wednesday, december 18 :::
 
+ Dr. Update +
One-hour glucose tolerance test done! No results yet, of course, but I should see those in a few days. That orange stuff wasn't as awful as I'd thought it would be, but it wasn't pleasant. You seemed to like it, or hate it. Minutes after drinking it, you freaked out and started bouncing off the walls of my body. Yowza! When the Dr. tried to listen to your heartbeat later, we both just laughed because you wouldn't sit still for more than 2 seconds in any position. She finally just gave up trying.

My weight is up another 6.5 pounds (hee hee) for a grand total of 9.5 so far. She didn't seem alarmed by that, so I'm not panicking. My bp was 100/70, nice and low. I measured smack-on, a perfect 28 inches (I'll be 28 weeks tomorrow), and everything else looks great! We have another appt. on January 13th, then we go to the 2-week appointments. This Dr. was a new one for me, but she was really really nice. I wouldn't mind if she delivered at all. I will meet the others in the practice eventually and hope I feel the same way about them. I got the paperwork for the hospital, so I'll need to fill that out and get it back as soon as I can.

Today's your Daddy's 29th birthday! Yippee! You'll only get to know him in his 20's for a little while. Poor Daddy. He's playing his new PlayStation 2 game all day today, though, so it's not like he's too grown up yet. :-)

Oh by the way... Thank you SO much for keeping me up all night last night. I know you probably still had sugar overload, but come on. That was ridiculous. Combined with the heartburn that wouldn't go away and the 2 leg cramps, I didn't get ANY sleep at all. Grumble grumble grumble.

::: posted by Kerry at 7:04 AM



tuesday, december 17 :::
 
+ Today +
I don't suppose it's super-intelligent to start off the day of my gestational diabetes test with a 44 oz. Mug Root Beer? I'm also munching concurrently on original Doritos and coffee-flavored yogurt. What I need to make sure I do is drink lots of water (which I normally do) and make sure I eat lunch (which I didn't yesterday). And not eat any from the bag of orange slices hiding behind the Doritos bag. Yeah. Thankfully the test isn't until 3:15.

::: posted by Kerry at 7:05 AM



monday, december 16 :::
 
+ Yawn +
Oh, and my sleepiness is definitely, officially back. I slept many hours every night this weekend, and still took 2 1/2 hour naps on both Saturday and Sunday. I clearly needed them, and woke up fairly refreshed from each. But it's worrisome that I need this much sleep all of a sudden. The stuff I read says that's normal, but I was really hoping it wouldn't come back like this. The first couple of months frankly were kind of a sleepy blur. I guess the last few will be, too.

::: posted by Kerry at 8:08 AM


 
+ 27w4d +
I have to remember we have a Dr's appointment tomorrow. I completely forgot until a few minutes ago. It's our gestational diabetes test, and I'm not looking forward to it. I don't actually think I'll fail it, though I admittedly do not eat as well as I should, and sometimes (usually weekend mornings when I'm more active) I can feel changes in my blood sugar. But I guess we'll see! Daddy won't be going with us because he has a big, scary Calculus final. Poor Daddy.

You had a fun weekend. Friday night we went to a party for my work team, and you got to share a room with 2 other in utero babies. One is due 4 weeks after you (they don't know what the gender is) and one is due about 5.5 weeks after you (that one's a boy). I got an adorable teddy bear in the White Elephant gift exchange. Daddy wanted the Emeril Legasse cookbook. But babies and teddy bears? He had no contest. Everyone else wanted the bear, but told me later they didn't have the heart to take it from you. How sweet is that?! Friday night I experienced yet another new pregnancy problem... leg cramps. I had 3 massive wake-from-a-dead-sleep leg cramps. I can't figure out why, but I must have been sitting or standing too long in some bad position at the party. I actually had to get up and walk them off. Fortunately, I didn't get them back, but my legs were really sore on Saturday because of them.

Saturday you went to your first circus! We saw Cirque du Soleil's Dralion, and I kept expecting you to wake up and join in the fun. In fact, you slept through most of it, except when the music got really loud or the percussion got particularly rhythmic and loud. Then you gave me a couple of nice boogy-ing moments. Yesterday morning I woke up to a new experience. I could clearly identify for the first time how you were lying in there. My belly was very noticeably lopsided, and your butt and back were balled up on my right side, where you're usually kicking. You moved around once I got up, but it was neat to be able to kind of visualize your position for once.

So, tomorrow, the glucose test. Wednesday, Daddy's birthday. Thursday, 28 weeks. Yippee!

