25 posts tagged “pregnancy”

If Baby doesn't get her butt into gear, I'll be having a baby! I really can't believe that by next week at this time, she'll be here. It blows my mind and makes me terrified and excited. Anyway, here's my lead up story. I had my regular Dr. appointment yesterday and had an internal exam. I am only 50% effaced and 1cm dilated but the baby's head is really low and she could feel it right away when she gave me my exam so that was a good sign. I told her I'd been having a lot of pain way down where you normally think of where your uterus is and she said that was likely my cervix doing it's job and trying to thin out. I've also been having more period like cramps lately and on Saturday night I passed quite a bit of mucous (nothing bloody, though). We talked some and she said that while she normally lets people go at least a week past their due dates, she didn't want to do that with me because she can tell that BabyB is getting bigger and she's worried about me being able to handle her in my smallish birth canal. I think she was hoping my pelvis would expand more than it has but it really hasn't and I never had any hips to begin with (I'm shaped like a boy, gross). So, she said that if I don't have the baby by the 26th (my official due date) she would like to induce. Of course, she also said it was totally my decision which I was grateful for. She didn't put any pressure on me either way. Brad and I left and talked about and decided to wait until the 28th. Between now and then we are going to try our darndest to get this cranked up naturally but, if we can't, we'll go in on Monday and I'll get induced. I have to go for a non-stress test on Saturday but other than that, we are pretty good to go, I guess. When we left the office yesterday I felt this huge emotional wave waffling between the feeling of wanting to completely lose it and cry in the corner and wanting to go outside and laugh and laugh. It was strange. I told Brad to prepare himself for the hormone swings after I give birth! I guess the big thing is I just can't believe I'm going to see her face sometime within the next week! In other good news, I am feeling crampy again today and am passing a little bit of bloody tinged "stuff" so maybe BabyB will kick it into high gear and get this started on her own. Keep your fingers crossed!

Sleep is completely exhausting at this point. I can only sleep about 2 hours at a time before I have to get up and walk around the house and rub the old belly. Last night, I was up at 12:30 and then again at 2:30 when I stayed up until 4! And, I even came to work today (first time this week). I only came in because I have to finish a few things up here and get my insurance premiums paid and stuff like that. Busy work. I'll probably wind up leaving early. Tomorrow is supposed to be my last day. I may come in, but only for a half day.

The weekend was fairly productive again. We got the living and dining rooms all put back into shape and they actually look and feel like someone lives there now. Now it's just the bedroom that still needs cleaning up. I am hoping we can start work on that tonight. Friday night Brad and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We decided that it might be our last chance as just a couple so we needed to take advantage of the opportunity. That was really nice and, I'll admit, a little bittersweet. Saturday Sarah came over again and helped us with the house. Afterwards we went to my mother-in-law's and she had made us dinner. At this point I love any meal I don't have to prepare! Sunday I dragged myself up and we got to church in the morning before running some errands (no one has a damn nursing bra around here except for Target! WTF?). Brad spent the afternoon getting the lawn tractor running and I pretty much just vegged out. It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise so we took advantage of that by going to the park for a walk and treating ourselves to DQ. Monday I stayed home and my mom came over and we ran some errands. I got back up to Babies R Us and picked up a few last minute items I was wanting to get. Leets, the bottles I'm going use are the Adiri Natural Nurser. Have you heard of them? I've heard nothing but good things about them but BRU is almost always out of them! Our Toys R Us, though, is converting to also having a Babies R Us so I went and looked and they had some so I grabbed them up quick. We also went to Sears and to Barnes and Noble before heading home. Again, it was so nice out, Brad and I took a walk in the evening. I am trying to get a lot of walking in now in the hopes that it spurs on labor!

And that's the word from here! I'm going to try to make it here at work until at least 3:30 or so and then I'll see what I'm feeling like. Send positive labor-inducing vibes my way, ladies!

That's what I feel like. With stuffing too. I am getting BIG. And uncomfortable. And did I mention BIG? It seems like I have really popped over the last week or so and I'm starting to really feel like I'm pretty much done with being pregnant. I guess this is a good thing because I will be done soon. Of course, I have some mixed feelings about not having BabyB in there with me all the time but I think I am starting to feel more ready for her to make her appearance. Everything now is pretty cumbersome. It's hard to shower (well, at least to wash the bottoms of my legs and my feet), it's hard to get dressed, it's hard to get bowls out of the cupboards (too much belly in the way), it's hard to get in/out of the car, hard to walk from the parking lot into work, hard to make dinner, hard to sit, hard to lie down, and really hard to sleep. So, yes, pretty much everything is hard now!

