Any Day Now! (?)

Whew! It's done. I neglected to blog after my 36-week appointment on Friday because I've been a little preoccupied with Nate's 3rd birthday party. The party was today and I think it went as well as can be expected with ten kids 5-and-under running about on a sugar high. Since this is Baby Girl's blog, I've included a photo of me at 37-weeks (with the train cake).
Yup! I hit 37-weeks today. I'm now considered "term." She could come into this world any day and not be considered premature. Nate was 6 days early, but only because I had a small tear in my membranes resulting in a slow leak of amniotic fluid (so, officially, my "water broke"). They had to hook me up with Pitocin to kick-start actual labor. Still, April 1st would be a good date. I keep joking that she needs to hang on for the April birthstone--diamonds!

Here are the stats from Fridays 36-week check:

• Blood pressure: 90/60
• Weight: +34 pounds (no change from 2 weeks ago; hmmm, weigh me now after making Nate's birthday cake--a definite weakness!)
• Strong heartbeat which kept jumping every time she moved (she's quite active)
• HEAD DOWN! We got a quick peak on the ultrasound. She's in position!

My DS, Nate, went to the exam with me. He did better (the lollipop-on-the-way-out bribe seemed to work...but not as well as the "I'll read you the 'It's-not-a-ghost-it's-a-squirrel' story in Highlights magazine on the couch out front if you stay in the purple chair" tactic). He can now tell you what Baby Sister's heartbeat sounds like when you ask him. I think he enjoyed seeing her on the ultrasound monitor (i.e., "TV"), too. Dr. Kuhl pointed out her heart, back bones, arm bones and head. That's what Nate told his Daddy, "I saw [sister's] arm and head and belly today." I'm glad I started taking him to the appointments. It's been a little more chaotic at the doctor's office; but I think he's really starting to feel like part of the process. We'll see what good any of it did soon enough! ;)

Showering Baby, Part 2

Our social circle from med school threw me a beautiful baby shower today! One of the hosts, Danna, would like to be a party planner one day (she's currently a kindergarten teacher and 30 weeks pregnant). She created a cute, cute tablescape to set the mood. Holly (also preggers, due May 20--a great date I must add!) found a scrumptiously adorable pink cake and made yummy fruit & veggie plates. And Wendy opened her house to the gaggle (despite her hectic schedule). Thank you, Ladies! Let's just say this little girl is not going to have to worry about wearing her brother's blue hand-me-down airplane and doggy outfits like I'd originally threatened. Her closet is slowly being filled with plenty-o-pink!

Apparently, I've Looked Much Hotter!

My MOPS group (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) threw me a surprise baby shower today! I was told it was a playdate, so I came straight from yoga (no shower, no-make-up, I think I combed my hair)! It was really sweet. The host, Jennifer, made a beautiful diaper cake; a talented culinary artist, Christie, made a cute carriage cake; and the rest of the ladies brought diapers and cute pink outfits for Baby Girl! I have the diaper cake sitting on our dining room table as a centerpiece for motivation. Between a friend giving birth to a precious baby girl last week and this shower, I'm getting back into "excited-to-take-part-in-a-miracle" mode when I've been stuck in "irritable, uncomfortable, 30-days-to-go-and-there's-so-much-to-do" mode!

Memorable quotes from Hubby:

--My DH, Jason, was trying to give me a compliment as I was getting ready for church this past weekend. As he wrapped his arms around my belly he said, "Hey, Honey, you've never looked so good!" Then realizing in his head how a pregnant lady might take this, he backtracks, "Well, yes you have. You've looked much hotter!" I encouraged him to just stop talking.

--The above comment came the morning after he was watching me put my pajamas on and blurted out with a tone of amazement, "My, you are wide!" I tried to clarify--you can tell a woman 36-weeks pregnant that she's big, the baby's big, she must be getting close, it looks like there's a basketball in there, it's amazing how a body can transform, she's certainly popped out, she looks great, etc.; but you never, ever tell a pregnant lady she's WIDE. We save that term to describe loads on haulers & dumptrucks.

35 Weeks

I'm feeling much better these past few days. I think the exhaustion is giving way to nesting. I have another energy surge; well not so much a surge, but I don't hit the floor if I don't get my afternoon nap. Although I'm still growing exponentially. I have had no less than 2 dozen people tell me how big I've gotten in the past few days. Seriously, it's like Baby Girl has unfolded, stretched the full 20 inches (and my belly is her little cocoon).

Here are the numbers from today's OB appt (34-weeks):

• Blood pressure: 100/60
• Weight: up 34 pounds (5 more weeks to go and I'm "supposed" to gain just one more pound!) Personally, I think there was something wrong with their scale. ;)
• Baby's heartrate: 135 bpm
• Fundal Height: 33.5

In All Things Give Thanks

OK, I'm in a cranky, uncomfortable mood right now. In order to capture these miserable days for posterity (and in case I start thinking about #3), here's my rant...

I had a terrible night's sleep last night. Baby Girl was moving all over the place. I call her a flopping fish. You know the visual image of a fish flailing on the dock--its head flopping from side-to-side while the tail flops from side-to-side in the other direction? That's what it felt like. She was hitting me down low in my pelvis at the same time as she was poking the top of my uterus. I am thankful for the active sign of life inside me.

I'm at the point where I have very little free real estate in my belly. Baby Girl and all her gear is squeezing every inch she can. This includes the space where my bladder used to go. Now my bladder is able to swell to the size of a walnut--max. As a result, I have to pee every 20 minutes. It's very repetitive, "Time to make the donuts" (a subtle 80s reference for those of you who remember the commercial). I'm thankful that Baby Girl is growing and I'm apparently staying hydrated. Oh, and for Charmin Ultra Soft.

