Kicking My Ribs

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Okay I suddenly know what people are talking about when they say the baby got a foot under their ribs or kicked them in the ribs. I really thought people were exaggerating until now. Seriously.

But I was laying on the couch this morning at work, watching a movie (yeah I have a rough job, don’t I?) and her foot was jabbing me up underneath the right side of my ribs. Not comfortable. And I couldn’t get her to relocate.

I guess she might be stubborn like her mommy and daddy. Uh oh.

33 Week Belly Pictures

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Pregnancy | 5 Comments

So I look a little rough in these pictures, to say the least! Lack of sleep, not styling my hair… I *know* I don’t look this bad all the time, but of course I finally remembered to have my picture taken on an ucky day. Anyway, here’s the bump at 33 weeks 1 day.

33 Weeks and In-Law Drama

Filed Under Family, Pregnancy, Week by Week | 4 Comments

According to Babycenter’s weekly email:

“This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 17.2 inches from the top of his head to his heels. Thanks to his recent weight gain, he’s losing that wrinkled alien look. Most of your baby’s bones are hardening now, but his skull is still quite pliable. It’s actually in separate pieces with spaces in between. This flexible structure allows your baby’s head to compress so it can fit through your relatively narrow birth canal. The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance. This is totally harmless, normal, and temporary. Your baby’s head will quickly take on a more rounded appearance, but his skull plates won’t completely fuse until he’s about 9 to 18 months old.”

Wow… getting closer- and more frequent panic attacks too! I realized that this week in my pregnancy is the week that Mae had her baby- and next week is the week that my friend Rachel had her baby!

Yesterday we succeeded in hanging the curtains and also hanging the comforter on the wall in the nursery. Hopefully today we will get the letters hung above her bed and I can take some pictures to show off Also I realized that I haven’t taken any belly pictures lately so I need to remember to do that soon.

Have I mentioned that my in-laws make me completely nuts? This could be a whole separate post if I went into it- but I will just make it brief and state that they called yesterday to see whether we wanted them to come in town BEFORE the delivery or if we were going to call them on their way to the hospital. Um, neither!!! We already discussed this and told them we didn’t want them to come for at least a week after we came home. My parents are in town but they aren’t coming to stay with us either. It’s nothing personal (well except for the fact that they drive me crazy) but we just want that time alone with our baby. If we need help we can always call my mom or grandma. They are both less than ten minutes away. Also, my FIL sent me another of his annoying emails with “suggestions” wanting to know why we chose to spell Bailey that way, because “it’s really more of a surname” and he gave us a list of about fifteen more “feminine” spellings to look at.

My question for him: Why the hell did you spell Jonathon the way you did? As opposed to the more common JonathAn way. Haven’t you realized that everyone spells it wrong because it’s not the normal way? And why is Geoffrey with a G? I don’t ask them questions about the spellings of their kids names!

He has “suggested” Bailee, Baillee, Baylee, Baileigh, Bayley, Bailie, Baylie, and all sorts of variations of those. yeah, we just want her to be able to say, “My name is Bailey” and for people to assume it’s spelled the NORMAL way.

Okay I need to quit complaining about them before I get myself all worked up again.

Weekend Goals

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I need to do these things:

On Saturday we are going to T@rget to exchange these hooks I bought to hang towels on- that I later realized we don’t need- and to get the sticky things to hang BAILEY on the wall- which I forgot to get when I bought the letters. Scatterbrain!

While at T@rget I think we are going to check on our baby registry and maybe update it, since our two showers are coming up in the next three weeks!!! WOW!

Then we need to actually hang the letters on her wall (above the crib) and also hang the curtains- which we have been saying we will do for at least a week now- and try to hang the comforter on the wall but we’ll see how that goes.

I think that’s all we can do in the nursery at this point until we have more of her STUFF, and I don’t want to wash all the clothes yet, so we’ll be at a standstill after that.

I also want to reorganize our nightstand drawers.

Need to take some pictures of- and list- about a million computer parts to be sold on Craigslist.

Maybe sweep out the garage, but that’s negotiable or it might be assigned to Jonathon. Although he doesn’t care about the garage… he thinks it’s supposed to be messy because “it’s a place to work,” according to him. But it drives me crazy!

** Please check on me sometime this weekend and ask how far I’ve gotten with these things that need to be done! Right now I’m tired, but hopefully tomorrow I will feel more motivated!

