32 weeks

You made my OB laugh yesterday. She pressed lightly on one side of my belly and you immediately kicked back--hard. She chuckled and tried the other side with the same results. Then you kicked the fetal doppler once, twice, three times. You are not a child that likes your space infringed upon, it seems.

Like I didn't know this. Like you don't kick me--hard--if I lean over, or wear pants that are too tight, or lay on a side you find unacceptable. Like you don't love to press against my poor ribcage until it literally feels bruised!

I complain, but I really love that you are so strong. That you impress even my doctor, who pressed on pregnant bellies all day. That you are growing ridiculously, measuring over 33 weeks this week. I know most first time mothers go past their due date but you just seem to be so anxious to get out and stretch those long Farmer legs, it makes me wonder.

Just please, stop trying to get out via my belly button. Not only does it feel so weird that it wakes me up in the night, gasping, it's just not medically advised.

Updated belly pictures to come...

Baby shower #1

My mother, sisters, and sister-in-law threw me a lovely baby shower and invited all of the wonderful ladies in my family. It was such a wonderful afternoon and I'm so touched by the thoughtful gifts!

These are the hostess gifts I brought:
I wanted to keep one for myself but I'm really trying to be less selfish. It's hard.

The decorations were just too cute, featuring mounds of paper roses that my sister Helen made (and later we fashioned into a fantastic mobile, more on that to come):

We had a great crowd to enjoy delicious food and drinks:

And really, I got such lovely gifts!

Overall, a delightful afternoon and I'm just so touched by everyones support and love. What a wonderful family I have.

So now we've got that out of the way.

I've been wondering if I would have my very own trip-to-labor-and-delivery-for-no-reason story, and now the wait is over. Little one, last week...last week was not good. I am not sleeping, still, and my 30-weeks pregnant body is now pumping 45% more blood than before. 45%! That is really quite a lot of extra blood, my goodness.

So anyway, this extra blood has my heart working extra hard and has apparently brought to the forefront a very, extremely mild arrhythmia. My heart just kind of skips a beat occasionally and then POUNDS for a little while afterwards. This is also, not surprisingly, aggravated by getting NO FREAKING SLEEP. Ahem.

So last Thursday, the pounding was really getting to me, and it took even less than usual for me to feel completely short of breath. By Friday morning I figured I might as well give my OB a call, just because I've had it drilled into my head that it is ALWAYS better to call. Imagine my shock when my normally laid-back OB does not tell me to just go home, get some rest, lay on my side, and drink water, which was what I was expecting. No, she calmly but firmly tells me to drive myself straight to Labor & Delivery where they will be waiting to hook me up to monitors and give me an EKG.

Honestly, it took me aback.

So I did as I was told (making a 5 minute detour to pick up Chris) and lickedy spilt found myself in a gown and bed in L&D triage. Everyone was SO nice and the hospital was really quiet because no one was scheduling things on Friday the 13th. As expected, there was nothing seriously wrong, just the little blip on the EKG but nothing that can hurt me or the baby. I was sent home and finally told to get some rest and stay off my feet for the day. Happy to oblige.

Maternity fashion, week 30.

My favorite outfit this week:


3-10-09 - by mariannecanada on Polyvore.com

The rest of the week has been a blur of ill-fitting sweaters and schlubby t-shirt and hoodie combinations. I am not sleeping and so uncomfortable and really it's a wonder that I made it in to work at all.

Kick Count

So, these days I am supposed to take some time and count your kicks. To make sure you're moving enough and all that. I find this adorable--I picture a glowing pregnant lady, hands gently clutching her protruding stomach, as she goes, "Ooh! There's one! I think that's another one..." counting these sporadic movements.

Sporadic. Ha.

I would do better to count when you aren't moving. The handful of times a day you are not finding new ways to make me aware of my anatomy. Currently I am sore from your new game of wodging yourself on my right side, using your toes (I think) to gain purchase under my ribs and banging your...head? Shoulders? Against my hip bone. When I lie on my side, as is dictated by every resource out there, you press so hard against the side of my stomach that the skin feels impossibly thin against my mattress. When I read at night I can't perch my book on top of my stomach because you are too busy practicing for your debut on Dancing With The Stars. I think you're doing the Rumba.

I am comforted by your movement, even though I swear sometimes I'm harboring some kind of weasel rather than a baby girl. Even when I wake up 11 TIMES IN ONE NIGHT to pee a dribble of urine, because you are doing something impossible to my bladder. It seems to me that from the day I started feeling you move you've been dissatisfied with your accommodations and you want to get out. I understand. Just sit tight for 8-10 more weeks and then this whole great big world? It's all yours, kid.

Nursery progress.

I made an epic journey to Ikea with my mom and sisters and got all sorts of goodies. So in the past few weeks the work on the nursery has begun in earnest. We are painting the room a very vivid green with bright white trim:

Your aunt Helen has provided some of her amazing and fun artwork (it is fuzzy with flocking and glitter!):

And Buster is in love with the new rug:

There is so much more to come--a new glider, a crib, more art, a homemade mobile, and wait until you see the goodies from the first baby shower!

29 weeks

You had QUITE the growth spurt, missy. In fact, my belly grew 5 inches since last month's appointment, even though I didn't grow (in pounds) at all. Look at you!
This month's appointment also featured the oh-so-fun blood glucose test. Sucking down a sticky sweet orange drink on an empty stomach, then giving three big vials of blood--fun! I felt like hot garbage afterwards so your dad took me to Cracker Barrel for fortification. I still didn't feel quite right for the rest of the day.

COOKIE.

Today is Girl Scout Cookie day. I can't tell for sure, but I think you're excited. Me? I'm just glad I am getting these BEFORE my glucose screening test on Thursday. Ha.