Monday, March 29, 2010

3 Weeks -Blah

Ok so picture uploading isn't working for me today. That's ok because I didn't really have an inspired picture to post anyhow...so there. Uninspired seems to be my theme of the week anyway so it kind of ironically works out well.

With three weeks and 19 days to go there isn't really much to do other than sit around and wait. The kids are on spring break this week and so am I. Luckily my awesome hubbie got the week off so that he can get the kids out of the house and keep them entertained. I'd go along with them but since I haven't found a way to drag a portapottie with me everywhere I go and I feel as if I'm carrying a watermelon between my legs when I walk I've decided to just sit at home and take it easy.

Man it's boring.

I only have a couple more things to do as far as online class schoolwork and I'm saving that for when I get really really bored this week. Which will be happening any minute now. Even playing video games is getting taxing. I rented the new Final Fantasy, but after a couple hours of playing my hands seem to get swollen, and my feet, and my back is killing me from sitting in the same spot for too long. None of the wireless controllers are working properly which sucks, because if they did I could just make a pile of pillows in the bed and lay there and play. Oh well.

Every evening now seems to be ninja in the belly practice for the baby. She doesn't just move a little, she moves a ton, and it's uncomfortable. It really feels like she's trying to shove her way out. The pressure is unbearable and does wonders to my bladder. Sometimes she ninja kicks or chops in there so hard it makes me catch my breath. Thank goodness we're almost done.

The contractions that do nothing are more prominent now. They're also uncomfortable and seem to be going on all day. Fun fun. Taking a warm bath doesn't slow them down, and they don't get worse or seem to be doing much other than annoying me.

My appetite is gone. That would probably be a good thing except I now realize why pregnant women gain a ton of weight the last month of their pregnancy.

I personally realize that after I'm done being pregnant I need to start eating better and all the fun things I can get away with eating now, I probably will never be able to eat again unless I want to grow up to be shamoo the killer mom. A big fat whale basically. So even thought I'm not hungry, I'm totally eating crap.

That's about all I've got for this week. A bunch of complaints. Hubbie's snoring is driving me insane, but I can barely get comfortable enough to sleep as it is so it really doesn't matter that much. At least he's getting up and fixing breakfast for the kids this week which is awesome because my idea of breakfast making for the week involved bagged doughnuts and cereal.

Tune in next week when I have my 38 week checkup, unless this baby shakes her way out before then.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

3 1/2 Weeks - Face Down Butt Up!


Normally I wouldn't share a picture of myself in such a state. I'm huge! But I figure this will be the last time I'm pregnant, ever, or else!!! So why not embrace it? That's a heck of a lot of belly and I still have a few weeks to go?? But there I am, today, and I ain't ashamed!! Man the harpoons!

So I had my 36 week checkup today. I was hoping they'd check "up there" and tell me I'm dialated or some junk and give me an earlier due date, but nope. They left it alone. I did get a lovely Group B Strep swab by the nurse...you wanna stick that WHERE? But that wasn't bad at all.

Baby kept me up the majority of the night last night. She wasn't just moving, she was waging a mini baby war in my belly. This went on for hours. I really didn't think things could stretch out any further but boy did she prove me wrong. Bill said it looked like their was an alien in there. If so, that's from his half of the genes, we have no aliens in our family. Although I've still never figured out how my sister was blonde...hmmm.

Anyhooo between the wiggling and the heartburn (from WHAT?!?!?!) I was up past 2am and had to get up at 6am and am hoping I'll sleep well tonight.

All the wiggling must have been productive though. She had been transverse up until then. Which for you non-preggie people means she wasn't head down, which is the way babies need to be to come out properly. I think all that horrid wiggling was her worming her way into the right position. Lucky me, otherwise the docs would have had to manually move her into the right spot, and everything I've read tells me that isn't very pleasant.