I had another ultrasound to check weight on Monday. She's now estimated at 7lbs 3oz. Of course, they did tell me this could be a pound off either way. I'm hoping for the smaller side instead of the larger! I saw my doc yesterday and she is still not worried about BabyB getting too big. She's growing at a fine pace apparently and my amniotic fluid level is still fine too. So, here I wait. I didn't have an internal so I don't know what's going on down there but I do have a pelvic scheduled for my next appt next week. We'll see then if I'm progressing at all. I have been having more contraction like feelings lately. Nothing regular, though, and nothing sustained. It's more like uncomfortable period cramps and my uterus gets really tight. It gives me the goosebumps! Anyway, enough about that as there's really not much to report.

The weekend was good and busy again. Friday night I did just stay home and veg out. That was pretty nice because Saturday was a whirlwind. Sarah came over in the morning and she and Brad got the dresser together and then we all worked on getting BabyB's room put together. It is now officially done and I think it is perfect for us. It's not super babied out but it sure is cute, I think. After working in there all day Brad and I went and picked up Alyssa and headed to the Counting Crows concert. It was a lot of fun especially because it was Aly's first concert and all. She was totally pumped when we dropped her off back at my mom's. I was like, "see ya!" and mom was like, "thanks a lot!." We were starving so we stopped at a local drive in before heading home. I don't think we got to bed until 12:30 and that is just waaaay too late for me at this point. I laid in bed and groaned for a half hour before Brad came to bed and rubbed my back and belly and helped put me to sleep. Sunday I stayed in bed until 9:30 and then we got up and continued to try to get the house in order. It is just out of control! But, at least the baby's room and the kitchen are pretty much taken care of. The other stuff can fall into place. I would, however, like to get our bedroom looking a bit better as we still have to get the pack n play up in there for BabyB to sleep in for a while after we come home. I took the day off on Monday and ran a bunch of errands and cleaned. I finally made it to the hospital to pre-register so now when/if I go into labor I can just head right up to L&D and don't have to stop anywhere first. 6-9 on Monday was our last birthing class. I can say that I'm glad we did the classes. It really made me see that the medical folks are not just into pitocin, c-sections, epidurals, and formula. We had really great, practical nurses running our classes. And, one had had a baby 9 months ago so she could tell us things from her experience which was really helpful to me.

So last night I was in the baby's room putting away some things I'd just washed when the cat comes in, meows at me, and then proceeds to jump right in the bouncy seat! It actually was rather amusing. Brad turned on the vibration to scare her but she just settled in even more! I had to then wise up and put something in it so she won't sit in it all the time while we're not home. Punk!

I think BabyB must have the biggest butt a baby has been known to have. She hikes that thing up right under my sternum and lets it stick on out and it HURTS! It's always just on the right side of my belly and I now have a permanent sore spot there. It is especially bad at night when I am trying to sleep. Because I have to sleep on my left side, the gravitational pull makes it such that she sticks it out even more. I now have to get out of bed about twice a night and either walk or sit and rub my belly trying to convince her to move it. Unfortunately, she must also be a sound sleeper because it takes about a half hour before I can noodle her into moving. I will be glad when I don't have to feel that anymore.

Otherwise, things are moving along as they have been for quite some time. I have another ultrasound scheduled for Monday where they will once again try to estimate weight. So far, though, my doc says I still have a good shot at going vaginally. She says I am measuring well and keeping my weight down has been good for me too. I went today and am happy to report that I have still not crossed the 20lb threshold. I am certain, though, that I probably will next week. Some women taper off at this point but I find myself hungrier now than I've ever been during the pregnancy. Strange, but I'm not going to fight it at this point. I still try to just eat sensibly. First I eat my orange and THEN I eat a sleeve of Oreos :) ha ha. Baby's heart rate is still good, between 128-136 today, and she is still pretty active in there considering she doesn't have much room to move anymore (except for the butt apparently!).

