Sleep?

Here it is, 3:30 am, and I'm not asleep.


Lately, I've been having the hardest time actually sleeping through the night. For a long time, I thought that I was actually getting an abnormal amount of sleep to be as pregnant as I was, but now, I'm definitely not sleeping that well. I am typically awake from 2:30 or so until about 4:30 every night. 


If I don't wake up due to hip pain, I'm awake because I'm going to the bathroom over and over or I've had a terrible nightmare. Tonight, I had a terrible nightmare. In hindsight, it was so stupid - sharks were eating my feet - but still scary at the time. I was really tired when we went to bed, so I thought maybe tonight would be a good sleep night. Nope. There are also those nights - like last night - where Stella just beats the shit out of me all night. I think this child will be a soccer player... or will break one of my ribs before this all said and done.


In some ways, I wonder if this is how you get prepared for the bizarre schedule newborns create or maybe it's because my body is too amped up about having a baby to actually settle down. Either way, I'm very tired, and I'd love to get back to sleeping normally.


Sleep throughout this pregnancy has been difficult. I'm generally a decent sleeper - I have my sleepless nights here and there but who doesn't? - and I love to sleep on my stomach. I started training myself to sleep on my side from the moment I found I was pregnant, thinking I needed to be groomed into a side sleeper. 


I will never be a side sleeper. 


I hate sleeping on my side. Mostly, my ears go to sleep - pesky surgeries - and it does make my hips hurt. I'll do what I have to for now, but I don't like it. Yes, I'm very salty about it.


Some other symptoms I've been having lately include: terrible swelling in my legs, feet, and hands; nausea; moodiness (although, you try being this damned huge and tell me if you're not moody); joint pain and sore knuckles and wrists. I've also been noticing that I'm heading to the restroom so much more. I go to the bathroom at work, about to burst from needing to pee, and when I get there, barely anything comes out. I guess it's all the pressure. I've also had more cramping, and everyone I encounter says that she's extremely low. That's judging from the exterior. 


Maybe I'll get it together and take one last belly shot. 


I've been walking A LOT to get things moving. Yesterday, I went for a walk over lunch because I didn't have any grading, and Derek and I have been walking our dogs a lot on the trails by our house. I figure it's good to try and keep myself moving. I know it's supposed to start labor, but I think it also helps me feel better about myself and maybe it cuts down on the amount of late pregnancy fluff that I pick up. 


I'm definitely feeling fluffy lately, too. I guess it's all the water retention. I hear that comes off after delivery... I sure hope so. Oh, and this is pretty funny: I found out at work on Friday that the Registrar's office is taking bets on the day I'll go into labor. Every day that I show up, I pass their office and say, "I'm still here..." 


Anyway, I guess I'm going to go get something to drink and maybe play Animal Crossing. There are some pretty sweet bugs out early in the morning, and you can sell them to Tom Nook - local raccoon peddler - for a sweet amount of bells. Yeah, I'm a dork.


I'll end on this: I'm very excited that we're at this point and that she will be here any time. I'm so ready to finally get this started. This is definitely the biggest and most important thing that has happened in our lives, and without getting all sappy (because you know I hate sappy and emotional), I'm ready to meet the cute, little chubs and start being a mother. I just hope it happens soon so we can get into our routine and get settled at home with her. I'm also very excited to see what she looks like, and I can't wait to see what her personality is going to be like. Either way, we'll keep this updated. 

Dr. Appt Update

Sorry, folks. No progress.


I shouldn't be surprised since this is the first week that dilation would be a good thing. I am a little disappointed that Dr. Helmken pretty much guaranteed me that there will be no having of a baby this week. Let's back up, though.


I may as well start from the beginning.


When we arrived at the doctor's office, we were informed that we had an ultrasound scheduled.  I dropped off my usual urine sample, and we headed for the ultrasound suite. While there, we discovered that Stella has a very large head - like her father - and she's currently weighing about 7lbs 1oz. We also got a 3D shot of the little piglet:

Clearly, she's quite a bit chubbier than she was in our last 3D ultrasound. She's got her father's head. She's currently in the 63rd percentile which is better than the 71st that she was in at 34 weeks. Dr. Helmken said that's much more average. I love her little pudgy chin :)

No dilation. I haven't really been having THAT many contractions. I have a couple daily, but nothing like I had been dealing with. It's so weird. I go from being told that I'll be lucky to make it to term, and now, we see absolutely nothing happening. 

When Dr. Helmken came in the room, she immediately congratulated me on making it to full term, and she praised me for doing such a great job. While that's all well and good, I wanted to at least hear that I'm dilated or something. Nope. Sorry. Not this time. I even said, "So, no baby this week?" and she said, "No, probably not." 

We left the doctor's office, and I sat in the car, crying. I'm so sick of people making comments about my belly, my size, and how absurdly pregnant I am. I'm sick of platitudes from people, stupid shit like, "Oh, she'll change your life. You'll just fall in love." Really, dumbass? You think I didn't think of that? Piss off. I'm sick of people staring at me if I go anywhere. I feel like I make people nervous, like I'm about to drop a baby on their shoes. 

I was walking last week during my lunch, and a woman in a car yelled out at me and said, "Hey, how many months are you?" WTF? Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you about how huge I am. Why does the lady at the grocery store need to know the name of my baby? She doesn't. I told Derek on Sunday as we were leaving Publix that I'm going to start telling people she's a boy and I'm naming her Ralphie after A Christmas Story, just for spite.

I guess some of my eagerness comes from the sheer prospect of not even making it to term. Like, I went from, "Holy crap, you almost went into labor too soon," to "Nothing is happening." It's kinda like a hurry up and wait sort of mindset, like the Army. 

