More Randomness

Here I am sitting at work - feeling nice and unsquished, thank you very much, and chowing down on delicious pop tarts - not my first choice for breakfast, but daddy decided to put the powdered donuts on top of the 42" cabinets to deter me from eating them... I could have easily pulled a bar stool over and had my way with the entire bag, but I figured he was doing it for my own good and I should appreciate the gesture, and pop tarts are sooo much better for me! Oh plus those were actually purchased last night for Austin, but remember how I said he is eating all my breakfast bars?? I don't think he would notice if I ate all his powdered donuts.

Where was I? Oh yeah, sitting here eating, non-squished, yada yada, and I come across this blog post that just made me think of my current eat non-stop (and hope not to gain weight) predicament. Any of the mommies out there reading this blog should appreciate that... but I don't really want to hear it if they were Team Elisabeth!!

Let's see... I am wide awake this morning as it has been eventful so far. I got the first call at 4:30 a.m. letting me know that your cousin, Marley, is on her way. Then the next at 5:50 a.m. from Auntie B to discuss our plans about going to see Marley... who had not progressed any further down the birth canal at that point. And now I am sitting here waiting for another call saying she will be here soon... get your butt over here!

And it hit me... crap, this labor might really be different than the last! I know what they say, every pregnancy and labor and child (yada yada yada) is different. But I have been banking on this labor being the same or maybe even faster than Austin's. However, Aunt KiKi had a super quick and easy labor with Aiden, and here we are waiting for Marley... to no avail. Not a promising sign for us!

Other than that, I am still feeling great. Newest developments, you are shifting positions a lot it seems. Sometimes you bury your head so far down that I will start walking and wonder why my legs feel like I have been working out. Because I can guarantee you, I haven't been doing squats! So you are the only explanation for that feeling.

Oh, and I have developed a new paranoia - Daddy probably thinks I am certifiable at this point. But I read the saddest blog the other night about a sweet couple that lost their happy, healthy baby two days before his due date due to an umbilical cord incident. Happy, Healthy, Baby Boy - you better believe that hit me right in the heart. Now I am scared to go to sleep every night (because that is when these incidents usually happen) and I freak out if you happen to get the hiccups (a sign of possible distress). I thought that I didn't want this pregnancy to end and that you were safest in my tummy, but now I am antsy for you to be safe in my arms.

No new updates on the developing front, you are still just gaining weight and getting stronger and ready to come meet your family! We love you and cannot wait to see you in 5-9 weeks!!

Random Thoughts from a Very Pregnant Cow

At least that is what I feel like today. I have been eating Non.Stop. I am sure that I have probably made up for not gaining weight lately just today.

On top of that I have apparently become somewhat claustrophobic in my growing state and don't understand why the jolly red freaking giant that would probably require two tickets on an airplane feels the need to sit next to me on the bus. Squishing me between window and the large red windbreaker he is wearing. Seriously, he is double the size of a normal male. Your dad is not a small man and I don't think I would feel this squished sitting beside him right now. And this is not the first day this man has chosen the seat beside me. I am going to start sitting beside a small person when I get on the bus (even if it is almost totally empty) just to avoid this very situation. I am so incredibly unhappy being smothered right now and squeezing my arms tight by my body so I can type and vent this out while it is happening!

And I don't think the problem is that I am too big. Although, back on that topic I am continuing to get conflicting reports. At the daycare yesterday I was told how small I look. Seriously, the people that seem shocked when they find out I am 8 months... Do they not see this massive stomach I see? Then today I get "your growing" from someone that I hadn't seen in ages at work. That seems like such an odd statement. Did she just not know what else to say? Yes, I am growing, I am pregnant... That is what happens.

Sorry for the crabbiness, but really... UNCOMFORTABLE! Giant.man.needs.to.move.STAT!!

And darnitall if I am not hungry AGAIN! I just finished a bag of snack mix like 20 min ago! I have eaten half of Austin's snacks in the pantry and fridge (which I might feel bad about except he keeps eating my breakfast bars - so we are even).

That is about all the ranting I can do in the squished state. I am sure you understand since it can't be much better in there for you.

