Saturday, May 26, 2012

A Lot to Take In

I had my 37 week appointment this week. Since the baby has been measuring big, the doctor ordered a growth ultrasound to get an idea of her size. The news was not good. She's already 10 pounds. This combined with my narrow pelvis has set me up for a scheduled c section. This is not at all what I had planned or hoped for. Actually, now that I'm faced with it I laugh at myself from 9 months ago. I was so sure I only cared about healthy baby and healthy me. When faced with reality, I care. This week I've gone from being a hysterical mess on Tuesday, to being kind of angry in Thursday, to accepting things pretty well today. I have another appointment on Wednesday, so I'll be able to ask more questions. And I have lots of questions. I've started doing more research about what choices I do have with the surgery though. I guess I always knew a c section would be a possibility, but I never really looked into details and possibilities. So it's good that I can have a list of talking points to take with me to my appointment this week. I will say my emotional well being wasn't helped by the fact that my appointment was with one of the other doctors. It was the first time I met her, but luckily I had been warned by other friends in the practice that she is not the mst warm and fuzzy person out there. She walked in the room and was like, "you're crying." and she just said it in this kind of annoyed tone. Then she said I wasn't as dilated as my doctor had said. And so on. So I left feeling sad, scared, and just overall down about the whole thing. I don't think she's a bad doctor, and my guess is that I would like her on an intellectual level. However, on Tuesday, what I really needed was a little more compassion. I know I'll write at least one more post this week about a related topic and how hurtful people can be. But for now, that's all I've got.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Shower #2

Better late than never, right? I had my second shower at Salt a couple weeks ago. It was amazing! The food was outstanding, and I loved getting a chance to hang with more of my friends. I always feel a little funny having gift giving parties, but I do like getting to see so many great friends all at one time. So, here are some pictures of the event.
That's me with Carol and Ashely.
My mom and second mom, Jane.
Look at the cutest gift bag ever! Thanks Joline.
My dad has been disappointed that there aren't many grandpa clothes for babies. He had this really funny onsie made that I just love though.
After the event with my mom. Notice my red eyes? Well, there was certainly some crying when I got the present from my parents.
They gave me a mom necklace. I'm sure you've seen the ones on Etsy with the nest or the peas in a pod. I thought I wanted one of those. But this is so much more. The charm is a tree of life. Those rings? They are my parents' baby rings. It's a tradition that is no longer fashionable, but how amazing that they've given me such a wonderful heirloom.
Assuming this little girl arrives on time, she'll be a June baby. That means her birthstone is pearl. Here is what the finished piece will look like with her birthstone on it. Wow. Yup, I cried. It is the most meaningful gift anyone could have given me and I will always cherish it. I am sure it will also be around my neck 95% of the time.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Next Month

Um, next month I'm going to be a mom. How did that happen?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

At Least It's Pretty

We took DH out for his birthday tonight. I asked for a drink that was fun but didn't have alcohol. This is what I got. Pretty and tasty. It would have also been great with vodka. Lol.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Coworker Vent

So I left work early yesterday because I was sick. I know it was last minute. Well I tried to throw together a lesson where they watched a video, read some in their book, and then worked on a worksheet. Saw my coworker this morning. All she could do was bitch that she didn't have the link to the video, then she had to show it on the projector because they all didn't have their headphones, then she had to help with the worksheet because they didn't get it perfectly the first time. Guess what? There were ways to work around all of this. First, you could have had them watch in small groups. Second, you could have told them to do their best and I would help when I got back. Instead you had to bitch about it.

I'm sorry I was sick. I'm sorry I had to ask you. I hate asking her for anything because all she does is complain. I want to tell our chair that I will never ask her for anything again because she is too much of a pain in the ass.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Shower #1!

I was incredibly blessed to have a wonderful shower hosted by my dear friend Joline.



Doesn't the room look awesome? And that spread of food was BEFORE Ame brought the Jilly's cupcakes.

I got to spend time with some fabulous friends who really showered me with love. Here are a few more pictures of the day.







And let's pay special attention to the awesome diaper tricycle that Joline made. How sweet is that?!?!



I feel so blessed and this baby is really lucky already.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Friday Poem


I saw this today and thought it was pretty awesome.


Advice from a Caterpillar

                                    Amy Gerstler

 

Chew your way into a new world.

Munch leaves. Molt. Rest. Molt

again. Self-reinvention is everything.

