Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Week 37
So tomorrow marks 'Full Term' even though we have three more weeks of cooking!
Hopefuly he's measuring 37 weeks because I don't want to have to argue with the midwives about my rights, about my intentions, and about what is good for my baby. That just adds stress to my already stressful nature/life.
Work is such a neverending race. I have a goal of 'catching up' but the nature of this work is such that that will never happen. I have been doing really well about not bringing work home, ha...maybe not having enough motivation to work at home. I have saved every moment of my weekends for Adrian, the baby and Barry and myself. Barry on the other hand has worked the last two weekends. That is nice since we are hoping to have 3 months of rent saved for while I'm on leave. I'll only gt 48 hr paychecks instead of 80 hrs due to the time I have saved up of sick, vacation, and holiday time. I will get approimately half of my paycheck since I will still have to cover insurance.
I'm gtting more and more excited about our baby coming home! Adrian and I were disussing the job of brothers: to take care of each other, be kind to one another, teach and love each other...and he says very seriousy after quietly thinking for a little while "That's a big job."
The other day we were discussing the baby and my taking off work for some time and being able to stay home but then having to go back to work after that. He says 'mommy and daddy go to work and Adrian stays home with the baby' and I asked him who would take care of him and the baby at home, he replied 'no, mommy and daddy go to work and adrian takes care of the baby'.I think he's ready for a brother!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Went to 36 week appointment. Uterus measuring 2-3 cm under...33-34 cm therefore. They want to do an ultrasound right away...but schedule me 6 days out. I canceled that appointment because if it was an emergency they would have got me in right away. I also talked to the midwife about waiting another week to see. She was pretty insistent that if it's under still they will want to do the ultrasound 1. because they can't do non-stress tests unless an ultrasound warrants for insurance purposes...of which neither would make a baby grow but would let them watch the baby. 2. They can tell fluid levels, blood flow levels and actual size of baby through an ultrasound. 3. They may want to get baby out sooner if not growing...and talked a lot about babies dying if they stop growing. Seriously...I hate medical intervention. I told her babies die even if they try to intervene... and I told her the only reason I'm going to the doctor is because I don't need a call to social services when I go the hospital to give birth but I'm perfectly fine and can have a healthy pregnancy without intervention...I told her that I'm not going to do tests on the baby unless it's an emergency....which I do not feel it is...since when she said 2cm under and ultrasound first until I questioned her about professionals not usually recommending ultrasound until 3cm under...then she changed her story and said I was 3 cm under. Don't lie to me.
Anyways...if he's still under I'll probably end up doing an ultrasound but he probably will be fine. I feel bigger and he's moving a lot and had a good heart beat 129bpm at the last appointment.
My friend Jeff/Weez came to visit with his girlfriend Sky. They are traveling through in their house van. Adrian immedietely attached to them and begged them to stay longer and asked if he could go with them. They plan to come back in January or sometime in winter. Weez will finish Barry's tattoo!!!! Adrian would like to get a dinosaur tattoo on his forearm...we'll see. We stayed up till the wee hours of the morning eating thai food-chicken curry and Tom Ka Gai with (fresh picked) mushrooms from college ave in town and Jasmine rice. Yum.
Food is such a big part of friendship. Eating and especially cooking with is such a bonding experience. In this friendship, food is of essence...home cooked, hand picked, scavenged food is a part of our connection. Sharing similar interests: music-making music, making instruments, playing together and teaching one another is integral and scattered throughout conversation, alternative ideals to mainstream societal conformism, and honest opinions makes up the rest of it.
After a surprise visit, I always feel renewed and wish that my friends lived a little closer or could stay a little longer.
Anyways...if he's still under I'll probably end up doing an ultrasound but he probably will be fine. I feel bigger and he's moving a lot and had a good heart beat 129bpm at the last appointment.
My friend Jeff/Weez came to visit with his girlfriend Sky. They are traveling through in their house van. Adrian immedietely attached to them and begged them to stay longer and asked if he could go with them. They plan to come back in January or sometime in winter. Weez will finish Barry's tattoo!!!! Adrian would like to get a dinosaur tattoo on his forearm...we'll see. We stayed up till the wee hours of the morning eating thai food-chicken curry and Tom Ka Gai with (fresh picked) mushrooms from college ave in town and Jasmine rice. Yum.
