39 Weeks: Baby Got Tased!

Thirty. Nine. Weeks.

Baby is the size of a: Watermelon. Oh, heaven help me... (This definitely explains why I fall over when putting on my socks!)

  

 

Development(s): Last week I was a fingertip dilated, 60% effaced, and -1 station. This week...no change. Boo. (I know, I know - it doesn't really mean anything. But, still...I was secretly kind of hoping for some progress already.)

 

Other signs of impending labor? Meh...I wish. Baby is cozy and not overly anxious to meet the world at the moment, it seems.

 

Movement: I had a good scare this past week when Sylvia, who normally acts like she's Jackie Chan (she moves all the time), went incognito. I didn't feel her move all night (normally she's going to town whenever I get up to pee) or the next morning. I tried the typical recommendations: drinking a lot of water and lying on my side for an hour, eating something sugary, poking/nudging her (ha, yeah), etc., and was getting increasingly nervous at the complete lack of response. I finally called the OB's office around 1:00, and they told me to come in.

For the first 15 minutes of monitoring, we saw a good heartbeat but nope, no movement. Then the nurse grabbed this little back-massager looking thing and - bzzzzt! - zapped (there is no other word for it) my belly - whoa! Immediate response. Ha. Poor child. She was kicking like an Olympic swimmer after that...and hasn't stopped since, it seems. (She's probably scared she'll get the "baby taser" used on her again.)

Anyway, the doctor said apparently it was just a lazy night/day for her...but, whew. I did tell Alex that now I know what to do if I have another lack-of-movement scare: go straight to Bed, Bath & Beyond and find a back massager!

Weight gain: No gain this week, so still 23 pounds total.

Maternity clothes: Everything I put on makes me feel like:

 

 

Except maybe not quite so happy about it.

 

Sleep: A bit better this past week, actually.

Aversions/Cravings: No.

 

Symptoms: I've reached a point where everything in this category is a complaint: I'm itchy, achy, swelling, cumbersome, tired, sore, and cranky (ask Alex; ha). I didn't realize how overall painful the last days of pregnancy can be.

That said, I'm grateful to be here! And also grateful to realize that I've never had any of these: stretch marks (SO glad to have avoided that one!), peeing my pants (it sounds like this happens to a lot of women? I never experienced it), heartburn/reflux (had a bit one week, but not other than that), and an "outie" belly button.

I miss: Clothing options!

I feel: Impatient. A little nervous. A lot excited. I want to meet this little girl!!

 

Looking forward to: Delivery day...one way or another, it's coming soon. My OB gave me the rundown today on what we'll do if I go past my due date (i.e., induction) - it's crazy to me that we're even talking about this after the long battle to keep this baby inside. So ironic!

Papi moment: Alex is getting major husband points these days for (a) putting up with me and (b) being consistently encouraging/sweet. He actually told me he's going to miss seeing me pregnant because he loves it - thinks it's just beautiful and loves seeing "his babies" together like this. Which is so sweet...and totally not enough to make me want to stay pregnant any longer. Ha.

Anyway...on to either 40 weeks or, hopefully, Sylvia's grand entrance before then!

38 Weeks: Pee Wee, Pinterest & (Not Much) Patience

Restless. That's the word of the week. (Show of hands: how many of you hear "word of the week" and think of Pee Wee Herman's "word of the day"? No kidding, just me? Huh...)

I've turned a corner at 38 weeks and shifted from "Please keep this baby inside one more week!" to "I want this baby out NOW!" That didn't take long, did it? Ha.

Well, she is due in less than two weeks. And I'm uncomfortable and achy and impatient and nesting like nobody's business - washing baby clothes, organizing everything that possibly can be organized, scrubbing floors, packing my hospital bag...and Pinteresting (like that verb?) like a mad woman.

One Pinterest project this week has been nursing tanks/camis. I wanted to buy a couple, but the stinking things are $20 apiece! I figured surely I could find a DIY option. Pinterest failed me not. Tadaaa:

Clearance camis at Target: $4.50 each. Packet of snaps at Michael's: $1.49. Some scissors and a needle and thread: hey, already had those - $0. Saving money AND keeping busy: definitely priceless.

Thank you, Pinterest. I do heart you.

Anyway, at 38 weeks:

Baby is the size of a: Pumpkin. A pumpkin. That's...big.

 

  

Development: I think now's a good time to change this category to "Developments" (as in, labor-related developments). I'm sitting at about a fingertip dilated, 60% effaced, and -1 station. Last week I was 30% effaced and not dilated at all. (So things are moving the right direction, though, really, those numbers mean very little in terms of when labor might start. It could be a while yet or could come on suddenly at any time now.)

 

What else? I'm crampy, and my lower back hurts. And I'm still contracting, of course (I'm a pro at that by now; ha), here and there.