Spin many nests. Cultivate stinging

bristles. Don't get sentimental

about your discarded skins. Grow

quickly. Develop a yen for nettles.

Alternate crumpling and climbing. Rely

on your antennae. Sequester poisons

in your body for use at a later date.

When threatened, emit foul odors

in self-defense. Behave cryptically

to confuse predators: change colors, spit,

or feign death. If all else fails, taste terrible.

 

Sunday, April 1, 2012

A's Quote of the Day

A's sister called today and we were chatting about baby stuff that was an was not done. Today, he finished painting the main walls of the nursery. Yay! Now all that's left is the decorative work which he thinks can be done in a day. He still won't commit to a name though! When his sister told him it was time to choose especially since painting was done his response was, "Today was painting day, not pick a name day. You can't do both on the same day."

At some point you just have to laugh. I'm starting to really believe that this kid is coming home with the name Baby T.

Back to work tomorrow.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Bump Pic


Here's a shot of my 29 week bump. I don't know why I'm sticking my butt out so far because it kind of ruins the effect of the cute outfit.

We are making progress on the nursery so expect a post with lots of pictures soon. April is actually going to be super busy with showers, house updates, and the start of baby classes. I plan to blog about it all so I can have it for the memories.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Hunger Games!

Have you read it? Seen the movie? I've done and enjoyed BOTH!
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Last Friday, Maggie, Alyssa, my mom, and I all went to opening day to catch the new release. In terms of turning books in to movies, there have been a lot of recent failures in my opinion.


The first Harry Potter. Quiddich is ruined.


The original Twilight. Hello disco ball Edward and zero emotional range Bella!

Needless to say, I went into Hunger Games with a little trepidation. I'm happy to say that the folks that brought us the Hunger Games movie did a great job. (My mom, who hasn't read the books, enjoyed it as well.) While I know that there were a few changes from the original story, overall they really stayed true to the book. I'm sure this had to do, in large part, to the fact that the author Suzanne Collins was the screenwriter. She did a good job of making sure the movie had the same FEEL as the books.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif


I generally approved of the casting too. Elfie was perfect!

I think my biggest disappointment actually came after the movie. I friend posted an article on Twitter that pointed out that people were posting incredibly racist comments about the actors playing Rue and Thresh, the tributes from District 11. Having read the book, I knew they were described as "dark skinned," so I wasn't surprised that the actors were black. (Cinna was also black in the movie... who cares?!?!?!) These fans on Twitter even went so far as to say they regretted mourning Rue now that they knew she was black! It really makes me so sad that people still harbor such awful thoughts in this day and age.

No, it doesn't make me sad, it makes me angry and ill.

And it makes me want to send fan letters to those two actors and Suzanne Collins for not thinking twice about those types of racist ideas.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

That's my life



Yup, I'm a stereotype. I was barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Klassy. :)

Saturday, March 17, 2012

An Interesting First Day of Vacation

It's my first day of break. Yay!!!!!! Seeing as it's Saturday, I went down to the shelter to volunteer like I usually do. Today though, there was a cute cat at the shelter. They found it in a tree outside. The issue came with the fact that today is also St. Patrick's Day. Let me tell you, getting out of there was an adventure. I snuck out between the start of the race and the beginning of the parade. It was still almost impossible to get to the highway.

Then I got to Babies R Us. They were running a special on diapers, had an extra 50% off on clearance clothes, and I wanted to pick up a shower gift for a friend. Before I went in the store, I looked over and what did I see? A lady, she looked about 6 months pregnant, smoking a cigarette! Who does that?!?!?!

Finally I went to Costco to pick up a few things and then came home to take a quality nap. The dogs and I got a good sleep in while listening to NPR until a MASSIVE thunderstorm rolled in. Seriously, it was crazy! I was just glad my pups were home with me instead of on the street. I feel so bad for all those homeless animals out there.

And that, my friends, is how I started my break. The plan for this week is to get the nursery all cleaned out. My mom is coming in town to help and I'm so excited to get time to spend with her! Plus it will be great to feel like I'm making good progress for the baby.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

100 Days!

That's right boys and girls. Today marks 100 days until my due date. Eeeek!

I'm exactly not ready at all.

