Week 33. Blargh

'Blargh' because everything I eat seems to be giving me either heartburn or nausea. Makes me not want to eat. BUT, I am also starving, lol. So I am eating - small portions, throughout the day, as is required by my tightly compressed stomach. Baby seems to have a very high need for food. So does mama.

So last week, Cathy came over, and ran out of gas on her way up the hill. Fortunately, Becky - one of her students - was with her as well. Everything still totally in 'normal' range, and belly was measuring a bit smaller, i.e., closer to 'normal,' so that was nice. I kind of freaked myself out doing google searches on the topic of excess amniotic fluid and such. Like everything in pregnancy, there is a huge range of 'normal' so more than likely, nothing means a darn thing except that in regard to fundal measurement I am on the high end of normal. There is definitely plenty out there to scare yourself with, though, if you want to worry. About anything.

So much for blogging goals and having them accomplished ;) I did manage to get quite a few scrapbook layouts done, Halloween costumes are almost ready (need to run Gabe to the store tonight & find my black shirt), and I did take my iron every day. I seriously doubt my protein intake has changed a bit, and I didn't get the baby wipes made. Maybe this week. Or maybe when my mama gets here in a few weeks for Thanksgiving.

It feels really crazy that tomorrow is Halloween. First, it's pretty warm outside (high tomorrow around 75!). Second, it sort of snuck up on me. And third, it's one of those milestone dates that brings me pretty darn close to having a baby, so the fact that it is basically here is, well, kind of nuts. I'm excited to be big & pregnant on Halloween, in some respects. I've never had a big belly for a costume, so that part is really fun (I'll post some pictures next week). However, I also enjoy taking the kids out, and this year I will be staying home, since I can barely walk across a room without getting exhausted, much less all over a couple of neighborhoods. We carved pumpkins last week, and it has been a comedy of errors around here - half of them have rotted (like the fuzzy, leaky, squishy stage) already, and the deer keep dragging the rest of them off the porch to nibble at night. At least it was a fun activity! Oh, and the pumpkin seeds I roasted have been delicious.

Soccer season is wrapping up - Athan's last game was Saturday, Gabe's is this weekend. Sitting on the field with Athan's team I thought to myself 'Next time he plays a game I'll have a baby with me!' That was a sweet thought :) Gabe has try-outs for his winter indoor season today, so technically his season isn't wrapping up so much as merging into the next season. It does feel good to know that rather than 3 practices & 3 games a week, we will be down to 1 practice, 1 game. And they are all indoors. With places to sit and everything! This pregnant mama appreciates that more than you can imagine.

Baby is knocking on my ribs again, so I am going to get some more food. Next week: thanksgiving preparations. Oh My.

Week 32

10...9....8..... Yup, still feeling like a shuttle countdown ;). 8ish weeks to go. Major number of 'big events' about to start to fill that time. Baby has dropped lower, and I'm waddling like a duck. Oh, and most of my maternity shirts are too small now. Yeah. With 2 months to go...

I took a look back at last week's post, and realized I had accomplished all of the goals I had for the week: I got some more sleep, ordered the belly casting kit, got a bunch of scrapbook layouts done, and made a list of people to invite to the shower/blessing. It's rare for me to finish 50% of what's on a list these days, so I am feeling pretty proud of myself at the moment! I should probably put another list like that on this week's blog. Hmmm... OK this week's goals: to take my iron every day, eat more protein, get Halloween costumes finished, do at least 10 more scrapbook layouts, and make the baby wipes (I use little flannel wipes with a home-made solution, much better for baby's skin, and cheaper than store-bought wipes). Alright, let's see how that goes!

