...I found out for certain that I was pregnant with Anne. :) I wouldn't have remembered the date, but Mike did. Isn't that sweet? I remember the date that we conceived her though, because that's just how Type A I am with my Natural Family Planning charts. And aren't you glad that you know that now? I'm just very organized. Mike has a name for my charts that I won't repeat, but I assure you, it's funny.
Anne was looking very fetching this morning in a chocolate brown romper with purple and pink polka dots. She still has blue eyes (very striking with her curly dark brown hair) and naturally, is just the prettiest baby ever. Because everybody thinks that about their own babies. That they're the cutest. And they're all cute. But let's face it, we all still think that ours are cuter. :)
Ironically, today when I stepped on the scale, for the first time I'm officially down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Before you hate me, let me assure you that I deserve this small bone given the nights that I'm having. I'd take 10 extra pounds if I could get more than 4 hours of crappy, interrupted sleep per night. But I digress. I'm being positive from now on, remember?
And actually, it was a little warm last night, so we had Anne back in our room in her bassinette. We don't have an air conditioner for her room yet. I have to admit, I'd missed having her in there, and it warmed my heart to see her precious sleeping face next to my side of the bed. Then she started screaming, but we're being positive, remember?
I'm trying.
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pregnancy. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Today is the day...
...that will be my baby's birthday. :) My water broke around 6 am this morning (do I have no shame with these details?!) Please pray for me! I will post when I return from the hospital and I am up to it, but it will be at least several days.
Thank you!! I can't wait to post pictures of the much awaited Baby CL! *beams*
Thank you!! I can't wait to post pictures of the much awaited Baby CL! *beams*
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Still hanging in there...
Today is the day in my last pregnancy (39 weeks, 1 day) that I delivered. I didn't think it would be psychologically difficult for me to get to this day in my second pregnancy and not have the baby, since I knew from the outset how different the 2 cycles were. However, all of that being said, I'm still human, so I'm finding it a tad hard to swallow that I feel absolutely fine today. :) My original guess corresponds to what my NFP instructor also thinks: sometime between tomorrow, May 18th and the 24th. Thus, I figured all along that the earliest I'd deliver would be later this week. That's only a day or two away, but all of you moms know that each day at this stage feels like an eternity.
I do have an appointment with the ob/gyn this afternoon, so we'll see what the little muffin is up to. I sincerely hope that he/she has been up to lots of things that will cause me agonizing pain very shortly.
I do have an appointment with the ob/gyn this afternoon, so we'll see what the little muffin is up to. I sincerely hope that he/she has been up to lots of things that will cause me agonizing pain very shortly.
Monday, May 16, 2011
More waiting, but a finished nursery
Well, almost finished. But finished enough that I feel much more relaxed about bringing the baby home. I mean, how ridiculous is that? It's not like we actually *need* a nursery. But my nesting instincts would have no less.
On Friday, Mike moved what he could of the office furniture down to the guest room and set up the crib upstairs. One would have thought that this would have eased my mind. One would have thought.
Instead, I twitched until Saturday morning, when a friend came over to help Mike move the heavier items down so that we could set up the changing table/bureau. Only then did I finally start to feel better. At that point, I took over. I set up the changing pad and diaper accessories. I acquired room-darkening curtains and hung them. I set up the crib mobile and little lamb white noise machine. I got the diaper bag all ready (acquired this one for a really great price at our local Fisher Price store), set up the bassinette and have it ready in our bedroom, and generally did some baby decorating. Mike knew to stay out of my way.
About an hour in, I called Mike up, and he gamely approached. Flushed with exertion, I pointed out that he still had school books and folders in the 2 cute built-in shelving units in the room and I really needed him to move those to make way for items such as hooded towels and baby washcloths. I mean, seriously. I'm just a nut.
But I got just about everything done that I could. My mother-in-law is making us some tie backs for the curtains, and Mike is working on clearing the last of his office stuff. The doors on everything in there need to be planed, sanded and painted, and it's raining all week here, so that will have to wait. But overall, the rooms looks like a nursery, and I feel happy about it.
With that burst of energy satisfied, I'm now concentrating on the menstrual-like cramping I've been experiencing and praying for it to become excruciating any moment now. I have a feeling I'm in for a wait that will be longer than I'd like it to be.
On Friday, Mike moved what he could of the office furniture down to the guest room and set up the crib upstairs. One would have thought that this would have eased my mind. One would have thought.
Instead, I twitched until Saturday morning, when a friend came over to help Mike move the heavier items down so that we could set up the changing table/bureau. Only then did I finally start to feel better. At that point, I took over. I set up the changing pad and diaper accessories. I acquired room-darkening curtains and hung them. I set up the crib mobile and little lamb white noise machine. I got the diaper bag all ready (acquired this one for a really great price at our local Fisher Price store), set up the bassinette and have it ready in our bedroom, and generally did some baby decorating. Mike knew to stay out of my way.
About an hour in, I called Mike up, and he gamely approached. Flushed with exertion, I pointed out that he still had school books and folders in the 2 cute built-in shelving units in the room and I really needed him to move those to make way for items such as hooded towels and baby washcloths. I mean, seriously. I'm just a nut.
But I got just about everything done that I could. My mother-in-law is making us some tie backs for the curtains, and Mike is working on clearing the last of his office stuff. The doors on everything in there need to be planed, sanded and painted, and it's raining all week here, so that will have to wait. But overall, the rooms looks like a nursery, and I feel happy about it.
With that burst of energy satisfied, I'm now concentrating on the menstrual-like cramping I've been experiencing and praying for it to become excruciating any moment now. I have a feeling I'm in for a wait that will be longer than I'd like it to be.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Still here...
Blogger has been acting weird today, so now it's the end of the afternoon and I don't have time to post much of substance. But I'm here! My body has upped the ante a bit. A signal of things happening that I will spare you the details of, but is of the EW! EW! EW! variety. However, nothing painful is occurring, so this means, my friends, that we will continue to wait. :)
I've been doing lots of praying and nesting. I feel as prepared as I can feel (which is to say, not prepared at all, but I recognize this time that this is the healthy norm) and I'm excited and very grateful to be expecting this wonderful baby. If I'm still pregnant on Monday, you can bet that I'll be posting. :) And, it's very, very possible that that will be the case. It's hard not knowing when, but it's so exciting, no?
I'm feeling content and peaceful. Not calm, mind you, because I'm doing lots of tornadoing, but I do feel a great sense of peace.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
I've been doing lots of praying and nesting. I feel as prepared as I can feel (which is to say, not prepared at all, but I recognize this time that this is the healthy norm) and I'm excited and very grateful to be expecting this wonderful baby. If I'm still pregnant on Monday, you can bet that I'll be posting. :) And, it's very, very possible that that will be the case. It's hard not knowing when, but it's so exciting, no?
I'm feeling content and peaceful. Not calm, mind you, because I'm doing lots of tornadoing, but I do feel a great sense of peace.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Stay at home mom for the summer
I'm a person that likes to be in control. I'm certain this is no surprise to any of my regular readers. :) And right now, there is a LOT going on in my life that I have little to no control over. It's tough, but I've actually been navigating it better than I have in the past.
Mike finished his last exam about 20 minutes ago (so much relief) so the big unknown remaining on this issue is when he's going to find a full time position. Obviously, we're hoping it won't take too long, but in this economy, we may have a long wait ahead of us. We don't have flexibility to move (makes no sense for us, given both sets of parents now here, plus I'm up for tenure next year) so that makes it even harder.
We're trying to plan for the summer and fall, as well as for things that need doing around our house, and the financial unknown makes many of these things next to impossible right now. We're just trying to hang in there.
Last night over supper, we got to talking about two big issues: one is our hot water heater, which has been on the fritz, frustratingly enough given that it's only 3 years old. The other is Hank's summer activities.
Living on one income, money is always tight, and this hot water heater issue has thrown a wrench into our budget. Homeownership, sigh. Our heater has only a limited warranty, so we tried to get by with Mike swapping in a part the manufacturer surmised would solve the problem. It didn't. Thus, we had to call the plumber, and $200 later we find that to even fix the thing, it would cost about half of what a new heater would cost! AND, we're not totally confident this part will fully do the trick for the long term. We have a bit of a rogue heater, apparently. Either way, it's going to cost at least $400, so this is not good news.
On the heels of that, we finally made the time to determine what to do for Hank this summer. I'm going to be home this summer, obviously, with the new baby, and Henry will be done with school in late June. Mike will also be home, apart from a summer class that he's teaching, and looking for work, of course. I was thinking that maybe Hank would enjoy the summer camp that our daycare offers for school aged children for a day or two per week for a handful of weeks in the summer.
The thing is, I'm not used to being a stay at home mom. I'm certain all stay at home moms will find my worry very odd, since they handle this on a daily basis. :) But when I was home on maternity leave with Hank I found it very difficult to be home. I was very depressed, granted, and I had absolutely *no clue* how hard it was to care for a newborn baby. It was just a tough time in my life. So this time, I'm taking lots of precautions toward keeping up my mental health. I thought that it would help to have a few days here and there where I just had the baby, and Hank would get to play with kids his own age. I figured it would be good for both of us.
