Just Hand Over The Zingers!!!!

I was so proud of myself. I wasn't one of "those" pregnant women, the weak ones who get intense cravings that must be fulfilled NOW or everyone else will suffer the consequences. Sure, I had cravings. Some I've satisfied, most I wasn't able to and eventually, the crisis would pass and I would be normal again. I've lost all control.

The other day I snuck down to the vending machine at work for a sweet snack. I keep snacks in my drawer but nothing there seemed to tickle my fancy, so I figured I'd take a peek at what my other options were. There in the bottom row, almost hidden from view, was a piece of my childhood - Raspberry Zingers. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had one so I figured, "Why not?" I promptly devoured them, the divine taste lingering in my mind for hours afterwards (yes, I can recall tastes just by thinking about something I've eaten!). Last night I had to go grocery shopping so I decided I would pick up some more Raspberry Zingers to have on hand...plus, I really wanted another one. Lo and behold, there were NONE to be found!! How dare they? No problem, there was always the vending machine, right? So I skipped on down to the vending machine this morning, only to find fudge brownies where my zingers were! The nerve!! I stared at that machine for a good 2 or 3 minutes hoping they would appear somehow, but alas, nothing. Now what?

I told Brian that if he can find me some Raspberry Zingers, he will forever be my hero. It's all I can think about... Zingers, Zingers, Zingers... Where oh where can you be found?

And what happened to the sane me???

Woohoo!

I just heard back about another item I've been trying to get squared away! Since I will be working full time again after my maternity leave, but I also will be breastfeeding (more on that later), it will be a bit complicated upon my return to work. I've been doing a lot of reading about working and breastfeeding so I think I know a bit of what's in store for me, but I also wanted to set things up at work so I don't have to worry about it later. Where I work, we have different schedules depending on the day of the week. We work Monday through Wednesday 8:30AM to 4:00PM, Thursday 8:30AM to 6:30PM, and Friday 8:30AM to 12:30PM. We get one 15 minute break in the morning Monday through Thursday and an extra 15 minute break in the afternoon/evening on Thursdays, but no breaks on Fridays (this is in addition to our 1 hour unpaid lunch break Monday through Thursday). Theoretically, I should be able to pump in 8-10 minutes with the Medela pump I intend to purchase...however, I know that in the beginning it may take longer until I get used to the routine. So I approached them about getting an extra 5 minutes or so tacked on to every 15 minute break that I would make up for by working late however long I took. In addition, I requested a break on Fridays so I can pump, again, working late however long it takes.

I was a bit worried about my request... We work in a union environment so everything has to be run by them first, and a lot of times, deviations to the schedule aren't granted because of the concern that "everyone" will want one, too. But I was pleased with the response I got today. I will be allowed to take the extra time. :D The only slight problem is that I have to make up that time in the morning before work. ??? I'm not sure how I'm supposed to predict how much extra time I will need, but I guess I'll just have to go with 5 minutes Monday through Wednesday, 10 minutes Thursday, and 15-20 minutes on Friday. Of course, this may make things a bit harrier in the morning with getting Peep to daycare, but I want to do this. I could have given up time from my lunch breaks, but I wanted to save that time so I could go to the daycare and nurse Peep.

The other concern I had was that when I first approached Personnel about a place where I can pump, I was referred to the ladies' room. YUCK! Fortunately, Connecticut law states that they have to make a reasonable effort to provide a "private and comfortable" place for me to pump, and I referred them to the law. I had been waiting to hear back on that, but my supervisor assured me today that they will provide a space--they just can't tell me where yet because they will be moving some offices around in the interim. At least I will have a place and the time to do it!

Back to the breastfeeding thing. I know I am setting my standards extremely high here, and probably setting myself up for a load of frustration. But I absolutely do not want to give formula at all. It's my personal choice. I don't consider anyone to be any less of a parent for giving formula. You need to do what is best for you and your child. But with the health problems that I have that *may* be linked to having been formula fed when I was an infant (asthma and allergies, namely), I feel very strongly about exclusively breastfeeding any children I have. It's quite the leap, actually, since my Mom didn't breastfeed any of us, and I really don't know anyone from her generation who did. Regardless, I have made this one of the things I will not back down on...no matter how difficult it is, no matter how painful, I will do this. If Peep doesn't want to nurse, then I will pump exclusively and give him/her expressed breast milk in a bottle for all of his/her feedings. I am committed to this! (And it's quite the thing for me since I'm supposed to go back on Metformin for my PCOS after I give birth, but I can't if I'm breastfeeding...but it's that important to me.) At least I have leapt over this hurdle...

Checking Things Off My List

I feel like I'm really accomplishing some things this week.

