We’re home from the hospital after a very crazy weekend! Holy crap, what an experience. More on that some other time.
Mike is holding Gabe right now, so I’ve only got a few minutes to myself before I grab a much-needed nap. Short and sweet: some pictures of our new addition.
Today marks 39 weeks of pregnancy… So obviously, the whole 3cm & 80% effacement last week didn’t spell imminent labor. However, the second I sat down to write this, I had a contraction — but I’ve been getting one or two of them a day for the past few days. Yesterday’s doctor’s appointment didn’t really tell me anything new since I declined the optional internal exam to spare myself the discomfort, and my doc didn’t press the issue. He said that if I haven’t had the baby by next week, we’ll do another one. That seems fair.
Mike hates this shirt, but it's sooo comfy.
Also, my co-workers took me out to lunch today and gave me a very generous gift certificate. I swear, some of those ladies are more excited about this than I am. I’m looking at you, Darcy and Jenn.
Ignore the drip of toothpaste on the mirror.
There’s really nothing else interesting to report. I just can’t wait to meet our little guy face to face. And the waiting… oh the waiting is killing me!
Please allow me this time to engage in some self-indulgent blather. After months of wearing nothing but elastic-waist pants, tent tops and generally unflattering garb, I have had it. And let’s not forget the fact that I have been unable to put on normal shoes for the past three weeks — damn this sweltering sauna-like weather! My poor sausage toes can’t tolerate anything much more than cheap flip-flops. Plus, it’s been MONTHS since I stepped into a pair of heels. My shoe collection became largely neglected around month 3 of this pregnancy. A this point, I want nothing more than to put on some cute strappy sandals and a sun dress. Alas, a maternity top (that doesn’t actually cover my belly) and sweat shorts are today’s outfit.
I do realize that once the Sprout is born I won’t be able to jump back into all my old clothes right away, but my limited selection will expand just a little bit — and that makes me happy. Also, I fear that my mile-high work shoes have worn out their usefulness, and I’ll be either giving them away to friends or taking them to the Goodwill. I weep for them. But in time I will replace them with slightly more sensible counterparts. Like these adorable little numbers from plasticland.com. *SIGH*
Ever since I knew I was pregnant, I’ve had this tiny seed of an inkling that the baby would be born before his due date. Perhaps it was my keen psychic powers at work, because today my doctor confirmed that I am already 3cm dilated and about 80% effaced. He was actually pretty surprised. Before I freak out and run to the hospital, that doesn’t exactly mean that I’m going to go into labor any minute or even any day — in fact, it could be weeks! However, given that I’m 2 weeks out from the Sprout’s due date, there’s pretty good reason to believe he might be at least little early. Plus, the doc said I’ll most likely go into labor on my own, so I shouldn’t have to worry about induction (which I’m totally jazzed about)! However, I’m really bad at patience, but wait I must. I just need to do all those last-minute things so that I’m not caught unprepared. There’s still a small shopping list of stuff to buy off the registry!
Woohoo! Today is the first day of my 37th week. Which means that today the Sprout is officially full term. Now we just have to wait till he’s ready. I am very impatient, but obviously, I have no choice in the matter. :)
Perhaps horizontal stripes were a poor choice.
Plus, I am so freakin’ sick of maternity clothes! I squeezed into this non-preggo shirt this morning, and figured I was good to go. On second thought, it might be a little too tight, but I could really care less at this point. My co-workers said I looked cute, but they might have just said it to be nice.
He's getting big in there!
I check out my belly in the mirror every night and this weekend I think he dropped a little. I’m certainly noticing a lot more low movement — perhaps a little elbow or fist jabbing me on the inside of the hip bone. Let me tell you… It feels SO WEIRD! He did it while Mike and I were watching a movie the other night. It happened so fast and without warning that it startled me off the couch.
This may come as a shock to you, but I have almost no concept of how to care for a newborn. Everyone keeps saying, “Just feed him and change him; you’ll be fine!” I mean, I’ve been reading the Baby Book, trying to cram for the trial-by-fire final exam. No amount of cheating is going to help and there’s no bonus extra-credit. I’ve done my share of babysitting, but never a tiny newborn. Rough and tumble toddlers are more my style. It’s not going to be pretty!