As Mike and I looked over the registration form, however, he suddenly said, "You know, I don't think we should send him at all." And in that moment, I knew he was right. For one thing, it's VERY expensive. And we'd have to pre-pay some of it now. Plus, we'd need to buy a town swimming pass for him and several other items on top of the tuition cost. Even for just a day per week, over the course of the entire summer, it would really add up.
Also, we're going to be home, and it just seems like a hassle to finagle all the registration requirements when we could just keep him home and save the money. So, that's what we're going to do.
I'm worried, because, well, that's what I do best. And honestly, I feel a bit pathetic. My great-grandmother raised 15 children; I'll have 2, and I'm all concerned that I won't be able to handle it. :) But I feel really peaceful about it. I have 2 friends, one two houses over and the other around the block, that stay at home with their kids, so I'll have a social support network right near by. And I want to make the time with the kids this summer really special. Maybe I can go to daily Mass, go to the zoo, do all sorts of nice things that we don't have time to do otherwise. I'm getting all frontier woman, plotting how to can tomatoes and make my own Play Doh. I really think it's going to be ok.
As for the fall, that remains to be seen. I'll be coming back to work, and we'll just have to see what happens with Mike finding a job. Somehow, I know that it'll be ok.
Mike finished his last exam about 20 minutes ago (so much relief) so the big unknown remaining on this issue is when he's going to find a full time position. Obviously, we're hoping it won't take too long, but in this economy, we may have a long wait ahead of us. We don't have flexibility to move (makes no sense for us, given both sets of parents now here, plus I'm up for tenure next year) so that makes it even harder.
We're trying to plan for the summer and fall, as well as for things that need doing around our house, and the financial unknown makes many of these things next to impossible right now. We're just trying to hang in there.
Last night over supper, we got to talking about two big issues: one is our hot water heater, which has been on the fritz, frustratingly enough given that it's only 3 years old. The other is Hank's summer activities.
Living on one income, money is always tight, and this hot water heater issue has thrown a wrench into our budget. Homeownership, sigh. Our heater has only a limited warranty, so we tried to get by with Mike swapping in a part the manufacturer surmised would solve the problem. It didn't. Thus, we had to call the plumber, and $200 later we find that to even fix the thing, it would cost about half of what a new heater would cost! AND, we're not totally confident this part will fully do the trick for the long term. We have a bit of a rogue heater, apparently. Either way, it's going to cost at least $400, so this is not good news.
On the heels of that, we finally made the time to determine what to do for Hank this summer. I'm going to be home this summer, obviously, with the new baby, and Henry will be done with school in late June. Mike will also be home, apart from a summer class that he's teaching, and looking for work, of course. I was thinking that maybe Hank would enjoy the summer camp that our daycare offers for school aged children for a day or two per week for a handful of weeks in the summer.
The thing is, I'm not used to being a stay at home mom. I'm certain all stay at home moms will find my worry very odd, since they handle this on a daily basis. :) But when I was home on maternity leave with Hank I found it very difficult to be home. I was very depressed, granted, and I had absolutely *no clue* how hard it was to care for a newborn baby. It was just a tough time in my life. So this time, I'm taking lots of precautions toward keeping up my mental health. I thought that it would help to have a few days here and there where I just had the baby, and Hank would get to play with kids his own age. I figured it would be good for both of us.
As Mike and I looked over the registration form, however, he suddenly said, "You know, I don't think we should send him at all." And in that moment, I knew he was right. For one thing, it's VERY expensive. And we'd have to pre-pay some of it now. Plus, we'd need to buy a town swimming pass for him and several other items on top of the tuition cost. Even for just a day per week, over the course of the entire summer, it would really add up.
Also, we're going to be home, and it just seems like a hassle to finagle all the registration requirements when we could just keep him home and save the money. So, that's what we're going to do.
I'm worried, because, well, that's what I do best. And honestly, I feel a bit pathetic. My great-grandmother raised 15 children; I'll have 2, and I'm all concerned that I won't be able to handle it. :) But I feel really peaceful about it. I have 2 friends, one two houses over and the other around the block, that stay at home with their kids, so I'll have a social support network right near by. And I want to make the time with the kids this summer really special. Maybe I can go to daily Mass, go to the zoo, do all sorts of nice things that we don't have time to do otherwise. I'm getting all frontier woman, plotting how to can tomatoes and make my own Play Doh. I really think it's going to be ok.
As for the fall, that remains to be seen. I'll be coming back to work, and we'll just have to see what happens with Mike finding a job. Somehow, I know that it'll be ok.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Boy or girl? And lots of crafting and praying
As I'm finishing up my tasks here at work prior to my leave, my heart is full of joyful expectation about the coming Baby CL. Late pregnancy has its miseries, but this sense of anticipation is absolutely wonderful.
So, I've been doing lots of thinking. Is Baby CL a boy or a girl? Well, the answer to that is that I still don't know. :) But I thought I'd make an official prediction. The amusing thing is, my predictions on gender are a whopping: 100% incorrect. Whenever I guess what a friend is having, and what I guessed that Henry was before he was born, I am always wrong, wrong, wrong. Every single time. So I'm interested to see if I'm wrong again this time! I'll be thrilled either way, so it really doesn't matter, but the statistics tracking is a fun and interesting enterprise.
So, here's my prediction - I think that Baby CL is a:
Boy!
In the next couple of weeks we'll see if I'm correct or not. :)
In the mean time, I've been more introspective this week. I've recently finished up several novenas for specific intentions, and so for the past week have simply been focusing on reciting as much as I can of the rosary each day. I have a new one decade rosary chaplet that I've been using, and it's my absolute favorite of all the rosaries that I own. I don't have a picture of it to upload, but a link to the sold listing for it is here. It was made by the wonderful Carm over at unbreakablerosaries on etsy. It's so light and easy to twirl around in my fingers as I drive or go about other business in my day. The beads are a perfect size too. I'm very picky about my rosaries. :)
I've also whipped out my study Bible and have been reading that each night. I just feel a lot more peaceful of late. I know that I have a big job ahead of me (not just giving birth, but welcoming a new baby and caring for them) and I want to be as spiritually prepared as I am physically and emotionally prepared. I loaded the sorrowful and joyful mysteries of the rosary onto my iPod so that I can listen to them, if I wish, while in labor.
Besides that, I've been knitting and crocheting a lot to pass the waiting time. I do have a blanket for the baby that I'm working on, but it's pretty sophisticated and so I imagine it'll be complete sometime before his or her second birthday. :) I've also knitted some themed dish cloths for friends of late:
These are the Easter cloths. You can't tell from the picture, but each has a pattern stitched into them. I made a couple of eggs, a bunny, a lamb, a cross, a basket, and a chick, all for my friend who received the sacraments this past Easter Vigil. I also made a dessert set for my good friend Karen. AND, the creation I'm most proud of of late, is the amigurumi lamb that I also crocheted for Karen:
I mean, did you ever? His name is "Field." As soon as I saw him on the April 2011 cover of Crochet World, I knew that I had to make him for Karen; he was just calling her name. :)
So, I've been keeping my hands busy. Mike's last exam is less than 24 hours away, and I'm counting the hours. I'll just feel so relieved once we're past that hurdle. The nursery is still a disaster, and there are a million other things I'd ideally like done before the baby comes, but in the end, nothing matters except that my beloved is there with me as our baby is born.
It's funny to think that last time, I didn't feel ready for the baby to come unless:
(1) the crib was assembled with cutsie sheets and matching mobile hanging over top.
(2) matching curtains were hung and matching lamp placed carefully on dresser.
(3) all baby clothes pre-washed in Dreft.
(4) all miscellaneous baby toys and other items cutely arranged around the nursery.
(5) all baby equipment assembled and waiting in the proper rooms.
I mean, I could go on and on. Do you want to know what my standard is this time?
(1) it'd be nice if the bedside bassinette were out of the box.
That's it. Funny how things change with #2, huh?
So, I've been doing lots of thinking. Is Baby CL a boy or a girl? Well, the answer to that is that I still don't know. :) But I thought I'd make an official prediction. The amusing thing is, my predictions on gender are a whopping: 100% incorrect. Whenever I guess what a friend is having, and what I guessed that Henry was before he was born, I am always wrong, wrong, wrong. Every single time. So I'm interested to see if I'm wrong again this time! I'll be thrilled either way, so it really doesn't matter, but the statistics tracking is a fun and interesting enterprise.
So, here's my prediction - I think that Baby CL is a:
Boy!
In the next couple of weeks we'll see if I'm correct or not. :)
In the mean time, I've been more introspective this week. I've recently finished up several novenas for specific intentions, and so for the past week have simply been focusing on reciting as much as I can of the rosary each day. I have a new one decade rosary chaplet that I've been using, and it's my absolute favorite of all the rosaries that I own. I don't have a picture of it to upload, but a link to the sold listing for it is here. It was made by the wonderful Carm over at unbreakablerosaries on etsy. It's so light and easy to twirl around in my fingers as I drive or go about other business in my day. The beads are a perfect size too. I'm very picky about my rosaries. :)
I've also whipped out my study Bible and have been reading that each night. I just feel a lot more peaceful of late. I know that I have a big job ahead of me (not just giving birth, but welcoming a new baby and caring for them) and I want to be as spiritually prepared as I am physically and emotionally prepared. I loaded the sorrowful and joyful mysteries of the rosary onto my iPod so that I can listen to them, if I wish, while in labor.