• I ordered the Childbirth DVD. We decided to go with the Gift of Motherhood, which I found out afterwards that there actually was an in-person class in Connecticut that was based on the book and DVD. Then again, the in-person class costs $200 and I got the DVDs and book for $40, so I feel like I'm ahead of the game already!


• I completed and had notarized my living will. With all the controversy lately over Terri Schiavo, I figured I'd better get it done, especially since I feel very strongly on the subject. I don't expect to need it any time soon, but at least it's been done. It also included naming a medical Power of Attorney, Conservator, and Appointment of Health Care Agent. I think all my bases are covered.


• Brian and I toured our first daycare today. I did some research ahead of time because this one is owned by a national corporation (the Knowledge Learning Corporation ) with an education-focused philosophy, which drew me to it in the first place. I emailed the director last week and got some preliminary answers from her before I made the appointment, so I was pretty informed already before going. The assistant director was our guide today. I was impressed. The place was clean, but not "too clean" (if you know what I mean). The assistant director was extremely friendly (she's been there for 9 years). They have a big focus on education and entertaining children. Infants are only in their cribs for sleeping, which I think is excellent. Diaper changes every 2 hours. Feeding based on what I tell them (on my own schedule or when the baby's hungry). They will feed expressed breast milk (wearing gloves). I can drop in any time. The doors are locked all the time; entry is granted with a keyless entry code. They never close for inclement weather (a problem with a lot of the daycare centers around here...how the heck can you get to work if your daycare is always opening late or closing early due to poor weather?!). We have to provide everything (diapers, wipes, bottles, bedding, etc.) but I don't mind that...I'm a control freak anyway. They give reports at the end of the day letting you know how many diaper changes, what they were, when naps occurred and for how long, feedings and how much, etc. They do art projects and creative stuff once the children get old enough to do it. They have a playground outside once the children are old enough. They have separate rooms for infants (maximum of 8 in the room with 2 teachers) and toddlers, which are on the other side of the building from the preschool kids. The list goes on and on. The bad part? It's $210 a week for full-time care...we were planning on $150 a week, and I still hadn't even figured out how we would pay that. The center I'll be touring on Friday is $180 a week, but I didn't get a great vibe just from my phone call, so I'm not sure how well that will go...

I also have the new patient consultation set up with the pediatrician for April 20th. I talked with the OB about how the pediatrician does not have hospital rights where I'll be delivering and she said that wasn't a problem. They'll just have one of the pediatricians from the Children's Medical Center (special hospital building across the street) come over to do the hospital checks on our baby. No problem.

I still have to:

• Get my truck cleaned so I can install the carseat and have it inspected.


• Set up the hospital tour (need Brian's winter job to be over first).


• Figure out our drive route to the hospital and an alternative in case of traffic (traffic can bring the drive up to 1.5 hours or more!).


• Set up baby's room (need to have my shower first so I'll have the crib and armoire).


• Wash and put away baby's clothes (need to have shower first so I have somewhere to put the clothes).


• Take some sort of breastfeeding class.


• Pack hospital bag

I think that's everything. :D

Happy Easter!

Now it feels like spring! The season of rebirth and growth. :)

Because I actually bothered with my hair and put on makeup today, I had Brian snap a photo for posterity. I really didn't like the last picture he took, so I may just use this one to replace it forever. ;)

Childbirth Class on DVD?

That darn OB got me thinking...

Has anyone bought (or did one of the rental programs) a childbirth class at home DVD? I'm not fond of the whole childbirth class thing, and the classes around here aren't fitting into my schedule anyway. I planned on skipping it altogether with all the reading I've done, but my OB seems to think I should go. So I was looking into either doing a rental class to watch at home or buying a DVD. These are the options I've found:

Great Expectations: Laugh And Learn About Childbirth
Childbirth Preparation Class on DVD
Childbirth Class to Go - rental
Labor of Love Childbirth Class
Gift of Motherhood Childbirth Education DVDs and Book

Has anybody bought/rented any of these? What did you think of them? Would you recommend them? Why or why not? I think I will definitely go with one of these...I just haven't decided which one yet. Then at least the OB can't say I was totally unprepared (as she seems to think I will be now, in spite of the reading).

Today's Appointment

It was a quick one today! Pee in a cup (it was ok), get weighed (gained 3 lbs in one week!! 16 lbs total now...but they told me not to stress about it), and blood pressure taken (112/62). Dr. F came in and measured my belly and then we listened to Peep's heart with the doppler. She said Peep's heartrate was in the 170s this time and sounding like it should. I passed the 1 hour glucose challenge with flying colors - woohoo! I get to have chocolate for Easter!! :D That was about it... My next appointment is in 3 weeks when I'll be 30 weeks. After that, she said they would schedule in 3 weeks again (33 weeks), then 2 weeks (35 weeks), then every week. Why does that not seem very long at all? She asked me if we were preparing at home and said we better get going because Peep will be here soon!