How Sweet It Is

Yum! I am probably the ultimate sweet freak. I can't help it, I just love my sweets. But as I am chilling here enjoying a giant fudge bar - Weight Watchers (1 point) - I can't help but to be a little paranoid. Most of the sweets that I enjoy these days are full of fake sugar and I just can't help but to be a little worried. What if something is wrong when you are born? I will have only the artificial sweetener or your father to blame. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't really be able to blame your dad, but I am trying to make sure he really reads my blogs and get him to defend himself! But really, my Diet Dr. Pepper, the "sugar" that I put in tea or coffee, the Crystal Light lemonade, and half the sweets that I eat. It is insane how many things are made with fake sugar these days. While they haven't actually proven that it does anything, the jury is still out. I know that I am probably just being a crazy, over paranoid mom, but I can't help but be a little scared.

Good Evening

I don't really have anything new to post seeing as how I went crazy catching up on Friday, but I am sitting on the bus and I just need to talk! I had a busy day and haven't had the chance to get my word quota in for the day, and if I try to do it when I get home, Daddy will run away screaming about how I never stop talking. Not to mention the fact that Austin has been very unhappy lately with any conversation that he is not part of.

So here I am. It is probably best that I haven't been able to talk much today because I have been short of breath from just sitting and working! It is sad when you feel winded when you aren't doing a thing!

We are happily growing, although I get conflicting reports on this front. I have started getting one of two responses from people lately. Either "wow, you have sure blossomed" or "you are really small." The first one I am not sure how to take! This one is mostly from co-workers that see me everyday. Certainly they aren't referring to my chest, so are they subtly saying that I am getting fat? Or do they think this basketball under my shirt is something that appeared over night, because hello, you saw me the day before and it couldn't have changed that much in 24 hours. That one really confuses me.

The other I enjoy hearing, although it makes me wonder how small you are because I feel smaller than I would have expected considering we only have two more months. I can't wait til the doc gives me a guesstimate on your size!

I am in shock because I have just been realizing that I am still able to comfortably wear my wedding rings. Both of them! I can't remember exactly when I could no longer wear them with Austin, but I am almost certain it was long before this point. And I wasn't able to wear them again until he was at least 6 months... Maybe older. If I keep this up I might never have to take them off this time.

And the Picture!

Can't forget the 30 week pictures! Just a note... it looks like you have doubled in size from last week. I know you are now 17 inches and about 3.5 pounds, but man... 1 inch and .5 pounds should not look that different! Especially considering I haven't gained anything!!

Three Quarters Cooked

30 out of 40 weeks done!! Of course, as I sit here on 30w2d writing this, I realize that Austin was born in only 7 more weeks!!! 7 weeks, I am having a hard time imagining. That is a month and a half basically. The ticker says 68 days... if you take 18 off of that, it is only 50!!!

Who knows when you will actually come, but regardless it is soon. I have been so determined to just enjoy this entire pregnancy and not be antsy for you to be here, but it is starting to get difficult. I am enjoying this part of the pregnancy so much. The big belly, the constant movements. But I am also starting to itch to hold you in my arms non-stop. I am sure that is normal at this point in the pregnancy.

So, we went to the doctor on Wednesday and got to see you! You are head down now. Just waiting and growing. You still have room to move from that position, but hopefully in six weeks you have decided to settle head down. Other than looking at you, the doctor didn't really do anything else this week. I haven't gained a single pound since my last appointment two weeks ago. That was exciting. I think I will stay under 35 lbs gained this time! I have 10 to go.

He was patient and listened to my laundry list of questions and answered to my liking. The only thing that concerns me is that he is going on vacation now during my 39th week! I really don't want to be stuck with one of his on-call doctors at a hospital I don't like, so you should try to come before then ;)

He told me my regular dreams about you coming too too early are just my head playing with me and that he has no reason to believe we should worry. So hopefully I will stop! My next appoint is February 4th.

The Little Things

I am ridiculous! I started this post either Monday or Tuesday and wrote four words and that is it. Now I am back to finally finish and catch you up on all the latest baby news!