Besides that, I've been knitting and crocheting a lot to pass the waiting time. I do have a blanket for the baby that I'm working on, but it's pretty sophisticated and so I imagine it'll be complete sometime before his or her second birthday. :) I've also knitted some themed dish cloths for friends of late:
These are the Easter cloths. You can't tell from the picture, but each has a pattern stitched into them. I made a couple of eggs, a bunny, a lamb, a cross, a basket, and a chick, all for my friend who received the sacraments this past Easter Vigil. I also made a dessert set for my good friend Karen. AND, the creation I'm most proud of of late, is the amigurumi lamb that I also crocheted for Karen:
I mean, did you ever? His name is "Field." As soon as I saw him on the April 2011 cover of Crochet World, I knew that I had to make him for Karen; he was just calling her name. :)So, I've been keeping my hands busy. Mike's last exam is less than 24 hours away, and I'm counting the hours. I'll just feel so relieved once we're past that hurdle. The nursery is still a disaster, and there are a million other things I'd ideally like done before the baby comes, but in the end, nothing matters except that my beloved is there with me as our baby is born.
It's funny to think that last time, I didn't feel ready for the baby to come unless:
(1) the crib was assembled with cutsie sheets and matching mobile hanging over top.
(2) matching curtains were hung and matching lamp placed carefully on dresser.
(3) all baby clothes pre-washed in Dreft.
(4) all miscellaneous baby toys and other items cutely arranged around the nursery.
(5) all baby equipment assembled and waiting in the proper rooms.
I mean, I could go on and on. Do you want to know what my standard is this time?
(1) it'd be nice if the bedside bassinette were out of the box.
That's it. Funny how things change with #2, huh?
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Baby CL update: May edition
Well, it's nearly mid-May, and Baby CL is really in the spotlight now. I was at the doctor today. More progress has been made. She *thinks* that I may have the baby as soon as this weekend, or early next week.
I'm kind of freaked out. I mean, I need that extra week. :) I'm not totally sold, though. As much as we can know certain physical things, nobody fully understands when the baby and your body are going to make that magic connection that signals your brain to start secreting the hormones that ignite true labor contractions. We'll see.
Everything looks great though. The baby is a great size, with pleasing activity and heartrate. All of my vitals look excellent, and I've gained about 27 pounds. All we have to do is wait for his or her arrival.
While I panic in the interim.
What I keep focusing on is my fondest memory from Hank's birth. That would be the moment that it *ended*, importantly. But that sudden cessation of pain is actually secondary. I just remember the moment that the doctor announced that he was a boy, and held him up. I'm awaiting that moment with so much joy and anticipation. Is there anything more wonderful that seeing your baby's face for the very first time? I don't think there is. I don't care how good your ultrasound images may have been, nothing substitutes that first real look. That's the moment that you fully realize how very worth it the entire journey is.
I'm kind of freaked out. I mean, I need that extra week. :) I'm not totally sold, though. As much as we can know certain physical things, nobody fully understands when the baby and your body are going to make that magic connection that signals your brain to start secreting the hormones that ignite true labor contractions. We'll see.Everything looks great though. The baby is a great size, with pleasing activity and heartrate. All of my vitals look excellent, and I've gained about 27 pounds. All we have to do is wait for his or her arrival.
While I panic in the interim.
What I keep focusing on is my fondest memory from Hank's birth. That would be the moment that it *ended*, importantly. But that sudden cessation of pain is actually secondary. I just remember the moment that the doctor announced that he was a boy, and held him up. I'm awaiting that moment with so much joy and anticipation. Is there anything more wonderful that seeing your baby's face for the very first time? I don't think there is. I don't care how good your ultrasound images may have been, nothing substitutes that first real look. That's the moment that you fully realize how very worth it the entire journey is.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Still hanging in there at 38 weeks
I'm here. :) And I expect that I will remain for this entire week. Which is just fine by me. Mike had his second exam today, and will have his third and final one on Thursday, so I'm definitely wanting to hold out until then. After that, he has a bit of grading to do for the class he's teaching. So, I see making it to 39 weeks as a really, really good thing. After that, all bets are off. I'd say I'm on "light alert" this week, since some women do go into labor naturally at 38 weeks, but next week I'll officially be on "high alert" until the birth. Very exciting.
So, the weekend. On Friday, I had dance class. Yes, I'm still belly dancing, inexplicably enough. It still feels so good to dance. The only problem being that I never bought maternity workout clothes and just made do with stretchy yoga pants and tops. Well, the tops are still "stretchy" but not comfortably. So I abandoned them in favor of a sleeveless maternity dress. I was much more comfortable. And I can still undulate and shimmy, making me very happy. The only things challenging for me right now are turns and twists. There's no mistaking it, when I twist my hips quickly I feel a distinct "sloshing" sensation. It just feels...weird.
On Saturday, I put the finishing touches on the paint in the baby's nursery. It looks good, and the carpet is also in. In terms of furniture though, it's an absolute disaster. The office furniture is still in there, and we simply won't be able to move it out until Mike is done with his finals this weekend. All of the baby's stuff is currently crammed in the closet, some of it still in boxes. I'm itching to get at it, but it has to wait until the office furniture is gone. *sighs*
But we're getting there. I've had a wonderful pregnancy, but I'm finally officially uncomfortable and can't wait to push this baby out. To be honest, I don't really love being pregnant all that much, although it's very, very worth it for the end result. But I'm in the home stretch, so no worries. I'm sick to death of my maternity clothes (I knew this would happen, does every time), I can't even remember what my belly used to look like, my belly button is smooshed beyond recognition, and I haven't been able to shave normally in months. You know that little button stores put in frozen turkeys that pops up when the turkey has reached the correct temperature and is done? Right, very comparable. Baby CL is fully baked.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with my ob/gyn so we'll see what he/she is currently up to then. :) I really, really can't wait to meet him or her.
So, the weekend. On Friday, I had dance class. Yes, I'm still belly dancing, inexplicably enough. It still feels so good to dance. The only problem being that I never bought maternity workout clothes and just made do with stretchy yoga pants and tops. Well, the tops are still "stretchy" but not comfortably. So I abandoned them in favor of a sleeveless maternity dress. I was much more comfortable. And I can still undulate and shimmy, making me very happy. The only things challenging for me right now are turns and twists. There's no mistaking it, when I twist my hips quickly I feel a distinct "sloshing" sensation. It just feels...weird.
On Saturday, I put the finishing touches on the paint in the baby's nursery. It looks good, and the carpet is also in. In terms of furniture though, it's an absolute disaster. The office furniture is still in there, and we simply won't be able to move it out until Mike is done with his finals this weekend. All of the baby's stuff is currently crammed in the closet, some of it still in boxes. I'm itching to get at it, but it has to wait until the office furniture is gone. *sighs*
But we're getting there. I've had a wonderful pregnancy, but I'm finally officially uncomfortable and can't wait to push this baby out. To be honest, I don't really love being pregnant all that much, although it's very, very worth it for the end result. But I'm in the home stretch, so no worries. I'm sick to death of my maternity clothes (I knew this would happen, does every time), I can't even remember what my belly used to look like, my belly button is smooshed beyond recognition, and I haven't been able to shave normally in months. You know that little button stores put in frozen turkeys that pops up when the turkey has reached the correct temperature and is done? Right, very comparable. Baby CL is fully baked.
Tomorrow I have an appointment with my ob/gyn so we'll see what he/she is currently up to then. :) I really, really can't wait to meet him or her.
Friday, May 6, 2011
A Babies R Us pilgrimage
Last night, my mom and I made a pilgrimage to the mecca of all pregnant women - Babies R Us. It's only the second time I've been there in the past 5 years, the other time coming about a month ago when I went with my mother-in-law. My mom wanted to get a crib mattress for the baby as a gift, and I wanted to look at baby carriers. So off we set.
We retrieved the desired items (I'll post a review of my chosen carrier once I get a chance to use it) and suddenly my mom announces:
"Why don't we look at nursing covers? Your cousin Christina had such a nice one that you could hardly tell she was nursing."
"I can just use a blanket."
"No! Let's look at the covers."
Sigh, ok. I waddle my way to the breastfeeding section, and we oogle the nursing covers. The one Christina used wasn't there, so we had to content ourselves looking at non-approved nursing covers. My mom felt no compunction about opening the packages to take the covers out for a test run so that we could *really* know if they were any good or not, as I glanced around nervously. Like maybe the Babies R Us police were going to come escort us out of the store.
"Oh look! See how it attaches around your neck. But...I don't know. Maybe it doesn't cover enough."
I tie the straps around my neck, which I immediately hate, but I let it go for the sake of politeness. Next, I examine the body of the garment which can only be described as a nursing mumu. This thing extended from my collar bone down to my *knees*.
"Um, mom? I don't think I need quite this much coverage. Plus, it's kind of loud."
Loud as in bright pink geometric shapes with swirls dominating the fabric.
"Won't this draw even *more* attention to the fact that I'm nursing? I think I'm good with just a cotton blanket."