Food is such a big part of friendship. Eating and especially cooking with is such a bonding experience. In this friendship, food is of essence...home cooked, hand picked, scavenged food is a part of our connection. Sharing similar interests: music-making music, making instruments, playing together and teaching one another is integral and scattered throughout conversation, alternative ideals to mainstream societal conformism, and honest opinions makes up the rest of it.
After a surprise visit, I always feel renewed and wish that my friends lived a little closer or could stay a little longer.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Adrian Update:
Allergies have been bad. I should have pre-treated with OTC allergy meds when the sneezing fits started last week but I didn't think ahead. My first inclination is not to give drugs so I often miss my opportunity to ward off the oncoming illness. Adrian now has allergy induced asthma situation going on where he has been needing his albuteral daily for the last 3 days. He's feeling better today than yesterday, having had lots of sleep, naps, chicken soup, and extra loving! He says "my chest hurts" and that he still wants to go to preschool. He's on his daily allergy dose again as he was in the spring and hopefully will be back to breathing okay soon. My allergies have been pretty bad lately as well. Hopefully they pass soon as well.
Grandpa and grandma came over to the house so Adrian could stay home since he wasn't feeling good. He likes when they come over. His favorite part of today was "grandpa playing outside with me". He was also excited that grandma washed his blue blankie for him since only his green one was clean.
We missed our back to school picnic since Adrian hasn't felt well and tonight we didn't want to take him out to get worked up running around. Barry reported that he climbed up on his lap when he got home and laid on his shoulder, then got down, got his blankies and climbed back up. Barry had a migraine anyway today so they took a late afternoon nap instead of the picnic. Much better idea.
I am the classroom playdo maker and I forgot to make it last weekend. I will have to make it this weekend and try to remember my monthly job from now on. Hopefully they haven't missed it. Maybe I'll make scented or sparkly kind for the first batch :)
Adrian had snack day where he brought cheese sticks and pretzels for the entire class. The kids all take turns.
Adrian made first day of preschool handprints and filled out an about me card. I love these little mementos. He reports that he's "5" years old and has a "brother brother" and his favorite thing to do is "ride his bike really fast". He recognzies his name on his button that he wears, on his apple, and chooses his mood for each day when he gets to class. He has an apple coat hanger and a cubby with his name on it. It's so amazin to see him sitting in circle time, or doing things other 3 year olds have done when Iwas the teacher and not the parent. Adrian being in preschool also reminds me how much I would like to be teaching instead of what I'm doing.
One thing Adrian would really like to do is ride the bus to school. I have to keep explaining that the bus doesn't go to preschool, and that some kids go to schools that don't have buses. Sometimes parents take their kids to school all the time. Maybe we should ride the city bus or the downtown trolley for fun one of these days instead.
In Fort Collins, parents have to take their kids to school of choice schools and if we stay in this neighborhood or most in this town, I would take him to another school. I would like him to attend a highly academic, possibly Core Knowledge school so that school pushes him academically. I'm thinking of Liberty Charter school. In order to get into Kindergarten he takes an entrance exam to test his level of knowledge. The expectation is pretty high and i like that. Barry and I can expose him to art, music, creative thinking and other sports or activities on our own but if we are bothw orking then he needs the school to actually teach him academics. He already knows his ABC's, can name the letter sound of words, can recognize certain words like 'Daddy' and 'Adrian' and is getting better at counting, and knows his shapes and colors. His vocabulary continues to increase and he's been explaining and recalling events more lately.
Baby Update:
Moving way less this past week. Still has bouts of activiity but must be sleeping much more. Last check up I measured less by 2 cm and then by 1 cm when he was moved around...so hopefully we're back on track for growth tomorrow's 36 week appointment because I'd rather not pay for another ultrasound. If he's more than 2cm under/over then they would want to do the ultrasound to rule out concerns. I feel smaller than with Adrian with only 4weeks left. I feel that I won't be able to wear some of the maternity clothes that I wore last time because I'll never fit into them this time. So weird.
I get the Group Beta Strep test tomorrow as well. I hope it's negative because I don't want to have to do anibiotics when I go into labor and their would be a big concern if I didn't want to do them because it's such a high risk to the baby's health, if the baby were to contract it in delivery which is a small chance. We discussed this being controversial since they test so early, it can go away before the baby is born, they won't retest, they'd want to give antibiotics even if it was gone after being retested. Basically they would call social services on me for neglect if I were to refuse the antibiotics is my imperssion. I hate medical professionals and having to go to the doctor. I ask a few questions and everyone gets worked up and defensive. I was treated more respectfully when I had questions at Salud which is usually the opposite of what I hear.