It would seem that my back is not nearly as unhappy about me sitting at a desk for 9 hours as it is when I chose to sit in uncomfortable chairs. You see, last week I moved cubes. Not thinking, and because they looked the exact same, we did not switch the chairs. BIG MISTAKE. That is why I have been so miserable. We switched chairs back and wouldn't you know it, I am doing so much better.

Unfortunately, nothing can be done about the chairs at our Wednesday night church class. Two hours in those things and I am about ready to find a new church (completely kidding - I love our church). Daddy seems to think it is amusing watching me squirm around trying to get comfy the whole time. I would get upset with him, but he also rubs my back to try to help... it does just a little.

So, we went to Memorial City hospital on Sunday and did our tour. I wish I had done their tour last time around. Then I would have known that I was going to have to face the scary epidural needle without daddy. They don't mention that at West Houston. It was a great tour (because it is a great hospital)!! We got to sit down the whole time she was discussing what we would be doing. they had juice and water for us. And then we got to see all of the different rooms, and even a precious baby in the nursery!! They allow video in the delivery room (don't worry, I just want your first cries, not the delivery) and it was everything I remember and more. However, we did realize that we somehow ended up in the one mambo jumbo room with Austin and that it is likely our room will be much smaller this time around. I am okay with that though!

We tested out the car seat in both cars, no issues there! But daddy refused to anchor the base in to my car yet. He seems to think it is too early, but I am all about having everything ready to go right now!! oh well, I guess I can wait a week or two and then bug him again ;)

29 Weeks

Woohoo, on time two weeks in a row. Maybe I am starting a new habit. We will see, there are ten more pictures to go... if you are right on time!

Not a whole lot is new this week. You are still as active as ever, and it seems like you are starting to run out of room because it hurts when I scratch my belly or press my belly against anything these days it is so tight. It is crazy to think how much more you are going to grow over the next 11 weeks. You should be about 3 pounds right now and somewhere around 16 inches, but you should be gaining about half a pound a week and you will grow at least a couple more inches.

We go to tour Memorial City this weekend and I meet with the doctor again next Wednesday.

Here is my typical weekly bump picture at 29 weeks.

But I also decided to be brave and show off my bare belly for the first time this week. Sometime within the next 6 weeks I want to get some really good belly pictures.

The pictures look a little different this week because I had to use a different camera. Austin thinks since he has a camera he can now use any and has temporarily (at least I hope) broken mine.

I was looking at pictures from one of my showers with Austin, and unless I blow up in the next two weeks, I am looking much better this time around! At least in my opinion!

Oh yeah, I realized that if you are 18 days early like Austin was, then you are exactly two months out from your birthday!!

Good News!

My month was made this morning when I finally decided to contact HR and see if they had any suggestions on where I could go to breastfeed when I inevitably come back to work. I have been trying to figure this out on my own and was feeling very down and flustered. I am in a cube, that won't work. We don't have any extra private offices, so that is out. I would feel gross and exposed in the bathroom. I couldn't think of anything else.

Turns out, at one time, my company cared about that kind of thing and up until 2007 they offered a room one floor above me for just that. Complete with two hospital grade pumps and the personal kits that one would need to go with it. The bad news is that the company stopped caring (surprise, surprise). The good news is that two employees bought the pumps in a silent auction and decided to keep them in that room to keep it going. The company no longer has anything to do with it really, but everything is there: the two pumps, a mini-fridge for milk, phones to call the daycare, baby pictures, baby magazines. The only difference is that I have to purchase my own kit. No big deal considering how much I was going to have to spend for a good pump!

Hospital Update

We had our first hospital tour this past Saturday and I can't imagine our minds being any more made up than they now are. Mind you, this hospital was at a disadvantage going in because I had I was expecting to be unimpressed, but was hopeful that things had changed since our tour three years ago and that we would want to deliver there to be easier on our doctor.

