39 Weeks

Would you believe there's only 7 days left?! I know I can't!

To be honest, despite the fact that I've truly enjoyed being pregnant I am ready to NOT be pregnant. It's not just a matter of the superficial things I'm looking forward to (sleeping on my back, sushi, etc) but has become a matter of me being miserable. And yes, I'm about to get whiny. My hips hurt and even when I don't do anything I can't walk at the end of the day. I can't sleep through the night and turning over is exhausting, painful and involves loud cracks and pops from my hips and back. I can't stand up or sit down or move without my hips cracking or sending shooting pain down my legs. My belly is so huge I can't do anything anymore, and the skin is so stretched out that it's numb...but it still itches, which is maddening. Everything is swollen, and it's not getting any better. I haven't been able to wear my seahorse ring in weeks and I feel like I look like a balloon that's filled to bursting. Seriously, soon my flip flops won't fit. Clothes don't fit properly anymore either. All those shirts that were cute and adorable with a little bump are awkward and unflattering now; they need to make separate maternity clothes specifically for the third trimester, or at least for the last month or so. Ok, I'm done whining. And I'd like to add this caveat to my whine: I have loved being pregnant and the fact that my body can make a little human is amazing! I'm astounded at my body's ability to make life and I love feeling him squirm and kick and am so excited to meet him. But, there are cons to it, and I needed to vent them out, so, again, sorry for the whine.

Tuesday was pretty relaxed. I spent the day working on one of the wedding presents for the big day on Friday! Both James and I are super excited about it. Wallaby has strict orders to stay in there until Friday evening; after 6:30 pm, he is free to show up whenever he'd like. Unfortunately, my lunch date fell through due to a miscommunication, but it's ok. I was a bit exhausted and not really up to going out to eat. I'm not really up to going out at all lately. I just get so tired so easily, and the above whine applies all day too.

Wednesday was the beginning of the festivities, and the beginning of the end of work for me. Only 16 hours of work left. When work was over, I ran home to rest for a bit before the rehearsal. Since we're not actually standing up there with them, our part in the rehearsal was minor; we will light the candles next to and on the altar, marking the beginning of the ceremony. Then we headed to the rehearsal dinner, which was lovely and delicious. Salad and lasagna and good company, what more could you ask? We got to sit with some lovely people and chat; even though I was tired when we got home, I had a great time.

I woke up Thursday with a cold. It was supposed to be my last day at work, but with labour coming up soon and the wedding the next day, I thought it might be better to just rest instead of pushing myself. So unfortunately, I didn't make my last day at work. Instead, I stayed on the couch, sipping broth and hot tea and dozing on and off. I was ravenous, so every time I woke up, I ended up eating. James brought home some lemons so I could make hot lemon and honey for my throat, and I went through at least a box of kleenex throughout the day. I had been looking forward to getting my nails and toes done with the bridesmaids, but I ended up having to opt out. I just didn't want to get anyone else sick, and I really wanted to conserve my energy for Friday--I'm so excited about the wedding! Thursday was just a miserable day and I can't imagine going through labour while being this sick.

Friday was a very busy day. Luckily, I did my makeup before my doctor's appointment, since the appointment was at 2 and the wedding at 5:30. I was worried about getting there on time if the doctor was late for some reason (like surgery, which he does Friday mornings). Sure enough, he was a bit late. My blood pressure was a bit high again and they had me lie down on my side. It went down again, but not as much as before, so the doctor sent me for tests. He had said if it hadn't gone down, I'd have to go to the hospital for monitoring, and when I asked "Today?," he said "Well, yes. What else are you going to do?" To which I replied "We have a wedding! Can you wait until 6:30?" That's when he ordered the blood tests, to be completed STAT with the results called in to his cell phone. They would call me if there were any problems. Naturally, this freaked me out, especially added to the fact that he wanted to see me on Monday again. So, I tried to stay calm as they drew blood and we headed home. I refreshed my makeup and hair as James got his suit on. Since there's black in my dress, I brought it to the church with me and changed. I managed to wedge my feet into my most comfortable heels for the duration of the ceremony, but changed into flip flops in the car on the way to the ceremony. The ceremony was lovely: Laura looked absolutely gorgeous and radiant and Chris looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. It was so sweet, especially as Laura kissed Chris' hand after putting his ring on. We stayed after for the photos and then headed to the reception with the rest of the bridal party. There wasn't anywhere to sit out front, so we sat in back as we waited for the guests of honour to arrive; this worked out well since the caterers came out with the hot hor d'oeuvres to the back first: yum! We walked out with the bridal party and discovered that someone from the church had saved us two seats, which was great. We had a lovely time, eating appetizers and chatting. We got to see people from the church and people from my sorority that I haven't seen in ages. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone. And eventually, I even felt good enough to dance a bit. And everyone else was shocked that I was dancing, but I had a fun time--gonna dance that baby out of me! We ended up staying the entire night until the bride and groom headed out. My favourite part was probably the garter toss--it turns out they used the garter Chris caught at our wedding! Instead of going straight to bed, we walked the dogs and went back out to Lazy Dog to grab a late dinner (my stomach demands more than appetizers these days) before heading home and absolutely crashing out. Or at least, I crashed out completely. I had so much fun, but was so exhausted. Luckily, there was no call from the doctor, so nothing was too wrong with my bloodwork.