We had the 2nd of our childbirthing classes last night. They are actually turning out to be fairly useful but I wish they didn't go so darn late. Last night we had a tour of the birthing floor and by the time we left to go home it was already 9:15. That is just too late for me. We didn't get home until close to 10. I did take the morning off from work, though, and just came in after my dr. appt. which does help a bit. Anyway, the last class is next week and I think I'll actually make it. At first I was afraid I would go early and not get all of the classes in but now I don't think she's coming any time soon. I also went to a breastfeeding class last Thursday night. That was really interesting and helpful and I feel a bit more prepared now for what lies ahead in that realm. Brad wondered if he should go to that with me too but I let him off the hook. He is so kind and concerned and caring, I love it.

The weekend was another whirlwind. Saturday we wound up going back down to Shaumburg to go to IKEA and get a dresser that Dandy and I had looked at. Brad had never been there before so we had to look around a bit. We also wound up getting 2 sinks for the bathroom. We also made trips to Babies R Us and to CostCo so by the time we got home about 7:30pm, I was pretty much useless. Sunday morning I had to teach my class again at church and then I had to get over to Brad's mom's house. Brad's cousin, Laura (from Ft. Pierce), was in town so we spent the day with her over there. There is still so much to get done at home before BabyB arrives, I need to tone down my weekends! At least my mom came over last Thursday (I took the day off) and we got the entire kitchen scrubbed down and tidied up. And, I think Sarah will come over Friday night and help Brad get the baby's room together.

This weekend promises to be busy, too. First is trying to get the house in order and then on Saturday night we are going to go to the Counting Crows concert. Yes, I am crazy. I'm just hoping people in the crowd will take pity on me and let me sit where ever I please :)

In the rest department, I have worked it out to where I work no more than 4 days at week anymore. Next week, I only work 3. Now let's just hope I can use the time to balance out resting and getting my house in order!

Holy cow am I tired. Beat. Whipped. Exhausted. I just want to go home and lie on my couch and sleep but instead I'll be here at work until 5 and then have to quick get something to eat and head to the hospital for a childbirth class. It goes from 6-9, gack! This means we won't be home until about quarter to 10 and then I'm supposed to get up at 6:30 and get ready to head back to work. Ummm, maybe not. I think perhaps I will take the morning off tomorrow. I have another Dr. appointment at noon so I think I'll come in after that.

My weekend was, once again, exhausting. I feel like a broken record because I can't seem to say anything else but it really is true. Friday night I actually felt pretty good. I got home and took a quick nap and then Brad got home and went and picked up Sarah and headed out for Mexican food. Afterwards we went and Brad helped Sarah set up tables and whatnot for the shower on Saturday. We didn't get home until after 10 but I still felt pretty good. It's been a long time since I had felt that way!

Saturday was the shower. In the morning I prepped some for the class I had to teach on Sunday morning but we headed out to the shower by noon. It was really lovely. I'm glad it was the last shower because it was def set up perfectly and now I have the nice memory of it to hold me through. Sarah had decorated everything so pretty and there were fresh tulips on the tables and pretty candles glowing everywhere. She had taken some maternity shots of me and Brad a few weeks ago and had a couple of them blown up and on display. I am in love with them! We look really happy in them. She and Nancy got everyone to "wear pink for BabyB" so everyone was in pink. That was pretty cute too. The food was great, they actually hired a chef! And, of course, I got some really nice presents again. The only unfortunate thing is that I now have scads more thank-yous to write! Brad and I didn't wind up getting home until after 8 and then I stayed up until 11 or so getting ready for my class on church music.

Sunday morning was church and then my class. It wound up going really well and the people who came were actually interested in what I had to say....so NOT like teaching library skills to a bunch of undergrads! After that, mom, Alyssa, and I went to lunch and then I went home and moaned for about 3 hours. Everything hurt. Everything! I had a bad case of insomnia on Saturday night (up from 3-5:30) so I didn't get the sleep I needed and I was tired after all the activity of the weekend anyway. I just sat and dozed on the couch and watched the NCAA tournament. I even came in late to work today and stayed in bed until about 9 and yet, I am still dead tired.

I don't think I mentioned that I had another ultrasound on Friday. We just went for an estimation of weight. The tech gave us an estimate of 6lbs 6oz. Considering I still have at least 3 weeks to go, she could get pretty big for me. I'm hoping to hear more from my OB tomorrow as to what she is thinking.....section or vaginal birth. I would really rather go vaginally but I'm not going to be an idiot and try for something that just won't work for me. We'll see, I guess. Unfortunately, after the ultrasound I had a freak out fit. It's almost like seeing her on the screen makes me more nervous and anxious. I was worried that she didn't have a brain, that she does have Down's, that she has a club foot, that she has a cleft palate, you name it, I worried about it. So, after it was over I cried all the way back to work. I have since settled down but WHY do I go to those bad places!??

