Friday, December 31, 2010

30 Weeks

How far along? 30 weeks

Total Weight Gain? 16 lbs

Symptoms? Heartburn still tops the list.

Stretch Marks? Lots, unfortunately. I have about 8 small ones on my stomach, but my hips and thighs are covered. It's slightly ridiculous.

Sleep?
Very not good. I'm awake all the time, and not comfortable when I am able to sleep.

Best Moment Last Week?
Coming home to a painted nursery! My mom, stepdad, and brother did an amazing job painting the nursery, putting the crib together, and getting furniture in the room. It's exciting!

Movement? More and more. She still moves the most when I'm laying down. Sometimes she keeps me awake, but not too often.

Food Cravings? No, and I'm kind of surprised by that. Other than dairy products, I really haven't craved anything.

What I miss? Being able to bend over comfortably, and stand up comfortably. Oh, and being able to walk faster than a sloth without losing my breath. Oh, and being able to say more than three sentences without losing my breath.

What I am looking forward to? Honestly, I've hit that point where every other thought in my head is "Oh my God, we only have 10 weeks left!" That's not very much. I'm suddenly trying not to look forward at all. At least, not more than 20 minutes or so...

Milestones? 30 Weeks!

How is Daddy? He's good. He put his hand on my stomach yesterday morning when I was trying to go back to sleep. I did, but Cate apparently kicked him for a while. He also put together the stroller he is super proud of.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

I realize this is TMI...(Updated)

...so it's perfectly ok if you skip this post altogether. But...

I apparently have a hemorrhoid. Apparently common during pregnancy, especially if you sit for long periods of time (9 1/2 hour trip to Kansas and back?). Also common if you suffer from constipation. However, what is not common is rectal (hate that word) bleeding from one. So the bleeding that started at noon today and has not yet stopped six hours later is not a normal side effect of a hemorrhoid. But, of course I waited six hours to look it up instead of looking it up immediately and having time to call my doctor. Now I have to wait until tomorrow to call her. And, of course, now I'm in pain AND nervous, as opposed to just being in pain.

Note: I am sure it is rectal bleeding, which is I why I waited so long. I didn't think it was that big a deal. Apparently though, any bleeding, rectal or otherwise, is during pregnancy. 14 hours is a long time to wait....

UPDATE: Called the doctor today. It took them 2 hours to call me back, which made me think it wasn't that serious anyway. And it wasn't. The nurse said that since I didn't feel any pain before the bleeding started, I probably just tore something (lovely, right?) and to let Dr. P know next week if it happens again. If Cate's kicks were anything to go by, it certainly didn't seem to bother her one bit!

Friday, December 24, 2010

29 Weeks

How far along? 29 Weeks

Total Weight Gain? No idea, since I'm no where near a scale.

Symptoms? Heartburn and back aches (sounds like a country song)

Stretch Marks? I have a bunch of small ones starting on my stomach. They're maybe as long as my fingernail is wide. They don't bother me as much though. I just keep telling myself they're signs Cate is growing.

Sleep? Awake constantly. Wake up to turn over. Wake up to pee. Wake up again for no reason. And to add to that, we're in Kansas right now, and it takes an act of Congress for me to manage to get out of bed in the middle of the night, since I sleep sandwiched between the wall and Jeff. I'm sure calamity is coming, but so far I've avoided it.

Best Moment Last Week? Feeling her move. I can't get enough of it!

Movement? The past few days, her movement has really increased! She still moves the most when I'm laying down. She kicked so hard yesterday she actually managed to wake me up from my nap.

Food Cravings? Milk.

What I miss? My balance. Being able to put pants on without falling over. Being able to reach things on the floor. Being able to get off the couch without help. ha ha. Yeah, I'm leaving those, but adding being able to put on my socks without losing my breath.

What I am looking forward to? Our next appointment. We've officially hit the point where we go every 2 weeks instead of every month. Yay!

Milestones? Made it all the way to Kansas in the car. That is a milestone!

How is Daddy? Cate finally kicked him a few times in a row, hard enough that I didn't have to ask him if he felt it. He was super excited!

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I managed to get a few minutes on a computer today, but I'm pretty sure that won't happen again for at least a week. You are all in my thoughts!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Update, and video of Cate

Appointment went great today. Dr. P was only going to measure my stomach and listen to the heart rate when I asked her when our next ultrasound would be. She decided to measure my stomach and then tell me. Apparently, your stomach is supposed to grow about a cm a week. So, mine should have measured 28 cm, but since it measured 31.5 (holy crap!), she squeezed me in for a growth scan!