Dr. F was great about not lecturing me on my weight (she just said to try to eat healthy) but she did seem extremely disappointed that I didn't want to take a childbirth class. She asked me about this the last time I saw her, and at that time she said she really wanted me to do the hospital tour (which we were planning on anyway) and take an infant CPR course. But this time she really tried to talk me into the childbirth class. I *really* don't want to take one. I don't want one on one attention, and I hate the whole idea of the classes (the "let's bond because we're all pregnant together" mentality that seems to prevail at these classes). I've also heard from many women who have taken them that they didn't learn anything that they didn't read in books already anyway. So I thought I would be fine not taking them... but apparently Dr. F doesn't think so. Last time I checked, there was only one class left locally and it's at the end of May. Not very useful if I go into labor early, eh? ;) I'm really not sure what to do now...

I almost forgot! I asked Dr. F about the unknown ultrasound image below. She said she wasn't sure what it was but if she had to guess, she'd say (her words) a "crotch shot." She said there was definitely the umbilical cord in the picture, and she thought the crotch was on the left, but that was only a guess. She figured the tech accidentally put the picture on the CD and that while it was something she obviously needed, it certainly wasn't worthy of the baby book. So I guess we'll never know for sure what that was a picture of.

THIRD TRIMESTER!!!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
13 weeks to go (or maybe 11? ;) ).....

BTW, if you didn't see yesterday's updated post, check it out! I'm very excited about it!

Pictures of Peep! UPDATED!!

I *finally* got my ultrasound CD in the mail today! There were only 4 images on the CD, but there were 7 AVI files (mini movies). 1 of the images is a duplicate of a printout I got, so I won't post it... And I'm working on figuring out where I can host the AVI files so I can share them with you. That truly is the coolest part of the CD! But here are the 4 images:

3/2/2005-What the heck am I looking at here? I get the feeling this was a bottom shot (the one I studied closely during my visit, actually) but I can't make out anything other than what *might* be feet off to the left. (ETA: I've had one person on FF comment that this *is* a gender shot...any takers? If you click on it, you can see the bigger version of the picture.)


From 3/2/2005...boy can that baby extend that arm! (I remember seeing this when it happened!)


I think this is from 2/2/2005. Kinda fuzzy...


2/2/2005...I posted a version of this before. This is the only one that I have a printout for that there is also a picture on the CD. :-/


Watch for updates! Once I figure it out, there will be links on here to the AVI files!

UPDATE!! I had to make a webpage on tripod.com to get the files up... I couldn't find anything that would just host them like photobucket.com lets you host image files (and I was too close to my file limit on geocities to put it up on there as an extension of the family webpage). So here they are (and be forewarned if you have dial-up...these are very large files!):
http://mrsvibert.tripod.com
Enjoy!! :)

I Want It Done...On My Schedule

I've been thinking a lot lately about how we as a society have this need to control everything, to have everything occur when we feel is best. Scheduled C-sections and inducements when there is no medical requirement come to mind, especially. Apparently, these are all the rage now for those with busy schedules who need to ensure labor and giving birth don't interfere with a prior engagement. I even read an article recently about a growing number of celebrities who are opting for these non-medically necessary interventions because they can then pick the day (and even the time, in the case of a C-section) the baby will be born. No offense meant to anyone who has chosen this path, but to me, there's something to be said for letting our bodies make that decision for us. It's what has worked for generations before us, and what will continue to work for generations long after we're gone. Our bodies know best when the baby is ready to come into this world, not our date books, and that's what we should be listening to.

Yes, I'm a control freak. I like knowing when, where, how, and all the other important details so I can plan my life around the event. But babies don't adhere to schedules, and I don't expect them to. I guess I just can't imagine going through extra pain and healing time just so I can force that baby come when I feel is best. It just doesn't seem worth it...

[Please know that I am definitely not thinking of women who require these medical interventions in order to have a healthy baby. That is certainly a valid reason for it!! I just have a hard time dealing with people wanting to schedule everything these days...]

Random Thoughts

The glucose challenge (LOL, but that's what it said on the paperwork!) on Saturday wasn't so bad. I picked a lab in a nice community in hopes that it was nicer than the lab near my OB's office. What a smart move! The lab was in a sort of converted mansion and it was *beautiful*! Ornate woodwork and fireplaces and comfy highback chairs with a windowseat that probably looks out on a nice garden when it's warmer. I also got to have the orange drink, which reminded me of orange Hi-C. In fact, I had to have some orange Hi-C yesterday so I could compare and yup, they're pretty much the same. Makes you wonder how much sugar there is in Hi-C... I'm waiting on the results. We're supposed to go over them Friday at my appointment, but I'm thinking of calling today for them anyway. I guess I'm just a little impatient.

