LilyPie is Wrong

Well, to answer Megan's question from yesterday's post where she asked how I was, and then gave me capitalized encouragement (thank you!!)...

Physically, I am feeling fine. I'm not really having any of the "you are going to give birth tomorrow" body pains, although I really am praying for my body to prepare just a wee bit more before the party really gets started at Stupid:00 tomorrow morning. :o) I've spent a lot of time the last few days resting as much as I can, so I think that will help, too. As for the physicality of stuff for the baby, we're covered. There's the 47 onesie/body-suit/wiggle-in undies that are washed and folded (and that's just newborn ones!), the changing pad is ready for the first (of many) blow-outs, the crib is made, the rocker rocks and doesn't hit the wall, the rocker-side table is stocked, the swing is ready and working, the downstairs diaper-station is stocked and ready, the carseat is installed, the stroller is ready for strolling...what else have I forgotten? I'm probably prepared for it, I just can't remember it! Dave will be home with me (as my personal slave) for the first 2 weeks of the baby's life, so that is a huge blessing. And he doesn't have a Blackberry for work, so he can't even get his emails! Woo hoo! :o)

Mentally, I'm feeling fine, too. Honest and truly, I am. I don't feel anxious at all - either about the method of birth, or the fact that the rest of my life is going to change dramatically in less than 24 hours. I'm spending quiet time either praying or resting or writing thank you cards for wonderful gifts received or just double-checking everything in my head. Dave and I have watched a couple of movies, some TV, and just, in general, chilled out. I've got a Last Minute list of things to pack at the last minute... :o), and I guess everything else that I haven't thought of and planned for will just have to be a surprise and/or challenge for us to deal with.

Spiritually, I'm fine, as well. I've been praying for quite a long time about this day - for the nurses and doctors, for the hospital in general, for the other new mamas that will be there (it's a full moon on Monday night by the way! Gah!!), for Dave and me, and the baby (of course), for a smooth delivery, that we all learn quickly about latching and feeding, and mostly that we all feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in the room with us during the entire process. I know God is right here with me at this moment at the dining room table, and I know He will be with us in the labor room tomorrow.

I do have some wonderings, though. Like:

• Does the Yipper know just how dramatically her little life is going to change in the next 24 hours?
• Is she ready?
• Are they ever?
• What do my toes look like?
• Will she latch-on quickly?
• How will the kitty cats adjust?
• How will Dave adjust? (btw...he keeps saying how much he's looking forward to his "vacation"...I keep telling him that if he says that on Monday or after, I am not only going to throttle him, but I am going to store that little nugget of ammunition and will use it freely and frequently for the rest of his life and he won't be able to do a single thing about it!)
• How long will it take me to get the "official" announcements out?
• How long will it take me to find my favorite (or any!) calligraphy pen so I can address the announcement the way I want to?

Well, and I'm sure there are other things I am wondering about, but I can't think of any at the moment, so there! That's all I've got. :o)

And so, the LilyPie ticker at the top is wrong. I do not have 8 days to go. I have 1 day. Less, actually.

And I'm ready.

Day by Day (38 weeks)

Here we are for yet another edition of Melissa's Pregnant Life. I've been to the OB today, and she said everything looks good and the baby is healthy and still growing (though you can't tell because my belly didn't grow any over the last week). I'm 38 weeks along, and still 39.5" around.


(apparently I need a V8...do I look like I'm leaning to you?)

She also told me that she scheduled me for the inducement. (I've checked, and this seems to be an acceptable alternative to induction...which, to me, is a way of getting into National Honor Society or the Baseball Hall of Fame. So I will freely use the term inducement whether I'm right or wrong. OK?) :o)

Okay then, back to the scheduled inducement. She said "Monday at 5 a.m." And I said "Do you mean in the morning?" And she said "I know, I'm sorry, but, yes. That kind of a.m." She has good reasons for that kind of torture I'm sure...but I don't remember if she mentioned them because I just stopped listening after that. :o) It is possible that she'll decide to have me admitted the night before, but I'm kinda thinking I'd rather have one last night at home (not that I want it to sleep in my own bed, since I don't actually sleep anymore...). That will give Dave and me one last night at home just the two of us, and we'll be able to snuggle with the kitties that little extra bit before their life changes dramatically. I guess the good news is that we shouldn't have to worry about running into much traffic on the way to the hospital, right? Hah!

Here's my requisite side shot. Again, probably not much different than last week, but we'll both have to look at the slideshow to see for certain. That's been a popular little feature, lemme tell ya! :o) I'm glad you are all enjoying my girth so much!

As for pregnancy feelings and stuff, I can still feel the baby moving around quite a bit, but her movements have gotten even bigger. Like I kinda wonder if she's planning on being a bus driver one day because she'll push her arm (or leg?) out under my left ribs and "turn the steering wheel" across my belly all the way to under my right ribs. Big fun, folks. Big fun. And she still gets the hiccups - and it still feels funny! I have certainly had bigger Braxton Hicks contractions, but none that involve any pain. I haven't had any of the classic pre-labor sensations (including no real "nesting" sensations...dangit!), either. I have been even more tired this week (is that possible?), and it takes a lot more energy to get up and do stuff, and it takes a lot longer for me to recuperate. So, I guess Dr. OB is right to schedule the inducement. What with being tired all the time and not sleeping more than an hour at a time before I've got some kind of body ache and have to get up and walk around for a while...I don't know how much longer I could handle this! :o)

So, that's it for now. If there's anything more to tell you, I will. Have a great week!