I am 28 weeks and 4 days, Cate is measuring 29 weeks and 2 days. She weighs 2.63 pounds already. We got the sonogram recorded and that's what the video below is. The first part is her measuring fluid and limbs, then you get to see her face! (Or you can skip it altogether. I won't be offended.) The green letters look kinda like they say MALE, but the sonographer checked, and she's still a girl.


Monday, December 20, 2010

In Which I'm All Over the Place

Had a lovely weekend. I got to spend Saturday doing Christmas with my dad's side of the family and really enjoyed seeing them, even though I wasn't allowed to hug my cousin's five-year old, H, since she was recovering from the flu. Poor girl. We all got a good laugh though. She knows that, as the youngest, she gets to open presents first, but that that will change when Cate arrives. Well, Cate got presents this year, and the look on H's face when it was suggested that Cate go first this year was priceless.

My mom, stepdad, brother, husband and I celebrated together yesterday by going to the Dallas Museum of Art to see the Mourners. (I realize that just sounds weird, but it was really cool.) We spend a couple hours wandering around the museum before eating lunch and heading back to the house for presents.

Jeff and I got a new (300 lb) entertainment center. We are super excited because it's tall enough that we don't have to worry about Cate being able to pull the TV on top of her, and because it's too tall for Dobby to try biting things on the screen. Yay!

Did some last minute Christmas shopping today, after waiting 2 hours for an oil change. Finished some little details on the gifts I made for folks in Kansas, now all I have to do is wrap them all!

I am excited about my doctor appointment tomorrow. I'm praying they let us see her, not just hear the heartbeat. Surely, since we've hit 3rd trimester, they will. I also plan on asking the doctor some really random pregnancy-related questions. If I can remember them. (Like, for the past 2+ weeks, the blood has been pounding my left ear, almost nonstop. Why?)

Jeff and I have been arguing (not really....discussing, more like) about Cheetoes. I believe they are chips. He says they aren't. I say they're smack dab in the middle of the corn chips on the chip aisle, that makes them chips. He says they're not chip-shaped, therefore not chips.

I think he's on crack. What do you think?

Friday, December 17, 2010

28 Weeks

How far along? 28 Weeks

Total Weight Gain? 15 lbs

Symptoms? Heartburn still tops the list. Are mood swings caused by pregnancy? If not, can I still blame them on it?

Stretch Marks? I have a bunch of small ones starting on my stomach. They're maybe as long as my fingernail is wide. They don't bother me as much though. I just keep telling myself they're signs Cate is growing.

Sleep? Awake constantly. Wake up to turn over. Wake up to pee. Wake up again for no reason. Must be God's way of training.

Best Moment Last Week? Feeling her move. I can't get enough of it!

Movement? Usually when I lay down to sleep, but more during the day when I'm up moving around.

Food Cravings? Just the milk, which I think is more for the heartburn.

What I miss? My balance. Being able to put pants on without falling over. Being able to reach things on the floor. Being able to get off the couch without help. ha ha. Yeah, I'm leaving those, but adding being able to put on my socks without losing my breath.

What I am looking forward to? Our appointment right before Christmas. We should get an ultrasound again!

Milestones? 28 weeks is a milestone. And to think I made it all this way without killing any fourth graders!

How is Daddy? He offered to help me put my socks on this morning, but I'm pretty sure he was laughing at me on the inside.

Friday, December 10, 2010

27 Weeks

How far along? 27 Weeks

Total Weight Gain? Actually forgot to weigh myself this morning. First Friday since I found out I was pregnant...Oops.

Symptoms? Heartburn still tops the list. It woke me up twice this week. Not sure of any others...

Stretch Marks? I have a bunch of small ones starting on my stomach. They're maybe as long as my fingernail is wide. They don't bother me as much though. I just keep telling myself they're signs Cate is growing.

Sleep? Awake constantly. Wake up to turn over. Wake up to pee. Wake up again for no reason. Must be God's way of training.

Best Moment Last Week? Jeff bringing home a teddy bear for Cate. (This would be a lot sweeter if you understood how important my first teddy bear is to me.)

Movement? I'm finally feeling her when I'm up and moving around, not just when I'm relaxing. She kicked all through recess today, and she's kicking now! :)

Food Cravings? Just the milk, which I think is more for the heartburn.

What I miss? My balance. Being able to put pants on without falling over. Being able to reach things on the floor. Being able to get off the couch without help. ha ha. Yeah, I'm leaving those, but adding being able to put on my socks without losing my breath.

What I am looking forward to? Our appointment right before Christmas. We should get an ultrasound again!

