Monday update

I found out last night I passed the diabetes test (meaning my blood sugar was very stable after drinking the sugar water) and my CBC showed that I'm slightly anemic.  I'll be taking my iron a little more regularly now so maybe my energy won't get sapped so quickly.

I found this sweater at the Gymboree store at the mall for 50% off.  Jake thinks it's a bad omen but I think it is so cute:

I'm on my fifth bottle of this stuff:

It helped with my itchy skin that started in the 2nd trimester.  Too bad it doesn't do crap for the stretch marks I'm collecting......

30 Weeks

Okay, week 30!  The countdown begins!  I was reading that the baby should be about 3 pounds at this point which freaks me out since it still has to double in size.  I better not double in size as well!  I feel maxed out already so these next two months are going to be very interesting.

Midwife appointments are now every two weeks and my next one is Tuesday.  I also have an ultrasound for the fetal heart blood flow scheduled that day as well.  I had my diabetes test last Friday which was 2 hours long and involved me drinking 75 grams of sugar water and 3 blood draws.  It better be negative because I don't want to be retested for that!  It was horrible and made me really grumpy.  Today we met with a doula that our friend Deborah is also using.  We decided to hire a doula because we won't have any family at the birth (you know, to be there for the birthing process but also for supporting Jake who's supporting me!) and the midwife services are very similar to that of an OB where they are not with me the whole time and will periodically check on me once in awhile to make sure things are progressing.  We should interview a few doulas to find the best fit for us, but we feel comfortable with Kari Lynn and honestly don't want to spend a whole lot of time interviewing people (here is Kari Lynn's website if you want to know more about her and what a doula does).  Jake starts teaching this week and I'm busy as usual so we're just going to go for it.  Otherwise I'm still feeling well and have a fair amount of energy.  My back really starts to hurt at the end of the day but I'm doing my stretches that I'm being taught in yoga class which is helping.  

I'll try to post some pictures soon since everyone's probably interested in seeing my progression over the next two months.  I already feel like something out of National Geographic so the photo documentation would just be a natural extension of that!

29 Weeks

(Oops, I wrote this but I guess I never published it!  That's my mushy preggo brain at its finest.)

Yes, I'm still here, but after our 10 day trip to MI and a massive to-do list when I got home, I've been feeling a bit too overwhelmed to write updates here.  Also, still going to work of course.  I feel like I need maternity leave now to get everything done that I want!  The first orders of business are to get the invites out for the next baby shower and finding a doula.  Both projects are in the works.  I'm also starting midwife appointments every two weeks now and Jake is starting classes next week.  Anyway, there's just a never ending list of things to do and I'm having a hard time staying focused which is driving me crazy.  I'm off to work now but I'll have some more updates later this week.

Thank you all in Michigan for the wonderful baby shower!  I didn't get any pictures myself but there are some good ones out there.  Hopefully I'll get my hands on them soon to post!

Week 26 Belly Update!

Week 26 - Third Trimester!

Well, the last stage is starting and of course I'm getting uncomfortable and the baby is kicking like crazy.  I can even see my belly poke out when there is a really strong kick!  Pumpkin is also extremely active at 6:00 AM.  It feels like there is a party in my uterus at that time!

The countdown starts with 14 more weeks of pregnancy and a maximum of 10 more weeks of work.  It's probably about 20 more days of work if I can make it that long.  I'm working tonight and tomorrow night (staying with a friend in San Jose) and we'll see how my upper back does.  It's hard standing in one place like when doing dishes, but feels better if I move around.  I also bought a lumbar support thingy which hopefully will help.  But, I also know that I'm just going to be uncomfortable for 3 more months.  I am worried about the plane ride to Michigan.  There are two layovers on the trip and that actually might be better than no layovers since I can get up and move around more.  It's just going to be a looooong trip taking all day to get there.  After Michigan I have my next midwife appointment and ultrasound.  We'll maybe talk about taking early disability at that time if I have a lot of trouble at work this week.

I have some more belly pics but they are on Amey's camera.  I'll post them later this week.  We had a potluck picnic yesterday which was so yummy and fun.  I made banana pudding pie and mango BBQ beans.  Everything that was brought by everyone was delicious!  We really stuffed our faces, but that's normal when Amey, Sophia, Nikki and I get together.

And construction should be done this upcoming week!  I will be sooo pleased when it is done.  I took a bath last night in the new tub and I'm loving the new bathroom.  It's going to be another hectic week, then we leave for Michigan on Saturday.  Looking forward to getting some construction free rest at home!

Week 25

It's been another miserable week because of the construction.  My friend Alexis let me sleep at her house for two days which was a life saver.  It will have been a month of work as of the end of this week and it looks like it's going to be spilling into next week as well.  2 weeks?  Ha!  Once the contractor is done we'll probably have to hire his assistant for a few more extra days to finish the painting.  He's already got paint on my jacket, computer and dresser, so I'm super excited about this.