Anyway, I didn't mean to get off on a tangent. I'm just at my wits' end, and I'm ready for her to get here. I want her to come on her terms, but hear me out, Stella - your mother can't take any more ridicule, advice, or any other bullshit that comes her way. What's most important is that our little chubs is healthy, and we're both really excited for her to get here. She's coming soon, but maybe not as soon as my sanity requires. 

Well, we'll keep this updated. 

We did it!

I'm going to keep this posting short and simple since I'm sure I'll have a lot to say tomorrow after my appointment.


Yay! We did it! Stella is officially full-term and no longer in danger of being a labeled a premature baby. I was so worried we wouldn't make it to this point and I kept having these awful fears of the nurses and doctors rushing her off to the NICU. Now, she can come whenever she wants :) 


I know I had been joking with everyone saying I want her to come ASAP, and I do. I honestly do, but it's all for selfish reasons. I mostly want to see what she looks like and finally get this party started. I'm also pretty damn uncomfortable these days. My hands are swollen and useless, and my hips hurt constantly. I have random contractions and a ton of back pain. 


I know it's better for her to stay in until she's ready, so I'm willing to wait for her to come on her terms. Don't worry: I won't do anything stupid like go running or drink Castor Oil. :) I'll just be here, eagerly awaiting the big cues so we can get to the hospital. 


Anyway, yay for 37 weeks! 3 weeks ago, I was really worried that with the way Dr. Helmken was talking, we wouldn't make it here, so I'll just congratulate myself on taking excellent care of Stella and me and keeping her comfy! I'll celebrate with some oreo pie dessert that's waiting on me in our fridge. 


I'll post more tomorrow after my appointment. :D Oh, and that watermelon thing -- I believe it. She's SO heavy! 

What a f^%&*ng day...

Where in the hell do I begin...


Well, Derek and I were planning to leave for my doctor's appointment at 245 today. I went to get the car at 230, and I was in front of York Hall, waiting on Derek. It was around 250, and I decided to go in and see what the hold up was. Derek was rushing down the hall - he had been extremely busy all day - and we rushed out to the car. Finally - we're leaving!


Right.


I hurriedly back up and WACK! I backed into a student's car. Luckily, no one was hurt and it was all cosmetic damage. Our car took very little damage, just a few scratches. The student's car just had a small dent or two. Regardless, I was definitely going to be late for my appointment, and I called and let them know what happened. 


I, of course, was crying and spending the entire time calling myself a dumbass while the cop wrote up the report. Since it was on SCAD property, I didn't receive a citation - thank, God. I was so worked up that I was sobbing on the way to the doctor while Derek drove. 


We got there and waited a while, obviously. 


Finally, we were taken back at 430, and Beverly checked me. I'm measuring perfectly - right at 36 weeks. I haven't gained any weight, so still at +32 lbs. No dilation. Stella is very low, so she's in the shoot, ready to go. Beverly also wants to consult with Dr. Helmken about possibly doing another ultrasound next time because Stella was measuring rather large for her dates. She's in the 71st percentile for weight, so Beverly was a little worried she's going to be a mega-baby that may not come out by traditional means. She said the only way to know is to do another ultrasound. 


Either way, all's well that ends well... sort of ends well, anyway. Our bumper is still effed, but I'm doing well and so is Stella. Derek may be a little worse for the wear since I've been very emotional and repeatedly apologizing all evening for being such a damned moron.


After the appointment, we decided we needed to be waited on. We grabbed some quick dinner at a nearby Chili's, and Derek drank two much needed beers. We even joked about stopping at a liquor store because of the absurdity of the entire day - we didn't, though.


I'll update again soon. Hopefully, we can repair our bumper and the damage to the poor chap's car won't be too expensive. All I can say is: FML. 


heh.

Work Baby Shower and Our Baptism Class

I'll start off with my work baby shower:


Wow! I have some awesome coworkers! Our work baby shower was on Friday, and we really received some amazing stuff. I got some of the cutest clothes ever - mostly things I had been considering buying anyway! They know my style perfectly :) I got this adorable dress from Megan, and it's orange and pink with a big orange bow - so cute! She also gave us some more adorable every day outfits, too.  Liza bought a dress for Stella from Gap that I had been oogling for weeks - it's pink with layers of silky material and it's all puffy - so stinking cute! I got a Boppy from Julia (and Jennifer, but I'm returning one), and my amazing friends Kerry, Ally, and Amy bought us our diaper sprayer, another cloth diaper, some wipes, and some diaper cream. Cheryl bought us our adorable pink bath tub, and we got some awesome toys from Lena, Alexis, and Ann. We got some awesome books - I love working with educators! - a Bible for Stella, and some super cute stuffed animals. Jennifer also got us some cute sleepers along with the Boppy, so we have plenty of clothes now! 


Christine gave us an adorable blanket with Stella's name embroidered on it, and it matches her room SO perfectly. It's a soft pink color with brown stripes - I love it! Derek's co-worker Henry and his wife bought us some adorable sleepers that have the cutest feet on them! Ann provided the cake which was SO delicious. I love Publix cake! Cheryl made some awesome decorations, and I hope I can steal some pictures from Kerry so I can share how stinking cute they made everything :D Oh, and I can't forget my delicious lunch from J. Christopher's - even though the waitress was an idiot. :) 


Here's the big ticket item from the shower - Derek's office teamed up and bought us a glider and ottoman! I was so freaking stoked! Here are some pictures from after Derek put it together Friday night:

Thankfully, it was easy for Derek to put together. It's SUPER comfy, and Derek keeps catching me sitting in it...

