Wednesday, December 17, 2008

I'm FAMOUS!!

Well - only to those who follow Swistle I suppose - our Baby Name Blog Post/Poll is up!! Go check it out here and vote/comment if you want to!

In other things - 37 week check-up went well yesterday - only gained an additional .4 pounds, and no swabbing of areas that are better left untouched :) Everything looks good, Baby feels to be head down already, and we're measuring good, my BP was good, Baby's heart rate was good - didn't change my due date at all - just told me what to look out for (water breaking, contractions, etc.) and what to do when labor starts :)

Everything is good - now if we can only decide on some names!! ;)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

37 weeks preggo...

and starting to freak out a little about how fast time has flown by... or actually, how little time is LEFT! Not freaking out big time. Just a little.

For instance, someone asked me at work last week "So, if you were to go in the next day or two would you be ready?" and all I could think was "WHAT? The next day or two?? HECK NO! I have too much work left to get done and my temp. doesn't come in to shadow me until the 22nd!! I haven't even gotten my list of "tasks/duties" started for her yet!"

Another example - just read the latest post on Swistle's Baby Name help blog - and realized that while our boy names have been narrowed to two for a while now - I don't have a CLUE even what is currently on the Girl Name list!! (I'm really hoping that I'm up soon for getting help from Swistle & her readers!! What if I go early and we still haven't decided on a name and its a girl?? YIKES!)

Everyone keeps asking me how I'm feeling and if I'm ready, and while most of the time I'm still feeling great (other than the frequent heartburn and occasional pain from Baby pushing on certain organs and parts) and I've now washed and taken care of all of Copper's neutral clothes, onesies, blankets, sheets, etc. - I do not feel like everything is ready for Baby's arrival... I'm not done packing the hospital bag yet, nor have we attempted to install the car seat (which vehicle do we put it in??? How to decide? YIKES)

I have my 37 week check-up on Tuesday, and am still trying to make a list of questions to ask my doctor... (by the way - last week I had to do the Group B Strep test - that is something that NO 9-month-pregnant chick should have to do... seriously - sticking a Q-tip in places I never thought I'd have to was NOT the most fun experience ever. And yes. I had to do it myself. WTF?) Also - apparently my OB-GYN's office doesn't ever check your cervix before you go into the hospital... I have no idea if that is normal or not... but everyone I know who goes to another nearby location said they started checking them at 36 weeks... huh. Weird.

So, we've got 21 days until Baby's predicted due date, and I'm just trying to finish getting things ready... and of course finish up my Christmas shopping as well... fun fun fun.

If I don't get back here before - I hope y'all have a fantastic holiday!! Much love! XOXO

Monday, December 8, 2008

be careful what you wish for?

So I mentioned that I was hoping to hear something new at my check-up right? Well, maybe I spoke too soon. Not that there is anything wrong, but what I heard was a little bit of a head's up... You want examples - well let's see....my appointment went something like this (nurse's comments in blue, OB-GYN's comments in red)

"It's time for your Group B Strep test, just put this in the window with your urine sample when you are done, the instructions are on the wall over there" wait, do what? you want me to put what where?? oh.my.gosh. that was not fun.

I've gained 40 pounds (3 of those in ONE WEEK - 9 of them just since my 32 week check-up!)... "weight looks good" so I don't need to stop pigging out like crazy? "nope, you're doing fine!"

how about the swelling in my legs & ankles- any reason to worry? "not if you've been sitting or standing for long periods of time, it's normal at this stage, and lucky for you, it's usually even worse in warm months! if you have any severe swelling though in your hands, feet or face give us a call"

There is a little protein in my urine, but my blood pressure is good, so they aren't concerned... "blood pressure is beautiful, which is why we aren't concerned that you have some low levels of protein in your urine"

heartbeat was good, lower than it's been before (136 beats per minute as opposed to 142-150 as in previous visits) "the range is 120-160, the baby could be sleeping right now, or you could have eaten or drank something before other visits, there is no reason to worry, it sounds good"

"any questions? no? okay, well we will see you next week then! and if the baby's movements slow down a great deal or stop, or if you have any leaking or bleeding give us a call and head into Emergency just to be safe"

