Week 34!!! Oh yeah, and some other stuff...

My Baby
Your baby's preparing for his arrival in just a few short weeks! This week, the protective vernix (that white, waxy coating that's keeping his skin safe) begins to thicken, ensuring his birthday suit stays smooth and well-moisturized during D-day. Your baby will likely arrive covered in the stuff, especially in the folds under his arms, behind his ears, and in the groin area. But it'll all be washed off very shortly after birth -- during his first-ever bath. (So adorable!) By now, your baby weighs around 5 pounds and may be as long as 20 inches, head to toe.

My Body
You may feel like you've been seeing your doctor more than you see your best friend these days. You're likely visiting twice a month now, and starting in the next two weeks, she'll probably want to see you weekly until your baby's born. At these visits, your doc will keep tabs on the baby's growth and vitals. She'll monitor your cervix to see how much you've dilated -- a sign that labor's approaching.
And speaking of labor, does your belly feel a bit lighter these days? Called dropping, lightening, or engagement, it's common around this time, as your baby settles lower into your pelvis to get ready for her big move outta there. Another labor signal to watch for is extra-thick vaginal discharge that's pink or even a bit blood-tinged. It's the start of -- excuse the yuck factor here -- your mucus plug dropping. The mucus plug is a ball of tissue that's been blocking your cervix during pregnancy to keep your uterus safe from germs. Losing your plug doesn't mean that labor's starting ASAP, though. Many women lose their plugs up to two weeks before labor officially begins.

My Life
Been pondering how you'd like your baby to enter the world? Granted, you can't totally control what will happen during labor, but you're bound to have preferences about some things, like relieving pain, who'll keep you company, and what'll make labor easier on you (a designated coach or having your iPod handy, for example). This is why birth plans were invented: So that you, your partner, and your doctor will all be on the same page when it comes to how you'd like things to go -- in a very ideal world, of course. Some women are comfortable enough with a thorough talk with their doctors and partners; others might feel more at ease by putting it all down on paper. If you do draft a birth plan, be sure to keep it short and to-the-point -- one page or less. Doctors and nurses might glaze over if they're handed your version of War and Peace.

I finally got that cyst taken care of yesterday. I'm sure no one wants the gory details, but lets just say that I feel MUCH better after being seen by the doctor. I ache slightly from the actual proceedure, but nothing that some Tylenol can't make better. I haven't had to dip into the Percocet I was given from the ER doctor, which makes me happy. I've had to take more Tylenol than I'd like, but at least I know that's safe for me and the baby.

I'm SO excited about the shower this weekend! It should be so much fun, and I am so excited to see the people who come! I've been slowly finding out who will be there, but I don't know everyone that's coming (my mom has been trying to keep it as much of a surprise as possible). John and I are going to be kicked out of the house for a few hours on Sunday morning (we're staying over Saturday night), so we're trying to figure out what to do that morning. We'll probably go to church, if we can, because it's the first day of Advent. We're also going to get our Christmas tree that day, so we've got a few things planned. That's about as far as we've gotten though!

I'm going to go shopping at Babies 'R' Us tomorrow because they'll be having a sale, and we still have all those gift cards to use up! There are some things from our registry that we won't get (I figure by now, if people haven't bought something off the registry, they probably won't), and there are some things that I didn't even think of (like, crib sheets and Pack 'n' Play sheets) that we'll need. I'm thinking about going to the Christmas Tree Shop tomorrow too, since John and I need to start gearing up for the RK Christmas Party on the 23rd.

Back pain update

Okay, so Sunday, I finally called the on call doctor for my OB's office because of the random lump I found on my tailbone, and the pain it was causing. I was in so much pain I couldn't sit, lay down, stand up, nothing. I was hoping they would diagnose it as a cyst and they would lance it. The OB decided that I should go to the ER so that it could be checked out and probably lanced. So, John (my awesome, wonderful husband) brought me to the ER, where we spent the better part of two hours just waiting - almost an hour of that was just in the waiting room alone, but you all know how it is in ERs. The doctor came in and looked at the cyst (which is exactly what it turned out to be - a pilonidal cyst), and decided that it was too early for it to be able to be lanced, so he decided to treat it with a course of antibiotics. I haven't noticed anything getting better about it yet, and I'm getting annoyed, but I digress. I was given a 2 week medical note to be out of work, my guess is because sitting for too long can actually make it worse (based on what I found out online).

I started physical therapy for my actual back pain (not cyst related) today, and starting tomorrow I get to try a course of aqua-therapy. That's alright with me, I like the idea of getting to play in a pool for an hour. Of course, if I have to have the cyst opened at all, that will change all of that.