So, what say my readers? Do any of you use these, or are you with me on the blankets?
We retrieved the desired items (I'll post a review of my chosen carrier once I get a chance to use it) and suddenly my mom announces:
"Why don't we look at nursing covers? Your cousin Christina had such a nice one that you could hardly tell she was nursing."
"I can just use a blanket."
"No! Let's look at the covers."
Sigh, ok. I waddle my way to the breastfeeding section, and we oogle the nursing covers. The one Christina used wasn't there, so we had to content ourselves looking at non-approved nursing covers. My mom felt no compunction about opening the packages to take the covers out for a test run so that we could *really* know if they were any good or not, as I glanced around nervously. Like maybe the Babies R Us police were going to come escort us out of the store.
"Oh look! See how it attaches around your neck. But...I don't know. Maybe it doesn't cover enough."
I tie the straps around my neck, which I immediately hate, but I let it go for the sake of politeness. Next, I examine the body of the garment which can only be described as a nursing mumu. This thing extended from my collar bone down to my *knees*.
"Um, mom? I don't think I need quite this much coverage. Plus, it's kind of loud."
Loud as in bright pink geometric shapes with swirls dominating the fabric.
"Won't this draw even *more* attention to the fact that I'm nursing? I think I'm good with just a cotton blanket."
So, what say my readers? Do any of you use these, or are you with me on the blankets?
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Trying to get things finished up...
All of a sudden, it's sunk in that the baby is technically full-term and can be born anytime. In order for me not to hyperventilate at this statement, I need to systematically cross things off my to-do list both at work and at home, so that I feel ready. Notice my use of the word "feel." I've done this before, and thus I know that no matter what I do, I will never actually *be* ready. There's some reassurance in that, to be sure.
I've been getting lots of cramping, and this has also panicked me a bit. I've calmed down a lot, but the fact of the matter is that Mike still has finals through next Thursday. As long as I can get to that milestone, I'll be a happy girl. I'd prefer to go fully to 39 weeks or later, but as long as we can get Mike through his exams, I'll be satisfied. Now watch: I say these things, and then 41 weeks will come and go, and I'll desperately be drinking castor oil and running up stairs trying to stimulate labor. You just wait.
I've been thinking about how I'll let my blogging readers know when Baby CL has arrived. :) I don't have a smartphone, so no blogging from the hospital. Alas, I know you're all crushed and disappointed. :)
This is the signaling system we have at our disposal: I tend to post most to everyday Monday through Friday. I'll post every weekday from now until I go into labor, but I never post on Saturdays and Sundays, fyi. If you notice that I don't post on a weekday, you'll know something is up. :) Certainly, if 2 weekdays go by with no word, this means that Baby CL is now with us. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. This is very important. :) When I get home from the hospital, as soon as I am able, I'll upload a picture and provide details. It'll all be very exciting.
I've been getting lots of cramping, and this has also panicked me a bit. I've calmed down a lot, but the fact of the matter is that Mike still has finals through next Thursday. As long as I can get to that milestone, I'll be a happy girl. I'd prefer to go fully to 39 weeks or later, but as long as we can get Mike through his exams, I'll be satisfied. Now watch: I say these things, and then 41 weeks will come and go, and I'll desperately be drinking castor oil and running up stairs trying to stimulate labor. You just wait.
I've been thinking about how I'll let my blogging readers know when Baby CL has arrived. :) I don't have a smartphone, so no blogging from the hospital. Alas, I know you're all crushed and disappointed. :)
This is the signaling system we have at our disposal: I tend to post most to everyday Monday through Friday. I'll post every weekday from now until I go into labor, but I never post on Saturdays and Sundays, fyi. If you notice that I don't post on a weekday, you'll know something is up. :) Certainly, if 2 weekdays go by with no word, this means that Baby CL is now with us. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. This is very important. :) When I get home from the hospital, as soon as I am able, I'll upload a picture and provide details. It'll all be very exciting.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hormones, hormones, hormones
Oh the joy. I woke up in a better mood than I did yesterday, but my stress level has unfortunately not abated. I clearly need to be spending more time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
I had an appointment with my ob/gyn early this morning, and as I suspected, Baby CL has been busy. My body has made discernible progress toward labor. It's not "oh my goodness!" progress, but it's still good progress and it's more than my body had accomplished even at 38.5 weeks with Hank. What does this mean? Well,
(a) it doesn't mean that labor is coming in the next few days. In fact, it doesn't mean that labor is coming even in the next 3 weeks. But it does tell us that my body is preparing more efficiently for labor, and my labor *should* be shorter this go round.
(b) is a good sign that my labor and delivery will be as uncomplicated as last time, although not a guarantee. And
(c) IT'S FREAKING ME OUT.
I'm not ready. And Mike still has finals to take. And the nursery is still a construction zone. And work is nowhere near ready for me to leave yet. And my in-laws are still staying with us. And...I could go on and on. Clearly, I need to be spending more time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Since my in-laws' stay is a bit open ended (it all depends on when the moving company can get to them) I've been panicking about dinners. These days, I have zero energy in the evenings after work. It's a miracle I can drag myself home most days. What I've been doing is cooking on the weekends, when I have more energy (not to mention enthusiasm), and then we have 1-2 days of leftovers for the week. The other weekdays, we'll do what I call "ad hoc dinners." Quick spaghetti one night, a frozen skillet meal another, maybe tuna salad the next. Well, with guests, especially my in-laws (wherein I still have this irrational need to prove myself as a good wife and mother) I feel that we can't do this. WE CAN'T SHOW THEM OUR WEAKNESS. If they catch me warming frozen chicken nuggets for Hank while Mike and I eat canned soup and turkey sandwiches, they will know that I am a nefarious interloper, a faker stand-in for a true wife of good virtue. It's kind of my worst nightmare; sort of like those horrible dreams where you walk into a crowded room somewhere wearing only your underpants.
So today, when I called Mike for an update (we're having the nursery carpet installed today, and my in-laws are supposed to be getting a report on the location of the moving van) I pounced on the subject of dinner.
"Have you eaten lunch yet?"
"No, but I was going to have some of that leftover lasagna."
"NO!! Don't eat that! I'm planning to use that for dinner tonight. I can warm some fresh sauce and make a dinner salad, and it should be enough."
"Um, well, I could have a sandwich and soup instead, so that you would have enough lasagna."
*silence while I absorb and translate this information*
"Why would you do that?"
*suspicious*
"Well, there are only 3 pieces of lasagna left."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
*quick pause while Mike realizes that (a) I'm upset about this, yet (b) he doesn't know why I'm upset about this, but (c) he needs to tread lightly to as not to upset me further. Tis the fruits of 6 years of a happy marriage.*
"Well, I didn't eat any, but maybe my dad had some for lunch one day. At any rate, there are only 3 pieces left, but it's ok! We'll figure out something."
*unhappy silence*
"Well, this isn't going to work. *hormones rage* I'll have to stop off at the store on my way home and pick up something."
"If you tell me what you need, I can go to the store. It'll be ok."
*sniffles*
Later, Mike IM'ed me to say that he came up with an idea for dinner tonight, and that he was going to the store to pick up just a few things that we need for it. Not only is he also going to make the dinner, but he's also going to pick up a few other things that we can use to toss some chili into the crock pot for tomorrow's dinner. This, my friends, is what a really loving marriage partner is all about. :) There may be other things that are also good, but it's the little things that really matter.
I'm still stressed, but not as insidiously so. The nursery is now carpeted. I am, slowly but surely, getting things done at work. Mike is getting his final school work and exams over with. And the baby is going to come when he/she is going to come. I don't have any control over it, so why fret?
I had an appointment with my ob/gyn early this morning, and as I suspected, Baby CL has been busy. My body has made discernible progress toward labor. It's not "oh my goodness!" progress, but it's still good progress and it's more than my body had accomplished even at 38.5 weeks with Hank. What does this mean? Well,
(a) it doesn't mean that labor is coming in the next few days. In fact, it doesn't mean that labor is coming even in the next 3 weeks. But it does tell us that my body is preparing more efficiently for labor, and my labor *should* be shorter this go round.
(b) is a good sign that my labor and delivery will be as uncomplicated as last time, although not a guarantee. And
(c) IT'S FREAKING ME OUT.
I'm not ready. And Mike still has finals to take. And the nursery is still a construction zone. And work is nowhere near ready for me to leave yet. And my in-laws are still staying with us. And...I could go on and on. Clearly, I need to be spending more time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Since my in-laws' stay is a bit open ended (it all depends on when the moving company can get to them) I've been panicking about dinners. These days, I have zero energy in the evenings after work. It's a miracle I can drag myself home most days. What I've been doing is cooking on the weekends, when I have more energy (not to mention enthusiasm), and then we have 1-2 days of leftovers for the week. The other weekdays, we'll do what I call "ad hoc dinners." Quick spaghetti one night, a frozen skillet meal another, maybe tuna salad the next. Well, with guests, especially my in-laws (wherein I still have this irrational need to prove myself as a good wife and mother) I feel that we can't do this. WE CAN'T SHOW THEM OUR WEAKNESS. If they catch me warming frozen chicken nuggets for Hank while Mike and I eat canned soup and turkey sandwiches, they will know that I am a nefarious interloper, a faker stand-in for a true wife of good virtue. It's kind of my worst nightmare; sort of like those horrible dreams where you walk into a crowded room somewhere wearing only your underpants.