I started buying boy clothes! I found some great deals at Gymboree and couldn't resist! Worst case scenario, items can be returned up to 4 months after purchase there (but I've heard they're flexible on that, even). I figured that if I keep saying that I think Peep's a boy, maybe I better start acting like it, too.

I'm restless again. I think being stuck resting all weekend didn't help. I keep looking at the clock wishing for time to pass by more quickly. Not that I'm not enjoying this stage of pregnancy. It's pretty amazing every time I feel Peep roll around inside me or kick. But I've hit a lull again and I just want to fast-forward to the fun and interesting parts. I keep looking in what will (sort of) be Peep's room wishing we had it set up, but knowing I can't until after my shower since my parents are buying the crib and armoire. I've run out of things I can buy so with every passing day, I feel like I'm not doing anything to prepare. There are a few things left on my list, but it's mostly the stuff I really don't want to do (like research daycare) so I'm not exactly eager to get that checked off.

Speaking of daycare, one of my aunts once again said she would love to watch Peep. Except she's the breadwinner in her family. Her husband is 18 years older and when his employer closed a few years ago, he ended up on Social Security Disability because he was too old and ill to get a job elsewhere. So she works for the health insurance and the majority of the money. I would LOVE to have her watch Peep! Family is always best, and I know my aunt would do an excellent job. But I also know she can't afford to do it for what we can afford to pay. She was asking her husband again if there was any way she could do it, but I know she can't. What a shame... I keep telling myself daycare is good. Children learn to interact with other children at a much younger age. They learn things I may not have the time to do if I tried to do it all myself. But I hate the idea of handing my child over to a stranger and have been hoping deep down inside that some relative would come through in the end. I guess that's probably why I don't really have any desire to check out the daycare centers.

I am happy to report that I am on labor watch for Lauren!!! I can't wait! Not too much longer now! I'll be sure to tell everyone as soon as I get the news! :)

All's Well...So Far

I called the OB's office this morning. After some deliberation, the nurse decided to call me in for 2PM so they could hook me up to the monitor and check if I was having contractions. I was so grateful because it didn't seem like they would at first and I really didn't want to spend the weekend second guessing whether I described my symptoms well enough for them to get the gist of what was going on. So I trekked on down there and was hooked up. Peep once again sprang to life, kicking the nurse as she put his/her monitor on. It was pretty funny, actually, because it's not too often that I lay on my side with nothing on my stomach. Most of those kicks were STRONG! I bet if I could see that low on my belly, I would have seen them!

In the end, I wasn't having any contractions at all. They figured the cramping was probably just from me or Peep growing. Dr. F (who you may recall is not one of my favorites) redeemed herself today by being understanding and actually not at all preachy. She checked my cervix and said it was long and hard (don't laugh!) but that she could put her finger in a bit. Since she had nothing to compare it to, I have to go back in a week so she can make sure it's not thinning out.

Which also means that the glucose tolerance test I was supposed to do for my appointment in 2 weeks has now been moved up...meaning, tomorrow morning I have to go. I was planning on going to a daycare open house...but this is more important. Of course, I still haven't figured out what to eat before since it's not supposed to be a fasting test but I'm also supposed to eat protein beforehand (well, specificially I was told not to eat sugar before). I hate eggs so I'm not sure what to eat for breakfast that qualifies...

As I said, Dr. F was a lot more considerate this time. I had actually gained 2 lbs since my last appointment (total 13 lbs) and I'm surprised I didn't get her usual lecture since up until my last appointment, I was average .5 lb a week and I'm not supposed to go over 20 lbs. We'll see if she can be nice again when I see her next Friday. In the meantime, I'm supposed to call if I have more than 5 cramps in an hour or if there's any blood. And I'm to rest this weekend.

A Little Too Eager?

Ironic that the day Brian told Peep to come on out, I started to have weird cramping. We had a good laugh yesterday morning when Brian revealed how eager he is to meet Peep, but I wasn't laughing that afternoon. I had some mild cramping that would come and go in the morning but by 2PM, it was with me constantly. Sometimes it really hurt, the rest of the time it was there and just uncomfortable but not unbearable. As soon as I got home from work, I drank 20 ounces of water and laid down on my left side. I stayed on my side for the evening, not sure what to do. I didn't want to be one of those paranoid women who calls the doctor about everything, especially since it was after hours. It seemed better by the time I went to bed, so I decided to just wait it out and call the OB in the morning when the office opened again. So that's what I'm waiting for right now...the office to open. The cramping came back as I was typing this, but I'm trying not to freak out. It really could be nothing. I mean, I would know it if I was in labor, right? It's probably just my uterus growing again. Let's hope.

