Hi there everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend. I had a great weekend. Spent time with folks and my DD and DGD out at my parents' farm which was a lot of fun and very relaxing. And it was awesome to babysit DGD on Sunday while my DD worked. I've been craving some Grammy A time so it was just what I needed. I also got to see some friends who I haven't seen in awhile as we went to town to attend the Memorial Day parade and ceremony.
I did have a few moments of ouchiness over the weekend. Sometimes just walking around is painful, especially when I'm having a contraction. The only way I can describe it is you're walking along and all of a sudden a bowling ball has been placed in the middle of your pelvic bones. It hurts to move any further and it hurts to not move. So I had that quite a bit over the weekend as well as just general achiness in the hips, legs, feet - just normal third trimester complaints. My ankles are starting to disappearing too and being replaced by cankles. Not pretty but that's to be expected.
Can you believe I'm on my last week of work??? After today, I'll just have 3 work days left. Wow, I'm soooooo excited!! I'm glad I started working really early this morning so I was able to finish my workday early too. This afternoon I've been quite crampy and it's the first time I've had enough contractions where I've actually started timing them. I moved to my glider/rocker (from my office chair since I had to do a training class this morning) and I think I'll move to a horizontal position momentarily with a big ole glass of water to see if that curbs their frequency. Figures they decide to pick up the week my doc is on vacation...oh Maribel, you little devil you. I'm sure they're just some practice ones since they're all over the place - 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 5, 4, etc... but it's definitely a reminder that the end is almost here.
Us
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
33 weeks - Only 4-6 weeks to go!
We're really nearing the end now! Only 4 more work days to go next week, wow!! Only 4-6 weeks to go until we meet the little one (depending on when the c-section is scheduled for.) Man, I'm so excited. I can't wait to meet Maribel. I can't wait to see her, hear her, count her little fingers and toes, smell that little baby smell, nurse her, change her, pace the house at night trying to get her back to sleep, spend some days and nights wondering if she'll ever stop crying. That's right - good and bad times, I'm just ready for those times to start.
I'm also ready to be rid of these pregnancy hormones. Poor DH is having to feel the brunt of my hormonal horridness. The catty remarks, the sarcasm, the grumpiness - oh I feel positively evil sometimes. And yet he tolerates me and loves me still, perhaps because he knows "nice Amanda" is only weeks away from returning to our house. I love you DH and I'm sorry for my wickedness these days. xoxo
So here are a couple of belly shots from today to honor hitting the 33 week mark. One shirted and one bare belly for you.
So tomorrow my dog and I will venture out to visit my folks, kids, and grandkids for the holiday weekend. Our last visit pre-baby! I'm just super excited to spend time with the family, work on our cloth wipes with my mom, and chill out at the farm.
And as a proud Army wife on this Memorial Day weekend, please remember all of those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice.
I'm also ready to be rid of these pregnancy hormones. Poor DH is having to feel the brunt of my hormonal horridness. The catty remarks, the sarcasm, the grumpiness - oh I feel positively evil sometimes. And yet he tolerates me and loves me still, perhaps because he knows "nice Amanda" is only weeks away from returning to our house. I love you DH and I'm sorry for my wickedness these days. xoxo
So here are a couple of belly shots from today to honor hitting the 33 week mark. One shirted and one bare belly for you.
So tomorrow my dog and I will venture out to visit my folks, kids, and grandkids for the holiday weekend. Our last visit pre-baby! I'm just super excited to spend time with the family, work on our cloth wipes with my mom, and chill out at the farm.
And as a proud Army wife on this Memorial Day weekend, please remember all of those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Monday, May 23, 2011
32w4d - Progress, but baby steps
Ok, so my grand plan for the nursery this weekend was a bit heady I guess. I didn't come close to finishing what I planned but I did do some things (and even did some things that weren't on my original to-do list for the weekend.)
I DID get the rest of Maribel's clothes washed and folded. They're still not put away, but hey, at least they're all washed now. Do you realize this little girl has 34 pairs of socks??? Yes, 34!! That's approximately 3x more than I have. Her father, well, that's another story. He has a billion pairs of socks. In fact I often tease him that he collects socks, running shoes, and iPod ear buds. (He seriously cannot walk past any of the above without stopping to look at them.) But I digress...
I DID NOT get anything else in her room put away. Oops!
Outside of my original grand plan, I did go to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store and picked up some wooden letters that spell Maribel's name along with some brown, light green, and light pink paint. Painting those was a fun, crafty thing to work on Saturday & Sunday afternoon! They're all painted so I just need to hot glue gun a few wooden decorations on them and have DH hang them up eventually.
I also bought some cotton flannel and started cutting out 8x8 squares for the cloth baby wipes. This coming weekend my mom & I will sit down with our sewing machines and do a little zigzag stitch around the edges to prevent fraying. I'll post pictures when I'm done with them, but we're looking at about 80+ squares of fabrics to start stitching. I was originally going to use a used sewing machine my cousin gave me but we found it's missing some parts and unfortunately missing the manual too. Estimating that it would just be cheaper to get a new machine vs. buying the replacement parts, DH got me a nice, basic Singer from Wal-Mart and I'll have my mom help me learn how to use it this weekend as we begin our little sewing project together.