So today, when I called Mike for an update (we're having the nursery carpet installed today, and my in-laws are supposed to be getting a report on the location of the moving van) I pounced on the subject of dinner.
"Have you eaten lunch yet?"
"No, but I was going to have some of that leftover lasagna."
"NO!! Don't eat that! I'm planning to use that for dinner tonight. I can warm some fresh sauce and make a dinner salad, and it should be enough."
"Um, well, I could have a sandwich and soup instead, so that you would have enough lasagna."
*silence while I absorb and translate this information*
"Why would you do that?"
*suspicious*
"Well, there are only 3 pieces of lasagna left."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
*quick pause while Mike realizes that (a) I'm upset about this, yet (b) he doesn't know why I'm upset about this, but (c) he needs to tread lightly to as not to upset me further. Tis the fruits of 6 years of a happy marriage.*
"Well, I didn't eat any, but maybe my dad had some for lunch one day. At any rate, there are only 3 pieces left, but it's ok! We'll figure out something."
*unhappy silence*
"Well, this isn't going to work. *hormones rage* I'll have to stop off at the store on my way home and pick up something."
"If you tell me what you need, I can go to the store. It'll be ok."
*sniffles*
Later, Mike IM'ed me to say that he came up with an idea for dinner tonight, and that he was going to the store to pick up just a few things that we need for it. Not only is he also going to make the dinner, but he's also going to pick up a few other things that we can use to toss some chili into the crock pot for tomorrow's dinner. This, my friends, is what a really loving marriage partner is all about. :) There may be other things that are also good, but it's the little things that really matter.
I'm still stressed, but not as insidiously so. The nursery is now carpeted. I am, slowly but surely, getting things done at work. Mike is getting his final school work and exams over with. And the baby is going to come when he/she is going to come. I don't have any control over it, so why fret?
Monday, May 2, 2011
A day of mixed emotion
I started off the day a bit cranky this morning. Hank was bouncing off the walls, we're hosting my in-laws for an unspecified duration as they wait for their belongings to be moved up from Florida to their new local apartment, the nursery is a disaster area, and I don't know how I'll get everything done that I want to get done before the baby gets here. Combine that with this mornings big international news that I fear will have far reaching retaliation implications, and the injured Canada Goose I saw along the side of the road as I drove into work, and I started crying right there in my car. I had to actually compose myself before I could walk into work.
But I don't want to dwell on any of that. I have little to no control over any of it, so why worry?
I'm in the middle of a novena to Our Lady Star of the Sea, for the intention of Mike finding a full-time job in his new field now that he's graduating in a few weeks, and that has been soothing me.
As well, today is a big milestone for me that I've been waiting for for quite some time. Did you look at the calendar yesterday? IT'S MAY. And as of this morning, I am 37 weeks pregnant, officially full term. I certainly don't expect the baby for at least another 2 weeks, but this is an important day. I'm terribly excited, but I feel that at any moment, I could dissolve into tears again. I blame the hormones.
But I don't want to dwell on any of that. I have little to no control over any of it, so why worry?
I'm in the middle of a novena to Our Lady Star of the Sea, for the intention of Mike finding a full-time job in his new field now that he's graduating in a few weeks, and that has been soothing me.
As well, today is a big milestone for me that I've been waiting for for quite some time. Did you look at the calendar yesterday? IT'S MAY. And as of this morning, I am 37 weeks pregnant, officially full term. I certainly don't expect the baby for at least another 2 weeks, but this is an important day. I'm terribly excited, but I feel that at any moment, I could dissolve into tears again. I blame the hormones.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Everybody is nesting these days
This morning, as I readied for work, I heard a bunch of commotion out of one of our bedroom windows. I'd been hearing a lot of cooing out there, but I didn't think too much of it. Some pigeons passing by, most likely.
Eventually, I noticed that the level of fluttering coming from that area could not possibly be from a fly by. I can't see fully out that window because there is a privacy panel on it, since the houses are so close together where we live. But there is a little space near the edge that I can peek through. So I peeked.
A mourning dove peeked back.
Mike had forgotten to lower the screen when he took our a/c units out last year, and two doves had taken up residence in the window, beginning a nest. I felt bad, but we had to shoo them out. We don't want to live *quite* that close to nature. Plus, the a/c unit will have to go back in there.
In terms of our nest, Mike is painting the nursery this weekend, and we have a very cute Berber carpet going in there next Tuesday. After that, we'll get the furniture all moved, and I can finally move the baby's "stuff" out of the closet and start arranging it in the room. I also have to wash all the little clothes. Perhaps next weekend. But I'm getting a bit freaked out - I only have a few weeks to go!
And it definitely feels it, physically. Overall, I still feel pretty darn good. But I'm nearly 37 weeks now, so the inevitable comes into play. My ankles and fingers swell very easily now, and sciatica is my constant companion. So is the bathroom, but that's a whole 'nother story.
The baby is a really good size now, and I'm feeling tons of pressure. My body is getting ready whether I'm ready or not!
Eventually, I noticed that the level of fluttering coming from that area could not possibly be from a fly by. I can't see fully out that window because there is a privacy panel on it, since the houses are so close together where we live. But there is a little space near the edge that I can peek through. So I peeked.
A mourning dove peeked back.
Mike had forgotten to lower the screen when he took our a/c units out last year, and two doves had taken up residence in the window, beginning a nest. I felt bad, but we had to shoo them out. We don't want to live *quite* that close to nature. Plus, the a/c unit will have to go back in there.
In terms of our nest, Mike is painting the nursery this weekend, and we have a very cute Berber carpet going in there next Tuesday. After that, we'll get the furniture all moved, and I can finally move the baby's "stuff" out of the closet and start arranging it in the room. I also have to wash all the little clothes. Perhaps next weekend. But I'm getting a bit freaked out - I only have a few weeks to go!
And it definitely feels it, physically. Overall, I still feel pretty darn good. But I'm nearly 37 weeks now, so the inevitable comes into play. My ankles and fingers swell very easily now, and sciatica is my constant companion. So is the bathroom, but that's a whole 'nother story.
The baby is a really good size now, and I'm feeling tons of pressure. My body is getting ready whether I'm ready or not!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hypnobirthing
Has anybody tried this? I just read the book, and thought I'd post my quick thoughts here.
So, the important disclaimer is that I did not attend any classes. And this does sound like a method in which the creator intends for you to receive in-person training. That being said, I read the book all the way through with interest, and I did take a few things away from it. Overall though, I don't feel like I "know" the method well enough to actually use it during my upcoming birth.
I'll start from the beginning. This is definitely a "crunchy" book, but it doesn't bang you over the head with it. I always appreciate that. The introductory section is a fascinating look back into childbirth of the 60's and 70's. The woman who created this method discussed her 4 birth experiences. She opted not to receive pain medication each time (which was really unheard of back then) and if you can believe this, for the first two, she labored unmedicated all the way through to the baby crowning, and then hospital staff would whisk her to a delivery room, strap down her arms and legs, force an ether mask onto her face, and then once she was unconscious, deliver her baby forcibly with forceps. Because that's just what they did back then. There was no concept of a woman pushing her baby out on her own. My own mom told me that about her birth with my older sister in 1970. "Oh, we'll take it from here, Honey." And then she woke up hours after the birth. I mean, I was flabbergasted. An unconscious vaginal birth? I had a hard time imagining this.
As if to add to the horror, the author also detailed how the baby was kept in the infant nursery at all times except for designated feeding times, and at those times, the fathers were not allowed to be in the room. So, a new mother would not see her baby until the day after she delivered, and then for 4-5 days (used to be the customary stay for a vaginal delivery) would be with her baby only a few times per day. The other times she had to see her baby only through the nursery windows. New fathers had no contact with their baby aside from the nursery window glimpses until mother and baby were released from the hospital. I mean, seriously?
I guess I'm a child of twenty first century childbirth, and so this boggles my mind. Although there is no technique presented per se in this information, it strengthened my fortitude to be grateful for the birthing choices we now have and to assert mine in the way that I desire when the big day arrives.
The author ultimately was able to birth her second two children on her own without the dreaded ether, and even have her husband present for the births, after finding a sympathetic doctor. But alas, both were still whisked to the newborn nursery and all that entailed.
At any rate, after the introductory information, the book addresses the main techniques of Hypnobirthing, which are breathing exercises, relaxation, and visual imagery/meditation. As I mentioned, I found it hard to understand all of the techniques just from reading the book. There is a CD included, and I plan to check that out. But overall, it kind of reinforced what I wanted to do anyway: breathing techniques, position changes, music for relaxation, and a mental focal point. I'm sure I'm missing the very essence of Hypnobirthing, which puts these all together in some unique fashion, but it's the best I can do with just the book.
Anybody else have insight on this particular method of natural childbirth?
So, the important disclaimer is that I did not attend any classes. And this does sound like a method in which the creator intends for you to receive in-person training. That being said, I read the book all the way through with interest, and I did take a few things away from it. Overall though, I don't feel like I "know" the method well enough to actually use it during my upcoming birth.
