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Thursday, September 23, 2010

36 weeks down, 4 weeks to go....

What are another 4 weeks of waiting for the wee one to arrive, I ask of thee?

Not much, actually. Time is flying by. But I did just give Lentil the green light to come as of now - we had our [surprise] baby shower last weekend (thank you, Mrs. C!!). Got some of what we need. Should I go into labour right now, the only thing missing would be Mr. M (I'm NOT driving myself to the hospital...can you imagine getting pulled over by a cop while you're in labour for speeding???). He's at school for their yearly open house, and meeting all the parents. Poor guy. He'll be home at 10ish, and he'll be exhausted. Good thing tomorrow's Friday, and the only thing we have going on this weekend is a puppy play date with Apollo's good buddy, Rook. Oh...and baby shopping.

Anyway. Lentil now has the green light. Both from Mummie, and the OB. Scary, huh? Car seat is installed - just have to get it inspected. We have what we're using as the bassinet. We have a few onesies and newborn gowns, socks and hats, and some mittens. We do have some wipes, and a few of the cloth diapers I wanted to try. We have a few bottles, and a Diaper Genie that probably won't be the best to use with cloth diapers (meh...oh well). We still need a lot. But most of it is stuff that can be ordered online for much cheaper than BRU anyway. And...thanks to my mum, we have a Sleep Sheep. Lentil's going to LOVE that - I love it...!

Onto the shower. I seriously haven't the slightest clue how Mrs. C pulled this off, but she did. She was in cahoots with Mr. M, his mother, my mother, and my step-MIL...supposedly, we were going to go apple picking...so Mr. M and I got there, and surprise! Everyone is in Mrs. C's backyard! It was a huge surprise, even though I had suspicions - Mr. M almost screwed up because of some phone calls the day before, and when we pulled up at her house, I saw all of these cars...my SIL's included. So...therefore, I was highly suspicious. Anyway, so a day that I wore my favourite green cargo pants (basically, the only comfortable article of clothing I own that isn't yoga pants), and my tennies, I had my shower! It was very exciting. I'm definitely not good at being the center of attention, but I tried my best! Mr. M was grinning ear to ear when he saw my face. That was actually priceless.

All in all, I would call the shower a great success. Still stuff to buy, but oh well. It's the nature of the beast. I honestly would have preferred to purchase our own cloth diapers, for example...and yes, I do have to point out that a breast pump is a pretty personal purchase, as are all the accessories for it. That is something that we do need to get ASAP, as I would like to try to pump as soon as I can...so that Mr. M can have that special bonding with Lentil, as well.

Oh...in case you're doubtful, I promise you, it's not a miniature watermelon I'm growing in my tummy. I guarantee that it's a human being...one who likes to poke and kick me everywhere, wakes up in the mornings with hiccups, LOVES Smarties, parks his/her butt right below my ribcage and has already decided to start descending.

Yup. Lentil is dropping...everyday, I notice a bit more breathing room...and less peeing room. And more space in my tummy to eat those Smarties he/she loves so much. We had our first of the weekly check-ups yesterday with the OB. I also had my first internal examination, which showed no 'progress'...which I'm fine with - basically, although Lentil is dropping, my cervix is still long, and closed. This is good news. Oh...and I've gained 4 pounds in the last 3 weeks. I also got to hear Lentil's heartbeat twice, since Mr. M arrived at the appointment late, the OB did another doppler check for his sake. Oh...I also got to hear my OB give Lentil a private rendition of Let It Be, by the Beatles. Strong heartbeat aside, the OB still wants to do a growth ultrasound...despite the fact that everything else seems to point to healthy baby. He says it's a precaution. So this will get done this coming Monday. I guess at this point, he'll make a decision with us as to what needs to be done, if, in fact, his hypothesis that Lentil is small is correct.