Another bad part of the week is that the heartburn has REALLY started.  The firey pain comes and goes but it really is excruciating.  I'm still trying to figure out what helps it (mostly nothing) but my friend Deborah let me try her special chewable calcium (different than tums) this afternoon and I've been feeling much better since just taking it once.  I may have to invest in some of those!

Despite an over all crappy week, I actually had an excellent day.  I met Amey at the farmer's market where we ate a ton of fruit samples, started food planning for our potluck for this Saturday and chose a date for the Santa Cruz baby shower.  She then surprised me with a fig, anise and orange focaccia which is delicious!  She baked it to thank me for some TLC I've given various members of her family and though I was happy to do it, I do work for bread as well.  Don't tell my employer.  After a successful farmer's market trip I met Jake and Deborah at the hospital for our first baby sign language class.  We learned a lot of signs and sentences and I'm inspired to do the 6 week class when the baby is around 7 months old.  I guess that's almost a year from now, but it's good to start early!  There were also a ton of cute babies at the class and once in awhile when more than one was being noisy and fussy, we'd sing a song and they would be quiet afterward.  It was amazing!  The instructor really encouraged singing to children to help them learn and keep the calm.  I like that he said you don't have to be a good singer to benefit from this!  After class I went with Deborah to her apartment to try on hand me down maternity clothes from one of her friends.  I picked up a few items which should help me get through the next few months.  We then went out for an amazing dinner using a Groupon she had so it was super cheap as well.  We stuffed our pregnant selves then when I came home I ate Amey's bread.  My belly is so tight and full right now!  My friends saved the day for me.  I'm so thankful for them.

The weekend should be fun as well since we have a dinner at a friend's house on Friday night and then a potluck with Amey and the gals on Saturday afternoon.  Yay gluttony!  I then work on Sunday and Monday (will have to find sleeping arrangements again), have a class on Wednesday then Saturday we're heading to Michigan.  Can't wait to get out of town and have my first baby shower!

24 Weeks

I've had almost a week off since the last time I worked and feel like I'm still recovering!  I stayed in a hotel for three days while I was on three night shifts in a row because of the (what seems like never ending) home remodel project.  I've been in a near coma state from Wednesday until Sunday.  I. Could. Not. Stop. Sleeping.  I was starting to worry about muscle atrophy!  My toes, feet, ankles, and calves have been very achy and nothing seems to help (except temporary relief when Jake chooses to rub them!).  I feel better today and had a 30 minute walk yesterday and a 30 minute swim today.  Much improved compared to 5 days ago.  I even plan on going to pre-natal yoga class tomorrow.

Construction was supposed to wrap up at the end of last week but they are definitely not close to done yet. I am so tired of having people around all the time and not being able to nap when I want to.  I still have to come up with a plan for this week when I start work again on Wednesday night (a neighbor might be helping me out).  I'm also so sick of using a non-working bathroom sink constantly.  For those of you who have been to our house, you know which one that is!  I just love having my toothpaste spit slowly circle the drain for 30 minutes.  Plus a see through bathroom and shower makes for limited personal hygiene time when contractors are there.  This all wouldn't be so bad if our bathroom was normal, had a door and wasn't in the living room.

Jake and I went to the 24 week appointment with the midwife today and left with a clean bill of health.  She contributes my tiredness and achy legs to my job, not to any medical problems.  I did have a weird vision thing 2 weekends ago where my eyes took a couple hours to focus in the morning.  That has since resolved and I'm no longer scared that it signifies preeclampsia.  I told her about that and it's a wait and see kind of problem since I no longer have the vision problem or any other symptoms of preeclampsia.  She also said that I'm not gaining too much weight and thinks I'll gain about 20-25 pounds total.  I just can't imagine being over 150, but I'm getting pretty close already.  Jake spilled the beans about how many sweets I bake so she suggested I cut back on that.  (But I love them!)  Also, she predicts that I'll take a 6 week leave before the due date instead of a 4 week leave because of my job.  She said that in her experience nurses and strawberry pickers and the two professions that she has no problem advocating for early maternity leave because of the demanding physical nature of these jobs.  No plans to go early at this point since I feel fine, but again, we'll see when the time comes.

Last night Jake and I went to a play at Shakespeare Santa Cruz.  However, we didn't see a Shakespeare! Due to several factors, we ended up seeing the non-Shakespeare play which was the Three Musketeers.  I love the outdoor theater, the picnicking, and the production, but the script was not the best adaptation.  Oh well, at least I got to make a bunch of yummy food to snack on!

 
I made an almost perfect potato salad (on top), a pan-roasted corn and tomato salad with coconut bacon (on the right) and a white bean, olive and artichoke salad (on the left).  We also had some sparkling wine (well, just an ounce for me), cajun almonds and some cookie bars.  Oh and by tradition we bought hot chocolate at intermission.  Yummz!  Shakespeare Santa Cruz is something I look forward to every summer.  I just wish they had a better play line-up this year, especially since it's their 30th anniversary summer.  Henry IV does just not appeal to me and the comedy they choose isn't even in the outdoor theater which is half the magic of the productions.  Hopefully next year they'll have something awesome!