Update.

Just a quick post to talk about changes that have been happening in the last few months.

Update 1:

If you read my last post on baby kicks you know that although it is all very magical I was finding it a little exhausting and honestly...annoying. It still is. As Baby got stronger so did her movements. They changed from what felt like little twitches to stronger rolls and punches, which I think are actually less annoying. I much prefer the strong sometimes painful movements to the ones that are just strong enough to feel like a little spasm under the skin. So I was/have been pretty happy with that change. However what hasn't changed is the worrying about the movements. In this way I am most definitely a first time mom. I've called the midwife at all hours. When Baby moves too much, when Baby doesn't move enough etc. If there was a kiosk in the mall that installed a window in your uterus I would pay twice what I just paid for my IPhone skin.

Update 2:

I now have an IPhone. I don't understand it yet and much like when I switched from a PC to a Mac, the phone and I are NOT bonded yet. It took two months for me to bond with my Mac Book. I don't respond well to electronic change. Most people get a new toy and rush home to spend the night playing with it. I sat on the floor and cried and glared at it from across the room. I behaved the same way with the laptop.

But this has nothing to do with being pregnant except that of course I had trouble changing from my old phone to the new one which left me phoneless for over an hour. This was just enough time to totally convince myself that I would go into labour and be unable to reach my midwife.

Update 3:

Despite having decorated and shopped almost exclusively for girl things since finding out 13 weeks ago that Baby is a girl, I am still paranoid that she will sprout a weenie before her birth and I'll have to rush to return everything. I am looking forward to an upcoming ultrasound (to check on my fibroid) in the hopes that I can convince the tech to take one last peek at the goods.

Update 4:

Symptoms. I've had them all but I still consider myself lucky. I think I've had it relatively easy so far. Every symptom has been manageable and has only lasted a short time. Although recently I have developed carpel tunnel (which is apparently common in pregnancy) and also edema in my hands and feet. This is by far the worst symptom because although it really isn't a big deal it is robbing me of what little sleep I am getting.

Oh sleep! I don't get that anymore. And as the weeks progress so does my need for pillow support at night. I'm now half-way to a sitting position and should be sleeping fully upright by the end of September. My wonderful Snoogle pregnancy pillow is pretty flat now and while I still do use it every night it just isn't enough anymore.

Update 5:

I have loved setting up the nursery and washing, folding and putting away all the baby stuff. It is my favorite part of pregnancy so far. I will share some pics of the nursery soon and of some favorite items I have acquired. I could spend the rest of my life decorating nurseries.

Update 6:

So basically I'm still doing good. The last few weeks have been pretty uncomfortable and I have bad days now where I'm just too exhausted to fake it. I'm still working and will be for another couple weeks. Baby is head down and in position for blast-off or whatever it is that's going to happen to my down-theres. She is still moving like mad but already seems to be lulled by the rocking chair and J's hands on my belly (only his). The midwife predicts she will be long just like her Daddy and today she is hovering around 6 pounds - with 4.5 weeks to go!

So that's it for now.

A Little Story About Life After Death.

So I'm not religious but I found this passage in one of the pregnancy books I read and I liked it. It uses the story of birth as possible proof that there is life after death. I found it interesting so I thought I would share it here:

Once upon a time, twins were conceived in the womb. Seconds, minutes, hours passed as the two dormant lives developed. The spark of life flowed until it fanned fire with the formation of their embryonic brains. With their simple brains came feeling, and with feeling, perception, a perception of surroundings, of each other, of self.

When they perceived the life of each other and their own life, they knew that life was good, and they laughed and rejoiced; the one saying “Lucky are we to have been conceived, and to have this world,” and the other chiming, “Blessed be the Mother who gave us this life and each other.”

Each budded and grew arms and fingers, legs and toes. They stretched their hands and churned and turned in their new-found world. They explored their worlds and in it found the life cord, which gave them life from the precious Mother’s blood. So they sang, “How great is the love of the Mother that she shares all she has with us!” And they were pleased and satisfied with their lot.

Weeks passed into months, and with the advent of each new month they noticed a change in each other and each began to see change in himself. “We are changing,” said the one. “What can it mean?”

“It means,” replied the other, “that we are drawing near to birth.”

An unsettling chill crept over the two, and they both feared, for they knew that birth meant leaving all their world behind.

Said the one, “Were it up to me, I would live here forever.”

“We must be born,” said the other.

“It has happened to all others that were here.” For indeed there was evidence of life there before as the Mother had borne others.

“But mightn’t there be life after birth?”

“How can there be life after birth?” cried the one. “Do we not shed our life cord and also the blood tissue? And have you ever talked to one that has been born? Has anyone ever re-entered the womb after birth? No!” He fell into despair, and in his despair he moaned, “If the purpose of conception and all our growth is that it be ended in birth, then truly our life is absurd.”

Resigned to despair, the one stabbed the darkness with his unseeing eyes and as he clutched his precious life cord to his chest said, “If this is true, and life is absurd then there really can be no Mother.”