As some of you know, Mr. M and I had decided early on that we were going to do our best to use cloth diapers and try to avoid disposables. There's just a lot of crap in disposables that we're not too wild about thinking of being such close proximity to Lentil's butt and nether regions. Not only that, but the environmental impact, should we use our own machines to launder the diapers, in conjunction with detergents that are 'good' for the environment, is much lesser; as well as the economical standpoint. We are very fortunate to have our own washing machine and dryer, and although we pay for electricity, the water is included in our rent...and when the weather's clear, I do plan on line-drying the diapers - which is better for them, anyway, as for their absorbency, etc., and also intend on using a detergent that is pretty economical. All of this being said, we were originally going to use an actual diaper service. You know, the one that comes and picks up all the poopie diapers and leaves fresh, clean ones in exchange...once a week. I searched, and I searched. There is ONE service for the tri-state region of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Luckily, they charge a flat fee of $23.00 per week for the service we need. However, after doing the calculations for the rough guesstimate of 2.5 years before Lentil is potty-trained, hiring the diaper service would not make financial sense for us, since we will want to use them for the subsequent child(ren). So we (or better yet, I) decided that we would just suck it up, make that initial investment of a couple hundred dollars in a good set of cloth diapers, diaper pins (or snappies) and diaper covers. This way, we have them, they are ours, and this way, we can try out a few different styles, types and kinds and choose which ones we prefer. Mr. M was a tough sell. He mentioned all the organic disposables there are out there. He mentioned the upfront cost of cloth diapering. I fought back...teeth and nail. I mentioned the organic disposables have really shitty (no pun intended) reviews. I mentioned the ability to RE-USE the cloth diapers we OWN on subsequent child(ren), or the ability to either sell second-hand, give away, or just use them for dust rags. I WANT to cloth diaper. Maybe I'm a masochist who likes to smell poopie diapers, and stick her hands in the toilet to rinse out fresh poop. I really don't care! This is what I believe in, and at least I'm not asking him to do the work. And...for the reasons stated above, I believe in them, and think they are the best choice for us as a family. He finally gave in. Yay! I think he realized that there may very well just be a method to my madness. At least I'm not insisting on co-sleeping. He'd probably shit a brick if I mentioned that.

Lentil has decided to give me some pretty decent contractions tonight. I'm going to bed in hopes of them going away.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Thursdays....

Yuck. Why can't it be tomorrow yet?

If it were tomorrow, that would mean that Mr. M could come home from school, and curl up with me on the couch.

If it were tomorrow, I would be two more days closer to going apple picking with my best friend and her family.

If it were tomorrow, I would be four more days closer to meeting the pediatrician that is most likely going to be Lentil's doctor. And he's from Argentina. Sweet.

Or even yesterday. It was Hump Day.

Yesterday was also my very own 35/35 day. This means that I am 35 weeks along, and have 35 days to go until my estimated due date...for some reason, every instinct is telling me that Lentil is impatient to come out.

For the past few months, I've been getting those annoying little Braxton Hicks contractions, wherein my tummy feels like it's seizing up for a few moments. They don't hurt, they just kind of stop me in my tracks in surprise. For the past few days now, I've felt those same contractions, but they're beginning to hurt...along with cramping. These cramps are not that painful....yet. But they take me by surprise, and wake me up at times. I also feel 'off'. You know that feeling that things are just a little off-kilter? That feeling. Or maybe that's because my growing belly causes me to lose balance easily.

I get yelled at by Mr. M because I overdo myself. In turn, I get yelled at by the Step-MIL for overdoing it. I have these really strong urges to nest, to organize and to clean, but I can't. On Monday, I did the dishes, swept the floors, and made the dough for pizza. By the time Mr. M got home from work, I was on the floor. I could barely move, and contractions were coming fast. Seriously, if this is how the next few weeks are going to be, I want Lentil OUT. Ok. I take that back. I don't want Lentil out of my tummy. Lentil is NOT to come out of tummy for at least for the next 2 weeks when the doctor considers me full term.

But then, Mr. M threatens to tell on me to Mrs. C, my BFF, who will kick my butt from here to Timbuktu.

Anyway. Here's to hoping we have another few weeks of being Lentil-free. Apollo Puppy has injured himself, and is a handful.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Insanity

The Lists that I have been so proud of myself for keeping are beginning to drive me insane. When I think of something that needs doing, I put it on the list. The funny thing is, why don't I just go do it...right then and there? Wouldn't this kill the need for lists?

Not so.

Up until a few weeks ago, I refused to keep a list. If something needed doing, I just did it, no ifs ands or buts. Unless, of course, it involved something toxic to Lentil, or doing it outside in the extreme heat we've had in our neck of the woods this summer. Mr. M came home once to find me curled up in bed crying because I was so tired of being stuck inside in the air conditioning. I'm seriously done with this heat.

Ahh. Hold on. This is yet another bone I must pick with society in general. People seem to think that a pregnant belly is public property, and therefore must touch it. Do NOT touch my tummy unless I know you, and have given you permission. The only exception is if I broke this golden rule myself and touched your tummy without permission. I also have a HUGE problem with negative and pessimistic people who have begun telling me how horrible this last stretch of pregnancy (no pun intended) is going to be. Sample conversation:

Person: "So, Mrs. M, how are you feeling these days?"