I just pray she is happy and healthy.....my little BabyB!

Yesterday a co-worker of mine told me she is totally convinced that she knows BabyB's name. It was kind of funny because she is just adamant that she knows it. However, she said she didn't want to spoil the surprise of us telling everyone (which was actually very thoughtful of her) so she didn't want to tell me her guess and then see some sort of reaction on my face when it turned out she's right. Instead, she asked me if she could write it on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope and give it to me to open after BabyB is born. That way, if she's right, she can prove it because she gave me the paper before BabyB's arrival. I laughed and said sure. So now I have an envelope on my refrigerator with a prospective name written on a piece of paper inside of me. And, let me tell you, it is killing me not to open it! I just want to know if maybe she IS right. Who knows! She said she has really been listening to my hints and thinking about it and then she dreamed about it and there was the name. I told her that was very biblical of her :) Because I told her I wouldn't look, I'm not. But, I will admit to wanting very badly to rip the thing open and take a peek. Couldn't I keep a poker face around her so she wouldn't know? No no no, I will wait. I can do it!

In other BabyB news, she is no longer breech!! I saw Cathy and had a big day of walking around on Saturday and then Saturday night I woke up and was just lying there for a bit when I felt something "different" than I had before. It didn't hurt or anything but it felt like little fingers running up and down the sides of my belly. I didn't think much of it but when I woke up Sunday morning I noticed right away that BabyB was much lower and that I had this new pressure on my bladder. So, when I had my appointment yesterday I asked the Dr. and she felt around and confirmed what I already knew, that BabyB has officially gone head down. Good baby! I now have more breathing room up top near my sternum but I am finding that I constantly feel as though my bladder is full and by the end of the day, the weight of everything pulling downward is really hurting my back and my belly hurts a lot more. I have an ultrasound scheduled for Friday so they'll check then on weight and measurements. The only other news I have on that front is that I didn't gain any weight from last week to this week and BabyB's heart rate is still cranking along between 136-148 beats/minute. Otherwise, I am just dead dog tired and not sure how much longer I can realistically keep up working. By the time I get home I am often in tears just from being so terribly exhausted. And, once that sets in, I can get myself worked up about any number of things.

My weekend was, once again, a whirlwind. I took of last Thursday and Friday. Thursday my mom came out and we ran errands most of the day. Nothing exciting, just things like a trip to Target to get some odds n' ends type of baby supplies. Afterwards we came back to the house and she made me start going through all the shower gifts and removing tags from the clothes. This was very hard for me. Maybe I have mentioned that before? I'm not sure. Anyway, I just couldn't bring myself to do it because I always go to the dark places that I am somehow jinxing BabyB and that something will happen to her and I'll be stuck with a closet full of cute little clothes to look at with no baby to put them on. It was at least better that she was there and she helped me and didn't make any judgments or statements about me being a crazy person. After she left I kept on a little bit but then was just too tired to continue. Friday, though, I spent all day taking tags of things, recycling boxes, and doing laundry. We had ANOTHER snowstorm....14 inches......so I was stuck inside all day anyway. I have come to the realization now that I no longer need any blankets or any bath things.

Saturday was Cathy day! I got there to pick her up on time but was worried because traffic to O'Hare was a mess. And, with the yucky snow there was slush getting kicked up all over the place. By the time we met up, I was driving around in something that looked like I had been off-roading for 2 months. Anyway, after I picked her up we headed over to IKEA for lunch and some shopping. I did get a few of the things on my list but was disappointed that I just couldn't get everything taken care of there. The funny part of the day was that there were pregnant women EVERYWHERE. Every time we'd turn a corner we'd see one. I would say we probably counted at least 30 of them. I think this is a sign and that it means Cathy needs to get pregnant asap. After a few more stops, including Target where I found some nice baskets for the changing table, we went to the Cheesecake Factory and just sat there chatting for a few hours. Of course, it was jammed, but we got a good spot at the bar so we didn't have to wait in line with the masses. The time is never long enough and before I knew it, I was dropping her back off at the airport for her trip to Sioux Falls. Wah! I need more Cathy time!