As for everything else pregnancy-related, not too much has changed. Itchy skin? Check. Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions? Check. Glucose readings? Still good though I see them trending slightly higher so I'll have to stay vigilant on what I'm eating. Soreness? Pretty much gone the last couple of days (YAY!) Any new symptoms? Yes, very short of breath now. My mom & I were on the phone over the weekend and she asked if I just went up the stairs. Actually I had just moved clothes from the washer to dryer (and it's a stackable unit so it's not like I was trudging clothes anywhere.) That little bit of activity had me out of breath. Even though the baby still feels low, I guess my uterus is way up there just getting in the way of my expanding lungs. But again, this is a symptom to be expected. And I had my first middle-of-the-night leg cramp last night. Holy shit, that HURT! WOW!! Again though, pretty common symptom so nothing I haven't been expecting.
Well, I think I'll go back to cutting my flannel squares that I started yesterday. I was up at the butt crack of dawn today so I just started working, did my 8 hours, and called it a day. I'll be posting a new belly shot later this week and I'll keep you posted on anything new and exciting (and anything old and boring...after all, my life isn't THAT exciting.) Later friends!
I DID get the rest of Maribel's clothes washed and folded. They're still not put away, but hey, at least they're all washed now. Do you realize this little girl has 34 pairs of socks??? Yes, 34!! That's approximately 3x more than I have. Her father, well, that's another story. He has a billion pairs of socks. In fact I often tease him that he collects socks, running shoes, and iPod ear buds. (He seriously cannot walk past any of the above without stopping to look at them.) But I digress...
I DID NOT get anything else in her room put away. Oops!
Outside of my original grand plan, I did go to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store and picked up some wooden letters that spell Maribel's name along with some brown, light green, and light pink paint. Painting those was a fun, crafty thing to work on Saturday & Sunday afternoon! They're all painted so I just need to hot glue gun a few wooden decorations on them and have DH hang them up eventually.
I also bought some cotton flannel and started cutting out 8x8 squares for the cloth baby wipes. This coming weekend my mom & I will sit down with our sewing machines and do a little zigzag stitch around the edges to prevent fraying. I'll post pictures when I'm done with them, but we're looking at about 80+ squares of fabrics to start stitching. I was originally going to use a used sewing machine my cousin gave me but we found it's missing some parts and unfortunately missing the manual too. Estimating that it would just be cheaper to get a new machine vs. buying the replacement parts, DH got me a nice, basic Singer from Wal-Mart and I'll have my mom help me learn how to use it this weekend as we begin our little sewing project together.
As for everything else pregnancy-related, not too much has changed. Itchy skin? Check. Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions? Check. Glucose readings? Still good though I see them trending slightly higher so I'll have to stay vigilant on what I'm eating. Soreness? Pretty much gone the last couple of days (YAY!) Any new symptoms? Yes, very short of breath now. My mom & I were on the phone over the weekend and she asked if I just went up the stairs. Actually I had just moved clothes from the washer to dryer (and it's a stackable unit so it's not like I was trudging clothes anywhere.) That little bit of activity had me out of breath. Even though the baby still feels low, I guess my uterus is way up there just getting in the way of my expanding lungs. But again, this is a symptom to be expected. And I had my first middle-of-the-night leg cramp last night. Holy shit, that HURT! WOW!! Again though, pretty common symptom so nothing I haven't been expecting.
Well, I think I'll go back to cutting my flannel squares that I started yesterday. I was up at the butt crack of dawn today so I just started working, did my 8 hours, and called it a day. I'll be posting a new belly shot later this week and I'll keep you posted on anything new and exciting (and anything old and boring...after all, my life isn't THAT exciting.) Later friends!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
32 weeks - I am one hot mama!!
And I DON'T mean sexy! No, I am a human furnace. New Jersey does not have a hot, tropical climate. This week it's been in the 70s, a bit humid, a bit rainy and yet here I sit sweating my ass off even with the air conditioning on. I generally wake up before 7am and by 8am, I get up from working to go put my hair up in a ponytail to try to stop my neck from sweating. I'll have shorts and a t-shirt on and pull the t-shirt up over my roasting belly. I must look soooo attractive to DH as I sit here in my glider/rocker all bare bellied and sweating. Actually, he does say I look pretty sexy but I think he must be pretty crazy. And to think, next week they're forecasting highs of 88 three days in a row - I'll probably drag my bikinis out of the closet to wear around the house in my attempt to stay cool. If I do, I'll see if I'm brave enough to post a pic for you...that could be quite comical for everyone involved.
Today I got to educate the cashier in the pharmacy at CVS on how unpleasant my eczema is. Just before heading out to the pharmacy, my left arm starting itching, but whatever - some body part is always itching these days. By the time I was at the cash register, I had a nice collection of bumps all over that arm. The cashier was like "Oh my goodness, what bit you?" Yep, that's the loveliness of eczema - after that initial scratching, it looks like a mass of bug bites. Then post-scratching it looks like a mass of scabbed bug bites. Soooo attractive! So I gave her a quick rundown of my itching misery and got home so I could pop a benadryl and get that ointment on my arm. I usually don't have to take a benadryl until bedtime but today was just super itchy start to finish. Therefore I spent my afternoon in benadryl coma - in other words, a zombie who after two hours cannot keep her eyes open, and then wakes up even more groggy than pre-nap.