Derek came in the nursery yesterday and caught me half asleep while he was trying to get some other chores finished up. And that's the Boppy that Julia got for us! I love the cover we picked out for it - it matches the nursery perfectly! And Marsha, my coworker, wasn't kidding when she said you can use them for yourself :D 

Now yesterday, he was installing the diaper sprayer on our guest bath toilet - it's closest to the nursery - and we had a bit of a hiccup. He was getting sprayed by water coming out of the pipeline, and we have to go to Home Depot today to get some supplies for him to fix it. We really needed this particular item since it's how you keep the funk out of your washer -- if you get my drift. It'll be so worth the work... I say this as I'm not the one installing it. 

We really received some great stuff, and we're so thankful for everything! It was all perfect! :D

On to the Baptism class....

Derek and I were both sort of moaning and groaning about going to this in the first place, but it ended up being a really good class. The leader was named Jack Rabbit - that was his for real name - and he was a total chill bro. He and his wife led it, and it was pretty much us along with other Catholic couples just sitting in a circle and hearing advice from the Rabbits on how to raise our children Catholic. It was supposed to last for two hours, but ended up only being one. We also got all of the paperwork we need to get the Baptism set up, so it was good. I ended up really enjoying it. 

Anyway, I've been feeling strangely good the past couple days, and I attribute it to the rest. Work has been really chill for me, and I haven't been walking back and forth a lot. I do think toward the end of next week, I'll start walking to work again since I'll be 37 weeks. Regardless, I feel pretty well! 

Lately, my hands have been killing me. It's so hard to do anything with my sore fingers. I also have a hard time moving around in bed, and I have to roll from side to side in stages. I've been sleeping pretty well, aside from waking up every couple hours to flip. I'm insanely hot all the time, and I am still a little crampy. I think it's just that we're gearing up down there for the big day. From the way I feel, I don't suspect it will be any time soon. I'm glad of that because Dr. Helmken is out all week, and I'd like to try and make it to Monday when I'm 37 weeks so we don't have a "premie" on our hands, too. The last thing I want is for Stella to be swept off to the NICU, so she can just stay in there this week :)

Overall, things are good! We have everything we need now, and Derek installed our car seat - finally! Our bags are packed, too, so we're ready to go if we need to be. I have an appointment with the nurse practitioner tomorrow since Dr. Helmken is out, and I'll post more updates from that. 

Maternity Photos

Yay! Liza gave me our disk of our maternity photos today! I'm so excited. There were a lot on the disk, but we thought we'd share our favorites. In my best Chinese take-out voice, "Enyoy!" :)

We really like this one 

and this one

we really love this one, too. among the first three, we're trying to decide our absolute favorite :) 

Derek and his girl 

I had said no bare belly shots, but Liza talked me into a couple

 And of course one with the pups! 

35 Weeks

Derek and I went to my 35 weeks appointment today, and everything seemed to be alright.


We waited for a while, and then I finally went back for my usual urine sample. The nurse asked me if I was having contractions, and I said yes. She weighed me - I lost a pound, so I'm now at +32 lbs - and my blood pressure was fine. Since I had contractions, I was hooked up to the ol' cardiotocograph. Derek was in the room with me while I sat there. He seemed to think it was hilarious to make me laugh by busting out stupid dance moves to Stella's heartbeat. He also decided to snap a quick picture of me in the process:

Luckily, I only had 1 for real contraction while I was there. Stella was sleeping for most of the monitoring process, so she had no movement and her heart rate was relatively stable. They like to see a lot of variability in the baby's heart rate, so Dr. Helmken gave her a vigorous shake. She woke up, and they monitored about 20 minutes of good heart rate variation. 

Then, my cervix was checked, and I am not dilated. I told Dr. Helmken that I don't like the Procardia, and she said that's common. Apparently, it drops your blood pressure, so that's probably why it made me feel like shit. She said as long as I'm resting, then I'm good. She said she'd like to see me make it through these next two weeks, and she said, "If you make it to 37 weeks, then you can start being active again and exercise."

Now, this was just shortly after Derek and I were taking bets on when Stella will arrive. I said I think she'll come on Maggie's birthday - March 18. He said April 5. I told him then he was crazy since Dr. Helmken just told us last week that I'm not making it to April. Derek thinks it's a mental thing, and he's always trying to psych me up to last until my due date. 

In other, related news, I went to work today, and that was good. Derek dropped me off and picked me up. I took the elevator - even though I felt like a total weenis - and I limited the number of trips I made down our long hallway toward the bathroom and kitchen. My office really is being amazing about it, and they're even going to just send students to my desk rather than having me greet them up front. I was really happy about that. 

On the way home, I had another for real contraction. I'm having those annoying-ass Braxton-Hicks contractions all the time, but the for real ones totally arrest my attention. Either way, we're at 35 weeks now, and we don't have much longer to go. I mostly want to make it through this week, for my work shower and then our Baptism class on Saturday. You're welcome to place your own bet on when she'll come. I'm sticking with March 18. :) 

I officially HATE Procardia

After the crazy events of Thursday, I spent yesterday at home, laying in bed. Today, I'm not doing much better. Just walking around causes contractions, and when I do walk, I walk very, very slowly. Every six hours, I take Procardia, and I cannot even tell you how much I hate that stuff.


While the contractions are uncomfortable, the Procardia just makes me sick - BLECK. 


On the outside of the bottle, it says, "Do not take this medication while consuming grapefruit or grapefruit products." Okay, red flag there  - wtf is that about? Also, it warns that it makes you dizzy. About the best thing I can compare it to is being lightly drunk, and it causes HORRIBLE headaches. I mean, nearly migraine quality. It also seems to make me slightly nauseous. To boot: I was laying in bed last night, watching television with Derek and all of a sudden, I had a crazy nosebleed. Apparently, this stuff loosens up your blood vessels or something. I just can't stand it... 