I'll start from the beginning. This is definitely a "crunchy" book, but it doesn't bang you over the head with it. I always appreciate that. The introductory section is a fascinating look back into childbirth of the 60's and 70's. The woman who created this method discussed her 4 birth experiences. She opted not to receive pain medication each time (which was really unheard of back then) and if you can believe this, for the first two, she labored unmedicated all the way through to the baby crowning, and then hospital staff would whisk her to a delivery room, strap down her arms and legs, force an ether mask onto her face, and then once she was unconscious, deliver her baby forcibly with forceps. Because that's just what they did back then. There was no concept of a woman pushing her baby out on her own. My own mom told me that about her birth with my older sister in 1970. "Oh, we'll take it from here, Honey." And then she woke up hours after the birth. I mean, I was flabbergasted. An unconscious vaginal birth? I had a hard time imagining this.
As if to add to the horror, the author also detailed how the baby was kept in the infant nursery at all times except for designated feeding times, and at those times, the fathers were not allowed to be in the room. So, a new mother would not see her baby until the day after she delivered, and then for 4-5 days (used to be the customary stay for a vaginal delivery) would be with her baby only a few times per day. The other times she had to see her baby only through the nursery windows. New fathers had no contact with their baby aside from the nursery window glimpses until mother and baby were released from the hospital. I mean, seriously?
I guess I'm a child of twenty first century childbirth, and so this boggles my mind. Although there is no technique presented per se in this information, it strengthened my fortitude to be grateful for the birthing choices we now have and to assert mine in the way that I desire when the big day arrives.
The author ultimately was able to birth her second two children on her own without the dreaded ether, and even have her husband present for the births, after finding a sympathetic doctor. But alas, both were still whisked to the newborn nursery and all that entailed.
At any rate, after the introductory information, the book addresses the main techniques of Hypnobirthing, which are breathing exercises, relaxation, and visual imagery/meditation. As I mentioned, I found it hard to understand all of the techniques just from reading the book. There is a CD included, and I plan to check that out. But overall, it kind of reinforced what I wanted to do anyway: breathing techniques, position changes, music for relaxation, and a mental focal point. I'm sure I'm missing the very essence of Hypnobirthing, which puts these all together in some unique fashion, but it's the best I can do with just the book.
Anybody else have insight on this particular method of natural childbirth?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
A Catholic Librarian Children update, and the Easter Vigil 2011
Well. :) Lots of updates today. It'll be a long post, so settle in with some tea. I'll start with this morning, and work my way backward, ending with details from Easter weekend, which was very special.
First, I thought I'd post about my morning. It's always interesting when you have small children. :) Hank slept in today, because he was so tired from a hardcore weekend of playing with his cousins, so I took the opportunity to sneak in the bathroom ahead of him and ready for my 36 week ob/gyn appointment. When he woke, all sleepy eyed at 7, I went in to greet him immediately and zero in on an adorable face kissing session. Don't you just love it when they're freshly woken? It's the cutest time of the day. So I proceed in and kiss his head.
Hark! What is that I smell? All experienced parents become attuned to certain smells, and this is one of them: OLD POO. It's quite distinctive.
"Honey, did you go poo in your underwear last night?"
"NO!" *look of shocked indignation at the question*
"Are you sure?"
"YES!"
*Catholic Librarian crosses her fingers and hopes the smell is coming from a prior poo encounter's leftover wipes fermenting in the garbage can after our long weekend away*
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Honey?"
"Can I have privacy to get dressed?"
This is also another one of those parenting red herrings. I'm sure some children, especially girls, develop the desire for privacy at 5, but not my son, who streaks around the house buck naked at every given opportunity. I shut his door and tap my foot outside for approximately 5 seconds, when, in a totally expected development, I hear:
"Um, Mommy? Can you come in?"
When I open the door, the smell of old poo is no longer subtle; it smacks me right in the face. And old poo is the *worst* kind of poo to clean up, because, well (cover your eyes, those with sensitive dispositions) it's all dried and stuck to everything. In a *crevice*. Not pleasant. This is one of those times that you really know that parenting is a two person job.
*call downstairs* "Honey? Do you want underwear duty or butt duty?"
Because both need to be rinsed out and scrubbed down. The life of a parent: glamour, all glamour.
So after that adventure-filled start to the morning, I dropped Hank at his before school program and head to the doctor. Starting this week, I'll be there weekly. And they'll be seeing an awful lot of me, if you know what I mean. *sigh*
So, I had the Group B Strep screen today, and hopefully that will come back negative next week. Otherwise, I'll need antibiotics during labor, and I'd like to avoid that. Baby CL is officially in the vertex position (head down, doing a good job of following directions) and growing right on target. Next week, I'll be officially full term, and we'll see if my body has made any progress toward labor. It's all very exciting.
I'm feeling totally great, albeit like a woman very "full with child". I've gained 24 pounds, which is fabulous, but you know. I feel a bit like a beached whale. I've gotten very used to it, and the end is so close, I'm handling it psychologically much better than I did when I was carrying Hank, when it felt like I may be the first woman to officially be pregnant FOREVER. But it will still be very, VERY nice to be the only one in my body coming up here pretty soon. That will be a very good day.
Ok, so. Flashing back to this weekend. Saturday was crazy, but so very worth it. We arrived at my sister's house at 1, and by 3:10 I was on a train on my way to New York City to attend the Easter Vigil. I met up with my friend Mary, and we spent some time visiting prior to Mass. By time we headed to the church, I was feeling great emotionally, but not so great physically. I still had a cold and was hacking unattractively, plus I hadn't eaten a proper dinner. I had eaten, don't get me wrong, it's just that my body is used to eating a full dinner at 5:30 pm every night. Mike and I are a tad freakish that way. As Mass begun, I was feeling a bit light headed with an upset stomach and a cough, not a good combination.
However, I hung in there, and it was worth it. I love how the Easter Vigil starts, with the service of light and the lighting of the candles in the darkened church, and then the lights come on, signaling the official beginning of Easter.
As the Liturgy of the Word proceeded, I started to feel a tad better, although the hacking remained. Finally, it was time for the Liturgy of the Sacraments of Initiation, and, really, all I can say is that it was so, so special. My friend Mary and one other woman were the only 2 catechumens (the rest, a significant number, were all candidates to be confirmed) and so we proceeded up to the altar first. The priest went through the baptismal promises and the affirmation of the Catholic faith with each, and then baptized both. As one of her sponsors, I was so delighted to be able to right up there with her as this was all taking place.
After that, the rest of the congregation affirmed our baptismal vows, and then the confirmations took place. We went back to the pew to await the Liturgy of the Eucharist. And so, for the first time in our 14 year friendship, Mary and I received the Eucharist together under both species. It was truly magnificent, and the atmosphere in the church was almost magical.
I've only attended 1 other Easter Vigil, and when you know someone receiving the sacraments on that occasion, it's simply not to be missed. What an awesome opportunity provided by God. I'll never forget it.
I took it easy on Easter Sunday, another bright and beautiful day. And with the birth of Baby CL approaching, I feel joyful all the time. Life is truly very good.
First, I thought I'd post about my morning. It's always interesting when you have small children. :) Hank slept in today, because he was so tired from a hardcore weekend of playing with his cousins, so I took the opportunity to sneak in the bathroom ahead of him and ready for my 36 week ob/gyn appointment. When he woke, all sleepy eyed at 7, I went in to greet him immediately and zero in on an adorable face kissing session. Don't you just love it when they're freshly woken? It's the cutest time of the day. So I proceed in and kiss his head.
Hark! What is that I smell? All experienced parents become attuned to certain smells, and this is one of them: OLD POO. It's quite distinctive.
"Honey, did you go poo in your underwear last night?"
"NO!" *look of shocked indignation at the question*
"Are you sure?"
"YES!"
*Catholic Librarian crosses her fingers and hopes the smell is coming from a prior poo encounter's leftover wipes fermenting in the garbage can after our long weekend away*
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Honey?"
"Can I have privacy to get dressed?"
This is also another one of those parenting red herrings. I'm sure some children, especially girls, develop the desire for privacy at 5, but not my son, who streaks around the house buck naked at every given opportunity. I shut his door and tap my foot outside for approximately 5 seconds, when, in a totally expected development, I hear:
"Um, Mommy? Can you come in?"
When I open the door, the smell of old poo is no longer subtle; it smacks me right in the face. And old poo is the *worst* kind of poo to clean up, because, well (cover your eyes, those with sensitive dispositions) it's all dried and stuck to everything. In a *crevice*. Not pleasant. This is one of those times that you really know that parenting is a two person job.
*call downstairs* "Honey? Do you want underwear duty or butt duty?"
Because both need to be rinsed out and scrubbed down. The life of a parent: glamour, all glamour.
So after that adventure-filled start to the morning, I dropped Hank at his before school program and head to the doctor. Starting this week, I'll be there weekly. And they'll be seeing an awful lot of me, if you know what I mean. *sigh*
So, I had the Group B Strep screen today, and hopefully that will come back negative next week. Otherwise, I'll need antibiotics during labor, and I'd like to avoid that. Baby CL is officially in the vertex position (head down, doing a good job of following directions) and growing right on target. Next week, I'll be officially full term, and we'll see if my body has made any progress toward labor. It's all very exciting.