LOOT!!! (a blog of photos)

Well, it's been a week since my bountiful baby shower, and I've got two things clogging up my Guilt Filter. (1) I have not yet written sent the Thank You cards, and (2) I have not yet written posted the blog that reveals why I should get those cards written!

So, here goes writing the procrastinating-the-writing blog!

First up, we have a shot of all the loot after we (it and I) returned home Friday night. (Confession: It's mostly all still down there since the baby's room isn't 100% ready for it all) (I'm working on it, I'm working on it!) (consider that #3 on the Guilt Filter. Thanks.)

Here is a shot of all the lovely food that my hostess, Angie, provided. She is a wonderful hostess, and loves to throw parties, and, based on how much folks seemed to enjoy themselves, she did a wonderful job!

Here's me and the cake. It's called a Dinner Cake. As I was gobbling mine down, I think I said something like "Sure, I could eat this for dinner..." But isn't it pretty? It tasted WAY prettier than it looks. Yum yum.

This is the "rowdy crowd" right before we started a rousing game of Baby Pictionary. There were some toughies! How does one draw colic, for instance? (One artist drew a cow, then it's tongue. Get it? Cow-lick? Yeah, well, her team didn't either.) There was diaper rash, midwife, mommy brain, doctor, ... um...there were others, but I can't remember them! We had fun, though, and that's what matters. This was really the only game we played. No "Guess How Big Melissa Is" or "Don't Say 'Baby'" games -- thank you, Angie!!!

And now, onto the loot! Here I am trying on some very cute clothes. I think they're a little big for the bump (for now) and a little small for me. STILL cute, though! Very cute.

Did you know that Gerber has copyrighted the term "Onesies®"?? Yeah, me neither. So, what does Carter's call their "snap-around-the-crotch-t-shirts"? They call them "Wiggle In Undies"... I guess that's cuz babies can't wiggle out of 'em? (note the smug look on my face as I'm trying to figure this out) (I mean, really...aren't mamas around the world confused enough? Why do they have to play the name game with us?) Sheesh. Nonetheless, far be it from me to look a gift bag in the mouth...I do most certainly appreciate the "can't wiggle out of 'em" bodysuits that the Yipper was given.

Here is a very special gift from Dave's mom -- she made the baby a quilt! Look at the fabric! I love bright colors for baby stuff! I should have folded the corner down so you could see the back, too. It's kinda cobalt blue with batik'ed (?) animals and stuff. I showed it to Dave when I got home, and quickly put it back in the box. Knowing him, he'd be snuggled under it on the couch at night while watching TV! :o) Well, okay, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Then when the baby was born, she'd be able to associate the blanket with her papa, right? SO PRETTY!! Thank You, Grandma Burns!

Here we have Kendall (favorite model of the Kiwi variety) modelling the Bumbo Seat the Grandma Nancy sent to us. I love these Bumbo seats! They are (a) cool feeling, (b) cool colors, and (c) good for the baby to learn to sit up and stuff!

Oh, yes. A gift from Gymboree. Good stuff, Maynard. There was a reversible cardigan with a little white fluffy Pomeranian puppy on the front, and the inside was all number of different kinds of dogs. So this photo is of me naming all the dogs on the matching blanket for my friend Katy (she's so sweet to actually look interested, doncha think?). I love dogs, and I love this gift! What could be better?!


And here is another hand-made quilt. My Bible study buddy, Cindy, made this for the baby. She used some vintage fabrics, and made it to match the bedding we've chosen. She created the ladybugs out of her daughter's old corduroy jeans. How creative! And, the kicker, she hand-stitched the entire thing. (shaking head in disbelief). She is A-Mazing. It is beautiful, and soft, and perfect in every way.

And, finally, me, basking in the glow of a bunch of wonderful friends who have blessed us with oh, so many generous gifts.

Now, I must be off to work on Guilt Filter Items #1 and #3. Hope you have a great weekend!

And...A Not-So Wee Comparison

Week 5 vs Week 37...what a difference 22 weeks makes, eh?

A Wee Comparison

12 weeks vs 37 weeks. Sweet, no?