I'm not sleeping very well, and I'm often up a lot at night. I think it might be that my body isn't "at ease," or maybe it's just that I'm so buzzed off this Procardia stuff that my head is all wacky. Either way, I miss sleeping well.


Today, Derek is doing a bunch of chores, and I'm pretty much sitting on my butt, not doing anything. It's so frustrating to feel this helpless. I started crying this morning because I hate not doing anything. I'm an active person, and I've always prided myself on being capable of doing just about anything Derek can do. Normally, I'd be doing just as much hard work as him. Now, I'm just a helpless vegetable with my giant belly, moaning and groaning just to make it to the bathroom. 


Strangely, I can tell that Stella is moving much less than she was. It's like everything happened really quickly. She went from jazzercising on my rib cage to wiggling around every so often. I especially notice that when I'm having contractions, she doesn't do anything. As long as the contractions are away, she is at least wiggling and letting me know she's alright. 


In an effort to be better prepared, I went ahead and packed our hospital bag, and I got out our car seat and base. We're going to install those this weekend. I don't want to go into labor and not be ready to go. 


I'm still planning to go to work on Monday, and I'm so thankful that my boss has limited the number of students I'm seeing. Typically, we try to have about 12 or so appointments a day, and she cut mine to half of that. She also told me that I don't have to worry about teaching FYE anymore this quarter. We only have 2 classes left, so my co-teacher, Ally, is going to pick up the rest. I feel bad, but I know Ally will be fine without me. She's a pro. 


I honestly keep worrying that I won't make it to next weekend. When I told Derek that, he said, "You better make it past next weekend." I know he means well, but it's really hard. I feel like I'm failing or like I've screwed this up somehow. I tried to stay really active, but that was more so I wouldn't gain too much weight. I swear, I was trying to do what's right. I didn't want to cause a bunch of chaos. :(


Anyway, I'm hoping I'll at least make it past my work shower on Friday and our baptism class on Saturday. I guess I'll go back to being a vegetable now. *Sad Charlie Brown music* :( 

Contractions?!

I know... at 34 weeks? Contractions?! Are you serious? I guess it's best if I start from the beginning.


Yesterday was a pretty standard day. Derek and I went to work, and I felt fine. I saw some students, walked to work, did my thing - right? On the way home, I was driving, and all of a sudden, I had some terrible pains. Then, I immediately realized that I was having contractions, back to back. Derek asked if I was okay, and I said I thought so but wasn't sure. I thought they were just the ol' Braxton-Hicks contractions. When we made it home, I came into our bedroom, fully clothed, and laid on our bed for about 30 minutes, crying because I was in pain. Now, what do I mean by pain: horrible menstrual-type cramps and what feels like a bowling ball is trying to squeeze its way out of me. I was also having some heinous back pain.


It finally lightened up, at least to the point that I could eat dinner. I laid around, and we watched a movie since that's not physically taxing - Get Low is an awesome movie by the way. Love Bill Murray. Anyway, I went to bed, and when I got up, I didn't feel very well but well enough to go to work. As I was walking into work, it hit me again, and then, as I was walking up the stairs to our office, it just became too much. I decided to call the doctor. 


I called, and even though they said their business hours are 830-5 and it was 845, no one answered. I called my mom to be sure I wasn't being a putz, and she told me to call right away. I figured a woman who has had two children would know what to do. I called back at 9, and I spoke to a nurse. She said come in immediately. 


I called Derek, but he had our car, off doing something work-related somewhere else on campus. He said he'd hurry and get the car back, and I waited until about 930 for him to show up. He wanted to come with me, but I figured they'd tell me I'm dehydrated again or maybe I'm constipated (gross, I know) and I told him not to worry about it. I even told my boss, Megan, that I'd probably be back in the afternoon.


When I got to the doctor's office, they took me back and checked me as usual. Then, the nurse came in and was like, "You brought someone with you, right?" I was like, "Uh, no." She was like, "Oh my gosh. You need to bring someone with you from now on." I was like, "Well, my husband wanted to come but I told him not to worry about it." I was definitely getting scolded. 


Dr. Helmken came in and verified that I am not dilated - phew - but HOW FREAKING PAINFUL WAS THAT. I cannot even tell you. I literally started crying. I think it was so bad because of the already insanely intense pressure I felt. She hooked me up to the fancy contraction machine again, and lo and behold, I was having some crazy contractions. 


I then had an ultrasound - and here's the best news - Stella is now head down! Yes, finally! Big sigh of relief... They estimate her weight at 6lbs 3oz right now, and my cervical length is on the short side. Dr. Helmken said it's not horrible but not great either. I called Derek after Dr. Helmken told me I'd be spending the afternoon in labor and delivery, and his boss, Michele, drove him to the hospital. I was so relieved once he was there. 


Dr. Helmken said that if I hadn't come in that I very well may have gone into labor, for real. She sent me over to labor and delivery where they hooked me up again and gave me Procardia and an IV. We were there for about 2 hours, and finally, they sent me home because I only had a couple contractions while there. I now have to take Procardia every six hours until 36 weeks. Oh, and just for explanation's sake: Procardia is a medication that stops contractions. 


I was told not to return to work tomorrow, and unless I can keep my moving around to a minimum, I shouldn't go back to work at all. Here's our game plan: I'm going to go back to work on Monday, but Derek is going to drop me off and pick me up every day. I'm planning to talk to my supervisor about how we can make sure I'm not overdoing it in the office, too. My office is AMAZING about helping out with stuff like this, so I know they'll have some good ideas for me. 


So here we are! Dr. Helmken said she sincerely doubts I will make it to April, and the ultrasound tech was saying I'll probably have a baby in a couple weeks. Personally, I think she'll be born on either St. Pat's or Ides of March, or maybe even Maggie's birthday - March 18. I'd like to see her make it to the end of the month, but with the way I felt, we'll see. I know Derek really wants her to make it into April, and so would I. I think I'm just a little more realistic about it. 


