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!

how quickly things change

and by that - I'm totally talking about how quickly in one short day I can almost completely forget about that lovely section of the "My Pregnancy" list labeled "Pros"... it started last night, and is not really anyone's fault but my own... and a little of E's maybe... but mostly mine...

I stayed a few minutes late after work waiting for the Big Boss Man (BBM) to get out of a meeting and begin another meeting (wasn't going to lock up the office while someone was waiting in our lobby to meet with him!) then had to make a stop at Panera Bread to purchase a gift card for my office Secret Santa partner (oh, and a hot chocolate for me!) so I didn't get home until shortly after 6pm

I managed to get changed out of my work clothes and into PJ's (my fav!) before my sister K stopped over to take home some spaghetti because I'd made WAY too much the night before - and needed help getting rid of it... shortly after she left our friend S stopped by to pick up some shirts my dad had made, and to drop off gifts for Copper as she had missed the baby shower due to work.... she stayed for about an hour & a half - which was lovely as we rarely get to hang out!

E & I didn't eat dinner until 9pm - and then around 9:30-9:45pm I started painting Copper's closet so E could finish installing the new shelving/storage unit he'd purchased... well... let's just say I was on my feet for QUITE a while painting the inside of the closet, standing on a little stepladder to get around the edges of the door opening (E doesn't typically do paint... although he did paint the lower half of the walls, and the trim near the floor to save me from bending down - sweet isn't he?) and THEN we started putting the shelving unit in...

E did most of the installation - I mostly handed him screws and tools, but still - I was on my feet the whole time... and seeing as we started about 10pm and finished around 1am - I think it was just a little too long for me... when I went to bed my feet and legs were WAY swollen and puffy - not to mention my feet were totally killing me, and I was exhausted... and can I please say that going to bed at 1:30am and getting up at 6:50am does NOT do a Preggo justice?

I need more than 5 hours of sleep... especially right now... this morning was NOT pretty, and although I've had my feet propped on a pillow on top of my computer tower almost all day today - my legs are still puffy (I get the whole "water retention" thing - but man - they are PUUUHHH-FFFEEEEEEE today!)

just wanted to whine for a minute or two about my puffy aching feet, my puffy sock-indented legs, and my puffy itchy sleep-deprived eyes... and while I'm at it - the total pasty color of my face (although I think that is more lack of sun than anything - I'm totally washed out, fer real. I need a tan.) :)

I hope y'all have a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving (E will be working - so I'm going to sleep in, make my scalloped corn then head to the 'rents house for some serious pigging out and vegging out! and I think I might even wear my PJ's there!) and for those of you who are hitting the shops on Friday - I hope you get GREAT deals (get some for me will ya? I'm not sure this body is conditioned for shopping at the ass-crack of dawn this year... or for standing in the bitter cold either...)

XOXO

my own little list of pregnancy pros & cons

A couple of weeks ago I noticed a little swelling of the fingers (am now wearing wedding set on my necklace) and feet/ankles (got myself some suede rubber-soled slippers to wear at work & have been propping my feet on my computer tower often during the work day) in the evenings... just this past week I noticed how icky lovely cellulite looks on my thighs... I'm wondering what fabulous pregnancy effect my body will show next week... stretch marks? probably. All in all though, I've only gained 31 pounds so far, and other than the ginormous belly and slightly chubbier cheeks (if you ask certain people that is) - I look pretty much exactly the same as I did before I was knocked up... I'm pretty darn lucky I'd have to say.