I'm looking for an Ergo baby carrier still. Found them online at Craigslist.com for $75 from local sellers, which is better than over $100 for new. I hear they are durable and ok to buy used. We'll still need to get the infant insert though...cheaper on the Ergo website than at babysrus or other stores.
Right now I'm looking at a black one with tan inside. Barry didn't like the sienna with stripes so much.
Allergies have been bad. I should have pre-treated with OTC allergy meds when the sneezing fits started last week but I didn't think ahead. My first inclination is not to give drugs so I often miss my opportunity to ward off the oncoming illness. Adrian now has allergy induced asthma situation going on where he has been needing his albuteral daily for the last 3 days. He's feeling better today than yesterday, having had lots of sleep, naps, chicken soup, and extra loving! He says "my chest hurts" and that he still wants to go to preschool. He's on his daily allergy dose again as he was in the spring and hopefully will be back to breathing okay soon. My allergies have been pretty bad lately as well. Hopefully they pass soon as well.
Grandpa and grandma came over to the house so Adrian could stay home since he wasn't feeling good. He likes when they come over. His favorite part of today was "grandpa playing outside with me". He was also excited that grandma washed his blue blankie for him since only his green one was clean.
We missed our back to school picnic since Adrian hasn't felt well and tonight we didn't want to take him out to get worked up running around. Barry reported that he climbed up on his lap when he got home and laid on his shoulder, then got down, got his blankies and climbed back up. Barry had a migraine anyway today so they took a late afternoon nap instead of the picnic. Much better idea.
I am the classroom playdo maker and I forgot to make it last weekend. I will have to make it this weekend and try to remember my monthly job from now on. Hopefully they haven't missed it. Maybe I'll make scented or sparkly kind for the first batch :)
Adrian had snack day where he brought cheese sticks and pretzels for the entire class. The kids all take turns.
Adrian made first day of preschool handprints and filled out an about me card. I love these little mementos. He reports that he's "5" years old and has a "brother brother" and his favorite thing to do is "ride his bike really fast". He recognzies his name on his button that he wears, on his apple, and chooses his mood for each day when he gets to class. He has an apple coat hanger and a cubby with his name on it. It's so amazin to see him sitting in circle time, or doing things other 3 year olds have done when Iwas the teacher and not the parent. Adrian being in preschool also reminds me how much I would like to be teaching instead of what I'm doing.
One thing Adrian would really like to do is ride the bus to school. I have to keep explaining that the bus doesn't go to preschool, and that some kids go to schools that don't have buses. Sometimes parents take their kids to school all the time. Maybe we should ride the city bus or the downtown trolley for fun one of these days instead.
In Fort Collins, parents have to take their kids to school of choice schools and if we stay in this neighborhood or most in this town, I would take him to another school. I would like him to attend a highly academic, possibly Core Knowledge school so that school pushes him academically. I'm thinking of Liberty Charter school. In order to get into Kindergarten he takes an entrance exam to test his level of knowledge. The expectation is pretty high and i like that. Barry and I can expose him to art, music, creative thinking and other sports or activities on our own but if we are bothw orking then he needs the school to actually teach him academics. He already knows his ABC's, can name the letter sound of words, can recognize certain words like 'Daddy' and 'Adrian' and is getting better at counting, and knows his shapes and colors. His vocabulary continues to increase and he's been explaining and recalling events more lately.
Baby Update:
Moving way less this past week. Still has bouts of activiity but must be sleeping much more. Last check up I measured less by 2 cm and then by 1 cm when he was moved around...so hopefully we're back on track for growth tomorrow's 36 week appointment because I'd rather not pay for another ultrasound. If he's more than 2cm under/over then they would want to do the ultrasound to rule out concerns. I feel smaller than with Adrian with only 4weeks left. I feel that I won't be able to wear some of the maternity clothes that I wore last time because I'll never fit into them this time. So weird.