Anyway, that's the update for there... I'm looking forward to my baby shower on Sunday! It will be a lot of fun! Oh, and some sad news too - a good friend of the family passed away on Thanksgiving, which was very sad. For those of you that knew Pat H. (from Hancock), she died on Thursday, and her funeral will be this Saturday at 2pm at the church in town.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

First off, I am just going to share that John and I had a great Thanksgiving at his parents house! It was nice to see his brother, sister and his brothers girlfriends, and spend some time with all of them, so it was fun. We haven't seen them in a long time.

Black Friday was an adventure. I ended up getting up to go shopping at 4am at Kohls. I did pretty well, just about finishing up my Christmas shopping yesterday. That was nice. And surprisingly, despite the crown, I had a good time going out by myself - I think I would have been stressed had I gone shopping with anyone.

After braving Kohls, I went to Starbucks for a pick-me-up of a peppermint white chocolate mocha and a breakfast sandwich. Then I headded to Target, which opened at 6am. That was definitely a mad house! Apparently, they were selling Guitar Hero 3 with 2 guitars for $85, so the electronics section was PACKED. I wasn't even trying to get TO electronics, I was just trying to get by it and I couldn't! I finally was able to find what I was looking for, got two more Christmas gifts, as well as some stuff for decorating the house. We wanted some icicle lights to hang on the front of the house this year. Though, I realized after I got home that we don't have an extension cord for those, so I am going to have to pick one up today before we go. I am banking on getting some snow before Christmas to cover the extension cords running through my front yard right now to the rest of the Christmas lights :-)

After I got home, I discovered that I was having some really bad back pain, which was not fun. It was so bad, it pretty much had me in tears. The only doctor that was available was my OB, so in I went - hooked up to the monitor again, only to find out (as I thought) that the baby is fine and I wasn't in labor. So he is going to send me to physical therapy on Tuesday to see how that goes. He's diagnosed it as sacro-iliac pain. But, I've also discovered what I suspect to be a sebaceous cyst on my tailbone, which I'm sure isn't helping the back pain at all, because the pressure causes a lot of pain too. So I'm going to have to wait until Monday to call my primary care doctor (since my OB doesn't seem to have the time to answer questions), and see what can be done about that. I hope that will help with some of the pain, because now, it's even painful when I sleep, and the last thing I need is to be getting a poor nights sleep on top of the poor sleep I get as it is now! John was so great yesterday helping me out - he was just wonderful. He was concerned about me and kept would come up to check on me, bring me water, he drove me to the doctors, got the phone for me... I have the best husband in the world!

Thanksgiving Update, as well as baby stuff!

My Baby
Got a night owl in there? Your baby continues to develop regular sleep-wake cycles now. So you might notice, for example, that she's very calm during your commute to work but kicks up a storm as you tune in to Jon Stewart each night. When your baby slumbers, she'll close her eyes (they're pretty sensitive to light these days) and she may even start to dream in a few weeks' time! But when your baby's up and at 'em, be prepared for some powerful kicks. You might be feeling them in a new place now -- your ribcage (just below your breasts). And wow, can they be sharp sometimes! But on the bright side, these movements are probably a sign that your baby's head-down, perfectly poised for her big birthday entrance. If she's not facing south just yet, don't worry -- your baby still has a few weeks to turn around. (If she doesn't, and remains in what's called a breech position, your doc can try to steer her the right way or else you might need a c-section to make sure she's delivered safe and sound.)
My Body
Sure, you'll have plenty of sleepless nights after the baby's born, but how are you slumbering now? Many moms-to-be have trouble snagging adequate snooze time, especially in the last trimester. (It's no wonder, considering that your burgeoning belly is triggering a host of sleep-squelching side effects, including heartburn, leg cramps, and frequent bathroom breaks.) But believe it or not, it's possible to get a decent night's rest. Earlier in the day, pencil in a standing neighborhood stroll, since research shows that regular exercise can help you sleep more soundly. Big belly the problem? Buy a body pillow to snuggle up to for extra support when you're side-sleeping. If heartburn's your big sleep stealer, try eating dinner an hour earlier. And it sounds obvious, but you'll cut down on those six-times-a-night bathroom runs if you nix the water guzzling for at least an hour or two before you hit the hay.

My Life
This weekend, it's time to pimp your ride, transforming it into the Infant-mobile. Most hospitals won't let you bring baby home without a car seat properly installed. And take it from us: It can be surprisingly easy to mess up. So do it now, while you still have plenty of uninterrupted time to read the instruction manual. And don't be afraid to ask for help; most newbies could use it. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, up to 80 percent of car seats are not placed correctly. Some hospitals offer training; other great resources include your local police or fire station. Install your base and then have an expert double-check to make sure your chariot passes muster.