So two docs checked and said yes, she's head down, and then they did a quick ultrasound to be sure. Of course the big screen on the ultrasound machine was broken so I got to see NOTHING! Doc #1 says "oooh she has a big head!" I freak out, and say "What do you MEAN big head?!?!?" Then Doc #1 says he's just joking, they all look big at this point. And then I kick him in the face. No not really, but that is NOT what a pregnant woman wants to hear. That big head has to come out eventually and I know where it comes out from!!

So to put it plainly for you old school music lovers she's "Face Down and A$$ Up" and hopefully ready to worm her way out sometime soon.

I gained 5 pounds. I suppose eating Rolo's at midnight wasn't helpful. But I figured if I was going to have heartburn I was going to have chocolate too, which probably doesn't help with heartburn, but I don't care!!!

While I've been pregnant they've come out with a 55 calorie beer just for my dieting needs. I'll be just fine.

They don't measure the belly anymore, but as of my last checkup I was still measuring almost 2 weeks ahead. Does that mean baby will come sooner? Or was that just extra room for her HUGE head?

Next appt will be in two weeks at the hospital I'll be delivering at so I'll finally get to see the L&D ward. oh goodie. If I make it until then. Mom and hubbie are both betting I'll go early and as long as she's ready I say BRING IT ON!! Bill suggested I start packing my bag for the hospital so I did.

I also went out today and bought Hannah a new outfit, a card, wrapped up the new book in a series that she wanted, and got her a nice silver mother daughter necklace. Everything is all gift wrapped in an overnight bag for her for when I have to go to the hospital. It's just been the Hannah and Mommy show mostly for the last ten years so I want to make sure she still feels special and all that other gay crap. She's very excited about having a sister though and can't wait for the baby to arrive.

That's it for now, next week?? Spring break...yippee...*sigh*

Monday, March 22, 2010

4 weeks - Todays craving?? Snot!


Starting this week I will no longer complain about symptoms I haven't gotten yet. Apparently this blog is some evil portal that once I post something that isn't bothering me, it gangs up on me. Example? Last weeks bragging about my lack of heartburn. Stupid me. How is it that if I eat dinner at 7pm and not a LOT of dinner mind you, and not even anything spicy or tomato saucy or weird...that at midnight my chest starts flaming like a straight guy at a red dress run and I'm burping up...oh who knows what. Grrr!

So after laying in bed long enough to realize that if I stayed there not only was I going to ruin my husbands night of sleep, I was most likely going to barf up the offending food...I went out and propped myself up in the recliner. Between the recliner, my son's Wolverine pillow, and a quilt that Mom swears I stole from her I finally fell asleep. This was after the baby stopped playing her favorit game of "see how far I can get my foot up mommy's ribs".

If heartburn wasn't fun enough I've been denying having a cold for a few days now. Wednesday I started getting dog ass tired. My first thought was WTF I still have 4 weeks to go here, why am I feeling like death. I had a cough, but nothing else really. Somehow I always seem to get only half a cold. Well after four days of hacking up snot (thus my sexy blog title for this week) my chest hurts, my head hurts, I'm still tired because I really haven't slept well, and um...this sucks. I even launched a lady like loogie out of the car window this morning after dropping my daughter off to school. And just when I thought being insanely pregnant couldn't get any more sexy!

This is my week to get all my online school work knocked out. The three girls have spring break next week and there's really just no concentrating with a herd of kids in the house. Hopefully my awesome husband doesn't have to work all week because I can tell you this...I am not going anywhere and I am not doing $hit. With just a few weeks to go I am relaxing and napping and focusing on blocking out the impending doom of childbirth.

Anyone who tells you childbirth is a wonderous experience that should be looked forward to is a crack head. That's like asking someone on death row if they're happy their day to die is finally here and the waiting is over. "Aren't you excited??!?!?" Hell no I am not excited. Am I glad the baby will be here? Sure...I like babies, they're cute. I would ultimately prefer it if they silently and painlessly just crawled out in the middle of the night. Tadah!

So hopefully I'll stop feeling like crizap and be able to get the last bit of my schoolwork done. Then I can start figuring out what class or classes I want to attempt to take over the summer...with FIVE kids in the house. Maybe I'll just do one, but in the fall it's back on on again!