“But there is a Mother,” protested the other, “Who else gave us nourishment and our world?”

“We get our own nourishment, and our world has always been here. And if there is a Mother where is she? Have you ever seen her? Does she ever talk to you? No! We invented the Mother because it satisfied a need in us. It made us feel secure and happy.”

Thus while one raved and despaired, the other resigned to birth and placed trust in the hands of the Mother.

Hours stretched into days, and days fell into weeks. And it came time. Both knew their birth was at hand, and both feared what they did not know. As the one was first to be conceived, so he was the first to be born, the other following.

They cried as they were born into the light. And coughed out the fluid and gasped the dry air. And when they were sure they had been born, they opened their eyes seeing for the first time, and found themselves cradled in the warm love of their Mother! They lay open-mouthed and awestruck before the beauty and truth they could not have hoped to have known.

-Anonymous-

Moving Day.

Our cat all packed and ready to go.

So we finally moved! I'm still unpacking at the new place. I was lucky to get this whole week off because the boys I nanny are away visiting their grandparents. Being able to dedicate all my time this week to packing, cleaning and moving was great.

Packing was the worst part. I usually don't mind it. Since I move on average once a year I'm used to packing and the organizer in me actually enjoys placing things in their appropriate boxes. But this time sucked. I'm too big to be bending over every few seconds. Having to squat instead of just bend was physically draining, as was the heat!

I love summer, I love the heat and I love all the activities that come with summer. But since I can't float on my air mattress with a beer in my hand this summer has been a write-off for me. And the apartment was stifling on the days I had to pack which exhausted me further.

By the day before the move I was starting to feel pretty bad and I was afraid I may have pushed myself too far and might start labour early. Luckily my mom came to the rescue and not only helped on moving day but also took the next day off to help me clean the old apartment and shop for the new place.

Everyone warned us that we should move earlier in the pregnancy but that wasn't an option for us. We had neither the money nor the time to move earlier. So if you are moving into a new nest just before the baby is due I have a little advice:

Hire movers. J and I couldn't afford a real moving crew but we did shell out $160 for a rental truck to get everything in one load. And I was lucky that my father donated some of his workers for the day. Even if you're on a tight budget try to stash a little money every month before the move to get yourself some extra help. Even if the savings are only enough to bribe friends.

Don't carry boxes. Make the decision that an extra person is needed to replace the pregnant lady. Let the others struggle with the heavy things and focus your efforts on carrying light things, packing last minute pieces and cleaning up as the rooms empty. Drink lots of water and stop to put your feet up as often as you need. This is not the time to prove you can carry as much as the boys.

Plan ahead. Have a layout of the new place in mind and have at least a general idea of where the big pieces of furniture are going to go. That way you won't realize a dresser should be in the other bedroom after your movers have departed. Obviously packing boxes for their designated room is a good idea too. If you toss random things into boxes at the old place you'll regret it at the new place when every item you unpack requires a walk to the other side of the house.

Have an unpack friend. I love unpacking, deciding where everything should go and putting it all away. Usually I prefer to do this all by myself, but it's not as easy when you're preggers. Even if you have the energy to unpack all day, you might not be able to reach high shelves, low shelves or shuffle boxes and furniture around. You can still decide where everything should go but unpacking will be less exhausting (and safer) if you let a friend put away the heavy bits.

Pack snacks. Have a little box just for moving day that has drinks and snacks in it. It's easy to forget to eat when you're rushing to get everything done. But you will keep your energy up and will last longer if you stop to eat and drink as needed. Whenever I move I plan a lunch hour for myself and the movers into the day. Everyone likes knowing that there is enough time between emptying the old place and filling the new place to stop for lunch. Having food on hand will not only please you and the baby, it'll take a little of the load off the people who are doing the lifting.

Finally, Choose a happy nest. Unless you're rolling in dough you'll never get everything you want in a place so make sure you choose the very best option for your needs. This is a given on any move but having a home you love (or at least really like) will be even more important when you're stuck indoors with a screaming infant. Decide ahead of time what features will make your quality of life better. This may be the time to realize that having a washer and dryer is better than having an ornate spiral staircase. Or maybe having a great view will keep you more sane than having a Starbucks next door will. Everyone is different. Think about what will ease your burdens the most. You will likely be spending more time at home than ever before. I knew what I wanted to make the next year or so as easy on us as possible and I only looked at places that had what we wanted.

It's The Little Things.

I know it's silly but ever since I got pregnant I have been looking forward to parking in the new or expectant mom parking spots.

I used to see them all the time and think, "one day I'll be parking there" but I haven't found any since I got pregnant. Then yesterday I found expectant mom parking at Superstore. I was so excited I made my mom take my photo with the sign. Yes people were laughing at me.

I guess when you're big and uncomfortable, getting no sleep and suffering with joint and ligament pain all you can do is find happiness in the small pleasures. And parking right next to the front door in a spot saved just for big, uncomfortable mommies is definitely a small pleasure.