Saturday was pretty relaxed--the only thing we had to do was meet McKenzi, our wedding photographer, to get James' graduation photos taken. My mom had a robe and mortarboard from her graduation, and got James a tassel and honour stole from Prescott and photos for his birthday. Since McKenzi was in town, we were able to book a mini session with her to get some photos done. She also had me step into some, which I wasn't expecting: James was all fancied up and I was in my sweats, so we were a bit incongruous, but she did take an absolutely adorable photo, which you can see below! It was great to see her again; she's helped us capture some of the most memorable milestones of our lives together, and it was nice to add this one too. We ran some errands, just trying to get everything done before Wallaby arrives. We were both pretty tired from staying out so late the night before, but we still didn't manage to get to bed until about 11 pm. I wasn't feeling too great, and knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep for a while--I was having contractions, I figured they were Braxton Hicks, and figured I'd walk a bit, have some water and wait for them to go away. Well, they didn't go away and before long we were heading to the hospital! (For the full birth story, please read the next post)

How far along: 39 Weeks

Total weight gain: +37 lbs

Favourite clothes: I wish I could just stay in my pyjamas all day long

Sleeping: Pretty decently, when I manage to fall asleep

Best moment: The wedding was so much fun! I loved seeing everyone and dancing and had such a great time!

Worst moment: The ASAP bloodwork made me worry quite a bit, especially the few hours after, waiting to see if we got a call or not

Miss anything: Everything I can't have

Cravings: Nothing right now, just eating a LOT (I'm so hungry all the time!)

New symptoms: I'm so hungry all the time! And those contractions were definitely new!

Looking forward to: Holding my baby! I couldn't wait all week, but just kept hoping he'd wait until the wedding was over!

Pregnancy brain moments: None right now

Listening to: Let's see, they played Lady Gaga at the wedding--I had to give Chris some shite about that since he gave it to me for playing some at our wedding.

Crafting: I've given up on finishing things before Wallaby arrives, so we'll stick with what we have

Baby projects: See above!

So there's a lot of photos this week...deal with it :)

Coutesy of Taylored Photo Memories. Labour started that night

39 Weeks: Wallaby is the size of a pumpkin

Pumpkin sized belly

Oy. Carrying that baby around!

39 Week profile shot!

38 Weeks

Only 14 days left! I know the due date is just a guess, and I have this feeling he's going to be a bit late, but it's still exciting to have a countdown! I have a feeling he's going to show up sometime on the 19th. Anyone else want to offer a guess?

It was a pretty relaxed week, which is good because I'm so easily exhausted now. I had lunch with a friend of mine on Tuesday afternoon and ran a few errands afterwards. It's mostly just little things now instead of big ones. Wednesday and Thursday were spent at work, but James and I went to the young adult group Wednesday night, where we watched the presidential debates. The relaxing effects of crochet are completely negated by the debates. And I wish I didn't have to go into work the next day; usually I can just let my boss' political comments roll off my back, but it's been getting harder and harder. Oh well, only 2 weeks left and I'll be off work for about a month after the election's over!

We got the carpets cleaned Friday morning, and they showed up 20 minutes early, just like the exterminators. Luckily, James hadn't gotten into the shower yet, though he had the water on and was about to step in when they knocked. We rushed around, getting as much as possible off the carpets--on the bed, in the crib, in the kitchen or on the patio. They were great--even moving furniture and cleaning underneath. After a few days with fans going, the carpets are pretty dry. The doctor's appointment showed some small progress--my blood pressure wasn't elevated at all and I'm a tiny bit dilated (0.5 cm) which is some progress. It seems he'll probably follow his marching orders and not show til after the wedding. When we got home, I managed to reorganize my entire bathroom and all those drawers of stuff, including going through my incredibly large stash of makeup (the stuff I am no longer keeping fills a gallon size ziploc bag). I was exhausted, but it felt good to get something done. James picked up some enchiladas from our favourite Mexican place (along with chips and salsa YUM) so we didn't have to cook or clean up.