::: posted by Kerry at 8:06 AM



friday, december 13 :::
 
+ I'm back +
I'm reverting to my normal calm self again. Yesterday was just my moment of panic, but today I'm back. Daddy looked at my bare belly this morning and asked if you were okay in there, since I look so small. As far as I know, you're fine, and I don't feel so small. I think it's just hard for people outside of my body to remember the belly that didn't used to be there. Which starts another argument entirely about what is thin and what isn't in our society... but I digress. Yesterday, I was chatting with a girlfriend here at work who had her baby in early July, and another girl I'm only acquainted with said, "Oh, wow! I didn't even know you were pregnant." Hmmmm, not very observant. Honestly, you could not miss it. I promise. But when I told her at last weigh-in I'd only gained three pounds? She jokingly called me a bad name and walked off. I'm not kidding. Oh, well!

I'm feeling very good lately, except for some reason I seem to be getting my first trimester sleepiness back again. I don't know if that's normal or not, so I guess I'll ask my Dr. on Tuesday. But last night I was exhausted at 8:00, finally relented and went to bed at 8:30, and woke up tired this morning at 6:00. Hrm. And I only got up once, at about 10:30, for the potty. Otherwise, I slept like a rock and really shouldn't be tired.

As a result, I felt like I needed some caffeine this morning, so I bought a Dr. Pepper. I feel like I'm getting high, since I don't drink true soda very often (usually just water or caffeine-free root beer). Interestingly, but not surprising, you are WIDE AWAKE and doing a boogaloo in there. I wonder why you insist, after weeks, on kicking in the same darned place? At least it's not my bladder, so I should be thankful. I keep hoping it's truly your feet kicking me there, because I think that means you're head-down like you should be. And the tickles in my pelvic area, I think those are your head moving around as you change positions. They're not sharp pokes, just bumps or bubbles.

Anyway, other readers are probably bored by now. I just wanted to update on how I'm feeling. Someday I think you and I will probably find this all very interesting! I'll have to find a pretty way to print this for your baby book. Well, back to work!

::: posted by Kerry at 6:40 AM



thursday, december 12 :::
 
+ Timing +
The first item was bought off the registry... I knew she was going to buy it, but I am suddenly having a moment of panic. I'm having a baby. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I am reading about labor. Holy cow. We having to take care of you and raise you to be healthy and happy. Oh my gosh. I hope you don't hate us. :-)

::: posted by Kerry at 8:34 AM


 
+ Happy third trimester to us! +
Can you believe it? Here we are, we're in the home stretch. It really doesn't seem like it's been that long since I found out we're pregnant. In reality, it's been almost 23 weeks that I've known about you. That is, in fact, a pretty darned long time. But third trimester is it. There is no #4. At the end of the 3rd trimester, however long it turns out to be, we will have you in our arms. That is so incredible. One of my online sources had this to say about you:
Your baby now weighs a little more than 2 pounds (1000g), and crown-to-rump length is about 9.6 inches (24cm) by this week. Total length is 15.3 inches (34cm).
Wow. Two pounds. 15.3 inches. No wonder you're bumpin' and rollin' in there like a crazy child. This whole pregnancy is starting to be very surreal to me. Truly. I'm speechless. I must go pee now (again, thank you for punching my bladder) and ponder the wonderment of you.

::: posted by Kerry at 7:56 AM



tuesday, december 10 :::
 
+ 2 days +
Until our third trimester. That's still pretty darned amazing to me. My doctor told me to fill out my hospital paperwork during my 6th month, which is rapidly ending, and I don't think I'll make it in. But we start classes the first week of January if I remember right, so we'll probably just do it then. Another baby journal-keeper, Jooles, noted that she's in double-digits on her remaining pregnancy time. Curious, I figured I should look too... 173 days have passed and 93 days are left! Oh my goodness! More shocking, 65% of the pregnancy has passed and 35% is left. I guess this all makes sense. After all, third trimester means we're 2/3 of the way there. But the more statistics I see confirming this, the more I realize our family is thiiiiiiiiiis close to changing forever.

::: posted by Kerry at 6:54 AM



monday, december 9 :::
 
+ Daddy +
Daddy got to feel you kick on Saturday! Thanks for being so active in there. After all your games with him, we tricked you. I waited until you were in one of your full-on rolling and kicking routines (which happen several times a day and are actually kind of uncomfortable), then ushered him over. You did stop after he stuck his hand there, but not until he'd already felt one good, solid kick. Thank you! I don't think he thought it was as cool as he should have, but what can I expect?!

I'm getting bigger and bigger. But I have to admit, I am very lucky. In all, I have had a very easy pregnancy: no morning sickness, no major problems, no real sciatica or other pain, no real swelling (except two or three isolated instances), no bed rest, minor weight gain, etc. etc. I can't say it will stay that way, but if the worst things I have to complain about are a slight reduction in my energy level and dreadful heartburn most evenings... Well, then I'm pretty blessed. Thank you, body, for working with me these last 6.5 months. In three days, we are in the 3rd trimester, and beginning the countdown. Childbirth and Baby Care classes start in the new year, as well as orientation at the hospital and increased doctor's visits. Our meeting day is right around the corner. Wow.