Follow up ultrasound on Wednesday as well as my one hour glucose test. I really hope I pass! I'll be staying away from sugar for the next few days. ::sigh::

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Sorry

I have to complain a little. I am still sooooooo happy to be pregnant. I love feeling her move around and to know that every day she gets stronger and stronger. At the same time, this week has been kind of lame. I'm really tired. My belly button hurts. Who knew that could happen? I hate my swollen ankles at the end of a long day. Putting on my socks is hard. And, I really look pregnant. I always thought I would love that, but now that it's true, I just look fatter and grosser than usual.

I know all this seems worse because I have such a busy week at work and spring break is still two weeks away. I just want a day to sleep. And sleep, and sleep, and sleep.

I'm so lucky that A takes good care of me though and doesn't really expect me to do much at home these days.

That's it for now. I'm off to start another 12+ hour day. Goody!

rabbit, rabbit

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

celebrate



Notice that the type is all little letters in the title. That's because yesterday was a day for a small celebration at our house. Yesterday the baby turned 24 weeks. That means she's viable! Clearly we are hoping she keeps cooking for quite a while longer, but the fact that she COULD have a good chance of surviving is a wonderful feeling.

I'm feeling movement every day, but I wish A could feel it. So far whenever he's tried, she's stopped squirming the second his hand touches my belly. I guess we need to try right after I drink juice or eat candy or something. :)

There's no other big news right now except the fact that I've totally changed my game plan for the nursery. Rather than blue, grey, and orange, I've changed to yellow with orange, pink, green, and blue accents. It will allow me to play with more fun fabrics and I think will make the room sunnier. The cheerful aspect is important to me since so much of the year here is dreary and gray.

So, that's the news here. I had a flat tire today, but luckily I leave for work at the crack of dawn so AAA was at my house in about 20 minutes to fix it and get me moving. Good thing I woke up A too because for a moment I considered changing it myself. Luckily he reminded me that I was 6 months pregnant and the would be a stupid thing to do. What can I say, I forget some times that I'm not supposed to do EVERYTHING I used to.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Surprising Decision


We visited our second hospital last night. The first visit went really well. In fact, I was surprised how much I liked it. I've had several friends deliver at Hospital 1, but visiting them, I didn't like the rooms as much and it didn't feel as cozy. I'd also heard some things about them being less supportive of skin-to-skin contact after birth, not having as good lactation consultants, and babies being "taken away to the nursery" regardless of mom's wishes. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised to see that the rooms were much nicer than I remembered, the tour guide, a nurse with 30+ years of experience at that hospital in the maternity unit, consistently emphasized the importance of bonding time, and the discussion that the baby can be with you as much or as little as you like. It's true that you have to change rooms a couple times, but the thought of that doesn't bother me too much. The hospital also had lots of nice amenities including kitchenettes in each ward to get food 24 hours a day. They also have meals on demand. It seemed like DH could also be comfortable there. I've since heard that the lactation consultants at this hospital are very good which makes me feel better. I'm nervous about breast feeding and think I will probably need strong support. Finally, the NICU at this hospital is the highest rated in the region.

Hospital 2, where we visited last night, is where I was SURE I wanted to deliver. I went in with a super positive attitude ready to fight DH for my right to deliver here. The tour started with a little presentation by a doula. I swear this didn't color my impression of the facility, but this woman was SO annoying. She just didn't come across as confident, knowledgeable, or as a very good salesperson for the hospital. Luckily though I had already done some research before going. Now this hospital is more known for encouraging/supporting med free childbirth, breastfeeding, etc. It was interesting listening to her say they would support it being "however I wanted" meaning they would give meds and such if I wanted them. Clearly they are not opposed to the reputation they've acquired. We toured the maternity areas next. This hospital is much smaller and all areas (L&D, Recovery, Nursery, Postpartum, NICU) are all on the same floor and connected by a single hallway. The rooms themselves are lovely with hardwood floors and cozy paint. The norm here is for the baby to room in with mom MOST of the time, but they do have a nursery and there was a baby in it last night. So precious. It was a girl with one of those little hospital hats with a bow on it. Anyway, they have some nice amenities, but not as many as Hospital 1. I also think DH could be comfortable here, but I don't think there are AS many options for him. Finally, the NICU is SLIGHTLY lower accredited than Hospital 1, but the facility has a partnership with the local children's hospital for any extreme cases.

So, after the visit, the decision was clear to me. Despite my pre-conceived notions, I just feel that Hospital 1 is the place for us. DH was great and said I really should choose whatever makes me happiest, but I think this is the right decision. I'm sure there will be more surprises as we go through this whole process, but for now, I'm just pleased we have a hospital.