 

But it's all a waiting/watching game, isn't it?

 

Movement: She was squirming around like a fish during my OB appointment yesterday.

Weight gain: Oh. My. Word. I'm almost afraid to type this, but according to the doctor's scales, I gained four pounds this last week! In one stinking week. What the...??? It's not like a lived on pizza - it was just a normal week. Maybe this shouldn't shock me, though; it seems like my pattern has been to go 2-3 weeks with little to no gain and then to have a sudden "growth spurt." Or it could be random fluctuation. I'll be curious to see my numbers next week. But with this four, that makes 23 pounds total so far. Whew! (Waddle, waddle...)

Maternity clothes: Um, yeah. Pretty soon even those aren't going to fit...

 

 

Sleep: I don't want to talk about it. (Sigh...)

Aversions/Cravings: Nah.

 

Symptoms: Itchyitchyitchy stomach and swollen ankles - lovely. Also, she's got her head down in my pelvis and is bumping into all kinds of nerves down there. Feels like lightning bolts...not in a good way.

I miss: My baby. And I haven't even met her yet. Come on, girl!

I feel: Fat. (Well, I do. Ha.)

 

Looking forward to: Meeting this baby!!!

37 Weeks: Full Term...Baby Shower Fun...and a Chicken

Big news, y'all: today, Baby Girl is officially full-term!!!

 

Do you feel the glory/celebration? (The chicken does.)

Aaaanyway...

 

This means that we no longer will have a preemie on our hands, even if she were to come today...Sylvia is ready for the world - and only three weeks from her due date, to boot. The Lord has been SO good to bring us all this way.

 

Being at 37 weeks means a couple of big changes: (1) I'm off the Procardia, since there's no need to slow/stop labor at this point. (Yay for no more drugs.) Also, (2) bedrest is more or less at an end. I say "more or less" because the doctor hasn't officially told me I'm done, but she'd said 37 weeks was when that would happen; I just didn't get to see her at my appointment this morning (I saw a nurse practitioner in her office instead - that happens occasionally). So, though I don't have the official word, I'm pronouncing myself DONE with bedrest. HAPPY. DANCE.

 

Also, yesterday was my baby shower! (It was also my first time back at church since late October.) I had the most amazing time getting to see and talk with everyone, and get spoiled with tons of gifts for our Sylvie. A huge shout out, by the way, to all the ladies at the church and especially to my sweet friend Lynnette for the tremendous amount of time, effort, expense, and love she poured into planning and executing everything.

 

A few pics, starting with the SUPER cute cake/cupcake tower my friend Briana made. (And, for the record, the cake tasted as good as it looks. Mm...):

 

With Lynnette:

With my mama:

 

 

Look at that side view! Hoo boy...definitely in the ninth month. (And I think this dress actually makes me look even bigger. But, hey, whatevs...)

 

Baby is the size of a: A wintermelon...whatever the heck that is.

  

 

Development: Did I mention she's full term? Woo hoo!

 

Movement: She moves a ton, but I can tell her space is getting increasingly cramped.

Weight gain: No gain since last week, so still at a total of 19 pounds.

Maternity clothes: Um, yeah. I'm to the point where I have about six shirts that fit. See the pictures above; is this any surprise?

Sleep: Sleep? What's that?

Aversions/Cravings: Not really. Just hungry all the time. (In fact, typing that makes me hungry...)

 

Symptoms: Everything hurts. Boo.

I miss: Being able to roll over in bed at night without it killing either my back or my abs.

I feel: Tired. Sore. But sooooo thankful and excited, too.

Looking forward to: From this point on, the answer to this is: baby's arrival.

Papi moment: Yesterday Alex hauled all the baby gifts from the church to the car, and then from the car upstairs to the apartment - no small task (though his skills in this area are admittedly impressive; I never knew one person could carry so many bags and boxes in one trip). He also put together the Pack 'n Play last night, so Baby has somewhere to sleep.

I told him he was in official Dad Mode - there's something so wonderfully to-be-expected about a father-to-be assembling nursery furniture (well, not that we have an actual nursery, but same idea). Oh, and, for the record, Graco's assembly instructions might as well be in Swahili - they make Ikea instructions look clear and easy. Sheesh.

On to week 38!

36 Weeks: Baby Beluga and Bedrest (yep, more...)

36 weeks...

 

 

I'd reallyreallyreally hoped this week would be the "Hallelujah, No More Bedrest!" post. Actually, I told Alex before my OB appointment this morning that I hoped to make a run to Target today, to "celebrate" being up and about again (and to pick up heat-protectant spray for my flat iron; ha). That, apparently, was not meant to be. The doctor wants me couch-surfing for at least one more full week, maybe longer. So, no Target; I came home and got horizontal again. One word: sigh...