I know I'm always saying that I wish this was over already, but in all honesty, I want Stella to stay in until she's term. I don't want her to get here too soon and have problems. I want her to be healthy, and if that means having hip pain, back pain, and feeling enormous for a little longer, then that's what I'll do. 


I'll keep everyone updated. For now, I'm going to rest on our bed and watch bad daytime television. 

Stella's Godparents

I posted yesterday about generally how everything has been going lately, and I guess I'll start with that same theme. This morning, I laid in bed until 12:30, and most of that was spent sleeping. My feet have been swollen all day, and I'm having some crazy bad back pain. After I got up, Derek and I went to Home Depot to get some supplies for gardening, but I spent most of the time sitting in a chair outside, watching Derek dig holes for our shrubs and palms.  Even though I'm pretty useless anymore, our back yard looks pretty awesome right now :D 


Anyway, I need to get to the real point of this posting. We had been planning to talk to the couple we wanted to be Stella's godparents for a while. We've been friends with Emily and Marcus Seiser for about five years now, after we arrived at Fort Stewart. Emily was definitely my closest friend there, both of us complaining about being Army wives, being stuck in crappy Fort Stewart, and generally amusing ourselves gossiping about annoying (and bizarre) neighbors in the oh-so-wonderful Marne Homes area of the post. If you ever lived in Marne Homes, you know what I'm talking about... 


Marcus and Derek, I think, are long lost soul mates, and their performance of "Regulators" will live in infamy. Either way, we couldn't have asked for better friends, and I'm so thankful that we've been able to support each other through military woes. We finally got the chance to talk to them last night, and they were very happy to accept the title. Of course, it immediately turned to jokes about the Godfather movies, but that's to be expected. Here we all are (both of the guys actually not deployed, and Emily and I looking ever-so-happy) after Derek got back from his deployment in February 2009:

We knew they'd be perfect, and we're also so happy that Marcus has just a couple weeks of Army duty left. I remember how insanely relieved we were! We can't wait for them to come back for Stella's baptism this late spring/early summer. Yay! :D 

Busy, busy, busy...

Lately, Derek and I have been so busy. It seems like every single weekend has already been covered by some chore or some baby-related to-do. 


We did have something on our schedule for this weekend, but it was actually more fun than a real chore. We did our maternity photos today with Liza, and I know she did a great job. I think she could tell how uncomfortable I was - because I'm just so awkward - but she helped me get used to the idea. Derek was a champ :) We even got some shots of us with our pups! I should have the actual photos in about a week or so, and once Liza is finished editing them, I'll share them on here. 

We can also mark off a few more things on our to-do list. Namely, we recently ordered Stella's baptism gown. Phew - those things can be expensive! We got a really good deal on ours, so I'm very happy. I think it's absolutely adorable. 

We ordered it from One Small Child, and I'm really pleased with the quality. It came wrapped in a plastic protective cover, so that's why I didn't share an actual photo of it. 

We also went ahead and ordered our extra car seat base since we didn't want to risk not having it. It was on our registry, but most people like to buy cute fun things. Plus, I found it for super cheap on Amazon, so we went for it.

I managed to pick up a few items for our hospital bag last night while we were out, but I still have a few things to get together. I'd like to have that ready to go for my 36 weeks appt, just in case. 

Overall, I feel okay... okay, I don't. My feet stay swollen, and I'm now at the point that I wear running shoes to work every day. My hands are so swollen that I can't wear my wedding jewelry anymore, and it finally hit me: I'm pretty sure I found a couple stretch marks on my belly last night. I started crying, and Derek was tired and basically told me to quit being dramatic. Still, no girl ever wants stretch marks! I hope I can work them off or something... I feel pretty tired a lot, and I have a lot of back pain. 

Stella moves A LOT. She goes CRAZY anymore, and the other night, I was laying on the couch and Derek looked over and you could tell it was a hand that was pushing out. It was crazy to look at. I felt like I had an alien or something inside me. I had never seen her do that before. I wish I had a picture of it... 

Well, I need to start getting ready. We're having dinner with our friends Emily and Marcus tonight and then heading to a concert in Savannah. It will be so much fun! :) I should also use this opportunity to say congratulations to Lindsay and Neil since they finally had their baby girl, Lila, on Wednesday! :) 

Very glad that's over...

Holy crap... well, the breastfeeding class was okay. It's over, anyway. I think the information was good and I feel a little more prepared. HOWEVER, the situation and instruction were less than desirable.


The instructor, Holly, spent the entire time just talking really quickly and running through things. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get comfortable in these HORRIBLE chairs and it's easily 90 degrees in the room. I had to come home and take a shower because I was sweating so badly. Derek was definitely miserable, and most of the other dads were borderline asleep. 


When I asked a question about storage, she acted like I was an idiot for asking anything, or at least that's how I felt. She just gave me this weird look and was like, "Uh..." I felt retarded! Either way, that's over. I figure I'll have to figure it out in the hospital. Some positive points about the class:


1) She confirmed that the Medela pump is the best - YES!
2) We saw animations of how to properly latch
3) We learned that in the first hour after Stella's birth, it's best for her to just lay on my chest until she's ready to latch
4) We learned that pumping and a bottle shouldn't be used until about 4 weeks, but a bottle should be introduced around 4-6 weeks so she doesn't reject it later at daycare


Overall, I think it was good, but I really wish she had a better personality and the room hadn't been sweltering. 


I had said that was our last class, but I was mistaken. I was checking out our Church's website, and I called and arranged our baptism class. It's scheduled for March 12, and it's only 2 hours long. We wanted to get the class in before she gets here since it may be difficult to attend after she arrives. We also want to be sure we get her baptized soon, and we're currently thinking maybe May, but most likely, June or July. 