The other weird thing is that throughout all of this, Peep has been *extremely* active, which is unusual. At least I don't have to worry if everything is okay with him/her... S/he's obviously still alive and kicking - prolifically.

Mission Accomplished!

Well, sort of. I have another thing I can check off my list at least. I sucked it up and called the local pediatrician's office to make an appointment for a new patient consultation. As much of a planner as I am, I HATE making phone calls. I have some unexplained fear of calling anywhere to ask anything. I also am not particularly fond of the whole interviewing part of this anyway. It's why I also haven't started researching daycare yet, even though I really should be. But I did it! One call down at least...

The neat thing about the pediatrician we're considering is that he's the son of my pediatrician. But because of that, he hasn't been in the business very long either. He's only been in practice since about a year ago. I haven't decided yet if this is good or bad. On the one hand, having just gone through med school and residency, he would be exposed to the latest information. On the other hand, he doesn't have much hands on experience. But my favorite OB also hasn't been in practice very long either, so it could work out well. My appointment isn't until April 20th so I have another month to build up enough courage to ask the questions that need to be asked. At least I made the call.

I also talked to work about how I can fit in pumping when I return to work after having the baby. I'm glad I walked into that discussion having already read the law. We have a strange schedule at work: 6.5 hrs/day Monday through Wednesday, 9 hrs on Thursday, and 4 hours on Friday. This means that Monday through Wednesday we have a paid 15 minute break in the morning and an unpaid 1 hour lunch in the afternoon, two paid 15 minute breaks and an unpaid 1 hour lunch on Thursday, and no breaks at all on Friday. I asked if I could break my 1 hour lunches into two 30 minute breaks, but I was told they would have to research it further. Then I asked about where. We have a few empty offices in the building and I was hoping to snag one of them, but the only place she offered was the bathroom. YUCK! Fortunately, the law says that an employer must make a reasonable effort to provide a private place to pump and a bathroom stall is not an acceptable place. It goes even further to define "reasonable effort" as "any effort that would not impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer's business." One step further, "undue hardship" is defined as "any action that requires significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to factors such as the size of the business, its financial resources and the nature and structure of its operation." So I honestly don't think they can deny finding me a private space, and I did offer up the suggestion of a couple of the offices I was thinking of. I also provided them with a copy of the wording from the statute. It's pending further research so we'll have to wait and see. While the law does say they can't deny me to pump or breastfeed while on my lunch or break, it doesn't say they have to change my break schedule so I may have a problem there... And while a 15 minute break may be enough once I'm used to doing it, it won't be in the beginning. Here's hoping I can work something out with them! At least the wheels are in motion.

It appears that Brian is getting anxious to meet our baby no-name. Every week I read to him what Fertility Friend puts up on my pregnancy page for the week. This week's said:

Your baby weighs more than 2 lbs (1000g), measures 9.6 inches from crown to rump (24cm) and its total length is about 15.3 inches (34cm). If your baby were born now, she would have about an 85% chance of surviving.

Brian's response? "Well let's get that baby out of there!" I don't think I'm ready for that!

Double Digits

99 Days To Go...

In some ways, it seems like there's very little time left. In others, it feels like an eternity...

25 weeks 6 days:

Showers And Other Stuff

My cousin and I have been emailing back and forth a lot lately. It’s nice to have someone in the family going through this at the same time. So I asked her if she knew when her shower would be (not everyone has surprise showers, after all). She replied that she didn't know when hers will be, but she did know her sister and mother were aware of when mine will be because they're planning hers around mine. She said she figured both of ours would be in May. :D Why the big grins? First, call me crazy, but a small part of me actually wondered if I would have a shower at all since nobody has talked to me about it. Even though my wedding shower was a surprise, they at least talked to me a bit about the planning and who I wanted to invite. Second, I was also afraid they would plan a joint shower with my cousin. I don't want to be selfish, but this *is* her 2nd child and my 1st (well, hopefully 1st living). I certainly think she's entitled to a shower given the circumstances with her 1st, but I also feel I'm entitled to my own day and I don't want to share it. Of course, this means there are probably 2 more months until the shower... But I think I can make it now that I know there will definitely be one! :D