I'm sure some of the things I'm looking at are not actually important, but at this point in my life, I don't know what I really NEED to have a baby, but I do know what I would look for to make MYSELF comfortable so I've decided to make this decision based on what I do know.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Oh Yeah






So yeah, I just found all those images for myself. Not that I don't think you are also awesome dear readers. However, today, I am awesome.

It's exam time here and all of my exams were given on Wednesday morning. As of 2:45 on Thursday afternoon, they are ALL GRADED! That includes statistical analysis, etc.

That's 80 exams in 27 hours people! So yes, I am awesome and I think I should be entitled to live here.



Time for a four day weekend!

Monday, February 13, 2012

It's all in a name



Let me preface this post by saying two things. First, we don't have a name picked out yet. A doesn't want to even get into the discussion really until he is more sure of the sex. Second, even when we do pick a name, we won't be sharing it until the baby is born. Not even with family. We just don't trust people not to share ALL their opinions with us before she is born.

Now on to what I was thinking about. I've still been thinking about names and such and I have a definite front runner for our little girl. I then started thinking about middle names. My cousin sent us The Baby Name Wizard book to help with our name search. It is a cool book that not only has a big section where it lists a bunch of names, but it also groups names by type. So it's kind of like Amazon. "If you like the name X, you might like...."

Using the name I think we should use for our first name, I looked in the categories where it falls for middle name ideas. While several sounded nice together in terms of rhythm and such, I noticed that the character of the name changed drastically based on the middle name. One middle name would make everything feel timeless while another would make it feel like I was a wannabe celebrity naming my kid Apple or something.

Attaching a name to a person, an identity that they will probably have the rest of their life, it such a big responsibility! It's a good thing we have several more months to get it hammered out.

Friday, February 10, 2012

22 weeks

I finally caved and decided to start taking belly pics. BUT! Since I hate to have my picture taken I saw someone online start taking them this way and I decided I like it.



I can still TOTALLY see my feet.

Here is the science picture at 22w. However, I like this 21w picture better.


We had our anatomy scan. Everything looks really good! The baby was being stubborn though so the pictures aren't very good. I'll get a re-scan in a few weeks to get a profile shot, double check the diaphragm and to confirm that it's a GIRL!

DH is still a little nervous about actually making girl plans, but I keep telling him he better jump on the bandwagon or I'm naming this kid without him. :)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Opinions Please



What do we think of this for a diaper bag? Is it too little kid? I'd love your thoughts and opinions.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Confessions

1. I made the baby mad this morning. I tried to suck in my stomach to see how much of it was gut and how much was baby belly. Don't try it. The baby gets mad.

2. We bought our seat and stroller yesterday. Eeeeee!

3. I'm not normally a sweets person, but this pregnancy is making me a sugarholic. Root beer floats have topped my list lately.

4. Last week was crazy for food. I don't think I've ever been so hungry.

That's it for now. This three day weekend is a treat! We're visiting a couple daycare places today. It should be interesting.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Telling my students

I told my students today.

I teach an AP class and one of the labs we do requires us to genetically modify e.coli so that it is resistant to antibiotics. Strongly enough, my doctor thinks this might be a bad idea seeing as my immune system is suppressed already. That whole parasite thing growing in me and everything. :)

Anyway, my team teacher is going to do the lab for me tomorrow, so that meant I would have to tell my AP kids. Well, if I told them, then I needed to tell my advisees first. It was interesting. There was literally CHEERING. I don't know what I expected, but I'm used to high school students being much more reserved. I felt very loved.

I know my blogging has been sparse to say the least, but with the holidays, things have been so busy I just can't keep up. I'm still feeling pretty good, and things are actually kind of real now! My last appointment was awesome! I got good reviews on my bp and weight. Baby Gumbo was moving A LOT and head a perfect little heartbeat. I can't wait until January 30. That is our anatomy scan so we get to SEE the baby again. I have started feeling him/her a bit and it's really cool.

Here are some pictures of how s/he has grown over the past few weeks.


12 weeks

13 weeks

14 weeks

15 weeks

16 weeks

17 weeks

18 weeks-technically this is tomorrow, but it's close enough

Happy baby! And I just felt him/her move, so this post must not totally suck.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Digital Dossier

I've had several people ask me why I'm not posting ultrasound pics and stuff on Facebook.