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.

For crap's sake, people!!

People can be really selfish and assuming sometimes, ya know? Mr. M and I tied the knot on August 15th, in front our family. Yes, yours truly did have her two best friends present with their families.

Ahem.

Mr. M had his sister with her little family, his parents, step-brother and step-sister with their respective significant others; as well as an aunt and an uncle.

I had my two (2) parents there. My father almost wasn't able to make it due to monetary constraints - his flight was booked less than 24 hours prior to him leaving to come here.

So, you see, when you think about it, I needed my little 'adoptive' family around me. I simply could not have done this without the help and support of my two best friends - two glorious women who have been there for me through both amazingly great, and dreadfully sad moments throughout the last eight (8) years of my life.

Some people were a bit upset that they weren't able to take the groom out for a last hurrah as a singleton. May they please also realize that the bride wasn't able to have a last little hurrah, either.

Our wedding was planned in four (4...yes...4) weeks. We put together the menu, made our own little invitations, made sure we had everything in order...in four weeks. Yes, we had 20 people at our wedding - that didn't make it any less stressful to plan. Most weddings take an average of one to two years to plan.

Not to mention I made our wedding favours for the guests. From scratch. I also made my bouquet, as well as Mr. M's boutonniere, my own jewelry (and a matching necklace for the Flower Girl).

There was no time for a last singleton night out on the town with friends. There was no time for a bridal shower. Well, one of my two amazing women got us a delicious cake for while the manicures and pedicures were being done, and was able to snag balloons and a bottle of Champagne for this, as well. So, I guess it can be said that she treated it as a mini-shower. Unfortunately, the other amazing woman had to work - otherwise, she would have been there.

I guess what I don't understand is why can't people just be happy for us? That's the only thing we ask for. While some people have congratulated us, they gave us a guilt trip for not having 'allowed them' the time for some fun and games before we tied the knot...or for simply not including them in the celebration. Yes, we may have told some of our friends about our plans only a week or two in advance; but the majority of our friends didn't find out until after the fact.

I guess what we learned is that you can't make everybody happy. It's unfortunate - but true. Ultimately, we decided to do what was best for us, our individual situation, and given the time constraints, we luckily had an amazing wedding day. We were happy. It was our day.

Ummm, how do I say this?

I am now a married woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok. Those who know me know that I don't have the patience to beat around the bush. So there. I said it.

It went very smoothly...ok. I walked down the aisle with my dad and forgot to bring my self-made bouquet. I was so nervous in the right-before moments, and during the ceremony, you could literally SEE my tummy moving because Lentil was kicking so hard. My heart was in my throat. But it was amazing. Seeing Mr. M's face when he saw me was absolutely priceless.

Unfortunately, this pregnant brain was having a tough time in the preceding days with organization and being-nice skills. Apparently, I was a complete Bridezilla the day of. My own mum got pissed at me - I don't blame her.

So. I'm officially a Mrs. now. We're so happy and excited, and it was absolutely fabulous to share this day with close-close family, and my two best friends who are like my family from here. The food was delicious. My dad devoured (I'm serious!) his filet mignon in about 5 minutes. He LOVED it! I do have to say, the food was amazing, asides from my Bridezilla episodes, I think everything went smoothly. The weather could have been a bit drier, as it was excruciatingly humid, something which attributed to my mood. After the ceremony, I tried (unsuccessfully, I admit) to sneak inside to cool down a bit, but the photographer (who was amazing!) kidnapped Mr. M and me to take photos. My mum wanted some by a tree - which, after much ado, did get done and I admit they came out beautiful - we had to take parents photos, and so forth.

One of my best friends mentioned to me (ok...I'll give you credit, Mrs. C!) that I needed to give the photographer a list of all photos I wanted (people-wise). She told me to do this about 2 weeks ago. She reminded me on Friday. I wanted nothing to do with it! I seriously wanted to wing the photography thing. Especially since it wasn't originally in the plan, and was thought of and finalized at 2 weeks prior to the wedding. I wanted to wing the photos. I wanted everything candid, and completely informal.

PSA: this, my dearies, does NOT work. Although I haven't seen the final product from the photographer, I completely forgot to ask for photos of my parents WITH Mr. M's parents! Not good. I think these would have been some pretty important pictures to have. Oops.