Inch by Inch (37 weeks)

So, here we are, another week later. I've only grown about 1/2" in the last week, which is fine. I've been to the doctor already today (I started my once-a-week visits today), and all is well. Based on what she said, I don't expect to see her until next Monday. :o)

Here's my belly measurement - 39.5"

And here's my side-view. Not much different from last week, I think, but I plan to do weekly updates until "Showtime" so maybe we will see her "drop." I also hope to get smart enough (and ambitious enough - hah!) in the next ... um...while to sort out a slideshow of the belly shots. I know it's possible, I just have to get my act together to do it! :o)
I had my final ultrasound last Thursday, and everything looked fine. The baby is estimated to weigh 6 pounds, 2 ounces (about 2800 grams). I don't know about how long she measured, but I assume she'll be a long baby because when the doc measured her arm and leg bones, they were above average. :o) At least some part of her will be, right?! Hah! I've gone through the ultrasound DVD, and tried to capture the best image I can of her sucking the outside of her thumb. I couldn't get it on the 4D, so we'll just have to go old-school for a bit. You can clearly see her fingers, and I asked the doc about why her nose looks like it does, and he said it's because she's pressed up against my uterus...and assured me that it won't look like that on the outside!! :o) Whew! (plus, her nose looks normal on the 4D scan, I just couldn't get a good capture) :o)

Then Friday night, I had a very bountiful baby shower. I will put a better post up about it (again, when I get the ambition!), but it was a lot of fun, and I was SO amazed at the generosity, and the creativity, and the variety of gifts we got!

Now, as an aside, may I just encourage all of you to simply respect the pregnant ladies in your life, or in your parking lots? Saturday, Dave and I went to The Big Baby Store to get the stroller/car seat. And since it was Saturday, there were a bunch of people at TBBS. TBBS, surprisingly to me, has only 2 (as in two, or, since it's Cinco de Mayo, dos) "Expectant Mother" parking spaces. Hello...what kind of store are you? You want mamas to get tired before we even come into your store? Okay, whateva!! So, anywho...there we are, approaching what appears to be an available Fat Mama slot. Woo and Hoo! As Dave and I were waiting for the line of cars to get past said spot so we could occupy it, the car ahead of us started to maneuver as if it was going to take it! Shoot! I, being the wise and observing one, noticed what appeared to be two men in the seats of the two-seater sports car that was about to occupy the available Expectant Mother parking space. And I told Dave that I was about to get out of the car, so he stopped the car shortly before his heart stopped. I, being the sweet-natured, gentle-tongued, never-to-confront person that I am waddled marched right up to that sports car before he had a chance to put it in park and said something along the lines of "Oh, No You Di'n't!!" (with the requisite head/neck movements, of course!) Now, to the driver, I really think it looked like a smiling pregnant lady approaching his car, saying something pleasant like "Oh, shucks, I was really hoping you were going to leave this parking space to a pregnant lady..." (more smiling) (and holding of belly) (and gentle cocking of head) (you know the one I mean). To which he said "Yes, I'm sorry, I just saw the sign." (and he backed out). And as Dave pulled in, he still had a very shocked look on his face! I mean, seriously. There was nary an ovary in that car! How DARE they!! So, please be sure to be nice to all pregnant ladies around you. And in case you need some help, here are some things that are appropriate to say to her: "You look stunning!" and "You are how far along? Wow! You don't look a day over 5 months!" or "May I bring you a glass of ice-cold lemonade?" or "Would you like to sit here so you can prop your feet up?" Nothing else. And leave them the open parking spaces, will ya? :o)

And, the biggest news of all is that if I don't go into labor on my own in the next 2 weeks, then the doc is going to induce! 2 WEEKS!! Can you believe it? Me neither! I'm SO not ready!! Ack! I know that I wouldn't be ready if I had another 4 months, but that's beside the point! Hah! But, honestly, I trust my doctor implicitly (or I wouldn't be going there, duh!), and considering that the number of babies she's been involved with delivering compared with the number I've been involved with is something like 500/0, which is, like, the mathematical equivalent of impossibly high, so, um...we're gonna go with her assessment! :o) Plus, you know, I'm no spring chicken. I'm "of advanced maternal age" (oh, so flattering!), and, really, as of today, I'm full term. All this little girl is going to do over the next few weeks is get fatter. And the placenta and the amniotic fluid start to break down at 39 weeks, so there's really no reason to keep her cooking. She's cooked. She's just getting a little plumper around the edges.

(and if you feel like you have a witty come-back about that last sentence, I encourage you to re-read the end of the second-to-the-last paragraph.) (I'm just sayin')

With that, I bid you a happy week!

Round and Round (36 weeks)

Besides it being hotter than...um...I guess it's not that hot, here...but it does make for a more uncomfortable mama, thankyouverymuch. Honestly, though, I don't have the heat-waves and hot-flashes that a lot of pregnant women have, so I feel very fortunate when it's hot outside, I'm not overly miserable inside.

Pregnancy things are fairly routine for me right now. Some lower back pain (but I've had the same pain for months), I get tired more easily (I didn't know there was such a thing as tired as I've been throughout this pregnancy!), I get winded easily (12 steps up the stairs, and I need a break! Heaven help me if I have to make 2 trips! Sheesh!). I have (finally, you say!) noticed some minor swelling of my feet, but nothing drastic by any means. And, I think, (finally, you say!) that I'm putting on a wee bit of weight around my lower half. Which is evidenced by the fact that the black capris I've been wearing throughout the pregnancy no longer fit so well. And I could attribute that to them shrinking in the dryer...except that I don't dry them. So, in honor of honesty, I think I'm packing a little junk in the trunk. (I won't post a picture of that, nosirree).