If I don't drink water (in order to avoid peeing so often), then my braxton-hicks start up. I'm torn. Do I put up with multiple trips to the commode or fake contractions? They're both a nuisance. In the end, I opt for staying hydrated. I'm thankful my body reacts to let me know I need to stop and rest.

It's HOT; I'm HOT. It's been in the high 80s the past few days here in SA. That's ridiculous for February--especially if you're pregnant. I feel like I'm hitting early menopause. I'm always fanning myself like a little old lady with her church bulletin. I'm thankful that we have central air conditioning.

We're in the final countdown and Baby Girl is putting on the last few pounds for survival in the outside world. The latest testament to my roundness? It's getting very uncomfortable to cross my legs when I sit. I am thankful I don't wear skirts.

I'm exhausted. I was falling asleep reading my son Nate his naptime books today. I truly couldn't keep my eyes open. I tried the old "read one sentence from each page" trick to make the story progress faster, but Nate's getting to the age where he caught me on a few pages and made me go back. I need a 20-minute power nap at about 2:00 these days. I'm thankful Nate stays in his room for "quiet time" on days he decides he isn't going to settle down for a nap.

OK, like I said, I'm having an off day--feeling big and hot. Maybe I'll post some pictures so you can commiserate. And then we can always hope tomorrow is a better day. ;)

Another Difference between #1 & #2

Besides the daily differences in Baby Girl's pregnancy vis-à-vis Nathaniel's (like being more tired, er, exhausted, from chasing after a toddler and keeping house instead of lying down to nap or read another enlightening pregnancy article when the desire hit and waiting for our mama-san to clean the house on Wednesdays; having the baby's nursery set up by this time; the layette purchased and washed; the hospital bag packed; completing a birth plan; attending several childbirth classes, etc.), there is another striking difference--the prenatal journal entries. The list of things Nate did with Mommy in-utero went something like this:

"Went shopping and ate dim sum on the sensuous streets of Singapore, climbed Mt. Fuji followed by a fun weekend of frolic at Tokyo Disney, took a siesta on the beach at Waikiki & listened to Don Ho play "Tiny Bubbles" after our evening luau, piloted a reconnaissance support mission over the seas of North Korea with Mommy in the KC-135, flew First Class across the Pacific Ocean on United Airlines to go ice fishing in Minnesota..."

I even had to stop scuba diving and eating sushi whilst expecting our firstborn. You catch my drift; life was different. Baby Girl's entries are much more prosaic:

"Visited the San Antonio Zoo with Big Brother--saw the new hippo exhibit at Africa Live!, attended my first Woman of Faith national conference--rocked out to Mark Schultz, relaxed in the hammock at the lake, went sledding & ice fishing in Minnesota, saw Ronnie Milsap in concert while sipping lemonade at the San Antonio Stockshow & Rodeo, played "Candyland" and "Hi-Ho! Cherry-o!" 648 times..."

Of course, the change has taken its toll on me, too. There's a definite difference in your body's reaction to climbing a mountain and sitting still in arena chairs for three days in a row. My sciatic nerve (and referred pain in my right knee & lower leg) has been really bothering me for the past two or three days. The doctor recommended stretching (which I've been doing--pulling out every yoga move I can think of, "pigeon" being my go-to move), a hot bath, heating pad or an ice pack for my throbbing shin. He also said if the pain gets unbearable, I could try a chiropractor (now I know his stance on complementary medicine). In the end, he reminded me that the only thing that will probably permanently relieve the pain is delivery. Thanks, Doc!

Speaking of which, I had my 32-week appointment yesterday. It was short & sweet. I'm at the 30 pound mark for weight gain (7 weeks to go...can I stay within the 25-35-pound target range? Don't bet on it!), blood pressure was 94/60, again a strong heartbeat in the 160s. I took Nate to this appointment to keep him in the loop and excited for our new baby. He got to hear Baby Sister's heartbeat again, "Yes, Mommy I do hear it!" he repeated three times--before putting Dr. Kuhl's osteoporosis display in his mouth and climbing on the back of his chair, smirking. I think he was most fascinated by the process of collecting a urine sample. Great. That oughta confuse the boy enough to halt any potty training progress (not that he has any real interest in sitting on the potty). I think the Curious George sticker he received on the way out the door made him forget the whole collection process. We'll see.

My personal countdown has officially begun. I hit 33 weeks today. That puts me below the 50-days-to-go mark. It will come soon. We were going to try to paint the crib this weekend (Jason actually gets a three-day weekend for President's Day since he starts his general surgery rotation at Wilford Hall next week and there will be no civilians to in-process him on the federal holiday), but they're calling for thunderstorms all weekend. It will happen (painting the crib).

Our friends, the Evers, were in town from Abilene for the weekend. It was the first rain we've had in months (we've had the wettest six months on record followed by the driest six months on record this past year in San Antonio). As a result of the inclimate weather, we stayed inside--Nate showed Reagan (age 2) the ropes at Bass Pro Shop ("The Fish Store") and we all endured a Saturday afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese. The pinnacle of the day was dinner. We went out for sushi! We tried a new Asian Restaurant down the street called Wasabi. Jason and I shared the boulgogi and split two rolls (cooked, of course)--the volcano roll (deep-fried tuna with spicy scallop topping) the tiger eye (smoked salmon, cream cheese and jalapeno with wonton wrap). Yummy! Yummy! I think Baby Girl likes sushi!

Happy Valentine's Day from the Goodwins!

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