Less Not Good

Eight days until our due date. I had myself so convinced that this baby would be coming early that it’s been hard for me to adjust to the fact that he doesn’t seem that keen on the idea. At my doctor’s appointment last Thursday, I hadn’t made any progress from the week before - I’m still at 1 cm. It doesn’t mean anything but it feels to me like he’s pretty darn comfy in there and not too interested in  life on the outside.

Also at my doctor’s appointment my blood pressure was high (again) so she asked me to come back in today to have it checked again. When we went in today, the nurse informed me that whereas my blood pressure was “not good” on Thursday it was “less not good” today so she sent us home with the instruction to take it easy. I’m taking that as a sign to stop working. I had already planned on having tomorrow be my last day at work but now I’m going to make it my last couple of hours. I’ll go in, set up my voicemail for my time off, send a few e-mails and then get the heck out of there. I’m so looking forward to some time off before Oliver comes. I trained my replacement a few weeks ago and she’s basically been doing my job since then so I’ve felt pretty redundant for awhile. My brain checked out weeks ago. I’ll be off until the end of May but will have to start working from home in the last couple of weeks of May since I have appointments to buy the fall season beginning the first week of June.

Brian and I had a great weekend. On Saturday we took Deonne and Laurie and my mom’s advice and spent the day doing a bunch of things we wouldn’t have the time or energy to do after Oliver is born. We went out for breakfast at Dan’s (which we will keep doing after the baby is born since I got to get my biscuits on Saturday mornings), went to a movie (it was the first movie I had seen in the theater since the night I found out I was pregnant), took Coltrane to run and swim at Red Bud Isle and then went out for a date at El Chile (where I ate a ton of really good food). 

On Sunday we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, read the paper, watched some golf and I scrubbed the bathrooms (with a toothbrush... don’t ask). In the afternoon we headed over to Laurie and Robin’s to hang out with them and Lydia. I needed a baby fix. I’m so glad that Laurie and I will be on maternity leave at the same time. It’ll be great to have someone with a new baby to spend time with if/when I start to get overwhelmed or just desperate for some adult conversation! 

Waiting Game...

Anyone who has known me for more than a few minutes, knows I’m not the most patient person in the world so these last few weeks of the pregnancy have been a particularly trying time for me. The nursery is set up, the house is ready, the clothes are washed, etc.... the only thing missing is a baby. We are exactly two weeks away from our due date but I’m ready for him to come now! (I won’t even mention how ready I am to have my body to myself again).  And, judging by the number of phone calls and e-mails we’ve been getting lately, we’re not the only ones who can’t wait for him to show up. I’m trying to just accept that there is nothing that I can do to hurry him up - he’ll come when he’s ready and not before. 

We’ve been trying to keep busy to keep our minds off the waiting. We had (yet another) doctor’s appointment last Thursday. She checked me and said I was 1 cm dilated although I think she told me that just to make me feel better. She did manage to poke Oliver in the head while she was examining me which means he’s dropped into position. I’ve definitely noticed that my belly is lower and that his kicks are in different places. He seems pretty squished at this point so keeps sticking his butt out and kicking me with one foot over and over again in the same place... it’s getting a little old.

On Friday night we had dinner at Laurie, Robin, and Lydia’s house with their friends, Aaron and Jessica, and their six-month old son, Aidan (who is so adorable). Jessica and Laurie shared their birth stories with me which was awesome. Both of them had nine-pound babies and went completely drug-free. It was really inspirational to hear their stories as I’m hoping to make it through labor without drugs or other interventions as well. Plus, it’s great to have women who will tell me all about the postpartum recovery process so that I know what to expect. Laurie has said that I’m welcome to come over and hang out with Lydia whenever I need a “baby fix” and I’m so grateful for that.

The contractor came back today and put in the doors and last window so the house is officially done. Everything’s crossed off the to-do list ... now, we wait (and wait and wait).

Full Term!