::: posted by Kerry at 9:22 AM



friday, december 6 :::
 
+ Dreamin' +
I had the most vivid dream last night. In the middle of it, I even got up to go to the bathroom, came back to bed, and caught right up in the dream again. I don't remember all the details, but certain things stick out in my mind. You came early. It felt like you came right now, but I think you were about 4 or 5 pounds, so obviously I must have been further along. Here's the kicker: I was out of it for the whole thing. It must be my increasing anxiousness with labor and my mind's way of telling me to stop worrying about it. I was at home, and I guess my mom was there, and the next thing I know, I'm coming to while pushing in the hospital room. I couldn't for the life of me remember going into labor or anything. Apparently, I started bleeding a LOT (that's not pleasant, sorry, but in my dream it wasn't alarming because I learned about it after the fact), I yelled to my mom to help me, she got me to the hospital and they said I was in labor. They gave me an epidural, and I guess I was in some altered state of consciousness, because I wasn't aware of what was going on, like I was in a coma. Like I said, I woke up, pushing. I pushed probably 4 or 5 good times, and you were born. And you were so tiny, and so absolutely and completely perfect. They gave you to me right away, and then I realized I hadn't read anything on nursing yet (because you came so early) and I didn't know what to do. But we figured it out, and you were the perfect baby. Other than the first cry, you never cried again. We took you home the next day and the next 2 days were just you and me, cuddling and learning about one another.

Yes, of course, I am fully aware this is a dream and not reality. It was just remarkably vivid, and full of emotion. The puppy was hurt yesterday, mysteriously, and has a pretty big abrasion under her right eye. I spent most of last night worrying over her, putting medicine on her and just cuddling with her. It's a minor injury, but I'm in this emotional place right now (duh!), and that probably helped fuel the dream.

So, we're at 26w1d. Can you believe it? Well, you should be waking up in there again (I'm eating, so that's not surprising). Could you wave at your "aunties" from the Delphi message board? They're dropping by to check on you, so say Hi!

::: posted by Kerry at 7:14 AM



thursday, december 5 :::
 
+ SAT Preparation +
There's a fabulous commercial on TV your daddy and I saw last night. It shows a dad, asking if they have LeapPad toys for babies. The guy shows him where they are, and he starts piling them up, along with toddler, child, etc. toys. By the end, the mom walks up, and she's clearly about 9 months pregnant. She looks at the stack, pulls out and reads from a box, "SAT Preparation?", shakes her head and walks off. I laughed and looked at your daddy and said, "Oh my gosh, that's us!" He laughed too and said, "Yeah, it is! Well, it's never too early to start!"

Poor baby. Look what you're in for.

By the way, thanks for giving me a repeat of yesterday this morning. I felt you move completely last evening, so I figured you weren't going to kick me in that same darned spot anymore. Nope. I guess during the night you switched right back. I'm getting the big kicks below my right ribs and the little jabs above my pubic bone. Why didn't you do this last night so daddy could feel you?!

::: posted by Kerry at 7:05 AM



wednesday, december 4 :::
 
+ Walking epidural +
This is something I'd heard about but I have had trouble finding info on it. This article talks about what it is and what it does. I keep meaning to ask my Dr's about this. Maybe at the next visit. I get restless and increasingly uncomfortable lying still, and at only 6 months, I can already tell that walking does something to me that I think will help labor. If I walk even a moderate distance, I have BH contractions. When I'm in labor, I think it will really help things along. I'd like to have some control over my body instead of being practically disabled, prone on my back. Must remember to ask doctor...

::: posted by Kerry at 2:24 PM


 
+ And we're off! +
There you go again. You stopped for the most part about 10:30, and it would appear you're awake for your afternoon frisky time (this is normal). BUT... You're kicking me in the same damned spot! It's right under my ribs and it's not very comfortable. It feels like an on again/off again cramp or something. Oh, thanks. Now you're kicking me low in my pelvis at the same damned time. Ugh. Man, what I wouldn't give to have a window in to see what you're doing in there!!!

::: posted by Kerry at 1:40 PM


 
+ I told you so +
Remember I mentioned you're moving around like a banshee? Well, we were just in a meeting and you're still doing it (going on 2 hours now), and my assistant was able to feel you! She's the first person besides me to feel your antics. And she really felt it! You kicked her 3 or 4 good times and her face just lit up.