We were able to make it down to Gainesville this weekend. My son couldn't have cared less that I was there but it made me happy to get to snuggle up with him while Hannah was off at a sleepover. My hubbie ran off to pick up some beat up boat that he got off ebay. I'm having a baby in a few weeks and my husband bought a boat...anyone else see something fishy about this? Hahaha...I said fishy...and boat...hahahaha. It should be a fun addition to our summer plans though. I'm sure the kids and hubbie will have fun on the boat while baby and I nap and cry all summer.

Ok that's enough for now, doc appt on wednesday so I'll update everyone with all the boring news then.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

5 Weeks to go - Getting on my NERVES


First of all I will tell you that is NOT my pregnant belly in the picture. I just thought it was cute. No I will not be painting my belly. What do you do with it when you're done? Walk around like that all day? How would I cover up my fat rolls? No thank you!

I'm 35 weeks now, which means it's getting really close to time to be done. However, the topic of this week's blog "getting on my nerves" doesn't refer to my being over being pregnant. I'm still feeling for the most part pretty great. I have my sleepy nights where I want to go to bed at like 9pm which annoys my husband who wants to play Band Hero. I've been lounging in the tub almost every night with a book because it feels great on a sore back and who knows when I'll get the luxury of doing that every night after the baby comes? And now that my online classes are almost totally finished I've taken to hopping back in bed after I get my daughter to school and getting another hour or so of sleep. Because really...what else am I going to do with my days? Clean? Hah!

I haven't had crazy heartburn like I usually get in the last trimester, or that evil gas that my sister remembered when she bought my husband that lovely scented candle for Christmas. My ankles haven't puffed up into unrecognizable cankles, and I don't have that lovely moustache (darkening of the skin) I had when I was pregnant with Ethan. All of these things make me happy. The contractions have eased off this week and as long as I stay at home and do mostly nothing they don't bug me at all.

I did make what I consider to be a final trip to Target this past week. I used up the gift cards we got at the baby shower and got all the last things I can think of like extra sheets, changing pad for the dresser, baby tylenol, a few more bottles, blah blah blah...spent almost $300...hee hee. But aside from diapers, wipes, and formula we really don't need anything else. The formula companies really know when you're pregnant though. This week we got $16 in coupons from Gerber Good Start and today I just got two cans of Similac, regular and soy, full cans in the mail. What to pick, what to pick?? I wish they'd include some useful information with their copuons/samples like what formula will smell the best when barfed up onto your shoulder or will make the least smelly poo's. These are the things that would inspire me to select a brand.

So the real reason behind my nerve vent, which is really annoying me as I type this week's blog is I've been having nerve pain. For over a month my first finger on my right hand has been numb all down one side. Strange feeling, but not really a nuisance. Also about a month ago I started having a nerve bug me in my left leg all the way down to my big toe, not sure if it's the same nerve, but it's still annoying. I can't bend my left toe very far or it's like lightning shooting through it. Also when I try to climb into bed at night and put pressure on my left knee that nerve goes off and it makes my already uncoordinated efforts to haul my huge pregnant body into bed that much more challenging.

So if that wasn't enough my pinky finger on my left hand started tingling a couple weeks ago. Now it's getting really bad. It doesn't help that I've been playing Band Hero with my husband for the last week almost every day. I don't think all that pinky flexing to get the orange and blue notes is helping. That happens to be another part of my body I need to use not only to help support me as I get into bed, or haul myself out of the tub, or prop myself up to do other things...but to type. The tip of my pinky finger is numb today and I keep missing keys. This DOES go away when this kid pops out right?? I sure hope so.

I started drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea this week because I red lots of positive articles online about how it's great for your uterus and childbirth and recovery after so I figured, why not? I care about the health of my uterus and so should you! It's great for acne and regulating your periods too if you're not preggo. Also it's yummy and tastes like normal tea which I have been avoiding due to caffiene content. This stuff has no caffiene though and aside from the extra calories from me adding a bit of honey to it, I think it's overall not a bad addition to my daily regiment of whatever I feel like eating.