So, yeah. Heard a few things I wasn't expecting (like "shove this Q-tip up your hoo-ha and bum" and the whole "protein in urine" and "call us if this happens" type things) but all in all, the appointment went well, and everything looks normal... we'll see how it all goes next week :) (I'm no longer hoping to hear "new things" by the way! Unless it's "hey, Baby looks to be about this size" or "Baby is already head down" or even "measuring big, might go a little early" or something similar... nothing that will freak me out!) :)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

36 weeks and all is well! Well, mostly...

my only persistant problem is heartburn - but if that is the only problem I have - I'll take it! Other than that things are GREAT! I'm 36 weeks along today - and have yet another check-up tomorrow, and I'm hoping to hear something more exciting than "urine sample was good, blood pressure is good, weight is good, baby's heart rate is good, see you next week" - for instance "oh yay, baby's headdown already!" or "judging by the fundal measurement Baby appears to be about XX size" or heck I dunno... obviously I don't want to hear any BAD or SCARY news... but learning something new would be fun after all of these appointments with the exact same words. Now don't get me wrong - I'm WAY happy that I haven't had any issues or complications, and am grateful that this pregnancy is going so well... I guess I'm just getting to the point where I want to know more, see more, learn more - MEET BABY!! (Although a few more weeks in the oven is more than agreeable for me! I'm not ready here at home OR at work yet for an early arrival - which I'm working to fix just in case!!)

My supervisor & I chatted on Friday and they are planning to have a temporary replacement come in next week for a couple of days to familiarize herself with the office, and see what exactly she will be doing while I'm out... so that's good news! Now I just need to get my area organized and my list of "tasks/duties" taken care of so my temp has a cheat sheet! My supervisor and boss are also planning a "meet Baby party/shower" for me AFTER Baby comes (they asked if I would prefer before or after, and we went with after so everyone can meet Copper) and it sounds like it will be nice!

We found out on Thursday that the lady we were hoping to take Copper to for childcare when I go back to work can't take any more babies right now, so that was a bummer... and now we're starting the search over again. Ugh. I think this might be one of the toughest things to do, how do you find someone who will care for your child like you do for 9 hours a day, 4-5 days a week? I've been asking around to co-workers with babies and young children (and wouldn't you know, all of them either use "Gramma" or their spouse stays home, or they live in a TOTALLY different area - not much help!) So I've joined an online "MomsLikeMe" site for the area we live in and am looking there for childcare recommendations... wish me luck would ya? I still wish I could convince my sister to quit her job (as an infant teacher in a childcare center) and become our Nanny ;) but of course we can't pay her what she makes there... we'd need three other babies for her to watch to make it affordable for us, and worth-it for her... oh well. At least she is going to help interview/check-out potential providers for Copper with us :)

I've been having strange dreams when I nap lately... one I had the other day involved me waking up after delivery and finding out E had named the baby "Coltbelt" with a back-up birth certificate showing baby's name as "Renuit" - to which I started freaking out about getting paperwork in there RIGHT NOW to change the name - and I still didn't know the baby's gender! The latest dream had me talking to some doctor I've never met before telling me that Baby was bigger than they had thought it would be at 5 pounds 50 ounces (yes - FIFTY) and then I realized that I had forgotten to call E to tell him I was in labor... and only my sister was with me... and we were in some HUGE room full of all sorts of hospital beds and patients and I STILL hadn't met my baby or found out the gender... oh, and McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy came to see me afterwards.... he's hot. So yeah. Strange dreams I'm having. Strange strange dreams.

I'm not sure that we're going to put up a Christmas tree this year, as E could care less and we're not sure about where we would put it (TT's kennel will have to be moved that's for sure! but where to is the question) and although we borrowed my sister's artificial tree last year, and it's still in our attic - I just don't have the energy to get everything out and the whole 'repeated bending over to pick up ornaments, etc.' thing just does NOT sound like any fun at all... but we'll see... it just doesn't feel like Christmas without a tree or some holiday decor... maybe I'll con someone into coming over to "help" set-up and decorate a tree :) We'll see!

Well, that's it for my update I think... I hope everyone has a good week!