do sleep its heavy and I wake up with aches and pains everywhere.

Carpel tunnel: worse than ever. I have inflammation in my hands that makes my fingers arthritis-stuff and painful in the mornings. I'm wearing a wrist brace on my right wrist to help keep the shooting pains at bay.

Feet (and ankles and legs): the swelling is never going away. I'm convinced. For a while it was bad all day everyday, even straight out of bed. The last couple of days it seems like the swelling is better when I wake up but by the end of the day it's back: elephant legs. :/

Back: my back pain has gone from mild and irksome to intense and inescapable. Now concentrated in my lower back, I can't sit or stand or bend or turn without it hurting. If I sit "too long", it hurts. If I walk around "too long", it hurts. My pelvis and lower back are in constant pain. UGH.

Baby: baby boy is still moving a lot and excels at restricting my lung capacity. His little feet are stationed under my ribs on the right side, his bottom in the middle of my belly and his head, straight down in my pelvis. When he hiccups my whole belly shakes like a big bowl of jell-o. And when he kicks, sometimes it tickles and sometimes it really hurts, depending on where exactly his feet are in relation to my ribs.

Gracefulness: out the window a long time ago. Getting out of bed means rolling over slowly (so as not to set off the almost cripling sharp lower-abdominal pain) and then pushing myself into a sitting position and then standing...on achy feet. The soles of my feet have a funny sensation whenever they touch the floor.

Wedding ring: haven't been able to wear it in about 6 weeks. I thought about going Frodo and wearing it on a chain but I just haven't gotten around to it.

In brighter news....

Baby (health): the baby is doing great. He's been head down for at least 3 weeks now and at this point the Dr said its unlikely he'll turn. His heart rate is lovely and strong. And apparently he could be quite large. I'm going to see if we can get a birth weight estimate at my next appointment. I know it depends on when he decides to show up but ... Just an idea of what I'm facing would be great. ;)

Nursery: his room is done. It needs stuff on the walls and it needs a changing pad. But it's done enough for me. And it's the nicest room in the house. And comfortable. And quiet. And pretty. I'm pleased.

Pretty new flannel blanket from Grandma H:

Little basket of toys and stuffed animals:

Hospital bags: packed last week. Mine and baby's. Though that reminds me, Kevin may need one, too. Though I want him to go home - if he wants - so he can get some sleep in our bed and not a hospital room.

Hospital tour: done. We know where to go and what to do if we go into labor anytime day or night.

Stroller: purchased! We spent a long evening with an awesome BuyBuyBaby employee last week and were schooled on all things stroller. The one I "knew" I wanted from my online research ended up not being the one I wanted after test driving. Which is why you should always try out a stroller in person before buying it. Always. So we talked about every stroller in the store, pushes around about 1/2 a dozen after narrowing down our choices and decided on the Baby Jogger City Mini.

We like all the features. Kevin and I both felt comfortable pushing it (handle is not height-adjustable like some but was a comfortable height for us and padded) and loved the compact turning radius. With the 3-wheel design it is so easy to navigate. Plus the easy one-handle fold was enough to woo us: you just lift a handle in the seat and the stroller folds in on itself. It makes a nice flat fold to fit in the car easily. Its reclines nearly flat for newborns or sleepy 2 year olds and has a 50 pound capacity. The sun canopy is crazy huge with like 4 different settings and 2 windows so you can check on baby easily. We got the Chicco car seat adaptor as well and easily snapped it onto the stroller. Even with the added weight it's still a breeze to get around. Can't wait for Bebe to give it a try. :)

Stretch marks: none. Been moisturizing like mad (Nivea is awesome!)

Baby shower news: My sweet co-workers threw me a surprise baby shower last week. I walked in to what I thought was a business lunch and found instead a baby shower: decorations, huge cake, catered lunch, gifts. What a surprise!! We had such a lovely time. I was so overwhelmed at first ... Such a sweet gesture. My guys were in in it too and had gotten gifts even though they weren't there to have lunch with us.

Jennifer's baby shower on the 4th was a hit. The food and cake were ridiculous. We had a great turn out and everyone enjoyed themselves. Just an awesome afternoon overall.

Next weekend we have a barbecue shower at my parents' house and then we are done.

I certainly hadn't planned on 4 baby showers but am so honored that people want to host these events for Kevin and me and Little Man. I've certainly enjoyed the experience.

Jennifer and me at her fabulous shower:

Me and the cake!

Erika and me at the shower:

Surprise baby shower at the office!

Meredith's baby shower at Chocolate Angel, July:

Yummy mini cakes:

My mom and me at Chocolate Angel:

35 weeks. 35 days to go.

Today marks the completion of my 35th week and the last 35 days of my pregnancy. The first several months went so slowly; I think I judged my progress on whether or not - or how much - I was showing. Once I started showing - around 4 months I think? - it started going faster. It's just a physical way to assess the progress I suppose and makes it feel like its going by faster? The last couple months in particular have flown.

I've felt so huge and clumsy, tired and achy and crampy. But I've been excited and happy about the "big day" getting closer and closer. It's been something of a roller coaster, emotionally. From day to day I am thrilled (yay! My own sweet little boy to take care of!) and then scared shitless (I'm going to be a mom! What was I thinking?!).

It's a good thing there are 9 months to get ready. All the back and forth has finally stabilized and I feel ready. I'm confident and happy and almost completely ready for a new little human to live in my house.

He has a beautiful bedroom waiting for him and a pretty bed and comfy clothes and lots of love. I know it won't always be pretty and I know there will be days and weeks of madness and chaos and freaking out. But I'm ready for him to be here and join out little family. I'm excited to see what he looks like and to figure out his personality and temperament and his likes and dislikes.

It's just hard to believe that we have a month to go before we are "officially" parents. It seems like yesterday was December 22nd and I stepped out of a late-night shower to see "pregnant" on that test.

He'll be joining our little family before we know it!

Can't wait to meet my little guy!!

Not sure how the pets will act but ... they better behave with a new baby in the house! ;)

... We might be a different story. Behaving: sometimes.

Third Trimester?? So soon?!?!

Today marks my 28th week - 7th full month - of carrying around this little dragon.

He's been kicking and flailing what feels like non-stop for the last couple of weeks.

It HURTS!

Maybe I'm just a weenie, but it's painful lately: SO MUCH pressure and SO MUCH tightness.

I have embraced the ever-so-graceful pregnant lady waddle 110% and when I get up from the couch or out of bed, my knees are the widest part of me, like a bowlegged cowboy. *Awesome*

I am starting to feel like I'll have to get all new shoes since practically every pair is now very snug. I'm hoping that's just the swelling and my feet will go back to their normal 7.5-ness, but I've heard that some people's feet actually stay bigger post-pregnancy so ... who knows. I kind of like my shoes and really don't want to buy a whole new shoe wardrobe.

Apparently little man is about 2.25 pounds and 14 inches this week. He is approximately the size of a napa cabbage. Makes me hungry for cabbage salad with steak and sesame dressing and noodles and lime juice.

With only 84 days to go, I'm definitely starting to feel the crush of duties that are yet to be completed.

Two showers are in the works. My nesting instict tells me these should have been done 5 months ago (along with having all baby's clothes washed and folded, nursery complete, hospital bag at the ready ... learning to sew) so I'm kind of (irrationally) uneasy about the timeline; but I really just need to chill out about that. The hosts are doing a wonderful job and they are giving me such a great gift by hosting these parties for me, I'm beyond honored. I just need to chill out and not be mom-zilla!!

Speaking of showers, here are a few maxi dresses I've been eyeing. I've wanted to get some for a long time and I figured being pregnant (maxi dress = best piece of clothes you can own as a preggy!) and being another hot Texas summer AND having 2 parties coming up, I might as well get something cute to wear.

Sources (l to r):

Dress: Old Navy

Handbag: Charming Charlie

Sunnies: Pinterest

Scarf: Old Navy

Shoes: Pinterest

Sunglasses: Pinterest

Dress: Old Navy

Necklace: Forever21

Handbag: Forever21

Shoes: Tory Burch

Dress: Old Navy

Necklace: Forever21

Handbag: Charming Charlie

Shoes: Old Navy

Baby's room is laughably under-prepared. Curtains, unhung (not even purchased yet, for that matter!). Walls, unpainted. We bought primer, supplies and 4 different paint swatches to try but we haven't done anything with them. I still have to make a trip to IKEA for like 1/2 the stuff that I need for his room. Really stressing me out. I've been "meaning to" get his room ready for weeks, MONTHS, but it's just sitting there collecting dust. I imagine that it looks like the nursery in my mind: complete and coordinated and clean and ready for a baby to live there. NOT EVEN CLOSE. *bites nails*

Here is a little collage I put together of all the elements I'd like to incorporate in his room. The quilt is an inspiration piece I found on Pinterest that my amazing quilting friend is going to recreate for me. She said it won't be exactly the same, but close. She's also making a gray and bright orange pillow for the glider (of course we don't have that yet either!).

Sources:

Dresser: IKEA

Storage Cubes: IKEA

Glider/Rocker/Recliner: Amazon.com

Pillow: will be similar, handmade

Side Table: IKEA

Rug: IKEA

Mobile: Amazon.com

Quilt: similar, handmade

Crib: Amazon.com

Curtains: IKEA, navy stripes will be DIY

Maternity Leave Across the Globe - Prepare to have your mind BLOWN!

Oh I just HAD to share this gem!!

A Facebook friend just posted this and I am yet again awed at the staggering discrepancy between our own 'great' nation and other nations around the world when it comes to the benefits - nay, rights - provided to working families.

Being pregnant makes you aware of so many interesting things about life and existence and parenthood and all that. Most especially as a female, the fascinating - disgusting! - lack of respect for the family unit  when it comes to paid time off for mothers is simply mind boggling. (The family unit, which we as a super-conservative country seem to praise from the hilltops! What gives?!)

Take a look at the other countries around the world treat their pregnant women/new moms. In the US, we get a whopping ZERO weeks of paid leave. Yes, friends. Good ole FMLA allows us to take off something like 10 weeks of UNpaid leave. Great if you have zero debt, no car payments, 6 months of living expenses acrued and your car never ever breaks down, your A/C never ever stops working, you never ever have to go to the Doctor unexpected. Yeah, basically not so great.

For a huge chunk of average women and families, having no paid leave means no leave at all, since many can't afford to simply not generate a paycheck for 4 or 6 or 8 weeks - however long each individual woman deems necessary for her proper recovery AND bonding time with her new baby.

Of all the things we need to rectify about our great US of A, paid leave for new moms AND new dads needs to change, drastically. And NOW. This is unacceptable.

As my FB friend commented: "Pakistan? Really? Come on guys!!!" Yeah.

Good Friends

Sometimes there is a lot for me to complain about. Or I just make up stuff to complain about? Either way I seem to gripe a lot, at times; not ALL the time.

Lately I've been stressing about getting the baby's room ready, finding the right paint, getting my kitchen updated and looking decent, making sure everything in the house is perfect before he gets here - because he'll know if my kitchen floors are ugly or if there is dust behind the couch. ;)

I've had some really nice experiences lately that have reminded me how great it is to have great friends. It's nice to have new friends, but it seems for me that the old friends are the best friends. It's so great knowing people for years and years and having history and familiarity with them. They are my family.

I just spent the weekend with some of my friends/adopted family to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. An excellent excuse to get together for a proper tea with lots of Earl Gray and goodies and finger sandwiches.

And yesterday once I was back in town, I had a visit from one of my oldest neighbors - she has known me since birth. Crazy. Anyway, she has generously made some beautiful quilts for me and Baby. She is a seasoned and talented quilter/seamstress and does amazing work. Here are the two small quilts she made for Baby ... perfect for "tummy time" (tummy time is great and important but I do hate that term for some reason), in the car, picnicing, travel ... and they are so colorful! She knew I wanted lots of color for the Baby so she went with this beautiful rainbow theme with accenting trim and backing.

She is still working on one for Baby's room - about crib-sized - that will hang on one of his walls. Can't wait to see the finished product! She showed us all the colors she had selected for that and they are perfect.

Square rainbow pattern on the front with musical notes on the back. She said the backing was in honor of Kevin since she knows he loves music:

And a pretty rainbow pinwheel with blue trim and stripes and dots on the back:

I'm very grateful for the friends and 'family' who give their time and energy and love to me and Kevin, and our little man Baby. Even before he is here, I know he is loved and looked forward to by our friends.

 Another friend of mine - whose girls I've babysat since her oldest was just a few months old (she's turning 9 this year!) - is graciously hosting a baby shower for me! I'm so happy to have her do that; she will host a wonderful party.

Here are a few inspiration photos I've gathered for the party ... we're still in planning mode, but soon we'll have everything hammered out and the party will be here before we know it. Can't wait!

Today, I'm 27 weeks 4 days. Baby is about 2 pounds and the size of a cauliflower. And he is moving All. The. Time. Jabbing and punching and headbutting. And stretching and pressing. And squashing.

Sometimes it's really uncomfortable, but I'm reminding myself this is a good thing, and that he won't be able to do this forever. My next appointment is in 3 weeks then my subsequent appointments will be bi-weekly.

This Friday I will be 28 weeks and starting my third trimester! I can't believe I'm almost a third trimester mom-to-be! September will be here before I can blink.

Pregnancy Related Incapacitation!

My first thought if drop something on the floor: "$&@#!" (let's be honest)

Next: "Do I really need that?"

And then: "I'll just get another one."

Ahh, pregnancy.

Slowly curing me of OCD, one day at a time.

Dragon Lady is here! aka: grumpy pregnant lady. (Plus, yummy British foods)

The last couple weeks I've been a wimp and complained about everything.

Grumpy.

Moody.

Edgy.

You name it.

And honestly I haven't had that much to complain about. =/

I'm feeling great. Which is a nice change.

My back isn't hurting as much and I'm sleeping better. Even though I wake up uncomfortable sometimes, I'm not tired and I don't really have a "tired slump" as much in the afternoons, so I know I'm getting rested. I do wake up on my back a lot and supposedly you should sleep on your left side for circulation to the fetus or whatever.

But sleeping on my left side is PAINFUL - I have a sharp stabbing pain in my left ribs whenever I inhale. Not conducive to sleep. It's hard enough breathing these days, period; but add pain to the mix? ... So I sleep on my right side now. And then wake up on my back. Breaking all the rules!

I haven't been as hungry/cravey lately. Though I suppose I have been craving fruit. Some days it's almost all I eat before dinner: a banana, apple, orange (sometimes two), sometimes a handful of almonds, sometimes a small piece of cheddar with the apple, any leftovers I may have brought from home, a flipping gallon of water, and then dinner at home. I feel like I'm eating all day but I'm never hungry. I just feel the need to eat something and eat it. I am definitely NOT counting calories these days.

OMG, Kevin convinced me to try some new McVitie's (I'm kind of stuck on my dark chocolate dipped digestives)called HobNobs and I'm flipping out. Addicted!

We got the original ones which are just-crispy-enough and oaty and so good (nobbly!).

And the vanilla creme sandwich HobNobs which are half the size of the originals and filled with yummy vanilla creme, like Oreo but better.

SO FLIPPING GOOD with my tea after dinner.

I'm pretty sure I'm a land whale but that hasn't slowed me down.

Here is my 25 week self!

It's a little bit funny ... this feeling inside.

Can't help it.

I lol'ed thinking about this clip today as the fetus was kicking.

Baby Update

Yesterday I went to my monthly Ob visit. Everything is "perfect" apparently ... my weight (hah!), the baby (of course he is) ... his heartrate was 150 - I always like getting to listen to his little heart.

I'm at 22 weeks and 5 days today.

Fetus is (almost) the size of a pomegranate.

At my next appointment I have to get the glucose test. I've heard some mixed feedback about that so we'll see how I handle it.

Now to wait another month.

This year is flying.

By September there will be a third human living in my house.

*wow*

Tortilla Soup + Smashed Bladder = bathroom breaks!

Little man cub/papaya baby has been very active this week.

His kicks/jabs/elbows/knees are much stronger and when he's moving, the duration is longer, too. He has quiet spells a lot but he's still super active - mostly in the evenings, midday and early mornings when I'm just not quite ready to wake up but ... he doesn't seem to care.

The other day I woke up at 6:30am to my bladder being smashed by a fetus foot/hand/elbow/whatever. Good morning to you too, baby! 

Thankfully my rocky food relationship is long over and I can eat like a "normal" pregnant human now. And from time to time I crave a little something spicy. I've craved spicy and pickled things from the very beginning, actually.

And last night I was craving tortilla soup: something rich but light, and obviously spicy. And lots of cilantro!

I had a picked-over chicken carcass (hate that word a lot) from a roast chicken earlier this week so I threw it in a pot of water to make some quick broth.

Here's the recipe I just made up as I went along; that's how I roll in the kitchen and it *usually* works out. 

Last night was a complete success and I the baby ate like, a gallon of soup.

Of course tweak this to your taste ...

Chicken Tortilla Soup

One 4 pound chicken or just the carcass, either way you get a lot of flavor

Large pot/dutch oven

Put the bird in the pot and fill with water til the bird is covered (about 12+ cups). Heat to a boil for at least 30-45 minutes to get as much flavor as you can into the broth. Of course if you are using a whole bird, cook for longer so it's not raw in the center, a full hour. Then make a cut where the leg meets the breast to check that it's running 'clean' (not red). Remove the bird and add the following to your pot of broth:

Can of diced tomatoes with juices, preferrably a spicy variety - I used a 'salsa style' tomato that was fire roasted with green peppers

Can of green chilis (the little baby can)

1/2 bag frozen or one can of corn

Can of beans, your choice - I used kidney because it's what I had but chili or black beans would also work

Let this simmer for a while, about 20 minutes. Then add:

1 T Cumin

1 t Chili Powder

1/2 t Thyme

1/2 t or less, just a hint really, Ground Cinnamon

Fresh Jalepeno pepper, diced with seeds - use 1/2 a pepper, a whole pepper, 2 peppers - this is where you'll be controlling your heat so use as much as you like

Diced chicken, about 2 cups

Let this simmer a few more minutes to let the jalepeno soften. At this point I tried something different, for me at least: I crumbled up 3 small corn tortillas and dropped them into the soup. I wanted a little 'thickness' to the broth - it seems like a good tortilla soup has an almost creamy base, even though there isn't any dairy added. The tortillas kind of fell apart as it simmered and turned the broth a little opaque. *Perfection*

Add coarse salt to taste. And that's it.

I prepared the following toppers while the soup was simmering:

 

Fresh diced avocado

 

Fresh minced cilantro

Grated cheese - I used colby which was good but cheddar would work. Heck if you are an actual Hispanic person or a Mexican food purist, use something like Queso Fresco. yum (Actually if you are Hispanic you're probably laughing at my gringo recipe or not even reading it in the first place!)

 

Also a little squeeze of lime juice would rock this soup but I didn't have limes.

Speaking of bebe: These things somehow made their way into my Gap.com cart and then just showed up at my house. *weird*

Goldfish Baby

Last week, we found out: We're having a boy!!

We couldn't be more excited. Little man took a beautiful sono photo and was very cooperative with the technician. And apparently very proud of his ... boyhood. ;) He sized a little big and his fat and brain symmetry measured just right.

And since then, I have been feeling like my belly is a little portable goldfish bowl. Like there is a little fluttering fish in there just hanging out, kicking around. I'm 19 weeks 3 days and I know it's a little early for the official, oh-my-gosh-I-just-felt-the-baby-move moment. But I am pretty sure I feel him moving. Nothing monumental yet, no jabs or punches. Just little baby butterfly flutters.

I have been a little ... dubious? Uncertain? About feeling the first movement. Just a few weeks ago it seemed like the strangest part of this generally very strange experience: growing your own human inside of your body is a little wild, after all. But now that I can feel his gentle little baby movements, I am kind of excited and anticipating the day when he makes that first big jolt of movement.

My own little resident goldfish baby.

Well this is just sad. ... And chocolate chip cookies. And babies!

Three months and no blog posts! Not like I have a flock of eager readers tracking my every post and life decision and meal and clothing purchase/recommendation and Hipstamatic photo. ;)

But still. I have such good intentions and then just ... abandon them instead for an hour of repinning on Pinterest, making dinner and eating it with my husband on the back patio and voraciously watching 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' like a proper Trekkie/nerd/pregnany lady on a mission. ... Oh yeah!

Since my last post, I am excited to share that my sweet husband and I are expecting our first child!

I'm 18 weeks and due 8/31/12. This week the fetus is the size of a bell pepper, my uterus is the size of a cantaloupe and my balance is officially non-existent!

I've worked in the same office for 5 years and have started bumping into walls that have never posed a problem before. I am clumsy - actually I have always been clumsy but this whole daily-shifting-center-of-gravity thing is NOT helping: I drop full glasses of water all over the kitchen and myself and trip over rugs. And my own bare feet. I am emotional: I have cried more in the last month than I have in the last 5 years all together. I don't have a love-hate relationship with food anymore, as I did in the first trimester. Actually it's all love now (yay! no more gagging! I have to be grateful that I was spared from some of the most horrific first trimester symptoms, thankfully)

Yes, now all foods are friends again. 

Especially chocolate chip cookies.

Speaking of which I have been on something of a quest recently to find the "right" CCC recipe. I wanted to say "perfect" but that is really relative to who is eating the cookies. Some people like crisp cookies (we don't); some like soft, Famous Amos cookies (I could take them or leave them unless they are oatmeal which must be soft); some people like cookies with crisp edges and chewy middles (yes please!!). Thankfully Kevin also likes the perfectly balanced crispy/chewy CCC so I am working on finding the right recipe for us. I typically just use the one on the package of Toll House or Ghirardelli chips, whichever one I have around. But surely there is a magic combination of ingredients I can use all the time to ensure we have the ideal cookie.

I just recently tried this recipe from Savory Sweet Life which is wonderful and maybe I did it wrong but as they cool they get a little TOO crispy - like, all-over crispy so the chewy part is all gone. Kevin is a dunker (not me) so this can work for him the next day but for me it's just like eating a cracker or something. Not preferred. They are SO GOOD fresh though: like 3-minutes-from-the-oven warm with ice cold milk. M-hmm.

I think these are up next. Don't they look divine?? And I'm loving the addition of the sea salt sprinkle on top. Just that little extra something. And the yummy toasted walnuts sounds AH-mazing.

Of course mine wouldn't come out looking quite this nice but it's worth a try!