As of today, Oliver is officially full term! Although he might benefit from some more time in the womb, he would not be considered premature if he were born at any point after today. It feels like a huge milestone. I’m ready for him to come out so would appreciate it if you all will send some labor vibes my way. I think this week might be a bit early but any time after next Tuesday he’s welcome to make his appearance.

We went over to Laurie and Robin’s house this evening and met their daughter, Lydia. She is five days old and beautiful! She is so alert and makes the best faces. Mom, Dad and baby are all doing great. It was so nice  (and only slightly nerve-wracking) to get to hold a brand new baby. The last brand new baby I held is now in middle school so it has definitely been awhile. It was so amazing to hold Lydia and feel her squirming on the outside while Oliver was squirming inside. Oliver gave her a few nudges while she was resting on my belly and Lydia tried to kick him back a couple of times. I can’t wait until they can meet each other properly (that is, without kicking each other). 

Week 36

I can’t believe there are only three and a half weeks until our due date.  I just hope the weeks that are left go by more quickly than this week which seemed to drag on and on.  I’m still feeling sick but I’m pretty sure I’m over the worst of my cold.  The doctor said there was a pretty nasty cold bug going around and that it was not unusual for it to take more than two weeks to get over it.  I’m pushing the two week mark and really ready to feel better.  Luckily, during the time I’ve been sick with this cold most of the discomforts of being eight and a half months pregnant have left me alone - no backaches, no swollen ankles, etc.  It’s as though my body knows I can only deal with one or the other at one time.

I’m extremely motivated to get over this cold now, though, because our good friends, Robin and Laurie, welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Lydia Cecille on Thursday morning (her due date!).  I can’t wait to meet Lydia once they have all had a chance to get settled in and I don’t want to pass up any opportunity because I’m still struggling with this cold.  You can check out pictures of Lydia on Robin and Laurie’s blog.  It’s been great to have another expecting couple to hang out with during this pregnancy and it will be awesome to have friends that are also new parents after Oliver is born.

Yesterday we went to the doctor for an ultrasound and our 36 week appointment.  The ultrasound went really well.  Oliver is head down (woo-hoo!) and measuring right at seven pounds right now.  The ultrasound tech said that at this rate he will be in the 8 pound range if he comes at 40 weeks.  Not a tiny baby but not a huge one either.  That’s about the size I was expecting since I was eight pounds, nine ounces when I was born.  All of his measurements are looking good.  They said he’s measuring a little ahead of his estimated gestational age so I’m hoping that supports my long-held theory that he’ll be making an early appearance.  I hope so.  I don’t think I could stand it if he were late.

The doctor’s appointment also went well although there were a few road bumps.  Turns out I lost a couple of pounds in the last two weeks (probably because of being sick).  The doctor says it’s nothing to worry about but it is sort of the opposite of what we’re going for.  My blood pressure was also a little high at the beginning of the appointment.  But they checked it again before I left and it was lower and closer to my normal range.  Guess I was just a little nervous about the weight loss when they took it the first time.  The doctor checked me and at this point I am not dilated at all which was a bit of a disappointment but doesn’t really mean anything.  

On Tuesday I will be at 37 weeks and Oliver will be officially full term.  Here’s hoping he decides to come meet everyone sooner rather than later!

Sick and Pregnant.... No Fun

It’s one week later, and I’m still not fully recovered from this cold.  I started to feel better in the middle of the week so I went to work on Wednesday and Thursday.  I woke up on Friday morning and realized I had probably pushed it a bit by going back to work.  I felt worse than I had all week so I stayed home once again.  Being sick and pregnant is no fun.  Even without being sick, I have been feeling pretty worn out lately just from the work of carrying so much extra weight around.  Combine that with a hacking cough, not getting enough sleep and a total lack of appetite and you have one grumpy pregnant lady.  I have a pretty light work schedule this next week, though, so that should help me recover.  