My fault.

Oh. And my dress! Had we done this 5 days later, I highly doubt it would have fit my tummy. It wasn't very comfortable, and I'm a little upset about it, but how could I know how fast Lentil would grow!?

Oh well. I'm a Mrs. now, and this is really what's important, no?

Countdowns, parties and travel

I have 77 days to go if Lentil decides to put in his/her appearance on our due date. I couldn't help but to post this picture - the little girl in it is my best friend's little girl...she's the light of my life!We really need to start doing the nursery. And in doing so, I've told Mr. M that we cannot accept that ugly chair that my sister in law thinks is OK to give to us. This chair I speak of, isn't even safe for a nursery...it tilts, can squash tender little hands and feet underneath it....and it's FUGLY. It seriously looks like something a bear tried to eat and upchucked (pattern-wise).

In two weeks, Mr. M and I will be tying the knot. The event will be a small one, with only family members there - sorry to all of the friends we would otherwise LOVE to have there with us on this very important day in our lives. We will throw a nice get-together once Lentil arrives, and it will be a celebration of all things Life and Love.

Mr. M and I were in Canada last week visiting my aunt and uncle. We really had a blast. The Niagara Falls area is so pretty, and it was just simply so relaxing to be up there. Apollo Puppy came with us, and really made us proud. He behaved himself like the lover-puppy I always brag about to people. Being able to see my aunt, uncle, cousin with her two kids, my mum's best friend and my oldest (since birth!) friend with her new family; was wonderful. We saw Toronto, Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake, went to a winery and tasted some yummy wines, and Apollo Puppy made a new friend in my uncle! I devoured a Yogen Fruz frozen yoghurt (the closest one to where we are is in Philly) made with blueberry, blackberry and raspberry. I almost meowed with pleasure.

All in all, it was the perfect little getaway for us, we spent very little money, got away from everything and everyone for a few days, and we truly enjoyed our first vacation together. We also let it serve as a combination pre-honeymoon/babymoon. The driving was a bit tough, though. We made about 5 pee stops for me - not Apollo Puppy - before I realized that we were better off trying to stop on an hourly basis or something. Muuuch better. Driving is fun with Mr. M. He thinks my temper outbursts are funny...so he makes fun of them, while I yell at other drivers, he's sitting there laughing. Apollo Puppy...poor thing. He had to be given some Dramamine to knock him out for the trips because he was getting too excited and/or freaking out. Back to matters regarding Lentil. I still have some pretty nasty and obnoxious heartburn. I pee a lot - although I realize it's going to get worse. I'm getting kicked and jabbed quite often. Usually when I'm driving, hungry or have to pee. I think Lentil's in there going"Hmmm, Mummie has a full bladder...let's kick her and make her pee herself!". It's not very pleasant. My feet are beginning to swell. Not too bad, but still noticeable. At least my engagement ring still fits. I do think pregnancy has made my hair curlier than it usually is - making sure it doesn't frizz is annoying, though. Asides from that, I've been told by many that I look beautiful. Not sure if they mean it, but it definitely makes me feel better about myself.

Ok...now. If I can get the favours for our wedding done, I can move on to more permanent crafty things. Such as the nursery. I am going to have a blast doing that.

Do I really need this?

I'm not sure if I need to title my entries....do I? Last I checked, I'm pregnant, so I'm allowed to get away with murder if need be.

I seriously used the 'pregnant' line for the first time the other day. It was to avoid having to go to TWO places in New York to run an errand for a family member. One place would have been Brooklyn, and the other place would have been JFK Airport. I despise (with a passion) going to JFK - I get lost every single time I go there. No joke. So I said "Jillian, I'm 7 months pregnant, I'm not about to go schlepping all over New York in the dead heat of summer".

This was the first time I used that line - and yeah, it felt good! I rarely say no, and when I do, there's generally a very good reason. I simply hate going to JFK...and much more when I'm in a car in which the AC doesn't work, being 7 months pregnant, having to pee every 10 minutes, as well as the fact that it's hot....and we're talking New York here. To those who know me, I've never been one to shy away from the heat - but the fact that we're going through one of the hottest summers on record for the past 10 years or so, I'd like to keep Lentil inside my tummy baking for at least another 10 weeks...and overheating can cause preterm labour. Not fun.