Yesterday I had a check up, and things seems to be going well. The baby's heart rate is around 152 right now, which is good. I have an ultrasound in 2 weeks now. I guess Dr. Mirabello is concerned that the baby is getting too big now! At my last ultrasound it said the baby was small for it's gestational age, but now he's afraid the baby is too big, so they want to do an ultrasound to see just how big the baby is, since you can't get much of an accurate measurement without one.

I can't believe that the holiday season is upon us! Today is Thanksgiving, which is very exciting. John and I are going to his parents house this year, which will be nice. I've been DYING for stuffing for the last few weeks, so I can't wait to finally get to have some! The other day at church, we were asked that if we could change our lives so that things were different in one year, what would you change? I thought about it for a minute, and the only thing I could really think of was that I wanted to have my baby instead of being pregnant. And then I realized that if that was the only thing I would change, then I must be doing pretty darn well. So I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, especially my husband, my house, my pets, my friends and family and the healthy little baby that is going to be making an appearance for the first time sometime within the next 8-ish weeks!

So, wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

This past weekend...

This past weekend was great! Saturday, my dad's side of the family threw a family party/baby shower for John & I, as well as my cousins PJ & Gail who are expecting their third baby. Mostly, we got Babies 'R' Us gift cards, and that's great! We were able to afford to buy a travel system stroller/carseat we wanted, so we bought it last night! I'm really excited about it, that will be great, and the help to afford it was awesome. You can check out the stroller we chose here.
I'll be putting some photos up online soon of the showers, but I'm kind of holding out until all the showers are done.

Sunday, some of our friends threw us a really nice baby shower, that I know probably took a lot of time to plan. We got some wonderful gifts from them and we are very grateful! We have such great friends to do something like that. Some of the things we got are just going to be nice to have, whereas some of the things are things we really needed - like a Boppy pillow and a mini diaper bag. One of them gave us a gift card to Target too, which I KNOW will get used. In fact, I plan to use it this morning on something that is on our registry, so that will be great! Then, we have one friend that gave me a gift certificate to an actual spa that is good for any service. Of course, there is a dollar amount, it's not good for anything, but a dollar amount towards any service I want. I'm pretty sure I've got what I want all picked out already :-) He also just gave us some cash to put towards something for the baby. Thank you again to all of you guys.

We are lucky enough to have another shower being thrown for us on December 2nd, which will be great! I'm hoping for more Target gift cards, since that is where we do more of our shopping, but mostly that's just because it's much closer to our house than the closest Babies 'R' Us.

John and I also went and splurged on some new video games this weekend! It was fun - we got Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance and started a two person campaign last night. I think I'm really going to enjoy the game, so far I've really liked it! We played for about 2 hours yesterday, and we'll probably play a lot more during our down time this week, so that will be fun. It's nice to have a game that we both can play together, not just one at a time!

I hope everyone else had a great weekend too! I will check in again probably on Wednesday after my check up!

Into month 8, the birth care unit tour, and work related stuff

My Baby

Sure, 37 weeks is the magic number -- that's when your baby is officially deemed full-term, even though pregnancy may go to 40 weeks or beyond! But this week is also an important one for early arrivals, since almost all babies born at this stage or later survive and go on to have very healthy, normal lives. By this time all of his major organs are fully functioning except the lungs, which need just a bit more time to mature completely. This week your baby will also start to shed that downy hair (lanugo) that's covered his body for the past few months. He'll lose most of this fuzzy coating by the time he's born, but you may spot some errant hairs on his back or shoulders.

At around 4 pounds, your baby's taking up a lot of space in your uterus now -- so much so that it's getting a bit crowded for kicking. So don't be alarmed if you don't feel him moving quite as much, though it's a good idea to count your baby's movements occasionally to make sure all's well in there (it's best if you can do this while you lie on your left side for a while). If you feel anything fewer than 10 kicks, rolls, flutters, etc., in two hours, call your doctor to double-check that everything's A-OK.

My Body
While a teeny part of you might be thinking "Get this kid outta here ASAP!" we bet the rest is sincerely hoping he'll stay in there a while longer. As your due date approaches, it's a good idea to learn the signs of early labor, just in case. These include your water breaking (which could result in a gush of fluid or just a trickle), some not-too-painful tightening of the uterus, period-like cramps, vaginal bleeding, increased pressure in the pelvic area, and diarrhea. With the exception of your water clearly breaking, don't worry too much if you experience one of these symptoms, since they don't always result in premature labor. But do tell your doctor right away, to be on the safe side.