Sunday I was pretty much spent. I went to church in the morning and then went home and made a pie (I have no idea why). Brad went to Henry and Nancy's for Easter dinner and I went back to town to my mom's. We had a very low key dinner and dessert and then played cards (I whipped my mom and sister big time). It is funny playing 1-10 with them versus playing with the Christensens. With the Christensens you have to be very conservative with your betting, with my family, I can pretty much do what I want and make it work :) Anyway, I got back home about 8 or so and pretty much went to bed.

Monday and Tuesday this week I have been at work (boring and I don't care about it anymore) and then have gone home and done more laundry and have been trying to get the baby room in order. It is rather time consuming because I move so slowly. I also have to clean out the closet in that room because I have been using it for my things and I need to get my crap out of there. My mom came out again last night and helped me go through magazines that I was keeping. Do you ever do that? Just pile up the magazines thinking you'll go through them again some day? What a mess.

This weekend marks the last of my showers. Good thing because I am getting TIRED!

That's what the Dr. says at least. I had another appointment this morning and I am still completely sealed. Doesn't look like BabyB wants to make her way out any time soon and actually, that's a good thing. I've got about 5 weeks (a little less) to my due date and I'd like to keep her in there cooking at least until mid-April. We shall see, though, as she may always decide to come early. Sometimes I just feel like I'm ready for her to be out and at other times, I feel like I want her to stay in as long as possible. I'm taking off Thursday and Friday of this week to try to get her room in order so maybe after then I'll feel a little bit more prepared. The doc also says her heart rate is great and doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing. So, everything is looking good at this point. Not that I won't still worry.....

I had another shower over the weekend. I think I am starting to get showered out! Of course, it went great and everyone was so kind and generous to me again. I think everyone loves buying little girl clothes, though, so I get a lot of really cute outfits but not a lot of really practical things that I need. I suppose it more fun to pick out a dress than to pick up a pack of onesies, a blanket, and a sheet. I really do need those things, though, so I'm trying to encourage my sister-in-law to let people know coming to my last shower that I really do love to get the practical stuff! I'm a little miffed at the local Target, too, because they don't update my registry appropriately. I had a bunch of duplicate gifts that weren't marked at all on the registry when I know that people told them they were shopping from one. I do try to go in after every shower and update everything, though. I have a small work shower today and then a shower the weekend after Easter and then that's it. Whew! That's a lot of showers. I need some rest!

The weekend was busy busy busy again and much too short. Friday night I went with Sarah to her gym and while she worked out I went in the warm water therapy pool. It felt SO great at the time. And, I had the pool to myself until about the last 10 minutes when this woman came in and wouldn't stop yapping at me. Anyway, it had been so long since I'd been on my belly that floating on it actually felt kind of strange. And, BabyB rides right in the front of my belly so when I'd float on it, she'd float more towards the back and it made me feel almost empty. Strange! I also sat in front of one of the jets and let it pummel my back and my ankles for a good long while. It felt so good on my ankles/feet but as soon as I got out, my ankles swelled up to the worst they'd ever been. Oops. When I got home I had to ice them down and have Brad rub them for me. The woman that came in at the end tried to tell me that the pool was probably too warm for my pregnant self (um, no it wasn't) and that I was standing wrong and then she proceeded to regale me with stories about her own kids. Needless to say, I left shortly thereafter.

Saturday I was at Sarah's to pick her up about noon and then we headed into town for the shower. It was really nice with lots of yummy food (sushi plate! cupcakes! punch! fruit! cheesecake! and the list goes on). I didn't get home until after 5 and I was just exhausted. In fact, I don't even remember what I did that night. Probably just sat and watched tv. Hopefully I'll have some pictures I can post sometime soon from the showers.

Sunday morning I headed to church early for the Palm Sunday breakfast and then was the service. Afterwards mom and I went for coffee which was nice because we hadn't been out together to just sit and chat in a while. I got home about 1 and then set to work making my annual Chocolate Stout Cake. It is my favorite chocolate cake. I don't do the frosting, though, I just cover it with powdered sugar and eat it with some vanilla ice cream. Anyway, I was going to make it for St. Patty's Day but we got invited to Henry's for fish fry so I took it there instead. The fish fry was a huge family affair. Probably 15 people there. Luckily the kids went for the box brownies instead of my cake so I got to bring about half of it home. Of course, I stuffed myself and when we got home about 9:30, promptly went to bed.