In a couple of weeks, I will be doing a maternity photo shoot with Ginger - owner of earthside photography - and sister of my friend Candace. She does BEAUTIFUL work, and will be here for the birth as well (and doing some newborn shots a few days after the birth). I was having a low day a few days back, and after spending some time cheering myself up on cake wrecks (a site guaranteed to make me pee my pants laughing), I headed over to Awkward Family Photos to laugh at some badly done pregnancy photos. I decided to consider it 'research' for our maternity shoot - in a 'what-not-to-do' kind of way. Like this one:

Yeah, pretty sure we won't be doing anything like that. Because one, ew. And two, she has pants on, people, what are you expecting to see? And three, WTF? Anyway, if you need a good laugh, both of those sites are a whole lotta fun. And I promise my maternity shoots will NOT make those pages, with Ginger at the helm (especially the pages of cake wrecks, because that makes absolutely no sense)!

Anyway, it's an appointment week again - every 2 weeks with the midwife now - so I will have another 'still measuring huge' update for next week, I'm sure. In the meantime, enjoy the funny photos of other pregnant people, I'm going to eat some warm pot pie, take my iron, and do some scrap-booking.

31 (and some change) weeks

This week has already gotten away from me! It seems as though every time I try to get my schedule a little more clear to allow for more rest/relaxation time, a million things come up that require my attention. This week I have once again ended up out of the house every night Monday - Thursday. Thankfully, it's UEA weekend, so there is no school today or tomorrow, and I only had to go to work one day this week.

Athan & I comparing our baby bellies. His was a green alien; I am hoping for pinkish human!

So, 31 weeks. I feel like the shuttle count-down. 10....9..... and at the same time, I get the sense this baby is coming a bit early. I keep dreaming this over & over - it's either me processing my fears of him/her coming too early, or it's my psyche's way of preparing me that mid-December is just a little too long for this baby to wait.

Last week, I went to a class that my midwife was teaching to midwifery students about prenatal care. She needed a couple of mama models, and asked me & another pregnant mama to come to her class. There were about 12 students there, so they split into 2 groups and took turns using all of the various tools to find heart tones, palpate the baby for position, measure fundal height, etc. It was interesting to see how differently baby responded to each pair of hands - those who were already very comfortable (which seemed to be those who had been in the program longer) got baby pressing up against them, easy to find heart tones, etc. Those who were more nervous had baby turning away to hide ;). Interestingly, I was measuring about 37-38 cm, another 4-5 cm gain in one week. As you are 'supposed' to be measuring the same number of cm as weeks, I can see why everyone thinks I am about to 'pop any minute.' Cathy actually came over to check to be sure the students were measuring correctly, but she came up with 37 as well. We all decided I am just very well hydrated right now (or at least I was last Thursday).

We had our last birth class last night - did a fun 'labor rehearsal' to practice all of the labor positions & massage/counter pressure techniques we had learned. I got to give the other mama & our instructor (who is also pregnant) their baby gifts. I was also asked to bring in my cloth diapers to show them all the different types. I really do have some of everything, and it was fun to show off the ones I made a few weeks ago.

This week's goals are to get some more sleep, catch up on some more scrapbook layouts, order my belly casting kit, and get together a list of people to invite to the baby shower/mama blessing. My sweet friend Alyssa has agreed to host this for me, on December 1st. I don't know yet where or what time, but will keep everyone posted. I am looking forward to having a time to celebrate the coming of this sweet little person with some friends & family. I'm sure we will be having a little mini-blessing on Thanksgiving as well, since so much of my family will be here for that celebration. I just have to remember to not over-do it that week!

Week 30!

Wow, only about 10 weeks left! Holy crap, only about 10 weeks left!

That was my reaction this morning.... Which wasn't as intense as the reaction I had last Thursday, when discussing my different due dates, and 'when would be too early to give birth at home' with my midwife. I always like to have that date in my head, just in case. When we figured it out from the earliest date, and she said, "Any time after November 20th!" I almost passed out. That's BEFORE Thanksgiving! And it's not even December!!! I haven't once given serious thought to giving birth in November. And I have all kinds of family coming in for Thanksgiving, I'm going to be too busy to give birth ;) More accurately, my house is going to be too busy & hectic to be conducive for a birth. Which, knowing the natural responses of women's bodies, would make it almost impossible for me to go into labor that week anyway. But still, just the idea of it was enough to create a real "OMG" moment.