I'm feeling totally great, albeit like a woman very "full with child". I've gained 24 pounds, which is fabulous, but you know. I feel a bit like a beached whale. I've gotten very used to it, and the end is so close, I'm handling it psychologically much better than I did when I was carrying Hank, when it felt like I may be the first woman to officially be pregnant FOREVER. But it will still be very, VERY nice to be the only one in my body coming up here pretty soon. That will be a very good day.
Ok, so. Flashing back to this weekend. Saturday was crazy, but so very worth it. We arrived at my sister's house at 1, and by 3:10 I was on a train on my way to New York City to attend the Easter Vigil. I met up with my friend Mary, and we spent some time visiting prior to Mass. By time we headed to the church, I was feeling great emotionally, but not so great physically. I still had a cold and was hacking unattractively, plus I hadn't eaten a proper dinner. I had eaten, don't get me wrong, it's just that my body is used to eating a full dinner at 5:30 pm every night. Mike and I are a tad freakish that way. As Mass begun, I was feeling a bit light headed with an upset stomach and a cough, not a good combination.
However, I hung in there, and it was worth it. I love how the Easter Vigil starts, with the service of light and the lighting of the candles in the darkened church, and then the lights come on, signaling the official beginning of Easter.
As the Liturgy of the Word proceeded, I started to feel a tad better, although the hacking remained. Finally, it was time for the Liturgy of the Sacraments of Initiation, and, really, all I can say is that it was so, so special. My friend Mary and one other woman were the only 2 catechumens (the rest, a significant number, were all candidates to be confirmed) and so we proceeded up to the altar first. The priest went through the baptismal promises and the affirmation of the Catholic faith with each, and then baptized both. As one of her sponsors, I was so delighted to be able to right up there with her as this was all taking place.
After that, the rest of the congregation affirmed our baptismal vows, and then the confirmations took place. We went back to the pew to await the Liturgy of the Eucharist. And so, for the first time in our 14 year friendship, Mary and I received the Eucharist together under both species. It was truly magnificent, and the atmosphere in the church was almost magical.
I've only attended 1 other Easter Vigil, and when you know someone receiving the sacraments on that occasion, it's simply not to be missed. What an awesome opportunity provided by God. I'll never forget it.
I took it easy on Easter Sunday, another bright and beautiful day. And with the birth of Baby CL approaching, I feel joyful all the time. Life is truly very good.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Big day tomorrow
Easter weekend 2011 is finally here, and this year is special. We're packing up tonight, and leaving early tomorrow morning for my sister's house. Tomorrow evening, I will attend the Easter Vigil where my very good friend will be baptized, confirmed, and receive the Eucharist for the first time. I am one of her sponsors, and I couldn't possibly be prouder or more excited. It'll be a long day with all the driving, but it'll be worth it.
Easter Sunday will bring morning Mass, and then a total day of relaxation and visiting with family. It's going to be a wonderful holiday this year. Hank is SO excited about the trip and seeing his cousins. He's got his Thomas the Tank Engine suitcase out and all ready to be packed tonight. I do so love traveling by car these days. You can come and go at whatever time you want, eat what you want, stop when you want, pack as much as you want, all without someone pawing through your bag and frisking you. Good stuff.
In other news, I've actually slept better the past few nights, and although we're still all a bit pathetic and weak with our colds, we're on the upsurge.
Baby CL is getting so big that whenever he or she moves around, it kind of hurts. :) If s/he decide to cross their feet or something, my belly takes on a lopsided, freakish look. He or she will be full term in just over a week. A WEEK. That is *insane*. I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy has flown by.
I was just marveling at my metamorphosis on TheBump.com's message boards. In the first trimester, everyone was talking about their early symptoms, fretting about miscarriage, and obsessing over early ultrasounds. In the second trimester, the big news was buying maternity clothes and the big 20 week ultrasound complete with gender reveal. The third trimester, started off innocently enough with gestational diabetes screens and baby showers, but quickly morphed into the "I'm so massive and uncomfortable" zone. I think we've about peaked through the Group B Strep issue, and have moved insidiously enough onto mucus plugs, worries about personal body functions during labor, and episiotomies. Anybody who isn't certain what a few of those words mean will be *very* grateful that I'm not going to define them for you now. Trust me on this one.
At any rate, both Baby CL and I are hanging in there just fine. I wish you all a *very* blessed Easter. I won't be blogging on Monday due to travel, but will report in on Tuesday with a full report.
Happy Easter!
Easter Sunday will bring morning Mass, and then a total day of relaxation and visiting with family. It's going to be a wonderful holiday this year. Hank is SO excited about the trip and seeing his cousins. He's got his Thomas the Tank Engine suitcase out and all ready to be packed tonight. I do so love traveling by car these days. You can come and go at whatever time you want, eat what you want, stop when you want, pack as much as you want, all without someone pawing through your bag and frisking you. Good stuff.
In other news, I've actually slept better the past few nights, and although we're still all a bit pathetic and weak with our colds, we're on the upsurge.
Baby CL is getting so big that whenever he or she moves around, it kind of hurts. :) If s/he decide to cross their feet or something, my belly takes on a lopsided, freakish look. He or she will be full term in just over a week. A WEEK. That is *insane*. I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy has flown by.
I was just marveling at my metamorphosis on TheBump.com's message boards. In the first trimester, everyone was talking about their early symptoms, fretting about miscarriage, and obsessing over early ultrasounds. In the second trimester, the big news was buying maternity clothes and the big 20 week ultrasound complete with gender reveal. The third trimester, started off innocently enough with gestational diabetes screens and baby showers, but quickly morphed into the "I'm so massive and uncomfortable" zone. I think we've about peaked through the Group B Strep issue, and have moved insidiously enough onto mucus plugs, worries about personal body functions during labor, and episiotomies. Anybody who isn't certain what a few of those words mean will be *very* grateful that I'm not going to define them for you now. Trust me on this one.
At any rate, both Baby CL and I are hanging in there just fine. I wish you all a *very* blessed Easter. I won't be blogging on Monday due to travel, but will report in on Tuesday with a full report.
Happy Easter!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Limping through Holy Week
It's official.
My belly button is an outie.
It's been begging me for weeks to please leave it alone, but really, what could I do? I'm told that my belly is "small" (relatively speaking, of course; I apparently have a freakishly long torso) for the stage that I'm at in my pregnancy, but still, my belly button lost the war. It's all right. I'll become an innie again after delivery, although it may not speak to me for a time. It'll get over it. The baby needs room.
And Mommy needs sleep. I had almost forgotten about this nefarious little part of late pregnancy. Right now, I could put my head down on my desk and be asleep in 1.2 seconds. But at 2 am when I wake up to use the restroom? Right, can't get back to sleep. I don't know if it's hormones or what, but it is hard to get sleep when you're this pregnant. I feel like a bit of a zombie today. Preparation for the newborn stage, I suppose.
Aside from the physical exhaustion, I feel great. I'm doing my Holy Week devotional reading, and I'm focusing on my novena to Blessed Kateri. I'm very much looking forward to the Triduum and Easter. It's a beautiful time of year, and there is so much to celebrate. I'll be attending Mass on both the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday this year, and I'm looking so forward to both liturgies. I'd love to make it to Mass on Holy Thursday, but not sure if that will happen given Mike's class schedule. We'll see. But in any event, I feel blessed to be in Holy Week 2011.
My belly button is an outie.
It's been begging me for weeks to please leave it alone, but really, what could I do? I'm told that my belly is "small" (relatively speaking, of course; I apparently have a freakishly long torso) for the stage that I'm at in my pregnancy, but still, my belly button lost the war. It's all right. I'll become an innie again after delivery, although it may not speak to me for a time. It'll get over it. The baby needs room.
And Mommy needs sleep. I had almost forgotten about this nefarious little part of late pregnancy. Right now, I could put my head down on my desk and be asleep in 1.2 seconds. But at 2 am when I wake up to use the restroom? Right, can't get back to sleep. I don't know if it's hormones or what, but it is hard to get sleep when you're this pregnant. I feel like a bit of a zombie today. Preparation for the newborn stage, I suppose.
Aside from the physical exhaustion, I feel great. I'm doing my Holy Week devotional reading, and I'm focusing on my novena to Blessed Kateri. I'm very much looking forward to the Triduum and Easter. It's a beautiful time of year, and there is so much to celebrate. I'll be attending Mass on both the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday this year, and I'm looking so forward to both liturgies. I'd love to make it to Mass on Holy Thursday, but not sure if that will happen given Mike's class schedule. We'll see. But in any event, I feel blessed to be in Holy Week 2011.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Baby CL's World: April edition
I can't tell you how excited I was when I logged in Monday morning and saw that little baby in my ticker head down. :) Everybody is getting ready to come out! I'm very thrilled.
One of the things that I gave up for Lent (yes, seriously) is complaining about pregnancy discomforts. It was really getting me down. And as a consequence, I've been feeling a lot more positive about everything. So, I'll be factual about everything, but with a positive spin.