Yesterday I was exhausted again. I seem to have a problem with insomnia on Sunday nights especially. I don't know if I'm getting myself all ramped up about work or what but it sucks! We also had a TWO HOUR negativity "training" yesterday morning. What a blast! Ack. I just sat there trying not to yawn and fall asleep. I did manage to make a corned beef along with boiled potatoes and carrots for dinner last night so we celebrated a day of being Irish.

This weekend I get to see Dandy!! I can't wait!

Well, no one else is posting but I suppose I'll soldier on anyway. I am pretty much just sitting here biding my time until the bell rings at 5 or so and I can leave. There are a few things I could work on but I can't seem to concentrate much on work-related things as of late so I'll just put them off a little while longer. Pretty soon I can just put them out of my head for at least three months!

I had another Dr. appointment today. My official weight gain is still at 15lbs. I am glad it didn't go up from my last visit. I was a little worried there about 5lbs in 2 weeks! I think that weight may have really come from the swelling I've been experiencing. I normally wear a size 6.5 shoe and now I'm wearing a co-worker's sister's hand me down size 8s! Dandy, I officially have clodhoppers like you! Even worse, though, is that I can only wear a slip on shoe. Everything else is too painful. And, I'm dying to put on a pair of sneakers and go for a walk. I asked today how long it will take for things to get back to a more normal size and my doc told me that within about 10 days the swelling in my feet/ankles should be pretty well gone. I will look forward to that day because damn, that swelling hurts! It actually kept me up on Sunday night it was so tight and painful. Yesterday I had Brad give me a good (painful) rub and that did actually seem to help somewhat. I am also trying to drink a lot of water and be careful about my salt intake. I don't salt my food much anyway, though, so there's not too much I can do on that front. Anyway, back to the visit. BabyB's heart rate today was in the 140s which is also good. My blood pressure is still considerably higher than what my normal is but it's still in the normal/low range for a pregnant woman so I'm not worried about that either. Next week I'll have my group B strep swab (ew) and a pelvic. I'm measuring at 36cm and have a little less than 6 weeks until my due date. I may have another ultrasound to see if baby is getting too big and to double check her positioning but that won't be for a few weeks yet. Lastly, BabyB is still breech. I can really tell because I feel hardly any pressure down low in my pelvis but a lot of pressure/movement way up high, right until my sternum. Sometimes that really hurts!

Time to move away from the appt. and on to the previous weekend. Friday I got home early and completely fell apart. I had had such a busy week and was just simply exhausted. My sciatic nerve was causing me a great deal of pain and my belly was killing me. I just sat in my bed and cried. I couldn't find a decent position to lie in and I was feeling large and uncomfortable. Luckily Brad came home and rubbed me down and whispered all kinds of encouragement in my ear. He can always make me feel better and for that I am forever indebted to him.

Saturday morning we got our new carpeting installed! I am so happy with it. It looks SO MUCH better than the old stuff and feels really nice. And, I get to rest easy thinking about BabyB crawling around on that instead of 25 year old shag. Gross. After that we went to Burlington to have lunch with Mary and Dan (Dandy's sister and bro-in-law). It was really great to see them. I  had been needing a Christensen fix for a while and that helped :) Mary also brought a set of stuffed blocks and some bibs and delivered a present of Arbonne baby products from Karen. I was sad that lunch was only about 2 hours, I wanted them to stay and hang out! Afterwards we headed to do some grocery shopping and then went home and got ready to go to my sister-in-law's for the last of our maternity photo shoot. She got some really nice shots but I was exhausted by the end of the evening. Poor Brad dropped me off at home about 10:30 and then had to go to Henry's to deal with Henry's not working sump pump. He didn't get home until 3:15am! Yikes!

Sunday I had to get to church early to rehearse the bell choir. Then was church and by that time Brad and I were starving so we went out for pancakes. By the time we got home it was 12:30pm and I had to leave by 1:30pm to get to Kim's (co-worker) for a mini shower at her place. I spent the hour at home sleeping before dragging myself off to Kim's. There were only 6 of us there at the mini-shower but they really loaded me up! I got a few more things off my registry, a few infant toys, and two beautiful hand made blankets. One of the girls even made a little bracelet with letter and green beads that said BabyB. Too cute! I also ate waaaaay too much food. Dina had made a french silk pie which normally I wouldn't even care about but I soon realized that was because I don't think I've ever had a homemade french silk pie, only store bought or from Baker's Square. OMG, that thing was fabulous! She gave me a huge portion to take home but I quick called Henry to come and get some of it so I wouldn't eat it all myself. Trust me, I would have. In fact, I am thinking about the small piece sitting here in the work fridge right now and trying to tell myself to just wait until 3 to eat it. It was heavenly.