Anyway, I need to get to bed! I have to go to the dentist at 7am in the morning because today I was chewing gum, and all of a sudden, SNAP! my tooth cracks. It was a molar, so you can't see how hideous it is, but it is uncomfortable. I was wondering if it happened because of pregnancy - like I'm low on calcium or something. Not cool. :( 


Either way, I'm tired and my tooth sucks, so goodnight, everyone. 

Dr. Appt Update

Today marked my 33 weeks appointment, and our mothers left this morning. First, I'll start with the appointment.


It was pretty standard. Everything checked out normally, and I'm up by 3 lbs from last time. I had hoped that I had only gained 2, so now, I need to start watching it. I mean, I guess for eating at the Lady and Sons on Saturday, 3 lbs isn't that bad. Best fried chicken ever. 


I'm measuring normally, and Stella's heart rate was at 144. My blood pressure was 120/70 - very good. My feet were a little swollen, but the nurse practitioner wasn't concerned since I had been at work all morning before. I do have one update: normally, I'd be going in for my Strep B test next time, but since I tested positive for it twice back in September, I don't have to have the test. I'm positive for it, so they'll just treat me once I go into labor. I was a little freaked out by this, but she said it's completely normal and it happens to a lot of people. 


I go back in 2 weeks on the 7th, and I'll see Dr. Helmken then. I also scheduled my next appointment after that on the 14th since I'll be going in weekly. They'll do my 36 weeks ultrasound then, and here's the kicker: I'm supposed to see Dr. Helmken from now on, but she'll be "on vacation" then. I told Derek that I will bet money that I'll go into labor that week. I figure it's the week of St. Patrick's Day (Savannah's biggest and most rowdy holiday) paired with my doctor being on vacation means that I'll end up with some doctor I don't know and have difficulty navigating through Savannah to just get to the hospital, or, in other words, a typical Ratcliff catastrophe - haha. Weew - that's a mouthful, but you get my point. I'm convinced it'll be the perfect storm for a chaotic labor. 


Anyway, on the 14th, I'm scheduled to see Beverly (the nurse practitioner) again in Dr. Helmken's place. Overall, I feel okay. Some new symptoms have appeared (just today!): my hands are starting to tingle and burn. I even felt like my wrists locked up and were useless for a few minutes. In addition to the new hand-tingle-problem, my hips have been horribly painful, and my lower back hurts SO bad. My feet still swell a lot, and I definitely waddle these days. I can feel myself waddling as I make the long trek down the hall to the restroom every 20 minutes at work. I am sleeping okay right now, so I do have that going for me. 


Stella moves a lot right now, but sadly, it seems that she's still not head down. Her head is near my belly button where it has been for a little while now. I wish she'd just get with it and go head down! She has three weeks to get it together - otherwise, they'll schedule me for a flipping. I read that's not very comfortable, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I'd prefer to avoid the whole C-section thing since the recovery takes a while longer, and I want to get back to running ASAP. 


And speaking of which, I'm going to start exercising much more regularly now, regardless of the pain/cramping/issues. I think I need to start really getting myself ready for labor, and I think walking every morning is a good way to do that. I also want to make sure I don't get too far up in the weight range. I'm now at +28 lbs, and I don't want to go crossing that 35 lb mark, making it much harder to get back to running and my pre-pregnancy size. If you can't tell, I really, really, really miss running :( 


Now, regarding the visit from our moms: It went great! I was really excited to see all of the clothes and supplies we got at our shower, and, of course, to see our moms :). We went shopping on Sunday at the Carter's outlet in Hilton Head, and Stella got some super cute outfits. We went ahead and purchased her coming home outfit - so cute! - and some other cute little items. My mom bought her some super cute shoes and socks, and my mother-in-law got her a really cute dress and outfit. I can tell they're both really excited for her to get here, and they're both predicting a March baby, not an April one. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on their parts :) 


We took our moms to the Lady and Sons (as has already been mentioned) and to downtown Savannah. We also took them to the infamous Squat-N-Gobble in Bluffton (it was on Jay Leno for having one of the worst restaurant names in America). We spent a lot of time preparing the nursery. We washed ALL of Stella's clothes and diapers and organized her drawers. It was really nice to see them both, and I hope they had a good time. I'm really looking forward to them visiting when Miss Stella makes her appearance. I know the help will be priceless.


This morning, Derek said the cutest thing. He said, "I think we really got some cute stuff for Stella this weekend." Now, he and I were running around Carter's looking at different options for her coming home outfit, and it was SO cute to see him making suggestions and saying things were cute. He found this adorable little romper-type-thing (not sure what you call them) that had a crab on the butt. I thought it was too appropriate :) It's just so cute to see him getting excited about her arrival :) 


Tomorrow, we have our Basic Breastfeeding class, and it's our last class - finally! We have our maternity photos this weekend with my dear friend Liza. She and I worked out the details, and we're going to do some in our house, some at Hilton Head beach, and some at Forsyth Park in Savannah. I figure we should take advantage of living in such a beautiful area. I'm really excited about it, and I know Liza will do a great job. :) 


Oh, and my office has arranged a baby shower for me - ya'll are too sweet! :) - on March 11. I'm looking forward to that as well, and I think it will be fun to have lunch with my office and SCAD friends at J. Christopher's! I really appreciate everything they're doing for me, and I'm so glad I work with such a caring and sweet group of people :) 


Oh, and how about that new fruit - a honeydew! I believe it. I feel like I'm smuggling a bowling ball these days. Anyway, I need to get to grading. I was offered another class - yay! - starting March 8. This place is keeping me busy! 

Still not head down...