I had a really crazy dream last night which I almost hope comes true! I woke up (in my dream) and had my baby. I walked out and there she was with my parents and my grandmother (mom's mom). I couldn't remember going into labor, or having the baby, and felt no pain. I just had her and she was there. Somehow I also missed out on all the post baby bleeding and boob engorgement and I just had the baby. Tadah! I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, only a bit thinner. My parents and grandmother kept fighting over who got to feed the baby and change her diaper and kept saying "no no, we've got this...you go rest" I'll take this dream please?!?!? I think it's the best dream I've ever had.

I'm sure something interesting has happened to me in the last week but I can't think of it. Mostly since my schoolwork is almost done I've been spending more time playing video games, finally! It's like I have everything done and just want to relax and enjoy the time I have to game because I know that once the baby comes, then comes summer and all the kids and gaming time will be at a minimum. Aside from Band Hero though all I've been doing is farming on Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility on the Wii. I know it's sad, but it makes me happy and for the last month before I squirt this kid out...I'm focusing on me and my happiness.

Next week? Doc's appointment on Wednesday. I'll either blog twice or just wait until then. I'll let you be suprised...lol.

Monday, March 8, 2010

6 Weeks - Baby Showers & Monster Trucks


There are things that one should not do when they are 34 weeks pregnant. Common sense things come to mind such as horseback riding, riding roller coasters, bungee jumping. People may not realize that riding in a monster truck on a long weekend is one of those things. Probably because they don't put this in pregnancy books. Probably because they figure pregnant women should have some common sense. Clearly I do not. Because of some temporary vehicle drama we borrowed the neighbors huge truck. Somewhere between the bumpy 7 hour ride (each way mind you) and having to haul myself in and out and in and out (not easy when you're huge) I decided that this will be my last road trip to Gainesville for the rest of this pregnancy. It was miserable to say the least, and I am really feeling it today. Sore sore sore belly.

But it was a great trip! I'm glad that Bill drove so I could at least sit and wiggle and complain and not have to drive at the same time. The kids all had a blast. I was so insanely thrilled that my sister was able to come. I was even MORE thrilled when I got all the stuff she made for me...I mean...the baby. I would post pictures, but when I asked for pictures from the baby shower that did NOT make me look fat, the only one my family could find was one of my foot. Kidding. I'll post some pics on facebook when I get them. I can't believe how cool the diaper bag Jen made me is, and the letters for the baby's name to hang on the wall (definitely posting pics of those when I get them up) and the most adorable snuggly blanket with the baby's name on it, I hope it becomes her blanky :)

We had a good group of family show up. I got a TON of stuff and even got a sweet present in the mail from Gina! It had so much glitter on everything that I sparkled for the rest of the day. Aunt Karen brought me an enormous box of really cute baby cothes that I am just itching to go through. I promised Hannah that we would sort them out together though so we'll do that later today. I swear, we will probably never have to do laundry for this baby. I've never seen so many baby clothes in my entire life.

My Mom and sister did an amazing job on the party and I think everyone had a great time. I even got a visit from some gamer friends from Orlando, Fl who drove 2 hours for my silly little party and that made me very happy.

We got all the major stuff we need. There are still a couple odds and ends things to pick up like diapers, wipes, formula...ya know the un-fun stuff to buy. Lots of things now to wash and sanitize, but plenty of time I hope. I'm ok having to wait until 40 weeks to have the baby, but I really think with the way I've been feeling that it will most likely be in the next 4 weeks that the baby comes. Or maybe that's still just hopeful thinking on my part.

Her name is going to be Hailey by the way :) We announced it at the Baby Shower.

I went and got my hair done before the shower at the hair school in Gainesville, Fl and that took almost four hours. GoodNESS. They got the color balanced out, the grays covered up, and it's trimmed (unevenly as always...lol) so I shouldn't have to bother with it until well after the baby...Hailey...arrives.

Now I get to spend the rest of this week knocking out more school work, and putting together baby stuffs. Fun fun fun. Right now though, I think I'm going to see if I can play Xbox while laying on my side in bed. My belly seriously hurts. Ugh.