Then, Monday morning was back to work. By the time I got in, I was already so tired I could cry. The weekend took whatever energy I had right out of me. Last night I got a few things arranged in the living room (trying to get everything in order after the carpet install) and then just sat an stared at nothing in particular. Tonight I have a book study. Tomorrow, though, I plan on going home and getting a few chores done before settling in to watch the season premiere of Top Chef!

Oh, and on top of all of this, I am thinking of applying for a new job. Yes, I'm crazy!

I know I shouldn't have such a potty mouth but there really are times that it is called for. These times lately all seem to be at work. I just want to scream at someone! Why is being pregnant considered open season for whatever remarks a person feels like saying. If I notice a co-worker is packing on the poundage, I'm not supposed to say anything, right? Why, then, is it ok for them to comment on my ever growing self? Just because I'm pregnant? I don't get it. Just don't say anything! Or, say something a little nicer like, "Oh, you're getting close, aren't you!?" In the past week I have had to endure the following three rude comments:
1. "Geez, you look awful!" (heard this one yesterday)
Thanks, asshat. This could be due to the fact that I'm sleeping for crap and I had to work until 8 on Wednesday night then go home, eat something quick, go to bed, and be back at work for an 8am meeting the next day. And, I'm over 7 months pregnant. And, it was so busy in here on Wednesday night that I was up on my feet helping people for much longer than I expected.
2. "You look like you're going to explode!" (heard this on Tuesday)
Yes, and I plan to do it all over your smug little face. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm pregnant! Sorry if it offends you, next time I'll try to suck it in.
3. "What, you were tired of being FAT all alone so you're trying to make us fat too?" (heard this on my way in this morning)
This is the one that really surprised me. I didn't even know how to respond because I was so taken aback. I just kept walking. I thought it would be nice for a Friday morning to stop at Dunkin' Donuts and get a dozen donuts to share with the crew here. No reason, just something nice. So, that's the comment I got from a co-worker when she saw me walking through the reference area to the work area with a box of donuts. No "thank you," no "that was nice of you," no nothing except for the fat comment. I'm sorry people but just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I don't have feelings! It doesn't mean that I still don't have body image issues once in a while. Aren't we all human and women!? WTF!

At first I felt like crying and then I just wanted to beat some ass.
Jerks.

I told Brad yesterday that I think BabyB is spelunking inside of me. I imagine her exploring all there is to see in there with a little hat on her head and cave boots. She has just been wild this week! Today she is a little quieter but she also tends to ramp it up a bit nearer to bedtime. I have heard a lot of women say that baby movement would wake them in the night but, so far, I haven't had that problem. At one point yesterday I think she was sleeping and I made a really loud noise and I think I frightened her into waking. She jumped right after I yelled and then she was active again for quite a while. I know that is how it is but it is strange to think a little in utero baby is affected by your noises and movements.

I am finally at the end of a *very* long week. I had 5 classes this week along with countless meetings. I am ready for the week to be over. Unfortunately, though, I have to stay late again to practice with students before their big music competition tomorrow. I think my first accompaniment tomorrow is at 9am in town so I won't be sleeping in or relaxing in the morning. So far my last accompaniment is at 10:30 but I am just certain that someone today will tell me their time is like 1pm or 4pm or something and then I'll blow my entire day. Gack.

Tomorrow night Brad and I were thinking about going to see Corah's (my niece) last basketball game of the season but I will have to wait to see how I feel before committing to spending a couple of hours in a high school gym on bleachers! Although, someone will likely see me and take pity on me and quite possibly give me a folding chair. Sunday is church and then the shower. So, my weekend is already filled up and I'm already tired just thinking about it! I need a day off to simply sit and stare out the window (or maybe at My Redneck Wedding, ha ha).