On other matters...I think I'm getting bruised on the inside. Lentil has been practicing for either Cirque du Soleil acrobatics, or for the next World Cup. Last week, Lentil was really quiet, almost to the point I almost asked for an ultrasound. I guess I should be careful what I ask for, since Lentil has since kicked up the action a notch, and is back to kicking my uterus into a nice, flat pillow. Generally, those kicks and punches are landing either right below my rib cage or belly button...but I do get a few kicks here and there to my bladder - which is so not fun when it's full.

Oh.My.God. Holy shit. We are now in THIRD TRIMESTER. I seriously can't believe how quickly this pregnancy has gone by! Lentil is set to arrive in approximately 12 weeks, which translates into 3 months, which directly means that in about 90 (yes....NINETY!!!!) days, Lentil should be here. Unless, of course, Lentil is like Daddy, and will decide to arrive fashionably late. I'm hoping Lentil is right on time. It was a bit hard to calculate - even with the ultrasound measurements - since I was on birth control when I got knocked up. And Mr. M and I happen to shag like rabbits...hence making finding even the approximate date of conception almost like finding a needle in a haystack.

Mr. M decided to put up his own blog. His is not about the fact that we're about to get hitched, or about the impending arrival of Lentil. It's about the slow, torturous death of Rock 'n Roll as he knows it. It's quite funny to read - he seriously hates anything that has anything to do with modern rock or pop music.

I've been yelling at Mr. M. He's slacking at his Daddy Job of helping me take tummy photos. Oh well...I may be relegated to doing them myself in the mirror again.

Oh, quiet, how I cherish thee....

For some oddball reason, I absolutely love the fact that I am home alone tonight, with nothing but the sound of ceiling fans, Apollo Puppy snoring next to me on the couch, and a few random street noises from passing cars.
Mr. M is in NYC tonight with some of his mates, living it up. I take it this will be his last boys' night out as a singleton....so he's at Madison Square Garden, catching one of his favourite bands live: Iron Maiden.

Yup. You heard me: Iron Maiden. I am with a metal-head. Surprised, anyone? I surprised myself by falling for one. But seriously, it's one of the only things in our personalities that's a major difference.

What we have failed to disclose to most people, is that by the time Lentil is going to arrive, I will be a complete, 100% Mrs. M. We decided that my body will be holding Lentil hostage until I'm a married and honest woman.

The festivities will be held sometime in mid-August...and VERY small. Only family will be involved, since it is, afterall, a shotgun wedding.

::::GASP::::

I'm getting hitched in a shotgun wedding...who would of thought!?!?! Me, the consumate snob extraordinaire, who has done nothing but judge her own self for getting knocked up out of wedlock.

We're excited to do this, though. It's a step that would have been taken with or without the Lentil's imminent arrival, at some point in the near future - we just would have had an actual engagement, which would have been nice, but this is fine. We bought our rings, and I found and purchased my gown. It's beautiful. If it weren't for the possibility that Mr. M may see it, I would post it. But....here are our rings! FYI, my center stone is NOT a diamond. It's a white sapphire, which is equally as beautiful and brilliant. Being about 1 and 3/8 of a carat in size, the stone would have cost us a mint had it been a diamond. The nice thing is, the rest of the ring and wedding band are real diamonds...small, which I love. This was both beautiful for me, and very cost-efficient. The beautiful part is, since we didn't get an actual engagement, I'm still getting my e-ring as part of my bridal set. I'm happy. Mr. M is happy that he didn't spend that much!

Mr. M's ring is a Tungsten with Carbon Fiber. He tried it on at a store when we went to get his size, and loved it. Now, I just hope we ordered the right size, since Tungsten's got a nasty reputation for running a bit large. This, too, was very economical. We loved our shopping experience...!So yes. Mr. M and I are really, super excited right now. Not only do we get to plan our nuptials in a very small, intimate and relaxed manner, but we're not spending a lot of money on it. Seriously. It's ONE DAY in our lives.
Onto other pressing matters. Lentil has been SUPER-active lately. This morning, we had our monthly check-up with the OB. He seriously said that he was truly impressed with my growth, and weight gain. My tummy is perfect, and he said I'm carrying beautifully.
Guess I was made to be a Mummie...Hmmm...But then, my bubble was burst. It took us a full 5 (yes, FIVE) minutes to find the heartbeat using the doppler. Not because it wasn't strong enough, which it was (ultimately), but because Lentil kept on kicking the doppler and the doctor's hand. The doctor told us that we have a VERY hyper baby. Great.
Anyway...Mr. M has to take a picture for me - I'm tired of the ones in front of the mirror.