Monday, March 1, 2010

7 weeks to go - Let's Scrapbook!

33 weeks along this week, and as of this post, only 47 days left. That's not a lot of days. I had my 32 week checkup last Wednesday. I didn't get my normal doctor, but the one I got was a pretty amusing guy. He complimented me on only gaining 2 pounds in four weeks! I didn't even look at the scale and hadn't planned to, but that was welcome news. He then made me feel even better with a story about his own daughter that had gained 70 pounds while she was pregnant. UGH! I'm still in the 20's for weight gain and am very proud of myself.

New doc had some sticky note on my chart to do a procedure to turn the baby around because she had been hanging out breech for quite some time. Luckily new doc didn't know how to do the procedure so it didn't get done. I would have refused it this early anyhow. That's a lot of pain for a baby that will probably flip and flop around for a while yet. Doc poked around and feels that the baby has probably flipped the right way, we'll see if I get a call to go back in before my next appt at 36 weeks. If not, we'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope she points towards the exit eventually.

We got our first baby present in the mail this week! Bill's Mom sent us the stroller/carseat combo that I had picked out. It matches the high chair and PackNPlay I already picked up. It's not like everything HAS to match, I just really liked the design on the stuff. I tried to resist putting it together right away, but Bill said go for it, so go for it I did. Seems like it's the right size, weight, and should be easy to use. Thanks!!!

I got a ton of school work done this week, and am two weeks ahead in some classes, but really need to get going if I am going to finish all my online classes by the end of March. (they run through May 6th) otherwise it'll be my luck, the baby will com early and I'll be kicking my own butt for not getting it all done. We'll see if I can get motivated this week. It's been pretty tough. My mind is occupied with the impending doom...I mean the happy arrval of the new baby NEXT MONTH!

And with the impending doomish arrival of the new baby comes a baby shower! I wasn't going to have one, I mean...it's my third baby. But its a first for Bill & I and the kids are all older, so I thought it would be fun to have a big family get together in the hopes of getting the kids a little more excited and involved in the process. I really have been trying to think of all the kids and how this should hopefully help unite us all as a family. I think a party and games will help build up the excitement factor.

And my sister is coming!! She's driving down from NC just for me! I couldn't be more excited. That's a hella long drive and she'll be stuck in the house with our herd of kids so it will be an interesting weekend, but at least I have something to look forward to for a change.

Hannah is getting jealous that Aunt Jen is coming down for the new baby, and not for her. I've tried explaining that Aunt Jen won't get to SEE the baby yet, and will be hanging out with her too. I guess I have to remember that it has been the Hannah and Mommy show for the very large majority of her life, and that she has essentially been an only child. When it's not holiday time or vacation time it's just me and Hannah and now there will be a new baby around to take away some of her attention.

I think it will be great for her though. She was excited to help me sort out the bags of baby clothes I got from our neighbor (that was awesome) and we went out yesterday to pick out some scrapbooking stuff to get an album pre-made for the baby. She really got into helping me pick out pages and matching pages to make picture frames, and stickers, etc. I figure if I have a book ready I'll be more likely to put some pics in it. On a sidenote I found them premade online for $75...wtf?? Insanity! I think we got a scrapbook, pages, stickers, for about $25 and it's going to be super cute.

So in an effort to make Hannah feel better I did the only thing I know to do for a ten year old girl, I took her shopping :) She's getting so tall and growing out of all her stuff, so we got a couple new things and she was pretty excited about that. She's really into all this peace crap, but since 80% of the clothes at Kohl's and everywhere else have peace signs on them, I guess this is just the current fad.

Um...other than that there's not much happening. We went out Friday night on base to some ceremony and my hair and makeup magically fell into place and I got some compliments from my hubby for a change. I looked great from the neck up...lol. Still look huge and preganant, and had some more crazy painful contractions towards the end of the night so I was miserable, but I was a sexy miserable pregnant chick. Ya can't have it all.

Tune in next week for pictures from the baby shower!