Did I tell you that my nutcase sister-in-law is pregnant again? This is Brad's older sister and it will be her 5th child! Three with Henry and one with her new husband (her little sister's boyfriend that she stole and then married). I will admit that when I heard the news from my nephew (we don't talk to her, we see the kids through her ex-husband who we just love along with his new wife), I wasn't all that surprised. I think that 1) this child makes it possible for her to sit home and not have to get a job (she is *terrified* of working and her new husband has implied that the youngest kid is getting old enough that she will need to start working soon) 2) this child is an insurance policy for child support (she still is getting support from Henry until Calvin turns 18 in 8 years and now she will be able to get support from Randy when they get divorced which is inevitable because they already have a horrible relationship) and 3) she couldn't stand the thought of Brad and I having a baby and getting attention for it. I know, I am being shallow and crass but this chick is a Froot Loop who is already not a really great mother and who is in an awful relationship and who really has no business having another child. In fact, she has some blood thing that gets worse for every subsequent pregnancy and her last 2 children suffered because of it. I just really can't stand the thought of her at this point. Corah will have a brother or sister that is 17 years younger than her! Not that that is a horrible thing or anything but Sue can't really take care of the kids she already has. She is one of those types that masks everything in God and church and crap and how wonderful her life is who is really just miserable. *sigh* Enough about that.

Lastly, my pet peeve of the day. When I was coming to work today and getting on the freeway I was behind a person who was going approx. 35mph. Hello, dude, you are getting on the interstate, time to step on it! Anyway, he continued at pretty much that speed and I high tailed it around him really quick so I didn't get stuck behind him in the right lane for eons. Well, I look in my rear view mirror and I see him finally make his way into the right lane and then he all of a sudden veers across the other two lanes of traffic and into the left lane totally cutting off all the people in the left lane (the passing lane, freak!). I just couldn't believe it. And, he stayed there. Traffic is already heavy in the morning and he then successfully blocked out about 20 cars who could now not pass anyone. Needless to say, I was happy that I got around the fool.

It is official. I have hit a weight I never really thought I would ever see on myself. When I got to the Dr. today and hefted myself up onto the scale, I almost gasped! I put on about 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I was sorrowful. My Dr. was gleeful. Well, I guess I'd better try to go with what she wants me to be doing but damn, it's hard! I guess it was just a surprise. Well, sort of. Ok, not really. I have noticed my appetite picking up in the last 2 weeks or so and I have definitely noticed that my belly is all of a sudden getting BIG. I first noticed this because one day I felt a swift breeze heading straight up my shirt. My shirts don't lie flat anymore so I get some serious wind up there :) Luckily, I have invested in a couple of belly bands and so I can wear those and stay a little warmer. If it were summer, I wouldn't mind so much. It is also getting harder for me to get and out of bed. I am to the point to where I almost need a footstool to get myself in. Of course, I am trying to get in on top of my body pillow and that adds about 4" to the height of the bed so I don't feel too bad about that. If I get stuck in the middle of my pillow, though, Brad has to help me out. I am a hostage to my bed at that point. I sometimes think it would be funny to see all of this on video and then I think, nah, it really can't be all that attractive. I have passed the point of attractive in this pregnancy, I fear. Other than that, though, everything is as it should be. I am measuring right where I am supposed to be and the doc hasn't changed my due date of April 20th thus far. BabyB's heart rate was a little slower than it was 2 weeks ago (in the 130s) but it is still well within normal range. She was just mellowing out at the appointment today. I said it was because she was going nuts this morning before I left!

In even better news, my heartburn has subsided! Holy cow was that awful! I am thinking it may have been my prenatal vitamin. That dumb thing always makes me burp and because I suspected that may have been causing me even worse feelings yesterday, I decided to just take a chewable vitamin last night and forgo my regular one. Well, no heartburn. Unfortunately, though, I traded the heartburn for a raging case of insomnia! I was up at 3am and stayed up until 5:30 when I finally went back to bed and was able to sleep until about 8:30. I just took a half day off work because I really needed the rest.

We are all signed up for birthing classes. I am not happy, though, because the start date for this round isn't until March 31st! I hope I don't go early! And, I am also signed up for a breastfeeding class early on in April. I am looking forward to both sets of classes because I am starting to get anxious about how this baby needs to exit my body! There is just no avoiding it anymore, she has to come out and that freaks me out! Oh, and I think my boobs are starting to work on something in there. I know it's probably TMI, but I had little crusties of white stuff on my nipple this morning. Ok, sorry to get so in depth there. But, I figure if you want details, I got details :)