Here is a picture of my rounded side view, though. All pokey-outey. Except for the belly button...no poking out of a belly button. I wonder if it will! Baby's not done, yet, I guess!

And here's my usual measurement photo. About an inch of growth these last two weeks. I don't know how much I'm supposed to grow around, but I know how much weight I'm supposed to be gaining, and I'm doing just fine in that regard. (You don't need to know those figures...)

According to Babycenter, the baby should weigh about 6 pounds, and be the size of a crenshaw melon...whatever that is! I've got another (and probably final) ultrasound this week, so we'll see how the Yipper and I are doing on growth. Then after that, I start going to the doc once a week (as opposed to every two weeks right now)...and then, sometime in the next 6 weeks (if I go that long), we'll have a baby!

The really cute summer clothes are starting to show up on the stores now, and I am lamenting the loss of my waistline (and the growth of my, um, hindquarters!). I know there are lots of cute maternity clothes out there, but I don't see the point in spending money on something I'll only wear for a short period of time. I want to save my money for cute dresses and skirts and fitted tops and things that are flattering! I miss being able to "therapy shop" and get a few nice pieces of well-fitting clothes. Hmmm...one day. And then, when I do get to shop again, I'll have a wee babe in tow, and probably won't feel like buying much, right? Right?? Reassure me that I'm not going to go shopaholic crazy once I fit into normal clothes again! :o)

Anyways, stay tuned! I'll let you know if there's anything worth knowing...

Another Milestone (34 weeks)

Warning. Shield your eyes. There was nothing Photoshop could do about the color of my skin in this photo.

This was taken at the beach party this weekend. I did not "take the bump out" and display it in a bathing suit, thankyouverymuch. Although we did see a gorgeous, and very pregnant, lady who did take her bump out. I spent most of the day in the shade of the umbrella (not doing much for the tan, eh?) but the temps were HIGH (in the low 90s), and I didn't want to cook and look like a lobster! Dave has some lobster-like splotches on his legs, poor guy. He splashed around in the water a bit -- said it was c-c-c-cold (therefore, refreshing). T'was a nice day.

And here are the latest belly shots of me and The Yipper. 38" - another inch in 2 weeks...not bad! 34 weeks along is a major milestone. According to Babycenter, she's about the size of a canteloupe, and she's laying down layers of fat, and her nervous system and lungs are almost fully formed. The next big milestone is Week 37, when I'm considered "full term."

I have noticed a funny thing, though. You can't see it in either of these photos, but my left side is rounder than my right! Only slightly, and I don't know that anyone else would notice it, but it's disconcerting because I like things to be symmetrical, and my bump is just not! Oh, the shame! :o)

And here's a side shot. I had to kinda Photoshop the top a bit...hope you don't mind. :o)

Yesterday in church I had a few people come up to me and say things like "Wow! You are really looking pregnant!" Hee hee. Who says that?! I'm sure they meant it as a compliment, but I just found it funny. And then there are the people that stop us and say "Oh, yes. We've heard about you two. I'm So-and-so. It's nice to meet you." One or two couples every week! We go to a big enough church that we don't know everyone yet, so I think it's funny that our reputation precedes us. It's probably just that we're the only pregnant family at church right now, and you know how church ladies are...babies are good gossip fodder, right? It just makes me feel bad that they all remember us from one week to the next, and I don't hardly recognize any of them! I just smile at them, then grip my belly and make a bee-line for the restrooms. :o)

Anyway, that's us! Hope you have a great week while I keep cooking this little girl!

Howzabout A Mug o' This?

I just got finished with my (32 week) ultrasound, and the good doctor was kind enough to take some extra time and find some shots where the Yipper looks more human than alien! Her little face was pressed up against my uterus, so these aren't perfect shots, but they're something! :o) Hopefully you can see the half of her face that's showing!
And here's another shot of her profile. Whenever he gets close to her face, she covers it with her little hands. Always has. As if to say "Stop looking at me. And stop waving that noisemaker at me! I'm trying to take a nap here."

He said her vitals were great. She weighs 4.0 pounds, having gained 20 ounces in the last 3 weeks. (I've gained 5 pounds). Her legs and arms are long, and her heartbeat (both to brain and heart) were good, and consistent with each other. He said everything else looks on track, too...so that is definitely a praise in my book!

Now, I'm very aware that I've been posting a lot of baby-related posts lately, so I'm going to try to refrain from boring you for a while, and post about other things! Like the glorious weather in LA. Or how well my kitty is adjusting to life in LaLaLand. There's pretty much nothing else going on! :o)

Anyways, hope everyone has a great weekend!

A Kick in The Ribs (32 wks)

Some little girly just found my ribs. Maybe it's the way I was sitting, but last night, watching TV, she was practicing her tap-dance on my rib cage. Ah, such a busy girl. As far as I can tell, she's head-down. Here's hoping she stays that way, right?

I'm getting less solid, restful sleep at night. It's a love/hate relationship. Why does sleep hate me? I know that when I was younger I didn't spend much time with it, but that was then, and this is now. I need it! Oh, Sleep, where is they blessing? Where is thy balm?