Milestones? Dare I say it? Third Trimester!!! Can't believe it's here already!

How is Daddy? Getting more excited, I think. I mean, he bought her a teddy bear this week!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Things that should happen magically...

And something that should be illegal.

Something that should happen magically: dogs should come trained. Really. Everyone teaches their dogs the same basic things: sit, stay, don't pee inside, don't destroy my belongings. I woke up from my nap today to discover that Kreacher had pulled a cushion off the couch and chewed a great big hole in it. There was stuffing everywhere. I am slowly coming to accept that, as they are, these 3 dogs will make having a baby in the house hell. We are meeting with a dog trainer next month who can hopefully help us with all of them. At the moment, I don't want any of them by the time Cate gets here. (I know that's mostly hormones talking. I love them all, but they make me so angry.) And really, if I can't leave a COUCH CUSHION unattended, what will happen to Cate's toys?

Something that should be illegal: Telling expectant mothers just how horrible life is going to be after the baby is born. I love my 4th grade team, I really do, but at our team Christmas party yesterday, I was bombarded with how I'll never sleep again, I'll never have any time to myself again, I'll never be able to do anything I want to, I'll never get to go out to eat or shopping, or to the movies, or ANYTHING EVER AGAIN. A baby apparently ruins your life, I just didn't know it.

Yes, I know my life will be completely changed. Yes, I realize that I have no idea how much. But really? According to them, there is nothing about having children, except when the babies occasionally smile. Gee, thanks.

Something that should happen magically: All horror stories about pregnancy and birth should be magically erased from an expectant mother's head or blocked from ever reaching in the first place. I swear, I stumble across a new one every day. The birth stories don't bother me too much yet, I'm remarkably good at avoiding what I don't want to deal with, but all the stories I've read and heard of pregnancy loss are driving me crazy. I was freaking out earlier today because I actually felt Cate move during the day while I was up and around Tuesday and Wednesday, but not today. My mind automatically jumps to the worst possible conclusion, even when I know that things were so crazy today, I probably wouldn't have noticed an alien popping out of my chest. I didn't feel her when I laid down for my nap either, but that could have been because I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. If no miscarriage stories had ever hit my ears, I wouldn't be worried. I'd be logical and calm.

Right.

Friday, December 3, 2010

26 Weeks (Belly pic at the end!)

On Wednesday, I decided to use a leave early pass and go home to rest. As I was walking through the office, I bumped into one of the parents I had my first year of teaching. She and I got along really well when her son was in my class, and she was thrilled to see I was pregnant. One of the first things she said, though, was that the baby was going to have the curliest hair ever. I just smiled and said I hoped so. It makes me sad though, to think that if she does have straight hair, I will feel like I have to justify it every time someone asks "Oh, where did that straight hair come from?" I do have the curliest hair in my family, my mom's is wavy and my brother's is straight, so there would genetically be a chance of straight hair anyway, but when you look at my hair and Jeff's, you wouldn't expect it. But I'm irritated at all the well-meaning people over the next few years who will make a comment about Cate's hair, whether straight or curly.


How far along?
26 Weeks

Total Weight Gain? 14 lbs.

Symptoms? The heartburn is still pretty unpleasant. I haven't asked the doc for meds yet, since I'll do just about anything to avoid having to swallow a pill. Thankfully, milk seems to do the trick. A lot of milk... :)

Stretch Marks? One on the stomach. It doesn't bother me as much as it did when I first saw it though.

Sleep? Pretty rotten. Still having to wake up every time I want to turn over, and the doc said I can't use my electric blanket this year, so I'm also freezing every time I want to change positions. And, I wake up singing songs. This is pretty normal for me in the mornings, but in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee, it kind of stinks to be singing a song that I hate while I'm trying to go back to sleep. (Last night it was "Run Run Rudolph." Can't stand that song.)

Best Moment Last Week? All my co-workers' jaws dropping when they saw how much I grew in one week.

Movement? Yes. Usually when I lay down to sleep. Sometimes I feel her at school during class, but I'm usually moving around too much to.

Food Cravings? Just the milk, which I think is more for the heartburn.

What I miss? My balance. Being able to put pants on without falling over. Being able to reach things on the floor. Being able to get off the couch without help...Need I go on? :)

What I am looking forward to? Our appointment right before Christmas. We should get an ultrasound again!

Milestones? Nothing super major! Unless you count my quickly disappearing belly button. The top half is flat. It's weird...

How is Daddy? I think he's starting to get scared. He's ok when he thinks in terms of how many days are left, but when I pointed out it's only 3 months and 1 week, he got a bit nervous.

Promised Picture: