Happy Birthday to Meeeeee!

I am 25 today!

I'm 35 weeks pregnant, healthy and in love.

(25 years ago my mom was pregnant with ME!)

I could not ask for more, but the brownies and warm wishes I've gotten today is truly the icing on the cake. I hope the weekend gets here fast so we can celebrate properly!

13-24-32

13 weeks, 24 weeks, 32 weeks

Left to Right

Everything is gonna be alright...

I woke up very early this morning, wide awake, at 5:50 AM.

I felt fine; hips were sore, but nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't puke!!! (OK so that's not ordinary).

I rested for an hour and got up, got ready and then at around 8 AM I started having contractions. I've been experiencing some Braxton-Hicks for a while now so I am used to the feeling, but these were coming on every 5-6 minutes. I ignored them, sipped water and finished getting ready. On the way to work they were about 8 minutes apart with the distraction of driving, but they were still just as strong. Some hurt, some were just mild and some I couldn't tell were happening except for the fact that my uterus would get hard, but they just stayed.

I had a meeting at work in the morning and tried more water but they were just so bothersome and regular now at about 10 minutes apart by 11 AM that I called the doctor.

Now like I said, I'm used to the B-H variety of irregular contractions but these were reallll regular although nothing else that is disconcerting was happening (back pain, leaking of fluid, etc.) along with them. So when I called and the nurse answered, she asked if any of the disconcerting things were happening just like I expected. Then she asked how regular they were and how long I'd been having them, "10 minutes apart now, they were 5 min at 8 AM," I said.             

"You've been having regular contractions for 3 hours? Why didn't you call sooner?! Can you be here in 20 minutes?"

Definitely did not expect that reaction. I expected every other speech I'd gotten about watching the disconcerting things, drinking water and lying down. I told my boss I had to go and got my butt to the Doctor. I could tell she was busy that day but she still took her time, made sure I didn't have any more questions before leaving, and made sure that everything was OK and that I knew it was so.
"It's like a Werther's Original down there," she described my cervix after checking it. I laughed out-loud but I knew exactly was she meant; hard and closed with a small dimple in the middle... "everyone knows what that looks like," she explained. It's true!

 She also complimented me on my super-fuzzy-stirrups socks that I carry with me for just such an occasion. I love my backup doctor; if anything happens I'm glad I found her.
They monitored my contractions for around an hour and confirmed that they were happening and they were regular (every 10 minutes!) and that baby was also doing fine through them.

I knew it would be OK but it's good to be validated by someone "official" when you're freaked out!
Any pregnant mamas that EVER have any concerns, do not hesitate to at least call. If they refuse to see you and you're still worried, just SHOW UP. What could have been preterm labor was nothing, albeit strange, and I'm glad I went!

Peach is 2!

I was asked by a representative to underwrite a blog post for Dog Fence DIY, who are considered to be the most affordable resource for wireless dog fencing. I decided to mix it together with Peach's birthday post since the timing was so right.

We have had Peach for about a year and a half and a lot has changed since then. The difference she makes in our home is not always enthusiastically accepted by me, but she is teaching me  some valuable lessons about unconditional love and even parenting.

With Peach, our house is more rambunctiously fun.
After she takes a bath (which she LOVES) she gets preliminarily towel-dried and then she does her own spin-dry. She will "Pug Run" like crazy all over the house because she feels so good and clean; it is one of the most hilarious things you'll ever see.

Peach will always give you a hug or kiss, whether you are in the mood for one or not.
I think she just knows better than you do when you need love... which is all the time in her opinion. They call pugs "velcro dogs" because of the way they need to constantly be able to touch you. I'm trying to have more patience with her now with this because soon I'll have a human baby in contact with me most of the day, and I'll need patience for that, too.

Peach teaches us a lot about non-sensical verbal communication.
I know not all dogs have the vocabulary that a masophilic nose affords our pug what with all the grunts, snorts and yawn-bark-cries she is capable of making. That is why it is never lost on us when she makes a very audible "mmhmm!" or one of those yawn-bark-cries that are indescribable... it cracks us up and it opens our minds to communication which is used by no human being anywhere. We can almost understand her; this will help when we have a crying and babbling baby!

As the years go by I'm sure she will teach us more and more. Here's to another year with Peach; our rambunctious, snorty, lovey little Pug.

Happy Birthday, Peach!

34 Weeks Pregnant

I saw the midwives earlier this week... yes I said midwives... something wonderful has happened where we will have two and we just get extra hands and expertise for our birth! (yay!!!!) I am measuring a week ahead now instead of 2, so baby will still probably come right on time. Our wild child loves to keep everyone guessing; it was too funny watching the women try to find out what position the baby was in because it was spread out all over like Spiderman on Sunday and Monday. Heart rate was between the 120's and 150's because it was playing and moving around while getting palpated for position and heart tones.
Baby also performed a similar routine for the OB today so much that she had to get the doppler out to find the back. We heard hiccups while she found it; heart beat was 150!