Now I'm awake enough now to write about my day. Lucky you, huh? So 32 weeks today! That means c-section could be anywhere from 5-7 weeks away, WOW!! We are getting so close!! God, I seriously can't wait until she arrives!! I started washing the newborn to 3 month clothes this week. Two loads down and one more to go; then I'll move on to the larger sizes. After seeing how much she MAY already weigh, she may be moving into those larger sizes sooner than we think. My DGD Madison outgrew her 3 month clothes at 2 months old and I bet Maribel will follow suit.
But that also may mean she'll be in her cloth diapers earlier than I originally planned. Most folks say once their baby weighed 10 pounds, they started fitting nicely into the cloths so who knows. Maybe we'll be able to get away with just using the disposables we were given at our shower without having to buy any. That would be sweet!
So tomorrow I'll be off from work and I think I'll continue on with getting things done in the nursery. We got a gift card from one of my dear friends so last week DH and I went to Target and finished up getting some of the final things we needed. Things like a bottle drying rack, nipple cream, grooming kit, rectal thermometer, another box of disposable breast pads for when I'm out and about, a couple of toys, sippy cups, and sun shades for the car. Then I ordered various sized baby food containers from Amazon for when it's time to make our own baby food. So I still have quite a bit to open and put away in it's proper place. And now that clothes are in process of being washed, I can start getting those put away in her dresser. Then I'll start prepping the cloth diapers (need to wash them a few times before using to get them good and absorbant.) Oh, and I think I'll start packing the hospital bag, at least with the things that can go in now like outfits for the little one, nursing pads, toiletries for me, etc. Then we can throw in the rest (cell phone charger, camera, etc) when it's officially time to go.
So after the latest Target excursion with hubby, believe it or not, I think we're done shopping for our little one! Well, kinda...I do still need to get myself one more nightgown for nursing and a nursing sleep bra...so I'm ALMOST done, but those are items for me. But really, other than grabbing a second car seat for when she's a little older (so we don't have to do the car seat swap all of the time) we've got everything we need for her. Additional bottles and pacifiers we'll wait on until she's here and we see what kinds she likes best. So yes, we managed to get everything we needed before I leave my job in two weeks (and therefore no longer have a paycheck) so my "buying a few things each week plan" worked out very well indeed.
Well, have a good evening and I'll check in over the weekend!
Today I got to educate the cashier in the pharmacy at CVS on how unpleasant my eczema is. Just before heading out to the pharmacy, my left arm starting itching, but whatever - some body part is always itching these days. By the time I was at the cash register, I had a nice collection of bumps all over that arm. The cashier was like "Oh my goodness, what bit you?" Yep, that's the loveliness of eczema - after that initial scratching, it looks like a mass of bug bites. Then post-scratching it looks like a mass of scabbed bug bites. Soooo attractive! So I gave her a quick rundown of my itching misery and got home so I could pop a benadryl and get that ointment on my arm. I usually don't have to take a benadryl until bedtime but today was just super itchy start to finish. Therefore I spent my afternoon in benadryl coma - in other words, a zombie who after two hours cannot keep her eyes open, and then wakes up even more groggy than pre-nap.
Now I'm awake enough now to write about my day. Lucky you, huh? So 32 weeks today! That means c-section could be anywhere from 5-7 weeks away, WOW!! We are getting so close!! God, I seriously can't wait until she arrives!! I started washing the newborn to 3 month clothes this week. Two loads down and one more to go; then I'll move on to the larger sizes. After seeing how much she MAY already weigh, she may be moving into those larger sizes sooner than we think. My DGD Madison outgrew her 3 month clothes at 2 months old and I bet Maribel will follow suit.
But that also may mean she'll be in her cloth diapers earlier than I originally planned. Most folks say once their baby weighed 10 pounds, they started fitting nicely into the cloths so who knows. Maybe we'll be able to get away with just using the disposables we were given at our shower without having to buy any. That would be sweet!
So tomorrow I'll be off from work and I think I'll continue on with getting things done in the nursery. We got a gift card from one of my dear friends so last week DH and I went to Target and finished up getting some of the final things we needed. Things like a bottle drying rack, nipple cream, grooming kit, rectal thermometer, another box of disposable breast pads for when I'm out and about, a couple of toys, sippy cups, and sun shades for the car. Then I ordered various sized baby food containers from Amazon for when it's time to make our own baby food. So I still have quite a bit to open and put away in it's proper place. And now that clothes are in process of being washed, I can start getting those put away in her dresser. Then I'll start prepping the cloth diapers (need to wash them a few times before using to get them good and absorbant.) Oh, and I think I'll start packing the hospital bag, at least with the things that can go in now like outfits for the little one, nursing pads, toiletries for me, etc. Then we can throw in the rest (cell phone charger, camera, etc) when it's officially time to go.
So after the latest Target excursion with hubby, believe it or not, I think we're done shopping for our little one! Well, kinda...I do still need to get myself one more nightgown for nursing and a nursing sleep bra...so I'm ALMOST done, but those are items for me. But really, other than grabbing a second car seat for when she's a little older (so we don't have to do the car seat swap all of the time) we've got everything we need for her. Additional bottles and pacifiers we'll wait on until she's here and we see what kinds she likes best. So yes, we managed to get everything we needed before I leave my job in two weeks (and therefore no longer have a paycheck) so my "buying a few things each week plan" worked out very well indeed.