I have been successfully gaining my requisite pound-a-week, and hopefully the baby is gaining herself some poundage, too! I have increased in girth by an inch in the last 3 weeks, so maybe that's a good sign? I have an appointment with my OB this Thursday, so we'll know more about growth then. Eating is still a challenge for me. Pregnancy is no time to be pickier than ever before in your life, lemme tell ya! And since I want to stay healthy while I'm gaining the weight, I'm not indulging in multiple milk-shakes each day. Yes, some days I make one at night, right before bed, but it's not every day. Oh, there are times I say "Health, schmealth...bring on the danish(es)!!"...but those times don't happen very often. :o)

According to Babycenter, the baby should weigh between 3.5 and 4 pounds, and should be almost 17 inches long. Her new length is causing my uterus to be shoved even higher up into my rib-cage, which makes my lungs even more compact, which makes it even harder to breathe. I get winded going up one flight of stairs! I think part of my less-than-desirable sleep is due to this breathing difficulty. And there's hip pain. And the it's-5:00-and-time-to-dance-a-jig routine.

And my belly button still hasn't popped. I like to think that means she's not done cookin' :o) (think pop-up turkey timer). We've still got 8 weeks for her to marinate. And work on her yoga...or whatever it is that's keeping her so active. :o)

Well, here's my usual belly-button measurement -- 37" this week. Not bad, not bad.

And the not-so-telling shot from the side. I just look round. There doesn't seem to be much definition between belly-bump and regular-Melissa. It's probably the extra layers of warm clothing I was wearing. It was chilly when I woke up this morning. Like, I don't know, 55 degrees or something. I needed all those extra layers! (snigger, snigger)

And, the lying-down shot. I apologize for the ruffled clothing...again, I was trying to keep warm! I still think it's fascinating how different my belly looks standing versus lying down. Gravity is a marvel, no?

Other than that, there's not much new around here. We're hopefully going to paint the baby's room soon, and we (read: I) finally registered us at Babies-R-Us and Target.

Ho.Ly.COW! That's an exhausting ordeal or two! I'm so glad they have those gliders you can test-drive. Otherwise, I would have had to call for an emergency rescue or something!

Well, I think that's all I know. It's probably time for me to go guzzle a big jug of water. Again. And start thinking about what to make for dinner. Again. This eating is just a never-ending task!

So, have yourselves a great week!

It's Really Real

I have been feeling very...I don't know...aware lately of the fact that I'm going to be a mom. There is a baby inside of me that is going to come out one way or 't'other. And SOON!! And I better get BUSY!!

We have the crib set up, and the dresser and mattress got delivered today. The nursery is coming together. But. But, but, but, but, but. There are craft supplies in the closet, and a big full-sized bed in the room, too. I want to paint the walls a lovely shade of green, and I need to repaint a shelf and a bookshelf. I know the baby isn't going to care if the walls are painted a lovely shade of green, or if they're made of lime Jell-O. And she's not going to care if her crib is all decked-out in soft-n-snuggly bedding, or if she's sleeping in a laundry basket...but I still want to be done before she gets here! (by the way, if you know of anyone in the southern California area that gets off on "sorting people out"...send her my way, because I feel I need some serious sorting!)

And we took a tour of the maternity floor at the hospital where I plan to give birth. The rooms are really nice. I had no real concept because the closest I have ever been to a birth-related hospital room was watching an episode of Friends when Rachel was giving birth to Emma! TV=Real. Not. However, a neighbor had recently given birth at this hospital, and recommended that we check it out, and I must say I'm pleased.

(most of you will probably be bored to tears with the following information, but it's all new to me, so I'm subjecting you to it, too!)

There are Labor-Delivery-Recovery (LDR) rooms, and their goal is that every mom-n-babe stay there the entire time. There are also post partum rooms if the hospital needs to open up an LDR room, but I'm hoping I get to start, endure, and finish in the LDR room. There's a pull-out couch for Dave, so I don't have to be alone. There's a bathroom and shower in each room, as well as a fridge, and a TV/VCR combo. (VCR. Hah!) The bed has the capability of going from simple incline-and-relax bed to knees-to-your-chin labor bed...complete with overhead spotlights for the doc and everything! :o) They said they give the baby to me for a little "imprinting" time (and hopefully feeding time!), and then the nurse will take her to a warming unit in the room where she'll get cleaned and weighed and have all the necessary tests. Then the nurse will bring the baby back to me, and swap the warming unit out for a bassinet...and leave us alone for some Family Time. I have heard that there is the vague possibility that we'll have web-access in the room, so we can upload pictures fairly quickly. (There's also a Starbucks down the street...so if the Room Access fails, I'll have to send Dave down to post pictures on his own. I need to get him learned up on blogs, eh?) What else? We also saw the other facilities that I don't want to see again (i.e., C-section room, NICU, etc)...but we know they are there. For the other babies, of course! And it sounds like the hospital is well-staffed, so each LDR nurse has a maximum of 2 moms. Hopefully we'll be there during a non-full-moon, so there won't be too many other folks taking up my nurse's time! :o) Ooh, I should start praying for my nurse now, shouldn't I? Yeah. Good idea. Thanks!