Speaking of 150... I can't break the crest of weight gain past that number quite yet. The last 2 appointments I was sure I'd be 150 or over, but I'm still at 149lbs. Every pound is a victory against the puke!

So we're doing very well still and everything is going fine and is on track. Next appointment is in 2 weeks and they're doing a Group-B Strep test. Hopefully I am negative for GBS and we can continue to plan for baby to be born at home; mama don't want no antibiotics (but if we need them I'm glad we have a backup)!

33 Weeks Pregnant

This is how my baby looks and how it sleeps right now!

Baby is sooooo heavy! Sources say that s/he could be up to 4.5 pounds and 17 inches by now and I think that might be a little on the small-side for guessing the current size of this one. My guess for baby's current progress is 5 pounds and very close to 19 inches. I can feel little ankles criss-cross over each other and knock together very often; sometimes in the process a leg will try to jut out for room only to snap back into the bounds of my womb. Hiccups continue as does the practice breathing, which is very visible for some time everyday.

A GE-HDLive image of a 33-week fetus.

I'm beginning to feel lucky for puking on a mostly-daily basis; I know that sounds odd, but let me explain. Other than extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy I have had no complications, nor has the baby. We are both healthy and gaining weight steadily. I don't even have any nagging complaints like stretch marks, back pain or varicose veins... in my legs. ;o)
I am not swelling that much (wedding ring is just a bit snug), my carpal tunnel comes and goes (and mostly goes), and my hip pain from SPD only occurs when I lie down in bed on my side... even then, I know how to get it to go back into place. So yes, when I'm having a puking episode and I finally realize the heaving has stopped, I start to feel normal again--and very, very lucky. I have come a long way and have only a short way more to go. I can do this!

The Baby Room is Painted!

Sunday my parents came over and brought brunch with them. We all sat and ate a very delicious meal with them before Shawn and my Dad got down to painting-business. My Mom and I sat around and sewed; she crocheted and I made some more diaper covers. It was a lovely day to have the windows open and the animals lazing around the living room with us.

I know that a while back we took FOREVER deciding which color to paint the baby room and we finally decided on Major Blue by Sherwin Williams. The blue hue is very soothing and captivating. It's bright yet deep, making it look great in both bright and dim light.

After my parents left in the early afternoon we spent the remainder of the day meandering down the hall to peek inside at the baby room time after time just to stare at it. We can't wait until there's a little baby in there; it's getting so real finally and we are so ready.

Secretly Fabulous Friday

They say the devil is in the details. By withholding all details, I can say that today has (so far) been the most secretly fabulous day ever.
After trying acupuncture for my nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) on Wednesday I have been feeling... different.  I cried a bit during the appointment and it felt like some blockage was breaking up and being let out. Since then I have been crying a lot randomly and getting irrationally upset; for example I almost had a coronary last night over the fact that Sonic made my weeklong awaited Hot Fudge Sundae with freakin' chocolate syrup (which I HATE). My episodes of sickness have also become more mild but occur just as frequently (and thus are a bit more random and hard to see coming), which is what brings us to today.
I bought a new dress and a slip for it on Tuesday. I couldn't decide between pink and green but ended up going with the green one. I wanted the pink one so badly that my mom and dad offered to buy it for me; I just had to have the store look up the proprietary credit card and put it onto their account. We did that last night after tracking the pink dress down once more (over 2 stores) and I went home to wash it in order to wear it today. Luckily I also washed the green one, though it won't be apparent until later why that was lucky.

I got up today and was only a little sick. I started to feel better after a half hour and got ready, putting on my new dress with my new shoes and a leopard print cardigan. Some of my work gal pals told me I looked "so cute" in a little dress with my belly bump and I felt really good. I went to go get a burger at lunch and started to feel nauseous once I left with my to-go order. I sat and dealt with it a couple of times and thought it was over. I started down the road and it hit me like a ton of bricks, only this time I couldn't pull over and deal with it... I grabbed the emergency puke-towel in the car but it did no good; my poor dress, hair and sweater took it all. This was secretly fabulous because none of it got on the interior of the car.
I was only a block from work so I finished the drive, parked and called my boss to tell him what was going on. I After that I called one of my work friends to come and help me. Luckily she was already outside and came right over. She took my lunch and put it in the fridge while I went to the restrooms and tried to salvage my outfit in vain. She came to check on me and my dress was just not going to work. This was secretly fabulous because I ended up having to go home and change... into the green one! I also cleaned my hair out and had some cereal. I got back to work in time to stay for about an hour and a half; I have my first appointment with my backup doctor today.

So all in all, sparing any horrific details, I can say that today I got to wear both my new dresses, see my animals at lunch, and go back to work in time to leave again. What a Secretly Fabulous Friday!

The Best Bra During (my) Pregnancy



Joe Boxer Women's Seamless Bra, $6 at Sears!