Well, have a good evening and I'll check in over the weekend!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
31w5d - One more thing
I know I already posted about today's appointment but there was one more thing I forgot to mention. During the u/s, the u/s tech pointed out Maribel's hair. We could see her hair!!! While I know this is not earth shattering news for you, we just thought it was the cutest thing ever to be able to see her hair on the screen while she's still weeks away from joining us. Ok, now I'm really done posting for the day. :-)
31w5d - Our "big" little girl
Our little Miss Maribel is looking awesome! And chunky! Yep, today we had our growth scan and our little Maribel isn't so little. They took measurements of her head, abdomen, leg bones, and arm bones (and other things) and came up with her measuring 33w4d, while she really is 31w5d. They estimated her weight at 4lb 10oz!!! WOW!! I was expecting something between 3lb 12oz and 4lb 4oz so she definitely came in higher than my estimation. And from here on out she could gain half a pound a week so we're looking at a good size baby on delivery day. Of course these estimations are just that - estimations. BUT, it's great to know she's healthy and growing really well. We may have one more scan before she's born to track her estimated weight in a few more weeks, so maybe we'll get one more glimpse of her in utero. (And we did have the u/s tech double check that she's still a girl...as I start washing MOUNTAINS of pink and purple clothes, I must admit I was a bit worried about what we'd do if Maribel came out as a Johan instead. All is good though - she's all girl!)
Other than that, my appointment went well. My BP was beautiful at 114/70 and I lost a little more weight. Speaking of weight, I may as well share my numbers since post-Maribel I'll be working on shedding my baby weight, plus a bunch more weight and I'm sure I'll be yapping all about that on here.
-My weight at the start of my pregnancy = 163.6
-My highest weight during this pregnancy = 178.8
-My weight today = 177.6
-So since starting my gestational diabetes diet, I've lost 1.2 pounds
-My total pregnancy gain so far = 14 pounds
I was thrilled to not have gained again since my doc wants my weight to stay put - and it has now for the last two prenatal visits I've had, woo-hoo!! And it's obvious from the growth scan today that Maribel is taking what she needs from me so she's definitely not suffering from my weight staying steady. And I must admit, the prospect of having to only lose 14 pounds (and lets say I gain a bit more these last few weeks and it goes up to 20 pounds) is not that terrible (especially compared to my previous pregnancies.) Of course, once I finish working on those 14+ pregnancy pounds, then I have to start working on all of those pre-pregnancy pounds I packed on in the last few years. Ideally, I'd love to reach 135 (I'm only 5'4" so that would be a nice weight on my frame) so that would be an additional 28.6 pounds of pre-baby weight. Oh, now THAT does seem a bit daunting. But hey, that's a challenge for another day (ok, another bunch of months) starting this summer.
So all in all a great doctor's visit! I've still been feeling lousy these last few days - lack of sleep due to hourly peeing and itching, still nursing a pollen induced headache, and still a bit sore in my lady parts and just above my navel. Welcome to the super-uncomfortable part of pregnancy! My next appointment would have been in two weeks but doc will be going on vacation that week so I'll see him again on 6/7. Can you believe that I'll almost be 35 weeks by then? I sure can't! I'm still in awe that we've made it this far, go TAC!!
Other than that, my appointment went well. My BP was beautiful at 114/70 and I lost a little more weight. Speaking of weight, I may as well share my numbers since post-Maribel I'll be working on shedding my baby weight, plus a bunch more weight and I'm sure I'll be yapping all about that on here.
-My weight at the start of my pregnancy = 163.6
-My highest weight during this pregnancy = 178.8
-My weight today = 177.6
-So since starting my gestational diabetes diet, I've lost 1.2 pounds
-My total pregnancy gain so far = 14 pounds
I was thrilled to not have gained again since my doc wants my weight to stay put - and it has now for the last two prenatal visits I've had, woo-hoo!! And it's obvious from the growth scan today that Maribel is taking what she needs from me so she's definitely not suffering from my weight staying steady. And I must admit, the prospect of having to only lose 14 pounds (and lets say I gain a bit more these last few weeks and it goes up to 20 pounds) is not that terrible (especially compared to my previous pregnancies.) Of course, once I finish working on those 14+ pregnancy pounds, then I have to start working on all of those pre-pregnancy pounds I packed on in the last few years. Ideally, I'd love to reach 135 (I'm only 5'4" so that would be a nice weight on my frame) so that would be an additional 28.6 pounds of pre-baby weight. Oh, now THAT does seem a bit daunting. But hey, that's a challenge for another day (ok, another bunch of months) starting this summer.
So all in all a great doctor's visit! I've still been feeling lousy these last few days - lack of sleep due to hourly peeing and itching, still nursing a pollen induced headache, and still a bit sore in my lady parts and just above my navel. Welcome to the super-uncomfortable part of pregnancy! My next appointment would have been in two weeks but doc will be going on vacation that week so I'll see him again on 6/7. Can you believe that I'll almost be 35 weeks by then? I sure can't! I'm still in awe that we've made it this far, go TAC!!
Friday, May 13, 2011
31w1d - Not feeling great today
Hi all! Well, yesterday was 31 weeks and I'd written a big, long post only to find out that when I clicked the Publish Post button, Blogger was in the process of crashing. It just came up this afternoon and it didn't save a single word I wrote yesterday...UGH!!!!
