Sickie

I am sick with my third cold this fall. This sucks. Last night it moved into my chest and I am offically miserable. I will call the nurse line this morning, but I doubt they will give me another zpac, making it three in three months. Is that a record? The joys of having a huge shower this weekend have fallen to the reality that being around 50 people during cold and flu season have left me a very germie girl.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Shower

Yesterday we had our first shower and it was overwhelming to be the center of attention and receive so many gifts from friends and family! We had about 45 women attend and it was a great time. My 15 year old sister was the shower planner and she was amazing...I am truely blessed to have her in my life and munchkin will have an awesome teenage aunt. The gifts overflowed the 6ft table and many were on the floor, so it took Tiff and I awhile to unwrap everything. Items include: Travel system of carseat and stroller, swing, bouncer, 2 handmade quilts, a fab wood stationary babygate, deluxe avent bottle set, Sony monitor, bumbo set with tray(I just love that cute plastic chair), day/night bottle warmer for the nursery, tons of toys, blankets, bibs, outfits, baby proofing items, bath products and cute infant tub, gift cards, money and the list goes on!!!! Again, overwhelming to get so many wonderful things and the generosity of people is amazing. It literally took 2 SUVs to get everything home! Munchkin is almost set!!!!

A family friend took pictures with her fancy camera, so once I get a disk, I will upload images. It was a great time and we were honored that so many people support and love us.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Name negotiations

We have hit a rut in our household and it happens to be something important... Munchkin's name. We simply cannot agree on a first name and everytime we start to talk about it, we grow frustrated and end up in a fight. It should be known that we rarely fight about anything, but this topic has become the hill that one of us will die on. A girl's name would have been easy, but it's the boy name that we have never seen eye to eye on.

I thought we had it decided to two names and would eventually (after meeting him) pick one. Today T sends me an email, what other names do you like? Oy vey. I thought we FINALLY narrowed the list to two! I want a nice traditional Irish name, but something common enough that it will be spelled correctly and pronounced correctly in the
Midwest. Both of us have feelings in our gut and they disagree with each other. What to do!?!?! How did you guys decide on a name and was there a struggle? I am too tired to start making lists again and I know what I like, but T has reservations. Oy vey.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Basketball Belly

Is it me or am I HUGE for 30 weeks? This is my belly shot taken this weekend at 30w2d--NOTICE HOW CLOSE THE DOORKNOB IS NOW!!!!

I feel like I need a disclaimer....Objects in picture are closer and bigger than they appear. I think I am much bigger than I am "supposed" to be for this stage, and I look more like 35-36 weeks pregnant than 30. Am I imagining things....be honest! I had my OB appointment last Thursday and all is well. I have gained a total of 20ish pounds since my ttc days and it appears it is all deposited right in front of me. Everything else checked out great and I am now on biweekly appointments! She had decided to schedule another diagnostic sonogram in a month (34w) to check his size...once again confirming that I am measuring ahead of schedule. I love it when I get my belly measured and immediately after she states, "yeah, we will go ahead and check out his size again..." It has now happened twice.

Things overall are going really well, although my biggest issue is lack of energy. I need many breaks and many snacks to get me through the day. Our baby shower is this Saturday, so this week is gearing up for the festivities. Tiff and I are making cookie favors for everyone to take home, so we have much baking (hundreds of cookies) to do this week! I am so excited to see many friends that we rarely see, and many people are coming from out of town to celebrate munchkin with us! We are so grateful to have such great people around us.

Pet woes and birthing class

We have been so busy this week with appointments for humans and animals. Our poor Jackson has had urinary issues for years and we have tried many meds, xrays, food, etc. The past month it has increased with him peeing on everything and with a baby coming into the house in a couple of months, I was starting to panic about hygene and the environment in out house. So, we took him to a cat specialist across state line to get some assistance. We literally spent 2 hours with the vet and I was throughly impressed with her services. Jack got xrays, his poor infected butt was cleaned and shaved, he was injected with antibotics, and injected with some liquid to dilute his highly acidic and irratating urine. We were also given 2 prescriptions to give at home and prescription food to help with his urinary track for 8 weeks. The xray showed bladder stones and the food will help to dissolve them. Our poor boy! Oh, and he had fleas. Did you know that flea treatments you buy at Pet stores and target are completely ineffective, untested and a waste of money? He is now on expensive Advantage but it will work, so what is money at this point. $650 later, he already seems to be feeling better and we have to take him back in 4 weeks for another xray. The things we do for our 4 legged kids.

Last night we had our first birthing class and it was long, but okay. The instructor is awesome, full of humor, resources and advice. The entire class, she used the term "partner" instead of dad or husband which made us, the token lesbians feel included! I was worried bc being in the Midwest, there are still mountains to climb in terms of inclusive language and experiences. But, she was great. One down, 4 to go. Last night was mainly technical information of the birthing process. Did you know that only 9-10% of women have their water break to signal the begninning of labor?