According to our handy dandy baby development tracker, Stella should be head down right now. Nope. Still the same. I think she's making an effort - her kicks get higher and higher, but her head is still in the same place it was before. I know Dr. Helmken said not to worry, but I'm starting to worry. Just flip already! 

Anyway, Derek and I have been crazy busy trying to get the nursery together. We finally found a suitable storage unit/bookcase that we're happy with. We also found a good floor lamp that matches - we can finally see in there! 

Everything has been going pretty well, though. I'm absolutely enormous. As far as symptoms go, I'm having a lot of lower back pain and just achy-ness in general. By Friday, my feet are usually so swollen that I can barely walk. I'm also having some of the worst pregnancy acne of the entire pregnancy. It has to be hormones. I'm washing my face with the right kind of cleanser, and I'm using the medicine that Dr. Helmken gave me. It just doesn't clear up. It really sucks. I've never felt so hideous. I've also noticed that I'm more emotional than usual, much like I was when I was around 12 weeks pregnant. I just started crying the other day, completely random. Derek and I were laying in bed, watching television, and all of a sudden, I just burst into tears. 

Derek was like, "What's wrong?! What did I do? Are you okay?" And, I just couldn't even explain it. I just sat there sobbing like a moron. I'm also having some major kicks and movements. Stella has to be huge right now. I think she's probably around the 4-4.5 lb range, and she's moving like crazy. She kicks me so hard sometimes, it startles me. I'll jump and be like, "AH!" Derek will be like, "WHAT?!" and I'm like, "Oh, it was just a foot." I swear, I think she's just in there busting a move all the time. She's also so responsive now. Derek will poke at her, and she'll poke back. It's too cute. 

I've been guzzling water, and I'm trying to get around 90 or so oz. a day right now. It helps, but it doesn't totally eliminate the cramps that I feel from activity. And speaking of which, I was so excited to hear that I could exercise from Dr. Helmken, but I haven't had the energy to get out and do anything. When I have to walk to teach FYE at work, I just end up cramping terribly and feeling miserable all day. I haven't even tried hitting the gym because of it. I'm so scared that I'm getting "fat" as opposed to being pregnant. 

And speaking of that, Derek and I had plans to go out together for a Valentine's Day date this weekend. Well, around 2 yesterday, I just laid on our bed and took a nap. I woke up, and Derek was sleeping there, too. He woke up just after I did, and I looked at him and said I didn't think I had the energy to go anywhere. We decided to stay in and order Chinese food :) I figure we'll go on a date next year when I have more energy - I'll just start planning for a sitter now, haha. 

Well, I need to go finish getting our house together for our moms to visit. They're leaving early Friday morning, and they should arrive after we get home from work. We're both excited to see them :) And, happy birthday to my mother-in-law, Kathi! :) 

A very long appointment

Well, it wasn't long content-wise, but it was definitely long wait-wise.


I arrived at the doctor's office around 3pm. My appointment was scheduled for 3:15, and I'm always roughly 10-15 minutes early in case I need to hit the restroom and get comfortable. Well, I waited in the main office until about 3:30. I was called back, did my urine sample, and all the usuals. Well, I waited in another area for about 10 minutes, and then finally was taken back to my room. Not so bad at this point, right? Only about 20 minutes behind. The nurse checked my weight and blood pressure and said the doctor would be right in.


I waited in the exam room for well over half an hour. It was after 4:15 by the time Dr. Helmken even came in. At one point, I started nodding off because I was so insanely bored. That's what I mean by "long" appointment. I had every intention of going back to work, if possible, but damn, that really crashed those dreams.


Either way, Dr. Helmken said my weight is great - it weighed me 2 lbs heavier than last time, but I'm blaming it on having just eaten ;). My blood pressure is good, and my fundal height is perfectly normal. She said that I was right to come and get checked out for the cramping. She asked if the water is helping, and I told her that it seems to be. She said that if I feel any more cramping even though I'm chugging water, I should come back. 


Then, she started checking on Stella. Her heart rate was 150, and Dr. Helmken thinks her feet are over on my right side now and her head is near my belly button. Dr. Helmken was grabbing my stomach - like never before - and man-handling Stella. It kinda hurt and kinda scared me. I know she knows what she's doing but that was crazy. 


She told me not to worry about the whole not being head down stuff. She said it's actually very normal for babies to remain head up right now because her head is her biggest body part and it gives her more room to move around if she stays head up. She said I may or may not feel her flip in the next couple weeks. At 4:30 am this morning, she was making some of the craziest movements I've ever felt. I was sleeping really close to Derek, and I think she woke him up. She was shaking my entire stomach, and I had high hopes that she was doing her flip then. I guess not. She still has time, though. 


I go back on the 21st at 3:45 and I'll see a nurse practitioner. I'll be seeing Beverly - the mega hyper nurse crazy lady. She will literally read her notes aloud to you. It's kinda weird, but she's very thorough. 


Overall, things are going well. My feet were swollen - just a little - from walking around so much today. Dr. Helmken says I can get back to exercising - yay! - as long as there is no cramping. I plan to hit the fitness center in the morning :D I think I'll just keep it to walking for now, just to be on the safe side. If I get any larger, I may just be doing good to walk. I'm barely able to get out of our bed at night to go to the restroom. Which can I just say how annoying that is anymore?! All this water and this giant belly - I'm going to the restroom like 3 times a night! 


Anyway, our swing came today (thanks, Mom) and my other collage from Maple Shade Kids. I think next I'll order some of the things we didn't get at our shower and probably some more clothes. We still need a bouncer and I really want this co-sleeper that I found at Wal-Mart. I also need to get those basic essential items like wipes and all that. 


Derek and I recently purchased a new digital camera. In case you didn't notice, we've been using our phones to take pictures, and we decided that we need to be civilized and have a good digital camera for when Stella is born and after. We ordered a Canon Powershot - not too expensive but will do the job well. I want to be sure Derek has everything he needs on his packing list! :) 


It's crazy to think that I'm going every two weeks, and I'll be back in their office on the 21st. Then, I guess I'll be going in around the 7th or so, and then every week after that. Not much longer to go! 

Prepared? Childbirth

Here we are at 31 weeks. It seems like forever to go still and I'm feeling more enormous every day. Only a handful of Derek's shirts fit me, and I had been able to sneak in the occasional non-maternity shirt/dress here and there, but not anymore. I'm as big as a walrus.

We had our "Prepared Childbirth" class yesterday. It was all day long, and I think it was a really good chance for us to learn about labor and delivery, and well, a little about each other. 

We learned about different sorts of interventions, medications, breathing, and labor positions. Now, I'm going to say this and I am absolutely 100% sincere: I have absolutely no intention of getting an epidural. I had been saying it for months, but after watching exactly what an epidural is and getting to hold a "dummy" epidural - no, thank you. I know everyone says that the pain is so bad that I'll want one and blah blah blah - no. No, I won't. All I have to do is think back to that f^%*ing catheter sticking out of my back and I will have no problem enduring whatever is thrown at me.

Now, I'm not one of those people who plans to hire a doula and water births and all that hokey stuff. I'm just not interested in getting anything shoved into my back unnecessarily. I had been saying for a while that I wanted to do a natural child birth for a lot of reasons. I think it's better for me since I'll really be able to feel the need to push. Epidurals don't harm the baby in any way, so that's got nothing to do with it. I don't really want to lose control of the lower half of my body.

Now, I'm sure everyone will think I'm a religious fanatic for saying this, but one of reasons lies in Genesis 3:16 - "To the woman he said, 'I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children..."' Now, I realize that if you get a headache, you're going to take a Tylenol - right? But for some reason, in my most recent reading of this I felt this sense of obligation to accept whatever it is that God has in store for me and to see if I could actually do it. Almost like a duty - does that make sense?

Now, I'm also not going to be one of those people who avoid C-sections at all costs. I think that we do have modern science for a reason (almost seems contradictory to my last claim, but it will make sense here in a second, I promise). I think that if there's anything we can do to protect Stella and myself, then we should do that. Ultimately, my position is this: I want to try and do this on my own if possible since I think that's the most natural thing a woman can do - labor is not a medical procedure but rather a very natural thing that our bodies have been doing for as long as humans have existed. I do think, though, that if a medical procedure (C-section) is needed to intervene to protect us both, then I should accept that - just like taking my Tylenol when I get a headache - get it? 

Okay, now that I've weirded you out and I'm sure you think I'm a borderline religious fanatic, I can continue discussing the rest of the class. :)

We took a tour of the labor and delivery rooms and the mother-baby units. That was great because now I feel like I can actually visualize our future adventure and get a feeling for what it's going to be like. 

I think my favorite part of yesterday was when the instructor was explaining contractions and what to check for when your water breaks, Derek starts taking notes. I don't think anyone else in the class was taking notes (I definitely wasn't) and he starts drawing a chart of how to track the contractions. It made me feel a lot better about signing up for the class and dragging him there (note: he didn't have any opposition, but I do feel like I'm always suckering him into doing baby things). It also makes me feel better about being able to identify when I'm actually in labor since I have such a prepared "support person." 

My other favorite part was listening to this guy in our class ask questions. He was a total idiot! Now, I realize he was from another country and English wasn't his native language. I think he may have been from India. Well, among his notable questions were: regarding skin-to-skin contact - "Can't they wipe the baby off before they lay it on my wife?"; "If she's in labor, can't I just call the ambulance?"; "When will my wife's breasts be normal again?"; and the best one was when asked what is the best way to tell if your wife is in labor - "More complaining." There were hundreds more, but he seemed 1) totally clueless and 2) completely freaked out by babies and labor. Derek and I spent the car ride home joking about what a nut he was. 

Anyway, it was a good class, and I'm glad we did it. One more class to go: Breastfeeding Basics on Feb 22. I'm really looking forward to that since I want to be sure I know how to breastfeed properly, and I have my fancy new breast pump - thank you, Kathi! :)

Now, I've been feeling better because of all the rest I've been getting. I only worked a half day on Friday, and I swear, I think I slept about 10-11 hours that day. I came home from work and slept until Derek got home, and then I went to bed around 9 and slept until morning. I noticed yesterday that my ankles actually looked like MY ANKLES again! Like, my prepregnancy ankles! I was so happy. 

I've been drinking a ton of water to fight the dehydration, and I'm just resting a lot. I feel really lazy and fat (for not working out) but I know I want to wait and talk to Dr. Helmken tomorrow about everything. 

Another thing that concerns me lately is that I was the only person in our birthing class (out of 10 couples) whose baby wasn't already head down. The nurse said it wasn't a big deal until we get further along and she still has time to flip, but my coworker Maria (we share the same due date) already has a head down baby. Stella went from being transverse to breech (or footling). I'm just scared she won't flip or won't have room (because I have a wacky uterus). Only time will tell, I guess. Everyone says not to worry about it, so I won't worry about it until it's a problem. 

Anyway, I should also say thank you to my mom and mother in law for having my hometown baby shower today - Thank you! :) And thank you to everyone who is participating or planning to ship a gift to us. We really appreciate it. 

I should also say Congratulations! to my friend Jessica who delivered her twin boys on Feb. 2. I'm also thinking of Neil and Lindsay in Ohio right now - I know you're both eagerly awaiting the arrival of Lila! I hope she comes soon! :) 

(and Lindsay: I'm so jealous! I wish I was as close as you are!!) 9 more weeks to go!