The rest of the weekend was spent running errands. Usually I'm ok, but between hip pain, stomach pain and a tension headache that randomly appears at the back of my skull, I end up quite grouchy sometimes--James is truly the most patient man I know. We dropped James' car to get his back windows tinted, something he's wanted to do for a while and helpful for shade in the back. We got gas, braved the Costco crowds, did a Target run, stopped at two different Babies R Us-es and three Macy's to find nursing bras, got the wedding presents for Friday (though now we need wrapping paper!), stopped by Home Depot and ended up exhausted both nights. Luckily, we had some easy meals, but sadly, I missed my little's bachelorette party as I was sacked out on the couch by 8:30 (apparently they had barely gotten started by then).

Monday I ran some more errands--a Skype date in the morning, followed by my sugaring appointment, then a quick stop at the library for some more books before meeting James for lunch. After lunch, I got the groceries we'd need before heading home to work on the baby book with the photos from Costco. I got some of it done, but sadly I got glue all over one photo when I had to pull it up and re-place it, so I have to go pick up another set of photos before I can finish that. In sorting laundry I also learned that the clerks at the Macy's in Westminster forgot to remove their ink tag security device from one of the bras, which means I have to find time at some point next week to go down there and get it removed. It's not like the next few days are going to be busy enough--between the wedding happenings and my last two days of work, I'm not sure when I'll have time to wrap the wedding presents, let alone get to Macy's or run any of the other going out errands I have to do before baby arrives. I know there will be stuff I don't get done, but I'd like to do as much as possible.

How far along: 38 Weeks

Total weight gain: +37 lbs

Favourite clothes: My nightgown. And a blanket.

Sleeping: Pretty well, despite early starts in the morning

Best moment: 0.5 cm dilated! That's a little bit of progress at least! 

Worst moment: Heartburn. I really, really hate heartburn.

Miss anything: Not being pregnant

Cravings: Nothing in particular, though salads are delicious

New symptoms: Heartburn. Also, the skin on my stomach is numb. And itchy. It's bizarre...

Looking forward to: Laura and Chris' wedding on Friday! Whoo!

Pregnancy brain moments: I keep switching words. Like Spoonerisms, but with complete words instead of letters. It's quite annoying.

Listening to: Mumford & Sons

Crafting: I finished the cocoon on Sunday!It looks cute, even though it's SUPER long...

Baby projects: I definitely didn't get everything done I wanted to, but that's ok.

38 Weeks: Wallaby is the size of a watermelon!

I like these belly and board photos because I'm ridiculously swollen, but you can't tell as much in these photos

38 week profile shot

How is this size even possible?

37 Weeks

Here we are! Full term baby on board and an unimaginably large belly. Despite the little aches, pains and inconveniences that I've vented about here, I've really enjoyed being pregnant. It really is absolutely amazing that women's bodies can create a brand new life, and I feel bad that men don't get to experience that. But, then my hips start aching from sitting, or I run into something with the belly and I don't feel too bad. :)

The breast pump saga has continued. I spent about 3-4 hours total on the phone with Blue Shield this week. Finally getting transferred to a manager after a supervisor put me on hold for an hour only to tell me what I began our conversation with. Apparently, with the implementation of the ACA, I get to be a guinea pig since Blue Shield's provider contracts haven't caught up with the new laws. My case got sent to the "Plan Architects" for them to figure out how they'll accomodate the fat that they now have to cover 100% of a purchased (not rented) breast pump of any style. With the pressure of my due date and the help of the manager fighting in my corner, it was dealt with quickly--she called with daily updates and on Monday I got a call with a new provider name. I'll be calling them as soon as I get the new authentication. It's been a SAGA, but I am hopeful that it's finally over.

My emotions are a bit crazy, and I totally blame hormones. I readily admit that I am an easily irritated person; it's not something I'm proud of, and it's something that I'm constantly trying to work on. However, with the pregnancy, my tenuous hold on my temper has become more dubious. Wednesday let me in a grumpy mood after an overpriced, icky lunch left me with no water, afternoon snack or book  (the first of which I finished in the morning). I also missed the young adult group since my stomach was upset. Thursday was even more interesting. My boss loves his conservative talk radio, and I can usually tune it out, but he went off about something called the Obamaphone on Thursday. I really don't have the energy to get into it right now, but Snopes points out that it was not implemented by Obama and my boss has a high chance of getting a computer virus based on the fact that he would visit a website called obamaphone.net...*smh*. In the afternoon, a "solicitor" came by. I use the term loosely since she was so lazy that she didn't stick the flyer in the door, through the mail slot or even come in; she just dropped the flyer on the sidewalk outside of our door! I was so upset that I went out to pick up the flyer, and started admonishing her for littering and being lazy. She just stared at me like I was crazy. My boss said he was scared of me, and he was inside! Maybe I am crazy, but I can't believe someone littering so nonchalantly. Gr. Between the headache this incurred and the hip pain that struck later, it was a long afternoon. James made a surprise dinner for me so I didn't have to cook--a fantastic chicken piccata. I am truly blessed with the best, most thoughtful husband.