And, other than that, the girls over at Pinks & Blues are hosting "Blogger Baby Bump Watch 2008." It seems that lots of pregnant moms are about to be posting their bare-baby-bellies on their blogs...and even though I do it all the time, this time I might win something for doing it! :o) So I tried to take some good belly shots, and Gypsy wanted to play along. And while it isn't the best picture, and the towels should have been arranged just so before I took the shot, it's a sweet one, I think. I call it "Bump the Bump."

I promise, though, to post a picture THE DAY my belly button pops. :o) It's ooching outward every day.

Who's 29?

...the little wee baby making my belly grow, that's who! (My 29 came and went long ago!)

Anyways, I took some new photos this morning, and thought I'd share them with you.

In 2 weeks, my circumference at belly button is now 36", which is a nice, healthy growth of one inch.

I'm feeling much better now that I've been on the iron supplements for almost 2 weeks. I still take a nap every day, and I'm not so completely wiped-out anymore, but still I try to limit my activity so my energy can go to growing a healthy baby.

Here's the usual side shot, so you can see how much more I'm growing outward. :o)

Inspired by Megan, the "Gestating Giantess," I decided to see how gravity affects the uterus, so for this shot, I laid down on the bed. The bump is much more angular and lump-like, not as smooth, and flowy and graceful as the standing-up shot.
And because I'm scientifical, and all, I had to show you a comparison shot:

I think it's interesting how gravity affects the uterus, and the surrounding parts, I guess. Maybe it's just that gravity affects all non-baby parts, and the angular lump we see in the right-side shot is actually all baby while the round, flowy, graceful shot on the left is water and baby and flab and stuff. Hmm...oh, well. More things to ponder.

And, according to Babycenter, she's about the size of a butternut squash.

Hope you have a great week!

A HA!

So THAT explains it!

I got a call today that explains a LOT.

My OB's office called to say that I do not have gestational diabetes (which is not a surprise), but that I DO have anemia!

Woo hoo!

Now, lest you misunderstand my excitement, lemme 'splain.

For the vast majority of this pregnancy, I have felt like a super lazy louse. (Not that lice are lazy. In fact, they are pretty active parasites, if you ask me, but I liked the alliteration.)

Now, Mom, before you go Googling your way over to the March of Dimes' website on pregnancy anemia, there is nothing to worry about. Over half of all pregnant women get anemia. I just have to take an iron supplement to, um, supplement the iron I already get in my prenatal vitamins and diet. No biggie deal.

I'm just so glad to know that there is a better reason for my lethargy than "but you're growing a human" because I know tons of women who grow one, two, or more humans, and aren't nearly as lazy as me!

And I'm going to run right out and get said iron supplement.

Right after I take my nap.

'nighty night!

91 days left (27 weeks)

Gosh.

If you look at it like "Hmm, I've got 27 weeks in me, and 13 weeks to go..." that means I'VE HIT MY THIRD TRIMESTER!!!! Gah!!

(where did the time go?)

(wasn't I supposed to have a rockin', energy-filled, food-filled, glowing, blossoming "second trimester" in there somewhere?)

The math confuses me, I must admit. Normally, I'm pretty good at math. I even like Differential Equations from Calculus. Heck, I even liked Calculus. (Nerd!) But Pregnancy Math? Those OB/GYNs must not have liked Calculus very much. Or Algebra. Or even 4th grade math! Somehow, last week I was somewhere like 5 months along, and now I'm 7 months along? I just don't get it.

(sigh)

It really ratchets up the pressure, though.

Pressure, schmessure. I'm relaxed. I watch my belly for entertainment (because there's still nothing good on the stinkin' boob-toob). I nap.

I don't know all the places that I'm gaining weight, but I have noticed a "thickening" around my neck and my underarms of all places! (and my back got "thick" months ago) I don't know about my hips and thighs...mostly because I can't really see them anymore. I don't think my ankles are getting swollen, but, again, I can't see them. :o)

I don't appear to have any stretch marks yet, but I'm sure I will. What you see below are pajama wrinkles. :o)

I've still got an "innie" belly button...sort of! It's getting much much flatter...which is nice, because now I can really get in there and clean! In fact, I found a Duran Duran pin that I lost back in 1988. I'm going to put it on eBay and fund my child's education.

The Yipper is still moving and squirming like a champ. I don't know that she's kicking me in the ribs, yet, but she does move so quickly sometimes, and so...I don't know...completely (as in, not just a kick, but her complete body) that it catches my breath. I'm getting more used to it, but it still makes me laugh to watch my belly warp and move completely independent of my own brain. It's like there's an alien in there!

Here's a side shot -- looks kinda pokey-outey in the front, eh?

I've still got The Nose. The Pregnancy Nose. Where you can smell anything out of the ordinary. I still can't feed my poor, starving, unloved (Alley Phat) her beloved soft food because I just. can't. stand. the. wretched. smell. And I can still smell that Dave has scooped the cat litter about 30 minutes later. Oh, and I can even smell when he's got the iron turned on. How weird is that?