So throughout the past 8.5 months I've been pretty darn blessed with how my pregnancy has been going, and thought of drawing up a list just to compare how many great things have happened as opposed to how many not-so-great things have happened... so here it is... my list as I see it at this particular point (33 weeks and 6 days pregnant) :)

PROS

• feeling great still
• no complications
• looking pretty good still ;)
• can at least drink hot chocolate
• can eat lots and lots
  
• freedom from changing Batman's litter box
• people asking how I'm doing and offering to assist with everything
• feeling Baby move in my belly is the most awesome experience I've ever had
• being called chubby or fat just makes me laugh
• books & presents for Baby :)
• people excuse a lot of blunders due to Baby eating brain cells ;)
• NO MIGRAINES!!!
• picking out and buying/registering for Baby stuff is fun!
• looking at Baby clothes is fun! even if you're not knowing of Baby's gender ;)
• gaining new friendships with other moms/dads - and getting advice from them!
• being loaned or given maternity clothes from friends who don't currently need them ROCKS!! whoo-hoo for previously preggo friends & family
• boss doesn't care if you're wearing maternity jeans three days a week
• actual cleavage for the first time in my life :)
  

CONS

• 24/7 nausea from weeks 6-15
• can't stand smell of Chinese food
• can't eat chocolate desserts or drink chocolate milk
• Pregnancy Brain
• extreme fatigue often
• people try to tell you how to raise your child
• being overly emotional and hormonal ;)
• lack of motivation to do anything due to lack of energy
• trying to figure out what products are the right ones for Baby can be frustrating
• making three pairs of pants last through a five day work-week without wearing the same ones two days in a row...
• swelling fingers, feet & ankles
• cellulite on thighs (and probably bum too - can't see that though!!)
• 3rd trimester sex is awkward to do
  

Yeah... I had more items for my list while laying in bed last night drifting off to sleep, but alas, they're escaping me at this time... but any way you look at it - for me, the Pros definitely outnumber and outweigh the Cons... being pregnant is AWESOME!

ummm... uncomfortable??

right now Copper is doing some serious pushing against whatever it is that is pushing into my diaphragm - or is it my ribs? I don't know exactly - what I do know is that breathing is almost effin' impossible uncomfortable - to say the least... if I place my hand at the very top of the baby bump all I feel is a hard little mound. Could it be the entire baby there?? I swear - it feels like more than just a foot, hand or head... my gosh. breathe in. breathe out. breathe in. breathe out. Okay - I think we've managed to continue moving air through the lungs now :) Whew... that was miserable less than fun!

As long as we're talking about uncomfortable, lets discuss something that isn't so much uncomfortable, as hmmm, how would you call it... awkward - yes, definitely awkward. Let's talk awkward shall we? I've got it for you in five words. Thirty-one weeks pregnant sex. Oh yes. Seriously, I know that for some pregnant couples the sex life gets better, for some it gets worse, for some it disappears completely, but for us, it's been normal a little less steady, but we're both okay with it so far... well, we were anyway. Until last week.

Yes, last week was quite interesting... upon finishing showering one day last week E asked me "hey babe, wanna have a quickie?" (he's incredibly romantic eh? no wonder I couldn't turn that offer down) and so ya know.... we did. well, we tried. I've gotta say, I really should have more closely read that article with the "Third Trimester Sex Tips" all I could recall was "doggy style" and "spoon" and a few others of which I couldn't remember... let's just say that we tried three positions before mostly giving up... and afterwards E said to me "ya know, that might be the last time we have sex for a while... it wasn't much fun was it?" My response sounded something like much fun? it was pretty horrible actually, seriously, what was the point there? "nope babe, not much at all" So yeah. Unless I can find that article again and it has some better ideas, or someone gives me some good ideas, looks like we won't be "getting any" for a while... seriously - we're still 8 weeks out, followed by the recommended "healing time" of 6 weeks? That's FOURTEEN WEEKS... which is 3.5 months. Are you kidding me? Wow. Please - someone, anyone - I need ideas! I'm no nympho well not since we started doing it in highschool anyway but seems to me that 14 weeks without sex is an infinite awfully long time... and pretty crazy too...

So yeah. Now that we've discussed being uncomfortable, and uncomfortable topics, any ideas, advice, thoughts, suggestions, etc would be most welcome. I know there are plenty of you out there who can help us, so DO IT!! NOW!! Please? :)

October ROFL Awards

Jess of Oh, The Joys and Tania of Chicky Chicky Baby are keeping the Rolling On the Floor Laughing Awards going and I'm sharing the laughs with y'all!