::: posted by Kerry at 8:35 AM


 
+ One more thing +
My belly button is beggining to warp. It already looks... different. And if I push gently on either side of it, it pops out, then back in when I let go. Don't ask me how I figured that out. It's just a pregnant woman thing: you analyze your body way more than ever before. Anyway, I figure in another couple of weeks I'll start losing it altogether. Grand.

::: posted by Kerry at 6:39 AM


 
+ Dang! +
Holy cow, you've never moved like this! You woke me up last night, kicking both sides of my stomach at once. Okay, I thought that was weird and all, but mostly I just wanted to sleep. Now this morning? You apparently are getting unhappy with your rapidly-crowding space and want me to know about it. You are kicking me SO hard, about an inch or two below my ribs. It's freakish!

::: posted by Kerry at 6:34 AM



tuesday, december 3 :::
 
+ Pictures +
I'm sure everyone has anxiously been awaiting these (not!), but here are some pictures for your amusement. I wanted to take more of the baby's room, but we ran out of film. :-) Next roll, I promise. Click for larger pics. The first one is me (sans makeup, so I look dreadful) at 22.5 weeks. The second one is the baby's crib, and you can see the toy box and changing table too. They're painted purple and green to match the bedding. The third one is 24.5 weeks, in our hotel room at the Luxor in Las Vegas the weekend before last. That's my fancy-schmancy $100 Mimi Maternity black velvet wrap dress I got on eBay for $12! Sorry the picture quality is so bad - and Joe's more worried about the automatic timer than smiling. Oh well! Enjoy!

::: posted by Kerry at 5:08 PM


 
+ 25w5d +
Do you realize we only have 8 days until the third trimester? Oh my gosh. This pregnancy is so completely flying by. I can't explain it but I feel like I'm not getting it. I don't even really feel like I'm anywhere near ending the second trimester. I feel like this pregnancy is just getting started. All the stories everyone tells about being pregnant feel like they're way beyond where I am. Does that make any sense? Like my experiences can't possibly be what they're talking about because I'm not that far along... But I really actually am. I don't know, but for a first baby, 9 months doesn't seem like a long enough transition. Having said that, I know full-well that it will be over before I blink and still feel like it's taking forever at the same time, especially at the end. But right now? I feel like there were all these things I should have done in the second trimester that I didn't. Suddenly I feel like I'm running out of time. Yikes. Panic attack. Must be calm...

::: posted by Kerry at 9:58 AM



monday, december 2 :::
 
+ Flu shots +
By the way, I'm thinking about this as I'm starting to feel a bit under the weather today (I think I'm getting a cold, or strep throat)... I figure this might show up under search referrers, so I'll be specific. I got a flu shot on November 19th (2 weeks ago), at almost 24 weeks pregnant, and had not one single complication. It was administered here at work by the "Shot Nurse" and I didn't even get a headache. So there's my testimony for the year. I can't promise nobody else will have a reaction, but I am glad to know I didn't. I was actually quite worried about this. Now, if someone would just make a shot for colds. I think I'll have to buy some Strawberry C Monster by Odwalla. It's my favorite cold-battler, and knocks out almost 50% of my oncoming colds. Good stuff, that.

::: posted by Kerry at 2:12 PM


 
+ Giving thanks +
Not surprisingly, we had many things for which to give thanks this year. There have been some challenges this past year, I won't lie. Some more serious than others. But in the end, we have nothing but blessings to dwell upon. And you are such a major part of the story. I'm thankful for every day I wake up, knowing the wondrous miracle going on inside of me. I'm thankful for the aches and pains, even the heartburn, because they remind me of your presence and assure me that things are going as they should. Another due-in-March mother wrote a message today that 3 weeks ago, at 21 weeks, her baby was born and shortly thereafter passed away. I have so much to be thankful for so far, that you're healthy and happy in there.

You moved a lot this weekend, and I grew just as much as you moved. Ha! One morning, you were sideways, and very high. I could tell the main part of your body was high, at and above my navel. Then last night, I realized you were really really low, kicking down into some uncomfortable territory. Today you seem to be back to your normal sprawling self. We walked a lot on Friday, shopping in the after-Thanksgiving sales. I learned that I really do need to take it easy now. I'm a pregnant woman (and very noticeably - I had lots of salespeople ask me about you), and I can't walk as long, as fast or as far as I used to without breaks. I need to drink lots of water (which I did), and it's okay to rest. Getting up out of some chairs is already getting harder, and my balance is changing quite a lot.

Anyway, I got some cute Dad-to-be and Mommy-to-be ornaments. They were expensive, but handmade and very cute. They're on the tree right next to each other and the (little, and oddly proportionate with the others) scottie ornament that looks so much like Princess. Our little family as it is today. I like the milestone ornaments we have, like our first married Christmas ones. I can't wait to see the beautiful ones for your first Christmas too.

::: posted by Kerry at 9:30 AM