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electra310I can't believe it's been so long since I updated, with everything that's been going on. Well, maybe everything that's been going on is the reason I haven't been updating. But still, it's a process that deserves a little commemoration, even if my brain is shrinking and everything else is growing. I may go back sometime soon and fill in some postdated entries, but for now I'll just pretend that I haven't ignored my LJ for four months and continue on from here. =)
Today I had my 36-week checkup at the midwife's office. We also had our first snow of the year, so things were a little hectic, but that was okay. Things are looking good. Robert, who has spent most of the past two months or so laying with his back against the right side of my tummy, has executed a surprise lateral roll to the left side, presumably so all my ribs get equal kicking time. His head is still down though, and that's the important part. My poor midwife, Sister Kay, had to chase him all over with the Dopotone to get his heartbeat because he was in a squirmy mood, but she laughed and said it was a good sign. I don't honestly know how much weight I've gained this pregnancy, because I didn't think to jot anything down way back in April, but I've gained seventeen pounds since Week 19, and that seems to be okay. I still weigh fifteen pounds less than my heaviest non-pregnant weight, but that doesn't mean any of my clothes fit anymore. It makes a difference when all the weight gain is in the tummy. =)
Yesterday was the start of the one-month countdown to January 6, which is pretty exciting. I'm almost sure he's going to be a late baby, but I don't know if that's just wishful thinking, considering how much is still left to be done. We finally got our crib, after completing fourteen parenting lessons at the pregnancy center that has been helping us through all of this. Our counselor, Joan, was so sweet, she even helped us bring it home in her SUV because there was no way it was going to fit in our Honda. Right now the crib is sitting in the living room while I get the nursery in good enough order to have another piece of furniture in there. The bird room has undergone a complete transformation, all the stored boxes pulled out, the walls washed, the floor shampooed, the closets emptied. My dad and I assembled the changing table/dresser we got at Ikea and set that up, so with the bookshelves and the rocking chairs in there, the only furniture left is the crib.
Before we can get the crib in, though, I've got to do something with all the clothes. This weekend we washed ALL the clothes. Two showers and many hand-me-downs and two first-time-grandmas worth of clothes. It took forever, and I'm still not done folding! Once they're all sorted and put away, we'll be almost ready for the crib. And when the crib is done, we'll be almost ready for the baby! Except that the bedroom is a mess, and I've let the kitchen and living room get all cluttered again, and I can't bend over worth a damn to pick anything up... I'm trying to take it one thing at a time. When the nursery is done, that will be a big step. Mike's in final exams now, both taking and administering them, but when he's done, we'll both be working hard to get everything finished and ready.
It's funny how much of a presence Robert already is in our lives. It was so surprisingly easy to fall in love, even though he's not here yet. Thank God I didn't have to go through that first twenty weeks of worry and waiting. I'd just have been a nervous wreck. Now, though, he's so active all the time I hardly have to do kick counts, and he's responsive to my touch, to my voice, to Mike being around and talking to him. I alternate between being eager to meet him and still being flabbergasted that we're going to be parents. How can we be ready for this? The initial terror has long since worn off, but there's still apprehension, sort of like when you're getting ready for a new school or a new and difficult job. We're going into strange territory, and it's impossible to know what it's going to be like until we get there. I'm still excited, though. And I have a feeling that in another four or five weeks, I'll be ready to handle anything parenting throws at me, just for the chance to not be pregnant anymore. =)
Today I had my 36-week checkup at the midwife's office. We also had our first snow of the year, so things were a little hectic, but that was okay. Things are looking good. Robert, who has spent most of the past two months or so laying with his back against the right side of my tummy, has executed a surprise lateral roll to the left side, presumably so all my ribs get equal kicking time. His head is still down though, and that's the important part. My poor midwife, Sister Kay, had to chase him all over with the Dopotone to get his heartbeat because he was in a squirmy mood, but she laughed and said it was a good sign. I don't honestly know how much weight I've gained this pregnancy, because I didn't think to jot anything down way back in April, but I've gained seventeen pounds since Week 19, and that seems to be okay. I still weigh fifteen pounds less than my heaviest non-pregnant weight, but that doesn't mean any of my clothes fit anymore. It makes a difference when all the weight gain is in the tummy. =)
Yesterday was the start of the one-month countdown to January 6, which is pretty exciting. I'm almost sure he's going to be a late baby, but I don't know if that's just wishful thinking, considering how much is still left to be done. We finally got our crib, after completing fourteen parenting lessons at the pregnancy center that has been helping us through all of this. Our counselor, Joan, was so sweet, she even helped us bring it home in her SUV because there was no way it was going to fit in our Honda. Right now the crib is sitting in the living room while I get the nursery in good enough order to have another piece of furniture in there. The bird room has undergone a complete transformation, all the stored boxes pulled out, the walls washed, the floor shampooed, the closets emptied. My dad and I assembled the changing table/dresser we got at Ikea and set that up, so with the bookshelves and the rocking chairs in there, the only furniture left is the crib.