I will admit, 34 weeks is about the point where things up the ante a bit. 36 weeks will be the real tester, but I can feel things beginning now. That's what I expected, and here's the positive angle: I have less than 6 weeks to go until my due date! I mean, that's nothing. It's going to fly by.
I did look at some pictures of me from last year recently, and I felt myself start to long to look like that again. So, I stopped looking. :) I loved my body. It wasn't a perfect body, and it had already been through one full-term pregnancy, but I truly loved it and I really hope that I look like that again. Having gone through this once already, I feel confident that I will, or very close to it. Pregnancy does not mean that you're doomed to look frumpy for the rest of your life. If you work at it in the time after you deliver, you'll be thrilled with the way you look again. It may take some time, but it can happen.
On a very positive note, I can honestly say that I'm not nearly as uncomfortable this time as I was at this same point in my pregnancy with Henry. This is not to say, mind you, that I'm *comfortable*. That would be so positive as to be positively misleading. :) But I'm much less uncomfortable, and for that I'm grateful. The baby is so much lower this time. I've been able to breathe normally and digest food like a champ for the past month. You know, the little things.
My sciatica is rearing its ugly head a bit in the evenings, but I don't feel like a 90 year old like I did last time. Oh my goodness, some mornings I could barely get out of bed it was so bad. This time, it's cake.
I've been inspecting my belly religiously and applying cocoa butter every night. Will this ward off stretch marks? Probably not, but I like to try anyway. :) I only got a few, real low, from Henry, and am hoping for the same this time. Since I'm a belly dancer, I'd love to not have them right in front of my belly, so here's hoping. I will say though, even if you get them, stretch marks fade. They look all red and angry at first, but pretty soon they become thin silver lines. It's not so bad.
Ok, so this post is supposed to be about the baby, and I've managed to make it all about me. Because it's all about ME all the time, right? :) He or she is getting very big. When they move around, it actually hurts sometimes. :) They are head down. I can feel hiccups coming from down there, and feet in my ribs, so all is well.
I was at the doctor yesterday, and Baby CL's heartbeat sounds perfect and their growth is right on target. I go back in 2 weeks, and this will officially start the "less pleasant" ob. visit rotation. My practice screens all patients for Group B Strep at that visit, and then the "checking" begins. You know what I mean. Ugh.
But in the home stretch, I'm feeling genuinely good. I'm excited and happy, and can't wait to meet Baby CL. I'm about to begin the Hypnobirthing book that I bought used on Amazon, so I will review that as soon as I'm done. I'm not totally sold on it, but hey; I'll try anything.
One of the things that I gave up for Lent (yes, seriously) is complaining about pregnancy discomforts. It was really getting me down. And as a consequence, I've been feeling a lot more positive about everything. So, I'll be factual about everything, but with a positive spin.
I will admit, 34 weeks is about the point where things up the ante a bit. 36 weeks will be the real tester, but I can feel things beginning now. That's what I expected, and here's the positive angle: I have less than 6 weeks to go until my due date! I mean, that's nothing. It's going to fly by.
I did look at some pictures of me from last year recently, and I felt myself start to long to look like that again. So, I stopped looking. :) I loved my body. It wasn't a perfect body, and it had already been through one full-term pregnancy, but I truly loved it and I really hope that I look like that again. Having gone through this once already, I feel confident that I will, or very close to it. Pregnancy does not mean that you're doomed to look frumpy for the rest of your life. If you work at it in the time after you deliver, you'll be thrilled with the way you look again. It may take some time, but it can happen.
On a very positive note, I can honestly say that I'm not nearly as uncomfortable this time as I was at this same point in my pregnancy with Henry. This is not to say, mind you, that I'm *comfortable*. That would be so positive as to be positively misleading. :) But I'm much less uncomfortable, and for that I'm grateful. The baby is so much lower this time. I've been able to breathe normally and digest food like a champ for the past month. You know, the little things.
My sciatica is rearing its ugly head a bit in the evenings, but I don't feel like a 90 year old like I did last time. Oh my goodness, some mornings I could barely get out of bed it was so bad. This time, it's cake.
I've been inspecting my belly religiously and applying cocoa butter every night. Will this ward off stretch marks? Probably not, but I like to try anyway. :) I only got a few, real low, from Henry, and am hoping for the same this time. Since I'm a belly dancer, I'd love to not have them right in front of my belly, so here's hoping. I will say though, even if you get them, stretch marks fade. They look all red and angry at first, but pretty soon they become thin silver lines. It's not so bad.
Ok, so this post is supposed to be about the baby, and I've managed to make it all about me. Because it's all about ME all the time, right? :) He or she is getting very big. When they move around, it actually hurts sometimes. :) They are head down. I can feel hiccups coming from down there, and feet in my ribs, so all is well.
I was at the doctor yesterday, and Baby CL's heartbeat sounds perfect and their growth is right on target. I go back in 2 weeks, and this will officially start the "less pleasant" ob. visit rotation. My practice screens all patients for Group B Strep at that visit, and then the "checking" begins. You know what I mean. Ugh.
But in the home stretch, I'm feeling genuinely good. I'm excited and happy, and can't wait to meet Baby CL. I'm about to begin the Hypnobirthing book that I bought used on Amazon, so I will review that as soon as I'm done. I'm not totally sold on it, but hey; I'll try anything.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The pregnant belly dancer dances on, part 2...
So, there I am on my big night. :) (Photo credit to Pati Vito). Saturday was a workshop and an informal hafla. The workshop was *wonderful*. A dancer from Canada taught it, and she divided everything up into 3 separate classes depending upon skill level/experience. I was slated for the performance level group, and so she focused on performing skills.
Performing is something that although I know I've gotten better at it, I still need a lot of improvement. :) I do feel more confident now; not CONFIDENT, mind you, but *more* confident. I still have a long way to go.
She gave us some simple, but powerful tips. For instance, you should only perform what you feel that you do best. Performance is not the place to try out that quadruple axle that you've only landed successfully in practice twice, kwim?
Also, keep it simple. She showed us how to do a simple hip bump move with a succession of different arms and orienting positions. Combine that with a few other moves (my instructor calls this a "sandwich" which I love :) ) and then change up the arms each time and the direction you are facing, and voila! You have probably a minute or more of choreography, and to the audience, it all looks completely different and fun.
She also talked about strong arms, hands, feet, and shoulder/rib cage placement in performance, and for sure this is SO important. You need to have a "performance presence." If you don't take command of the dancing space, the audience will lose interest. You can't simply walk out onto the stage like you would walk into your local grocery store to grab a bell pepper for dinner that night.
"Walking is very hard, isn't it?"
That made me laugh, and it's so true. If someone is watching you walk, well, it's a lot tougher! And you want to walk confidently and with an in-charge attitude. So, we practiced that for awhile. Yes, we practiced walking.
My favorite though were her comments on facial expression in performance. Oh man. It is SO hard to smile when you are performing, because you feel self-conscious. I mean, let's face it. Why are we all so terrified of being up in front of a group of people? We're afraid of looking stupid, right? And so we're concentrating so hard on not looking stupid that we look like we're concentrating so hard on looking stupid. And that's not enjoyable to watch. :) If you look like you're having a great time dancing, the audience will relax and enjoy your performance. And when you're doing a solo, you can't "mess up." No one will know if you don't follow your exact choreography. And in fact, most if not all professional belly dancers never choreograph their solo work. They are familiar with their music, yes, but they improvise everything. As long as you keep moving, everyone is happy. And so my favorite of her comments was:
"Remember ladies, open your mouth when you smile as you're dancing. You'll notice that all Egyptian belly dancers always have their mouths open (I never realized this before, but she's right). Open mouth and jaw is an open pelvis."
Who's with me? CHILDBIRTH. This must be why they tell us to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth in childbirth relaxation class. I'm totally going to think of this when in labor. :)
I've gotten a LOT better with smiling and trying to look pleasant when performing, and Saturday I did pretty decent. I'm actually pretty pleased with the picture above.
But as you can see, I still need work on this. :) I actually just saw a video of us from Friday night. It was cute and all, but my thumbs weren't tucked in and aside from maybe 3-4 smiles, I wasn't smiling. When I'm home with the baby, I plan to work on my improvisation and performance skills. This is assuming that the baby naps, which may be a lofty goal. But if they nap, I'm going to work on improv. for 15 minutes every day, and I'm going to smile the whole time. Practice makes perfect.So, the workshop was great. It was 2 hours, which was exactly how long I can go these days. I went home, ate dinner and put my feet up. 3 hours later, it was time to head back for the hafla. And thankfully, the hafla was uneventful. All of our numbers went well, including the cane, although Sweaty Palm Syndrome came back with a vengeance. And I got lots of nice compliments about being the Pregnant Belly Dancer. One of the visiting dancers commented to me that she loves seeing pregnant belly dancers, as it's just such a natural fit with the dance, and I loved that. I also met several very nice dancers from other areas of the state, and we're all connected now on Facebook. :) Love it.
I have lots of fun dance plans for my post partum self. I'm very much looking forward to it, but in the mean time, I'm so grateful for what belly dance has done for this very pregnant dancer. It's given me an appreciation for my pregnant body, and somehow, when I'm doing it I still feel graceful and beautiful even at 22 pounds over my regular weight. :) That's pretty priceless, if you ask me.
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