I thought I’d share with you the “final” photographs of the Sprout’s room. It’s been in a state of 90% completion for the past few weeks, but I had a few DIY decor projects I wanted to complete before I made the big reveal. :) At this stage in the pregnancy game, we pretty much have what we’re absolutely going to need to take care of the little guy. Everything else is gravy.
Check out that fan! Mike did such a great job.
Any tips on hiding that cord from the star lamp? It bugs me.
Lamp from Lamps Plus, and the hippo I had hanging around.
The toys are keeping the crib warm till the Sprout arrives.
So here are the projects I recently completed. I’ve been seeing a lot of silhouette portraits hanging around Etsy lately, and I thought it would be a really cool idea to make some silhouettes of Mike and me to put in the baby’s room. Then, after he’s born I can add him to the trio in the middle. Cute no? I just never realized my profile looked like that. LOL!
All I have to say is: thank God for a laser level!
Remember the mobile I posted about a while back. I really loved it, but I didn’t love the price tag. I couldn’t see spending 40 bucks plus shipping when I was pretty sure I could make it myself. I bought some steel wire from Lowes and some white, black and gray scrapbooking paper and made it all for under 10 bucks. I do realize that I’ve pretty much knocked off the original, but it’s not identical and I don’t plan on making any money from it, so there!
My $7.00 elephant mobile!
Without breaking out the receipts, I’m pretty sure the entire nursery cost was well under $1,000 — considering that the IKEA rocker and craigslist crib & changing table were gifts from my parents. My biggest splurge was the FLOR area rug at around $400, but I definitely think it was worth it. The rest of the furniture we already had.
As the space in my uterus becomes smaller and smaller, my tiny tenant seems to be getting more and more rambunctious. To me, it’s a visual reminder that life as I currently know it will be forever changed in just a few short weeks. While his vigor makes me giggle, it’s definitely a sobering feeling. The more he moves, the more I realize that some day soon, he will have to come out! … and then the real fun begins!
Last night, as the Sprout began his evening calisthenics, Mike finally got to see first-hand the extent of the baby’s movement. He’s seen and felt kicks before, but this was a totally new experience for him. The belly wiggled, rolled and jolted for what seemed like several minutes. When I looked up at Mike, his eyes were saucers and his mouth gaped — clearly, the sight had him awestruck. I don’t think he was fully prepared for what he’d see when I said, “Hey, the baby’s moving, check it out.” He’s so used to being disappointed by a lack of action. I can’t help it if the kid usually stops moving at the precise moment I tell him to look. He was so impressed that he coined the spectacle the “Belly Show”.
With 6 weeks left till the Spout’s due date, I’m trying to get mentally prepared for the event and subsequent Mommyhood. It still makes my brain reel. Aaah! I’m definitely looking forward to it with cautious excitement. I can’t wait to meet this little alien that likes to poke me in the bladder and makes me giggle when he recoils from my prodding hands on the belly. Is he ticklish? Anyhoo. Somehow, I don’t think this week’s pictures look much different than two weeks ago, but maybe it’s the shirt — ’cause I definitely feel bigger.
Yeah, I still refuse to wear maternity clothes sometimes.
Oh yes, the waddling has begun. :)
In related news, the gifts from our two baby showers (one in NJ, one in Rochester) have left us with 30 pairs of 0-3 month infant socks. Some of those I have returned but that’s still a lot of socks! If anyone was still intending to buy us a gift, please heed this message: We have plenty of infant socks, thanks!
Didn’t really stick to my every-day photo.
But… I am still going to keep posting pics when I am inspired to do so.
Nice onion!
I realized it’s been a month since I posted a new belly shot. I can’t believe the difference a month makes. The Sprout is really getting big, and his movements totally amuse me. Sometimes I feel like he’s going to break out like alien. Mike can finally see the belly move, which I’m sure makes him happy. I know it was a source of frustration for a while. I’d say, “check out the belly!” and the baby would either stop moving or the movements were too small for him to notice.
Woah Momma :)
It’s getting tougher to do certain things now: buckle my sandals, pick things up, wash the dishes (my gut hits the counter and I can’t bend into the sink as much as I’d like), etc. All in all, I’ve been fairly lucky in terms of discomforts. I can still sleep pretty soundly and, with the exception of minor soreness/stiffness, my mobility isn’t too limited. But there’s still time… :)