And I'm slowly, ever so slowly adding things back into my diet. I successfully at chili yesterday. The last time I ate chili was way back in October, and, well, there was some un-pretty, un-ladylike activity that went on in the 20 feet between the recliner and the toilet. So I was a little nervous yesterday. But it was a success! Yay for chili! And I'm eating some chocolate. Not much. Maybe one or two bite sized pieces during the day. But mostly I'm still eating the safe foods I've been eating for the last 4 months (or is it 3? Or is it 5? Still confused.)

As you can see below, over the last month, my girth has increased by 1.5 inches, and I'm 35" around. If I'd measured last night, it would have been bigger. :o)

I've been out buying baby clothes (and shoes! Such cute shoes!) Not a lot of clothes, but, well, enough that my child will never have to go naked! We have the crib, and when my dad, step-mom and brother come to visit this weekend (Yay!), The Men are going to put it together, while Jen and I shop. (I'm thinking of hiding the instructions just to kick up the fun a notch...whaddayathink?)

I plan on registering soon, but I'm going to have to ask the Internets for some maternal guidance before I do that. Like wipe-warmers or no? Diaper GenieII or Diaper Champ? Oh, so many questions I will ask one day this week.

And my sleep patterns? They suck. Well, okay. That's not fair. The word "pattern" implies repetition, and expectancy, and reliability. When it comes to me and sleep, there is no such thing.

Anyway, here's my "widest point" shot. It's measuring 36.5", but the camera was falling over, so it should look more like 37". I think last month, I was at 35", so there's growth there, too.

Other than that, all is well. We are going to visit the hospital soon, and we start our birthing class in a few weeks. Big fun, eh?

That there's the latest! Have a great week.

The Turning Point

Today I had a watershed moment in my pregnancy.

Not the traditional, dictionary-type watershed.

Nope. More like the traditional, pregnancy-type watershed.

Yup. I sneezed.

Do You See What I See?

Look, look, LOOK!!!

Do you see what I see?

Do you see soft, cozy Snuggle Flannel? (which, for a short time only is available for $2/yd at Joanns)

Do you see bright and stimulating receiving blankets? Do you see fun and crazy burping cloths? (because every child needs the opportunity to puke on cute fabric, doncha think?)

Do you see a fun, froggy rag quilt that will be perfect for tummy time with The Yipper?

Do you see those cool, hip, retro owls? And the vibrant "I ♥ tennis"? And the fluffy slippers on the wee ducklings? And those CATS! How cool are they? (Yes, Jen, Carmen Miranda was with me when I was shopping. The Yipper is your grandchild after all!)

Do you also see that I better dust off my old sewing machine and get crackin'? (I am the slowest seamstress I know!)

Hundred's Night

Where Dave went to college, 100 days before graduation, before their "commencement ceremony", all the members of the senior class (and their significant others) celebrate. And the shin-dig is called "Hundred's Night."

I got to thinkin...

(nope, didn't hurt too much)

...why can't WE celebrate Hundred's Night? Why can't we celebrate 100 days till the biggest "commencement" of our lives?

So, Saturday night, we got all dolled up, in our celebrating finest (well, not really finest, but we would have been way too fancy in our fancy fancies) (plus, my fanciest fancy wouldn't fit right now!) Before we got in the car to drive north to Pasadena, we took this little picture for your viewing pleasure:

Our first destination of our celebration was an absolute favorite of mine: The Melting Pot. Yummmmmmm. Me loves the fonduzle.

Dipping perfectly healthy fruits and vegetables into hot, melty, swirly cheeeeeeeese. Mmmm. Hot diggity dog. Or, as they used to say "Good stuff, Maynard." (see the melty, swirly cheese below? It was SO yummy-yummy-yummsters!) (What a great way to add some calories to this Mama's belly!)


After I scraped every last molecule of cheese out of the pot with my fingernails ate the last bit of the cheese appetizer, they brought out the broth for us to fry our selection of meats. (too bad you can't cook the meat in the cheese, eh?) Holy cow, that place is amazingly good.

Then, after two hours of pure gluttony, we went down the street to the movie theater, and watched 27 Dresses (finally, right?) (which, by the way, was very good. I might have even shed a wee tear.)

Late that night, we got back on the highway, and drove home. I think I slept most of the way. (a perfect ending to a perfect night, right?)

Thanks, Honey, for a great Hundred's Night!

The Whole World and the Baby, too.

Today I found a board book for the baby with 10 Sunday School songs, and a CD ('cuz I really need back-up help!). When I got home, I went to lay down for a little while, and rather than put the CD in, I thought I would just sing the songs to the Yipper sans accompaniment. I only knew about 3 songs anyways, so I just made up a tune for the rest. (not pretty, folks, not pretty).

I was glad when I came to the old favorite "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" because I actually know the tune! (and don't have to feel bad for torturing my unborn child with the reverberations of agony she was surely hearing!)