I am sad that the hospital has canceled all group tours of the maternity/birthing center bc of the H1N1 outbreak. So, we will have to wait until we register to get the lay of the land. Sad. They are also restricting children in the wing so I am glad my youngest sibling is 15, one year above the 14 yr cut off. This H1N1 outbreak is crazy around here and I am definitely glad I got my vac last week. This afternoon I have my 2 week checkup at the OB and my weekly chiropractic appointment. So much to do, so many places to go!

3D sonogram

Today we had our 3D sonogram and it was an awesome experience. It was just Tiff and I this time and we got to spend some quality time with munchkin. I am still amazed at the detail and technology that is available to us for $95!

The crazy thing is that I got really sick during the ultrasound, twice. The tech was great and said that it is very common that while laying on my back with pressure on the uterus, and additional pressure from the sono wand to lose circulation and bloodflow. I got really hot, nearly passed out and my vision got blurry! It was crazy. They tossed me on my side and Tiff said my face went stark white! Once I was on my side and got some ice water I was okay, but I still feel weird in the head. Overall, I am glad we got to see munchkin again and his heartbeat measured perfectly. I think he is pretty cute with chubby cheeks (already!), pouty lips and a button nose.

Vaccination

I passed my glucose test! I was so worried about this, that you have no idea, but we are fine. I also called today, as instructed by my OB, to find out about the H1N1 vac. They just got it in and I am one of the first patients in their office to receive it. I called at 9am and I was there with a shot in my arm at 11:30. Thankfully, my job is super flexible. I know some people are conflicted regarding the vaccination, but for me, it was a no brainer. I have a very low immune system (already have been sick twice in the past two months, needing antibiotics both times) and my OB was insistent. My step-mom is also an OB and basically demanded I get it. The chances of something bad happening without it outweigh any other complications or issues. And, it seems like people are dropping like flies in the Midwest from this flu strand, so I am being cautious.

Overall, I am feeling good, although my energy level has decreased dramatically in the past two weeks. The second trimester is definitely the honeymoon of pregnancy, so those of you currently in it, enjoy it! My crazy cleaning, nesting, preparing self is no more. Now I am dragging through work, go home to eat dinner and watch tv or read. And, I am exhausted. I can't imagine what I will be like in two months!

28 week belly shot

Hello Third Trimester! My OB appointment on Friday went well and it was fairly standard. I drink my glucose tonic, which wasn't too bad, although it did make me have some nausea. I got my blood drawn and should hear back on Monday or Tuesday if I passed! I gained 3-4 pounds this month which actually surprised me because I thought I gained more like 10 pounds by the amount I have grown in the last month, so that was a pleasant surprise. When the doc had me lay down for the Doppler, she had a bit of a hard time finding an exact reading since he was moving all over the place. At one point, she even said, "you little rascal" because he was jumping around. I think our little munchkin is going to be one spirited little boy.

After she finally got a reading, she measured my belly. Directly after writing in my file she says, "I think we will do another ultrasound in a month or so to gauge his weight again." If you recall, at our 20 week u/s, munchkin was a BIG boy measuring weeks ahead in weight. So, the fact that she is still aware that he is big and I am HUGE for my weekage, makes me think that he is still going to be a big boy and I am going to give birth to a turkey. :) I am also coming to terms that if he is really big, I will most likely have a c-section b/c I am a petite girl at 5'3 and giving birth to a big baby naturally will cause more pain and tearing than necessary. Oy vey. From my belly shot, I am carrying high and wide, now with little definition between my boobs and my belly. I am just one big belly.

Tomorrow is my 30th birthday and I already have my present; a healthy spirited boy inside a big, big belly. Oh, and seeing "Spring Awakening" last night was amazing and the perfect external gift!

Glucose

I am currently drinking my nasty orange flavored glucose beverage to get my blood drawn in an hour. I can't believe I am already at this point in my pregnancy. 28 weeks!!!!! When did that happen? I feel like I was just in my first trimester dealing with my hellish first 4 months. But we survived, munchkin and I. I finally know in my heart that he is okay and he sends me constant messages of kicks, punches and spins. The second trimester helped to love and understand the joy of pregnancy. Months ago I told Tiff that I couldn't go through this again...this weekend I took back that statement.

The glucose drink is now running through my system. Will I pass? I have had two fears prior to being pregnant. First, needing a c-section. Second, getting gestational diabetes. I have dealt with so much more than I antipicated so I can deal with this too.

Tomorrow we will take my 28 week belly shot before we will celebrate my 30th birthday (actually on Monday) by going to dinner and seeing Spring Awakening! I'm so excited to see this production and bought the tickets months ago for my own birthday present. Until my post tomorrow...have a great Friday!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Commission Painting

Recently I had the wonderful experience of working on a nursery commission for a fellow blogger, Sarah at An Offering of Love. She recently posted the painting in their updated post of nursery pics and I could not be more excited to have contributed to the beautiful room! Sarah contacted me via email after my posts of munchkin's painting, asking if I would be interested in working on something for their room. I jumped at the chance! She sent me images of the fabric (background floral pattern of the painting) and the bird mobile created by Olive, and asked me to design something. The result is below and we are both pleased with the final canvas. It was great fun and another perfect example of the connectivity of this community.