My Life
Hey all you working mamas -- it's time to start thinking about when you want to start maternity leave! Some women opt to work right up until their due dates, which gives them more time to be home with their babies toward the end of their leave. Others prefer to wrap up a week or two early, so they can relax and finish any last-minute baby prep. But here's another great option we love, especially if you have a long commute: Propose working from home a day or two during the last few weeks prior to taking off. It will help you ease into your leave without eating into your actual sanctioned time off. Oh, and one more thing: Don't forget to factor in any remaining vacation or sick days when you sit down with the calendar to hammer out your exit strategy; many companies will let you count them toward your time off.

I can't believe I'm 7 months pregnant and into the 8th month now! People have been telling me all along about how fast pregnancy goes. They sure weren't kidding! I know I've said that before, but it really never ceases to amaze me just how fast this all happens!

Yesterday we had another child birthing class. After finding out about the change in class schedule (we were supposed to have a class next Wed., but they cancelled it and moved it back to the following week, and the last class is now the first week of December), we got to take a tour of the birth center, which was nice. We were able to get an idea for rooms I'd like to be in, as well as where our parents should go when I go into labor. That makes things nice and takes some of the stress away.

For those of you who are wondering, Frisbie's visiting hours are from 8am to 8pm, but the birth care unit is a little more flexible with things like that. That doesn't mean it will be okay to show up at 8pm, but if you came later in the day, you'd be allowed to stay a little longer too.

I have to go into work today, and for some reason, I'm kind of dreading it! I feel a little weird today, and I don't know what's causing it. I'm not sure if it's pregnancy related stuff or not. There are some issues that have come up with some of the residents that I know I'll have to deal with today, and I don't really want to. Also, I got an e-mail from my boss yesterday asking if I'd gotten any work done on this one thing we need to provide some numbers for, and I told her I couldn't because I didn't know what numbers I was supposed to be using, and I know nothing about the program, so I don't know what numbers I am looking for!

Anyway, I don't want to get into a rant about it anymore. It's something I am just going to have to go and face and deal with and then come home and be done with it until Monday. Just keep telling myself, I only have 14 or 15 more days there until my maternity leave! (Remember - I work only 2 days a week!)

Kane and the Leaf Blower

The Big List

Okay, so after going through my other blog, and deciding to pull it down, I needed to see what posts needed to be transferred into this one, before deleting my other one. In the process of doing that, I came across my "Big List." Some of you might know about my big list from when I started it, and wanted to accomplish the things on it before my 26th birthday. Well, as is often the case, life had other plans, so my list needed to be revamped. This is the newly revised one. The updates are this:
Italicized items are ones that I had to put on hold due to being pregnant.
Bold items that are ones that are complete.
Anything in a normal font means that it still has to be completed.

My Big List
1. Take up yoga again
2. Meet my 10% goal, plus 6 pounds.
3. Join a gym or yoga studio and go!
4. Take ballroom/latin/swing dance lessons
5. Start writing in my prayer journal more
6. Finish Final Fantasy VIII, IX and X
7. Walk more
8. Watch less TV
9. Read: The Cloister Trials, Quarter Life Crisis, The Color Purple, Random Passage, Knitting Under the Influence, Friday Night Knitting Club, Wicked, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
10. Talk to Stephanie and Josh once a month.
11. Get some nice professional pictures of John and I
12. Get to 2 more Mike Previti concerts!!!
13. Paint my living room, bedroom, stairway and BABY’S room.
14. Purchase a 5 or 6 foot tall book case for the computer room.
15. Learn to read knitting patterns
16. Knit a blanket
17. Find a new job/return to school for a career I want to pursue
18. Do yoga 4 times a week, at least.
19. Finish the scrapbook for my dad.
20. Train for, and successfully complete a 5K road race
21. Complete knitting 3 more christmas presents and a baby hat/sweater set
22. Get through labor and delivery safely, and with lots of pictures of the new baby!

I think that about covers it for now. You'd think I'd have more things up there about family stuff or the baby, but really, I don't want to set myself up for failure. I don't want to put up anything that says "Learn to be a perfect mom" or whatever, because I have already come to terms with the fact that I won't be, and that just has to be okay. As long as I am "good enough," that will have to suffice.

And now, week 31!!!

My Baby
It's time for another growth spurt! (You've been hearing that a lot lately, huh?) For the next eight weeks, your baby's gaining more weight than height -- and she's pushing nearly 4 pounds now! (FYI, the bigger your baby grows, the harder it will be to get an accurate size update via ultrasound. But be assured that she's fattening up and getting nice and ready for life on the outside.) This week also boasts some exciting reproductive developments. Having a boy? His testicles are now moving from their current location near his kidneys down to his scrotum. And if you've got a girl in there, her clitoris has now fully formed.