I get the Group Beta Strep test tomorrow as well. I hope it's negative because I don't want to have to do anibiotics when I go into labor and their would be a big concern if I didn't want to do them because it's such a high risk to the baby's health, if the baby were to contract it in delivery which is a small chance. We discussed this being controversial since they test so early, it can go away before the baby is born, they won't retest, they'd want to give antibiotics even if it was gone after being retested. Basically they would call social services on me for neglect if I were to refuse the antibiotics is my imperssion. I hate medical professionals and having to go to the doctor. I ask a few questions and everyone gets worked up and defensive. I was treated more respectfully when I had questions at Salud which is usually the opposite of what I hear.
I'm looking for an Ergo baby carrier still. Found them online at Craigslist.com for $75 from local sellers, which is better than over $100 for new. I hear they are durable and ok to buy used. We'll still need to get the infant insert though...cheaper on the Ergo website than at babysrus or other stores.
Right now I'm looking at a black one with tan inside. Barry didn't like the sienna with stripes so much.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Our Preschooler
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| "Big Boys Go to School" |
Since getting Adrian's big boy bed with his memory foam mattress, he's slept in his bed every night!!! He is so proud of his big boy bed and shows it to everyone who comes over. He talks about how he was a "little boy when I was two" and how "once I was a baby". We read books about babies and being a big brother, that a new baby is coming and he explained to me there has to be a hole for the baby to come out, so I showed him the non detailed pictures in 'what to expect when you're expecting' as well as the pictures of the mommy feeding the baby. He accepts this but wondered if the baby 'takes sips of milk' now in the belly.
Tonight we also had our last FCEA Childbirth class until all the babies are born. Then we'll all meet up again for our post partum groups :) It was a good reminder and I'm glad we took it again. I hope everything goes as well with this baby as it did with Adrian. I am nervous about doing it again, but I was definitely not as nervous about the pregnancy this time around. I am nervous about this baby coming early mostly due to stress at work, but also because two will be harder than one, and the room is not set up and a name is decided on, childcare situation is so undecided, etc. I guess everything will work itself out as it does usually.
Work is (other peoples') mess mess mess which is my stress stress stress...This week is better than last week which means I haven't cried at work...although I did cry sitting on the kitchen floor last night. Four day work week...only two more days left. Today was good...no crying, getting out on time, feeling good about productivity, etc.
Baby boy is 35 weeks cooked! He has 5 more weeks left. He is at least 5 lbs and is getting long. Just getting fat is his job now. He still does lots of moving for running out of space but has noticebly slowed and may be resting up more now :) Last week at the appt I measured 2 cm less than 34 weeks but that is still within normal standard deviation. I asked the midwife to check his position and he was head down. Then she re-measured and I was only 1 cm off. In group tonight two women were also measuring off by 3 and 4 cm so they have ultrasounds scheduled to check growth. They are closer though to their due dates. I also feel like I'm gaining weight at a much faster pace. While I have only gained 21 lbs so far, at least 6 of those lbs were in the last couple weeks. I gained 35 with Adrian and 25-35 is healthy since my weight was healthy starting off. Less gained is less to lose though.
Sciatic nerve is bothering me quite a lot. Still going to physical therapy and doing exercises for it. My leg length was uneven by a lot a couple weeks ago, but last week was even so I skipped this week and will go again next week. Heartburn has increased, so now I have a bottle of tums near my bed and have been raiding the first aid station at work as needed. Eating lots of bananas (do banana splits count?) and trying to stay hydrated to keep the leg cramps to a minimum. Not drinking enough water though because still getting some major contractions in the afternoon/evenings daily. Water and relaxing usually helps those dissipate. Much worse at remembering to take my vitamins this time around...probably every other night I do though.
We cleared out the office last weekend and moved in the baby furniture. Barry will steam clean the carpet, and I will start cleaning, folding and organizing baby clothes and supplies maybe this weekend. That will be fun!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
August: Full of Fun
August 3, 2011: 30 Weeks
August 20th: 32.5 Weeks
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| Feeding Mama Cow |
City Park Pool August 20th, Dinner at Aunt Laurie's and Uncle Wally's and a Walk to the Poudre
Hold your breath...
Tour de Fat: 2011 (September 3rd)
Paddle Boating at City Park: August 7, 2011
August 13, 2011: 30.5 Weeks
Patti and Andy's Wedding: August 13, 2011 Every time we pass St. Joseph's in Fort Collins, Adrian asks about the wedding. What a good memory and and sense of direction!
New West Fest: August 14th
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