**UPDATE **Mulptiple people have commented about me working on something for their home/nursery's. If you are interested, please either comment or email me at jl_artgirl at hotmail dot com and we can discuss imagery, size and price. As a girl with an art degree, I am always looking for additional projects esp now that my current museum job is on shaking ground with a possible closing of the museum!

Ouch

Lately my stomach has been growing at an alarming rate, so much so that I feel like I can see myself and feel myself stretching. Does anyone else get a burning sensation with round ligament pain? There are times when my skin feels like it is under a flame and it makes me curse in shear madness. I rarely curse and 2 nights ago I dropped the f bomb as I bent over...I thought tiff was going to crack up laughing. I am applying oil and cocoa butter...is there anything else I should be doing?It hurts like a mo-fo... any advise would be grately appeciated! (I am going to be huge by the time I pop.)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

26 weeks

The past week was rough...I caught an awful cold that had me down for almost 5 days but after getting a prescription from my OB I am much better, although I still have a cough and runny nose. Ah, I love fall, but hate the sickness that it always brings me.

Other news is that my belly button is popping! It is crazy. I have always had a fairly deep innie, but that thing is shallow and nearing the surface. Tiff is fascinated with the changes and I find her frequently putting a finger in to check the depth. Munchkin is still growing (I assume) as I am getting bigger and bigger. Pregnancy is rough on the body and as someone who has always struggled with my weight and have been a yo-yo since childhood, it is maddening on the psyche. I know I need to gain weight, to get bigger and grow a healthy child, but we are so conditioned to control the girth that there are moments when I saddened by my new bod. I have already decided that in 2010 I will go back on Weight Watchers to get back to my pre-ttc weight which is already about 30 pounds from where I am now, and I see myself gaining quite a bit more in the next 3 months. In June when I was really sick and in-and-out of hospitals, I lost 13 pounds which has "helped" with my pregnancy weight and I am only 12-13 pounds more now than our last insemination. But that means I have already gained about 25 pounds during pregnancy. Oy.

I am still visiting the chiropractor and I highly recommend regular adjustments during pregnancy. My back, ribs and neck already feel quite a bit better and I will continue to go once a week until labor. Speaking of, I only have 14 weeks to go and I am now in double digits to the due date! When did that happen? Time is flying by and October is full of social events, my 30th birthday, a trip for Tiff and a big work event. We can't wait for him to make his appearance and just this morning Tiff said, "I just want to hold him" but he will be here before we know it and things will never be the same.

Sickie.

Being sick while pregnant completely sucks. I miss being about to chug nyquil to knock myself to sleep. But I got a zpac called in today, so I hope to feel better in a few days.

Plugging along.

Things have been pretty good this week. At the recommendation of my OB last Friday, I made an appointment with a chiropractor who is skilled in working with preggos and went yesterday for an adjustment. It was lovely. I used to go for regular adjustments, but since having OHSS and being pregnant, I have been timid, esp with my regular guy, who is slightly rough. But, yesterday was great and I plan on going once a week. Both the chiro and my OB said that women who stay adjusted during this time have easier labors and less back labor. Sign me up.

Thanks for all of your comments about my anxiety and munckin kicking. I had two bad nights of sleep where my anxiety was sky high because he wasn't moving much and I was so worried. But, yesterday he was so active that it made my anxiety disappear, at least for awhile. Tiff was talking to him last night with her face on my belly and he kicked her in the cheek. It was fab! Pregnancy is such a roller coaster of emotions, feelings, changes and surprises. As a side note, my belly seems to have popped again and I definitely look preggo. :)

24 weeks

On Friday, I turned 24 weeks (24 week belly shot!) and we had our monthly OB appointment. Overall it was a good appointment, although I had to schedule my glucose testing for next month. Boo. But, we got to hear munchkin's fabulous heartbeat, I got my standard flu shot and the measuring of the belly officially began. I also scheduled our 3D ultrasound to see Mr. Munchkin is crazy detail and although I am really excited to see him again next month, Tiff thinks the whole 3D pic thing is freaky, so she is a tad apprehensive. But, I would pay to see him every month if I could as it helps my anxiety to know that he is okay...so, it was never a question whether we would get it done.

Speaking of anxiety, mine seems to be peaking as he is kicking more. The times when he is completely still and I don't feel anything for hours makes me so nervous and I am so scared of rolling onto my back during sleep and cutting off circulation. I know it sounds crazy, and I try to sleep on my side as much as I can, but I find myself waking up in the middle of the night on my back and I panic that I have harmed him. Am I crazy? Reading all of those pregnancy books are a good and bad thing because I get things in my head (such as the weight of my uterus while laying down harming him!) and my anxiety, which is drug-free right now, skyrockets. So, I am doing my best, but pregnancy is both hard on the body and the mind.