I’m definitely getting to the point where I’m ready to start my maternity leave and stay at home.  I’ve been nesting something fierce this week while I’ve been sick.  I’ve washed all of Oliver’s clothes and bedding and folded and refolded them about a billion times.  I’ve put everything in its place in the nursery and made about a hundred mental lists of all the things we still need to purchase to be ready for his arrival.  I’m getting pretty impatient with the waiting.  Four weeks seems like an eternity.  I just keep hoping he’ll be a little early... not dangerous early, just a few weeks so that I don’t have to keep waiting for much longer.

We got the crib for the nursery this week and set it up on Wednesday night.  It looks awesome and I’ll post some pictures of it once we get the bedding on it and the mobile and the sign I ordered for above it.  All of those things should be done by the end of next week and then all the decorating for the nursery will be done.  The nursery has become my favorite room in the house - I spend a ton of time there, reading and rocking in my glider.    

This week will be a busy one on the baby front.  I’m meeting a pediatrician tomorrow so that we can hopefully cross that off of our to-do list.  The hospital won’t discharge the baby until he’s under the care of a pediatrician, so that’s a huge priority before he arrives.  On Tuesday we’re taking a child care class at the hospital where we’ll deliver.  And then on Friday we have an ultrasound to see if Oliver is head down and how big he is at this point.  I’m really looking forward to finally figuring out whether this is an elbow or knee or what that keeps sticking straight out of the side of my belly.  At this point we start going to the doctor every week.  I’m hoping that having to schlep to the doctor’s office once a week will make the last four weeks feel like they’re going by quickly... We’ll see.

Week 34

Last week was a busy but productive and fun one.  We had the contractor here Tuesday through Friday working on laying the floors and installing the windows.  The doors didn’t arrive last week so they will get installed at a later date.  The house looks great now that all the work is done but it was a bit stressful living in a construction zone.  I lost my keys on Wednesday and finally found them in the garbage can outside (luckily before the trash was picked up on Thursday morning).  My brain was as cluttered as the house all week. 

This weekend was a blast.  Mom and Richard came up Friday night with a car full of all the baby things we’ve been storing at their house - clothes, a swing, the changing pad, etc.  On Friday night we moved the dresser into the nursery and unpacked all the clothes.  Mom and I found the dresser at Fredericksburg Trade Days back in October and it’s so great to finally see it in the room.  It was a great deal and adds so much storage to the room.  Plus, it’s got the clean mid-century modern look that Brian and I love.  It was so much fun to unpack all the baby clothes and imagine dressing Oliver in them in just a few short weeks.  We are still waiting for the crib to arrive.  Once it gets here and we get it all set up I will really feel like that room is a nursery.  I can’t wait to post the final “after” pics.

On Saturday we all went to our BookPeople baby shower.  Meghan hosted it at her house (which has become baby shower central) and was, once again, “the hostess with the mostest.”  The food was awesome and I had such a good time visiting with everyone.  I am so grateful to Meghan for all the work she did and to her husband, Samir, for grilling for us and for putting up with everyone invading their home.  We got a lot of really cute things and I had fun on Sunday playing with them and setting them up in the nursery.  

Unfortunately,  I started to get sick on Sunday so I spent today trying to get over a cold.  I’m hoping to feel better tomorrow so that I can go back to work.  I’ve got so much to take are of before I go on maternity leave and I really need to get started on that particular to-do list.  I’m hoping the next five weeks fly by ... I’m getting tired of being pregnant and anxious to finally meet our little boy.

Deonne

Will asked me if we have a Contine website and he wants to know how he can get one.  I told him we are not as tech savy as his aunt & uncle so he will have to be happy with looking at yours.  We have a bunch of stuff for Oliver but I haven't sent it yet.  I am trying to find two special things that you guys gave Will to give back to you for Oliver.  One is a Longhorn onesie and the other is the Spurs uniform.  I know I kept them but I cannot remember where they are - I have a feeling in the messy garage somewhere.  Will just asked me how do fish sticks swim when they are alive.  I better go so I can figure out how to explain that.  Oh, and the nursery looks great.  Will likes the dots.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - 09:09 PM