Mrs. M: "Thanks, I feel great. Asides from the random heartburn, I can't complain. Take away the humidity, and I'd be outside in a jiffy."

Person: "Wow, just wait. You'll get to a point that you can't wait any longer to have this baby, and you'll start feeling fat and hot and miserable."

First off, who the hell said that pregnancy has to be one big dosage of Misery? I'm sorry if I offend you, but I have fully ENJOYED my pregnancy. First trimestre was tough with the lethal flatulence, peeing all the time and exhaustion. Second trimestre was great. Third trimestre is great, as well. Yes, I STILL have the same lethal flatulence. The heartburn can get really painful and annoying at times. I swell up a bit when it's humid outside. I forget almost everything. And....yes....my tummy is really big (although from what I've heard, it could be bigger!). I never even once got nauseated. Ok. I take that back; when I'm hungry, I get a little nauseated. But - I never threw up. Lentil has NEVER tortured me to the point that I'm sick. Lentil likes to retaliate for something he/she didn't like by giving me heartburn.

So. The moral of the story? I LOVE being pregnant. I can't bloody wait to do it again**.

**DISCLAIMER: Give us a few years, though. We want to be in a home we own, instead of rent, before we have Number Two.

So, people, please...kindly...I beg you...to stop telling me how much I'm going to suffer these last few weeks. Let me enjoy them. Let me bask in my happiness. I adore the little life growing inside of me who happens to be stealing my food, my nutrients, and also...making the moons in my toenails pink. This little life who loves to stretch out and kick/punch in the middle of the night - startling me into consciousness. I wouldn't trade this for the world.

Also. While I'm complaining about negative and pessimistic comments. Please stop telling me that I "won't be able to take the pain of labour". I don't know about you, and I don't know how painful it is (obviously), but I do know that I have a crapload of confidence in my ability to do anything I put my mind to. Don't forget, we have that Big Surprise of finding out if Lentil is a girl or a boy at the end of it all. For me, there will be a double light at the end of the tunnel. No, I'm not kidding myself into thinking that the pain will be non-existent. I know it will be painful. But to some it's tolerable, and to others, it was unbearable. But I plan on delivering Lentil without painkillers, and hopefully without a single 'medical intervention'. Mr. M and I have been preparing for this for a looong time. So please don't tell me I'm naive and going into this unprepared and all that. It's truly offensive.

While I'm on this tirade. STOP telling me that I don't know human suffering until I have a newborn. STOP telling me to sleep now because I won't sleep for 16 years once Lentil is here. STOP making yourself sound as though motherhood was the worst thing that happened to you. I obviously realize that newborns will be hard work. Motherhood is hard work. But I also realize that your situation is what you make of it. And to those who didn't sleep for 16 years? That sounds like a bloody personal problem. If parenthood were so physically demanding, the human race would have died out centuries ago. At the very least, we are so lucky to be parents in this day and age - with the advent of safety technology, medical science on our side and the internet; have all made parenting a lot easier, than let's say, for our parents. Babies and children haven't changed much in the last few generations - but what we know about them has changed.

I'm not expecting parenthood to be puppies and rainbows. If it turns out that we have an easy baby/child, then so be it, and we will count our blessings. But if we have a tough baby, we sure as hell won't be cursing the day I peed on a stick. We know that life will be full of ups and downs, difficulties and others. We don't need it permanently inked on our foreheads.

I guess the point of this entire post is: stop being a bloody pessimist! I can't stand being around people like that - and Mr. M is quickly becoming weary of them himself...and we all know he has the patience of a saint.

Life is what you make of it. Don't underestimate the power of personal choice. Knowledge is power. This is why I do all the research I can get my hands on. This is why I have written a simple, short and sweet birth plan for my doctors and nurses. This is why Mr. M and I have decided to do things OUR way. We have done the research, read the books. We take what we want, and mix it all together. Will we make mistakes? Hell yes. Plenty of them. But mistakes are meant to be learned from, and if we don't make them, how will we learn? Let us embark of this journey and adventure called parenthood as a unit, as a couple...suggestions will be welcomed, weighed, thought of. If we like it, we will try it out. If not, don't be offended.

Also. NOBODY other than Mr. M, the doctors and nursing staff at the hospital are to be allowed in our hospital room before I deliver Lentil. This will be OUR moment. We want it to stay that way. And please don't be offended should we wait a few hours to allow visitors once Lentil arrives. Let us have that bonding time as parents.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Random thoughts

There are a few different blogs I read - namely, they are written by fellow Bumpies. In case you're wondering, a 'bumpie' is someone who frequents www.thebump.com, and utilizes said site's message boards. A lot of times, we are the girls who swore by www.theknot.com while planning our weddings, and therefore, were on www.thenest.com after tying the knot.