Man, unimpressed would be a nice way to describe how I felt. From the moment we walked in to the "self-contained delivery/postpartum/infant care area", I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. Right beside the nurses station there was a hospital bed with a movable curtain. We go down to the C-section doors and low and behold, another bed and the necessary machinery are right beside it. We didn't get to look at any of the birthing rooms because every one of them was in use. I guess the beds in the hall were just waiting on the next soon-to-be-mom to come in the door. That was not a pleasant thought for me. I doubt that those rooms have changed as they were the one bright spot I remember from our last tour. They had nice wood floor and felt very comfortable and homey with dimming lights and a stereo, etc.

So we continue down the hall and pass by another couple of beds. She begins somewhat telling us about the postpartum rooms. You guessed it, all of them were full too. I briefly caught a peek of one that had the door open as I was passing and it looked to me like they had not changed from the last time. They are basically just tiny, boring rooms that I would not want to spend 48 hours in!

As if that didn't have me completely convinced, we were then told that we can't take pictures of you in the nursery window... I have never heard that to be the case and will check immediately to see if that is a new law. As well, we would not be able to videotape in the birthing room. Don't worry, we don't have any intention of filming the delivery and scarring you for life, but I will absolutely not miss getting those first moments of your life on tape. Thanks to the video camera, I will never be able to forget Austin's first amazing cries and moments of life and nothing would have me give up that opportunity with you.

We are touring Memorial City this coming Sunday after church, and I will make sure those aren't new rules that they have as well. Since I had such a pleasant experience there before, I can't imagine that I will be disappointed, but I cannot wait to go and see and get the bad taste from last weekend out of my mouth!

28 Week Pic & Update

Well, so much for my resolution last week to be better about taking my weekly picture! I did get on the ball for week 28 though, and took a picture and I am even posting it in a timely manner!

What's new? Let's see, we went to the doctor again this Tuesday and everything is looking great. Now we get to go every two weeks. I have a sneaking feeling that appointments every two weeks will make our last few weeks together fly by, but I am so excited!!

You remember that nasty "bug" that we had Christmas week? He asked me if I had anymore problems after that or if it just passed and then he asked if anyone else got sick. He seemed very surprised when we said no one else got sick. Which almost confirms for me that it wasn't really a stomach bug.

Daddy and I discussed our hospital options with the doctor and while he encouraged me to register for both of them, it felt like he was pushing more for Memorial City. That is kind of funny to me, because last time around it seemed like he was hesitant to go there. There are some very real concerns of overcrowding at W. Houston though and we just had such a great experience at Memorial City with Austin. We are touring W. Houston Saturday to see if it has changed at all. I remember from our last tour that the delivery room was super nice, but the postpartum room was like a little, uncomfortable box. We will see though. Next Sunday we will tour Mem. City and see if anything has changed there. I am sad that the new maternity ward they are building there will not be complete until June due to Hurricane Ike :(

It is very possible that the only way we would go to W. Houston is if it happens to be when my doctor is on vacation. He told us this week that his wife might be "forcing" a vacation on him in March, so we will have to play it by ear. Of course, if he isn't going to be there anyways, is it really necessary for me to see one of the doctors in his rotation or wouldn't that be even more reason to go where I want? I will ask that question at my appt on the 21st after I have seen both hospitals again and made up my mind.

That was about all that happened at my appt beyond the regular weigh/pee/measure/listen drill. Oh, and he confirmed that I don't have gestational diabetes and I am amazingly not anemic this pregnancy! No extra horse pills for mommy!

One of "the books" was showing that your lungs are now capable of breathing and your chances of survival at this point are 85%! Like I said before, every week from here on out brings more relief. Maybe that dream I had about you trying to poke a hole in my stomach and climb out before you were ready was just a crazy pregnancy dream after all!!

Not much else to report, you are about 2.5 pounds and I am still feeling and seeing you moving ALL-THE-TIME! Which I still love very much!! Daddy seems a little freaked out by my moving belly, but I am pretty sure he secretly thinks it is very cool and loves watching!

Oh, and Austin has mastered your name! I think he likes saying your full name more than his own. I guess Alexander is a little bit of a mouthful for him as he will say "Austin Arnett" or "Alexander Arnett" but not all three together. He will however randomly say "Ethan Asher Arnett" followed by something about his baby brother. So cute!! I cannot wait to see you two boys together!!

See you soon my little angel!
Love always,
Mommy