Before we can get the crib in, though, I've got to do something with all the clothes. This weekend we washed ALL the clothes. Two showers and many hand-me-downs and two first-time-grandmas worth of clothes. It took forever, and I'm still not done folding! Once they're all sorted and put away, we'll be almost ready for the crib. And when the crib is done, we'll be almost ready for the baby! Except that the bedroom is a mess, and I've let the kitchen and living room get all cluttered again, and I can't bend over worth a damn to pick anything up... I'm trying to take it one thing at a time. When the nursery is done, that will be a big step. Mike's in final exams now, both taking and administering them, but when he's done, we'll both be working hard to get everything finished and ready.
It's funny how much of a presence Robert already is in our lives. It was so surprisingly easy to fall in love, even though he's not here yet. Thank God I didn't have to go through that first twenty weeks of worry and waiting. I'd just have been a nervous wreck. Now, though, he's so active all the time I hardly have to do kick counts, and he's responsive to my touch, to my voice, to Mike being around and talking to him. I alternate between being eager to meet him and still being flabbergasted that we're going to be parents. How can we be ready for this? The initial terror has long since worn off, but there's still apprehension, sort of like when you're getting ready for a new school or a new and difficult job. We're going into strange territory, and it's impossible to know what it's going to be like until we get there. I'm still excited, though. And I have a feeling that in another four or five weeks, I'll be ready to handle anything parenting throws at me, just for the chance to not be pregnant anymore. =)
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no subject
Date: 2009-12-08 01:20 am (UTC)Get used to a cluttered house and messy kitchen. Once little Robert appears, you won't have much time to clean. But if you have a really strong nesting instinct as an early labor sign, your house will be spotless before he arrives :)
Did you get approved to have a home birth?
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 12:41 am (UTC)And right now, my house is a mess. I'm squirrel nesting, I think. We must have food, FOOD, enough food for the whole winter! I've turned part of the linen closet into a pantry and it's still not enough. I'm hoping to get a little more nesty before the big day, so things at least start out clean. =)
Oh, and I saw Juliet's new pictures on Facebook. She's adorable, and growing so fast!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-10 06:40 am (UTC)I hope you have a good birth experience. I wrote out a birth plan with everything I wanted/did not want and all my Drs and nurses (I was in labor almost 31 hours so I had a few) read it and followed it to a 'T'
I think if you're there with your own midwife they'll hopefully just leave you be. My care coordinator/midwife told me that I just had to be really assertive and pushy with the hospital staff to make sure I got what I wanted. Fortunately I didn't have to be. But I say if you, hubby, & your midwife know what you want, then just force your will onto whatever hospital staff you have to deal with. Unless of course something becomes medically necessary, in which case I was planning on making them prove the medical necessity. I had no problem with the pitocin, though, and after 30 hours of labor, I had no problem with the vacuum extractor either. But the Dr who actually delivered Juliet was really awesome. I still owe her a card or something bc I called her a bitch :D
It's good to have food. Do you really want to venture out in January in Kentucky with a newborn in order to go to the grocery store? Our neighbor gifted us a carpet shampooing before Juliet was born, which was like the best gift ever, so she could start out with clean carpets. I was really happy :) Then after she was born, everyone who came over to visit her offered to clean something, which was also really nice. So keep that in mind if you don't get to something. All baby guests can be put to work :D
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Date: 2011-04-12 10:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-02 05:20 am (UTC)