Oh. And another thing: did I mention how much I'm loving the quiet tonight? A few little birdies told me that I should cherish nights like these, for they will be almost alien to us once Lentil is here.

Random Ramblings

It's Friday...! Not that it means anything in particular to me, as I don't work, nor do I have any prospects at this point in time. But Mr. M does, and as of today, he is home-free until late August or early September.

Ah, the wonderful about being a teacher. Sure, you bust your ass throughout the school year planning lessons for 5 English classes, correcting 125 students' worth of papers...but...you also get to deal with 125 of O.P.C. For the uninitiated, OPC stands for Other People's Children.

These OPC are 13 years old. I commend Mr. M for his patience. I wouldn't have that...I think I'd last a month at his job before getting fired.

It's not that I'm afraid of the kids. I'm scared shitless of their PARENTS. To them, these kids are little angels who can do no wrong, or who simply don't have the time (or care enough) to spend some homework-time, or whatever, with their kids. Ohh....and then you have the parents who simply never say NO to their kids. Those are the best.

Anyway, among my other ramblings today, I have concluded that I'm done doing weekly update posts - I would much rather post when and if I feel like it.

And yes, you guessed right - I'm NOT in a good mood today for some reason.

I woke up to realize that our landlords had to, again, bring out our trashcan. I also realized that the recycling truck had come and gone when I saw our recycling bin on our porch - still filled with two weeks' worth of stuff.

As I was cleaning, I couldn't do anything without Apollo Puppy trailing behind me as though afraid I would disappear into thin air. It was very annoying; especially when I was vacuuming, when he decided that the vacuum was his (or my) enemy and hence had to attack it.

Then...after doing the dishes, sweeping and all that, I looked at the bathroom...only to realize that if I need something cleaned - I'm going to have to do it myself.

So yes, I cleaned the bathroom. Don't worry, I make sure that I use cleaners that won't do any harm to Lentil....but I still get yelled at. Mr. M tells me that he will take care of anything that needs to be cleaned with any sort of chemical. Too bad if I let him do it, the bathroom will get cleaned once every 2 months.

Ahhhhh......

Anyway.

On to good stuff. Lentil, who becomes excruciatingly quiet in my tummy when Mr. M is around (does he have that much of a calming effect on me?), has been causing a ruckus in my tummy today - in fact, waking me up with a kick to my belly button so strong, it startled me awake.

I think we're lucky we can't see a foot indentation there. THAT would freak me out from here to Timbuktu.

This reminds me, besides all of my imagined attacks on my pregnant self today, I just couldn't stop thinking about how my sister in law hasn't wanted to partake in anything involved with this pregnancy.

I feel bad for Mr. M. Seriously, I do. Her and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but...hey, I don't see eye to eye with a lot of people - it's not a deal breaker to me. We're all adults, and entitled to our own opinions, no? Apparently, because we share different opinions, and she hasn't the manners to just listen and let it go, she can't be around me...it's almost as though we're not important to her. She has other things going on in her life, that impede her from reaching out to us. My brother in law told Mr. M that they went ahead and bought us stuff for Lentil. I wanted to ring their necks for that. I don't WANT them involved in a material way - I want them involved in a personal, non-materialistic way. It's not that I'm not thankful for anything we have received...it's that I would prefer them to not spend the money, and instead possibly spend time with us. I want my sister in law to be interested in our pregnancy journey - just as I was interested in hers.

I wonder if it is truly that difficult to not be self-absorbed and egotistical.

My mum and one of my brothers came into town for about 5 days last week. They stayed with us. Of course, they had stuff to do in NYC for two of those days, so I wasn't expecting a lot. Nonetheless, we managed to go to Ikea, spend time with Mr. M's dad and stepmum, as well as with his mum. On top of that, we did the dog park thing with Apollo Puppy, and then I dragged my mum to Target and Stew Leonard's.

Painfully absent during all of this was my sister in law.