Today, I'm really sore in my lady parts and just not feeling super overall. I don't know if she's starting to settle further down but the round ligament pain is pretty brutal today. I've tried every variation of waddle I can think of and I've yet to find a comfortable way to move around. So then I laid down and every position change caused a yelp to come out. Ouch! In addition, I have a mild headache (I think perhaps allergy induced) and I have had yet another new rash pop up. Yep, this new mystery rash has popped up this week above and below my elbows. It's super itchy and when it scabs, it almost looks like remnants of blisters. For the love of Pete, can I catch a break please?!?!
So on another day when I'm feeling better I'll write a longer post (the one I would have had yesterday if Blogger would have crashed) but for today I'm just going to be Grumpy Gertie and keep this one short. Here though is my 31 week picture taken yesterday morning.
Today, I'm really sore in my lady parts and just not feeling super overall. I don't know if she's starting to settle further down but the round ligament pain is pretty brutal today. I've tried every variation of waddle I can think of and I've yet to find a comfortable way to move around. So then I laid down and every position change caused a yelp to come out. Ouch! In addition, I have a mild headache (I think perhaps allergy induced) and I have had yet another new rash pop up. Yep, this new mystery rash has popped up this week above and below my elbows. It's super itchy and when it scabs, it almost looks like remnants of blisters. For the love of Pete, can I catch a break please?!?!
So on another day when I'm feeling better I'll write a longer post (the one I would have had yesterday if Blogger would have crashed) but for today I'm just going to be Grumpy Gertie and keep this one short. Here though is my 31 week picture taken yesterday morning.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
30w5d - 3 weeks 2 days...until I leave work that is
BITCH ALERT!!! OMG 3 weeks and 2 days until I leave my job and I swear to you this cannot be soon enough. Holy shit, I could breathe fire I was so pissed off at that place today.
Not going to go into the long, boring story because believe me it is long and boring BUT why don't grown adults face consequences in the workplace? I'm perplexed because we teach our children that if they do something wrong, there are consequences for their actions. Perhaps they get a timeout or no story at bedtime. Later on in life, perhaps they are grounded or given extra chores to complete. Why is it then that in the working world we don't follow through with consequences? Why, when someone constantly fucks things up and is a total slacker on the job, do they not face consequences? And why instead of consequences do we give them added responsibilities (even though it's known that they cannot handle them) as a reward? So they "feel good" that's why. So their feelings aren't hurt. Wow, that's so fucked up!
I try not to care, I really do. I repeat my mantra of 3 weeks and 2 days (updating the countdown daily of course.) I know once I leave I will quickly forget how ridiculous this company is. While I'm still here though I just feel sorry for my co-workers who will have to deal with this individual's incompetence. They'll be forced to watch management coddle this individual's sorry ass over and over, just like I have for years. I'll feel bad for clients who will get shoddy work from this individual because no one in our company bothers to check on this individual or his/her work. I guess that's the problem with having a heart, I care.
So what's a girl like me to do? Just keep on repeating: 3 weeks, 2 days...3 weeks, 2 days...3 weeks, 2 days.
Not going to go into the long, boring story because believe me it is long and boring BUT why don't grown adults face consequences in the workplace? I'm perplexed because we teach our children that if they do something wrong, there are consequences for their actions. Perhaps they get a timeout or no story at bedtime. Later on in life, perhaps they are grounded or given extra chores to complete. Why is it then that in the working world we don't follow through with consequences? Why, when someone constantly fucks things up and is a total slacker on the job, do they not face consequences? And why instead of consequences do we give them added responsibilities (even though it's known that they cannot handle them) as a reward? So they "feel good" that's why. So their feelings aren't hurt. Wow, that's so fucked up!
I try not to care, I really do. I repeat my mantra of 3 weeks and 2 days (updating the countdown daily of course.) I know once I leave I will quickly forget how ridiculous this company is. While I'm still here though I just feel sorry for my co-workers who will have to deal with this individual's incompetence. They'll be forced to watch management coddle this individual's sorry ass over and over, just like I have for years. I'll feel bad for clients who will get shoddy work from this individual because no one in our company bothers to check on this individual or his/her work. I guess that's the problem with having a heart, I care.
So what's a girl like me to do? Just keep on repeating: 3 weeks, 2 days...3 weeks, 2 days...3 weeks, 2 days.
Monday, May 9, 2011
30w4d - Sooooo many clothes!!
Hi everyone! Sorry, it's been a few days since I've posted, just got super busy around here. I do have a few shoutouts to make. A belated Happy Mother's Day to all of my mom-friends. Congratulations to my brother and SIL on the birth of their little girl Audrey, born on Cinco de Mayo. I also want to say YAY to my friend and former co-worker R who found out today that she is having a little girl. It's raining pink everywhere! And lastly, sending prayers out to my message board friend M. After one of her twin girls passed away in utero, they delivered her and were forced two days later to deliver the living twin. She was born at 26w5d at 1lb 11oz. Tiny, tiny girl but so far is stable in the NICU so hopefully she'll thrive now and get to go home in a few months.