OB Appointment and Work Update

Filed Under Nanny Job, Pregnancy | 1 Comment

The good news is that I am now off work until Friday- they told me to take the day off again today because grandparents are still in town, and I don’t work Thursdays anyway, so I am really having a nice long break I am trying to find a good combination of relaxing and getting some work done on the nursery- but I tried to buy some hangers the other day and Target only had them in red, white and blue so that’s not going to work.

I had my 32-week (wow, almost 33-week!) OB appointment this morning. My friend Faith was off work this morning, so she went with me and then we went out to lunch. The doctor was running pretty far behind (well, like a half hour, but there’s usually not a wait). She had a delivery this morning at the hospital and she got back right in time for my appt but of course by then she had people backed up waiting.

Nothing new and exciting at the appointment. I guess my pee was okay because they didn’t mention it. This is gross but I have been trying to drink more water espcially before my appointments so that my pee doesn’t look yellow in the cup, because they commented on it once. Got weighed and once again didn’t look at the scale. Blood pressure- once again just a little bit higher than last week. Only the top number, and Alison’s mom (who is a pediatrician) says that’s fine and if the bottom number’s not going up then it could just be from nerves or stress or whatever.

Doctor was in a hurry since she was behind. Baby’s heartrate was in the 150s, so that was fine, and I guess I was measuring okay because she didn’t mention it. She checked my still swollen and yucky ankles. Then she asked me like always if the baby was moving okay. I admitted that I hadn’t really felt her yet today (this was a morning appointment though and I had gotten up just in time to go) so she told me about doing kick counts: She said I should lay down if I haven’t felt the baby move that day, and I should get ten kicks within two hours. If not then I need to call.

So of course she said she’s not worried and it’s just a way for me to check, but of course it made me a little paranoid. I tried it when I got home and got ten movements within about 25 minutes. Baby’s fine Doctor K also said it counts if I poke at the baby and she moves because of something I do- that a sick baby won’t move regardless– so that makes me not worry as much because I can always find one of her body parts to press and then she’ll move.

Anyway that’s about it. Tomorrow I have plans to go shopping with my mom and try to find some nursing pajamas since the last time I shopped for them was completely unsuccessful. Also we are going to try to buy the letters to spell out BAILEY on her wall above her crib.

Just One More Day

Filed Under Nanny Job, Nursery, Sleep | 1 Comment

Until I go back to work

I was actually supposed to go back today (Alison’s parents have been in Cancun so her grandparents are in town) but the mom called me last night to tell me Grandma and Grandpa were staying another day.

Good thing I didn’t have to work today, because once again, I couldn’t sleep. I fell asleep sometime after 3. This has become a regular thing with me. And I don’t sleep late during the day or nap, either- it’s not like I am screwing up my sleep schedule. My body just won’t go to sleep. I think part of the problem is that my mind won’t quit working.

Today I took my grandma out to lunch at Culver’s (well, actually she took me out, but I drove us there) and then we went to Target. I started frantically stocking up on things like baby wipes, lotion, breast milk storage bags, and all sorts of cleaning supplies for my crazy nesting cleaning frenzy that still happens from time to time. I have started getting more concerned about having things ready.

After my baby showers, I want to finish washing (at least some) of the clothes and get them hung in the closet. I need to hang the pictures and butterflies and letters for her name on the wall. Well, I need to buy some of that stuff still before I can do that. And I ironed the curtains this week so Jonathon and I are going to hang them one of these evenings.

Tomorrow I have my 32-week OB appointment! Time is flying by!

Shower Invitations

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My first baby shower is on March 3rd. The invitations were sent out last week- okay, normally shower invitations really aren’t that big of a deal, but I thought these were super cute. My friends Cara and Faith are having the shower for me. Instead of receiving a regular envelope in the mail, a big manila envelope came. Here’s what was inside:

The pictures don’t really do it justice- also I had already opened the bottle before I took the picture and it just wasn’t the same after that. The actual invitation itself was rolled up inside and tied with a ribbon. It had the date of the shower/name of the restaurant/baby’s name/where we are registered just like a normal invitation, but I thought this was a fun way to send it out. Then there was a note at the bottom saying to bring the baby bottle to the shower for me! And they aren’t just random bottles, they are the ones we’re registered for.

32 Weeks and Some Thoughts About the Birth

Filed Under Birth, Family, Pregnancy, Symptoms, Week by Week | Leave a Comment

Information according to Babycenter (italics are me talking):

How your baby’s growing: By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. She has tiny toenails now, and her fingernails have grown in, too. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz.

How your life’s changing:
Your blood volume (the plasma plus red blood cells) is now about 40 to 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant to accommodate the needs of you and your baby. (This extra amount also helps make up for any blood you’ll lose when giving birth.) You’re also gaining a pound a week now, yikes! and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and adding pressure on your abdomen, you may be dealing with heartburn more often or feeling a little short of breath. Yeah, heartburn has become pretty much a constant thing in the evenings. I am keeping Tums on my nightstand- out of the bottle and ready to go so I can grab them anytime!

To help with shortness of breath, try eating smaller quantities more often (rather than three daily feasts) and sleeping propped up. Those smaller meals should help with the heartburn, too. Smaller meals seem to be mandatory now. If I eat too much, I am horribly uncomfortable.

As your baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in your growing belly causes a change in your posture and a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are making your ligaments more lax, and your growing uterus may even press on some nerves. All of this can contribute to low back pain and possibly to some pain in your buttocks and thighs as well. Let your caregiver know if you have severe pain or feel numbness or tingling in your legs.

Decision Guide: Who should be in the labor room with you?

Childbirth is an intensely personal experience, as is your decision whether to have additional family members, friends, or labor coaches in the birthing room with you. Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your guest list:

• Labor and delivery nurses come and go according to their shifts, so if you’d like to be attended continuously by one person, a private labor coach or doula is a good option. I briefly thought about getting a doula. There is a mom, Vicki, in the playgroup that I’m in with Alison. She just finished her training or whatever to be a doula. But then I also think that might be more for people interested in natural childbirth, which I’m not- AT ALL! We are planning to get an epidural, but first I’m going to see how long I can go without. Just because I don’t want it to slow down the labor too much… but if it starts sucking really bad, I’m not holding out!

• Some husbands or partners may be confused about their role in the birth or reluctant to participate if others are present. If you bring outside relatives or coaches in, make sure your partner is on board with the plan.

• You may be under pressure from mothers or mothers-in-law who are eager to be in the delivery room for the birth of their grandchild — regardless of your wishes to keep the experience private. If you want to be alone with your partner, don’t be afraid to enlist hospital staff for support in carrying out your wishes and keeping relatives out of the delivery room. We are planning on not having anyone (other than hospital staff of course) in with us. No moms or dads or friends. Except: I am reserving the right to call my mom into the room in case of emergency. Emergency being extreme panic on my part. For some reason she can calm me down better than anyone else. Jonathon knows this, and knows that it is a possibility for her to come in at some point. But not stay. I imagine my parents coming to the hospital sometime during the labor/delivery so that they can see Bailey fairly soon after she’s born. Once she’s clean and we have a little time with her, then I want the grandparents to come in. Well, not Jonathon’s parents. Hopefully they will still be in Oklahoma at this point. I don’t want them to even come in town until we’ve been home from the hospital for a week or so. And even then, they’re not staying at our house. They already know this, and I am sticking to it.

Reading Material, Please

Filed Under Random | 6 Comments

Wow. I have been crabby and more inclined to stay at home lately. Can’t sleep for a variety of reasons, and I have found that taking baths in the evenings helps me to get more comfortable and also to calm my crazy hormones. (If you have been victimized by my hormones lately- I swear it’s not really me!)

So this leaves me with a lot more time to read. I love reading. Big nerd when it comes to reading… but I would like some suggestions for books- preferably something that can be found at the library! I have been stuck in a rut of reading James Patterson, Mary Higgins Clark, and a few others lately- same authors and style over and over again- and would like something new. But that might give you an idea of what I’m into. I like mysteries and thrillers- NO SCI FI- romance is great but not totally trashy and void of a storyline. It has to be more story than sex. Non-fiction if it is a biography about someone interesting or a look at relevant social issues/child stuff.

Anyway, I would love to get ideas of books from other people to hopefully make a list to take to the library with me this weekend and expand my horizons a bit. What have you read lately that you would recommend?

In turn, I will share a recommendation with you: My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. I read it in a night. Keep kleenexes nearby.

Last Child-free Valentine’s Day

Filed Under Holidays, Pregnancy, Sleep | 4 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day! Any big plans today? We celebrated on Saturday, so today I think I am just going to get Jonathon some candy and I’m sure he’ll get me flowers. (Honey, if you’re reading this, I’m SURE you’ll get me flowers- and not roses- right??) That’s my not-so-subtle reminder, which he probably doesn’t even need Then, something really exciting: We are going over to my parents house to eat pizza and play cards with my parents and grandparents. Can we say old married couple? Wow. And to think this is our last Valentine’s Day without kids… but we never were really into this holiday to begin with, so I don’t really care.