Long before that adorable baby bump sprouts, you'll have two bumps up higher that seem to never cease growing as the weeks go by through your pregnancy. It's hard to cover them comfortably and affordably since they are constantly changing. The first time I headed to the store for new bras after finding out I was pregnant, I found 2 beautiful styles that were comfortable and fit very well... for 5 days. Seriously. I didn't even get to wear one of them. Since they are larger than my pre-pregnancy size I hope I get to wear them after the baby is born sometime, but if not: lesson learned!
While rapidly growing out of some typical bras, I noticed a few issues exclusive to my new condition while wearing certain styles: underwires are more painful than ever, straps dig, and cups cut each of your breasts into two.

Underwires are great for support but as soon as your tummy-bean starts growing (which is immediately), pressure is put upon your internal organs in an upward direction. This causes your ribs to expand from the bottom on up and makes your bra's band size increase as well. Add a thin wire between your increasingly heavy chest and expanding rib cage and you have PAIN. If you can even stomach to wear an underwire bra that pushes on your most-likely nauseated stomach for longer than 2-5 minutes, you'll soon give up and unhook that wench because of the indents and red marks it leaves on your skin.

Even if you've never experienced bra-straps digging to the center of the Earth through your shoulders, chances are you've never gained around 3 pounds in your breasts alone, either. This added weight puts a larger burden on your straps than you are used to and can cause the same issues with pain and indents as undewires do with your ribs (mmm... ribs).

Last but certainly not least, bra cups are also an issue with an expanding chest. Unless (hell, even if you do) you find full-coverage cups, they're going to bisect each of your boobs leaving you with an alien-like total of 4 breasts poking out from under your favorite T-shirt that you're wearing for the last time in a while. SEXY.

So what's a pregnant newb to do? EMBRACE THE UNI-BOOB! Once the least sought-after type of bra, the one-sizer will now become your friend* for the first time in your life. I happened upon the first one I had seen of its kind since training-bra days shortly after my underwires started to dig me. Immediately I knew just by looking at it that we would be friends. Close friends. I bought 2 from Sears and have never looked back...except to ponder buying more. This bra is seriously everything I need: soft, stretchy, and more like a tank-top than a brassiere (AND CHEAP!). The straps are the only part that are adjustable so if I start noticing sagging going on, I tighten them. The front is soft and has nipple-hiding powers in the form of foam cups. The foamies are are accessible from each side via small pockets and I recommend removing them before you wash the bra; otherwise you'll be finding that they removed themselves during the spin cycle. The band is only elastic, so here is where I'll explain the *asterisk* from above... this may not work for larger-chested women. This might be the worst possible advice for anyone over a larger C-cup, but it is my experience in this field and I thought my pain may save someone else from their own. Bra-shop at your own risk while pregnant!

Whatever solutions you find for your rapidly growing chest during pregnancy, may they work well for you. Just remember that underwires, straps and even cups can do as crazy of shit as your body is doing right now, and to save those receipts. For tips on finding comfortable underwear during pregnancy, I have also written about that! Good luck and rock on, hot mama's!

32 Weeks Pregnant (tomorrow)

The midwife checked on me yesterday and my belly (and baby!) are measuring 34cm from my pelvis to the top of my uterus (AKA fundus), which means our growth is correlating to 34 weeks gestation. Baby is going to be big and healthy or even 2 weeks ahead of schedule/on time. I told anyone who would listen a while ago this would be an 8-pounder... I may be correct. Heart rate is 152 which is great (has been between 152-158 the entire pregnancy) and she said the baby feels and sounds really good.
We can see all kinds of jiggles and rolls now through my tummy and sometimes we can even make out a heel rolling across my skin. I can see the baby practice breathing several times a day (SO ADORABLE!) and I think it gives him or her hiccups because those are also happening several times a day now. I can feel little ankles and knees knock together with the jostling and I can tell the baby's bones are getting harder every day thanks to my addiction to milk, cereal, cheese, yogurt and ice cream. I'm feeding this one well.

I feel great on my good days. I only have bad puking days 1 to 2 times per week so I relish every other day when I am fully functional. Working full time is getting really difficult but I get up and walk around every hour and it helps a lot. Sometimes I'll just be sick because the baby keeps rubbing its butt and feet across my stomach (which is now located under my left ribs); the sensation makes my stomach invert itself. I can't wait for the baby to drop and take some pressure off of my lungs and tummy!
I know it's very late in the game to be trying methods of relieving Nausea/Vomiting in Pregnancy but I am going to try acupuncture tomorrow. I have an appointment after work and I hope it is the answer to my only complaint with this pregnancy. Can you imagine? The last 2 months without puking?
Oh it'd be heaven...

Tonight I am going to shop for a couple of maxi dresses because I am SO over pants. Now that I'm less than 2 months away from the due date, I'm growing out of everything and I'm not buying new stuff unless I can wear it now AND after baby is born. People say to buy the next size up in maternity clothes so that this doesn't happen, but to me wearing ill-fitting clothes when you feel oh-so-sexy anyhow for 7 months and then having those clothes fit well for 2 months... just doesn't make any damn sense.