Friday was errands day and wow, did that day kick my ass. Trips to doggy day care, post office, and Wal-mart were interspersed with major house cleaning before my in-laws got here on Friday evening. I way overdid it on Friday and as I walked to my mailbox I realized that just that short waddle was painful. So Friday night I spent the evening with my ass firmly planted in my glider/rocker and feet up on the ottoman. I think the only times I got up was to hit the ladies room and greet my in-laws when they arrived.
Speaking of the in-laws, we had a very nice visit with them. And as Maribel is the first grandchild, let's just say they are determined to spoil her rotten. My SIL, MIL, and FIL bought her so many clothes...well, lets just say she may never have to wear the same outfit twice, especially in the 0-3 month size range. Her head will be well protected with her 12 hats. Her clothes will be protected by the 17 bibs she now has. All of the outfits we've received from them and from all of our friends and families are just so wonderful; I'll probably change her a few times a day just to let her wear everything. They also gave us the highchair we wanted and that will be so nice to use since it reclines for when she's really little and eventually converts to a booster seat down the road.
Yesterday, Mother's Day, I was really wiped out from all of the visiting (and general lack of sleep, what with my constant peeing and itching) but overall it was a really nice day spent with hubby and puppy. Low key...just what I needed. And my lunch of a Subway 6" chicken terryaki sub and chocolate cookie was the ONLY meal of the week that put me over 120 on my glucose readings. Woo-hoo!! Believe me, it was hard to pass up all of the Colombian food my in-laws brought with them but it's pretty fried and carb heavy so I thought it best to steer clear and just stick with my healthy stuff.
So as you may recall, my next appointment was scheduled for next Thursday 5/19. The nurse called today to say we needed to change the date (since doc would be out that day) so now it will be Tuesday 5/17 instead. Soooo excited to move it up a couple of days since this appointment is for a prenatal visit and growth scan to see how big our little girl is. We'll also have to see what Dr D says about the limited improvement in my skin (and it really is barely any better) after adding in the Medrol. My back still looks like a war zone of scratches and my outer thighs are still literally bruised from scratching. I seriously hope this goes away when I have the baby...please, please, please go away itchiness!!!
Other than that, I really feel like my belly is getting stretched quite a bit these days. No new stretch marks...yet...but I can barely pinch the skin on some parts of my belly. And I'm definitely having more Braxton Hicks (BH) contractions these days, especially in the evenings or after activity. Like when I take our dog on a longer walk around our apartment complex, by the time we're walking up the stairs of our building, I'll have a good, strong BH going and it reminds me that the end is near. A couple of times I've even had so many BH's happening in an evening that I timed them. But nothing regular or frequent enough to require a call to the doc.
So that's where we're at right now. I'll post a new belly shot on Thursday at 31 weeks. Friday at Wal-Mart, a woman told me I look like I'm going to pop so we'll see if you all agree. Until then, have a great evening!
Friday was errands day and wow, did that day kick my ass. Trips to doggy day care, post office, and Wal-mart were interspersed with major house cleaning before my in-laws got here on Friday evening. I way overdid it on Friday and as I walked to my mailbox I realized that just that short waddle was painful. So Friday night I spent the evening with my ass firmly planted in my glider/rocker and feet up on the ottoman. I think the only times I got up was to hit the ladies room and greet my in-laws when they arrived.
Speaking of the in-laws, we had a very nice visit with them. And as Maribel is the first grandchild, let's just say they are determined to spoil her rotten. My SIL, MIL, and FIL bought her so many clothes...well, lets just say she may never have to wear the same outfit twice, especially in the 0-3 month size range. Her head will be well protected with her 12 hats. Her clothes will be protected by the 17 bibs she now has. All of the outfits we've received from them and from all of our friends and families are just so wonderful; I'll probably change her a few times a day just to let her wear everything. They also gave us the highchair we wanted and that will be so nice to use since it reclines for when she's really little and eventually converts to a booster seat down the road.
Yesterday, Mother's Day, I was really wiped out from all of the visiting (and general lack of sleep, what with my constant peeing and itching) but overall it was a really nice day spent with hubby and puppy. Low key...just what I needed. And my lunch of a Subway 6" chicken terryaki sub and chocolate cookie was the ONLY meal of the week that put me over 120 on my glucose readings. Woo-hoo!! Believe me, it was hard to pass up all of the Colombian food my in-laws brought with them but it's pretty fried and carb heavy so I thought it best to steer clear and just stick with my healthy stuff.
So as you may recall, my next appointment was scheduled for next Thursday 5/19. The nurse called today to say we needed to change the date (since doc would be out that day) so now it will be Tuesday 5/17 instead. Soooo excited to move it up a couple of days since this appointment is for a prenatal visit and growth scan to see how big our little girl is. We'll also have to see what Dr D says about the limited improvement in my skin (and it really is barely any better) after adding in the Medrol. My back still looks like a war zone of scratches and my outer thighs are still literally bruised from scratching. I seriously hope this goes away when I have the baby...please, please, please go away itchiness!!!
Other than that, I really feel like my belly is getting stretched quite a bit these days. No new stretch marks...yet...but I can barely pinch the skin on some parts of my belly. And I'm definitely having more Braxton Hicks (BH) contractions these days, especially in the evenings or after activity. Like when I take our dog on a longer walk around our apartment complex, by the time we're walking up the stairs of our building, I'll have a good, strong BH going and it reminds me that the end is near. A couple of times I've even had so many BH's happening in an evening that I timed them. But nothing regular or frequent enough to require a call to the doc.