I’m also pretty tired today, which adds to my not caring about anything. I’ve already taken a nap at work, and it’s only 10:30 a.m. I had a horrible time getting to sleep last night- I am really congested and on top of that for some reason I had horrible indigestion. I didn’t eat anything weird- we had French Toast for dinner- so I don’t know what it was from. I got up in the middle of the night and took a bath because I needed to sit up for a while and couldn’t sleep anyway. I used to hate the chalkiness of Tums and I have noticed that now I appreciate them so much and look forward to taking them!

Grumpy Grump

Filed Under Nanny Job, Thoughts | 2 Comments

Ooooh am I ever in a bad mood today. I am at work and hating it. The family I nanny for- the mom is a pediatrician but her practice is a little further northwest, where the storm is worse, so I am hoping they will close early and she will come home. As for the dad? He works for about the only public school district in the free world that wasn’t called off today. Grrrr

Jonathon is at home, enjoying his snow day. Why? Because the people who run the school where he works aren’t complete flipping idiots.

Also: I should note that I am NOT in the category of people who enjoy snow. It’s great for kids, or if you don’t have to go anywhere. I hate driving in it and I hate scraping it off my car and shoveling it. Also, it looks disgusting once people walk in it or drive through it. I hate how it just lingers and gets nastier as the days go by.

I think my hormones are taking over lately and just making me completely psychotic. I go from being crazy bitch to having complete breakdowns. Oh yes, I already had one at 6:30 this morning. Today is off to a good start.

Friend or Foe

Filed Under Food, Symptoms | 3 Comments

Remember that game show with Kennedy on it? That’s kind of how I’m feeling about food lately. I can’t decide whether to love it or hate it. Do I do what I want and be selfish, or do I try to think about the future? (The future of my stomach, that is…)

Friday night I went to TGI Frid@y’s with my friend Faith. I really didn’t eat that much. I got potato skins for my whole meal, and I gave her one or two of them. I had a brownie/ice cream dessert thing and didn’t finish it because I was feeling stuffed. Not pleasantly stuffed. Sickeningly stuffed. So I get home that night and have some sort of reflux thing going on for a while. Went straight to bed but couldn’t really sleep. Drifted off and woke up to… drumroll…. me puking in bed because I couldn’t move my fat stomach over the pillows and get to the bathroom in time. Not a pleasant experience. I won’t go into any more details except to say that it was very gross and also very humbling considering that Jonathon was maybe two feet away.

Then on Saturday, we had reservations at The Melting P*t to celebrate V-day a little bit early. Our favorite restaurant, and also one where it is very easy to overeat. I was determined to eat sooooo slowly after my experience the night before. It went fine. I felt okay, and everything stayed down. And I’m sure I ate more during that meal than I did at Friday’s.

Sunday wasn’t anything exciting, food-wise. Last night I was good and had a chicken caesar salad and baked potato at home. Today for lunch, I went to a pizza buffet with Alison and a friend and her kids. Overate again. I am not used to this smaller stomach thing. It’s like my body wants more food and is hungry, but it just won’t fit.

Now I feel like I don’t ever want to eat again. ANyone else having/had this same issue with third trimester and food?

New Belly Pictures

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Pregnancy | 2 Comments

Here are the most recent pictures- Jonathon took them one night this week, so at about 30.5 weeks. He was at kind of a weird angle so the belly view isn’t the best this time.

First Jean Jacket

Filed Under Clothes | 2 Comments

Bailey is now the proud owner of a denim jacket. She needs to hurry up and come out so she can start wearing her clothes. I told Jonathon the other day- she needs to puke a minimum of five times a day so she gets a chance to wear everything! My mom has sworn she is not going to buy her any more clothes until after my showers. I’m not either. But isn’t this cute? How can you pass up stuff like this?

Completely Educated?

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We have now finished our six-week series of childbirth classes. I actually didn’t want to take them this early, but the next cycle of classes didn’t end until our due date and the doctor said that was too late. The last class was tonight, and it wasn’t about the birth at all. It was all about bringing home and caring for baby.

The teacher talked a lot about breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and formula. We practiced burping baby dolls, changing their clothes and diapers, and bathing them. We did swaddling. We discussed umbilical cord care and circumcisions- yes, I am very thankful at this point that we are having a girl! We also talked about sleeping, when to call the doctor, and stuff like that. A lot of it seemed kind of basic, but I think a lot of people in the class were totally new to that stuff.

Jonathon was really cute with the baby doll. Of course he would be embarassed that I said that! He was very careful with her and practiced swaddling her again while the teacher was talking. I loved watching him even just with the doll, because it makes me see how gentle and sweet he is going to be with Bailey.