Feeling generally good, other than the exhaustion. I measured an extra 4 weeks at last week's appointment (33 weeks at 29), but that is pretty normal for me. I feel like I have put on a few more pounds, too. I don't plan to get on a scale again until 38ish weeks, and then only for Cathy's records & curiosity. I don't really care about the weight, but I can feel it right now. Or maybe that's the tiredness dragging me down. Regardless, I am feeling BIG.

We re-arranged our bedroom in preparation for the birth. Somehow there is SO much more space in here now! I also hung some of my favorite pictures of the boys above my dresser - inspiration for those moments of labor when I wonder what in the hell I am doing and why ;) We also got confirmation from Cathy that there is plenty of room in the bathroom for the birth tub. It feels a little silly to be planning to put a tub next to our tub, but those birthing tubs are just so much better for moving, laboring, etc... plus I don't have to worry about getting it sanitary before-hand. Birth tubs have single-use linings that don't have to be washed before or after. I am starting to feel like I have a space to birth, which feels very settling. I also feel like we have everything we need, except for a car seat & a couple packages of newborn disposable diapers. I like to use these for the first 7-10 days, both so I don't have the extra laundry, and because meconium (baby's first poops) is a bitch to get out of cloth diapers. Other than those 2 things, I feel pretty prepared for those first weeks - plenty of clothes, nice warm blankets, cloth diapers, nursing bras. I am getting excited to meet this little one - s/he is so active, constantly making her/his presence known.

Week 29

I know I keep saying this - but WHERE is all of the time going???? I swear someone is stealing it! I know it was only 2 days ago that I sat down to write last week's post, wasn't it? And yet, here we are again, it's Tuesday, and it's another new week.

I have definitely been slowing down even more. I can't imagine working even my 3 short days at the school for much longer. The mere idea of driving into town, working at school for 6 hours, & driving home makes me cringe. And yawn. Even sewing has become tiring... I made a diaper yesterday and practically needed a nap when I was finished!

We have been re-thinking our birth plans, in regard to the yurt. The biggest concerns are (in no particular order) power failure, running back & forth to the house for food, supplies, etc, and that it isn't really our home, even though it is part of our community. I have an appointment with Cathy this week (seriously, it's been 4 weeks since I've seen her already? I told you someone is stealing time!), and plan to ask her some questions about the size of the birth pools, etc. I also have a whole list of other questions to ask her, about how many weeks do we need to reach before she will attend the birth at home, how she handles cervical lips (if you don't know what that means, just know they SUCK and I have had one 3 times in a row now!), and how she handles birth supplies (do I need to order them, does she bring them beforehand, etc). It's a long list, and I imagine she will be quite surprised as I have had very little to ask this whole pregnancy. But, it's flown by, and it's almost time to start preparing for the actual birth, and I am a planner.

Athan is getting quite excited as well - I am getting the almost daily question of 'when is the baby coming?' It's kind of nice to have all of these milestones in place to keep his excitement at bay - we have to prepare for Halloween right now; then it will be having family here for Thanksgiving. After that, I can distract him with Christmas/Solstice preparations. And, of course, there is still the distraction of soccer season for a few weeks (I'm off to one of Gabe's games in about 45 minutes), and the daily distractions of games to play, school, and friends to visit.

Random picture of my boys on the Salt Flats - from our road trip to Uncle Jeremy's wedding

That's about it for an update this week. I did update the baby registry with a couple of things that I thought it would be nice to have. The registry can be found at http://www.buybuybaby.com/regHome.asp? - just put in Jen Schwartz, and it will take you to a list of all of the Jennifer Schwartz's with registries - I'm the only one in Utah ;) Apparently there are 9 of us having babies - or recently had babies. And one of them seems to have had a baby on Corbin's birthday, which is really a coincidence. Small world!