So that's where we're at right now. I'll post a new belly shot on Thursday at 31 weeks. Friday at Wal-Mart, a woman told me I look like I'm going to pop so we'll see if you all agree. Until then, have a great evening!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
29w6d - Touching moments in movies
I like to have the TV on in the background while I work and today Starz treated me to two of my favorite movies - "Julie and Julia" and "Up". These movies are absolutely delightful start to finish but they also each contain short scenes that deal with infertility and both bring a tear to my eye at those parts.
In "Julie and Julia" there is a scene where Paul hands Julia a letter from her sister Dorothy. As she reads it she says aloud to Paul that Dorothy is pregnant. Paul consoles her as she starts to cry but tries with all her might to still sound happy as she proclaims she's really so happy for them. It's a short scene but it's heartbreaking because that's such a horrible feeling to have. I remember DH consoling me as people we knew announced their pregnancies and we had to work so hard to express our happiness while inside (and well for me outside) there were so many tears. I just remember holding onto DH so tightly, crying and asking him "Why not us?" That scene just reminds me of those days and my heart goes out to everyone who has ever felt that pain.
In the early scenes of the animated movie "Up", we see the history between Carl and his wife Ellie. As DH & I were watching it one day, he saw the scene where Carl & Ellie are painting the nursery and DH said "That's us!" The very next scene shows Ellie being spoken to by an OB/GYN, her face in her hands, and her husband consoling her in her grief. DH sadly said, "Yep, that's us too." That scene always brings me back to our ectopic pregnancies. I can still see us sitting there (the first time in the ER, the second time in the RE's office) watching our dreams get snatched away from us and feeling our hearts break horribly. Again, my heart goes out to every couple who has ever sat there and felt that heart wrenching pain.
It's these little moments in these two movies that could be easily missed. And perhaps if we hadn't struggled the way we did, these scenes would just be another moment in a movie to me and would not hold the significance that they do. While I never wanted to go through as much pain as we have, I think it's definitely opened our eyes to the difficulties many people have in conceiving and made us more compassionate to those struggling. And these two short but touching scenes will hopefully be little reminders to others out there that not everyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a child.
As our little Maribel flips around and kicks me with much force today, I can definitely say - we feel extraordinarily lucky.
In "Julie and Julia" there is a scene where Paul hands Julia a letter from her sister Dorothy. As she reads it she says aloud to Paul that Dorothy is pregnant. Paul consoles her as she starts to cry but tries with all her might to still sound happy as she proclaims she's really so happy for them. It's a short scene but it's heartbreaking because that's such a horrible feeling to have. I remember DH consoling me as people we knew announced their pregnancies and we had to work so hard to express our happiness while inside (and well for me outside) there were so many tears. I just remember holding onto DH so tightly, crying and asking him "Why not us?" That scene just reminds me of those days and my heart goes out to everyone who has ever felt that pain.
In the early scenes of the animated movie "Up", we see the history between Carl and his wife Ellie. As DH & I were watching it one day, he saw the scene where Carl & Ellie are painting the nursery and DH said "That's us!" The very next scene shows Ellie being spoken to by an OB/GYN, her face in her hands, and her husband consoling her in her grief. DH sadly said, "Yep, that's us too." That scene always brings me back to our ectopic pregnancies. I can still see us sitting there (the first time in the ER, the second time in the RE's office) watching our dreams get snatched away from us and feeling our hearts break horribly. Again, my heart goes out to every couple who has ever sat there and felt that heart wrenching pain.
It's these little moments in these two movies that could be easily missed. And perhaps if we hadn't struggled the way we did, these scenes would just be another moment in a movie to me and would not hold the significance that they do. While I never wanted to go through as much pain as we have, I think it's definitely opened our eyes to the difficulties many people have in conceiving and made us more compassionate to those struggling. And these two short but touching scenes will hopefully be little reminders to others out there that not everyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a child.
As our little Maribel flips around and kicks me with much force today, I can definitely say - we feel extraordinarily lucky.
Monday, May 2, 2011
29w4d - Lots of driving but a fun weekend
29w4d. That's right, we're closing in on 30 weeks which will be an awesome milestone to hit. I can't believe we're into May right now. I know we're due in July, but if we do deliver early we could be having our baby next month. Next month!! As in the month after the current month!! Wow, that's hard to fathom!
I had a great weekend! My long weekend started Friday and as you recall my plan was to watch the royal wedding and tackle the nursery. I'm delighted to say I did both of those things to the fullest extent. I watched the royal wedding ALL morning. I even watched it while I tackled the nursery. And wow, the nursery looks soooo much better now! Things are in their places now, with the exception of clothes that is. Clothes I still need to wash, organize by size, and put away. But I'm holding off on that task for a little longer since my SIL said they've bought Maribel lots of clothes and they'll be visiting us this coming weekend.
Saturday I drove up to RI to visit with my Army girlfriends. Took me about 5 hours each way and each way required 3-4 pee breaks. I also found that my glucose levels aren't too keen on fast food. I tried to make somewhat wise choices while eating on the road, but I did have a couple of meals that went over the limit and a couple that fell just under by a few points. (Nurse was happy with my levels though when I emailed her them today.) It just stinks that a water, cheeseburger, and HALF of a small order of fries was enough to put me over the limit. UGH!!