I nominated Catherine of Her Bad Mother because while her posts sometimes bring me to tears, and often make me think, this post was definitely deserving of a ROFL Award! It made me cringe, almost gag, laugh in horror, and pray several times for this to NEVER EVER happen to me... (of course I have no doubts that I will also be without extra clothes or diapers and have a shitastic event take place at some point, but a girl's gotta have hope right??)

It's hilariously disturbing - especially for me, about to embark on this adventure called Motherhood... and probably for other new mom's as well... or anyone at all who deals with diapers full of poo.... not sure I'll ever look at mustard the same way again...

Catherine - you have all my sympathy, and admiration too, for being able to do what you did without collapsing against the bathroom wall in hysterics and tears until some poor soul took mercy on you and helped you out... you.are.amazing. No doubt about it!

Don't forget also to check in on either Jess or Tania's blogs to see the full list of October ROFL Award winners!! Enjoy ROFL!! :)

giveaway for expecting and/or new moms!!

Check out this awesome give-away from HomemakerBarbi!! If you're a new mom, or expecting - and are (or are planning to) breastfeed - this giveaway is for you!! Check it out HERE!! Good luck to you!! (although I've gotta say - I'm hoping to win this myself!) ;) Have a great weekend!!

Happy Halloween!!

31 must be my number

so I'm in my 31st week, and today at my prenatal check-up I asked the nurse as I stepped on the scale "can you tell me how much I've gained, because I don't know what I started at" and she said "sure, you started at 109..." as the scale reads 140.0... so hey - I've gained 31 pounds... then when my OB/GYN is measuring whatever she measures (I just think of it as "mah bellay" but I know she's actually measuring something specific... other than just the distance from my pubis to almost my sternum) she says "31, good - that's normal" so... while my BP doesn't fit in this category, nor does the baby's heart rate - it looks like everything is "31" for me today... can you play the lottery with just one number?

huh. so much for a post worth reading eh? not much point in checking in on this blog today :) at least not so far...

I spoke to my friend L earlier this evening to see how she's doing (her baby will be 4 weeks old tomorrow!) and she's been having terrible migraines for the past week or so, along with not eating well, not sleeping much, and quite possibly battling PPD... I'm feeling terrible for her, and wishing that I could be of some help... other than offering to watch the baby so she can get out of the house, or take her out of the house for a bit while her hubs, C, stays home with the baby, I'm not sure what to do... she does have an appt. tomorrow to see the doc for baby's "well baby" check-up, and is going to ask the doc. about all of this too... but if anyone has suggestions of how I can help, or some advice for her - please let me know... dealing with all of this as well as a brand new baby just can't be fun...

entering week 30...

or I guess week 31, as I'm 30 weeks preggo already, which means I have only ten weeks or so to go... if I go full term and not early or late that is... and I'm currently having mixed feelings about being at this stage of the game... on one hand I can't WAIT to hold this sweet little creature and cuddle it and love it... and on the other hand, I really think I will miss feeling the movements going on in my belly...

I mean I've been pretty darn blessed during this pregnancy, yeah I got the dreaded "morning sickness" that was more of a 24/7 nausea from weeks 6 through 15, as well as barely being able to keep my eyes open the first trimester... and yeah for the past month or so I've been plagued with heartburn several times a week, but all in all - I've had a GREAT pregnancy! Unlike my friend L who was retaining water by month 5 and had high blood pressure throughout her pregnancy, as well as having to spend her birthday in the hospital due to pre-eclampsia symptoms... she was absolutely miserable for a good portion of her pregnancy and is not looking forward to doing it again in the near future... me on the other hand - I've had it easy, and I'm actually loving being pregnant... so I think that I'll miss it... well, if I even have any time to miss it with Copper taking all of my attention and energy that is :)

either way - my time as a preggo is getting shorter, and before long I'll be a MOM! how exciting!