You know the one:

He's got the whole world in His hands;
(repeat twice)
He's got the whole world in His hands;

He's got you and me, brother, in His hands;
(repeat twice)
He's got the whole world in His hands;

He's got you and me, sister, in His hands;
(repeat twice)
He's got the whole world in His hands;

He's got the little, bitty baby in His hands;
(repeat twice)
He's got the whole world in His hands;
He's got the whole world in His hands.

The book has a little picture of a bearded, be-rothed cartoon Jesus holding a baby up in the air.
While I was singing the first and second verse, I imagined myself dancing around the living room holding my daughter and singing this song. Then I started singing the third verse (still dancing in my mind), and I was struck by the thought that, God willing, one day my daughter will also be my sister in Christ. How cool is that? So, I continued to mind-dance and sing with my "sister."

And then the last verse. That one really caught me.

(little background: Dave and I have pretty much picked out a name for the baby, but it will not, Mom, be revealed until SHE is revealed, if you know what I mean...)

So, I sang (and mind-danced) "He's got the little bitty baby in His hands, He's got little bitty (insert baby's name) in His hands; He's got..." and then I couldn't finish it because in my mind, I stopped dancing with my child, and I saw God dancing with her, holding my child in His hands, just God and the Yipper. And that brought happy Mama tears to my eyes, and a tearful Mama prayer to my mouth as I prayed that she will always know that He has her in His hands, and especially that she never doesn't know that. (I know that's a double-negative, but I don't care. You know what I mean.) And that she always always (and especially always) knows that God loves her immeasurably more than anything in this whole wide world that He holds in His hands.

Singing Sunday school songs, and conveying God's love are two totally different things, and I know Dave and I have our work cut out for us, but I rest in the fact that God has chosen imperfect us to lead this little girl to Him, and He'll help us along the way.

She's Still A Girl

...so says the doctor that saw her in all her ultrasound glory today.

He said that her size is good, and her brain is good, and all looks well.

Here's a 3D picture of her little teeny face for your viewing pleasure:

This Body Ain't My Own (23 weeks)

Didja see the ticker? 23 weeks today! Gosh. 5 months along. Gosh.

While I feel very pregnant, I meet people all the time who say that I don't look pregnant. I am definitely into maternity bottoms, but can get away with regular tops if they are long enough. It's funny. If I'm wearing a regular (loose, blousy) top, I don't "look" pregnant, but if I'm wearing a maternity top, I look like I'm trying to look pregnant...if that makes sense. :o)

The Yipper has also been moving quite a bit. She has been since before Christmas, but since it didn't feel like other people had said it would, I kinda thought "Well, it's early, and it's probably just gas..." :o) But I asked my doc, and she said "Yup, that's the baby kicking." So, it's official. I'm going to birth a future Rockette. Or a synchronized swimmer. One of the two. Seriously. I think she's already choreographing her first routine in there! Roll, kick, kick. Turn, kick, kick. Wiggle butt, kick, kick. But can you blame her? I would be going CCCCCCCCRRRRAAAAZZZEEEEEE if I was cooped up inside a balloon for 9 months with nary a book or sudoku (or laptop!) and a very-off-key Mama singing to me all the time! So, dance away, BabyCakes!

We read the Bible to her every night, and she's usually pretty active when we're doing that. I don't know if it's just that she's awake that time of night, or if she's really responding to the sound of Dave's or my voice. And during the day I try to talk to her - when I remember! You know, I've always been one to carry on conversations with myself, but usually just in my own head...not usually out loud...so I have to make a conscious effort to talk out loud to her during the day. Even if it's just telling her what the ingredients are in dinner, or talking through Sudoku. ("Ooh, there's a 9. Dang, no more 4s. Huh. What next?")

Cravings? Still not so much. Still mostly anti-cravings. I can now eat chocolate, but only a bite or two (think one Tootsie Roll Midgie). I don't like pickles any more than I used to (I've always liked them), but I don't eat them with oatmeal for breakfast or anything! I guess I eat a lot of protein - beans, meat, nuts, cheese, eggs. I have to think to eat veggies or fruit (I know I need the fiber!). And I still don't really care for sweets. I mean, I can eat a cookie, sure, who can't? But I don't want a bag, or even a handful. Just one. And I'm still struggling to drink enough water. At least since the nausea/vomiting stopped, I can drink Gatorade and juices again. That helps me get my RDA of liquid. And I don't know about weight gain. I think my scale is broken because it doesn't show much weight gain, but when I go to the doctor's I have gained enough. (Maybe I just subconsciously wore heavy shoes that day?)

And, now, for GROWTH (cuz I know that's why you really came here today!). I really feel like I've popped. I know there's a whole lotta poppin' gonna be happening in the next 4 months, but this is all new to me! Lately, after I eat, I feel SO BIG! I feel like my stomach is SO stretched out and I think "How can it possibly stretch even further than it already is?!?!?" And I think about my poor little skin cells, doing everything they can to not split wide open! It seems that I've grown an inch at my belly button and an inch at my lower belly since I last posted pictures. But I swear I look bigger!

The Side

The Frontal

Belly button Measures (almost)34"

Lower belly measures 36"

That's me. That's my growth. There's not much else (I think?) to report. Have a great week!