The other thing I had said to Brian regarding showers is that Mother's Day is in early May this year (May 8th) and I thought it would have been cool to have a shower on that day. I had told my sister that I would prefer my shower be no later than early May, just in case, which is why I made this leap. BUT it isn't likely because one of my aunts had her twin boys on Mother's Day the year they were born so she ALWAYS celebrates their birthday on Mother's Day. Brian has disagreed with this practice pretty much the whole time we've been together and he told me last night that once the baby is born, there will be no more going to my aunt's house for Mother's Day...that it will be *my* day. I was a bit surprised by how strongly he felt. (Of course, the twins will be 17 this year...it's not like there will really be any more parties anyway.) So I said why wait until next year..I'm already a mom. You know what he said? Because we didn't celebrate Father's Day last year when I was pregnant with Arabella. He explicitly told me he didn't *want* to celebrate it because it was so early in my pregnancy! So I told him we could celebrate it this year, and for all he knows, maybe Peep will be born on Father's Day. He didn't like the idea of sharing the holiday *at all*. LOL! I also tease him because his birthday is 13 days before my due date, so I keep saying Peep will be born on his birthday, which really riles him up because he doesn't want to share his birthday. I think it would be nice though...put a nice spin on the day since it was on his birthday last year that we had confirmation from my doctor that I was pregnant with Arabella.

Fertility Friend and Snugglepie both say I have 100 days to go today... I'm thinking it's probably more like 90. ;)

I Can't Believe I Did It!

2 sewing projects in one week! It took some help from Brian in getting the sewing machine properly oiled (why didn't they tell me in 7th grade that there was so much maintenance involved in using a sewing machine???), but I got it going today and finished the ring sling I was making. This project actually was more difficult for me than the pouch because I had to cut 2.5 yards of fabric down the middle because it was too wide to begin with (I don't have a very steady hand at all) and then hem those 2.5 yards of fabric (which just about put me over the edge with the sewing machine over the weekend). Today was the day to attach the metal rings (ordered from slingrings.com). I was really anxious about doing it since I would have to sew through about 15 layers of the fabric in one spot, 10 layers in other spots. But I put that denim needle on like the book suggested, and lo and behold, I did it! Without having to curse at the machine, too! Brian wasn't too thrilled about taking *more* pictures for the blog, but I had to show it off. (Unfortunately, these are *terrible* photos...but I couldn't get him to take anymore and the ones I tried to do with the self-timer were even worse, as seen in photo 2.)




I think I'll give it a rest for a few days before attempting to make one for my cousin...

Gender

It's funny what people say. I'm asked all the time if we know the gender or if we'll be finding out. When I say no, quite a few people look crestfallen, like they now have no idea what to get the little babe growing inside of me since they don't know if they should go with pink or blue, ruffles or puppies. I find people's predictions to be quite interesting, though. My FIL keeps saying he thinks Peep is a girl - which is ironic because he gave Peep a toy Hummer (the vehicle) for Christmas. My mother also says girl, but I think that's wishful thinking. Most people have indicated that they thought boy but what's interesting is that on my poll on my Fertility Friend pregnancy page, girl is winning out: 60% to 40% who think Peep is a boy. I don't know whom those 15 votes are from, but it is an interesting perspective... Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

On a sort of related note, one of my SILs told us last night that they discovered something quite interesting about her puppy when they got her spayed. She was an it. In that, she had both ovaries and an undescended testicle: a hermaphrodyte. Those of you who have been following my blog all along know that I went through a bit of a crisis back toward the beginning of this pregnancy when I happened upon several specials on The Discovery Channel on hermaphrodytes and other gender issues. Sure, it's easy to resolve these issues with a dog. Once it is spayed or neutered, it doesn't matter much anyway what it once was because those hormone productions are pretty much gone. But a person is something different. Decisions have to be made, decisions that can have HUGE ramifications later on in life for both the child and you. Decisions I hope I NEVER have to make. Chances are, I won't have to, but of course, it's at the back of my mind again...

25 Weeks

I can't believe there are only 15 weeks to go! Of course, I've already started waddling due to extreme pelvic pain that developed this week. It feels like something is in there trying to pry my bones apart. Yeouch! I told Brian last night that I don't think I'll make it to 40 weeks, that this baby will come early. Anybody want to make any guesses? Considering our family history, it isn't likely to happen, but with the way I feel now I can't imagine going the whole distance. At least Peep is comfy and cozy. S/he has picked up in activitiy over the last few days, poking and jabbing and kicking in new places and for longer spans of time.

BTW, for those who commented yesterday on my color choice for the pouch, just letting you know that I happen to *like* blue. If it makes you feel any better (or adds to the confusion at least), the fabric I have for the ring sling I will be trying next is a purple plaid/madras pattern. :D But I appreciate the compliments! It's a good thing I didn't take a picture of the seam...that's where the ugliness is. But I figure nobody will be close enough to me to be inspecting that anyway.