Since Mr. M and I are not very 'normal', and it just so happened to be that we got knocked up before we got married, I first belonged to the Bumpie group, then the Knottie and will always receive email reminders as a Nestie, to remember my husband's favourite dish; as well as step by step instructions on how to host the perfect multi-family get-together.

These boards are a lot of fun, and the Bumpies have provided me with some much-needed laughter, support and sometimes correct information throughout my pregnancy. Unfortunately for me, sometimes I feel pretty isolated from the rest of the world since I live so far away from my friends, and have no family in the area...I see my friends every chance I get, but they have their lives and families - it's tough to ask for more.

Anyway, onto other matters.

I've realized that I need lists. LOTS of them. I have a to-do list for the little post-wedding get-together we're hosting this weekend. I have a to-do list for cleaning. I have a to-do list of things to ask our landlord to fix. I also have an All Things Lentil To-Do List. I have a Master To-Do List. This being said, I need to add a few things to the Master To-Do List: Apollo seems to have lost his rabies tag, along with his name tag...please don't ask me how. So I need to call the vet for a replacement rabies tag, go to Petsmart, and make him a new name tag, and then go to Town Hall to re-register him in our current town. If I don't have lists, nothing gets accomplished because if I don't write it down, I forget about within ten minutes.

In honour of Lentil being 6 weeks away from being fully baked, I will actually admit that Mr. M found stretch marks on my tummy the other day. I'm quite upset...and a bit curious. I've been pretty good throughout my pregnancy about rubbing cocoa butter on my tummy every day after my shower. I mean, the marks look like they may be pretty superficial instead of the deeper ones I've seen on other people. Let's hope they fade. People, cross your fingers for me!

Mr. M is officially back in school now, so this means I will more than likely be more available to blog. Here's to more blogging in the home stretch!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Pregnancy Thus Far

I think I've reached a point in my pregnancy where it's finally dawning on me that there is NO turning back. Lentil is set to arrive in roughly 6.5 weeks, and, as the OB said yesterday, is in a beautiful position - having flipped over at some point in the past month or so...from being in breech position.

That said, I've gained a whopping total of 14 pounds. I'm having a really tough time imagining that I will gain the rest of the weight between now (September 3rd) and October 20th, since the OB told me that I should expect (or want) to gain somewhere between 25 and 30 pounds. Maybe Lentil is really small...who knows? The OB wants to do an ultrasound in two or three weeks (my first internal exam will be in two weeks, along with my Group B Beta Strep test...yay); at which point I will be 35 weeks, and one week away from being considered full term.

Mr. M and I aren't close to ready, either. Everyone keeps on telling us to stop buying things, waiting for the baby shower - which is a surprise (Mr. M knows, but will be murdered if he tells me, or so I hear) - so I haven't really bought much. I mean, we have a few odds and ends, the crib (sans mattress), a Pack 'n Play and a stroller; but that's it. We do need to order the car seat, though, just in case Lentil decides to come early.

The funny thing is, I just realized this: I'm NOT afraid of labour. I'm NOT nervous about taking care of another human being, one that is much smaller, defenseless, and needs me more than the air he/she will breathe. I am NOT scared of raising another human being; someone with morals, beliefs, respect for him/herself and others.

I know it sounds funny, but I really feel as though I was meant to be a mother. The idea of motherhood doesn't bother me, nor does it scare me. I feel as though we will transition relatively well into parenthood, both individually and as a couple.

I feel as though this entire pregnancy has been spent warding off the sort of heartburn that may make purchasing stock in Tums worthwhile, as well as Gas-X to counter the epic proportions of lethal gas. I eat an average of at least one Large bottle of Tums per week, or drink a few bottles of Mylanta. The heartburn is BAD...but...I'm resigned to the fact that I'm giving birth to a monkey. Lentil actually BETTER have that full head of thick, dark hair that the Old Wives Tale talks about...or I'll be pissed! As for the lethal gas? Hmmm. Poor Mr. M. Although his mother and sister both insist that he's only getting what he deserves, I still feel for the guy - I can barely stand my farts sometimes. Luckily, the gas isn't even half as bad now as it was up until about 3 months ago.

Anyway, here is my Lentil Tummy, in all its glory. I decided to do a bare belly photo just because.