So anyways, it was a real treat to spend time with my friends. I don't have any friends down here in NJ (wow, that's a pretty sad admission huh) so it was nice to be back with my girls again. We hung out, had good food, plenty of laughs, great conversation, and it was WELL worth spending 10 hours in my car. Our Army friends are so sweet. My friend M had brought down a diaper bag full of stuff for us last weekend and this weekend our friends K & B gave us some ADORABLE outfits in all different sizes. My friend A was funny - she sounded like my sister when she said "you keep buying things so I don't know what to get you." Laugh Out Loud!! I told her we really don't need anything and her gift can be to let us stay with her when we come to visit in the summer. (She didn't like that answer but I insist A, that's all I want.) GIANT THANKS to my friends A, M, K, (& K's significant other B) for making Saturday night a great time!!
Now I do have a confession. Saturday afternoon, my friend A had to take her stepsons to an appointment so what did I do? You guessed it, I went shopping. This time I bought a car seat (we already had an infant car seat but needed one for when she outgrows that), a couple bottles (I like having a variety in case the baby likes one over the other so I just got a 2 pack of Dr Brown's glass bottles), a couple maternity tank tops (because it's getting it hot out now and I don't have any non-maternity tank tops that fit over my belly), a teething ring, some soft tip spoons, a microwave sterilizer (my daughter loves hers for sterilizing bottle and breast pump parts), and reusable breast pads (now I'll have some disposable ones for on-the-go and washable ones for around the house.) Then I finished up my shopping for this "pay period" with a couple of online purchases today. Grabbed a diaper sprayer so we don't have to dunk the dipes in the toilet (I always hated that part) and got a wet bag for traveling so we can bring home dirty dipes while we're out and about and throw the dipes and wet bag in the washer. (Plus, because I spent $59 at that retailer I get a free cloth diaper, valued at $17. That brings our stash of CDs to 25 - YAY!)
So, I think that's all I have to report for today. The in-laws are coming to visit this coming weekend so I'll be busy with cleaning, groceries, etc throughout the week. But I'll be sure to check in if I have anything interesting to report. (Oh hell, you know me. I'll be checking in even if I have nothing interesting to report.)
I had a great weekend! My long weekend started Friday and as you recall my plan was to watch the royal wedding and tackle the nursery. I'm delighted to say I did both of those things to the fullest extent. I watched the royal wedding ALL morning. I even watched it while I tackled the nursery. And wow, the nursery looks soooo much better now! Things are in their places now, with the exception of clothes that is. Clothes I still need to wash, organize by size, and put away. But I'm holding off on that task for a little longer since my SIL said they've bought Maribel lots of clothes and they'll be visiting us this coming weekend.
Saturday I drove up to RI to visit with my Army girlfriends. Took me about 5 hours each way and each way required 3-4 pee breaks. I also found that my glucose levels aren't too keen on fast food. I tried to make somewhat wise choices while eating on the road, but I did have a couple of meals that went over the limit and a couple that fell just under by a few points. (Nurse was happy with my levels though when I emailed her them today.) It just stinks that a water, cheeseburger, and HALF of a small order of fries was enough to put me over the limit. UGH!!
So anyways, it was a real treat to spend time with my friends. I don't have any friends down here in NJ (wow, that's a pretty sad admission huh) so it was nice to be back with my girls again. We hung out, had good food, plenty of laughs, great conversation, and it was WELL worth spending 10 hours in my car. Our Army friends are so sweet. My friend M had brought down a diaper bag full of stuff for us last weekend and this weekend our friends K & B gave us some ADORABLE outfits in all different sizes. My friend A was funny - she sounded like my sister when she said "you keep buying things so I don't know what to get you." Laugh Out Loud!! I told her we really don't need anything and her gift can be to let us stay with her when we come to visit in the summer. (She didn't like that answer but I insist A, that's all I want.) GIANT THANKS to my friends A, M, K, (& K's significant other B) for making Saturday night a great time!!
Now I do have a confession. Saturday afternoon, my friend A had to take her stepsons to an appointment so what did I do? You guessed it, I went shopping. This time I bought a car seat (we already had an infant car seat but needed one for when she outgrows that), a couple bottles (I like having a variety in case the baby likes one over the other so I just got a 2 pack of Dr Brown's glass bottles), a couple maternity tank tops (because it's getting it hot out now and I don't have any non-maternity tank tops that fit over my belly), a teething ring, some soft tip spoons, a microwave sterilizer (my daughter loves hers for sterilizing bottle and breast pump parts), and reusable breast pads (now I'll have some disposable ones for on-the-go and washable ones for around the house.) Then I finished up my shopping for this "pay period" with a couple of online purchases today. Grabbed a diaper sprayer so we don't have to dunk the dipes in the toilet (I always hated that part) and got a wet bag for traveling so we can bring home dirty dipes while we're out and about and throw the dipes and wet bag in the washer. (Plus, because I spent $59 at that retailer I get a free cloth diaper, valued at $17. That brings our stash of CDs to 25 - YAY!)
So, I think that's all I have to report for today. The in-laws are coming to visit this coming weekend so I'll be busy with cleaning, groceries, etc throughout the week. But I'll be sure to check in if I have anything interesting to report. (Oh hell, you know me. I'll be checking in even if I have nothing interesting to report.)
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