Sewing When You're Sewing-Impaired

I've sewed, honestly. In 7th grade. We had to make these stuffed animal-like pillows from a kit. There wasn't a whole lot of work behind it. You cut the felt, attached it to the fabric (which you also cut to pattern), and then sewed the pillow shut from the inside out. Pillows are probably the easiest thing you can make... no hemming, no worrying about what to do with the seam allowance afterwards, etc. So naturally, I never learned "real" sewing in that class. Over the years, I always said I wanted to learn, but never got around to taking a class. My MIL is an excellent seamstress so whenever I needed something done, I usually asked her. A couple weeks before the Christmas before last, I asked her to hem a couple pairs of pants for me. Usually I just fold up the cuffs and let it be...everything's too long or too short on me and I don't have the time to fuss with getting it right. 2 weeks later, I got a sewing machine from my MIL for Christmas. Hint? Once again, I decided I would take those lessons. I bought a pattern to make fleece socks. I made a fleece drawstring bag for my ski goggles. I made a pillow for my MIL and one for myself. And that was about it... The pillow for my MIL is still not closed to this day. I guess once I started reading things about seam allowances and what to do with them, my brain shut down and refused to pay attention.

What does this have to do with anything? As a part of my somewhat obsessive nature, I've been avidly researching different baby things as the weeks go on. Strollers took up a good chunk of February (in case you couldn't tell ;) ) but then I moved on to baby carriers. I ordered a custom-made pouch on eBay on January 29th. It has yet to arrive. :-/ I started looking into what other options there were out there (ring slings, wraps, etc, etc, etc) and had the brilliant idea that I should be able to make one myself. After all, the pouch is essentially just sewing the ends of a piece of fabric together. How hard can it be?

I eagerly picked out my fabric on my lunch break today (in the middle of a nasty snow storm, mind you) and looked forward to this evening when I would get to work. I had my pattern from online, all I needed to do was thread the machine (which required referencing the instruction booklet) and get started. The pattern said it should take 30 minutes after you've picked out the fabric, so I figured an hour tops. Almost 3 hours later, I was not a happy camper. I read online that the fabric I picked out might not have been sturdy enough, but a simple solution was available-to double up the fabric. Easy enough since I only needed half the width anyway. Except I don't think the needle that came with my sewing machine is meant to go through 8 layers of fabric at one time. It made finishing it up quite frustrating, especially since the thread kept breaking and instead of stepping back and admitting defeat for the night, I kept pushing on, mumbling curses under my breath every time I rethreaded the machine. I don't think I'll need the instruction booklet again for a while to do that, that's for sure! Just when I thought I was done, I noticed some of the fabric didn't get into the seam like it should have. GRRRRRR! At this point, even Brian was begging me to stop, but I told him that if I didn't finish it tonight, I never would. Eventually, I did finish it. Just under 3 hours total. Thread all over the place from having to rethread, pull seams, etc, etc, etc. And a very freaked out dog since she had to be the model inside the pouch since there was obviously no baby to try it out with.




I'm happy to say, it didn't fall apart with my dog in it. It doesn't look pretty, but it's at least functional. And it doesn't seem like I messed up the sizing too much (you have to get the sizing just right on a pouch or it's useless). What did I do to celebrate? I ordered the wrap I was thinking of making from somebody who has a lot more experience doing it.

I'm not packing away the sewing machine just yet. I just would like to know that at least one of the carriers in my arsenal was made correctly. :)

24 Weeks Belly Shots

It's been almost 4 weeks since my last set of belly shots, so I figured it was time for some new ones. Here we go:




Not a huge difference, but the belly is a bit more rounded out. Then again, I've only gained 2 lbs between 20 weeks and 24 weeks, so it shouldn't be a big difference.

Perfectly Normal

The ultrasound today was pretty uneventful. It looked like the tech was going to take her time with me because I was the last appointment of the day for her, but then a doctor (the one I don't like, actually) came in to tell her she took me ahead of somebody who had been waiting for a 1/2 hour already to see her. So much for my nice leisurely browse. She had already measured the head twice and the femur bone, so that was it, I was rushed out of there. A 35 minute drive to their office, plus having to leave work early, for not even 5 minutes worth of ultrasound. And my CD isn't ready yet. :( I guess I should be happy though. From the reaction she had when she looked at my file (I believe she said my fundal height measurement was "huge"), you would have thought I was baking what would be a 15 lb baby in there. Nope, I'm just "huge." Nice thing to say to a patient, eh? Nobody ever accused this woman of being smart though. So from what I could see (since she didn't tell me), it looks like Peep measured at 24 weeks 3 days or 4 days, depending on which measurement she used. Sounds perfectly normal to me. So much for more shots of Peep, though. She did say s/he was in a terrible position today and it's a good thing I was in the other day because she wouldn't have been able to see what she saw that day. She did get the heartrate, though. Once again, 156 bpm. Oh, and there was a bottom shot up on the screen at one point (I know because I saw the little feet moving just a little bit and then a big space and then a big circle), but I couldn't tell anything. I have to say there wasn't anything definitive about the shot at all (i.e. no readily apparent appendages), but that doesn't mean anything. I'm not an expert, after all... I probably was meant to see that shot, though, so I would be kept guessing. Maybe Brian is right and the paperwork on Wednesday was totally procedural and the timing had nothing to do with the results of that ultrasound. I'm still doubtful it was just a coincidence, but at least I don't know for sure. Can we fast-forward a bit to a more exciting part now? :)