On Friday James got his shots--apparently there's a whooping couch endemic in California, so he got his booster (I'll get mine after the birth) and then a flu shot, then the second of a two part vaccine he never completed. His arms were pretty sore for the next few days. My blood pressure was a bit high again at the doctor's, but after lying on my left side, it dropped again. My doctor is watching like a hawk for pre-eclampsia, but since it drops, he doesn't seem too concerned. We have another appointment in a week since there's no sign of labour happening soon. We had some guests for dinner, making pollo asado tacos with grilled pineapple and mango salsa. It was delicious and great to see friends, but I had to cut the evening short--I just get so tired and I'd overextended myself, which made itself plain in my hip pain. I broke down and took some pain medicine, but could still barely walk.

The weekend was very long but fun. We woke up Saturday to no hot water, which continued on and off for the entire day. The property manager wouldn't approve paying a plumber overtime, and I was lucky to get a hot shower at 9 pm (by 9:20, James' shower was cold). My stomach was also so upset the entire day I couldn't do anything or eat much of anything either. Then I got to spend an hour on the phone fighting with Verizon--smartphones hate me and I'm just about done with them. Luckily, being stuck on the couch all day was good for my hip. Sunday started with a car seat inspection at 8 am at the Irvine Police department. It's a good thing they had a cancellation since their next appointment wasn't until the end of October! We ran some more errands: returning a robe we bought for the hospital (I am done convincing myself I'm a robe person, I'm not), looking for a cheap, throw-away nightgown for the hospital, returning the window shades (get cling-on ones!) and waterproof playard sheet (didn't fit), getting special files for baby receipts and manuals and making a quick return to Macy's and getting some slippers for the hospital too! We ended at Macy's at the mall, and while I stopped at the restroom, James surprised me by getting tickets for the Avengers at the dollar theatre. We had an hour to kill, so James took me to Destination Maternity, where he found a very cute nursing cover--it looks like a cardigan instead of an apron and he's very proud of having found it. Then he took me to the cafe in Nordstrom for some food before we quickly headed to the movie. I felt so pampered and spoiled! However, I can only assume what happened next was contractions. Not only did my stomach muscles get all hard, but I had really, really bad period cramps. I was close to telling James we had to leave, but I'm stubborn, so I ended up taking a quick catnap (like 5 minutes) and changing positions until they went away. They didn't come back, but they did convince me that I'll probably end up getting an epidural. Now, before you rush to comment, this is between me, James and my doctor and I do not want your opinion on it (sorry to be blunt, but any comments on that decision will be ignored and deleted, it's my body and my choice and it's not one I make lightly). We headed home to make chicken enchiladas and spend some time the pups. It was a wonderful day!

Monday started with a call to the dentist. I'd been having some really bad tooth pain on and off all weekend and it turns out I needed a root canal. So I spent my Monday morning in the dentist's chair, getting my tooth drilled. It's really not that bad, and the pain wasn't horrible, though I did end up with a headache at the end of the day. Despite the fact that I feel like it wasn't a big deal, it was still exhausting, and I spent the entire afternoon sleeping on and off on the couch. I still have some soreness if I bite down with that front tooth, but I figure it takes a day or two for the tooth to recover so I'm not too concerned at this point. I ended the evening by eating way too much.

I guess BabyWatch 2012 has officially begun (much like our news' stations "Storm Watch 2012" sensationalism). It's the first question parishioners ask James at work, and I got three calls yesterday! (I love you guys, but I hate phones...sorry!) Do not fret, you will know what happens when it happens--especially via facebook. I really don't think he's going to show up any time soon, so I wouldn't expect to learn the name until at least the due date! ;)

How far along: 37 weeks

Total weight gain: +34 lbs

Favourite clothes: A nightgown my parents got me. Super soft and comfy

Sleeping: Pretty well, minus the snap, crackle and pop I hear with each position shift

Best moment: My Sunday evening pampering!

Worst moment: Root canal

Miss anything: Normal activity, getting up without grunting

Cravings: Nothing in particular, though I really wanted some of Gabbi's shrimp enchiladas

New symptoms: Nothing new. The hip pain just gets worse and worse and I am so exhausted

Looking forward to: Meeting my baby boy, my friends' wedding, seeing my parents

Pregnancy brain moments: Nothing so far, though James left an empty water glass in the fridge the other day...maybe I passed it on to him!

Listening to: The Piano Guys! They're pretty cool and do great instrumental stuff

Crafting: Still working on the cocoon, but exhaustion and headaches make this difficult

Baby projects: *Sigh* so many, and so little time left. I think I'll have to give up on some/most of these ambitious plans. But it's ok, we've done a lot and I'm happy with what we've managed to do!

37 Weeks: Wallaby is now FULL TERM!

Oy, the belly is getting big

Very, very pregnant