 

The good news is, there are now only 28 days now until D Day (Delivery Day? Due Day?). That's so crazy to me - I truly can't believe I'm in this final stretch, and with everything still looking so good with Baby.

  

Baby is the size of a: Honeydew melon. But based on her weight two weeks ago (5 lbs., 14 oz.), she should be closing in on 6.5 pounds by now - still ahead on the charts!

 

 

Development: Her whole system is basically good to go at this point; she's just continuing to get plumper and stronger...and to hog more of my internal space.

 

 

My organs = squished. No wonder breathing (and eating...and sleeping...) can be hard. Sheesh.

 

Movement: I was slightly worried because her movement the last couple of days had gotten much more subtle than usual. Well, apparently she was just having a couple of R&R days...this morning, she's back to rolling/kicking/punching around like a little maniac.

Weight gain: Three more pounds since my last weigh-in! So that makes a total of 19. Looks like I'll break that 20-pound mark before we're through after all.

Maternity clothes: Yep. Wearing regular shirts is basically at an end - only the maternity ones have enough room for the belly. I can still wear some of my regular pants, though, which is nice.

Sleep: Still abysmal. The end.

Aversions/Cravings: I swing between wanting nothing but three-cheese stuffed-crust pizza from Pizza Hut and nothing but salads. Huh. (I think it's the pizza that's responsible for the three pounds. Ha.)

 

Symptoms: I'm feeling huge these days, heavy and cumbersome and...huge. Alex calls my belly "the torpedo" because it's all out front.

I miss: Everything. Seriously, everything. Have I made it clear enough yet that I WANT OFF BEDREST? Um, yeah...

I feel: Physically kind of crappy - sore and achy. Mentally, though, like I'm in the home stretch. This baby will be here - seriously, here, with Alex and me! - so soon. I. Can't. Wait.

Looking forward to: A baby shower on Sunday! (Yes, I still technically will be on bedrest...and, yep, I'm going anyway. A rebel, I am.)

Papi moment: Alex likes to sing this song to Sylvia, and I find it hilarious (especially because the only part of the song he knows is one line - "Baaaaby Beluga! Baaaaby Beluga!" which he sings over and over).

 

1980s kids' songs are fun, y'all. Good times.

 

Until next week...

35 Weeks: You know you're eight months pregnant when...

35 weeks today, yo, and check out that belly - it's getting BIG!

 

And look, I managed one with a smile:

Not too much exciting/different this week, so I thought instead of the usual update, we could play a little game of...

"You know you're eight months pregnant when..." (according to Amber Mendoza)

• You drop something on the floor, eye it for several seconds, and walk away muttering, "Forget it."
• Inspecting your belly with a hand mirror to determine if you have stretch marks yet becomes a daily event. (For the record, no, not yet!)
• You get out of breath walking to the bathroom.
• Rolling over in bed requires a plan and careful execution. And momentum.
• You think it's a "awesome" night when you only get up four times to pee.
• You seriously consider asking your husband to put your socks on for you.
• You sit, and your belly sits on your lap.
• You tear up at a YouTube video of a baby polar bear taking his first steps.
• Your belly accidentally closes kitchen drawers for you.
• You have no idea what your toenails look like anymore.
• You bump down the thermostat every time you walk past and hope the hubby doesn't realize it's now 57 degrees in the house. (Hm, he's wearing a parka indoors...maybe he does notice?)
• Jeans are now classified as "dressing up."
• You would seriously consider climbing onto a medieval stretching rack in order to relieve the pain in your ribs and back.
• At any given moment, your belly looks like a scene from "Alien."
• You protect your food like a rabid raccoon and actually growl if the hubby asks, "Can I have a bite?"
• Baby kicks hurt.
• You rotate through the same half-dozen shirts because nothing else fits anymore.
• You grunt. A lot. Involuntarily.

And...you know it's all worth it because you're loving your baby more and more every day and counting the hours until you get to meet her.

33 Weeks: Apparently my child is a medieval weapon

33 weeks, y'all, and here's the proof:

 

 

 

Also, MY view of things:

 

 

 Notice anything missing? Lean back, and...

 

 

Hey, there they are!

 

I'm getting bigger by the day (and feeling it, too - whew!).

 

Baby is the size of a: Durian fruit. Yes, a durian fruit.

 

 



Seriously, Baby Fruit Comparison People? Who even knows that the heck a durian fruit is? It looks more like a medieval weapon to me...you know, the big spiky ball on a chain? What's it called - a mace? This thing:

 

 

Um. Is this supposed to summon thoughts of all things sweet and precious and baby-like? Because it's not really working for me.

 

But, anyway...about 4.5-5 pounds and 17 inches.

 

Development: She's beginning to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. This is HUGE because this is one of the main things that would keep her in NICU, if she were to come early.

