Wednesday, January 28, 2015

bump #85: 32 weeks and sick, sick, sick


sick sick sick.
No 32 week bump photos this week. Just kleenex and cough syrup. 
This is the worst flu season EVER! I have had 3 different colds/flus in the last 6 weeks, have been sick more days than I've been well, and today I woke up with pink eye. Peachy. After getting nowhere at urgent care last week (I tested negative for strep throat so they said "drink fluids and rest" and sent me on my merry way), I went to my primary care doctor today. He prescribed me amoxicillin for a sinus infection, a whooping cough booster shot because that's going around my school right now, and a topical cream for pink eye (also going around at school.) I somehow have to get through 4 more weeks of work, then I'm out for 4 weeks on disability followed by a 6 week maternity leave. So close, but so far away! I love my students, but man are they germ factories! I can't catch a break.  I'm reluctant to take antibiotics, but it feels like I'm getting worse and worse each day, so I don't have much choice. I'll take the meds, pray for extra protection for the baby, and hopefully get better fast. I need to be healthy and ready for delivery in a little over 7 weeks. Yikes! That's coming up fast!

Even though the last few weeks have been riddled with coughing and congestion, there has been some fun. We set up our baby registry and started our birthing and infant care classes at the hospital.


The MamaRoo bouncer seat and Britax travel system were highly recommended and added to the list. We had fun pushing all the strollers around Babies R Us. So far we like the B-Agile 4 stroller with the B-safe carseat. Everyone I know raves about the BOB jogger, but I think it's a little too athletic for me... Let's be honest, I'm no sporty spice! It's been so fun to research baby gear and start putting the nursery together. He's going to be here before we know it!

Are there any baby must-have items you would recommend? 

Monday, January 19, 2015

bump #84: 31 and 31 weeks

31 weeks looks like this:







Andrew's parents and my mom came down to San Diego for the long weekend 
and we had our third and final 4d ultrasound at The Ultrasound Experience.

Feeling Oliver move around inside my tummy has been the most amazing experience of the whole pregnancy, but seeing him move around on the big screen and getting to share that with our friends and family is incredible.
He seems to be pretty easy going and mellow. He moves around a lot, but looks peaceful and cozy.


He even gave us a little smile this time! And the dark spots on his head are shadows; 
he doesn't have a comb over!


He can open his eyes now. A little strange looking, but you can tell he is a very deep thinker, obviously really inquisitive and intellectual :)

From here on out he's just packing on the pounds. Look how his little arms and cheeks have filled out!


Here is is smirking again and you can see both hands and a foot in the lower right corner. 
He has some big feet!


And here he is all squished up in a ball with his chubby little legs and shadows that make it look like he has crazy thick hair. He has hair, but it's light and fuzzy.


At 31 weeks I'm feeling...

Excited: about 2 baby showers coming up next month! I can't believe this is my life! I get to have a baby shower because I'm really having a baby?!

Nervous: about the whole delivery thing. I honestly never thought this day or the ones ahead would come, so I never planned that far ahead. I'm in the beginning stages of making a birthing plan. So far it just says "epidural."

Happy: that we got to see the baby smiling. How cool is that?!

Uncomfortable: This week I got my second cold/flu of the month and it made sleep impossible. Fever plus can't breathe plus a cough that won't end equals misery. I just hope the baby is developing a strong immune system and antibodies in the process. I am incredibly grateful for this pregnancy and elated that Ollie is healthy and growing on track, but with the third trimester, I am also experiencing sciatic nerve pain in my back, numbness in my legs, intense exhaustion, and gag worthy acid reflux. It will all be worth it though! There is a part of me that wants to keep him in there forever, but as the weeks get closer I'm beginning to understand why most pregnant women are like "get it out!"

Ready: for the 6 week childbirth and infant care preparation course we signed up for at our hospital. It starts next week and I'm hoping it will put my fears about labor and delivery at ease. It will also be fun to meet other expecting couples and make some new friends. And of course, compare belly sizes and maternity wardrobes because I'm mature like that.

Relieved: there's still no sign of stretch marks and even though I feel swollen everywhere, all my jewelry and shoes still fit comfortably.

Silly: I've started my "push" mix playlist and it makes me giggle. I'll post it once it's done.  I added Semisonic's "Closing Time" after watching this video about how the song is really about a child exiting the womb, and not getting bounced from a bar.

Well travelled:  We flew to Austin for Andrew's graduation last month and just got back from a whirlwind baby moon / birthday weekend in Canada. Pics here. I am now 31 years old and 31 weeks along. Yay!

Tired: I am presently in that special place where pregnancy exhaustion meets illness exhaustion and I have succumbed to the Benadryl I took right before writing this post.

Goodnight!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

bump #83: 29 weeks



Hello 3rd trimester! 

As of today's doctor visit, which are now every 2 weeks instead of 4. Yay!  Baby boy weighs almost 3 pounds and is 16 inches long. He repositioned himself in the head down position with his little feet kicking like crazy just below my ribs. The kicks are still my favorite thing ever! I cannot believe there is a real baby in my belly and the kicks just remind me of what a miracle it all is.

Though I'm only 29 weeks along, Oliver's growth has him at about 31 weeks. I asked if that meant he would come early, but the doctor just said it meant he would probably come big. Here's to a healthy baby boy! I'm up 22 pounds thus far. Hopefully he'll come in weighing a little less than that. I am only 4' 11" with barely a couple inches of torso, so he has nowhere to grow but out and it makes sense that I'm measuring big. 


 At 29 weeks along, my belly button is decidedly no longer an innie, but not quite an outtie. More of a "flattie?" I don't have stretchmarks yet, but they'll probably show up in a day or two when my belly button pops out. I've completely given up shaving. I figure I can't see anything below my chest anyway and it's the chilly Winter months where leggings and boots are a daily staple. So that's working out great.

I never heard back about the gestational diabetes test results, so I'm assuming we're in the clear. And even though I'm seeing the doctor every 2 weeks, I've really only seen my actual doctor once this whole pregnancy. I've usually just met with the nurse practitioner because my doctor is always out delivering babies. That will be great when it's time for me to deliver and I can count on her to be there, but it's been a hassle so far because I still haven't discussed the whole vasa previa and accessory placental lobe thing with her from back in November. Hopefully I'll get to meet with her in person soon for my peace of mind!

This week we're looking forward to a trip to Vancouver for a literature conference. It will be baby boy's first international trip and a sort of baby-moon for us. We have another 4-d ultrasound coming up in a couple weeks and plans for 2 baby showers (one up home with family and one down in San Diego with friends) are in the works for February. I'll be on maternity leave March and April, returning to finish out the school year in May and June. Until then it's full steam ahead at work as I bust my bum trying to clear my California teaching credential. Is anyone else having a tough time returning to work this week? I can't focus on anything except this sweet little boy who is going to rock our world in the best way in a couple months. We love him so much already!