Fun Stuff To Play With

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new toy since I ordered it Saturday evening. As I already posted, I was quite torn over whether or not to go through with it. Brian really didn't want me to buy another stroller since we have a perfectly good brand new one sitting around. But I found an awesome deal on eBay for a higher end product and couldn't resist...especially since I've learned a lot more about the other stroller I have (Graco Metrolite LE) since purchasing it that left me wishing I had done more research before buying it (because I wouldn't have bought it if I did). Anyway, per UPS tracking, the new Zooper zStreet was to arrive today. Unfortunately, it wasn't there when I went home for my lunch break so I had to wait until I got home from work. I called home at 5:15PM to make sure it arrived, planning my night around setting it up and playing with it. So imagine my surprise when I got home and found that Brian had already set it up for me. He was surprised by all the extras it came with (foot muff, bar to snap on infant carseats, sun/bug shield, and rain shield), which I explained made it even more of a value. He wasn't too thrilled with the way the napper bar and carseat bar attach and did say it was heavier than he expected (I may have forgotten to tell him that it weighs about the same as the Metrolite, it's just not as bulky) but he didn't seem to hate it at least. As if he read my mind, Brian summed it up perfectly: "Now all we need is a kid to put in it." :) So I got to work playing around with the different features and decided I would take a few pictures (to which Brian replied, "Can't you just download some pictures off the internet? This isn't a photo studio!"). You know me, I love to take pictures!

With the foot muff on (I didn't have the leg rest all the way down, though):


Regular (again, leg rest isn't all the way down..oops!):


With the infant bed set up (really cool!):




I didn't get into playing with the sun/bug or rain shields, but I did play around with attaching our Snugride carseat and it worked just fine. Anybody have a child I can borrow to play with this some more??? :)

Appointment Today

I got to leave work after only an hour to run off for another ultrasound today. It was supposed to be because the tech didn't get all the measurements she needed and so she could get a better look at the heart, but she claimed today that she had all the measurements she needed. (This comes back to bite her in the end...) So our flighty tech did the ultrasound and I had not a clue what 90% of what we saw was this time. We did tell her we weren't going to find out the gender (after she asked if we already knew...duh! She did the last ultrasound and couldn't tell!), but I still watched closely in case something was accidentally revealed. I have no idea if it was or not. It looked like Peep once again slept through most of it, although s/he was apparently in a better position this time. The heart looked good and apparently we have an anatomically perfect baby. S/he sucked on his/her thumb for a bit, then pulled his/her arm way over the head...very silly looking. I won't have all of the images until I get my CD next week, but this is what I was able to scan from today:

Does this look comfy to you???

The heartrate scan:


The heartrate came in at 156 bpm this time, a little higher than last time. I know what you addicts to the Old Wives' Tales are thinking based on that heartrate, but... I think they sort of accidentally gave away something today. After the ultrasound I had my appointment and one of the first things the nurse had me do was sign a circumcision consent form. Funny how I didn't have to do that at any point up until today... Not to mention it seemed like the nurse tried to backtrack quickly and say "if it's necessary" like that was an afterthought. Hmmmmm...

My blood pressure was okay today, which is a relief. 118/64 - I've never had such a low reading before in office. I also only gained 2 lbs since my last appointment for a total gain of 11 lbs thus far, which she said was great (remember, I'm only supposed to gain 15-20 lbs). But apparently my fundal height was higher than it should be. The OB was hoping the tech had done some measurements before my appointment so she could make sure everything was okay...but she didn't. So I get to go back this Friday for ANOTHER ultrasound to make sure that Peep is measuring fine. She didn't think there was a problem, she just wanted to be sure. Woohoo! Another peek only 2 days from now!

The bad news is that my next appointment is with the doctor I really don't like in that group. She's the one who lectured me on nutrition and exercise and made it sound like I was gaining way too much weight when I saw her in January. I'm not looking forward to it... But at least today went well.