 

Movement: It seems like she gets more active every day (and night). Her living space is obviously getting cramped, too, because she's pushing and shoving like nobody's business.

Weight gain: Haven't weighed this week, so this'll have to wait until my doctor's appointment next week. For now, I'm sticking with 15 pounds total.

 

Maternity clothes: This week, mostly maternity shirts with my regular jeans (with a hair elastic through the button hole). And slippers. Always slippers.

Sleep: Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Aversions/Cravings: Not really, just hungry all the freaking time. Current faves: maple instant oatmeal, spanakopita (the frozen ones), stuffed-crust pizza (sigh), and pretzel M&Ms (again: sigh). Oh, and my prenatal vitamins - no kidding. I have the gummy ones, and they're soooo yummy. Ha.

Symptoms: I'm a walking radiator - overheated all the stinking time. Seriously, poor Alex...he's got to be sick of me asking, "Is it just me or is it HOT in here?" (Note to self: yes, it's just you.) Also, contractions continue, sometimes frequent enough to be a bit scary...but no dilation, so that's good.

I miss: Is this pathetic? I actually miss cleaning my bathroom.

I feel: SICK of bedrest but so, so grateful to be at 33 weeks. I honestly can't believe we've come so far from the first pre-term labor scare at 24 weeks. The Lord has been good.

Looking forward to: My 34-week OB appointment next week. We'll be doing an ultrasound to measure Baby and see how she's doing and how big she is, and I can't wait. ALSO, there's a good possibility that the doctor may modify my bedrest restrictions at that point (freedoooooom); I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up on that one, but can't help it, really.

More to come!

32 Weeks: Merry Christmas, Baby

Yep, that's this week's View from the Glider Chair. It's Christmas Eve, and all the gifts are wrapped and ready for...er, UNwrapping. But I've got my favorite/best gift already this year - I've made it to 32 weeks! I'm SO grateful that Baby Sylvia is still happily in utero and that NEXT Christmas will be her first one with us (outside the womb). In celebration...a long-overdue crappy self-pic (woo hoo):

 



I look overjoyed, huh? What can I say? Seven weeks on bedrest, and I'm feeling a little...blech.

 

Oh, some good news, though: I did the dreaded three-hour glucose tolerance test a few days ago (for the record, it sucked...100 grams of glucose on an empty stomach, with blood draws every hour for three hours, makes for some nasty nausea/dizziness/grossness) - and passed this time. So, no gestational diabetes. Whew!

 

Baby is the size of a: Squash (15-16 inches long and almost 4 pounds).

 



Development: She's working hard at getting fatter every day - should be gaining about a half pound every week at this point!

 

Movement: Never. Ever. Stops. Whew...this little gal is pushing, stretching, and shoving like nobody's business.

Weight gain: Another growth spurt - four pounds in the last two weeks! Yikes...it made the doctor happy, though. That means a total gain of 15 pounds so far. To be honest, it's kind of hard for me to see the numbers on the scale going up, but I know it's good for Baby, so I'm trying to go with it and not already be in "How long will it take me to lose this post-baby?" mode.

 

Maternity clothes: Same as usual - a mix, though a lot of my shirts aren't fitting anymore. Belly's getting biiiiig. (I don't think the picture above does it justice.)

Sleep: Still rotten. Boo.

Aversions/Cravings: The last couple of weeks, I've been hungry alllll the stinking time and am eating probably double what I should. Oy.

Symptoms: Pelvic pressure - I won't know for sure until my ultrasound in a couple of weeks, but I think she's finally flipped head-down. She's also pressing upward, against my ribs and lungs, and the result is a pretty out-of-breath mama.

By the way, two symptoms that I'm grateful to be lacking: no stretch marks as of yet (knock on wood), and my belly button, though suspiciously shallow these days, remains an "innie." Woo hoo.

I miss: Let's not even go there. I want soooo badly to be off bedrest and doing 1.6 bazillion different things (like puttering around decorating, cleaning, and cooking for Christmas Eve). But I have to hang tight for a few more weeks.

I feel: Still pretty "meh" most of the time. But, I admit, getting to spend time with my mother in law, sister in law, and stepson (and Alex, of course) this afternoon really made it better. Seeing my mom and brother this evening with make it even more better (mo' better). And lying here right now with dimmed lighting, Christmas tree lit, and the smell of spices and Crockpot cocktail sausages simmering...it's pretty nice...Christmas-y.

Looking forward to: Christmas Eve tonight with Mom and Adam tonight, and a quiet Christmas Day tomorrow with Alex.

Papi moment: I mentioned that Alex bought Sylvia a Christmas gift, right? Well, here's a picture:

Love it. Love her. Love him.

Merry Christmas, everyone!