My Body
Your hardworking body may feel like it's putting in overtime these days, making some less-than-subtle preparations for your upcoming labor. For one thing, you may now notice more hip and lower-back pain. What gives? Pregnancy hormones are relaxing the ligaments and tendons throughout your pelvic area, so the bones can spread to make room for delivery. Your expanding uterus may also be putting some pressure on the sciatic nerves that run from your lower back down through your legs, triggering chronic tingling or numbness down your butt and thighs -- a condition called sciatica. But it's usually not serious, it won't affect the baby, and it will likely become less intense as she shifts around in there.

My Life
If you're planning to go back to work -- either full- or part-time -- then it's never too soon to start thinking about your baby-watching options. You've got three basic choices here: An in-home nanny, au pair, or relative; a daycare center; or family daycare (in someone else's home). There are pros and cons to each, and you may already have leanings one way or another. Aside from the obvious considerations (your budget, what's available), there are a host of other things you and your partner should consider. Do you feel strongly that your baby be cared for in your own home? Would you prefer a center that's closer to your work or home? In-demand daycare facilities may have a waiting list, so go for a tour and sign up now. Going the nanny route? Finding someone you love and trust can take time. Give friends and coworkers a heads-up that you're looking so they can pass along names. You'll probably start the interviewing process a few weeks after baby's born, depending on how soon you plan to hit the working world again. And if you're interested in hiring a baby nurse (to help you adjust to those exhausting and sometimes overwhelming few days and weeks after you bring baby home), now's the time to start seeking recommendations too.

Well, today I go back to the doctors, but just for a regular check up. I'm not sure if she'll check to see that the the infection is gone, but I would suspect that she would. I'll probably ask her about it. Otherwise, I'm not expecting this to be an eventful check up, which is probably a good thing. It doesn't seem like anything abnormal is going on after what happened last week.

I don't think there is much else going on now... We have 4 more child birthing classes this month, and then they will be done, so that will be good. I hope the nurse that does the next 4 classes is more energetic than the nurse that did the first two, because she practically had John and I asleep! Granted, we were watching videos and making fun of them the whole time. That made it fun for us!

Oh, and on the baby shower front - when it rains, it pours, huh? I now have found out that we're having 3 showers! :-) One of our friends sent me an e-mail the other day and said that she and the people in her house want to throw us a shower, but they needed some dates. So I guess we're looking at Nov. 18th for that one. That's so exciting! Thanks guys!

Latest News

So, some good things have come about lately, which is, in and of itself, good!

It was not good that I was home sick from work on Thursday and Friday, but my fever has finally broken and it will be back to life as normal (whatever THAT means!) on Monday. Not looking forward to going back to work, but then, who does? I like my job just fine, for the most part... it's just the going to work thing. If I could do it from home, I totally would.

So, good thing #1) My fever broke. Yay!

Good thing #2) My new computer is still working, so that must mean that all the problems are fixed now. Yay!

Good thing #3) I got a new cell phone yesterday. It's a pink Moterola RAZR with Vcast and everything, so I've had fun playing around with that. My cell phone number is still the same, I was just due for an upgrade, so that was good. Also, I was able to get John added on, with his very own cell phone, to my plan. So now John has a cell phone too, and I think we should all call him on it all the time. If you want the number, e-mail me :-)

Good thing #4) I learned the other day that my mom and mother in law are throwing me a baby shower. It's going to be December 2nd. That's really all I know, but I am happy to know that one is happening. I didn't think it would be like my family to forget to do something as big as that, it almost feels like a shower is a rite of passage. It's funny that talking about when your baby shower is going to be is almost as important as your due date and the sex of the baby you're having. Generally the questions come in this order: "Oh! You're pregnant? When are you due? Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl? Have you had your baby shower yet?" It's very bizarre, this whole world of being pregnant. I'll be glad to just be a mom when it's all over. But at least now I have an answer to give people when they ask me when the shower is. So, I guess invites are going out this week so people have time to RSVP and whatever. Since the shower is at my parents house, there are some people that I am just inviting via word of mouth, because I didn't think they'd want to drive that far. If you didn't get an invite, don't take it personally. I just assumed you wouldn't want to make the drive.

Anyway, that's all the news from here. I think I'm going to go rake some leaves before having to shower and drive to Concord this morning. I am dreading doing it, but if I can do the front lawn by myself, I might be able to persuade John to do a lot of the back another day...